United States Army Warrant Officers Association

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Annual Meetings of the Members 2004

 

Annual Meeting 2004

32nd Annual Meeting of Members

October 11 - 16, 2004

Holiday Inn - Carradoc Hall, Leesburg, VA

 Theme - "Warrant Officer Corps in Transformation"

 

(Please be patient while the pictures load!)

 

 

The 2004 USAWOA Annual Meeting kicked off on Columbus Day with a Golf Tournament (Pictured left are the players) (Picture by Bob Fleming)

and

the President's Reception in the evening. (Pictured right, around the table, are Rose Scott, Frank & Gail Meeks, Linda & Gerry Wentworth, Tom Cronin, and Jim Wilson)

(Picture by Bob Scott)

 

On Tuesday, October 12,  the Business Meeting kicked off at 0900 -  see Meeting Minutes.

 

During the Tuesday Business Session, CW4 Barbara Carpenter, Aloha Chapter, donated $100 to the Warrant Officers Heritage Foundation and challenged others to meet or better her donation. Before the day was over, CW5 Poyas Haynes, CCWO of the ARNG met the challenge and donated $100 to the Foundation. (see more about the Foundation at www.usawoa.org/woheritage/)

 

During the course of the Business sessions five Focus Groups worked on issues of interest to USAWOA and/or the Warrant Officer Corps. The recommendations of all five focus groups were approved by the Board of Directors.

       

             Focus Group 1            Focus Group 2           Focus Group 3       Focus Group 4         Focus Group 5

  1. Issue: Degree Completion. Recommendation: That USAWOA take no further action. (See Slides)

  2. Issue: Expansion of USAWOA. Recommendation: That USAWOA share information with the warrant officer associations of the other services.  (See Slides) (Note: Reciprocal and Dual memberships were discussed. Either action would require a change to Incorporation papers and Bylaws. The ideas will become an action item for exploration by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors)

  3. Issue: Elected and appointed Officer Reporting requirements. Recommendation: That reports be scheduled and assigned by the National President.  (See Slides)

  4. Issue One Army Promotion standards. Recommendation. That USAWOA requests that the components review their promotion policies.  (See Slides)

  5. Issue: Region Support and Director Proxies.  Recommendation: That USAWOA review policies for dealing with Chapters which experience problems meeting chapter requirement due to OPTEMPO. Further amend those eligible to hold proxies for a Region Director unable to attend an Annual Meeting or Board of Directors Meeting for valid reasons.  (See Slides)

On Thursday, October 14th, a Warrant Officer Professional Development Day was conducted at the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, VA. (see schedule and biographies)

 

On Friday, October 15, the results of the National Election of Officers were announced.  The following members were elected to the National Offices shown:

  • National President - CW4 (Ret) Roy Valiant

  • National Vice President -  CW4 Gary Nisker

  • National Secretary - CW5 John Hinkle

  • Director Southeast Region - CW4 (Ret) Bob Lee

  • Director Western Region - CW4 (Ret) Harry Wilson

  • Director Northeast Region - CW4 (Ret) Pete Hill

  • Director Mid-North Region -  CW5 Howard Lundin

  • Director Mid-South Region - CW4 Candis Martin

(Note: President Elect CW4 (Ret) Roy Valiant appointed CW2 (Ret) Gerry Wentworth as National Treasurer. The appointment was ratified by the Board of Directors on Saturday.)

 

Also, on Friday, the following awards were presented to Chapters and Regions:

  • USAWOA Outstanding Region/Chapter of the Year - Redstone Arsenal, Southeast Region

  • Outstanding Recruiter - CW2 Dixie Prescott-Robinson, Rising Eagle Chapter, Southeast Region

  • Best Professional Development Program - Hampton Roads Chapter, Northeast Region

  • Best Community Affairs for Donations - Arlington Hall Minuteman Chapter, Northeast Region

  • Best Community Affairs for Service - Crater Chapter, Northeast Region

  • Community Affairs Award for Sustaining Programs - Crater Chapter, Northeast Region

  • Best Chapter Website - Gold Rush Chapter, Western Region

  • Best Membership Retention - Redstone Arsenal Chapter, Southeast Region

  • Best Chapter Recruiting - Hampton Roads Chapter, Northeast Region

  • Highest Recruiting - Redstone Arsenal Chapter, Southeast Region

  • Overall Best Recruiting & Retention - Redstone Arsenal Chapter, Southeast Region

  • Overall Best Region for Recruiting - Northeast Region

Flag streamers were presented to the Chapters shown for continuous USAWOA presence in their local area:

 

5 Years

10 Years

15 Years

20 Years

30 Years

GEM State

Great Salt Lake

Thousand Islands

Missouri River

Redstone Arsenal

Aloha

Fort McCoy

North Texas

Rheinland-

Pfalz

Screaming Eagles

Show Me

Sooner Plains

Aberdeen-Edgewood

 

This 32nd AMM saw three exhibitors set up for the Business Sessions and the Professional Development Day at the Army National Guard Readiness Center, Arlington, VA. Two Corporate Members, the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, staffed by Ms. Virginia Oleszek, Membership Development Officer and AAR Mobility Systems staffed by CW5 (Ret) Nelson Graham, Manager Eastern Region. A Warrant Officers Heritage Foundation display was staffed by CW5 (Ret) Dave Welsh, Foundation President, and a Memorabilia Table was staffed by Terri Casteel, the new Bookkeeper just employed by USAWOA.

                                      

                              PFCU                             AAR           Heritage Foundation Brief    Memorabilia

 

An Awards and Installation Banquet was held on Friday, October 15th.  The evening began with an audio visual Tribute to our Fallen Warrant Officers and a KIA / POW / MIA ceremony. As the participants entered the dining room, many noticed a small table set before them. It was our way of recognizing those members of our profession of arms missing from our midst . We call them brothers and sisters. They were unable to be with us that evening and so we remembered their sacrifice. During the ceremony a video played on a large screen with the pictures of our Fallen Warrant Officer during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom - (see ceremony script).

(Pictured to above right is USAWOA Past National President CW3 (Ret) Alfred Cox

who represented the United States Army and all our soldiers in remembrance of the men

and women KIA / POW / MIA from all branches of the service who are too often forgotten)

 

 

 

The keynote speaker was Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne, Director of Military Personnel Policy in the Office of the Army G-1

 (see biography).  Brig. Gen. Byrne (pictured left) talked about our Army and Warrant Officer Corps in Transformation. National President CW5 Frank Meeks was the host.

 

Awards presented included:

  • Albert Holcomb Memorial Warrant Officer of the Year - CW3 Roy Kelly, Aberdeen Edgewood Chapter (Pictured right, CW4 (Ret) Roy Valiant, new USAWOA National President  (left) presents the award to CW3 Kelly at an Aberdeen-Edgewood Chapter Meeting)

  • Virginia Holcomb Memorial Spouse of the Year - Mrs. Christina Whorley, Heidelberg Chapter

  • Don Hess President's Award - CW5 Steve Knowles, Aviation Proponency, Fort Rucker, AL

  • Don Hess President's Award - CW4 (Ret) Ben McKee, Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, AL

  • Don Hess President's Award - Dr. Brian Wenum, PHD, Warrant Officer Career Center, Fort Rucker, AL

A special gift was presented to CW5 (Ret) Ray and Frances Bell for service to USAWOA over many years. CW5 Frank Meeks, outgoing President, made the presentation on behalf of the Association, it's Officers, and members.

(Pictured to the right, left to right: CW5 Meeks, Frances Bell, and Ray Bell)

 

 

Oath of Office for the newly elected officers was administered by Brig. Gen. Sean Byrne. (Pictured to the right, right to left: President CW4 (Ret) Valiant, Vice Pres. CW4 Nisker, Dir. CW4 Martin, Dir. CW4 (Ret) Wilson, Secy. CW5 Hinkle, Dir. CW4 (Ret) Lee, and Dir. CW4 (Ret) Hill)

 

The Passing of the Gavel Ceremony was then conducted with outgoing President CW5 Frank Meeks (left) turning over the helm of USAWOA to incoming President CW4 (Ret) Roy Valiant. (Pictured right)

 

 

Among the guests at the Banquet were two West Point Cadets,

Cadet Tom Martin, son of CW4 Candis "Candy" Martin,

the newly installed Mid-South Region Director,

and Cadet Jason Hillman.

(Picture to the right)

 

Herb Rundgren (CPO USN Ret.), recently promoted to Office Manager, and his wife Maxine were recognized for their hard work in keeping the Home Office running while the search was underway for a replacement Bookkeeper and the search is ongoing for a permanent Executive Director.

 

The 32nd USAWOA Anniversary Cake was cut by:

 

CW2 Patrick Morris, President Lord Fair Fax Silver Chapter, the youngest Warrant Officer present, and CW4 (Ret) Bob Voges, Southern California Chapter, the oldest Warrant Officer present, while National President CW5 Frank Meeks looks on.

(Pictured left, front to rear)

 

The Pentagon Federal Credit Union $100 door prize was drawn at the conclusion of the formal part of the Banquet. Ms. Virginia Oleszek, PFCU Membership Development Officer, presented $100 to CW3 Katie Peterson from Alexandria, VA . Other Door prizes were also drawn and awarded.

(Pictured to the right, left to right: Ms. Virginia Oleszek and CW3 Katie Peterson)

 

 

CW4 (Ret) Bob Scott, USAWOA Scholarship Foundation Director (pictured left), pulls winning raffle tickets for the Annual Scholarship Fund Drive. The winners were: J. Buccellato, Floral Park, NY who won a $1000 savings bond; Mr. Leonard Smith, Wyane, NJ who won a $500 savings bond; and Vincent and Rose Pucher, Oxford, PA who won a $250 savings bond. The Foundation thanks all who took part in this great effort to help our family members improve their quality of life through education! (see more about the Foundation  at www.usawoa.org/woasf/)

 

On Saturday October 16, the newly elected offices held their first Board of Directors meeting.

 

(All pictures by CW5 (Ret) Dave Welsh unless other wise noted)

 

 

See summary and pictures from the 2002 AMM

See summary and pictures from the 2003 AMM

See information about  the 2005 AMM

 

 

Other Resources

 

  Annual Meeting of the Members and Funded TDY

   Army Message - Meetings of National Service-Related Organizations

 

 

 

 (Many files throughout this site are a PDF files. A free reader is available for download.)

 

 

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USAWOA Online 10/14/2008