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The Leaflet Drop
The Newsletter of the Psychological Operations Veterans Association (POVA)
Founded 1988
1 April 2020
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Fellow Psywarriors,
So much happened in the first two weeks of March......corona virus, national political partisan bickering over everything imaginable, clear foreign meddling by foreign-controlled trolls to disrupt our people.....it is a tough world in which we live. Given the spread of the virus, we made the decision to postpone the 18th Biennial Reunion until a later time. Our Board then supported my recommendation to reschedule the reunion in mid-2021. This is a big victory for POVA and for our larger PSYOP community. Details are being further developed, but you'll find more about the 2021 reunion later in this newsletter.
At the end of this issue, you'll find information about an air filtration unit that is certified to kill this deadly virus. While POVA doesn't normally publicize commercial information, this product is already in use helping to prevent spread of the virus, and hopefully contribute to saving lives. As noted, there is a 20% discount solely for POVA members who purchase this unit for their home or office.
For what it is worth, I have purchased one of these units for our home. My wife and I both are in the age group, and with medical issues, most seriously at risk by this virus.
Chad Spawr
President
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Lest we Forget.......
Please remember that American men and women are deployed in many places around the world and are in constant danger. Please save a thought and prayer for our fellow Americans deployed. They are our Brothers and Sisters!
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New POVA Life Members
POVA is very pleased to welcome our new Life Member who joined with us:
Thomas Wood
You can view our entire Life Member roster on POVA’s website at
www.usapova.org/pova-life-members
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POVA 18TH Biennial Reunion Rescheduled for 2021
Our Biennial Reunion has now been rescheduled, and will be held from
Wednesday 9 June 2021 through and including 12 June 2021.
The reunion will be held in Fayetteville, NC, and our hotel will once again be the Ramada Plaza Bordeaux Convention Center. Here is the hotel contact information.
Ramada Plaza Bordeaux Convention Center
1707-A Owen Drive
Fayetteville, NC 28304
PH: 910-323-0111
No reservation or room rate information is yet available, but when it is, we'll publish it here and on our POVA website.
Reunion calendar and agenda are now being developed. More to follow.
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Passing of another POVA Original Founder
It is with sincere regret that POVA reports the passing of one of the original five founders of POVA. For those who don't know the history, POVA grew out of an original reunion of five members of the 6th PSYOP Battalion who had served together in Viet-Nam between 1968 and 1969. The original five were Duane Yaeger, Jack O'Neil, Dick Winner, Ron Copeland, and Chad Spawr. Sadly, Jack O'Neil and Dick Winner have passed, awaiting their Brothers at Fiddler's Green.
Duane Yaeger and Ron Copeland went their separate ways from POVA many years ago, and we generally lost track of them. After a lengthy Internet search, we have learned that Ron Copeland passed away in August 2004. He is buried in the Beaufort, SC Veteran Cemetery.
Life goes on, but as we older veterans know, that "goes on" comes to an end sooner or later. It is sad that another Psywarrior so important to POVA's founding and history has passed.
RIP, Brother Ron. See you on Fiddler's Green, Brother.
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Famous American Actor-Comedian-Producer Conducted PSYOP Missions during Battle of the Bulge in WWII
Mel Brooks was born in Brooklyn New York in 1926, as Melvin Kaminsky, to Jewish parents from Germany and Ukraine. Before he could complete his degree in psychology from Brooklyn College, Brooks was drafted into the Army to fight during World War II.
He served as a corporal in the 1104 Engineers Battalion, 78
th
Infantry Division as a combat engineer. One of his tasks during the war was to defuse land mines, and he also fought during the Battle of the Bulge.
During the battle the Germans were broadcasting propaganda recordings over loudspeakers. Brooks, even at an early age, used his producing talents and responded to the Germans by broadcasting music by Al Jolson, a Jewish musician. Brooks broadcasting system consisted of a loud speaker mounted on a telephone pole which, while attaching the speaker, he came under enemy fire.
After discharge from the Army Brooks performed standup comedy and eventually began writing for television. His career expanded into acting, directing and producing.
Decades after his time in the service he would get the ultimate dig at Nazi leader Adolf Hitler by directing the “The Producers” a comedy focused on the worst Broadway musical of all time, “Springtime for Hitler”. Mel Brooks passed away in 2017, he was 87 years old.
Submitted by Rich Hosier
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Did you Know?
Here are some interesting historical facts about US military PSYOP, going back to the time of the American Revolution. This history is beautifully reported on Life Member Ed Rouse's Psywarrior website (
www.psywarrior.com
) It is our history, and every one of us has either added to our history, or will during our military career.
So, did you know...........
- during his invasion of ancient Persia, Alexander the Great stretched his invading forces so thin that he could be in serious danger. To intimidate the Persians, he ordered the construction of huge pieces of warrior armor, and had them strewn across battlefields. The Persians, believing they were facing indomitable giants, avoided contact and battle with the Macedonian king's forces.
- during the American Revolution both the British and the uprising Americans used PSYOP leaflets to both appeal for loyal support and to demoralize enemy troops?
- during the American Civil War, both Union and Confederate forces used PSYOP in the form of posters and leaflets to demoralize the enemy's forces.
How's that for a start? Our Regimental history and culture are founded on such efforts from our historic past. We are all part of a very specialized profession that is focused on three things.......
Persuade...Change...Influence.
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POVA's Tradition of Honor
POVA has had many opportunities to pay homage to our fellow Americans who fell in service. These opportunities have included visitations to the Viet-Nam War Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the field of honor at Meadows Field on Ft. Bragg, and Arlington National Cemetery.
During our reunion held in Baltimore, MD, in summer 2002, POVA members attended a special wreath-laying ceremony on the plaza of the Tombs of the Unknown Soldiers in Arlington, VA. Few have had the solemn honor to walk the plaza, accompanied by the soldiers of the 3d Infantry Regiment, to salute our fallen, and place a wreath commemorating their love of our nation. Pictured at upper right are three of POVA's first four Presidents preparing to be escorted to the plaza to place our wreath of honor. From left: Jack O'Neil, Chad Spawr, and Rick Hofmann.
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PSYOP Regiment T-shirts still available
POVA has created an excellent tshirt for all PSYOP Regiment members, including soldiers and veterans. They are currently available on our website for purchase.
These shirts are available in dark green and in a light grey. They are beautifully emblazoned with our PSYOP crest and the words "PSYOP REGIMENT" bannered above and below.
The price is $15 per shirt, including shipping. POVA's price covers our costs only;
we don't make any money on these. Our goal is to build visible and tangible support for our Regiment, our soldiers, and our fellow veterans who have served our Regiment and our Nation so well.
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A Certified Method to Kill Airborne Viral agents.....including COVID-19
There is no doubt we are all struggling to stay safe and prevent infection by this nasty virus. There is a lot of advice and guidance on how to do this, but one of POVA's Life Members, Ray Hackler, works for a company that sells a air purification unit that is now certified to kill the Corona virus. His company is now working with several different Federal agencies, including the Defense Department, to equip military facilities with these units to help safeguard our military and their families.
Ray's company offers POVA members a 20% discount if purchased through the website at
www.calibersalesandconsulting.com. Here is a letter from Ray regarding his company's product and its qualification:
Fellow POVA Members,
In the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak in the US, I wanted to provide an update for everyone on the progress made by Caliber Sales and Consulting to assist our Armed Forces and their families, as well as civilian employers, their workforces, and private citizens.
Caliber signed two important agreements at the beginning of the year for distributorships with UVAIRx and Ogena Solutions. UVAIRx is the manufacturer of a unique and patented technology called Photocatalytic Oxidation (PCO). To date, this technology has been independently laboratory tested at efficacy rates as high as 100% against specific harmful, infectious pathogens (including H1N1, H5N1, and Norovirus). As of the date of this letter, we have begun more testing against multiple zoonotic infectious pathogens, including the deadliest and hardest-to-kill, the canine parvovirus. UVAIRx’s patented PCO technology has also been recently credited with efficacy in killing COVID-19, among other coronaviruses!
This year Caliber also signed an agreement with Ogena Solutions that brought UVAIRx products into the US Animal Health Market. Further, Caliber was retained by Ogena with a mandate to win a GSA contract and bring all of the products from these two quality manufacturers into the federal marketplace. Caliber is especially honored to announce our recent sole source contract with the US Army Corps of Engineers to provide a full spectrum of biosecurity products from both UVAIRx and Ogena, as well as Caliber’s expert training in these systems for key leaders.
As we fight the current crisis, Caliber is looking ahead with ways to better assist the Force and their families with the highest quality, safest, and most effective technology available to control and prevent the negative impact of infectious diseases. Of course, Caliber continues to proudly provide an exclusive discount on UVAIRx air cleaners to POVA Members.
Thank you all! Stay safe, everyone – I look forward to seeing you all at the 2021 POVA reunion!
Words Conquer!
Ray Hackler, LTC (R), USA
CEO, Caliber Sales and Consulting
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**
POVA CONTACT INFORMATION **
PRESIDENT & NEWSLETTER EDITOR
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT/CHAPLAIN
JOHN CHENEY
chen77jc@gmail.com
VICE PRESIDENT FINANCE
VICE PRESIDENT MEMBERSHIP
VICE PRESIDENT AT LARGE
VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING
ILYA NEMTSOV
ILYA.NEMTSOV@GMAIL.COM
GATEWAY CHAPTER PRESIDENT
PRESIDENT EMERITUS & BOARD MEMBER
POVA HISTORIAN
POVA ARCHIVIST
POVA TRUSTEES
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