Morgan State University Alumni Association ROTC Chapter Volume I Number 2 July 2012 Michael Bell, Newsletter Editor, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Attn: Soldiers Armory, Baltimore, MD 21251 Mailing Address: MSU ROTC Alumni Chapter; P.O. Box 65211, Baltimore, MD 21209 Presidents Corner Hello ROTC Alumni! I hope that each of you and your families are in good spirits and are surviving this very hot summer. A number of things have taken place since our last newsletter. I first would like to congratulate LTG (Ret) Arthur Gregg on being selected as this year s Morgan State University (MSU) Honorary Alumnus of the Year. LTG Gregg accepted this honor at this year s MSU National Alumni Luncheon. If you have never had an opportunity to attend one of these, please try and attend one in the future. This is a great event. The chapter has decided to go all out to recruit new members and reclaim old ones! We have set a goal for our chapter to have 100 active members! September is the time for dues renewal and I am asking each of you to sign up and bring in a new member. If each of us can do our part, 100 members will be an easy achievable goal. In an effort to assist in accomplishing this goal, the chapter will be sponsoring a kick-off event on August 25, 2012 at Soldier s Armory. On this date there will be a cookout held to show our appreciation to all of our chapter members. All are welcome and this is a no cost event. Please feel free to bring your family and friends. I am also challenging each of you to bring a new member. We will also use this time to welcome back Bear Battalion students to the beginning of the school year and to introduce them to their mentors. We as a chapter have also decided to make a commitment to our veterans. We are in the process of building a relationship with the Baltimore Veterans Facility located at Argonne Drive and Loch Raven Boulevard, located only a few miles from MSU s campus. Our plan is to form a bond with this organization and its veterans, some of who are former MSU ROTC graduates. Currently, we are in the initial planning stages and will keep you informed as we move forward. In addition, Dr. Joe Ponds, MSU Class of 1968 and former Army Aviator, reached out to our chapter and is offering veterans an opportunity to participate in his Memory Skills Conference. (See attachment). The ROTC program continues to improve under the guidance of the new Professor of Military Science (PMS), LTC Lewis. Fifteen cadets were commissioned as Second Lieutenants this past year. Supporting the ROTC program remains as the primary focus of our chapter. The chapter also participated in a social outing with the MSU D.C. Chapter in June. This event was sponsored by Mr. Thompson, President / CEO of Thompson s Hospitality as a way of showing his appreciation to Morgan State University. The event was held at the Tap Room in Bethesda, MD. There are plans to hold a few more of these events in the future and I hope you will have the opportunity to attend. If you have articles or photos for our newsletter, please feel free to contact me by email or telephone. Finally, you will find a survey and membership form attached to this newsletter. Please complete and return promptly. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK AND MEMBERSHIP! Thank you for your support and I look forward to seeing you at our next event. Thank you. Mike Bell, President Mike Bell, Chapter President
LTC Lewis, PMS, (second from right) joins ROTC Chapter members and friends at this year s MSU Alumni Luncheon MG (Ret) Prather (MSU 50th Anniversary Class, the Class of 1962) and LTC (Ret) Mike Bell, congratulate LTG (Ret) Gregg (center) on being selected this year s MSU Honorary Alumnus of the Year
* * * Upcoming Events * * * Saturday, August 25, 2012 Bear Battalion Welcome and ROTC Alumni Chapter Appreciation Day Cookout Location: Soldier s Armory Time: 1200 PM-4:00 PM Cost: FREE!! (All are welcome!) Purpose: To welcome new and returning Bear Battalion students for the upcoming school year and ROTC Alumni Chapter Appreciation Day and Membership Drive. Please bring a new member. RSVP: NLT 18 August 2012 to mlbell1@aol.com Memory Skills Conference Learn HOW to REMEMBER, Quickly and Easily with Proven Memory Techniques Names and Faces * Birthdays and Anniversaries Foreign Languages * Historical Dates and Facts Errands and Appointments * Lists of Items in Sequence Speeches and Presentations * An Entire Magazine (Power Reading) Tips to Defeat Absentmindedness and Much, Much More! When: Monday, August 27th, 1 pm to Wednesday, August 29th, 11:00 am. Where: Walt Disney s Coronado Springs Resort, 1001 W. Buena Vista Drive, Buena Vista, Florida 32830 For Disney discounts and to make room reservations at our special group discount rate ($119.00 plus taxes per room per night), please register online at http://www.mydisneymeetings.com/memory-college-2012/ Special Tuition Rate for Military Vets: $195.00 per person (includes Tuition, Continental Breakfast Tuesday & Wednesday, and Buffet Lunch on Tuesday). Seating is limited! Please register early!! Early Registration deadline: Friday, July 27 th. Regular tuition of $395.00 per person will then apply. For every member of the ROTC Chapter that attends the Memory Skills Conference, Memory College will offer one full-tuition Student Memory scholarship to students in the ROTC program. If you have questions or need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact: Dr. Joe 352.746.1068 drjoe@memorycollege.com Gregg on his selection as MSU Honorary Alumnus of the year.
Looking Ahead August 25 Bear Battalion and ROTC Alumni Appreciation Day Cookout August 25 Next Chapter Meeting (10:00 AM followed by Cookout) October 6 ROTC Enhancement Meeting and ROTC Chapter Meeting October 13- Homecoming For the time and place of a Chapter meeting, contact chapter president, Mike Bell: 240-475-9323 or mlbell1@aol.com Website: The chapter has a website where you can see upcoming events, past newsletters, photos or chapter social events, and sign up for and/or renew your chapter membership. Check it out at: http://www.msurotcalumni.org ROTC Alumni Chapter Current Officers and Committee Chairs - President Mike Bell 240-475-9323 mlbell1@aol.com - Vice President Lloyd Davis 301-728-2733 sjhs1976@verizon.net, - Secretary Annette Brown 703-593-3054 bighat42@yahoo.com - Treasurer Andre Barnes 571-237-7910 bbarnes@ida.org - Chief of Staff Daniel Ware 301-448-9171 daniel.l.ware4.civ@mail.mil - 2 nd Vice Wilbur Forbes 301-938-6520 BForbes167@aol.com - Membership Joe Butler 410-923-3270 josephbutler@comcast.net LOOKING BACK IN HISTORY MSU Class of 1962 Commissioned Officers: They are from left to right in the first row: Donald Johnson, Walter Morgan, Milton Grady, me, Eddie Brown, Walker Robinson, and Bobby Golden. In the second row are Edzel Turner, Curtis Devance, Warren Edmonds, Ralph "Killer" Williams. In the third row are name not available), Franklin McCants (not sure of first name), (name not available), Ralph Berry, George Gilmore, Joseph Gibson, Thomas Prather, and Palmore Wilford.
ROTC ALUMNI CHAPTER SURVEY Members; Your feedback is very important to us. Please take a moment and fill out the information below and return it along with membership application. We greatly appreciate your support. Thanks! Mike Bell MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION 1. How long have you been a member? yrs 2. Are you: a. Active Military b. Retired Military c. Civil Service d. Contractor e. Self Employed f. Fully Retired 3. Have you ever held a position within the ROTC Chapter? Yes No If yes, in what capacity? CHAPTER LEADERSHIP 1. How would you rate the communications between the Executive Board (President, 1 st and 2 nd Vice, Secretary and Treasurer) and the chapter membership? Very Good Good Adequate Mediocre Ineffective 2. Overall, how would you rate the ROTC Chapter Executive Board? (Circle 1) Very Good Good Adequate Mediocre Ineffective 3. Are you willing to serve/ volunteer on the board or in another position within the chapter? (Circle 1) Yes No Maybe If yes or maybe, what position? (Circle 1) Officer Committee Chairperson YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN ROTC CHAPTER AND ITS ACTIVITIES 1. How likely are you to volunteer to coordinate or be a participant in a professionally-related program if it was a topic which interested you and/or tied to your work? Very Likely Likely Neutral Unlikely Definitely Not 2. How many chapter meetings did you participate within the last year? Did you participate in any of the following socially related events? (Circle as many as appropriate) a. MSU Annual Alumni Luncheon Yes No b. Homecoming (2010 or 2011) Yes No c. ROTC Tailgating Events (2010 or 20110) Yes No
CHAPTER PROGRAMS 1. What new activities would you like to see the chapter pursue/develop? List below. 2. What can be done to increase participation? 3. Would you like to see the chapter hold more social events? 4. What would encourage you to attend more chapter meetings/ functions? MEMBER INTERACTION/NETWORKING BENEFITS 1. What are the most important things that motivate you to maintain your membership in the chapter? Please rank in descending order of importance from 1 to 4. - Maintaining contact with ROTC Alumni - Support of the ROTC program - Network to build and maintain Contacts - Community Service - Other Comments: 2. If you could refocus the chapter s efforts over the next three years what would the top three areas, in descending priority order? a. Membership b. ROTC Program c. Support to Veterans d. Other CHAPTER COMMUNICATIONS 1. What method of communications works best for you? a. Email b. Newsletter or mailings c. A combination of both a. & b. 2. If you feel the Newsletter is a useful communications vehicle, how can it be improved? 3. What do you do with the newsletter? a. Forward to others who may be interested? b. Print it out and post it or circulate it. c. Enter information from the newsletter into your own schedule? d. Save it electronically for reference? e. Other
4. How often do you visit the website? Often Sometimes Rarely Not at all 5. What would you like to see presented on the website? 6. How can the website be improved? 7. Should the chapter maintain website? Yes No 8. Are there any additional comments you would like to present on the website? 9. GENERAL COMMENTS (Write in space below):