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This page was last updated: October 5, 2023

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Important Dates

•12 Oct 2000 USS Cole Attacked in Yemen

•13 Oct 1775 U.S. Navy 248th Birthday

•13 Oct 1987 The U.S. Navy Memorial dedicated

•23-26 Oct 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf

•23 Oct 1983 220 Marines, 18 Sailors and 3 Soldiers killed in attack on U.S. Headquarters in Beirut

Important Events:

•

11 Oct FRA Branch 244 Meeting

•13 Oct U.S. Navy 248th Birthday

•13-14 Oct Air Show at GJ Regional Airport

Branch 244 Shipmate Birthdays: September birthdays include John Meyer and Richard Van Dellen. Happy late birthday shipmates. No Shipmate Birthdays in October. Happy Birthday Shipmates!

Branch 244 Shipmate/s due to renew: Shipmate John Dudich, Doug Butler, Ron Butler and Thomas Franklin. Please renew your membership. your membership is important to Branch 244 and the Fleet Reserve Association. Please renew your membership.

Branch 244 Shipmate/s Renewing Membership: Garrett Gunholt and Kirk Rosa. Thank you shipmates. Your support is appreciated.

Branch 244 New Members: Welcome aboard shipmates Warren Clark, Steve Wolford and Jomo Nkhereanye.

FRA

Colorado West Branch 244

3010 Vin Rose Way

Grand Junction, CO 81504-5532

NEWSLETTER

October 2023

BRANCH OFFICERS:

President: Jim Stafford (970) 243-3303

1st VP : John Meyer 719-314-6663

2nd VP: Rich Reno 970-241-5000

Sec/Trea: Chuck Watkins 970-434-0868

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jr. PP: Bud Johnson 970-249-0891

Jim Stafford (970) 243-3303

Chuck Watkins (970) 434-0868

Joe Bertram (970) 434-5358

Master-At-Arms: Joe Bertram (970) 434-5358

Chaplain Bud Johnson 970-249-0891

Website: http://www.frabr244.homestead.com

2nd Vice President:

The 2023 Blue Angeles air show is almost here. We have secured a spot and hope some of you will be able to join us on Saturday October 14th or Sunday October 15th. I will give more information at the branch meeting. I have made copies of this year's essay contest information and have begun distributing them. The entry form including this year’s theme, rules and cover sheet are below.

Americanism Essay Contest For Grades 7–12

FRA sponsors an annual essay contest to promote the spirit of Americanism and patriotism among our country’s youth. FRA's Americanism Essay Contest is open to all students, grades 7 through 12, including those who are in public or private schools or home schooled. Students are invited to submit a 350-word essay through an FRA member or local FRA branch before the December 31st deadline. Local winners are forwarded for competition at the regional level and regional winners compete for national prizes.

The grand national winner receives $1,500. Other winners receive $1,000 for first place, $750 for second place, and $500 for third place. Each national winner will receive an attractive plaque citing his/her achievement, and every entrant judged at the national level receives a certificate of recognition. Prizes may be awarded to students winning at local and regional levels of competition.

Richard Reno Branch 244 Essay Chairman

Secretary Notes:

Shipmates,

October has a few activities/events that are noteworthy. First off will be our Branch general meeting on 11 October.

Following that there is going to be an Air Show featuring the Navy/Marine “Blue Angles” and other military and private aircraft. All of this will take place at the Grand Junction Regional Airport on Saturday and Sunday 13-14 October. We would like to have as many members as possible help man our FRA information booth with the main mission to inform the attendees of what the FRA is all about and hopefully add some new members to the Branch. We will have passes to get in the gate for those that are willing to help at the booth for those assisting at the booth. More information will be available after our 11 October meeting.

I don’t know if you all receive this information so I am including it here. I copied it from the “Navy Shift Colors” online magazine.

Navy Shift Colors is the Navy's official newsletter for Retired Sailors and surviving spouses. It updates the retired Navy community about changes to laws, policies, programs, and benefits that affect them.

The Fall-Winter Issue 2023 will be available at the below website on Friday, Sept. 29. You should be able to copy/cut and paste the web address below.

https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Media-Center/Publications/Shift-Colors/?utm_medium=dfas&utm_source=dfas.mil&utm_campaign=Shift+Colors+Fall+2023

As always we need to continue to recruit new members into our Branch and FRA as a whole. Remember, if the prospective member cannot afford to pay the full $64 dues for two years, the branch will help with half or $32. This past month we welcomed three new members. Thank you all who have help gain the new members.

Yours in

Loyalty, Protection and Service

Chuck Watkins

Secretary/Treasurer