DRAFT MEETING MINUTES ROCKY MOUNTAIN CHAPTER VIETNAM HELICOPTER PILOTS ASSOCIATION APRIL 14, 2012
President Phil Lanphier opened the meeting at 11:00 at the Buffalo Rose in Golden and led the members in the Pledge of Allegiance.
Members in attendance: Attendees included Phil Lanphier, Rick Beaver, Mike Law, Hal Bergdahl, Donny O’Conner, Walt Wise, John Hargleroad, Dale House, Carl Cavalluzzi, and John Grauff.
Minutes and Treasurers Report: The March meeting minutes were approved. The Treasurers Report was submitted from Germany by the treasurer, but approval was deferred until a future meeting.
Honor Flight Welcome Home Reception: The reception will be held at The Signature Flight Facility at DIA on May 7th at 8:00 pm. Contact Ed Fickes for information or to volunteer to help.
Armed Forces Day at Wings over the Rockies: We will be displaying the Helicopter War Museum (HWM) at Wings over the Rockies Museum on Armed Forces Day weekend, May 19th and 20th. Chapter member Bill McPherson also will have his Mike model Huey gunship on display. We will set up the HWM on Friday, the 18th from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Contact Ed Fickes to help set up or to help man the museum during the display. We need more volunteers for both duties.
Bill and his crew are scheduled to arrive with the Huey about noon on Thursday. One of our members will meet him at I-225 and Alameda to escort him to the Museum. The Huey will be placed in the museum’s hanger at night for security.
Walt Wise said there will be television interviews and views of the HWM by two channels in the early morning on May 19th.
Bill Robie said we can have some models for sale in the HWM and possibly at the WOR gift shop. We can look into that before the AFD visit.
Oral Histories: The oral history project being coordinated by John Gaines was discussed. Phil will contact him to check on its progress and also inform him that Wings over the Rockies has an individual doing “Save the story” with interviews using an audio/visual program. We can check with them during our Armed Forces Day visit.
HWM Exterior Painting: There was some discussion about having Budweiser sponsor our logo and exterior graphics on the HWM with minimal financial impact on us.
HWM Work Party: Rick Beaver discussed the tasks he planned for the work party after the meeting. Tasks included refinishing the top of bar, servicing the vents, solar panel and battery, cleaning the stairs and adding safety tape and general clean up. He also recruited Mike Law and Hal Bergdahl to buy storage boxes to use in the cabinets.
Draft 14 April 2012 RMCVHPA Meeting Minutes, continued
The May meeting will be an abbreviated one held on May 19th at Wings over the Rockies.
The June meeting will be held on June 16th at 10:00 am at American Legion Post #1, I-25 and Yale. John Hargleroad will schedule a room for the meeting. Phil will attempt to arrange to have VA representative Valerie Jones attend to provide an update on VA activities and how claims are being paid. We will hold the chapter elections at the June meeting.
As is our custom, we will not have a July meeting.
The August meeting will be held August 18th at a location to be determined by the new chapter president. We will see if chapter member Jeff Roy is available to give us an update on the Military Order of the Purple Heart and related VA initiatives.
Phil adjourned the meeting at noon. Several members stayed for lunch and then reported to the HWM for the work party.
Submitted by Hal Bergdahl, Vice President