Page 25 - MRN Winter 2018

Military Reunion Network | WINTER 2018 | #militaryreunionsmatter
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1954 and was discharged early to attend college in
February of 1958. He was trained as a radio traffic
analyst in the USAF Security Service for the National
Security Agency and stationed in Misawa Japan.
Larry Hagler reunion planner for the MCB 11
Seabees Association, suggested that reunions help
attendees that suffer from post-traumatic stress.
“We have found that several of our members have
suffered with PTSD. The reunion gives attendees an
opportunity to reconnect and talk to other veterans
who have walked in their shoes.” He and his wife Liz
have planned 14 reunions for the MCB11 Seabees.
“In 1999 my wife, Liz, and I took my folks to my dad’s up on most of our old squadron guys and he wanted
ship reunion. We both noticed the comradery these
WWII veterans were having and how their wives
had become close friends. After retiring in 2003, we
attended an “All Seabee Reunion” in Port Hueneme,
CA. Of the many veterans attending, 37 were from
NMCB 11. Most of us agreed
attending a reunion in the same
location every year was not going
to work for either us or our wives.
At that time, I was asked to plan a
reunion in the central part of the US.
My wife and I see it as a labor of love.”
Planning a military reunion can
be challenging and stressful. Even
the most experienced of planners
have had surprises along the way.
Harold Mitchell, planner for the
610 MASS, was in San Antonio standing on the
shore with his reunion attendees waiting for their
River Walk boat cruise. The boat never arrived as
the reunion was about the same time as Hurricane
Harvey. The group went to “plan B” and went home
with some exciting reunion stories to tell.
Larry Hagler, found out a couple of weeks before
the reunion that the hotel had booked three events
for the same days in the same room! The reunion
was relocated to another hotel. It was the one he
originally wanted so it all worked out in the end.
Ron Deverick’s situation was a little more
personal. He has planned reunions since 2004 for
the Third Marine Division Association. “The saddest
thing that happened was at this year’s reunion. Our
Association Manager was to arrive at the site, but a
couple days before he was to leave he passed away.
In true Marine Corps fashion, we just rolled up our
sleeves and produced a pretty good reunion.”
With the personal time and financial commitment
as well as the challenges, why would someone
volunteer to become a reunion planner? Terry
Schmidt, planner for the USS Henry B. Wilson DDG
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7 shared, “Bringing people together after 45 years
is quite an experience. Lots of these people have
not seen each other for years. Connecting with
your past is important. Maintaining that connection
is great. These people are lifelong friends.” Staying
connected is very important to everyone involved.
They reconnect with people they haven’t seen in
years, thirty for forty years in some cases.
Richard Jackson feels the same way. He is a
reunion planner for the Marine Fighter Squadron
542, having served from January 12, 1961 to April 9,
1965. “I became a military reunion planner because
one of the guys from our squadron looked me up in
2000 and while catching up he said that he had kept
to try and get them together. I had done planning
for our union members for conventions, so I told
him if he got in touch with the
guys I would set up the place for
us to get together. We held our
first reunion in 2002 in Denver,
where I lived at the time, we had
about 12 guys and their wives
attend. It was great to see all our
old members and word spread
and our next reunion in Branson
was attended by about 30 guys
and their families, we have met
every two years since and held
our reunions two more times in Branson, our 50th in
2012 was in San Diego, CA where we went to MCAS
Miramar, to MCRD and aboard the USS Midway CVA
41. Since then we have met in Washington, DC, and
Denver, the next one will be in Nashville, Tennessee”
We are thankful to these heroes that stepped up
yet again to help their battle buddies, many of them
without a thought of what they were getting into.
David Looker ended his 23-year career aboard the
USS Ranger CV61. Having served on several ships,
he now plans reunions for the USS De Haven DD727.
“I volunteered to take over reunion planner as the
last one had been doing the job for 12 years.” He
encourages veterans he meets to attend their reunion.
“I feel any veteran who has the chance to attend a
military reunion should the opportunity to do so. They
can see old friends and just have a good time.”
There are thousands of military reunion planners,
stepping up to organize great events across the
country. You volunteer in support of your fellow
battle brothers and sisters.
You are indeed heroes! 
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