USARA News

Fort Benning, GA (USARA News, March 31, 2011) The US Army Ranger Association announces the establishment of the USARA Legacy Scholarship Program to provide financial grants to qualified dependants of USARA members who are or plan to attend an accredited college, university, or higher technical trade school. The 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.

We will offer these scholarships as tribute to selfless service and contributions made to our country by our members. The awards are given in their honor.

Applicants must be a qualified dependant of a USARA member.  Qualified Dependent is defined as an unmarried child; grandchild or great-grand child of a USARA member (included those legally adopted) who is under the age of 23 for the entire academic year. USARA Member for this program 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.

A complete list of requirements; details of the application process; and a downloadable application will be added to the Legacy Scholarship Program web page by May 1, 2011.

The scholarship program is supported by voluntary donations from USARA members and public donations. The number of scholarships to be awarded annually will vary; however, award amounts will be no less than $1,000.

If you would like to contribute financially to the USARA Legacy Scholarship Program you may do so securely online by clicking here or send a donation to:

USARA Legacy Scholarship Fund

U. S. Army Ranger Association, Inc.

P.O. Box 52126

Fort Benning, GA 31995-2126

Mike Schlitz, USARA Deputy Central Region Director presented a check for $1,000.00 from USARA to Judith Markelz, Program Director of the Warrior Family Support Center at Fort Sam Houston, Texas on December 15, 2010.

The Warrior and Family Support Center (WFSC) provides coordinated services to patients, next-of-kin and extended Family members with a primary focus on OIF and OEF Warriors. It provides a friendly, comfortable environment in which to take a break, watch a movie on big-screen TV's, play video games, check email or use the Internet, select a book or magazine to read, make a phone call or just grab a cup of coffee.

Wounded Warriors and their Family members visit the WFSC to maintain contact with other military members or extended Family members, to receive emotional support and answers to their questions, and to extend their rehabilitation away from the hospital. The rehabilitation involves learning to cope with war related disabilities as individuals, as couples and as Families.   The WFSC schedules over 48 activities every month with opportunities to attend sporting events, movie night, plays at the Majestic Theatre, concerts, Fiesta, shopping trips, luncheons and dinners, bingo, fishing trips and more. All events and trips are free of charge.

WFSC is staffed by caring volunteers from the military community, Wounded Warriors and ACS personnel. Goods, services and money donated by businesses, churches, schools and private individuals help keep the WFSC supplied with phone cards, games, baked goods and etc.

Click here to go to the Warrior and Family Support Center website.

The Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 (Enrolled Bill [Final as Passed Both House and Senate] was sent to the Present October 1^st.  Many parts of this law-to-be will be of interest to most veterans.

For detail of the billed to be made into law click on the following link: Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 HR3219

MAJOR ACTIONS:

Veterans' Benefits Act of 2010 HR3219

Fort Benning, Georgia (October 3, 2010) - The USARA Board of Directors and all Appointees want to publicly say thank you to Linc German for his leadership and guidance over the past four years. The association faced many challenges and overcame a few obstacles as we moved forward step-by-step to what both members and the public now see.  While steadfast in his approach, Linc was always open to new and better ideas no matter how outlandish sometime they seemed. Like any organization, individual, head-strong points of view were ever present; however, Linc always steered a negotiation to a common result for the betterment of the association. No matter the differences of opinion, Board consensus won over personal agenda, and Linc managed in the end to convince us each that personal input made a difference.

What must be noted is that over the course of Linc’s two terms as President: USARA has become fiscally strong; Membership has grown notably; The bylaws were rewritten and revised once again; The USARA website was improved and then replaced completely; An integrated membership management and event management system was deployed to replace our antiquated paper-based methods; The Ranger Store was reorganized; A new Ranger base was established and an existing one reconstituted; Two new membership categories were introduced, and Other improvements, too numerous to list, were made.

USARA Election 2010 was conducted according to the bylaws of the association; this included the nomination process; preparation of the official ballot and candidate statements; notification of the election to members; the schedule; the official tally and recording of votes; and notification of results.  In addition to election of USARA officials, this election included a vote to amend Article III (Membership) of the bylaws to include new membership categories.  To amend the bylaw specific rules state: “The voting members of this Association may make, amend, and repeal the Bylaws of the Association by a mail vote for all voting members, with proper notice, proper time duration, and fair discussion of issues, by a majority vote of the voting quorum of thirty (30%) percent of all qualified voting members.”

Notification of Election 2010, including the bylaws amendment, was made to all members in the Summer Edition of the Ranger Register; in addition, the election materials, including the amendment, was posted on the USARA website (www.ranger.org), and email blasts to members providing reminders of the upcoming election and a link to the bylaws amendment draft.

Election packets were mailed on July 22, 2010 to all members in good standing (mail to International Region members were earlier, on July 20, 2010) prior to the August 1, 2010 required date.

The following summarizes USARA Election 2010 results:

The following link provide the status of USARA membership (as of 07/22/2010); Election 2010 summary of packet mailing; and cost summary for preparing and mailing packets.

USARA Election 2010 Details

The next link provide the MFR of voting during Election 2010

USARA Election Memo for Record

Gold Star Mother's Day

What is it?

Sept. 26, 2010 is Gold Star Mother's Day. Every year, the fourth Sunday of September, is for honoring mothers whose sons or daughters died in the line of duty. The name references the single gold star on service flags displayed in the windows of homes that have lost a child to war.

History of Gold Star Mothers
Shortly after World War I the Gold Star Mothers Club was formed in the United States to provide support for mothers that lost sons or daughters in the war. The name came from the custom of families of servicemen hanging a banner called a Service Flag in the window of their homes. The Service Flag had a star for each family member in the military. Living servicemen were represented by a blue star, and those who had lost their lives were represented by a gold star.

What is the Army doing?

As requested by the Gold Star Mothers, there are no Pentagon or Army-sponsored events this year. However, on Sunday, Sept. 26, Gold Star Mothers will hold wreath-laying ceremonies at the Vietnam War Memorial and at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. An open house will follow at the Washington, D.C. National Headquarters. Army installations and commands have been encouraged to honor Gold Star Mothers on a day and time appropriate.

Gold Star Mothers website explains the purpose and goals of Gold Star Mothers.

What's the way ahead?

Just as a Gold Star Mother's support continues beyond the life of her child, the Army's support of its mothers also endures. Survivor Outreach Services delivers a coordinated, comprehensive, and standardized program across the force that meets survivors' needs with dedicated resources and a commitment to first class service for as long as the family desires. A compliment of benefit coordinators, financial counselors, and support coordinators addresses survivors' immediate and long-term needs. Among the things the Army does is to provide long-term support throughout the grief process, coordinate support groups, provide information and referral services, and coordinates child care.

Why is this important to the Army?

The Army cannot do what it does without the Army family's support. In many cases, family consent is what provides recruits and reenlistments. Army mothers have shown the same determination and resiliency as Army personnel in tolerating deployments and the tragedy that war brings to some families. The Army commemorates Gold Star Mother's Day because mothers across the nation have supported the Army; now, through this recognition and through survivor outreach programs, the Army supports them.

The Army thanks and honors the parents of Soldiers-especially Gold Star Mothers-for supporting their children's call to serve, and for their sacrifice. A grateful nation remembers.

Visit these links for more information

American Gold Star Mothers, Inc

The Congressional Medal of Honor Society announces that Staff Sergeant David C. Dolby, Medal of Honor recipient, passed away on the morning of August 6, 2010, in Spirit Lake, Idaho, at age 64..

Dolby was born in May 14, 1946, in Norristown, Pennsylvania. He joined the Army from Philadelphia and by May 21, 1966, was serving in the Republic of Vietnam as a specialist four with Company B, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). On that day, his platoon came under heavy fire which killed six soldiers and wounded a number of others, including the platoon leader. Throughout the ensuing four-hour battle, Dolby led his platoon in its defense, organized the extraction of the wounded, and directed artillery fire despite close-range attacks from enemy snipers and automatic weapons. He single-handedly attacked the hostile positions and silenced three machine guns, allowing a friendly force to execute a flank attack.

Dolby was subsequently promoted to sergeant and awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle. The medal was formally presented to him by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 28, 1967.

The date for candidate filing for the USARA Election 2010 has come and gone. The Candidate Election Statements/Bios for the announced candidates have been reviewed and finalized by the National Nominating Committee along with an Election Ballot. Those materials were provided to the USARA President and Board of Directors and have been approved by them for use in the upcoming election. Election Packets are currently being prepared by Executive Vice President for mailing in July so as to arrive to the voting membership not later than 1 August. Ballots are to be completed and returned to the National Headquarters so as arrive there by 31 August.

Included in this mailing will be raffle tickets for the ARM Raffle. Funds for the raffle tickets are to be sent in with the Ballot. The Ballot in addition to listing the candidates running in the election also has a place for voting on the proposed revisions to the USARA Constitution/By Laws. These proposed revisions can be found on the USARA Web site under the members section. I would encourage you to take the time to go to the web site and review these changes prior to voting. I would also encourage you to fill out your Ballot and return it as soon as you receive it.

If you do not receive an Election Packet in the mail a couple of potential reasons might be, your contact information is not current or if you are annual dues paying member your dues are not paid up to date. Whatever the case may be if you not receive the Election mailing and feel you should have please contact your Region Director or the Vice President for Personnel.

Last my thanks to the members of the National Nominating Committee for your work on this years USARA Election.

Linc German,

President, US Army Ranger Association, Inc.

Fort Benning, Georgia (Wednesday, June 2, 2010) Representing USARA, Butch Nery and Frank Casey present Ek Knives to the winners of the 75th Ranger Regiment Soldier and Noncommissioned Officer of the Year.  Spc. Justin Hinton received the regiment’s Soldier of the Year Award while Staff Sgt. Kirk Woody took home the top NCO honor.

Left to right: Frank Casey, Spc. Hinton, Staff Sgt. Woody, and Butch Nery

Butch Nerypresents Ek knife to Staff Sgt. Woody.

Frank Casey presents Ek knife to Spc. Hinton.

The Soldier and NCO of the Year Award is a standard competition that units throughout the Army conduct in order to select their best soldier and NCO based on performance, potential and professional knowledge.

In order to have the opportunity to compete for the Special Operations Command Soldier and NCO of the Year title, Hinton and Groves had to first win soldier and NCO of the quarter and then soldier and NCO of the year for Ranger Special Troops Battalion.

For winning soldier and NCO of the year, Hinton and Woody were given Colt .45 pistols, the Army Commendation Medal and a selection of gift certificates. For winning the Col. Ralph Puckett Leadership Award, Groves was given an Army Commendation Medal, a plaque and a selection of gift certificates.