Rock of the Marne!
I am sure we are all ready for summer. This time of year marks many historic events that shaped the 3rd ID. The division earned its moniker “Rock of the Marne” in July of 1918 during the “Second Battle of the Marne” in Chateau Thierry, France. In late summer 1943 the division landed at Salerno which began its deadly trudge across the Apennines mountains in outhern Italy. And ten years later, Soldiers of the 3rd ID were fighting the Chinese during the vicious battle for Outpost Harry. Please take a moment to remember all of our Soldiers during all the wars. Lest we forget.
Now, on to some business.
If you are an annual paying member, you should have received your dues card in the mail. Please send in your dues as soon as possible so our Roster Manager can update your status on the roster. Dues were increased to $35 annually for US members and $45 for overseas members. Your membership is GREATLY appreciated. Dues are due by June 30th. Normally, during June we publish a ballot for Society officers and C&BLs changes. We had no C&BLs changes during the period of 2023-2024.There were only one nomination per office that was up for election, therefore those nominees were automatically elected in accordance with C&BLs para “5.3b. NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS.”
Congrats to John Weis who will continue to serve as our Central Region Vice-President as will Dave Pope as Eastern Region VP and Frank Ugolini as Western Region VP. I was also nominated and will continue to serve as your national President. This term will take me to ten years in office and will be my final term. It is time for someone else to step up and serve as president beginning in 2026. That being said, if you are interested in serving on the national executive team, I highly encourage you to do so. We need people to step up and lead. We currently have openings for a Medical Officer and Judge Advocate and Reunion Chair.
The Society raffle tickets were mailed out in April. Our raffle is an important source of income and helps to keep the Society financially solvent. There are some great cash prizes for you to win, and we appreciate all the support we get from members who buy our raffle tickets. Please consider donating to the raffle.
This June 6th marks the 80th Anniversary of the landings in Normandy, France and the eventual liberation of Europe. This June also marks the 74th Anniversary of the start of the Korean War. I was honored to have been stationed in South Korea for five years. I visited many of the battle sites that shaped the Korean War such as Incheon, Whitehorse Mountain, Task Force Smith and many others. I find it terrible that the Korean War is labeled the “Forgotten War.” I will never forget the Men and Women who served in this war and they, like all Veterans, deserve our respect and admiration.
If you are a Leader of an Outpost and know of members who have moved or otherwise changed their info, please send that to the Roster Manager as soon as you are aware. This job requires constant attention, and having the help of the members and the OP leaders is critical to ensuring that we are able to keep our members abreast of all the latest news and Society pertinent information.
I can NOT stress enough how important it is to help us recruit new members. I want our Society to be around for our 200th Anniversary, but that will not happen if each of us does not make recruiting a personal mission. Please recruit one person this year into the Society. Lastly, please keep our deployed Soldiers in your prayers. Many are currently serving in harm’s way and our prayers for their safe return and the comfort of their families left behind are of utmost importance.
Rock of the Marne!
Toby Knight
Society President