Service Officer: Chuck Weber
Gray Dragon: John Cummings

Greetings fellow Dragon Keepers;

2015 San Antonio, TX Reunion: Our host and hostess Randy and Liz Scallan have spent a lot of time and effort in putting together a reunion that promises to be fun and memorable. Liz has been relentless in getting us the best that San Antonio has to offer and at a price that we can afford. Attached to the newsletter are descriptions of the scheduled tours. As you will see we will be pretty busy on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday tour the great state of Texas. Liz has included website information so you can preview the places we will be visiting.

On Sunday October 11th at 1800 continue the sign in process and gather in the Hospitality Suite. We will enjoy a light evening meal consisting of meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies. Turn in early or stay up late. There is no tour scheduled for Monday. On Monday at 1000 gather in the Hospitality Room for a Meet and Greet. We have scheduled a guest speaker who will provide us with an unclassified update on the nuclear weapons field to cover changes from 1996 until today. I have to believe that this is going to be very informative and interesting. Following our meeting the Ladies Group will be holding a brief planning meeting.

On Monday the 12th at 1800 we will hold Welcome/Ice Breaker in the Hospitality Room. We will be providing a complimentary Pizza Party. All Hands are encouraged to enjoy food, refreshments and to renew old friendships.

2016 Reunion: Our 2016 NNWA reunion will be held in Indianapolis, IN. Guy and Regenia Clemons will be our 2016 host and hostess. Planning and meetings have already taken place and by our San Antonio reunion we will have additional details.

Personal Biographies: One of our outstanding goals for the past several years was to collect and document as many people as possible who participated in the Navy nuclear weapons program. We have made many appeals for copies of orders, cruise books, etc. Our purpose is to develop a master list of everyone who was in the NW program, whether they served only one enlistment or a 30 year career. This year we were able to get our program up and running. Melissa Cearlock stepped forward and volunteered to set up our Access computer program. Melissa we thank you for your many hours and technical expertise. My thanks also goes out to Ray Margeson and Guy Clemons for your extra effort and time you have put into making our new program viable. BZ to all three of you!

Ladies Participation in the NNWA: For this past Mother’s Day Bethany Gray mailed out Mother’s Day cards to all of our 46 Life Members. Thank you for this thoughtful gesture.

As previously mentioned, there will be a meeting of interested ladies on Monday 12 October. Bethany Gray will be heading up the meeting. I encourage the NNWA ladies to attend the meeting with Beth. I also would like to extend an invitation to all of the ladies to attend our Friday, October 16th business meeting.

Board of Directors: At our business meeting on October 16th we will once again be holding an election for new board members. I encourage you to step forward and volunteer for a board position. Any regular member in good standing may be on the board. Due to our far flung locations all board members must be computer literate to enable participation in board activities conducted over the internet. Please consider volunteering for a position on the BOD.

Tom Salisbury
NNWA President

I welcome all new and reinstated members. Please feel free to contact me at my email address above anytime if I may assist you.

NOTICE: Your President, Board of Directors and I have been hard at work on long overdue changes and updates to our By-Laws and SOP/PDL. The By-Laws changes are to be voted on at the general membership meeting at the 2015 reunion in San Antonio, TX. Here is a summary of that work:

The NNWA By-Laws proposed changes are as follows:

Article IV, Section 2-A:

Article IV, Section 2, Eligibility.

The Regular Members of the Corporation shall be composed of active, retired or inactive members of the Navy and Marine Corps who were attached to the Navy Administrative Unit, Navy Special Weapons Units #471, #802 or #1233;

or any member of the Navy, Marine Corps, Navy Civil Service, or Support Contractor who received basic or advanced training in the operational use, support, assembly, disassembly, maintenance, repair, calibration, inspection, loading, or delivery of nuclear weapons;

or was attached to the Defense Atomic Support Agency (DASA), Defense Nuclear Agency (DNA), Special Weapons Unit Atlantic/Pacific (SWULANT/SWUPAC), NWTCPAC, NWTCLANT, NWTGPAC, NWTGLANT, WTGPAC, WTGLANT;

or was assigned to a naval command and holding a primary billet and Personnel Reliability Program (PRP) critical position supporting nuclear weapons capabilities, including technical operations, maintenance;

or was designated in a nuclear weapons position that had access and technical knowledge, or controlled the launch or use of nuclear weapons.

Section 3. Duties. H Service Officer.

The position of Service Officer may be an appointed position, as prescribed in Article X below, and as such will not fall into the regular election cycle. The option to serve as an appointed board member will be based upon a mutual agreement between the individual and the sitting board members. Normal appointments will be made for a duration of two years.

Chuck Weber, who is our current Service Officer, has agreed to remain in this position for as long as we need him.

NNWA SOP/PDL: Changes to these documents are not required to be voted on by the general membership, but I would like to inform you that we have made several changes to these documents to reflect how we are actually doing things, as well as an update on the guidelines. They will be published on our website soon by our very able webmaster.

All Hands, please review your copy or the online copies of these documents, and be prepared to vote on the By-Law changes. Please feel free to send me anything you find that should be corrected or changed.

I am looking forward to seeing you all in San Antonio, TX in October.

Frank

Fellow Nuclear Weaponsmen,

The association’s annual reunion looks to be shaping up to be a good one. It is being hosted by Randy and Liz Scallan from 11-16 OCT 2015 in San Antonio. They have organized numerous interesting tours of the local area. I encourage you to reward their hard work by considering taking part in one or more of them. You can see some of the local area, socialize with fellow association members, and create some memories.

The Annual Business Meeting Minutes are available in the members section of the NNWA website. Our membership list and other items are also posted on the website in the “Members Only” area. This part of the website requires a password. If you do not have it please email myself or any other board member and we will send it to you. Members are encouraged to read the minutes to stay abreast of what your association is doing.

Planning is well underway for our 31st reunion in 2016, it will be held in:

• Region: Eastern US
• Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
• Host: Guy and Regenia Clemons

Back in 1998 I wrote a research paper on the NTPI process as it existed under WTG and how it evolved after the responsibility was transferred to COMSUBPAC. If you are interested it can be downloaded and read here:

http://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/gs_rp/458/

All the Best,
John

HOWDY from Texas to all our NNWA friends from your 2015 reunion hosts, Randy and Liz Scallan.

We are excited to be gathering at the LaQuinta Inns and Suites, 4431 Horizon Hill Blvd, San Antonio, Texas 78229, Oct 11-17. Call 210-525-8090 to make your reservation. Make sure to mention that you are with the NNWA group in order to get the agreed rates which will be honored at least 3 days before and 3 days after the event. If you need more days, feel free to ask when you call the hotel and I am sure they will work with you.

The hotel is situated off of I-10 at exit 561. Ten minutes from the San Antonio International Airport, close to several major highways, and with an abundance of nearby attractions, shopping, and activities. It is a ten minute drive from downtown San Antonio’s Riverwalk.

We have very much enjoyed working with Angie, Lisa and Theresa who have been the heart and soul of cooperation and made us feel so welcome. They send their greetings and want to let you all know they and the staff are looking forward to meeting you.

The facilities are very fit for our needs and will accommodate our hospitality suite, memorabilia displays, banquet, and dancing needs. We are gonna even learn how to dance the Cotton Eyed Joe or refresh our skills for sure.

Room rates – Single and Double – $85.00 per night plus hotel tax of 16.75%. We feel it is best to know the full amount since some of us come from areas where perhaps tax is not this high. Having no surprises always works best. (Triple – $95, Quad – $105, Suites $115 – before tax).

• Complimentary full hot breakfast is available including a make your own waffle station, hot eggs, and bacon or sausage each morning.
• Complimentary microwave, refrigerator, safe, coffee maker, iron, and ironing board in each guestroom
• Outdoor pool and whirlpool
• Complimentary full fitness center
• Complimentary parking
• Complimentary shared wireless internet access
• Complimentary shuttle service to/from San Antonio International Airport (We will be asking for your flight arrival time for use in arranging shuttle schedule)

Of course, as usual, you must contact the hotel directly to make your room reservations.

This newsletter includes the form for your easy reference and completion to assure your spots for all the fun we have planned.

Reunion registration will be open on Sunday afternoon, Oct 11th and Monday morning, Oct 12th.

Tour #1

San Antonio City tour Tuesday
Tuesday Oct 13
10am – 3:00pm

10:00am : Capers will pick up the group at their hotel by motor coach. First stop is the Alamo. There will be time to shop in the gift shop And tour the grounds after exiting the Chapel itself. (10:30 – 11:15) http://www.thealamo.org/

11:15am : We will continue by foot across the street to tour the Menger Hotel with All the ghost stories and Tales of Teddy Roosevelt. www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-mengerhotel.html

11:30am : Lunch will be at the Menger Hotel Colonial Room for their hot and cold buffet.

12:30pm : Everyone re-boards the bus and drives through downtown San Antonio. Sights we will see will be the Spanish Governor’s Palace, San Fernando Cathedral On our way to the Mexican Market. We will have time to do Some shopping in the Mexican Market or enjoy a pastry at Mi Tierra. www.mitierracafe.com/about_history.html

1:30pm : After lunch and shopping, we will drive to the King William District. There will be time for a self -guided tour of the Guenther House and shopping in their food store. Here is a link to information about the house: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guenther_House_(San_Antonio)

2:30pm : We will return to the hotel with fond memories of our day in San Antonio

3:00pm : Arrive back at the hotel

Price per person: Minimum 35 people, includes tour bus, Capers certified tour guide All admissions fees, taxes and gratuities and lunch at the Colonial Room, Menger Hotel $63.00 per person, min. 35, no maximum

Tour #2

Fredericksburg Full Day Tour Proposal
Wednesday – Oct 14
8:00am – 5:00pm

8:00 am : Your coach will depart your hotel with a uniformed Capers staff person to escort everyone to the beautiful Texas Hill Country. Along the way, your guide will talk about the countryside you are passing thru and the history of the hill country.

9:15 am : Before entering into the town itself, we will make a stop at The Wild Seed Farm which is one of the most unique places you will ever see. Not only can you get just about any type of floral seed you can think of they have an amazing gift shop with items for both house and garden as well as a butterfly exhibit and acres and acres of wildflowers you can wander thru. http://www.wildseedfarms.com/home.php

10:00 am : Then it’s on to Fredericksburg, Texas; a town settled by German immigrants in the early 1800’s, is rich with heritage. There are numerous historical buildings and restaurants along the main streets. The many shops of Fredericksburg are in a four-block area and make it a delightful place to find unique gifts and items from the Hill Country and from Texas. – http://www.fredericksburgtexas-online.com/

You will have some time to continue your exploration of Fredericksburg and its wonderfully unique eclectic shops as well as the amazing Nimitz Museum which recently has undergone an extensive renovation. http://www.pacificwarmuseum.org/ Group rate admission to the museum is $8.00 per person.

3:15 pm : Oh, there is one more stop on the way back. These days Luckenbach Texas is, to paraphrase John Steinbeck, a state of mind – A Texas state of mind, where you can kick back, relax and get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life like a step back in time. This tiny hill country hamlet where “Everybody’s Somebody” was established as a Trading Post in 1849 making it one of the oldest settlements in Gillespie County. http://www.luckenbachtexas.com/history

3:45pm : The drive home will be 3:45 – 5:00pm with all the memories included.

Price: $46.00 per person with a 35 person minimum.

Includes Capers uniformed tour guide, transportation, and refreshments on the bus.
Lunch and Nimitz charges on own

Tour #3

SPOTLIGHTING THE MISSIONS AND RIVER OF SAN ANTONIO
Thursday – Oct 15
Exact times for the progression of this tour will be added – morning start.

One of the country’s few National Parks within an urban setting, the San Antonio Missions tell the story of the European expansion in the New World. We will make our first stop to the first and most famous of the entire Missions, Mission San Jose.

The “Queen of the Missions”, Mission San Jose is our stop. This site was established in 1720 and is the largest and best restored of the San Antonio’s five missions. We will tour the Indians’ quarters that were located within the walls as well as the Spanish soldiers’ quarters. San Jose’s church is one of the most beautiful in the country with its elaborate carvings on the chapel façade. http://www.nps.gov/saan/planyourvisit/sanjose.htm

We will drive by the other missions on our way back into town. Our tour guide will share the stories as we pass the Espada Dam. This dam was built curving the wrong way and has lasted for 200 years. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Espada_Acequia

Back in the main part of downtown, we will take our boat ride in the main loop of the river. This 45 minute boat ride lets you see the city from a totally new perspective. All our bridges were built during the WPA projects and from groups in different parts of the country. http://www.yelp.com/biz/rio-san-antonio-cruises-san-antonio

We will enjoy lunch at Rio Rio Cantina on the river before heading back to our hotel. https://www.thesanantonioriverwalk.com/directory/rio-rio-cantina

Cost: $66.00 per person based on a minimum of 35 people Inclusive of all fees, gratuities, & taxes Boat ride tickets and lunch at Rio Rio Cantina

If you choose not to attend the tours on a certain day or perhaps are more comfortable remaining at the hotel, the hospitality suite will be available for gathering if we have a volunteer to be responsible for the area while the tour groups are away from the hotel.

It is our sincere wish to accommodate all our friends for this great event where so much history is shared and the “sitting and talking” is the highlight for many of us!

Option I

Garden Salad
Four-leaf Salad, Carrots, Cucumbers, Tomatoes
Cheddar Cheese and Choice of two Dressings

6 Ounce Topped Sirloin
Served with a Demi Glaze with
Twice Baked Potatoes and Fresh Butter Carrots

Option II

Classic Cesar Salad
Crisp Romaine Hearts, Bailed Tomatoes
Served with a Classic Caesar Dressing

Chicken Marsala
Chicken Breast in an Italian Mushroom Marsala Wine Sauce
Served with Garlic Mashers and Grilled Vegetables

Option III

Vegetarian
“Beggar’s Purse” – Phyllo Dough stuffed with roasted or grilled vegetables and garden salad
Each Entrée served with Rolls and Whipped Butter and beverage

Dessert
Alternate per setting
Berry White Cheesecake with White Chocolate Raspberry
Turtle pecan pie with dark chocolate chunks & bourbon

Drinks:
Regular Coffee and Decaffeinated Coffee
Iced Tea with Lemon Wedge

CLICK HERE FOR THE NNWA 2015 REUNION RESERVATION FORM