ELECTRONIC NEWSLETTER UPDATE | February 2018
Thank you for your continued membership and support of our chapter.  Below you will find the "scuttlebutt" on recent accomplishments, upcoming missions, and other valuable information.  We look forward to seeing you at upcoming events.
NEXT CHAPTER MEETING: FEBRUARY 15, 2018 1130 Hrs
February 15, 2018
Chapter Meeting  |   1130 hours

Please make your reservations early by calling  
760 901 5494 
Speak slowly, loudly and clearly. 

Or email Jim Olson at 
[email protected] to make  a reservation.
As usual, our meeting will take place at the Classic Club  in Palm Desert.

Guest Speaker to be Announced
TAPS
RAY V. WILBURN
SERGEANT MAJOR
USMC (RETIRED)
1 JULY 1919-2 JANUARY 2018

 
FINAL ROLL CALL FOR 
SERGEANT MAJOR RAY V. WILBURN
USMC (RETIRED)

Seven Chapter members represented our Chapter at the funeral  services of Sergeant Major Ray Wilburn at the 29 Palms MCAGCC Protestant Chapel on Jan. 13.  

Ray, a long time member of our Chapter, was eulogized by his last active duty Commanding Officer and a former Chaplain who was Ray's pastor at 29 Palms Marine Base for several years. Both shared highlights of their time spent with Ray which brought  some tears and some chuckles from the hundreds of folks who came to do honor to Sergeant Major Wilburn and his family.   Ray Wilburn was a veteran of  World War II, the Korean War and the Viet Nam War.

Ray Wilburn often said his favorite rank was Corporal and he requested that six  Marine Corporals serve as his pall bearers. 

Honoring his request,  six Marine Corporals  served as pall bearers at
 Sergeant Major Ray Wilburn's final formation.


AFTER ACTION REPORT
MASTER GUNNERY SERGEANT (RETIRED)
MICHAEL HOLGUIN DELIVERS  GIFT CARDS TO 
7TH  MARINES 
FAMILIES
Chapter Board member Master Guns Mike delivered $10,000 worth of Christmas gift cards to the 7th Marine Regiment which were distributed to Marine families 
E-5 and below.  
Each family received a $100 Marine Exchange gift certificate. 
The gift cards are part of the Chapter's Christmas holiday program which included 185 Christmas dinners 
prepared and boxed by Jensen's Markets and delivered to 7th Marines' families.

Bravo Zulu to Master Guns for his effort in getting this task done while remaining well within Marine Corps rules and regulations.
Mike Holguin delivers Christmas gift cards to 7th Marines Commanding Officer Colonel Kyle Ellison  and  Sgt Major Edward Zapata for distribution to Marine families as part of our program in support of the 7th Marines.
SAVE THE DATES
SAVE THE DATE
Colonel Mike Walker USMC (ret)
Will speak on North Korea
Monday February 26, 2018
2:00 PM  at
Indian Ridge Country Club
This will be Colonel Walker's 3rd Appearance at Indian Ridge
SAVE THE DATE  MARCH 28
The 7th Marines will host a "field exercise" indoctrination for Chapter members and City of Palm Desert leaders.  Details forthcoming as we receive them from the 7th.

Two previous field trips hosted by the Regiment drew accolades from all who participated.  
You won't want to miss this one.  
Pictured to the left, Rifle Range Participation during prior indoctrination.
ADMIN NOTICES
FORM DD214

Every Marine receives a form DD 214 upon being separated from the Marine Corps.
It is one of the most, if not the most, important document a Marine is issued.  It is the authentication of a Marine's bonafide. Any contacts with the Marine Corps and other governmentatl agencies may require that you produce a copy of your  DD 214.  In some cases  providing a copy of your DD 214 is mandatory.
If you lost or misplaced your DD 214 you can order one from the Marine Corps via the following offices.

Any former Marine who was released prior to 1999 wanting copies of their service records or DD Form 214 or any other service record documents must write to the following address: 
Director
Navy Personnel Command Pers-312D2
Room 5409
9700 Page Avenue
St. Louis, MO  63132
Tele:  314-592-1150, 4009, 4085, or 4086

Marines requesting a copy of their service record, DD 214 or any other documents who were discharged from the Marine Corps after 1999 must write to MMSB at the following address:
Headquarters US Marine Corps
Manpower Management Support Branch (MMSB-10)
2008 Elliot Road, Suite 205
Quantico, VA 22134-5030
Tele: 1-800-268-3710

2018 DUES
ARE  DUE

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN. 
2018 CHAPTER DUES WERE DUE JANUARY 1.
CHAPTER DUES  $50
TUN TAVERN DUES $100


SOME MEMBERS PAID THEIR 2018 DUES  BEFORE THE END OF 2017 (THANK YOU) 
SOME MEMBERS PAID EARLY IN JANUARY (THANK YOU TOO) AND WELL...
SOME MEMBERS' DUES ARE STILL DUE....NOT QUITE YET OVERDUE. BUT ...WELL, YOU GET THE MESSAGE.
HELP OUR TREASURER GET THE 2018 BOOKS STARTED WITH FULLY PAID UP CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP -  QUINT
NEW FUND RAISING INITIATIVES 

WE NEED NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF PROSPECTIVE DONORS TO KICK OFF OUR NEW FUND RAISING INITIATIVE

Our Chapter is expanding its initiatives to raise funds that will enable us to grow our mission of supporting Marines. 
We need the participation of all Chapter members to make this initiative successful.  All a member has to do is submit the name and address of at least one prospect that can possibly help in our efforts.
Please forward names, addresses and telephone numbers of individuals and businesses you would recommend  be included on the donors database. 
Forward the information to Chapter Secretary Quint Villanueva at [email protected].
The donors list will be confidential and will not be shared with any other organizations.
TALES FROM THE TUN TAVERN

Listen Up!
The Tun Tavern Club will convene at the Fire House restaurant on evening of February 26 for food and grog and cameraderie following
Colonel Mike Walker's afternoon presentation on North Korea at Indian Ridge Country Club.  All are welcome, non-members attend at the risk of being shanghaied.

DID YOU KNOW...
The Desert Cities, Mitchell Paige Chapter, 1st Marine Division Association was chartered in 1998 by former Marine Corporal William "Bill" Ping who reached out across America to recruit   one hundred an fifty founding charter members that included five Medal of Honor recipients:    Major General James A. Day,  Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Robert Bush,  Colonel William Barber, Captain Arthur Jackson and our Chapter's namesake Colonel Mitchell Paige.  Major General Day was the first honorary Chairman of the Chapter.
Bill Ping was the Chapter's first President followed by Joe Daily, Jim Sullivan, 
Quint Villanueva, Dick Partee, George Settler and the incumbent Vince Mast.
A few of us old salts had the honor of meeting Colonel Paige and Corpsman Bush when they were still with us.   Over the years our Chapter has developed a symbiotic relationship with the 7th Marine Regiment lending support to its troops and their families both stateside and abroad.
CURRENT TUN TAVERN MEMBERS

Wes Ahlgren | Harry Covert | Joe Daily | Dave Franklin |  Charlie Garbarini 
Frank Gillette | Charlie Hall |  Sam Huttenhower | Jim Irwin   
Franz Jevene |  Jim Larsh | Howard Lehman | Jimmy Martin |  Vince Mast  
Gene McClendon |  Jack Mennis | George Moffatt | Hank Monahan 
Gene Mooring | Mike Ostrom |  Marilyn Paige |  Richard Partee 
Henry Sanchez |  Sandy Sandoval | Ray Schum | Bob Shepard |  Buddy Sklar |  George Stettler |   Dale Turner |  Quint Villanueva | Mike Walker 
Michael Walker |  Myrl Wallace |  Linn Wiley
PAST PRESIDENTS
Bill Ping (RIP) 1998-2002 | J oseph A. Daily 2002-2006 | James Sullivan (RIP) 2006-2009
Quint Villanueva 2009-2012 | Richard Partee 2012-2014 | George Stettler 2014-2016
THANK YOU FROM THE EDITOR
We hope you find this newsletter of benefit.  We appreciate your continued membership and support of the chapter.  If you are interested in contributing to this newsletter with news or stories, or if interested in helping edit and produce the newsletter please email the editor.

Quint Villanueva, [email protected]