1/2010

Fellow Marines, Sailors, Families, and Friends of the Third Marine Division Association,

SIX MONTHS AND A WAKE UP until we gather again for our 56th Annual reunion in Charleston, South Carolina! I know that even though these are not good financial times and we all get solicited to give to many worthy organizations, I must start off by talking a little business. We’re beginning to receive reunion reservations and I am pleased to report that although we have received donations from fewer contributors than this time last year to our Dedicated Members Page, Bill Flenniken reports that we are nearly ten percent ahead in total contributions to date. This is good and although we are ahead of where we were last year in total received, we have received contributions from only 452 of our 4,795 “active” members. Please assist our Association by making a contribution of any amount. Just for your information, our total membership includes 4,795 “active” members and 3,152 “inactive” members. We recently mailed 2,327 copies of the CALTRAP at an expense of $4,132.00 for printing and $850.00 for postage. Another area where we can all help is by purchasing an advertisement in the Reunion Journal. This can be for your company or organization, for you, or in honor / memoriam of a shipmate. Please see the form in the CALTRAP. Help us help ourselves!

I appreciate the phone calls, emails, and notes that continue to come in from many of you with suggestions on how to enhance our Association. The more you send me before we get to Charleston, the more we can accomplish at our various meetings and during those strategic discussions at the bar. Please continue to contact me with your concerns and new ideas.

As you can see in the CALTRAP, we have an exciting 2010 reunion planned for 3 through 8 August 2010. Please come and participate in as many of the scheduled events as possible and make this year’s reunion the best and biggest that our Association has held to date. As previously reported, we have scheduled some great tours of historic Charleston. A highlight of the reunion will be a visit to Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island where we will have the honor of observing a combined graduation of male and female Marine Recruit Companies.

In closing, Marines and Sailors from the Third Marine Division remain in Combat and specifically, First Battalion, Third Marines, Headquarters Fourth Marines, a Company from Third Reconnaissance Battalion and six Embedded Training Teams are in the fight in Afghanistan. Please keep them in your prayers to successfully complete their missions and return home safely.

I remain honored and humbled to serve each and every one of you and my wife Susan and I are excited as we get closer to gathering together in Charleston. MOVE OUT!

Very Respectfully and Semper Fidelis,

Gordon C. Nash    MajGen, USMC (Ret)
President, 3rd Marine Division Association