C. L. Elms Post 9951

Department of Pacific Areas

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

7 South Sathorn Road

Bangkok 10120 Thailand


November 10, 2008


  1. Call to Order: CMDR Owens opened C. L. Elms Post 9951 regular meeting IAW the VFW ritual at 11:00 on 08 November 2008 in the Conference Room of JUSMAGTHAI located at 7 South Sathorn Road in Bangkok, Thailand.

  2. Roll call of Officers: There was a roll call of officers and all were present or elsewhere. There were 21 members attending. Surgeon Rhodes was absent.

  3. Review of New Membership: There were three applications for membership; John Patterson, annual member; Carter Harrison, annual member; and Kenneth Oden, Life Member. After due consideration all three applicants were approved. Comrade Hudson motioned to accept the applicants, Advocate Nestle seconded, motion carried. Comrade Patterson was in attendance and was warmly welcomed to the Post.

  4. Reading of minutes: We gave copies of the Post October’s meeting minutes to those in attendance. Advocate Nestle made a motion to approve October’s minutes, subject to correction, SVC Brose seconded, the motion carried.

  5. Quartermaster Report: Quartermaster Oden gave the QM Report for the period 1 through 31 October 2008. Advocate Nestle motioned to approve the Quartermaster report, subject to audit. JVC Key seconded, the motion carried.

  6. Reading of Bills: Cmdr Owens presented one bill in the amount of Baht 1,000 for two flower wreaths; one to lie at British Remembrance Day and one for the Thai WWI Veterans Day ceremony. SVC Brose motioned to pay the bills, Comrade Nicholls seconded, motion carried.

  7. Service Officer’s Report: RAO Officer Dyste gave the monthly SO Report. COLA will be 5.8% this year and appear on your January checks. Updated members on new Federal regulations on veterans out of uniform saluting the Flag.

  8. Comrades in distress: Comrade Sprague’s cancer condition remains unchanged. Comrade Vajo is still experiencing stomach pains and is very thin. He rarely goes out of his home. Comrade Leroy Johnson has recovered from his stroke but is speech impaired. Comrade Jim George is still suffering and very thin. Post Cmdr Sal Arcado of Udon is in ICU with broken leg and head injury suffered when a gate fell on him. District V Cmdr Hubbard was in hospital for blood pressure, but has been released.

  9. Committee Reports: Committee reports are: (a) Membership: Our goal for this year is 261. We’re now standing at 228 members for 87.36%, 217 Life and 44 Annual members are on the Post role. Membership Chairman Brose emphasized the need for all members to recruit. Adj Oden to send list of unpaid members to officers for follow up. (b) Bingo: No Report, QM Oden to contact and check on proceeds available. (c) Buddy Poppies: We had no sales in October, but QM Oden purchased a box of 500 Buddy Poppies from DPA, they have been received and are on display for Veterans Day. (d) POW/MIA: Comrade Jim Picha advised one definite identification had been made from the 208 boxes of remains turned over by the North Koreans that were said to contain the remains of some 350 US military casualties. (e) Community Activities: JVC Keys had no new activities to report. (f) Independence Day: No activity. (g) Webmaster: Comrade Petersen posted meeting notes and needs pictures of several officers to complete the file. Comrade Harrison is looking for information to update Post’s History page. Anyone with material that covers events after 2005 please forward copies to Comrade Harrison.

  10. Remembrance of our National Home: By Chaplain Lake at 11:40.

  11. Old Business: (a) Cmdr Owens reminded comrades who are planning to attend the District’s V to send updated status to David France’s Chiang Mai e-mail address directly. SVC Brose was designated to be the Post Delegate and Wayne Harrison the alternate for voting on D5 QM. (b) Cmdr Owens will attend the DPA mid-term C of A as representative of D5 Cmdr Hubbard. The Council meeting will be held in Barrio Barratta, Olongapo, Philippines 6-8 December, 2008. (c) Entertainment Chair Hudson updated on the Christmas Party to be held 06 December 2008 at the Tara Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 26. Tickets are on sale for 1,000 Baht per adult, see Comrade Hudson in Canteen after the meeting for your tickets. Check out the flyers on the post’s webpage. (d) Comrade Hudson is also investigating the venue and format of a Valentines Party, he will advise after Christmas Party. (e) Discussion of the request to support 1SGT Perez Kalep charity project in Iraq was considered not practical and the matter dropped. (f) The AmCham Community Project was discussed and more information was provided by QM/Adj Oden. Comrade Arquette moved that the post locate a suitable school and propose to AmCham the support, Comrade Picha seconded, motion carried. Members are requested to submit name, location and needs of schools the Post can consider to support. (g) Cmdr Owens reminded Post members of the functions to be held Sunday, 09 November at the British Embassy and 11 November at Sanam Luang. Both in remembrance of Veterans.

  12. New Business: (a) Cmdr Owens stated that at the Incoming C of A in Pattaya it was agreed that each District would give a gift at the mid-term to the Department Commander. After discussion, members agreed that this was a matter to be discussed at the District V meeting in Chiang Mai next weekend as most Post members disagreed with being told they would provide a gift. (b) Comrade Haugh as Honor Roll Board Chair requests Baht 800 to purchase Aluminum plates to update and maintain the Board. A sample of the plate was passed around and determined that is was a good replacement and matched the current plates. Advocate Nestle motioned the Post approve Baht 1,000 to maintain the Honor Roll Board, Comrade Harrison seconded, motion carried. (c) Cmdr Owens has also appointed Comrade Haugh as VOD/PP Chairman for next year. Comrade Haugh has proposed a program to approach International Schools as he worked this program while he was teaching ROTC in Saipan. The program will be posted to the website for members to view.

  13. Good of the Order: (a) Cmdr Owens presented a plaque that had been given to District V by DPA. District V has a permanent location at Post 9951, so the plaque will be mounted on the wall in the VFW office by Comrade Picha. (b) Advocate Nestle mentioned that the Post should get started on generating advertising rebate, particularly looking at the Booster Names program. Pattaya had hundreds of booster names in last year’s book, including many from Post 9951 and businesses in Washington Square. The Pattaya Post received a rebate on each of those names, so in fact Post 9951 and Bangkok businesses supported Pattaya when we should support our own Post and raise funds for our Community Activities. It was confirmed the new rates for advertising would be notified during the C of A at Olongapo in December, we would have the rates available at the January meeting so advertising activity could get started. (c) Comrade Thomas James won the Post Raffle of 1,100 Baht cash and generously donated it back to the Prosthesis Charity.

  14. CMDR Owens closed the meeting at 12:43 IAW the VFW ritual. The next regular meeting of C.L. Elms Post 9951 will be at 11:00 on December 13, 2008 in the JUSMAGTHAI Conference Room.



FOR THE COMMANDER:







James Oden

James Oden

Adjutant