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NAVY NUCLEAR WEAPONS ASSOCIATION “KEEPERS of the DRAGON”ÓÔ www.navynucweps.com NNWA BULLETIN July 2004                    Summer Issue

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

We have also added a guestbook and the sign ins are coming along slowly.  Some of the information that we are seeing in the guestbook is what Mike Snyder, our honored Historian, would like to get from each of you.  A list of the duty stations you had along with the dates you were there and your rate/rank at each duty station.

Our website is designed as a resource for all our members and your suggestions for content are always welcome.

On a final note, if you don’t get this bulleting by e-mail, let us know what your e-mail address is so we can add you to the e-mail list.  We will also use e-mail to let you know of any significant items of interest – and we will not share your e-mail address with anyone except members.

.Navy Nuclear Weapons Association

Service Officer’s Report

JULY 2004

 Fellow Dragon Keepers,

 There have not been many new initiatives in veteran’s benefits.  Below are a few things that you may find of interest.  See you in September, at sea again!

 Yours in service,

 Chuck Weber

Service Officer

NNWASO@ptd.net

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Surviving spouses of military retirees will receive a portion of the retirement pay if SBP coverage was elected.  If the retiree died of a service connected disability, the spouse may also be eligible for VA Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC).  The SBP generally will be offset dollar for dollar of DIC received, but the DIC is tax free, making the overall benefit increase.  Under Public Law 108-183, some spouses may receive both SBP and DIC without the offset.

 Surviving spouses who receive SBP benefits of a service member who dies on active duty may elect to have the SBP paid directly to their dependent children.  So if the spouse gets DIC and the children get SBP there will be no offset.  However, the children may only receive the SBP until age 18, or until 22 if full time students.

 VA has announced that all service-connected disabled veterans will receive priority medical care.  Primary care will be scheduled within 30 days of the first request.

 Claims for service-connected disability compensation should be made on VA Form 21-526.  Help may be received from the nearest VFW Service Officer.  Find them at www.vfwdc.org .  Click on National Veterans Service and then click directory, or call 1-800-VFW-1899. 

For info on a variety of military-related health issues go to http://veterans.iom.edu . 

I just buried a friend who was a veteran and died young (54) and unexpectedly.  We could not give his family a flag for his funeral service nor a military honor guard service because we could not locate his DD-214 to prove his military service.  The military requires notice a MINIMUM of 48 hours in advance in order to provide service members for military honors.  Most funerals occur three days after death.  There is not a lot of time for family members to look for paperwork – so, have your paperwork together in an envelope in advance and tell everyone where it is.

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By-laws Report

 Fellow Dragon Keepers,

 We have reviewed our By-laws and with the passage of time have found opportunities for refining and improving them.  Please find below submissions for changes to be voted on by the membership at our next annual business meeting.

 Proposed NNWA Operational By-laws Changes:

1. Article V Section 2 Para B. Change to read: “ASSOCIATE MEMBER.  Individuals, who do not meet the REGULAR Member criteria, but wish to affiliate with the Corporation, must be recommended by at least one Regular Member in good standing, and must have paid the appropriate dues and fees set by the Corporation. Such Members will have no voting rights."

  (Reason for change: To preclude an individual from applying for membership who is not known by at least one of our members.)

2. Article VI Section 5. Change to read: “Quorum.  A majority of the Board of Directors and a minimum of Ten (10) regular members in good standing present at any meeting of the Corporation shall constitute a quorum."

  (Reason for change: The way it is now written it leads one to believe that the complete Board is required to be at a meeting to make a quorum.  This clarifies the issue.)

3.     Article VIII Section 2. Change to read: “Term and Vacancy. The term of a member of the

        Board shall be Two (2) years except when a Director is elected as an Officer whereupon

        his/her term shall expire to coincide with the election schedule of Article VIII Section 1.

        Vacancies may be filled by appointment by the Board and the appointee shall only serve for

        the remaining term of the Board member being replaced."

  (Reason for Change: To allow for the Board to elect any Director to any position without regard to when his/her term expires. For example we now have a Vice-President whose term expires at the same time as the President's.)

 4.     Article VII, Section 1.  Change the wording of the last full sentence to include the

                Webmaster as a separate Officer position and as member of the Board of Directors

comparable with the Historian, Master At Arms, Chaplain and Service Officer.

        (Reason for Change:  We have become, and continue to be, more an electronically based  

       corporation, requiring significant attention to electronic communication media.  The Webmaster

       currently has the following responsibilities:

       a.  Maintains a Roster of Members

       b.  Sends / forwards e-mail to members as necessary for various operations of the corporation. 

       c.  Maintains an informational website)

       5.       Article IX, Section 1.  Change the 2^nd sentence to read, “The positions of the Chaplain, Service Officer, Historian, Master At Arms & Webmaster shall be filled from the members elected to the Board of Directors.

        (Reason for Change:  Same as above.)

 6.         Article IX, Section 2.  Change “Any officer may be removed from office and the Board…” to  read

“Any member of the Board of Directors may be removed from office and the Board…”

 (Reason for Change: …” The By-laws currently give no provision to remove non-officer members of the Board of Directors.  Supposing the intent of Section 1 of this article is to have the supporting members to be defined as officers under the phrase “…such other positions as the President may direct.”  

This will clarify the issue.

 7.        Article IX, Section 3.  A resolution for future change is made to define the responsibilities of  all of the Members of the

      Board / Officers in this section.  In other words, to fill in the other 66positions as follows:

5. Director – The Directors shall…

6. Chaplain – The Chaplain shall…

7. Master at Arms - The Master at Arms shall…

8. Service Officer – The Service Officer shall…

9. Historian – The Historian shall…

10. Webmaster – The Webmaster shall…

      (Reason for Change: to provide the minimum responsibilities for each position.)

The action for #7 will be for the membership to approve the concept for the defining of the responsibilities of the various positions.  The incumbent President shall be allowed to approve the actual wording of the responsibilities and have them inserted into the By-laws as a change.

These additions and changes are respectfully submitted to the membership for consideration and will be called for discussion and vote at the regularly scheduled annual business meeting in 2004.

Yours in service,

Chuck Weber

By-laws Chairman

NNWASO@ptd.net

  Historian Report---Mike Snyder

From the NNWA Historian

 I’m sorry to report the historical horizon has been pretty clear since the reunion in Branson.  I have, however, received a few pieces of correspondence concerning NW activities and several additions to the lifetime Navy Nuclear Weapons duty roster in the form of copies of W Division cruise book pages.  Roy Norman told me of a US entrepreneur entering into the search for an Air Force weapon lost off the Georgia coast in the ‘60’s. He sent news clippings to back it up.  It will be interesting to see how that whole thing goes.  I’ve also received promises of additional ship and command plaques to add to our collection.  I’m beginning to feel like a dinosaur.  Every ship I sailed in is now scrap except USS Kitty Hawk and she’s in her 43^rd year. 

 As before, I appeal to you to send me lists of persons you knew in the Navy Nuclear Weapons Program.  The NNWA is collecting as many names as possible and need their name, rank, rate, duty station, and date in which you knew them.  You might include a bit of interesting information about that person too.  Don’t forget to include yourself.  Your personal listing can and should include all your various ranks, rates, and duty stations.  Copies of cruise book W Division pages are very good.  Thanks.

 I’m looking forward to seeing many of you in Tampa in September and all of you in San Diego in 2005.

 Mike Snyder

P.O. Box 226

Ashton, MD 20861

 Waterdog9@comcast.net

Treasurer Report      Frank Kelly

    NNWA Membership has increased to 515 members up 35 members from our last reunion, up 9 members since our last newsletter .Of the total membership there are 469 regular members; 11 associate members and 35 life members. 132 members are in arrears with their membership dues, 19 since 01, 30 since 02, 83 since 03. If you are wondering if your dues are paid up, and receiving your newsletter by mail please check your mailing address on this newsletter. The date behind your name shows the month and year your dues are paid thru.( If the year is 01, 02, 03, your dues are delinquent If you are receiving this newsletter electronically and wish to know when your dues are due, e-mail lindak0001@aol.com

New members since last newsletter

                      William E. Terry                                        Glenn A. Jewell                                   Ron W. Reich

                      Mark W. Herring                                      Merrill A. Dalton                                Gerald J. Reilly

                      Raymond E. Murphy                               Richard G. King                                  William C. (Bill) Melby

NNWA Financial Report

9/29/2003 Thru 6/30/2004

20^TH ANNUAL NNWA REUNION

ABOARD THE

CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP SENSATION

SEPTEMBER 27, 2004

TO

OCTOBER 2, 2004

LEAVING FROM TAMPA FLORIDA

BOARDING FROM NOON TO 3:00 PM

We have reserved 40 rooms at the Best Western Brandon Hotel in Tampa for the night of September 26, 2004.  The Hotel is located at 9331 Adamo Road in Tampa, 33619-2682  Take exit 257 off I-75 and go about 1 mile west. Call 813-621-5555 or TOLL FREE at1-877-287-6026 to make reservations.  Fax is 813-699-1939. Cost of rooms is $49.00 plus 12% tax for 2 double beds.   When registering, mention Navy Nuclear Weapons Association., and Group number 100402. 10 ROOM MINIMUM!!!!  (No problem) AND the $49.00 rate will also apply if you want to arrive a day or two early, or leave a day after the cruise.

  We can leave our cars and RV’S in their parking lot during the cruise at no cost.  We can hire a carrier to shuttle us to the ship for $8.00 per person one way, rather than pay $10.00 per day at the pier.  Make your reservations no later than Monday, September 13, 2004 to assure you of a room.

 Please notify me, catoneche@aol.com if you will use the shuttle from the Hotel to the pier so I can reserve the bus. Or mail me at 12207 Reno Gulch Road, Custer, SD  57730 or call 605-574-4261 no later than September 15^th.

 ON BOARD SENSATION

• Guest capacity is 2,052 with a crew of 920
• The Sensation is 855 ft. long and a beam of 103 ft.

• Newsletter of daily events will be delivered to your cabin daily.
• We will have a ship sponsored cocktail party on board during the cruise.
• Each cabin will receive a $50 shipboard credit.
• Dining will be at reserved tables for all meals in the same dining room.
• Alternate dining available at the Bar and Grill—Casual dress.
• Be sure to have a credit card for shipboard purchases. No cash.
• Bring cash for shopping in Cozumel and Grand Cayman.
• One night formal if you wish, for Captains party. Get gussied up and have lots of fun.
• Meeting room available after we have boarded for information exchange and chit chat.
• Carnival shuttle busses to and from Tampa airport—$36 per person round trip.
• Dress is generally very casual—shorts and T-shirts.
• Be sure and have comfortable walking shoes.
• Dinner dress is everything from formal to casual attire (no shorts, jeans or bathing suits are allowed in dining room.)
• 6 lounges or bars on board. 
• Annual meeting will be Friday morning.  Location to be announced later.
• We will have get togethers during the cruise and will let all of you know where and when during breakfast, lunch or dinner.
• Be ready to dance, drink and have fun each and every day and night. 

CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE LIQUOR POLICY

''Guests are prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages on board. Fine wine or champagne may be brought on board only during embarkation at the beginning of the cruise.  A $10 corkage fee per bottle will be charged should you want to consume the wine in the dining room.  Guests may bring a small quantity of non-alcoholic beverages.

 PERSONAL RESPONSE:   On our last cruise we boarded with alcohol and it was not found or confiscated.  However it may be if it is detected in your baggage.  Other people have taken booze aboard with no problem, so use your own judgment. 

SHORE EXCURSIONS:  Carnival Cruise Line lists 26 shore excursions in Grand Cayman and 42 in Cozumel.  There is something for everyone, so plan to have fun when we dock or anchor in those ports.  

          Owen Johnson, Reunion Coordinator

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