Last Chance to W in Your Dream Vacation Fund-Raiser Information ...

From the President
Reminder:
on
October 24,
2009 we will start
our three-day
Annual Membership
Meeting at the Westin Hotel in Irving,
TX. The membership will look at some
Bylaw changes to ratify, and other
required business will be brought up.
If you can stay an extra day to visit the
area attractions, we will visit the new
Cowboy Stadium that was constructed
at a cost of over $1.2 billion. Instead of
having to stay an extra day between
meeting times, which forces an extra
day cost, because of the pinch on dollars
for most families and the losses
many have had on their retirement
funds, the committee decided to leave
the decision up to the membership to
stay an extra day to sightsee or leave for
home.
I am happy to report to the membership
that our audit by the IRS has resulted in
our being cleared of any problems. And,
we have also been restored to
deductibility status after the IRS
dropped us for no known reason or
informed us that we no longer met the
requirement as a deductible 501(c)19
Veterans Organization. That is all a
moot point now, since we also were
restored to a deductible status during
the audit. It did take almost seven
months to resolve that problem.
I also wish to remind all our members
that the Korean War Revisit Program
continues—and those who had returned
some 10 years ago are now eligible to
go again. I made the trip back with the
June 21, 2009 group and it was a very
good experience. I was made an
Honorary Member of the Korean
Veterans Association of Korea, and also
took part in the ceremonies the Koreans
have when they commemorate the
beginning of the Korean War on
6/25/1950. That also allowed me to represent
the United States Armed Forces
in honoring those from all the nations
who came to the aid of Korea, and who
died and are buried in the Korean
National Cemetery. That was an honor
for me to do.
I was also able to “Thank“ the Korean
veterans and their families for their
abilities to take the freedom gained and
become a great nation, which has repaid
all their fellow UN veterans many times
over. They have done so with their continuing
gratitude even to this date. I also
had the opportunity to meet His
Excellency Lee, Myung-Bak, the
President of the Republic of Korea, and
his lovely wife.
For those who voted in our last election,
you have elected some very capable
Directors. I look forward to their service
as representatives of the membership.
Also, you need to know that two
of our previously elected Directors have
had to resign for health problems and I
wish to publicly say we will miss the
services of Leo D. Agnew and Thomas
S. Edwards. I hope that their health
does not deteriorate any further.
Director Agnew had two (2) years and
Director Edwards had one (1) year left
on their three (3) year terms. Both were
William Mac Swain
I am happy to report to the membership that our audit by
the IRS has resulted in our being cleared of any problems.
And, we have also been restored to deductibility status...
after the IRS dropped us for no known reason or informed
us that we no longer met the requirement as a deductible
501(c)19 Veterans Organization.
replaced per the Bylaws and Standard
Procedure Manual and approved by the
Board of Directors at the July 25, 2009
called Board meeting.
You can see who was selected to
replace both Directors in this copy of
The Graybeards in the listing of officers
on the inside cover page.
60th Commemorative Committees in
all nations are now planning and coordinating
what will be done for this 60th
Commemoration of the War Beginning
and Armistice Signing. Plans by both
the 60th Commemorative Committees
in the United States and Korea will be
ongoing, so we have started our plans
early on for the KWVA, Inc. Annual
Membership Meeting for 2010 in
Washington, D.C. Our Revisit Program
Staff is also looking at plans in Korea,
so we might take part in both committee
plans as more information becomes
available.
William Mac Swain,
KWVA President
KOREAN WAR VETERANS ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY
Work has begun on your 2009 Korean War Veterans Association Membership Directory. As a
preliminary action Harris has sent out an email to all of the members who have an email address
on file in our data base. Attached to that email is a profile questionnaire which you are asked to
complete and return to Harris. You are also asked to send two pictures.
This is not a scam. Harris is an authorized contractor for the KWVA and their security is
guaranteed. Later on, you will receive a card asking you to call and verify your information ,
make changes, etc, and indicate whether or not you want to purchase the directory. There will
also be a personalized “Tribute Print” available for purchase. More details will be forthcoming.
You are not required to purchase anything. That is entirely your decision, but your profile information
will still appear in the directory. Please call me at (863) 859-1384 or email me at fcohee@kwva.org
if you have any questions.
Frank Cohee, National Secretary, KWVA
3
The Graybeards July - August 2009