Greetings, Marines!
I am still unpacking the new Brigade HQ offices on Deep Space Two. It’s a step up from my old DCOINFOCOM office at the Data Warfare Center, which was a broom closet on the sixth sub basement. This is a little bigger, I get the entire second sub basement all to myself now. W00000….
As of November 4, 2009 we have 57 active and 48 reserve Marines in 13 active units. I have two units in the wings awaiting approval from COFORCECOM. In my bimonthly report, I have submitted transfers to correct roster issues across the brigade.
I’d like to officially welcome back the following units from hiatus. The 666th aboard the USS Jubilee, Lt. Cade Valdor OIC, the 669th aboard the USS Rogue Phoenix, Commanded by Col. William Duane, and the 640th aboard the USS New Hope is ready to reactivate under their new OIC, Major Shirley Burton. They’ve been hiding out with the 677th, but they are ready to go once again.
I would also like to welcome two staff officers to Brigade HQ. Brigadier Larry Morris is our S1 officer. He’s in charge of all personnel and administrative issues, as well as serving as Deputy OIC. Brigadier Oliver Savander joins us as S3 Officer. He’s responsible for Operations and Training. He’ll be my liaison to TRACOM, serving also as BTO.
We also rolled out a new Brigade website. Please take time to check it out, the address is http://2ndbde.sfi-sfmc.org
The Second Brigade Muster is just around the corner. Do you believe it’s only a few months away? We’ll hold Muster at the Region Two Summit in Columbus, GA, the weekend of March 12, 2010. We need to figure out what we’re going to do this year. Larry Morris has taken point and will be discussing scheduling and the Brigade’s needs with the Summit Committee. We’ll need five Marines for Color Guard during opening ceremonies and also for closing ceremonies. I would like to also do a “formation” of ALL MARINES just before Muster. We’ve done this in the past with other groups, getting as many of us in one place, all in uniform, all lined up to report in. It can be a sight to see.
Usually, we have a breakout room to use for Saturday. I want to mix it up a bit, and have some fun panels for Marines. Also, we’re not doing Marine awards with the Banquet this year. This is an effort to cut down on the banquet run time. Last year, sadly, the Marine awards and TRACOM awards took up a long time. We need to keep things moving. All Marine awards will be handed out during the Muster on Saturday Afternoon. Larry suggests that we perhaps do some gaming, SFMC style as well. We’ll have the space. We just need to fill the time with interesting things to do. Remember, this is your Marine Muster. Let us know what you want. Now is the time to plan.
That’s what it’s all about, Marines. Getting together and having fun.
I hope to keep that tradition alive and grow the Second Brigade back into the largest Brigade in the Corps. We’re not too far away. We are usually neck and neck with the First Brigade. I have initiated a little “friendly competition” with Gunny Kiwi, OIC of the First Brigade, and we’re going to compare numbers. You know, good old Marine stuff. Whip it out and measure.
A couple of short term goals, I would like to bring back the reporting awards and recruiting awards. Reporting is a no-brainer. Recruiting is really not that tough. I do not mean new SFI people, just new Marines. Find someone in your chapter and get them to become a reservist in your unit. For this last quarter of 2009, let’s’ kick it up a notch and boost those roster numbers. 10% is easy. Think about it, for a unit of ten Marines, that is one more body! One thing I noticed while going through the unassigned Marines is that many people don’t realize they are listed as Marines. Or, the other is true, they think they are Marines, but they are not acknowledged in the STARFLEET Membership Database as such. Just get these folks to sign into the Database and make the switch to active or reserve SFMC. Watch the numbers grow!
Finally, I would like to encourage each unit to write up something each month for the Attention on Deck! EXTRA, the new monthly newsletter of the SFMC. As a known communications junkie, I helped launch that newsletter. It’s electronic, so we don’t run out of room. I am sending this post up to INFOCOM to be included in the November issue. I’d like to show the Corps that the Second Brigade is, truly, “Second to None!!”
Semper fi!