12 April, 2019 DRAFT
The Golden Eagles Membership Meeting
DFW Westin Hotel, Ft Worth, Texas
0900-1030, 12 April, 2019
The Meeting was called to order at 0900 by Pilot Mazach, who led the group in the Pledge of Allegiance.
PILOT’S REMARKS: VADM John Mazach
• Thanks to Central Flight; Bill Bauer, Jim Ryan and their team including Pat Walsh and AFRI
• Thanks to the Flight Deck and Flight Leads for providing outstanding communications on an almost daily basis
• Thanks to Mike Malone and the MSC including chairman Don Boecker
• Howard DeCastro, as always, thanks
• Congratulated the winning Golf Tourney foursome: Bill Knutson, Pappy Ernst, Steve Abbot and Lonny McClung
CHIEF PILOT’S REMARKS: LtGen Harry Blot
• Called attention to the importance of membership selection issues to be briefed in the meeting.
CO-PILOT’S REMARKS: RADM Jay Campbell
• Thanks to the Pilot for keeping us all informed and providing detail for membership changes in the quarterly reports.
• Added his thanks to Flight Leaders for keeping the Flight Deck up to speed on regional activities.
• Thanks to Gazelle for keeping the books in order.
“Tommy Tomlinson” Award announcement: RADM Don Boecker
• Deferred to MajGen Charlie Bolden who presented this year’s award.
• This year’s awardee was LCDR Christopher “U-Turn” Montague formerly of VX-23 and now with VFA-22.
• Panther reminded us that a CD may no longer be the best digital media for presentation to the Tomlinson Award winner.
NAVIGATOR’S REPORT: LtGen Keith Stalder
• Navigator Keith Stalder presented the Minutes of the Members Meeting held on 28 April 2018 in Leesburg, VA. A unanimous vote approved the minutes.
• The Golden Eagle Membership now includes:
o 199 Regular Members
o 57 Emeritus Members
o 3 Honorary Members
• During the Year:
o Nineteen members were accepted into the Golden Eagles
o Eleven Members (Seven Emeritus and Four Regular Members) made their Last Take Off
o Sixteen Members transferred to Emeritus
o Seven Golden Eagle Ladies passed away
RADIO OFFICER’S REPORT: Colonel Gary Van Gysel
• FY ’19 began 1 April and FY ’18 closed successfully with ~$78K on the books.
• A vote approved the donation of $2500.00 each for the Naval Aviation Museum and Navy Marine Corps Relief and for the 2019 Tomlinson award in the amount of approximately $200.00.
• The financial report was reviewed and accepted by unanimous vote. See below.
• A discussion on raising funds and the benefits of standardizing Industry fund raising among the flights was held. Gazelle will head up a committee to put together a list of corporate donors with points of contact to be used by each Flights Charitable Campaign to standardize this process.
• By motion, the Radio Officer’s report was approved.
ENGINEER OFFICER/HISTORIAN REPORT: CAPT Roy Cash
• Engineer Officer Roy Cash reported that this was our 59th Regular Reunion.
• There also are Mini-Reunions listed in the Membership Directory, conducted in 1974 and 1977 at Patuxent, Pensacola, and San Diego, and 1979 at Oceana and San Diego.
• There were 143 members, including five Emeritus members, signed up to attend the 2019 Reunion.
• The requirement for attending at least one of the last four reunions was met by all members at the 2019 reunion except for those who transferred to Emeritus.
• Working new member bios to bring those up to date.
NOMINATING COMMITTEE REPORT: LtCol Howard DeCastro
• LtCol Howard DeCastro provided the following list of candidates for service. He also discussed establishment of a new construct wherein one new board member of the Board of Governors will be chosen from each Flight each year and how we accomplished same. He will draft a revision to the By-Laws to reflect this change to nominating procedures.
• Lopp reminded us that the Navy and Marine Corps split/share for USCG Golden Eagles is 3/1 and there are three USCG Eagles on board now.
Board of Governors
o Phil Gay- Northeast Flight
o Butch Christie- Southeast Flight
o Don Beaufait-Central Flight
o Tom Morgenfeld- West Flight
These four new members replace the following Board Members who have served either one or two-year terms:
o Colonel David Seder-Northeast Flight
o RADM Jim Maslowski, Central Flight
o CAPT Kent Ewing, Southeast Flight
o VADM Mike Bowman, West/Southeast Flight
These four Board Members have one more year of service on the Board.
o CAPT Lonnie McClung, West Flight
o VADM Marty Chanik, Northeast Flight
o ADM Tim Keating, Southeast Flight
o Colonel Bob Hickerson, Central Flight
Flight Leaders
o CDR Curt Dose, West Flight Leader
o Colonel Gary Elsten, Central Flight Leader
o LtCol Mike Stortz, Southeast Flight Leader
o RADM Matt Moffit, Northeast Flight Leader
• A unanimous vote approved adoption including the amendment of the Bylaws to reflect the new process.
MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE SELECTION REPORT: RADM Don Boecker
• Don Boecker reported that of thirty-eight Navy nominees eighteen were recommended for selection on this board. Of eighteen Marine nominees, six were recommended for selection.
Membership Secretary Remarks: VADM Mike Malone
• Key points:
• Supplemental write ups for nominees are permissible.
• The inclusion or submission of supplemental award citations are permissible and can be helpful to the selection process.
• Either the nominating GE or the endorser should have first-hand knowledge of flying skills. Cockpit skills are still the primary determinate of suitability to be a GE.
• It is permissible to share that a candidate has been nominated.
• The criterion to be a co-sponsor is one year of GE membership and attendance at one reunion.
SITE SELECTION COMMITTEE REPORT: Flight Leaders
• Central – Jim Ryan provided a briefing on the work that went into organizing the 2019 Reunion in Ft Worth. Consideration is being given to Austin, TX for the 2023 reunion.
• Southeast – Mike Stortz provided an update on the 2020 reunion in Jacksonville, FL from 30 April to 3 May.
• West – Denny Irelan provided additional info on 2021 reunion in Coeur d’Alene, ID from 29 April to 2 May.
• Northeast- Matt Moffit discussed possible sites for the 2022 Reunion. They are still looking at options.
OLD BUSINESS:
• The Pilot solicited recommendations and support to help awareness of the passing of Golden Eagle wives. It is especially difficult to maintain appropriate contact after the husband has made his Last Take Off.
• The Wingman program works well, let’s keep it up.
NEW BUSINESS:
• Emeritus Transfer Procedures will remain unchanged.
• Widow Reunion attendance at no cost was discussed and the consensus was to allow Widows to attend events with fees paid for by Golden Eagles.
• ADM Zlatoper reports that Ron Hayes was in improving health last month and appreciates the contact with GEs.
• CAPT Gay suggested that GEs consider hiring a professional organization to capture GE oral histories. Additional research needs to be done to determine scope and effort required.
• RADM Moffit suggested that GEs send their DFC Certificates to the DFC Society. CDR Chuck Sweeney, the Executive Director of the DFC Society, recommended that eligible GEs join the Society and they will collect and post the citations.
• CAPT Roy Cash reminded us that he is working to complete bios and requested the assistance of those affected.
The Pilot requested a Motion to adjourn, which was made, seconded and passed. The meeting adjourned at 1002. |
