Fellow Vets,
Reunion in Colorado Springs is fast approaching. If you have not made your reservations at the Elegante, please do so immediately. Cutoff date on the discounted rate is August 18, six days from today. See attached memo for more information on this and other items related to our reunion.
I encourage you to make the reunion if possible. The next one is two years away, 2019, and we’re not getting any younger or healthier. Let’s keep getting together as long we can to continue to share our stories on our time together and since then.
Our 31st Engineer Reunions have been as follows:
2009-Nashville
2011-Branson
2013-Las Vegas
2015-San Antonio
2017-Colorado Springs
At our reunion, we will be entertaining suggestions and deciding on the 2019 reunion site. Be thinking about where you would recommend we go, the benefits and attractions of the place, transportation (airport), etc. The idea of a host couple proximate to the location is always beneficial to the planning. We’ve had a couple of calls for somewhere in the mid-west or somewhere east of the Mississippi in fairness to our folks in the eastern part of the U.S. I have been contacted with an .of interest by the Visitors Bureau for the Fort Jackson area.
Received a text message from our buddy Elliot Mock. He was our Bn Maintenance NCO promoted to WO in Black Horse and has had a perfect attendance to our reunions. He has cancelled out of Colorado Springs having had a heart attack in March and during recovery had an aneurysm in his left aorta artery in July He says to “give my very best to all our veteran brothers”. Let us each offer our prayers for Eliot’s full recovery and that he is able to resume his with us in our reunions. His phone number is (601) 870-6148.
Regards to all,
Leo Farias
Attachment:
August 12, 2017
MEMORANDUM TO: Fellow Veterans of the 31st Engineer Battalion, Vietnam
FROM: Leo Farias, Executive Director, 31st Engineer Battalion Association
SUBJECT: Reunion Information
REUNION DATES AND PLACE: 5-8 October 2017, Colorado Springs, CO., Hotel Elegante
HOTEL RESERVATIONS. If you haven’t made your reservations and are planning to attend, make them now. For reservations call the Elegante at 800-981-4012 and mention you are with the 31st Engineer Battalion Reunion. Cut off date on the discounted rate is August 18, 2017 after which date rooms will be released to the public and may or may not be available. If you are not sure, you may make your reservation anyway since cancellation can be done no later than 24 hours prior to date of arrival to avoid a cancellation fee of first night’s charge and tax.
HOW IT’S SHAPING UP.
Room Reservations. Looking good at this point. As of a few days ago, 47 rooms (of the 65-room block being held for our reunion) had been reserved. As mentioned above, please take action now if you are planning to attend.
Banquet Reservations. The contract calls for advance Guaranteed Attendance to the Elegante. Please make your banquet reservations now, soon, but no later than September 22, 2017. Please refrain from showing up without notifying us on your banquet need and submitting payment. Cost of banquet is $45 per person. Make checks payable to: 31st Engineer Battalion Association, and mail to Warren DuBois, 906 W. Virginia Ave., Salem, MO. 65560.
Reunion Tasks. We are fortunate that volunteers in our midst and even relatives/friends of our members have stepped up to the plate to help. If called upon, avail yourself. Some of the tasks, just to mention a few are: Hotel recon, selection, and banquet coordination; Color Guard and speakers; Hospitality Room; audio-visual; sign-in; Missing Man Table; name tags, shirts and caps, info on local attractions; etc. There is much to be done between now and reunion dates.
Membership Dues. $25 for 2017-2018 (2 yrs) due now or at the reunion. Make checks payable to 31st Engineer Battalion Assoc., mail to Warren DuBois at afore-mentioned address.
Battalion Website. Google or go to website directly….31stengineerbattalion.com. “A site to behold”, words from good friend Fred Webb. Much information on our history, past and current posts, reunion information, information on Colorado Springs, etc. Webmaster June Robbins has done a fantastic job. Thanks, June. Her email: junekeywest@yahoo.com
