Message from Mick Hughes
by Donna Fuller on 01/15/25
1/15/2025 MESSAGE BOARD POSTING MAY NOT CONTAIN LINKS.
Contact Mick Hughes if you haven't gotten this message directly to your email INBOX. 2/3 V.V.A. is attempting to reach ALL 2/3 (RVN) Vets with 2025 Annual Reunion details.
PREFACE:
The Officers of your 2/3 Vietnam Vetereans Association took the bull by the horns at our Savannah 2024 Reunion and addressed issues we are beginning to experience with our dwindling numbers.
A day later at the Membership Meeting a lively discussion ensued around the subject. It was overwhelmingly decided that 2/3 V.V.A. would accept the Third Marine Division Association's invitation to hold our 2025 Reunion within the Third Marine Division Association (T.M.D.A.; 501(c)19, Non Profit) 2025 Annual Reunion in Tucson, AZ.
I got some basic information from Bob North, President T.M.D.A., and presented it at our Membership Meeting 2024. Since then we've exchanged phone calls and emails to agree to some basics. It's a huge help to keep "last minute" problems and issues to the irreducible minimum. There was a good amount of work that went into making agreements so that ALL Marines, Associate Members, Family and Friends will have a 2025 Reunion that'll be a classic for all the right reasons. Some of the work was not easy but none of the work was extremely difficult. The T.M.D.A. Manager, G. Roger Bacon, provided some valuable key details of the makings of a successful 2025 Reunion.
As with previous 2/3 VVA Reunions, you must register with the hotel and separately register with the Reunion. Those forms, when they're soon to be made public, will look familiar. Armed Forces Reunions Inc. organized 2/3 VVA Reunions for years. They also put together reuions for T.M.D.A. You are asked to contact Hotel Central Reservations only when the official hotel registration form is released.
This email is going out "Bcc" to 2/3 VVA Members, Bob North and Roger Bacon, T.M.D.A. and Echo
(2/3) Vets.
I ask that 2/3 VVA Marines receiving this email forward it to any 2/3 (RVN) Marine that you know. If in doubt, send it out. Better to get an extra Reunion notification than none at all.
ALL INFORMATION IN THIS EMAIL IS TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE STAY IN THE LOOP TO KEEP CURRENT. WHEN HOTEL REGISTRATION FORMS ARE MADE PUBLIC, IT'LL BE "FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED".
1. 15-21 September 2025.
2. Sheraton Tucson Hotel and Suites. 5151 E. Grant Rd., Tucson 85712. Breakfast included.
Currently, no Tucson International Airport (TUS) shuttle. Airport about 14 miles from hotel.
The issue of transportation to/from Airport is not finalized. Further discussion is forthcoming.
3. I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO PAY YOUR DUES TO 2/3 V.V.A.!
DO NOT PAY DUES TO T.M.D.A. unless you decide you want to be a member of T.M.D.A.
RIGHT NOW! IF YOU'RE CURRENT WITH YOUR 2/3 VVA DUES, you're not required to
pay T.M.D.A. dues to attend REUNION 2025. YOU ARE STRONGLY ADVISED TO MAKE
SURE YOU ARE PAID UP WITH YOUR 2/3 VVA DUES. PLEASE DON'T WAIT FOR THE
REUNION REGISTRATION FORM TO BE PUBLISHED TO PAY YOUR DUES. PAY 2/3
VVA DUES IMMEDIATELY. NO DUES = NO 2/3 VVA BENEFITS!!!
4. The T.M.D.A. has been around since 1949. They have about 1451 Members.
About 185 people attended their 2024 Reunion in Nashville, TN. They have geographical
"Chapters". Maybe about 15 years ago, they began to allow "Unit Chapters". 1/3 has been a Unit
Chapter for a number of years with much success.
5. Hospitality Rooms. There will be a T.M.D.A. Hospitlity Room. There will also be a Hospitality
Room run by 1/3. 1/3's Hospitality Room is known as "The Bunker". Both rooms are funded by
"passing the hat". The financial status of each of the 2 Hospitality Rooms will be announced
daily (?) at the 2025 Reunion.
Both rooms supply snacks and beverages. If either hospitality room doesn't serve what you
want, you can bring your own. The T.M.D.A. generally is a bit more low key than "The Bunker"
and closes around 2200. "The Bunker" operating hours are usually longer. Both Hospitality
Rooms may close during Official 2025 Reunion functions.
6. Uniform of the Day. Dress codes are not in force.
In the past, Marines attending the T.M.D.A. Annual Banquet dressed formally (Tux). Suits or
sports coats were allowed. I will wear at least a sport coat probably with a tie.
Let me explain.
Last year, the U.S.M.C. was asked to supply a Color Guard or at least an Active Duty Speaker for
our 2/3 2024 Annual Reunion. It was extremely difficult dealing with U.S.M.C. Administration,
even with Parris Island being just a stone's throw from Savannah. The last time I checked, both
the First and Second Marine Division Associations were out of business. 1st Mar. Div. Assoc.
was making an attempt to rise from the ashes. T.M.D.A. has influence with U.S.M.C.-H.Q. They
always seem to get a Color Guard and an Active Duty U.S.M.C. Speaker. In Nashville, it was 2
speakers. Two Generals. You can bet that any Active Duty Speaker will be reqired to give an
after action report to their superiors. If those reports over the years were to
indicate that it's not worth the trouble for the U.S.M.C. to send a General to the T.M.D.A
Reunion, it won't happen. It may never happen again. So I'll bite the bullet and wear a jacket and
tie out of respect to Active Duty U.S.M.C. Speakers and to help the T.M.D.A. continue to get an
Active Duty Marine Speaker in 2026 and beyond.
Survey the landscape Marines and do what you think works best in the Big Picture.
7. COMMUNICATIONS. Attached, you will find the latest issue of CALTRAP, a quarterly
publication of the T.M.D.A. CALTRAP will have 2025 Reunion info in an upcoming, soon to be
released issue. That 2025 Reunion info may be a bit "old" by the time all Marines read about it in
the next quarterly publication of CALTRAP.
The T.M.D.A. has a website. caltrap.org
FACEBOOK, "The Third Marine Division Association". Simple vetting process to become a
"Facebook member" of the this page. Seems that a good number of 3,000+ Facebookers are not
T.M.D.A. Marines or never were Marines.
Lastly, get these emails from me. Within 24 hours of me getting info from CALTRAP, or
Facebook, or the T.M.D.A. website or, most likely, via email from Bob North, you'll have it in
your inbox.
8. MEETINGS : 2/3 VVA OFFICERS: 9/17 AM or PM; 2/3 V.V.A. MEMBERSHIP: 9/18 AM or
PM; T.M.D.A. MEMBERSHIP : 9/20 AM; 2/3 VOTE 9/20 PM.
2/3 V.V.A. Marines may attend T.M.D.A. meetings but can't vote. As of now, you will have
"voice" only if you are also a T.M.D.A. Member. In full disclosure, I'm currently a Lifetime
Member of T.M.D.A. I have not been "active" in T.M.D.A. for over 10 years.
The "VOTE" Meeting on 9/20 is for the purpose of deciding some details about our 2026
Reunion. The T.M.D.A. will provide 2/3 VVA with a room, adjacent to the Annual Banquet
Room, for our Meetings. Toward the end of the Annual Banquet on 9/20, 2/3 Marines will
assemble to vote. Do we have another year with T.M.D.A. (dues, $35, to T.M.D.A. will be
required in 2026) OR hold our own 2026 Reunion? Hoping this VOTE Meeting will take 10-15
minutes.
9. We'll go forward with our activities. We'll strive to not conflict 2/3 VVA activities with T.M.D.A.
activites. Our Guidons and Banners will be displayed in "our room".
We'll move forward with our Annual Auction (preferably PM) and 50-50 raffles.
2/3 V.V.A. shirts and caps will be offered.
10. On 9/19/25 PM there will be an Early celebration of the 250th Birthday of the U.S.M.C.
Semper Fidelis. Mick Hughes, President 2/3 V.V.A., P.O. Box 211, Baldwin, NY 11510-0211
CALTRAPhttp://www.example.com/Link1
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