USARA News

USARA 2013 Scholarship Program Announced

The 2013 US Army Ranger Association (USARA) Scholarship Program Schedule is now available. Applicants will be able to complete the online Request for Application beginning March 10, 2013. The application process is only available online; no paper-based documents are used. Read the complete process details and schedule by clicking here.

Sunday November 11, 2012 at 14:30 hours Mike Conklin, Chairman and CEO of Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation, and Honorary Member of USARA, accompanied by his wife Peggy will be honoring Rangers laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

There are 14 Rangers who served with the 75^th Ranger Regiment at Arlington in Section 60.

Mike and Peggy will lay an individual wreath at each fallen Ranger's grave.

USARA members are welcome to attend and assist.

Click for printable Map of Arlington Cemetary

Section 60:

Arthur “Robbie”' Robinson, USARA Life Member, died at the age of 84 years at his home October 10, 2012.  A military funeral will be conducted this week on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Robbie was a remarkable soldier in his day, with a span of service from the end of WWII in the British Army and then, from 1950, in the Australian Army until 1976 where he was proud to qualify at PTS (then School of Land Air Warfare) in 1953 as a Basic Parachutist and later as PJI #3 on the first PJI course held in Australia. He went on to serve in the Australian Army Training Team - Vietnam where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1968 and was also recognized for his gallantry by the Americans with the Silver Star and the South Vietnamese with the Cross of Gallantry - each of these being among several other awards. He was inducted as an Honorary Members of the U.S Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 1999, the only foreign soldier to have achieved this honor at that time.

U.S Army Ranger Hall of Fame Citation:

Arthur “Robbie” Robinson is inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame as an honorary member for military and civilian service to the Ranger community spanning over thirty years. His amazing career with the Australian Army during Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War included multiple tours of duty alongside the United States units, not the least of which was the defense of Quang Tri City where his service and heroic actions were recognized with numerous awards including the U.S. Silver Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Vietnamese Armed Forces Honor of Medal. He later served as an advisor with the Vietnamese Rangers and forged a reputation with fellow U.S. advisors as a tough, dependable, and dedicated member of the team. Since retiring from the Australian Army, he has continued his association with the Ranger community as a member of the United States Army Ranger Association, Allied Forces, and has traveled extensively speaking on behalf of all Rangers and living the Ranger Creed. With deeds, not word, Arthur “Robbie” Robinson has exemplified the true meaning of being a Ranger.

All Rangers, past and present, are cordially invited to attend the Second Annual Ranger Happy Hour and Dinner.  Reconnect with old Ranger buddies and make new ones.

Please register on the USARA website at www.ranger.org or RSVP to Travis West RSVP To Travis West at (608) 561-1779 or twest@vaclaimslaw.com .

To register online click on Event Registration. Click on “Register” and enter your email address and password if asked (if you are not already logged in).  Make sure you enter the number of guests at the bottom of the form (not counting yourself) that will attend with you.

Ross Hall, a USARA Associate Member and known long-time Ranger Supporter/Ranger Novelist passed away yesterday at his home in Dahlonega, Ga.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Dahlonega Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends on Friday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

More to be added.

USARA Scholarship Program provides financial grants to students who plan to attend or are already attending an accredited college, university, or higher technical trade school. Scholarship awards funds are to assist with academic expenses at the attending University/School and will be disbursed directly to the University/School to assist with tuition, books, fees, supplies and room and board.

This year the USARA Scholarship Program has been expanded to include not only the USARA Legacy Scholarship that was established last year, but now includes the First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship.   

On June 25, 2011, US Army First Lieutenant Dimitri del Castillo, 24, of Tampa, Florida, died in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was on the radio calling in support for the men of his unit around him who had been attacked and wounded by small arms fire from enemy forces. While refusing to give up the radio so he could help keep his men alive, he was hit and died with the mike in his hand.  To honor his memory this scholarship has been established by his family.  Graciously, the del Castillo family selected USARA to manage the scholarship and made it available to our members. 

Applicants must be a qualified dependent of a USARA member.  Qualified Dependent is defined as an unmarried child; grandchild or great-grandchild of a USARA member (included those legally adopted) who is under the age of 23 for the entire academic year.  USARA Member (scholarship sponsor) in this case is defined as an individual who at the time of scholarship application has been a Regular Member (Annual or Life) of USARA for a minimum of one year; or a deceased Regular Member of USARA.

Applicants that meet the eligibility requirements for the USARA legacy scholarship are also eligible to compete for The First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship.

The First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship is also available to a qualified child or spouse of a fallen tabbed or scrolled Ranger. Qualified child is defined as an unmarried child of a fallen tabbed or scrolled ranger (included those legally adopted) who is under the age of 23 for the entire academic year. Qualified Spouse is defined as the person legally married to the fallen Ranger at the time of his death; and not remarried at the time of application for the scholarship.

The term “fallen tabbed or scrolled rangers” is means those tabbed (graduated from Ranger School and awarded the Ranger Tab, or scrolled Rangers (served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in a Ranger slot) who were killed in action or those tabbed or scrolled Ranger killed in training. This includes those who died in a hospital later as a result of critical wounds related to combat or training.

Detail description, containing the purpose, scope and eligibility requirements, specific to each scholarship is outlines on the USARA website at www.ranger.org.

Chuck Schantag, founder and chairman of the P.O.W. Network dies unexpectedly.

Charles “Chuck” Patrick Schantag Jr., founder and chairman of the P.O.W. Network, passed away on February 23, 2012 of a massive heart attack, while out shooting. With him, the honest and honorable veterans of America lost a friend and a spokesman, and the poseurs and frauds lost a relentless scourge.

Chuck was born on November 22, 1947 in Philadelphia, PA the son of Charles Patrick and Louis Schantag.  He had been a resident of Branson and Skidmore, MO.  He was founder and Chairman of the P.O.W. Network, a Disabled Vietnam Veteran, USMC Purple Heart recipient. He was also a member of MOPH, DAV, River Rats, Honorary member of MOZARK  MOAA, NAM POW’s, USARA and SFA.

He is survived by his wife, Mary Pauline Schantag nee Butkiewicz, Branson, MO.  A son, Charles Schantag and his wife Jackie of Clinton, IA., a daughter Miranda Schantag and her husband Ryan, of Davenport, IA; Stepdaughters Jennifer Renshaw and her husband Troy of Maryville, MO and Teresa Howard of Skidmore, Mo.  Five grandchildren, Molly, Mason, Jackson, Hayden and Toraleigh.  Sisters, Marlene Turner and her husband Gary of Solkatna,AK and Dyane Carey and her husband Gorge of Charlotte, NC and a brother, James Schantag of Philadelphia, PA.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Patrick and Louis Schantag.  Also, a sister, Louise Schantag

Chuck and Mary are Honorary Life Members of USARA.

A memorial service for Chuck was held Sunday, February 26, 2012 at Greenlawn Funeral Home Branson, MO with Chaplin Mike Jones and Father Philip Conlon officiating.

Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Please use the following link for more information

A public obituary is here.

A memorial thread the WeaponsMan Blog is here

A memorial thread at SOCNET is here.

USARA 2012 Election Announcement

USARA election of Association Officers is an Annual Event, with one half of those Officer holders being elected each year. The election is held prior to the Annual Ranger Muster (ARM), with the newly elected officers being sworn in at that time. This year’s ARM is scheduled for Columbus, Georgia in July. You can anticipate receiving the Election Ballot materials in a special edition of the Ranger Register in the May-June time frame.

The following National and Regional Offices up for election in this year’s election:

-- President

-- Vice President Logistics

-- Treasurer

-- South-Central Region Director (Formally Central Region)

-- Northeast Region Director (Formally Northern Region)

-- Midwest Regional Director (Added by Region Realignment)

-- Northwest Regional Director (Added by Region Realignment)

The Association is looking for those potential candidates who are interested in furthering the goals of the Association and have the time to devote to that effort.  The criteria to be a candidate for office are:

-- Be an Association Member in good standing.

-- Have the time and desire to be fully involved.

-- Be computer literate since most Association business is conducted online.

If you are interested in running for one of the positions or, or just have questions about the election process, please contact me, or your Region’s member of the National Election Committee noted below:

It is the responsibility of each Association member to insure that his contact information is up to date and that his Association dues are current.

Len Boulas

Chairman, USARA Election Committee

E-Mail: Lboulas1@aol.com

(575) 541-1449 (Home)

(303) 522-7374 (Cell)

USARA Mid-Term Board Meeting Notice

The USARA Mid-Tem Board meeting is scheduled for February 24-25, 2012 at the DoubleTree Hotel, 5351 Sidney Simons Blvd, Columbus, Georgia  31904.  Meetings will begin at 08:00 on Friday the 24^th and end about 17:00 the 25^th.

Agenda:

Activity

Minutes from previous meeting

President’s Report

Membership Report

Finance Report

Marketing Report

Other Business
- Old
- New
- Announcements

Review of Actions from Meeting

Adjourn

On Wednesday, December 14th the USARA website will be upgraded by our service provider. In order to perform the upgrade, our website will be taken off-line intermittently from 2:50am to 8:50am Eastern Standard Time (EST).  During that time you may receive and error/information message or be unable to view our website.  All members should not attempt to login while the update is in progress.

More information regarding website changes and enhancements will be posited after the upgrade is complete.