IN THIS ISSUE - The Military Reunion Network

IN THIS ISSUEA MISSION OF THANKS FROM A GRATEFUL NATION

STATE OF THE MILITARY REUNION INDUSTRY

PHISHING, SPAM AND SCAMS

Bringing reunions and locations together since 1991

magazineVOL 21 | FALL 2018

Bringing reunions and locations together since 1991Published by: Military Reunion Network, Inc.

President: Sharon Danitschek - [email protected] - www.militaryreunionnetwork.com

Subscriptions to Military Reunion Network Magazine are free of charge to qualified reunion planners.

Copyright ©2018 by The Reunion Group, all rights reserved. Military Reunion Network Magazine is not responsible for opinions expressed in editorial material. The opinions are exclusively those of the authors and

do not express the opinions of Military Reunion Network, its staff, its members, its advertisers, or its readership. All editorial material is for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. The Military Reunion

Network assumes no liability or responsibility for errors, mistakes, misprints, missing information, or content of advertising. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission from the publisher.

2

FROM THE

DESK situationMilitary Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter

WOW 2018 has been a great year!!!! I am so thankful for the entire Military Reunion Network family. It was wonderful to see so many of you join to conversation on Facebook, attend events AND most importantly connect with each other.

This year includes a major shift that will impact all of us. We have elected to open our events calendar to any supplier member interested in hosting a FAM to their destination. This will allow our reunion planners increase options when researching for their next reunion. Suppliers submit their dates, agenda, qualifying questions, and maximum number of attendees to Sharon. We list the event on our website, as well as promote it through the magazine and social media. This shift will allow me to focus on projects that will benefit all of our members. MRN will still offer the Educational Summit each June as well as special regional events.

Speaking of the Summit, there is an interesting article on the State of the Industry in this issue. With three years of data research compiled on the military reunion market, we are now able to share trends, issues and statistics. Reunion Planners that attended the Summit realized how large an impact they have when all the reunions are combined. A total market

spend of $100 million dollars is powerful!

We hope you will continue to participate with MRN in the coming year. In fact, you can start right now. Included in this issue is our new survey. Please take a moment to fill it out and send it in. Your feedback helps to frame the current industry trends and statistics. We will present the survey findings at the upcoming Educational Summit in Nashville this June. In addition, this is a great opportunity to share what we are going well and where we can improve.

You will notice the list of upcoming reunions is missing from this issue. At press time, there were so many transitions that we elected to wait until the Winter Issue to provide a complete list. Now is the time to update your reunion!!

It has been my honor and pleasure to serve this community for the past five years. We look forward to great things in 2019.

Have a wonderful holiday.

SharonSharon Danitschek, President

TABLE OF

contentsMilitary Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter

A mission of thanks from a grateful nation .........................................5

State of the Military Reunion Industry ....................................................8

Take the 2019 Planner Survey.....................11

Upcoming Events ................................................14

Phishing, SPAM and Scams ..........................20

Upcoming Reunion Update ......................... 26

Member listings ....................................................27

Interested in advertising?Visit our website:

www.militaryreunionnetwork.com

3

EXPLORE

WHERE

STARTED.Iowa

TRAVELDUBUQUE.COM/REUNIONS

Thank you to our advertisersPAGE SPONSOR

3 Shreveport Bossier CVB 3 Travel Dubuque 4 Branson CVB 6 Dayton CVB 10 Holiday Inn Bayside 13 Visit Plano 18 Greene County 21 Colorado Springs CVB ad 22 Visit Oceanside 23 Visit Billings 24 Seattle Southside 25 Visit Jacksonville 31 Next Step Service Dogs

4

Military Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter

14th AnnualMilitary Reunion Planners Conference

May 14-17, 2019For the MRPC Application or a Reunion Planner Sales Kit:

Julie Peters, CTIS, CEP at [email protected]

BRANSONHONORS VETERANS

EVERY DAY.

4 1 7 -243 -2 1 1 7

V E T E R A N S D AY P A R A D E

5


Approaching a veteran to shake their hand and thank them for their service and sacrifice is humbling, emotional and for the most part easy when they are standing right in front of you. Imagine being tasked with thanking every one of the 6.6 million veterans that served during the Vietnam War. This is the mission of the Vietnam War Commemoration. MRN sat down with VWC Director, General (retired) James T Jackson, and Senior Advisor Brigadier General (retired) John P Rose in late October to talk about the history, significance, and overall mission of the program.

Congress was tasked over 10 years ago with finding a way to recognize Vietnam Veterans as a part of the approaching 50th anniversary of the war. This task was in much the same fashion as was done for the Korean War and World War II. In January of 2008, Congress passed a law authorizing the Secretary of Defense to establish a program in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary. This law charged the Secretary with the task of coordinating, supporting and facilitating programs across the country. There are five national goals.

1) To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.

2) To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions

of the Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations that served with, or in support, of the Armed Forces.

3) To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.

4) To highlight the advances in technology, science and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War

5) To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States during

the Vietnam War.

For the next four years, great conversation and care was put into the creation of the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration and on May 25th, 2012, then President Barack Obama signed a proclamation establishing May 28th, 2012 through November 11, 2025 as the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. The proclamation stated in part;

“In recognition of a chapter in our Nation’s history that must never be forgotten, let us renew our sacred commitment to those who answered our country’s call in Vietnam and those who awaited their safe return. Beginning on Memorial Day 2012, the Federal Government will partner with local governments, private organizations, and communities across America to participate in the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War -- a 13-year program to

AMISSION OF THANKS

Continued on page 7

This is a call to ALL Military Reunion

Planners. We are asking you to connect with the

VWC so that they can personally recognize, thank, and welcome

home ALL of your 2019 or 2020 reunion attendees.

6


WE WOULD CONSIDER IT AN HONOR TO HOST YOUR GROUP!

800.221.8235 daytoncvb.com

Host your next Top Flight reunion in Dayton, the Birthplace of Aviation & So Much More!

FREE National Museum of the U.S. Air Force—world’s largest and oldest military aviation museum.

Contact me today! Teena Sheffler, Sales Manager937.226.8292 or [email protected]

DAYTON IS WITHIN A DAY’S DRIVE OF 60% OF THE U.S. POPULATION!

Every Day isVeteran’s Day in DAYTON

• FREE site visit in Dayton*• FREE hotel and venue bid collection process • Discounts at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force Gift Shop & Theater*• FREE customized name badges

“I’M EAGER TO HELP

YOU TODAY!”

*Certain restrictions may apply

7


honor and give thanks to a generation of proud Americans who saw our country through one of the most challenging missions we have ever faced. While no words will ever be fully worthy of their service, nor any honor truly befitting their sacrifice, let us remember that it is never too late to pay tribute to the men and women who answered the call of duty with courage and valor. Let us renew our commitment to the fullest possible accounting for those who have not returned.”

Presidential support for the Commemoration continued with President Donald Trump, by way of another presidential proclamation in support of the program. In addition, he signed into law the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, designating March 29 National Vietnam War Veterans Day. The Proclamation by President Trump includes the following,

“We applaud the thousands of local, State, and national organizations, businesses, and governmental entities that have already partnered with the Federal Government in the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War. Because of their remarkable leadership and dedication, countless Vietnam veterans and their families have been personally and publicly thanked and honored in ceremonies in towns and cities throughout our country. During my Administration, I promise to continue coordinated efforts to recognize all veterans of the Vietnam War for their service and sacrifice, and to provide them with the heartfelt acknowledgement and gratitude that they and their families so richly deserve.”

As stated earlier, it is the task of the Vietnam War Commemoration to recognize those veterans who served on active duty between November 1st, 1955 and May 15th, 1975 regardless of where they served. I asked General (retired) Jackson about those dates. He said, “We picked 1 November ‘55 because it was the first date that we could identify where there was an establishment of a headquarters organization focused specifically on Vietnam. We picked that date with the intent on being as inclusive as we could find.” The official end of the war was April 30th, 1975. The end date of May 15th, 1975 allows for inclusion

of the crew of the USS Mayaguez that was detained on May 12th, as well as the combined branch rescue team of Marines and Air Force service members. The rescue operation resulted in additional losses including Lieutenant Richard Vandegeer. He was killed on Koh Tang Island and is the last name to be included on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Wall. He joins the over 58,000 soldiers that died.

The Vietnam War Commemoration is comprised of a small but mighty staff that travels the country at the invitation of veterans’ organizations of varying sizes, age and branch of service. The most emotional and significant part for veterans in attendance is the presentation of a Vietnam War Veteran Lapel Pin combined with the personal and individual appreciation on behalf of a grateful nation. It is impossible for them to do this on their own. Over 11, 000 organizations have applied and been accepted to participate as a Commemoration Partner. (The Military Reunion Network received this designation in late October.) We are charged with organizing events where we celebrate the service of Vietnam veterans in our local community. The appreciation is not limited to veterans but also spouses of deceased veterans, POW/MIA, and the Unaccounted for.

The majority of military reunions include those that served between November 1st, 1955 and May 15th, 1975. During our conversation Brigadier General (ret) Rose said, “We would welcome hearing from any military reunion planner that has attendees who served or have family members of those that served over the time frame we have discussed. We wish to talk to them, partner with them and figure out how we can help them honor the Vietnam Veterans that are participating in the reunions. The information, the lapel pins, our travel and our participation with the reunion is all free. We just need them to reach out to us.”

An amazing gift to your fellow reunion attendees would be to have a representative from the Vietnam War Commemoration make a presentation at your banquet. Imagine hearing “On behalf of a grateful nation, we thank you for your service. Welcome Home.”

For more information, about the Vietnam War Commemoration and/or events in your area, please visit www.vietnamwar50th.com or 1-877-387-9951.

Please contact Brigadier General (retired) Rose to register your reunion with the Vietnam War Commemoration.

Continued from page 4

8


Conversations about the military reunion market have, for the most part, been on the micro level. When is the reunion meeting and how many will attend? Where have they been in the past and what will get them to select a specific destination? Around budget time, the calls come in from our hospitality partners in need of a few statistics on the market to finish sales plans for the coming year.

The MRN Annual Market Survey conducted for the past three years is the only means we know of by which full market statistics are collected nationally. We have tracked details about reunion length, time of year, social media presence and hospitality space requirements as well as supplier website presence and preferences. With over three thousand respondents this year, we now have enough data to support a detailed analysis of overall industry trends.

Military reunions represent just a sliver of the collective annual spend of the meetings industry.

Adam Sacks, President of Tourism Economics, noted that $325 billion in direct spend was generated by the 1.9 million meetings held in 2016. These figures may not include the “fun or social” events, such as weddings, sports tournaments and reunions of all types. By MRN estimates, there are between 14,000 and 17,000 military reunions held annually with a contribution total of just over $100 million in direct spend.

Sharon Danitschek, President of The Military Reunion Network presented “The State of the Market” at the June Educational Summit in Reston Virginia. The presentation was based on the findings from the survey as well as current hospitality market statistics. The majority of respondents were reunion planners. Of the planners, the vast majority served in the Navy and consider themselves Vietnam Era Veterans. There was veteran representation across all military branches. Time of service spanned from the Korean War to the Gulf War. On the hospitality industry side, there were an equal number of

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY

Rates and contract clauses like attrition have been the top issues for years. Only recently have planners been concerned about declining numbers. Transportation in the local area, rates including breakfast, and staffing changes made the list as well.

Fortunately for the industry, planners and suppliers agree that September and October are the months to meet. Suppliers were asked when they need the business the most while planners were asked when they would like to get together.

Continued on page 10


9

responses from CVB and hotel representatives. The State of the Market presentation was broken

down into three parts starting with national statistics of the hotel industry or simply put, “why hotel rates are so high”. Hotel sell time. They only have one chance to sell the rooms on October 1st thus must maximize the opportunities to fill. Success is measured using three statistics, occupancy (how

many rooms were filled), ADR (the average rate of all the rooms and rates for that day), and REVPAR (The revenue per occupied room). These three figures are the key indicators of the health of a single hotel, a chain or hotel industry. Experts in the industry have commented on over eight years of record breaking results in all three categories. In the business, they call this a “sellers’ market”. Because of high demand, Hotels are in the driver’s seat selecting the right/best piece of business to maximize occupancy, ADR and REVPAR. It is the primary reason why reunion planners struggle to get rates they need.

Questions focusing on our CVB and Hotel partners was the second section of the presentation. We were curious to know when our supplier partners want military reunions. What month do they need the business and more importantly are they willing to make rate concessions to move it? The majority of hotel and CVB respondents said September was the preferred month followed by October then August. Fortunately for our hotel and city partners, military reunion planners had much the same response. It is clear September is the month for suppliers to contract and for planners to hold reunions.

The last section of the presentation focused on military reunions and the volunteers that plan them. The reunion planner role does not change every year for close to 75% of respondents. Maintaining the planner role allows for previous education to be applied to the upcoming planning process. Reunion planners say it takes them a couple years to get into the swing of things.

STATE OF THE INDUSTRY We were pleased to see so many reunion planners work with hotels

regarding bringing in alcohol. They negotiate alcohol costs as well as bartender service fees. The burden of getting more beer, ice or glasses is now on the hotel which allows planners to sit back and enjoy the reunion.

There is a definite increase in internet presence by reunion associations. It is important to update websites on a regular basis. Crystal Washington, social media guru, will be joining us at the Educational Summit in June to talk about how to use Facebook to stay connected with your reunion attendees.

Site inspections are a critical part of the success of a reunion. Brochures and websites can not compare to experiencing a destination, attraction or hotel first hand. While they may be time consuming, site inspections allow issues to be resolved prior to the reunion taking place. Start with the local convention and visitor bureaus listed in this issue.

10


Planner hot buttons still include contract clauses as well as the ability to bring in their own food, beverage and alcohol to the hospitality space. Overall cost is still a factor as well. A reunion planner summed it up well by saying, “A lot of the older (Korea, Vietnam) veterans are on a fixed income and while we do not expect the hotel / tour to lose money, we, as reunion planners are trying to keep costs down for our members.” Planners are challenged to find the best rates to ensure the greatest number of attendees participate. Packages that include overnight accommodations, parking, breakfast are preferred over the nickel and dime of each individual expense. Planners also wanted to remind suppliers how little their group eats as compared to other markets like sports.

Turning the tables suppliers want reunion planners to remember to be flexible regarding dates requested. There are often opportunities to reduce rates if reunions will consider another date pattern. In addition, suppliers feel three years of reunion

history is adequate. “Let us know the date, city, hotel, room cost and overall block/pickup pattern for just the last few years. We are thrilled you have been meeting for over 10 years, but we just don’t need to go back that far.“


Let us host your special reunion at the Holiday Inn Bayside in beautiful San Diego. You’ll enjoy spacious and elegant guest rooms, harborview banquet rooms overlookingSan Diego Bay and full service amenities. It’s the perfect reunion location for groups up to 200 people.

LARGEST BANQUET: 200ROOMS: 291MEETING ROOMS: 8VALUE SEASON: December through FebruaryREUNION PACKAGE: Hospitality suite, Complimentary parking, Welcome reception package available

San Diego Reunion Experts

4875 North Harbor DriveSan Diego, CA 92106holinnbayside.comCall Jodie Langhammer800.650.6660619.224.3621 Fax 619.224.1787

FEATURES: Great hospitality rooms, airport shuttle, senior discounts, heated pool, whirlpool, fi tness room, 9-hold putting green, restaurant, lounge, gift shop, free HBO, WiFi, 37" fl at screen HDTV, coffee, refrigerators, hair dryers, newspapers, guest laundry.NEAR: Across from San Diego Bay, waterfront restaurants, Liberty Station and ASW base. MCRD, Seaport Village, San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Golf and Tennis are nearby.

This was a bit of a surprise as the topic comes up frequently. They say the devil is in the details which may be why many associations go it alone. Reunion organizations would do well to agree on the goals and tasks that go along with planning before starting out. Several have had their own hospitality space and banquet but shared the room block discounts by selecting the same dates, destination and hotels.

Take the Annual Military Reunion Market Planner Survey MRN is the industry resource for the military reunion market, and we need your help. Each year we capture market statistics relative to military reunions in an effort to better serve veterans and the hospitality industry. We thank you in advance for taking a few moments to share your thoughts. Reunion Planners please complete the survey below or take the survey online. Visit the MRN website militaryreunionnetwork.com (click on the pop up window). (Our Hospitality Industry Survey will be available in the next issue.) Completed surveys can be returned to: The Military Reunion Network 2801 Bickford Ave Suite 103-172 Snohomish WA 98290

Veteran/Military Reunion Planner Questions: 1) Branch of Service: (circle appropriate answer) Army Navy Air Force Marines Coast Guard National Guard reunion 2) Our service includes the following conflicts: (circle all that apply) Korea Somalia Other:______________________ Cuba Bosnia Gulf War Vietnam Era Kosovo Dominican Republic Iraq/Afghanistan Lebanon/ Grenada Panama 3) We meet: (select one) Annually Even Years Odd Years Other__________ 4) How many people attend your reunion on average? (select one)

25 or less 30-45 50 75 100 125 150 more than 150 5) If your reunion is small would you consider combining with another reunion? Yes No 6) Does the person in charge of planning the reunion change every year? Yes No 7) What is your preferred month to meet? (select one) January February March April May June July August September October November December 8) What is your typical start day? (select one) M T W TH F SA SU 9) Typical number of days? (select one) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Continue on the next page


11

Veteran/Military Reunion Planner Questions continued

10) Do you prefer to bring alcohol into your hospitality space? Y N 11) What do you do when the hotel/venue policy does not allow it? (circle one) go somewhere else negotiate with the hotel/venue skip the alcohol in the hospitality space 12) What contract/reunion issues are you dealing with? (attrition, guarantees, rental, rates, etc) _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

13) Does your organization have a website? Yes No Working on it

14) Does your organization have a Facebook page? Yes No Working on it 15) How do you communicate with your association membership? (circle all that apply) email newsletter phone Facebook 16) When visiting a website of a potential destination, how beneficial is it to have a page on their website that focuses on Military Reunions? (circle all that apply) Really helps would be nice not that important doesn't matter 17) Do you hold reunions in one part of the country or across the US? (circle all that apply) Entire US West Central Great Lakes NE SE 18) How often to you conduct a site inspection when considering somewhere new? Always Sometimes Rarely Never 19) What would you like the Hospitality Industry to know when working with Military Reunions? _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

20) How can The Military Reunion Network better serve you? _____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

13) Contact information (optional) Name______________________________________________________________________________

Organization _______________________________________________________________________

Address____________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________

Phone____________________________________ Email____________________________________

12



13

I hadn’t seen my military buddies in

years. Then Gary called and said we’re

all getting together…in Plano. Perfect.

It’s close to Dallas, but just far enough

away. We checked out the flight museum

when we got there. It brought back lots

of memories…and plenty of old stories.

We had an amazing steak dinner and

really got to catch up. These are special

guys. I’m glad we found a special place

to get together. Plano really does have it

all. visitplano.com

CLOSE FRIENDSSHARED STORIESIT’S ALL HERE

14


The 2019/20

event calendar is up!

We are setting our sites on new places!

Join MRN, our partners, and fellow reunion planners

as we explore great reunion destinations!

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO

NEXT?

LETS GO TOGETHER!

For more information or to register visit militaryreunionnetwork.com

(click on events) or use the Events Registration form on the next page

2019 Events Seattle WA

March 7 – 10

Columbus OH April 11-14

Shreveport LA April 20-22

Albany NY May 9 – 12

Anaheim CA May 14—16

Memphis TN June 20 – 22

Baltimore MD July 29 – 31

2020 Events

Rapid City SD May 14 – May 17 2020

Space is limited!

15


MRN Partner Event Registration Form

Name:_____________________________ Reunion:__________________________________

Guest/Additional Attendee:______________________________________________________

Address:_____________________________ City, State ZIP_____________________________

Daytime Phone:_______________________ Email Address:____________________________

Emergency Contact and Phone:___________________________________________________

Registration fees include overnight accommodations, group meals and all resource materials. Please note each event includes frequent on/off bus stops as well as walking through attractions and hotels.

$99 per planner per event or $149 per planner and guest in the same room per event. Your registration will be confirmed upon receipt of payment.

Event 1)___________________________________________ Amount_______ Event 2)___________________________________________ Amount_______ Event 3)___________________________________________ Amount_______ Event 4)___________________________________________ Amount_______ Event 5)___________________________________________ Amount_______

Total amount enclosed:_________

Send your registration payment to: The Military Reunion Network 2801 Bickford Ave Suite 103-172 Snohomish, WA 98290

(Do NOT use this form for the 2019 MRN Educational Summit)

I acknowledge that I am participating in the following events as reunion planner/committee member for my reunion organization. Our organization is considering the following destinations as a potential location

for our upcoming reunion within the next four years. _____(initial)

Reunion Attendance is approximately ____ people. Our preferred month is _____________


Discuss reunion planning topics with industry experts during breakout session tracks. Keep up with the trends and issues of this market. Get down to business during individual appointments with hospitality representatives.

Veteran/reunion planner registration includes three nights accommodations and all group meals. Over 30 reunion planners have registered! Have you?

Join us for three days of exploration connection and education. Check out the NEW sights and sounds of Nashville.

Saturday June 22: Arrival Day at your leisure. Sunday June 23: Tour Nashville! Monday June 24: Educational Breakout Tracks & Individual Appointments Tuesday June 25: Individual Appointments (Event concludes at 2:30pm)

Visit the events page of militaryreunionnetwork.com

for more information.

16

17


2019 Education Summit Registration Form Name:________________________________________________

Organization:___________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________

City, State ZIP___________________________________________

Daytime Phone:_________________________________________

Email Address:__________________________________________

Emergency Contact/Phone:__________________________________________________

Amount Enclosed:_____________ Military Reunion Planners: Registration includes overnight accommodations Sat June 22—Mon June 24 Our Staff will make your accommodations reservation for you in a king or two double room, unless specific ADA accommodations are required. Pre/Post rates will be the planners responsibility at a rate of $159 per night plus tax.

Suppliers: Registration includes participation for one organization representative in all conference events, as well as individual appointments. Call 1-855-584-3466 and reference The Military Reunion Network Summit 2019 for the discounted rate of $159 per room plus tax. A discounted rate of $129 plus tax is available if reser-vations are made before May 31, 2019

Please review registration cancellation policy listed on the website

Send your registration payment to: The Military Reunion Network 2801 Bickford Ave Suite 103-172

Snohomish, Wa 98290

Planner and Guest $249 ($299 after March 1, 2019)

Planner Individual $199 ($249 after March 1, 2019)

Supplier Member $1,800 ($2,200 after March 1, 2019)

Supplier Non-Member $2,300 ($2,700 after March 1, 2019)

Supplier Additional Registration $650 (Must be from the same organization.)

18


reene County is a diverse destination just east of Dayton, between Cincinnati and Columbus. Rare is the destination that provides activities at every turn, and yet, never hems you in. But here, in the rolling hills east of Dayton is a destination so free with itself, it defies conventional definitions. Instead, it is a diverse mix of attitudes and adjectives: laid-back, creative, friendly, beautiful, agricultural, energy, flight, freedom, tradition and spirit. And while it may have a structured side, it’s never routine.

I have had the good fortune of working for the Greene County Convention & Visitors Bureau for eleven years. We host several dozen military reunions of all sizes annually making reunions one of our favorite markets. We welcome all branches of service! Located in the suburbs just east of Dayton, Ohio, we’re home to Wright-Patterson AFB and the National Muse-um of the USAF that welcomes over a million visitors a year with FREE admission. With four hangars and a missile gallery the museum boasts hundreds of aircraft, artifacts and collections carefully curated and on display. Much of what you see has been donated from personal collections making the museum the ‘keeper of their stories’.

Arranged in chronological order beginning with the ear-ly years of flight, you’ll advance through WWI, WWII, Mod-ern Flight, Cold War, Missile galleries and finally through Presidential and Experimental aircraft. You can easily spend several days taking it all in. Once there you may want to relax and watch one of several digital movies available. Take a solemn walk outside in Memorial Park where hundreds of USAF groups have dedicated monuments, benches, and plaques. Lunch is available in the Valkerie Café. Let us help you plan your itinerary with the many aviation themed sites. Did you know that Orville and Wilbur Wright were from Dayton? Stop in one of the NPS sites and let one of the park rangers tell their story. The Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center has a 30 minute film narrated by Daytonian Martin Sheen on the early years

of perfecting practical flight and the brothers’ determination in getting it right. The Flying Field, just minutes from the small museum atop the hill, looks just as it did over a hun-dred years ago. This small museum packs a big emotional punch. You can also view the Wright Brothers Memorial there for a great photo opportunity. Dayton History’s-Carillon Park offers a beautiful 65 acre setting and home to over 30 historic structures and hundreds of artifacts depicting Dayton’s importance to manufacturing and the many contributions to things we use in our everyday lives. Spend the day visiting the Wright Flyer III – (an NPS site), a covered bridge, lock system, gristmill, transportation center, the print shop, one room school house, Newcom’s Tavern and a dozen more. Rest and repast at the Carillon Brewing Co. for authentic food and beer brewed as it was in the 1850’s or dine at Culp’s Café on lighter fare. Greene County possesses some of the finest shopping with the Greene Towne Center, the Mall at Fairfield Commons and for unique artist items check out the Village of Yellow Springs. Wind down your day at Young’s Jersey Dairy, a family owned and operated farm making home-made ice cream for over a century. Play a round of miniature golf or pet the animals in a beautiful charming setting. In Greene County you’re minutes from aerospace to agriculture in any direction. Want to fly in an old time open cockpit bi-plane? We can arrange that. Want to Sky Dive? We can arrange that too. Want to take your group to a dinner theater? We can put you together with all of the right contacts to make your planning easier. From hotel room blocks to suggested itineraries, transportation and more we’re a high level service bureau. Our goal is to help any way we can. Complimentary custom designed name tags, welcome signs and high quality welcome bags for your attendees are what you can always expect from us. Allow our graphic artist create a one of a kind keepsake for your group.Contact me to begin planning your next reunion.

Lisa Willis, Sales Manager/ Reunion SpecialistGreene County Convention & Visitors [email protected] ext. 224www.greenecountyohio.org

Greene County, Ohio

is the place you want to be for

your next military reunion!

Give us a call for a reunion

you won,t forget!

G

2018 TRN ad2 Final.indd 1 1/18/18 10:12 AM

19


reene County is a diverse destination just east of Dayton, between Cincinnati and Columbus. Rare is the destination that provides activities at every turn, and yet, never hems you in. But here, in the rolling hills east of Dayton is a destination so free with itself, it defies conventional definitions. Instead, it is a diverse mix of attitudes and adjectives: laid-back, creative, friendly, beautiful, agricultural, energy, flight, freedom, tradition and spirit. And while it may have a structured side, it’s never routine.

I have had the good fortune of working for the Greene County Convention & Visitors Bureau for eleven years. We host several dozen military reunions of all sizes annually making reunions one of our favorite markets. We welcome all branches of service! Located in the suburbs just east of Dayton, Ohio, we’re home to Wright-Patterson AFB and the National Muse-um of the USAF that welcomes over a million visitors a year with FREE admission. With four hangars and a missile gallery the museum boasts hundreds of aircraft, artifacts and collections carefully curated and on display. Much of what you see has been donated from personal collections making the museum the ‘keeper of their stories’.

Arranged in chronological order beginning with the ear-ly years of flight, you’ll advance through WWI, WWII, Mod-ern Flight, Cold War, Missile galleries and finally through Presidential and Experimental aircraft. You can easily spend several days taking it all in. Once there you may want to relax and watch one of several digital movies available. Take a solemn walk outside in Memorial Park where hundreds of USAF groups have dedicated monuments, benches, and plaques. Lunch is available in the Valkerie Café. Let us help you plan your itinerary with the many aviation themed sites. Did you know that Orville and Wilbur Wright were from Dayton? Stop in one of the NPS sites and let one of the park rangers tell their story. The Huffman Prairie Flying Field Interpretive Center has a 30 minute film narrated by Daytonian Martin Sheen on the early years

of perfecting practical flight and the brothers’ determination in getting it right. The Flying Field, just minutes from the small museum atop the hill, looks just as it did over a hun-dred years ago. This small museum packs a big emotional punch. You can also view the Wright Brothers Memorial there for a great photo opportunity. Dayton History’s-Carillon Park offers a beautiful 65 acre setting and home to over 30 historic structures and hundreds of artifacts depicting Dayton’s importance to manufacturing and the many contributions to things we use in our everyday lives. Spend the day visiting the Wright Flyer III – (an NPS site), a covered bridge, lock system, gristmill, transportation center, the print shop, one room school house, Newcom’s Tavern and a dozen more. Rest and repast at the Carillon Brewing Co. for authentic food and beer brewed as it was in the 1850’s or dine at Culp’s Café on lighter fare. Greene County possesses some of the finest shopping with the Greene Towne Center, the Mall at Fairfield Commons and for unique artist items check out the Village of Yellow Springs. Wind down your day at Young’s Jersey Dairy, a family owned and operated farm making home-made ice cream for over a century. Play a round of miniature golf or pet the animals in a beautiful charming setting. In Greene County you’re minutes from aerospace to agriculture in any direction. Want to fly in an old time open cockpit bi-plane? We can arrange that. Want to Sky Dive? We can arrange that too. Want to take your group to a dinner theater? We can put you together with all of the right contacts to make your planning easier. From hotel room blocks to suggested itineraries, transportation and more we’re a high level service bureau. Our goal is to help any way we can. Complimentary custom designed name tags, welcome signs and high quality welcome bags for your attendees are what you can always expect from us. Allow our graphic artist create a one of a kind keepsake for your group.Contact me to begin planning your next reunion.

Lisa Willis, Sales Manager/ Reunion SpecialistGreene County Convention & Visitors [email protected] ext. 224www.greenecountyohio.org

Greene County, Ohio

is the place you want to be for

your next military reunion!

Give us a call for a reunion

you won,t forget!

G

2018 TRN ad2 Final.indd 1 1/18/18 10:12 AM

20


SPAM, Phishing, Fraud, Identity Theft, Website Security, Email Scams. If you are on the internet, you are familiar with these terms. It is the risk we take when connecting in the digital world.

I was reminded of this when a reunion planner forwarded an email he received from the reunion association president. Their names have been blocked for privacy reasons, but the sender email has not.

---------- Original Message ---------- From: Douglas Hackett <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Date: October 11, 2018 at 11:19 AM Subject: Hello

Hi Ron,I would like to know if you will be able to execute a payment to a Vendor today. We have a pending invoice from the vendor. I have asked them to email me a copy of the invoice and i will appreciate it if you can handle it today. Kindly let me know so I can forward you the necessary details for the payment.Regards,DouglasSent from my iPhone

SPAM

Continued on page 22

This is just one of the many types of phishing emails

many of us receive on a daily basis. Wikipedia

defines phishing as the fraudulent attempt to obtain

sensitive information such as usernames, passwords,

and credit card details, often for malicious reasons

by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic

communication. Or simply put, someone posing

as someone you know to get sensitive information

from you via email.

Over the course of the last week, MRN has

received emails from Navy Federal Credit Union,

Office 365, and Dr. DanKwa Anisson who believes

MRN is the sole heir to a lost fortune. While Dr.

Anisson’s email is obvious, Navy Federal and Office

365 look a bit more legitimate. Both have official

looking logos and verbiage. They are requesting

verification of account information. In this age

of digital communication, it would make sense

that my bank would want to confirm my account

information via email. However, Navy Federal Credit

Union is not my bank. Imagine if it is yours.

How can you tell if they are real? If you are not

sure, check the sender email address. I highly doubt

that [email protected] is the reunion president’s

email. In some cases, the phishing sender email

will be close to the legitimate organization. The

address of the Microsoft Office 365 phishing email

was [email protected]. Microsoft emails would

include @microsoft.com. There was no mention of

Microsoft. If you are not paying attention, it could

seem true. A good rule of thumb, “when in doubt,

delete it”.


21

THEREwe’ll get you

welcome to THERE.

Pikes Peak - America’s Mountain, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the National Museum of World War II Aviation create the backdrop for reconnecting with old friends. Fly into the Colorado Springs Airport to start the fun sooner, and let our professional staff help you plan a reunion to remember in Olympic City USA.

VisitCOS.com/meet

22



In a February 23, 2018, Ari Lazarus, Consumer

Education Specialist, FTC posted an article on the

Federal Trade Commission website. He made the

following suggestions to keep information secure.

• Be suspicious if a business, government agency,

or organization asks you to click on a link that

then asks for your username or password or

other personal data. Instead, type in the web

address for the organization or call them. The link

in the email may look right, but if you click it you

may go to a copycat website run by a scammer.

• Be cautious about opening attachments. A

scammer could even pretend to be a friend or

family member, sending messages with malware

from a spoofed account.

• Set your security software to update

automatically, and back up your files to an

external hard drive or cloud storage. Back up

your files regularly and use security software you

trust to protect your data.

Receiving spam and phishing emails is

unfortunately a part of email technology that will

never disappear. The more protective consumers

are, the savvier phishers become. The question is,

how do they get your email in the first place? There

are four basic ways.

1) Hacking

2) Illegally purchasing a list of email addresses

3) You volunteer it

4) Harvesting

Spammers will use programs that search

websites looking for anything with an @ symbol.

If you can see an email on a website so can the

spammers.

The question is, what does all of this have to

do with military reunions? Over the course of the

past several years, we have been to hundreds of

military reunion websites. While they vary in design

and content, the clear majority include organization

contact information, announcements like upcoming

reunions, memoriam, as well as membership rosters.

I have seen the name, years of service, mailing

address, phone number and email address of

hundreds of association members. Roster contact

information needs to be removed from websites

IMMEDIATELY. Names may remain, but from

a security perspective everything else should

be removed. You are putting your association

membership at risk not only for email spam but

email (and telephone) scams. It takes a matter

of seconds for phishers to capture the details. In

addition, the increase attention and regulation of

data privacy may result reunion associations being

liable for making member contact information

public. The same goes for association board and

volunteer positions. Dave Morgan, Treasurer,

425-555-1212 [email protected] should be

changed to Dave Morgan, Treasurer. Remove his

personal phone and email information from the

website. Change his email to something generic

like [email protected] This email is then

set up to be forwarded to [email protected]

Responses to legitimate inquires can be made from

his [email protected] address. Spam email is

deleted without phishers accessing his personal

information. Connections to members can be

handled in much the same way. Identify a volunteer

to handle membership/member inquires. A generic

[email protected] is one

option.

There is a responsibility to keep the contact

information of the reunion association members

private and safe. A great winter project would be to

review and update your association website.

23


Post your event on the

MRN website (at no cost to you)

Questions?

[email protected]

425-501-1430

Must be a current member

24

Military Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatterMilitary Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter

Seattle Southside is a great place for your reunion. Just south of downtown Seattle, it offers fantastic convenience and value. Your crew will be close to the airport, natural wonders and all kinds of military attractions.

Plus, you’ll find a wide range of facilities and all the amenities you want for more affordable prices.

To make sure your reunion is a success, we provide complimentary, personalized, concierge-style service.

Email Kristina Thorne at [email protected] for help planning your reunion details.

Visit ReuniteInSeattleSouthside.com today!

Make your next reunion one to remember.

ADVERTISEMENT

4 TIPS to PLANNING a SUCCESSFUL REUNIONby Kristina Thorne

LOCATION. LOCATION. LOCATION.

Selecting a destination can have a major impact on attendance. When it comes to choosing a location, think of the three C’s: Convenience, Comfort and Captivation. Here are some questions to ask yourself before booking: Where’s the nearest international airport? Are there convenient transportation options for guests? Are the accommodations welcoming? Will guests have plenty of dining and entertainment options nearby?

HAVE FUN!

Boost attendance and spirits by providing guests with a variety of fun and interesting attractions. A destination with activities such as beaches, museums, military bases, shopping and dining is sure to get reunion guests, and their spouses, excited about registering for the event. And who knows, they may even extend their trip!

DON’T BREAK THE BANK!

There are many ways to stretch your budget. Typically you can save up to 30% on event space, caterers and more when you select properties and vendors outside of downtown corridors. Look for hotels and venues that provide free parking, free airport shuttles, complimentary breakfast and package deals. Guests will appreciate you’re looking out for their finances so they can focus on fun!

YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO IT ALONE.

Some destination marketing organizations provide free services that can help lighten the load on your shoulders. Seattle Southside RTA is happy to help make your reunion a success, with free services such as hotel sourcing, site inspection coordination, itinerary planning, help with charter transportation and group rates at attractions, promoting your event, and even creating customized welcome packets.

To learn more about planning a reunion in Seattle Southside visit ReuniteInSeattleSouthside.com or contact Kristina Thorne at [email protected].

1

2

3

4

meet in seattle’s

backyard

25

Military Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatterMilitary Reunion Network | FALL 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter

Welcome to Jacksonville.The perfect destination for military

groups and their families looking to

honor our nation’s heroes and enjoy

a great time. Visiting groups and

military buffs can tour our military

bases, explore the outdoors, hit the

greens, enjoy our beaches, and visit

the USS Adams Museum.

CVB17-023625-01 Military Reunion - Full Page_m.indd 1 6/28/17 3:44 PM

26


LIST YOUR REUNION ON THE MRN WEBSITE (FOR FREE) AND WE WILL FORWARD IT TO... VVA, AMERICAN LEGION, VFW MILITARY.COM, AND TIN CAN SAILORS ONLINE Visit www.militaryreunionnetwork.com Click Upcoming reunions Select Click here to add it online

EMAIL [email protected]

INCLUDE :

Reunion Dates Contact

Phone Email (protected) Reunion Location

Reunion Hotel Reunion Logo

Registration Details Event Deadlines

Let us know where you would like it posted.

MRN WILL FORWARD YOUR REUNION INFORMATION SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO SPEND TIME POSTING IT ON VARIOUS WEBSITES. WHEW! ISN’T THAT GREAT! (MRN is not responsible for posting restrictions on partner websites.)

27


MEMBER

listingALABAMAMOBILEBay City Conventions and Tours Carol Peterson PO Box 304 Mobile, AL 36601 [email protected] 800-338-5597 www.baycityconventions.com

Mobile Bay CVB Garrett Wagner 1 South Water St Mobile, AL 36602 [email protected] 251- 208-2016 www.mobile.org

USS AlabamaRhonda DavisPO Box 65 Mobile, AL [email protected] (251)433-2703 ussalabama.com

ARIZONATUCSONVisit Tucson RoxAnne Erickson 100 S Church Ave Tucson, AZ 85701 [email protected] 520-770-2120 www.visitTucson.org

YUMAYuma Visitors Bureau Leslie McClendon 202 S 1st Ave Suire 202 Yuma, AZ 85364 [email protected] 800-293-0071 visityuma.com

CALIFORNIASAN MATEOSan Mateo County/ Silicon Valley CVB Karla Najera 111 Anza Blvd, #410 Burlingame, CA 94010 [email protected] 650-348-7600 www.visitsanmateocounty.com

LOS ANGELES Los Angeles AreaKarmel Shuttle Traci Trujillo Los Angeles Area Los Angeles, CA 90044 [email protected] 714-670-3480

OCEANSIDEOceanside Conference & Visitors BureauDana Higgins 928 N. Coast Highway, Suite A Oceanside, CA 92054 [email protected] 760-637-9953 visitoceanside.org/military-reunions/

SAN DIEGOHandlery Hotel San Diego Cindy Nelsen 950 Hotel Circle North San Diego, CA 92108 [email protected] 619-398-8333 www.handlery.com

Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside Jodie Langhammer, CMP, CGMP 4875 North Harbor Drive San Diego, CA 92106 [email protected] 800-650-6660 www.holinnbayside.com

USS Midway Museum Pat Pfohl 910 N Harbor Drive San Diego, CA 92101 [email protected] 619-398-8257 www.midway.org

COLORADOCOLORADO SPRINGSVisit Colorado Springs Pam Sherfesee 515 S. Cascade Avenue Colorado Springs, CO 80903 [email protected] 719-685-7634 www.VisitCOS.com

Hotel Elegante and Conference CenterMichele Williams2886 South Circle Dr Colorado Springs, CO [email protected] (719)200-8163 www.hotelelegante.com

CONNECTICUTMYSTICMystic Seaport: The Museum of American and the Sea Margaret Milnes 75 Greenmanville Ave Stonington, CT 6355 [email protected] 860-572-5309 www.mysticseaport.com

WASHINGTON DCHampton Inn Washington DCMichelle Earl501 New York Ave NE Washington DC [email protected] 202 791 9383 www.baywoodhotels.com

DELAWAREDOVERVisit Delaware Villages John Doerfler 435 North DuPont Highway Dover, DE 19901 [email protected] 302-734-4888 visitdelawarevillages.com

REHOBOTH BEACH- DEWEY BEACHRehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach COC Carol Everhart 501 Rehoboth Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 [email protected] 302-227-6446 www.beach-fun.com

FLORIDADAYTONA BEACHDaytona Beach Area CVBSam Pollack126 E Orange Ave Daytona Beach, FL [email protected] 386-255-0415 www.daytonabeach.com

JACKSONVILLEVisit JacksonvilleAshleigh Hirsh208 W Laura St Suite 102 Jacksonville, FL [email protected] 904-421-9162 www.visitjacksonville.com

Crowne Plaza Jacksonville Airport Danita Hurst 14670 Duval Road Jacksonville, FL 32218 [email protected] 904-421-2031 www.cpjacksonvilleairport.com

KISSIMMEEExperience Kissimmee CVB Jadeine Shives 215 Celebration Place Suite 200 Kissimmee, FL 34747 [email protected] 407-569-4855 www.militaryreunionsinkissimmee.com

Ramada Gateway Janis Blair 7470 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy Kissimmee, FL 34747 [email protected] 407-997-6614 www.ramadagateway.com

ST AUGUSTINESt Augustine, Ponte Vedra & Beaches VCB Jaya Dillard 29 Old Mission Avenue Saint Augustine, FL 32084 [email protected] 904-209-4429 floridashistoriccoast.com

Active Escapes, Inc. – Jacksonville’s Military Reunion Tour & Transportation Company John Aguilera 1177 Garrison Dr Saint Augustine, FL 32092 [email protected] 904-230-8787 activeescapesdmc.com/

ST PETERSBURGVisit St Petersburg/ClearwaterHortensia Simmons8200 Bryan Dairy Road Suite 200 Seminole, FL [email protected] 727-464-6556 visitspc.com

GEORGIACOLUMBUSColumbus Georgia CVB Ashley Woitena P.O. Box 2768 Columbus, GA 31902 [email protected] 706-317-2110 www.visitcolumbusga.com

SAVANNAHEmbassy Suites Savannah Historic Toni Shiver605 W. Oglethorpe Ave. Savannah, GA 31401 [email protected] 912-721-0579 www.savannah.embassysuites.com

TUCKERDiscover DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau Penny Moore 1957 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 510 Tucker, GA 30084 [email protected] 770-492-5018 discoverdekalb.com

IOWADUBUQUETravel Dubuque Julie Kronlage 300 Main St Suite 120 Dubuque, IA 52001 [email protected] 563-845-7698 www.traveldubuque.com

IDAHOBOISEBoise Convention and Visitors Bureau Taylor WIlliamsPO Box 2106 Boise, ID 83701 [email protected] 208 344 7777 www.boise.org

ILLINOISGURNEELake County CVB Kimberly Ghys 5465 W Grand Ave Ste 100 Gurnee, IL 60031 [email protected] 800-525-3669 www.lakecountyreunions.com

SPRINGFIELDVisit Springfield Illinois Melissa Bowers109 N 7th Street Springfield, IL 62701 [email protected] 217.789.2360 x5530 ww.visitspringfieldillinois.com

KANSASWICHITAVisit Wichita Lindsay Gulley 515 S. Main, Ste 115 Wichita, KS 67202 [email protected] 316.265.2800 visitwichita.com

28

MEMBER LISTINGCONT I NU ED


KENTUCKYLEXINGTONVisit LEX Roseanne Mingo 250 West Main St Suite 2100 Lexington, KY 40507 [email protected] 859-244-7714 visitlex.com

LOUISVILLECrowne Plaza Louisville Airport Kim Broussard 830 Phillips Ln Louisville, KY 40209 [email protected] 502-380-4230 cplouisville.com

LOUISIANALAFAYETTELafayette CVB Irene HodgePO Box 52066 Lafayette, LA 70505 [email protected] 337-232-3737 lafayettetravel.com

METAIRIECountry Inn and Suites by Radisson Metairie-New Orleans- Gina Abernathy 2713 N Causeway Blvd Metairie, LA 70002 [email protected] 504-648-3821 countryinn.com/metairiela

NEW ORLEANSLaQuinta Inn & Suites New Orleans Downtown Melody Thomas 301 Camp Street New Orleans, LA 70130 [email protected] 504-598-9977 x3 www.laquintaneworleansdowntown.com

National WWII Museum Shelly Dupy 945 Magazine St New Orleans, LA 70130 [email protected] 504-274-1248 nationalww2museum.org

SHREVEPORTShreveport-Bossier Convention & Tourist Bureau Kevin Flowers 629 Spring St. Shreveport, LA 71101 [email protected] 318-429-0625 shreveport-bossier.org

MAINEPORTLANDClarion Hotel Portland ME Heather Levesque 1230 Congress St Portland, ME 04102 [email protected] 207-774-5611 www.clarionportlandme.com/clarion_hotel/military-reunions/

Best Western Merry Manor Don Haggett 700 Main St South Portland, ME 04106 [email protected] 207-774-6151 www.merrymanorinn.com

MARYLANDCHEVY CHASECourtyard by MarriottJoyce Mercott5520 Wisconsin Ave Chevy Chase, MD [email protected] (301)656-1500

MASSACHUSETTSPLYMOUTH Tour Trends Ed Sturrup PO Box 772 Plymouth, MA 02362 [email protected] 508-224-2288 tourtrends.com

MICHIGANDETROITDoubleTree HotelMimi Sion5801 Southfield Expressway Detroit, MI [email protected] 313-336-3340

FRANKENMUTHBavarian Inn Jaylee Compau One Covered Bridge Lane Frankenmuth, MI 48734 [email protected] (855) 652-7200 www.bavarianinn.com

GRAND RAPIDSExperience Grand Rapids Kelsey Helstowski 171 Monroe Ave, NW, Ste 545 Grand Rapids, MI 49503 [email protected] 616-233-3546 www.ExperienceGR.com

MINNESOTABLOOMINGTONBloomington CVBTony Cook2131 Lindau Lane Suite 420 Bloomington, MN [email protected] (952)858-8500

MISSOURIBRANSONOzarks Kirkwood Tour & Travel Branson Sarah Green-Hord PO Box 1166 Branson, MO 65616 [email protected] 417-335-4668 ozarkskirkwood.com

Branson Lakes Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Julie Peters CTIS 269 State Highway 248 Branson, MO 65616 [email protected] 417-334-4084 www.explorebranson.com/groups/reunions

Flash Photo Group Photography David Cain 3620 76 Country Blvd Branson, MO 65616 [email protected] 417-334-0073 flashphotobranson.com

Lodge of the OzarksRenee Contreras3431 MO-76 Branson, MO 65616renee@lodging branson.com 800-332-2555

ST LOUISExplore St. Louis Holly Rogers 701 Convention Plaza, Suite 300 St. Louis, MO 63101 [email protected] 800- 916-8938 www.explorestlouis.com

MONTANABILLINGSVisit Billings Stefan Cattarin 815 S. 27th St. Billings, MT 59101 [email protected] 406-245-4111 www.visitbillings.com

Billings Hotel and Convention Center Cheri Milne 1223 Mullowney Lane Billings, MT 59101 [email protected] 406--248-7151

NORTH CAROLINAFAYETTEVILLEFayetteville Area CVB Myron Jones 245 Person St Fayetteville, NC 28301 [email protected] 800-255-8217 www.visitfayettevillenc.com

NORTH DAKOTABISMARCKBismarck Mandan CVB LaRae Nelson 1600 Burnt Boat Dr Bismarck, ND 58503 [email protected] 701-222-4308 www.discoverbismarckmandan.com

NEBRASKAOMAHAVisit OmahaJessica Weishahn1620 Doge St Suite 1900 Omaha, NE [email protected] (866)937-6624 visitomaha.com

NEW JERSEYCAMDENBattleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial Jack Willard 62 Battleship Place Camden, NJ 8103 [email protected] 866-877-6262 144 www.battleshipnewjersey.org

NEW MEXICOALBUQUERQUEVisit Albuquerque Misty Jester 20 First Plaza NW Suite 601 Albuquerque, NM 87102 [email protected] 505- 222-4327 www.VisitAlbuquerque.org

Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown HotelSarah Wilson2600 Louisiana Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM [email protected] (505)830-5786

NEVADALAUGHLINSouthern Nevada Regional Office - LVCVA Cherie Westbrook 1555 S. Casino Drive Laughlin, NV 89029 [email protected] 702-298-3022 www.VisitLaughlin.com

RENOEldorado ResortsCate Kegg407 N Virginian St Reno, NV [email protected] 775-325-7377

Peppermill ResortCarly Kolesar2707 S Virginia St Reno, NV [email protected] 775-689-7420

Sands Regency Casino Hotel Lisa Miolini 345 North Arlington Avenue Reno, NV 89501 [email protected] 775-544-3958 www.sandsregency.com

NEW YORKBUFFALOMillennium Buffalo Christine Casucci 2040 Walden Ave Buffalo, NY 14225 [email protected] 716-206-8327 millenniumhotes.com/buffalo

Visit Buffalo Niagara Jenilyn Mescall 403 Main St. Suite 630 Buffalo, NY 14203 [email protected] 716-218-2947 visitbuffaloniagara.com

NEW YORKIntrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum Lorna Mann 46th St. and 12th Avenue New York, NY 10036 [email protected] 212-245-0072 www.intrepidmuseum.org


OHIOAKRONAkron/Summit CVBJennifer Wozny77 E Mill St Akron, OH [email protected] 330-374-8927 visitakron-summit.org

BEAVERCREEK/DAYTONGreene County Ohio CVB-WPAFB Lisa Willis 1221 Meadowbridge Dr Ste A Beavercreek, OH 45434 [email protected] 937-320-9865 www.greenecountyohio.org/

COLUMBUSExperience Columbus Sarah Doodan 277 W. Nationwide Blvd, Ste. 125 Columbus, OH 43215 [email protected] 614-222-6146 experiencecolumbus.com

Motts Military Museum Warren Motts 5075 South Hamilton Rd Groveport, OH 43125 [email protected] 614- 836-1500 www.mottsmilitarymuseum.org/

CLEVELANDMarriott Cleveland EastPolly Kondrat26300 Harvard Road Warrensville Heights, OH [email protected] 216-755-1912

DAYTONDayton Convention & Visitors Bureau Teena Sheffler 22 East Fifth Street Dayton, OH 45402 [email protected] 937-226-8292 daytoncvb.com

Hope Hotel & Richard C Holbrooke Conf CtSusan White10823 Chidlaw RD/ Bldg #823, Area A/Gate 12A WPAFB [email protected] (937)879-3466

National Museum of the Air Force Jane Leach 1100 Spaatz St Riverside, OH 45431 [email protected] 937-255-1712 www.nationalmuseum.af.mil

OREGONEUGENEEugene, Cascades & Oregon Coast CVB Juanita Metzler PO Box 10286 Eugene, OR 97440 [email protected] 541-743-8758 www.eugenecascadescoast.org

PENNSYLVANIAERIEVisit Erie Hannah Schurr 208 E. Bayfront Pkwy. Suite 103 Erie, PA 16507 [email protected] 814-454-1000 visiterie.com

ESSINGTONClarion Hotel & Conference Center Karen Vincent 76 Industrial Highway Essington, PA 19029 [email protected] 610-521-9600 clarionphl.com

GETTYSBURGDestination Gettysburg Stacey Fox 571 West Middle Street Gettysburg, PA 17325 [email protected] 717-338-1052 destinationgettysburg.com

HERSHEYHershey Harrisburg Regional VB Sandy Stewart 3211 N Front St Suite 301-A Harrisburg, PA 17110 [email protected] 717-231-2988 www.visithersheyharrisburg.org

National Civil War Museum Trini Nye One Lincoln Circle at Reservoir Park Harrisburg, PA 17103 [email protected] 7172609573 www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org

Red Lion Hotel Harrisburg Hershey Brenda Ryneski 4751 Lindle Road Harrisburg, PA 17111 [email protected] 717-704-0722 www.redlion.com/Harrisburg

KING OF PRUSSIAValley Forge CVB Shannon Reagan 1000 First Ave Suite 101 King of Prussia, PA 19406 [email protected] 610-834-7971 valleyforge.org

PHILADELPHIADiscover Philadelphia Darnell Belford 1601 Market Street, Suite 200 Philadelphia, PA 19103 [email protected] 215-636-3308 www.discoverphl.com

RHODE ISLANDWARWICKCrowne Plaza Hotel Providence - Warwick Sarah Shibley 801 Greenwich Avenue Warwick, RI 02886 [email protected] 401-732-6000 crownehotelwarwick.com

SOUTH CAROLINACHARLESTONCharleston Area CVB John Michael McCants 423 King St Charleston, SC 29403 [email protected] 843- 805-3098 www.meetcharleston.com

MYRTLE BEACHMyrtle Beach Area CVB Melanie Doty 1200 N Oak Street Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 [email protected] 843-685-8585 www.visitmyrtlebeach.com/groups/reunions

Sea Mist Oceanfront Leanne McCulloch 1200 S Ocean Blvd Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 [email protected] 800-200-8687 myrtlebeachseamist.com/group-functions/military/

The Alabama Theatre Kathy B Flowe CMP 4750 Highway 17 South North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582 [email protected] 843-272-5758 www.alabama-theatre.com

SOUTH DAKOTARAPID CITYBest Western Ramkota, Rapid City Marci Reuter/Julie Larson 2111 N. LaCrosse Rapid City, SD 57701 [email protected] 605-737-5644 www.hotelsinrapidcitysd.h.bestwestern.com

Grand Gateway Hotel Anna Vandegrift 1721 N Lacrosse Street Rapid City, SD 57701 [email protected] 866-742-1300 www.grandgatewayhotel.com

Hampton by HiltonKelly Rardon1720 Rapp St Rapid City, SD [email protected] (605)348-1911

Visit Rapid City Tyson Steiger 512 Main Street Suite 240 Rapid City, SD 57701 [email protected] 605-718-8489 visitrapidcity.com

TENNESSEECHATTANOOGAChattanooga Area CVB Christina Petro 736 Market Street, 18th Floor Chattanooga, TN 37402 [email protected] 423-424-4417 www.chattanoogafun.com/meetings/

GATLINBURGBlack Bear Inn and Suites Michelle Hammontree 1100 Parkway Gatlinburg, TN 37738 [email protected] 800-933-0777 blackbeargatlinburg.com

Edgewater Hotel and Conference Center Director of Sales402 River Rd Gatlinburg, TN 37738 865-277-0159 edgewater-hotel.com

Greystone Lodge on the River Renee Spurling and Nicole Shisler 559 Parkway Gatlinburg, TN 37738 [email protected] 865-436-5621 greystonelodgetn.com

MEMPHISMemphis CVB Holly Townsend 47 Union Avenue Memphis, TN 38103 [email protected] 901-543-5367 www.memphistravel.com

Sheraton MemphisKendra London250 N Main Memphis, TN [email protected] 901-214-3657

NASHVILLECountry Music Hall of Fame & Museum Brad Henton222 5th Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 [email protected] 615-416-2015 countrymusichalloffame.org/visit/group-tours

Grand Ole Opry Entertainment Group Jamie Lynn Thompson 2804 Opryland Dr Nashville, TN 37214 [email protected] 615-882-5439 www.opry.com/groups

Millenium Maxwell House Erin Miller2025 Rosa L. Parks Blvd Nashville, TN 37228 [email protected] 615-313-1365 milleniumhotels.com

Nashville CVC Staci Flores150 4th Avenue North Suite G-250 Nashville, TN 37219 [email protected] 615-259-4751 www.visitmusiccity.com

Sweet Magnolia Tours Karen Morrissey 330 Commerce St Nashville, TN 37201 [email protected] 800-235-5295 www.sweetmagnoliatours.com

Sharin Nashville ToursStacy BarryPO Box 140234 Nashville, TN 615-568-9267 [email protected]

The Inn at Opryland Vicky Ballard 2401 Music Valley Drive Nashville, TN 37214 [email protected] 615- 231-8826 www.theinnatopryland.com

29


Nashville AreaJohnny Cash Storytellers Museum and Hideaway Farm Karen Morrissey 9676 Old Hwy 46 Bon Aqua, TN 37025 [email protected] 615-242-5373 storytellersmuseum.com

TEXASBASTROPVisit Bastrop Shane Sorenson PO Box 1200 Bastrop, TX 78602 [email protected] 512-332-8994 Visitbastrop.com

LUBBOCKVisit Lubbock CVB Tiffany Kennedy 1500 Broadway 6th FL Lubbock, TX 79401 [email protected] 806-723-8230 www.visitlubbock.org

PLANOVisit Plano Blair Zahn PO Box 860358 Plano, TX 75086 [email protected] 800-817-5266 visitplano.com

SAN ANTONIOEl Tropicano Riverwalk Hotel Anthony Valdez 110 Lexington Avenue San Antonio, TX 78205 [email protected] 210-277-4004 www.eltropicanohotel.com

Holiday Inn RiverwalkVictoria Brock217 N St Mary’s San Antonio, TX [email protected] 210-272-1514

VIRGINIAARLINGTONArlington Convention & Visitors Service Portia Conerly 1100 N Glebe Road Ste. 1500 Arlington, VA 22201 [email protected] 703-228-0873 www.stayarlington.com

CHESAPEAKEChesapeake Convention & Visitors Bureau Jeff Bunn 1224 Progressive Dr Chesapeake, VA 23320 [email protected] 757-382-1351 www.visitchesapeake.com

FAIRFAXVisit Fairfax - Washington DC Dean Miller 3702 Pender Drive, Ste 420 Fairfax, VA 22030 [email protected] 703-790-0643 www.fxva.com/meeting-planners/reunions/

FREDERICKSBURGFredericksburg Virginia Regional Tourism PartnersVictoria Matthews 706 Caroline St Fredericksburg, VA 22401 [email protected] 540-372-1216 www.VisitFred.com

HAMPTON Hampton Convention & Visitor Bureau Julie Williams 1919 Commerce Drive, Suite 290 Hampton, VA 23666 [email protected] 757-728-5318 www.visithampton.com

NEWPORT NEWSNewport News Tourism Development Office Cheryl Morales 700 Town Center Drive, Suite 320 Newport News, VA 23606 [email protected] 757-926-1428 www.newport-news.org

NORFOLKVisit Norfolk Melissa Hopper 232 E Main St Norfolk, VA 23510 [email protected] 800 368 3097 www.visitnorfolktoday.com

QUANTICONational Museum of the Marine Corps Kendall Eskey 18900 Jefferson Davis Hwy Quantico, VA 22134 [email protected] 703-649-2350 events.usmcmuseum.org

RESTONSheraton Reston Alexandra Lindemann11810 Sunrise Valley Dr Reston, VA 20191 [email protected] 703-262-5921 www.sheratonreston.com

RICHMONDVirginia Tourism Corportation Stephanie C. Kenney 901 East Byrd St Richmond, VA 23219 [email protected] 804-545-5547 virginia.org/meetings

TYSONS CORNERTysons Corner Marriott Katharine Balek8028 Leesburg Pike Tysons Corner, VA [email protected] 703-506-2449

WILLIAMSBURGGreat Wolf Lodge WilliamsburgCara Fuscia549 E. Rochambeau Drive Williamsburg, VA [email protected] 757-345-7148

WASHINGTONBELLEVUERed Lion Hotel Bellevue WA Toyin Fofana 11211 Main Street Bellevue, WA 98004 [email protected] 425-698-4415 www.redlion.com/bellevue

CHEHALISPBR Rides Vintage Vietnam era 32ft MKII Robert Brower 123 Habein Rd Chehalis, WA 98532 [email protected] 253-670-1657 www.gamewardensnw.org

SEATTLESeattle Southside Regional Tourism Authority Caitlyn Shearer 3100 S 176th St SeaTac, WA 98188 [email protected] 206-686-7261 www.seattlesouthside.com/meeting-professionals/military-reunions

Red Lion Hotel Seattle Airport Corry de Rooze18220 International Blvd. Seattle, WA 98188 [email protected] 206-248-8188

DoubleTree by Hilton Seattle Airport Justin Anderson18740 International Blvd. Seattle, WA 98188 [email protected] 206-439-6130 seattleairport.doubletree.com

The Museum of Flight Bethany Carrillo 9404 E. Margional Way S Seattle, WA 98108 [email protected] 206-768-7104 www.museumofflight.org

SEATTLE NORTH/SNOHOMISH COUNTYSnohomish County Tourism Bureau/Seattle North Ernest G. Matthews, Jr 6705 Puget Park Drive Snohomish, WA 98296 [email protected] 425-348-5802 www.snohomish.org

SPOKANENational Sales Red Lion Hotels Robin Bammert 201 W North River Drive Spokane, WA 99201 [email protected] 509-828-5518 www.redlion.com

TACOMATravel Tacoma + Pierce County Rena Yadrick 1516 Commerce St. Tacoma, WA 98402 [email protected] 253-830-6799 traveltacoma.com

VANCOUVERVisit Vancouver USA Christine Whitney 1220 Main - Suite 220 Vancouver, WA 98660 [email protected] 360-750-1553 www.VisitVancouverUSA.com

WISCONSINBROOKFIELDVisit Brookfield Tracy Sinclair 17100 W Bluemound Road, Ste. 201 Brookfield, WI 53005 [email protected] 262-789-0220 www.visitbrookfield.com

GREEN BAYGreater Green Bay CVBDenise Humphrey1901 South Oneida St Green Bay, WI [email protected] (920)494-9507

Radisson Hotel Green Bay Shelle Ponfil 2040 Airport Dr Green Bay, WI 54313 [email protected] 920-405-6438 www.radisson.com/greenbaywi

WEST VIRGINIACHARLESTONCharleston West Virginia CVBTodd Morris 601 Morris Street / Suite 204 Charleston, WV 25301 [email protected] 304-344-5075 www.charlestonwv.com

30




31


Military Reunion Network2801 Bickford Avenue, Suite 103-172 Snohomish, WA 98290

#militaryreunionsmatter425-501-1430

IN THIS ISSUE - The Military Reunion Network

Documents