The reunion will be held in the Washington D.C. / Northern Virginia area. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, PLEASE look above at our MISSION STATEMENT. It appears in all of our Newsletters. Please pay particular attention to only 2 things we should be interested in - to perpetuate memories and to foster camaraderie among Subic Bay Marines at an annual reunion. Read the Guest Book on our web site. A lot of memories are being perpetuated there. Now we come to the annual reunion in 2010. Please do a little thinking about fostering camaraderie. The reunion information below will tell you how you can participate, and we would certainly like to see you. Get hold of someone you served with and talk then into coming with you. It will be well worth your time.

This is the year we are scheduled to hold our reunion in the “east. The focus of this reunion will be on the recently opened National Museum of the Marine Corps in the Quantico area. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is organized and operated as a private nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of Marine Corps History and tradition. It includes information about the Heritage Center museums, Marines, etc. There are people that have been here, spent two days, and said they didn’t have enough time to see it all. Please check www.usmcmuseum.org on your computer or visit your local library and use their computer. But, read further to find out what else will be available throughout the reunion.

Time – Monday, August 9, 2010 through Saturday, August 14, 2010.
Place – Fredericksburg Hospitality House Hotel and Conference Center, 2801 Plank Rd, Fredericksburg, VA. Just off I-95, 52miles+/- from D.C. Quantico is half way between Fredericksburg and D.C.
Room Rate – $78.00 per night + taxes (11%). Rate good for 3 days on either side. To assure the rate, please make your reservation by July 15, 2010.
Reservations – Call toll free 1-800-682-1049 or 1-540-786-8321 – Mention Subic Bay Marines. Amenities include pool, hot tub, fitness center, high speed internet and, of course, the hospitality suite.
Hotel amenities – 2 restaurants, all indoor corridors, in room entertainment system, free local calls, free parking, fitness center, outdoor pool, hi-speed internet, coffee maker, laundry room, iron, hair dryer, etc.
Reunion Package - $85.00 per person, includes everything from Monday thru Saturday.
Banquet only - For those only wishing to attend the Saturday night banquet, the cost will be $50.00 per person.

Tentative Itinerary for the 2010 Subic Bay Marines Reunion
Monday, August 9th: Check-in 12 noon. Welcome Dinner at 1800 hours.
Tuesday, August 10th: Bus trip to The National Museum of the Marine Corps – Lunch included
Wednesday, August 11th:  On your own to tour Washington, D.C., Historic Fredericksburg, Civil War sites, etc. This area is loaded with historic sites. 
Thursday, August 12th: Bus Trip to Quantico Marine Base with tour and lunch at mess hall.
Friday, August 13th: Lunch at the hotel and bus trip to Marine Barracks, 8th & I St, Washington, D.C. for the evening parade. (Believe I saw my first sunset parade in either 1949 or 1950. It remains something to see. Jim B.)      
Saturday, August 14th: Annual Business Meeting in the AM. Picture opportunity and happy hour at 1800 and Banquet in the evening 1900. If you have anything you would like to bring for our annual raffle, be sure to bring it. You will also be able to join in the bidding for our framed baloot, a delicacy all Subic Bay Marines should be familiar with. You will be able to take home with your but you must bring it to the 2011 reunion.
Sunday, August 15th: Breakfast on your own. (See you there - don’t miss it.)

Bill Brod and Dave Coe have organized this reunion and the many details involved. This promises to be one of our most interesting reunions and hopefully, many Subic Bay Marines will want to join us for an exciting reunion.

Secretary. David Savage, “B” Co, 89-91, the Secretary of the Subic Bay Marines remains on active duty 1stSgt David Savage, USMCR for a period for no more than 400 days. In all probability, David’s active duty tour should be over, hopefully in time for the reunion in Fredericksburg. We request prayers for David until he returns. Meanwhile, for Subic Bay Marines business, please send your message to jimsbm@cox.net and put SUBIC BAY MARINES on the Subject line. Also please indicate the name of the sender at the end.

Roster. The Secretary maintains the official roster of the Subic Bay Marines. The roster changes daily. For your info, the roster as of a few days before Christmas has 4,107 lines on it. Lines because we have Subic Bay Marines that have had multiple tours. In 1996, the official roster had 152 names. There are presently 360 Subic Bay Marines on the “TAPS” list; about 370 Subic Bay Marines on the “LOST” List; 1,511 Subic Bay Marines with an e-mail address (we can lose up to 10% at every mailing); which leaves us 1,800+-/ names with mailing addresses. Even though we have double tours, foreign addresses, etc., we have an enormous bill sending the newsletters out, but if you have moved and they forward the newsletter to your new address we get a very nice printed card that we pay $0.50 for, at least we have a current address for you. On the other hand, if you move with no forwarding address, etc., they send the original newsletter back to us sometimes 4-5 months after the newsletter was sent, for which they charge us $1.09 each.

The bottom line is, (1) please provide us with an e-mail address if you have one, and (2) we can send the newsletters essentially at no cost; and, (3) if you move or whatever, we would appreciate it if you would let us know your new mailing address.

Agent Orange This subject has been addressed in several past Newsletters. It is no longer a secret that Agent Orange was stored at Subic Bay. The Internet has many references to Agent Orange. Subic Bay Marine Dave Fernandez who suffers from cancer has been regularly providing information on Agent Orange. The latest involves the chemical company Monsanto admitting to burying Agent Orange at Subic Bay and Clark Airfield. If you are a Subic Bay Marine suffering from or believe their medical problems could have come from Agent Orange exposure, and wish to make a claim, Dave suggests contacting his attorney at linehanpc@gmail.com. Dave’s attorney has considerable information from Dave’s claim. If you decide to contact the attorney, mention Dave Fernandez name.
The latest – just received - The Oct-Dec 2009 Semper Fi – Memorandum for Retired Marines effectively has a whole page on Agent Orange. Specifically, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs has added 3 specific illnesses based on the latest evidence of an association with the herbicides referred to as Agent Orange. The Secretary’s decision brings to 15 the number of presumed illnesses recognized by the VA. Additional information about Agent Orange and VA’s services and programs for veterans exposed to the chemical are available at www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange or call 1-800-749-8387.
DD-214  It is official; DD-214’s are now available Online.  The National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) has provided the following website for veterans to gain access to their DD-214’s  online: http://vetrecs.archives.gov/  This may be particularly helpful when a veteran needs a copy of his DD-214 for employment purposes.  NPRC is working to make it easier for veterans with computers and Internet access to obtain copies of documents from their military files.
 
Military veterans and the next of kin of deceased former military members may now use a new online military personnel records system to request documents. Other individuals with a need for documents must still complete the Standard Form 180, which can be downloaded from the online web site. Because the requester will be asked to supply all information essential for NPRC to process the request, delays that normally occur when NPRC has to ask veterans for additional information will be minimized.  The new web-based application was designed to provide better service on these requests by eliminating the records centers mailroom and processing time. Please pass this information on to former military personnel you may know and their dependents.

Camp Lejeune Water Claims Update Did you live or work at Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune in 1987 or before? If so, please register with the Marine Corps by visiting www.marines.mil/clsurvey or by calling the Camp Lejeune Historic Drinking Water Call Center at 1-877-261-9782, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. NEW registrants will be directly notified of research results from two independent initiatives reviewing the possible association between exposure to the water and certain health effects. Source: Jan-Mar 2009 Semper Fidelis Memorandum for Retired Marines.

Web Site Roster The web site roster is very out of date. There are several things going on here, some of which all of you can help with. First, check the web site roster and verify the information there in. Second, if there are any differences, omissions, etc., please notify the Acting Secretary to update the master roster. There is still some research to do, but it is the intention of the Acting Secretary to have a whole new roster on the web site by early 2010. The whole project will benefit all of us if you take a few minutes to check things out and if any changes are needed, notify the Acting Secretary at jimsbm@cox.net 

Web Site Pictures There have been numerous questions regarding adding pictures to the web site. The Board of Directors will be reviewing this matter, which does not have a simple solution. Let’s think about something. At present, we have over 4,000 lines on the official roster. If you deduct the TAPS list, the LOST (no mail or e-mail address) list, multiple tours, etc., we may have 3,500 lines/names. Suppose we offer 10 spaces per Subic Bay Marine. 10 x 3,500 is 35,000 pictures. It takes a lot of space, and how long would they remain, to perhaps be replaced by other ones? Who will add identifying remarks and scan the pictures onto the web site? Tremendous job. If you have any suggestions, send them to the Acting Secretary who will provide the info to the Board of Directors. We have a problem, we have no specific solution to the problem, and if you would provide your input, perhaps we can soon have an answer to all the questions you have asked regarding pictures for the web site.

Guest Book  If you read the Guest Book on our web site, and you should,  you can’t miss the comments – best duty station ever – good liberty at several places – good friends they have lost contact with, etc. If you want to relive those days and visit with those who helped make them, our reunions are the places to be. Opportunity never comes – It’s here!!!!  Mark your schedule. Additionally, if you have any changes or additions to the Guest Book Roster, PLEASE notify the Acting Secretary at jimsbm@cox.net.

Commemorative Coins. In the past, our current President Bob White, 76-77, has acquired some 1½” brass commemorative coins that he will be glad to furnish to you. One side has a Marine Corps Emblem with “Subic Bay Marines” and “Brothers Forever” around the emblem and “A” Co/Hq, Mainside, “B” Co/Separate Guard Co, Cubi Point, and “C” Co/Detached Guard Co, San Miguel on the very outside. Colors are mainly red, blue and gold. The reverse of the coin has the American and Philippine Flags and a colorful jeepney with Marine Barracks, Subic Bay Philippines and 1899 – 1992 around the outside. Pretty neat!! Should you wish to acquire one of these commemorative coins, call Bob at 815-544-3932 or e-mail him at bobwhiteludy@aol.com. Response in the past has been terrific with coins being sent all over the world. Many new orders were requested at the reunion, so it will be repeated, should you wish to take advantage of the opportunity, remember –