Second Annual 425th Regimental Reunion Dinner
This was the second 425th Regimental Reunion Dinner. The dinner went very well. The dinner was attended by 50-60 members and guests. Our guest speaker, SSG (Ret) Quentin Waite, presented a Army newsreel about Merrill’s Marauders (5307th Composite Unit – Provisional) that lasted about 30 minutes. It was interesting because of the background information it provided. There was quite a bit of support provided for 
logistics by the Chinese and local personnel, especially litter bearers. The Marauders suffered more casualties from illnesses like cerebral malaria, amoebic dysentery, and/or scrub typhus than from enemy action. SSG Waite was in the Recon and Intelligence section for his battalion. He said that he never saw any of the activities covered in the movie because they were always away from the main body. Prior to joining Merrill’s Marauders, SSG Waite also fought on Guadalcanal and other Solomon Islands. He was in a National Guard unit mobilized in the early Forties.
The caterer Soprano’s again had an excellent dinner that included a 425th Regimental Association sheet cake with jump wings The Bruce post did a great job with the hall and keeping all our thirsty members and guests supplied with beverages at the bar.
Prior to SSG Quentin’s presentation the present chairman of the Detroit Chapter of the 82nd Airborne Association, SFC (Ret) Steven Mrozek, and the present chairman of the Wolverine Chapter, SGT (Ret) Dean Burchill, gave a short speech about the 82nd Airborne Association and their respective chapters.
At 10pm, many of the members and guests went into the club room along with the remains of the cake to share more stories about their experiences with Co F, 425th Infantry.
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425th Regimental Reunion Dinner
425th Regimental Reunion Dinner
Friday, October 23, 2015
Bruce VFW Post
28404 Jefferson Ave., St. Clair Shores, MI
You are cordially invited to attend the 2015 Regimental Reunion Dinner. This is a great opportunity to renew past friendships and make some new ones.
The Reunion Dinner will include dinner, open bar, and a memorable speaker. There will also be unit and association t-shirts, hats, coins, and other memorabilia on sale.
1800 Bar opens
1900 Dinner
2000 Announcements, toasts, and speaker
2200 Formal activities are concluded. Members are invited to stay longer and socialize in the Post Club Room.
Our guest speaker will be SSG (ret) Quentin Waite. SSG Waite is one of the original members of Merrill’s Marauders, and one of the few remaining members of the Marauders. Although he is 94 years old, he is a dynamic speaker who is still active in the U.S. Army Ranger Association and the Chaplain of the Michigan Ranger Base. You have never heard a speaker with his experiences – experiences that are extremely relevant to veterans of Company F.
The cost of this event is $30 per person. Payment must be made in advance NLT October 9, 2015.
For credit card payments click on this link – http://425regiment.org/?page_id=1363, or copy and paste it into your preferred web browser.
Payment made be made by check (payable to 425th Regimental Association) and sending the form at the bottom of this invitation to Dean Burchill, 22533 Lincoln, St. Clair Shores, MI 48082
There is no designated attire for this event. Members are encouraged to wear the Army Service Uniform, Class A Army Green Uniform, business suit, or sport coat and tie.
425th Regimental Reunion Dinner Registration
October 23, 2015
Registration Form
Name ___________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________
Highest rank held _________________ Number of guests _________________
Email address _____________________________________________________
Phone Numbers: Home (______) __________ Cell (_______) __________
Amount Paid $ ______________
Send this form (with check) to:
Dean Burchill
22533 Lincoln
St. Clair Shores, MI 48082
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Happy 75th Anniversary!
Happy 75th anniversary to the U.S. Army Airborne!
Airborne! All The Way!
On 16 August 1940, members of the U.S.Army Parachute Test Platoon made their first jump at Fort Benning, GA. American Paratroopers have been earning their jump wings there ever since. Here’s to our country’s finest!
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425th Regimental Association Newsletter – Fall 2015
425th Regimental Association
E-Newsletter
Fall, 2015
Renew your Membership and Shop Online on the Regimental website
The 425th Regimental Association has joined the ecommerce age! You can now renew your membership online through the Membership Center on the Association website.
You can also purchase Regimental clothing, coins, license plates, and decals through the Regimental Quartermaster Store. We accept payment by PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard.
Thunder Over Michigan Air Show
Once again David Lincicome will be leading the charge for our parking project at the Willow Run Airport. It will be the weekend of 29-30 August. As in the past the Association will receive funds for our coffers in accordance to the number of volunteers we have working the parking concession.
We have done well the past several years. This fund raiser is one of the reasons that the Association is in a strong financial position and can conduct some activities at a loss. We need YOUR help as a volunteer for this event. Let’s make this another banner year. You can work both days or just one and get to see the air show free.
Workers will receive their choice of a free 425th Association hat, T-shirt or license plate. For more details or to volunteer contact David Lincicome at [email protected].
Joint 82nd Airborne Division Association/425th Regimental Association Picnic – Saturday. 25 July 2015
Once again we had a great time at the joint picnic with the 82nd Airborne Division Association. There was plenty of food and drink. We were able to catch up with comrades from the past and meet new comrades who were in the unit before or after our own time. Unfortunately the parachute jump scheduled for 1500 was cancelled due to high winds (nothing we have ever experienced!), but that did not prevent people from having a good time.
There was a general membership meeting in the Club Room of the Bruce VFW Post. The minutes from that meeting are at the end of this newsletter.
Obamacare Requirement for Your Income Tax Return
Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), all Americans including all military members (active duty, retired, Selected Reserve, or Retired Reserve) and their eligible family members must have health care coverage that meets a minimum standard called minimum essential coverage or pay a fee. Your TRICARE coverage meets the minimum essential coverage requirement under the ACA.
“The term “active duty” means full-time duty in the active service of a uniformed service for more than 30 consecutive days”.
Beginning in January 2016, DFAS will provide IRS Form 1095-C to all U.S. military members, and IRS Form 1095-B to all Retirees, Annuitants, former spouses and all other individuals having TRICARE coverage during all or any portion of tax year 2015. An IRS Form 1095 documents you (and your family members, if applicable) have the minimum essential coverage. More information will be forthcoming about the delivery method of these forms.
These forms will document the information that DFAS will provide to the IRS on yourself and your authorized family members. The forms will be required to be reported with your 2015 federal tax return. DFAS will provide you with IRS Form 1095 series forms no later than Jan. 31, 2016.
You can find more information about the impact of the Affordable Care Act on your federal income tax at: http://www.irs.gov/Affordable-Care-Act.
Warning Order! 425th Regimental Association Reunion Dinner
We are making plans to hold a Reunion Dinner at the Bruce VFW Post on Friday, October 23. The cost will be $30 per person. This will be a catered buffet dinner with an open bar. This is NOT a formal Dining Out, but an informal “Reunion Dinner.” We hope that this will be an opportunity for both members and their wives to enjoy the camaraderie of Company F. Look for an invitation via email and Facebook.
Minutes from 25 July 15 General Membership Meeting
- The meeting was called to order by Dick Anderson at 1410. followed by the Pledge of Allegiance and the 425th Regimental Prayer.
- Minutes of lasts year’s meeting were read by Tony Lopiccolo. Motion to approve by Ben Walker, second by Tom Neff. Approved.
- Treasurer’s report was given by Tom Neff. The Association is in a healthy financial position with $8,633.13 on hand. Motion to approve by Mark Evans, second by Ben Walker. Approved.
- David Lincicome reported on the Quartermaster operations. We are making every effort to meet member requests at meetings and via the web site. We are trying to operate with no inventory and, as a result, some orders are delayed while specific shirts and hats are made by our vendor. Bob Wangen described how the Quartermaster Store on the web site works and apologized for some early problems, but said most of the “growing pains” are over and we have a good system in place. Because all of the work is being done by volunteers that members be patient and contact him at [email protected] if there are any problems.
- Bob Wangen and Tom Neff
reported on the Ranger Rendezvous at Camp Grayling. We had over 30 members attend the function. Some spent the whole weekend, some dropped in for a short visit. We had to jump through some administrative hoops, but were able to get use of a range at Grayling which allowed our members to fire their personal weapons until we ran out of ammo. The quarters were excellent and there was more food and drink than anyone could consume. The final event of reading the list of “Absent Friends” at the Co F Memorial Stone near the Camp Grayling Chapel. The group decided that this should be an annual event and we are making plans to have the next one on June 4 & 5, 2016. - The was a general discussion of future plans. There was a general decision to have the Ranger Rendezvous in the early summer, the joint picnic in late July, parking at the Air Show in August as a fund raiser, and a dinner in late October. Mark Day agreed to lead an effort to hold a “Reunion Dinner” in late October at the Bruce VFW Post.
- Dick Anderson reported on the “Ranger Base Camp” in Michigan which is an extension of the Army Ranger Association. He said that we should reach out to them to explore some joint events.
- Under new business:
- Tony Lopiccolo asked about a camping weekend for the Association. There was no decision on this.
- Bob Wangen reported that an author has written a book called, “No Killer Instinct” that features Co F in a positive light.
- Ben Walker reported on COL Bugg’s status. He appears to be doing well, but is still struggling on some activities.
- The Association approved by acclamation to re-elect the current board of officers for another year.
- The meeting was adjourned at 1500.
425th Regimental Association Board Of Directors & Contact Information
- President: Richard Anderson – [email protected]
- Vice President Mark Evans – [email protected]
- Secretary: Tony Lopiccolo – [email protected]
- Treasurer: Tom Neff – [email protected]
- Historian: Don Bugg – [email protected]
- RCSM: Dean Burchill – [email protected]
- Adjutant : Bob Wangen – [email protected]
- Quartermaster: David Lincicome – [email protected]
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Joint 82nd Airborne Division Association/425th Regimental Association Picnic Saturday. 25 July 2015
Once again we had a great time at the joint picnic with the 82nd Airborne Division Association. There was plenty of food and drink. We were able to catch up with comrades from the past and meet new comrades who were in the unit before or after our own time. Unfortunately the parachute jump scheduled for 1500 was cancelled due to high winds (nothing we have ever experienced, right!), but that did not prevent people from having a good time.
There was a general membership meeting in the Club Room of the Bruce VFW Post.
Two items are upcoming were as a result of the meeting:
- The Thunder Over Michigan Air Show is on 29-30 August. This is our major fundraiser for the year and the more volunteers we have to help direct the parking of cars, the more money we earn. Contact Dave Lincicome at [email protected] if you can help out.
- We are in the process of planning a “Reunion Dinner” to be held at the Bruce VFW Post in late October. Look for more information to be posted to Facebook and in an email.
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2015 Ranger Rendezvous at Camp Grayling
The first Annual Ranger Rendezvous was held at Camp Grayling on 30-31 May. Approximately 30 of our members attended the event. Some attended both days and some just dropped in on Saturday. The quarters were outstanding, the officers that attended said they were better than any BOQ they had stayed in. There was plenty of food, more food than anyone could eat.
Everyone enjoyed telling “Jump Lies” about their time in the unit. Dave Lincicome discovered some Super 8 film that was shot by SFC Rasmussen and had them converted to DVD. SFSC Rasmussen may not have been the best camera man in the world, but it was fun to see video of the “old days!”
The weather could have been more cooperative, but the rain cleared enough in the afternoon that we were able to get on Range 3A and fire a variety of personal weapons. It appears the time on the range was the highlight of the 
weekend. We fired everything from .22 cal, 5.56mm up to a German Mauser and a 30.30 lever-action Winchester rifle. I enjoyed myself in the range tower, reminded my of my days as a Lieutenant.
After an evening of reliving events of the early days of Co F as well as the two deployments to Iraq, we ended the weekend by reading the roll of our fallen members at our unit Memorial Monument in the Memorial Garden of the Camp Grayling Chapel. If you didn’t attend, you missed a great time!
Heads up! We are planning to make this an annual event on the weekend after Memorial day, so make a note on your calendar to keep that weekend clear to join us for another great time!
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First Annual Ranger Rendezvous – Camp Grayling 30-31 May 2015
The first Annual Ranger Rendezvous will be held at Camp Grayling on 30-31 May 2015.
This is intended to be a “guys” weekend. If members are welcome to bring a wife or significant other; however, there will be no special activities or arrangements made for them.
The cost for the weekend is $15 per person to underwrite the cost for meals. We have made arrangements for a limited number of quarters in Building 656Q in the old “Tent City (600 area).” These rooms will be first come, first served. Once all rooms have been assigned you will need to find lodging somewhere else in Grayling. These rooms have one queen-sized bed and private bathroom. The price for the first person in the room is $26. The cost for a second person is an additional $14. The second person may share the queen bed or bring their own air mattress/cot and sleeping bag.
Here is the schedule for the weekend.
Saturday, 30 May
1100 – Arrive & check in
1200 – 1300 Lunch (Assoc provided)
1400 – Tour of Camp Grayling
1600 – 1700 Happy hour (Location TBA)
1800 – Dinner
Sunday 31 May
0900 – 1000 Breakfast (Assoc provided)
1100 – 1130 Roll Call at 425 Memorial Monument
1200 – Depart for home
Logistics:
Everyone brings their own lawn chairs
Refrigerator space will be available to store the “dish to pass” for Saturday dinner.
No alcoholic beverages will be provided by the Association, BYOB
Payment for quarters in Building 656Q will be made upon arrival at Camp Grayling.
Reservations must be made NLT 13 May.
The preferred method of registration is through the Association website at http://425regiment.org/?page_id=1205
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Regiment Newsletter – Winter 2015
425th Regimental Association
E-Newsletter
Winter, 2015
Renew your Membership and Shop Online on the Regimental website
The 425th Regimental Association has joined the ecommerce age! You can now renew your membership online through the Membership Center on the Association website.
You can also purchase Regimental clothing, coins, license plates, and decals through the Regimental Quartermaster Store. We accept payment by PayPal, Visa, and Mastercard.
Update on COL Don Bugg
COL (ret) Don Bugg, our third commander suffered a massive stroke in January. Thanks to quick medical treatment and good shape he is recovering well. After treatment at Pontiac General Hospital he is now undergoing rehabilitation in at the Heartland Rehabilitation Facility – 925 West South Blvd Troy, MI 48085. Room 210. He will be there plus or minus 2 months.
He is able to have visitors and he is always glad to see someone from the unit. If you are going to make a visit, please call his daughter Julie to make sure that we do overwhelm him with too many visitors at one time. Julie says his right side is moving now and his speech is improving. She also says he is frustrated that he is not getting better faster. (Some things never change!)
Joint 82nd Airborne Division Association/425th Regimental Association Picnic
Saturday. 25 July 2015 / Family Picnic starts at 1100 hrs
Bruce VFW Post / 28404 E. Jefferson Ave, St. Clair Shores, MI. (Located between 11 & 12 mile Roads)
As in the past, the 82nd Association will be supplying hot dogs, hamburgers, condiments, paper plates, utensils, and beer. (please put a generous donation in the can to cover these and other costs)
Dinner is pot luck and those attending are encouraged to bring a dish to pass. The grill opens around noon.
There will be games for the kids, so you are also encouraged to bring a prize to donate (possibly something from the dollar store) for kids up to age 12.
At present there will be a skydive demo jump between 1300 and 1400 hours. The 82nd will be running a “Closest to the Pin Raffle” where for $5 you can buy a measurement (in increments of two inches). (Time subject to change). If you pick the closest skydiver to the target you will win 50% of the money taken in. The skydivers volunteer their jump to help the 82nd Association but the Jump aircraft and fuel are not free so the “Closest to the Pin Raffle” helps to pay for their expenses. Make as many guesses at $5 per as you wish.
There will be an Association Membership meeting at 1400 in the club room. This is your best opportunity to participate in the decision making of the Association.
Military Discount for Veterans
Verizon offers discounts to service members, veterans and federal employees, including 15% off plans $34.99 or higher. They say you can apply online but you have to get a form from a Verizon service center and fax it in.
New U. S. Army Retired Lapel Buttons are now available
WASHINGTON — The new U. S. Army Retired Lapel Button (depicted to the right) is now available through the Exchange stores and website at https://www.shopmyexchange.com. The lapel button costs $5.80 online and the larger Retired Service Identification Badge, which is worn by Retired Soldiers on the Army Service Uniform, costs $12.25. To quickly find the new items on the Exchange website, just type “Soldier for Life” into the keyword search box at the top of the site and hit enter.
Identification Badge is slightly different than the official Army logo due to manufacturing requirements. The new Soldier for Life window stickers, which incorporate the official Army Soldier for Life logo, will be available this summer.
Did You Know? More uniform policy for Retired Soldiers
Wearing military medals on civilian clothing. Retired Soldiers are authorized by Army Regulation 670-1, Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, to wear military medals on appropriate civilian clothing. This includes clothes designed for veteran and patriotic organizations on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, and Armed Forces Day, as well as at formal occasions of ceremony and social functions of a military nature. Personnel may wear either full-sized or miniature medals. Personnel who wear medals on civilian clothes should place the medals on the clothing in approximately the same location and in the same manner as for the Army uniform, so they look similar to medals worn on the Army uniform.
How to wear the Retired Service Identification Badge. The Retired Service Identification (ID) Badge (see photo above) will only be worn by Retired Soldiers when they wear the Army service or dress uniforms. Department of the Army Pamphlet 670-1, Guide to the Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia, says the badge is worn on the wearer’s left side. Also, no more than two ID badges may be worn on one pocket or side of the coat. The higher badge is worn on the wearer’s right. DA Pam 670-1 lists the order of precedence of all 12 Army ID badges in par. 22-17a. On males, ID badges are centered between the bottom of the pocket
flap and the bottom of the pocket and from left to right. When two badges are worn on the same side, they are spaced equally from left to right on the pocket. On females, ID badges are worn parallel to the waistline with one inch between badges when two are worn on the same side.
When Retired Soldiers are prohibited from wearing the Army uniform. AR 670-1 (par. 3-7k, 23-1, and 23-3d) says Retired Soldiers are prohibited from wearing Army uniforms:
- When furthering any political or commercial interests, or when engaged in civilian employment.
- When participating in public speeches, interviews, picket lines, marches, rallies, or public demonstrations.
- When attending any meeting or event that is a function of, or is sponsored by, an extremist organization.
- When wearing the uniform would bring discredit upon the Army, as determined by the Commander.
- When specifically prohibited by Army regulations.
- When not on active duty but acting as an instructor or responsible for military discipline at an educational institution, unless the educational institution is conducting courses of instruction approved by the Armed Forces.
Commissary Rewards Card Helps Patrons Save
FORT LEE, Va. – Customers looking to save even more than the usual 30 percent on their groceries can reach for their personal plastic: the Commissary Rewards Card. The Defense Commissary Agency’s digital coupon redemption system allows commissary patrons to access and clip coupons and store them on their card to be scanned at the store.
Customers have several ways to access the digital coupons. There are two apps – one for iPhone/iPad and one for Android – both of which allow for on-the-go coupon clipping. The apps also feature information on the commissary closest to the customer along with promotions and contests. There is also a website for those who prefer to use a computer to track their coupons. The site is http://www.commissaries.com/rewards/. For quick tips on using the Commissary Rewards Card, check out the following easy steps:
- Get a rewards card at any military commissary.
- Register the card.
- “Clip” or download coupons to your account (they are automatically loaded to your card).
- Print a list of your coupons and bring it and your card with you on your next shopping trip.
- Present your card at checkout so the cashier can scan it for coupons that match your purchased items.
- Digital coupons are automatically erased from the account as they are redeemed or if they expire.
Ranger Rendezvous at Camp Grayling
We have begun planning the first Ranger Rendezvous at Camp Grayling. It is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, 30-31 May 2015. That is the weekend following Memorial Day. We will meet at the cottages on the shore of Lake Margrethe. We will have some quarters at Camp Grayling that we will make available of a first come, first serve basis. Other options are the trailer park operated by the Officers’ Club and local hotels and campgrounds. This is intended as a “guys weekend,” but wives and girlfriends are welcome to attend if they choose to do so. They should be aware there will be no planned activities for them.
The cost for the weekend is $15.00 per person to defray the cost of the meals. Any cost for Camp Grayling quarters is the responsibility of the member, not the Association.
Here is the tentative plan, although it may be subject to change as the planning continues.
Tentative Schedule (Everyone brings their own lawn chairs)
Sat
1100 – Arrive & check in
1200 – 1300 Lunch (Assoc provided)
1400 – Tour of Camp Grayling
1600 – 1700 Happy hour @ NCO Club
1800 – Dinner
Sun
0900 – 1000 Breakfast (Assoc provided)
1100 – 1130 Roll Call of Absent Friends at 425th Memorial Monument
1200 – Depart for home
Please contact Bob Wangen at [email protected] if you plan to attend. This does not commit you but will give us some idea of how many to plan for. A more formal invitation will be sent out in a couple of months with a link for reservations through PayPal.
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The Regimental Quartermaster Store is OPEN!
The Regimental Quartermaster Store is now open for business. We are online and can pay for your orders with PayPal, Mastercard, or Visa.
We have T-Shirts (long and short sleeve), hats, license plates, and coins. Unit decals and sweatshirts will be added soon.
You can customize your shirt by size, Airborne Ranger or Long Range Surveillance Scroll, and Novice, Senior, or Master Wings.
If there are other items you would like to see in the store, send an email to me at [email protected].
_________________________________________________End of 2015 Posts