I have not had a chance to scrutinize the sign-in sheet to see if any non-Chapter 96 members signed it, or if Chapter 96 members who were actually present failed to sign it, but I understand that there were 42 names on paper.  I believe that a true "head count" would be more like "over 50", but if anyone actually counted heads I'm unaware of the number that they came up with.  Besides Chapter 96 members, also in attendance were two VVA Florida State Council officers, 1st Vice President John Koprowski, and Treasurer, Tom Hall.  Thank you for your efforts, John and Tom.

But the "stars" of the evening were the Chapter 96 members who came forth and demonstrated their experience and wisdom, showing in no uncertain terms that there is life... and a lot of it... but better than mere life... also heart, soul, guts, strength, and common sense still to be found in Chapter 96.  I particularly want to thank Ray Dix, Tom Baxter, Dallas Miller, Boe Boeve... but also anyone else I can't remember right now, and actually almost everybody... for certain little gentle nudges in direction that helped get us through the rough spots... and I want to also thank Al Oliva for making damn good and sure that when the main rough spot came up it he helped to make it good-and-rough.  "Together then, together again."  VVA Chapter 96.

But without further ado, here are the election results:

OFFICERS:  President - Rick Clevenger; 1st Vice President - Chuck Royce; Secretary - Richard White; Treasurer - Bob Flanagan

DIRECTORS:  Derek E. ("Boe") Boeve; Ken Ganey; Dallas Miller; John Petriello; Mike Renwick

NOMINATING COMMITTEE:  Allen Beale; Curt Craig; Richard White

In accordance with the VVA National Constitution the Nominating Committee will elect its own chair.  The new president will appoint other committee chairs, and as soon as their names are known, they will be included on the separate "Directory" page of this web site, at: http://vva96.org/directory.htm

The truly amazing thing about this meeting, though, is that it only lasted somewhere between an hour and a half and an hour and forty-five minutes.  That time span also included taking care of the special meeting, in which the bylaws which may or may not have been approved by the membership in October of 2006, were most definitely rescinded.

In closing, I must say that this truly needs to be just a "new beginning for Chapter 96... that there is lots, and lots, and lots of work that needs to be done to put the Chapter into proper order; but over, above and beyond that, we also need to try to pick up and carry on many strands of activity that used to originate spontaneously from the membership.  That needs to start happening again.  One of the true tragedies of the evening, in my humble opinion, is that the membership of one of our members in spirit had been made into an "at large" membership in fact; and because of that he could neither vote nor run for office in Chapter 96, though he was nominated to the board.  That same member wants to start anew the outreach that Chapter 96 once conducted to incarcerated veterans and has already been attempting to carry that initiative into practice.  That is exactly the spirtit we need once again... not just that particular outreach to incarcerated veterans, but rather many Chapter 96 members seeing a need and taking initiative to work towards providing for it.  Pick your own "need" folks.  There are plenty to go around...

FREE FIRE WIRE DEADLINE for submittals for the next issue, is approximately 5 July 2007 (earlier than that is better), and it is my hope to have a much fuller Free Fire Wire posted here on or about 9 July 2007.  Submission of (original) artwork and cartoons, poems, true stories, war stories, news items, committee reports, opinion pieces, and anything else of interest to members, as always, will be appreciated.  And, just in case anyone wants to know, the "(Light Brigade)" in the masthead is sort of a double pun.  At this point, the "brigade" to put out the Free Fire W ire is definitely "light" in personnel.  But also as opposed to the "old" Free Fire Wire which was bound to paper and "snail mail" (the U.S. Mail), the hard-hitting Light Brigade issues will go out through the air with the speed of and on beams of... um... light.

Richard White
Reporter/Editor

Photos by FFW Staff Photographer Al ("Hell yeah I'm gonna vote!") Oliva

Posted 22 June 2007