Second Brigade 2011 Massing of the Brigade
By COL Bryan R. Jones, 631st MSG
The Second Brigade “Flying Deuces” will be starting 2011 with a bang. The Second Brigade 2011 Massing of the Brigade will be held on January 1-2, 2011, in Bushnell, Florida, hosted by the 631st Marine Strike Group “Fighting Ospreys” of the USS Tiberius.
Brigadier Oliver Savander serves as both Second Brigade Officer-in-Charge and USS Tiberius Commanding Officer; Colonel Barry Jackson serves as both Second Brigade Deputy Officer-in-Charge/Administrative Officer and USS Tiberius Executive Officer; Lieutenant Colonel Anne Zecca serves as both Second Brigade Operations/Training Officer and 631st Marine Strike Group Officer-in-Charge; and Colonel Bryan Jones serves as both Second Brigade Logistics Officer and 631st Marine Strike Group Deputy Officer-in-Charge.
Events at the Massing of the Brigade will include a visit to Florida National Cemetery, attendance at the annual Dade Battlefield reenactment and a Brigade Dine-In. Florida National Cemetery is the final resting place for many of our fallen warriors, be they Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force or Coast Guard.
The Dade Battlefield reenactment is preformed each year during the weekend closest to December 28, the date in 1835 when the Fourth Regiment Infantry, under the command of Major Francis Dade were ambushed by a band of Seminole Indians while marching from Fort Brook, in what is now Tampa, to Fort King, present Ocala. The Brigade Dine-In will be held at Eagle’s Nest, a local restaurant. A Brigade Dine-In is a brigade-wide dinner, a chance for attendees to chat with other attendees, regardless of rank or grade. An invitation has been extended to all STARFLEET members and their guests. Some of the Marines may even camp out in tents, or under the stars. If you happen to find yourself in the vicinity of Bushnell, Florida, on January 1st and/or 2nd, 2011, feel free to join us for a weekend of fun. Reservations for the Brigade Dine-In are strongly recommended, but walk-ins will be allowed.
Colonel Bryan Jones is coordinating the 2011 event:
Anyone wanting further information about this event is welcome to contact Colonel Jones at rustyanchor1962@yahoo.com. Remember, “We May Be Second, But We’re Better Than You.”