USS Thomas Jefferson Association SSBN/SSN 618

Reunion update

We need to get a few more couples to sign up for the reunion and tours to meet our limits.. The Kings Bay tour now has a 90% certainty of including a visit to a boat. As for the luncheon cruise, it is canceled as the Cruise Company folded. We worked with our tour company to come up with a substitute and have been successful (see attachment for the tour information). For those who are participating in the KB tour, your names should be as they appear on their picture ID. 
Regardless, wewill try to make this reunion one of our best for those who show up and particlipate.  We have lined up the same photograph as we had at the last reunion.
Any questions should be directed to Jim Beauchamp, Sandy Cook or Dan Higgins.  Our e-mail and phone numbers are on the sign up sheet.

FROM THE COMMANDER’S DESK

Good day to the shipmates and families that had the opportunity to serve or support a crew member of the USS Thomas Jefferson SSBN/SSN 618. We are now less than six months from our next reunion, which will be held in Jacksonville, Florida. The dates are September 25 through September 29, and Jim Beauchamp has scheduled several interesting tours including a tour of the King’s Bay Submarine Base. I know Jim has been working on the plans for the reunion since shortly after our last reunion in Charleston. I will let him give you the most up-to-date information in his section of the newsletter. I will encourage everyone planning to attend to get their reservations made as soon as possible so Jim can finalize the activities. Sharing my thoughts about reunion attendance: I was not a big “joiner” in the past and it always seemed that life commitments got in the way of reunion plans. I always remember reading the reports and viewing the pictures from the reunion, wishing I had determined a way to attend.I now realize, after having attended several reunions, my motivations are: reconnecting with shipmates I had not seen in too many years, the opportunity to get to know shipmates that had served after I transferred and more importantly had continued building the excellent reputation that the TJ enjoyed.

Most of you are either immersed in or peripherally involved with our ability to “reach out” to friends, family and even passing acquaintances by the various tools we have grown to accept. With Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and other media as well as email, snail-mail and even phones we stay in touch (assuming we want to). Hopefully, many of you use our Facebook Group (USS Thomas Jefferson SSBN/SSN 618) to stay in touch. The thing that jars me is when I read about the passing of a shipmate from years ago and wish I just had one more chance to swap sea stories or hear about the roads that shipmate had walked down. The point I am wandering toward is that I lost my brother in late February and it struck me about a month later that the part of me now missing is not that much bigger than the parts of me that are missing from the loss of shipmates. Of course, I talked to my brother frequently and sat by his bedside, however, I find myself wishing I had taken the time to swap more sea stories with shipmates like Ken Holcomb, Glen Riley, Joe Douty and Roy Van Dyne and many others. Don’t miss the opportunity to renew time with your brothers from the TJ and hopefully realize how quickly those years melt away. To answer a question that I have frequently heard - “Will I know anybody there?” The answer is - possibly not, but every one of us that proudly wear and/or display our Dolphins is a brother and has been certified as such by that device.

For those who have been out of touch, the really GOOD news is that all past TJ Association dues have been deleted so anyone attending who is not a life member only needs to pay dues for THIS year. We will be discussing and voting on changes/amendments to our association by-laws during our business meeting. I am very much looking forward to seeing you at the reunion in September!!! Let’s make it a Great Reunion!!!

FROM THE VICE COMMANDER’S DESK

Shipmates:
The reunion preparations are now in place however, the transition from the Crowne Plaza to the DoubleTree has not been as seamless as we had hoped and by the time this newsletter is release the Hilton organization will have their act together and allow us to start signing up for our rooms.  We have a great agenda of things to do for everyone and we tried not to leave anyone out.  We have posted this newsletter along with the signup sheet on the TJ website (ssbn618.org) and on the facebook thread to ease the signup process.  We are hoping this reunion will become the reunion that all others will be judged by.  

FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK

Shipmates: 
I hope this newsletter finds all of you in good health and spirits. As most of you are probably aware by now, I have established communication with the USS Thomas Jefferson SSBN 618 Facebook page.  I am also maintaining the USS Thomas Jefferson Association website, www.ssbn618.org.  I am doing this to the best of my ability however, occasionally, a typo or some other slip up occurs.  If you see something that needs correction please bring it to my attention.

I have put together a signup sheet for the next TJ Association Reunion being held in Jacksonville, FL which is included on the last page of this newsletter.  I have also posted information about the reunion on the website and the Facebook page and will continue to do so until the time of the next reunion.  Just think, it’s only a little less than a half a year away. We are hoping that we have a great turn out and please remember the importance of attending the reunion.  The shipmates that attend the reunion will be charged with the task of electing the next slate of officers as well as selecting the when and where of the following reunion in 2018.
 
Please check your information on the sailing list and send any corrections to me. Also, always feel free to communicate directly with your current group of elected officers.  We are here for you and want to do the best job possible.  
The Association Officers are:
Ron Whitener-Commander
Jim Beauchamp-Vice Commander
Sam (Sandy) Cook-Secretary
Dan Higgins-Treasurer.

I want to take a moment to remind everyone that the Facebook page for the USS Thomas Jefferson SSBN 618 is not administered by our association but, the folk there have been gracious enough to allow us to use it and I’m sure we all appreciate that.  So far, I have found it to be a great way to dispense information and for shipmates to keep up to date.

I will try my best for you and not to let you down.

FROM THE SECRETARY'S DESK

I received a check from the outgoing treasurer for $16630.02 and deposited it in a Navy Federal Credit Union checking account. We have received a gift check for $100 from a member for the bench. Any other donations for the bench or the scholarship program would be appreciated. Our balance is $16733.12.   

While we have suspended dues until the next reunion in hopes of gaining shipmates coming to the next one, I will accept them if you want to pay them. We lose $1000.00 a year to the scholarship program (a great investment in our offspring) it won't go forever.

USS THOMAS JEFFERSON 618 2016 REUNION APPLICATION
Jacksonville, Florida (Sunday, Sep 25 – Thursday, Sept 29th)

NAME(S) OF PERSON(S) ATTENDING
__________________________________________________________________________
Attending # X $10 = $________

BANQUET DINNER BUFFET                	         		  	     Dinner # X $39  = $________

·	Mixed Green Salad
· 	Entrée (Selection of 2)
Chicken Marsala
	Sliced Skirt Steak w/ Burgundy Mushroom Sauce
·	Vegetable (Selection of 2)
Mixed Vegetable Medley
Roasted Peppers
·	Starch (Selection of 2)
Roasted New Bliss Potatoes
Black Beans and Rice					
·	Dessert (Selection of 2)
Key Lime Pie
Tiramisu
·	Coffee, Decaf & Iced Tea
·	Drink Prices (Cash Bar)
Premium Cocktails @ $7.50, Call Brand Cocktails @ $6.50
Domestic Beer @ $4.50, Imported Beer @ $5.50
House Wine, Glass @ $6.50, Premium Wine, Glass @ $7.50
Soft Drinks, Bottled Water @ $2.50, Sparkling Water Bottle @ $3.50

Kings Bay Submarine Base tour (Tuesday)	 Attending# X $69.00 = $________

Veteran Memorial Wall, Jacksonville City Tour, & Luncheon (Wednesday)                         							 Attending# X $59.00 = $________

50/50 RAFFLE
·	6 TICKETS FOR $5
·	13 TICKETS FOR $10			# OF TICKETS ___ $__________  

*No limit on the number of tickets purchased		             TOTAL $ _________

MAIL FORM & CHECKS TO: 		   QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL INFO
Dan Higgins  					      Call or E-Mail
509 Papaya Circle					Sandy Cook (TJ Secretary)
Barefoot Bay, FL 32976			401-624-4598         tjssbn618@yahoo.com	 capfish73@aol.com    					Jim Beauchamp (Reunion #13)
757-464-6198 	hobeau1@cox.net