| SPECIAL FORCES ASSOCIATION CHAPTER LXIX NEWSLETTER May 2008 BERNIE FISHER CHAPTER THE NEXT MEETING IS ON June 3 at Noodles. at 1700 |
President: Jack Frost 208-454-8361
Vice President: Bob Shuster 541-372-5222
Treasurer: Bob Robertson 208-459-4798
Chaplain: Vahan Sipantzi 208-482-7495
Editor: Ted_Hyde@Fiberpipe.net
Vice President: Bob Shuster 541-372-5222
Treasurer: Bob Robertson 208-459-4798
Chaplain: Vahan Sipantzi 208-482-7495
Editor: Ted_Hyde@Fiberpipe.net
The next meeting will be June 3rd Tue at 1900 hrs at Noodles, let’s have a good turnout, we have a few things
to discuss about the chapter and SFA. Make sure you bring your tickets for the building fund so Bob can get them
mailed of, remember the chapter gets a rebate on these and you could win some change.
Everyone is doing well on the proxy vote only received one back so I guess the rest mailed them to SFA, it
seems like now the vote may be a hold on the vote on the constitution until it is posted in the drop for vote as not all
8000 plus members attend the convention so progress is being made, as there were a few things in it that effected
the chapter as well as several other chapters. We hope that Don and Mike are doing well after their bout in the VA
Hospital, will check on them before the next meeting. If Mike is up and around we need to talk about and pick a time
and date for our summer cookout shooting match, so be thinking about it and we will discuss it at the meeting. Our
condolences went to Bernie on losing his wife and hope all goes well with Him. I would like to welcome Richard
Despair A3645L from chapter 12 in San Diego his E-mail isodinsarpow@aol.com. We would like to also add our
condolence to Bill Vermitt as he lost his mother last month and has his Dad from Florida in a nursing home hear in
Boise, as he made several trips last month to Florida.
Remember the meeting on the 3rd and bring your building fund tickets, hope all cut their ballot out and mailed it.
Jack
to discuss about the chapter and SFA. Make sure you bring your tickets for the building fund so Bob can get them
mailed of, remember the chapter gets a rebate on these and you could win some change.
Everyone is doing well on the proxy vote only received one back so I guess the rest mailed them to SFA, it
seems like now the vote may be a hold on the vote on the constitution until it is posted in the drop for vote as not all
8000 plus members attend the convention so progress is being made, as there were a few things in it that effected
the chapter as well as several other chapters. We hope that Don and Mike are doing well after their bout in the VA
Hospital, will check on them before the next meeting. If Mike is up and around we need to talk about and pick a time
and date for our summer cookout shooting match, so be thinking about it and we will discuss it at the meeting. Our
condolences went to Bernie on losing his wife and hope all goes well with Him. I would like to welcome Richard
Despair A3645L from chapter 12 in San Diego his E-mail isodinsarpow@aol.com. We would like to also add our
condolence to Bill Vermitt as he lost his mother last month and has his Dad from Florida in a nursing home hear in
Boise, as he made several trips last month to Florida.
Remember the meeting on the 3rd and bring your building fund tickets, hope all cut their ballot out and mailed it.
Jack
THE RUCKSACK
Over my 34 years of service I’ve carried my combat essential gear in about a half-dozen different rucksacks.
Our lives are very much like a rucksack. We change size or the contents as our life’s mission or goals change.
What we put into it can determine whether we’ll enjoy life or be miserable, whether we live long lives or shorten
them. What we put into it demonstrates to others what our priorities are. As soldiers, what we put into it or leave out
can determine the success or failure of our mission. We can apply this principle to our spiritual life as well as our
military life. Common sense and prior experience or the experiences of others helps us follow a packing list that
weeds out the non-essentials and lightens our loads. For the Christian that packing list is found in the Word of God
– The Bible.
It includes such items as courage, honesty, a servant’s heart, integrity in all things, personal sacrifice, and a
commitment to trust in and follow Jesus Christ unconditionally.
When one is committed into the combat zone all you have is your weapon, LBE, and your ruck. For the
Christian the weapon of choice is God’s written word. The LBE represents the bare essentials we need to maintain
our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and our fellow soldiers, as we pursue the mission God has for each
of our lives. Our ruck is a heart and life transformed by our trust in Christ alone.
Once you pick up your ruck you are committed. You can be a millionaire like Pat Tillman or the heir apparent
to the throne of England but that has no meaning once you go charging out of the trenches. Your only meaningful
possessions are what you have wisely or unwisely chosen for your ruck so hopefully you’ve chosen well. Even with
careful planning we still need to learn to get rid of or add stuff as we go – fine tuning or making adjustments in our
lives.
Lack of pre-planning can have serious consequences. Forget extra dry socks or gloves in winter operations
can be costly. The Rangers in Somalia paid a heavy price and needless suffering because they underestimated
their rescue mission and plunged into Mogadishu without adequate water, NVG’s, and back-up. Lack of pre-
planning in our relationship to God can find us in our own Mogadishu without a hall pass into Heaven into His
presence when this life plays out its years.
One of the greatest or most costly errors we can make in our brief life is to forget or fail to recognize that life is
really a combat zone with Satan and his henchmen showering us with black and gray sugarcoated propaganda with
Jesus Christ confronting us with white propaganda or better – the TRUTH. One leads to eternal death and the latter
leads to abundant life and ultimate victory.
Keep your rucksack packed, light and ready and He will not only “supply all your needs” but He will always lead
the way.
Chaplain (COL) Vahan Sipantzi
26972 Lower Pleasant Ridge Rd.
Wilder, ID 83676
Over my 34 years of service I’ve carried my combat essential gear in about a half-dozen different rucksacks.
Our lives are very much like a rucksack. We change size or the contents as our life’s mission or goals change.
What we put into it can determine whether we’ll enjoy life or be miserable, whether we live long lives or shorten
them. What we put into it demonstrates to others what our priorities are. As soldiers, what we put into it or leave out
can determine the success or failure of our mission. We can apply this principle to our spiritual life as well as our
military life. Common sense and prior experience or the experiences of others helps us follow a packing list that
weeds out the non-essentials and lightens our loads. For the Christian that packing list is found in the Word of God
– The Bible.
It includes such items as courage, honesty, a servant’s heart, integrity in all things, personal sacrifice, and a
commitment to trust in and follow Jesus Christ unconditionally.
When one is committed into the combat zone all you have is your weapon, LBE, and your ruck. For the
Christian the weapon of choice is God’s written word. The LBE represents the bare essentials we need to maintain
our relationship with God through Jesus Christ and our fellow soldiers, as we pursue the mission God has for each
of our lives. Our ruck is a heart and life transformed by our trust in Christ alone.
Once you pick up your ruck you are committed. You can be a millionaire like Pat Tillman or the heir apparent
to the throne of England but that has no meaning once you go charging out of the trenches. Your only meaningful
possessions are what you have wisely or unwisely chosen for your ruck so hopefully you’ve chosen well. Even with
careful planning we still need to learn to get rid of or add stuff as we go – fine tuning or making adjustments in our
lives.
Lack of pre-planning can have serious consequences. Forget extra dry socks or gloves in winter operations
can be costly. The Rangers in Somalia paid a heavy price and needless suffering because they underestimated
their rescue mission and plunged into Mogadishu without adequate water, NVG’s, and back-up. Lack of pre-
planning in our relationship to God can find us in our own Mogadishu without a hall pass into Heaven into His
presence when this life plays out its years.
One of the greatest or most costly errors we can make in our brief life is to forget or fail to recognize that life is
really a combat zone with Satan and his henchmen showering us with black and gray sugarcoated propaganda with
Jesus Christ confronting us with white propaganda or better – the TRUTH. One leads to eternal death and the latter
leads to abundant life and ultimate victory.
Keep your rucksack packed, light and ready and He will not only “supply all your needs” but He will always lead
the way.
Chaplain (COL) Vahan Sipantzi
26972 Lower Pleasant Ridge Rd.
Wilder, ID 83676
From the editor.
Here is an e-mail that I got from Steve I think it speaks for it's self.
"Pretty damn weird! I still can't answer the phone with SGM Young! It still doesn't seem right! There are so many
other guys out there who are way better men than me. I'm still very surprised. There were about 60 People who
showed up at the Green Beret Club. It was a good night. I told them that it was only appropriate that Holly (my wife)
pin the final rank on since she had been with me the longest and supported me the most through it all. It got a good
round of applause. There was a wide range of men and women who showed up. Retired CSM Tom Lutz (cousin to
Gen Lutz), Retired CSM Joe Lupyak, Retired COL Edwin (Andy) Anderson (SWC Commander around 2000 and now
working with Special Ops Warrior Foundation) and many other friends from all the active duty groups I've know
through the years. It was pretty danged awesome to see some of those fine men. I told them that they had all
mentored me and influenced me in one way or another throughout the years and that I wouldn't be where I am today
without any of them. That goes for you too Ted. Tell the Chapter guys the same thing. It was a good evening at the
GB Club!
Here is an e-mail that I got from Steve I think it speaks for it's self.
"Pretty damn weird! I still can't answer the phone with SGM Young! It still doesn't seem right! There are so many
other guys out there who are way better men than me. I'm still very surprised. There were about 60 People who
showed up at the Green Beret Club. It was a good night. I told them that it was only appropriate that Holly (my wife)
pin the final rank on since she had been with me the longest and supported me the most through it all. It got a good
round of applause. There was a wide range of men and women who showed up. Retired CSM Tom Lutz (cousin to
Gen Lutz), Retired CSM Joe Lupyak, Retired COL Edwin (Andy) Anderson (SWC Commander around 2000 and now
working with Special Ops Warrior Foundation) and many other friends from all the active duty groups I've know
through the years. It was pretty danged awesome to see some of those fine men. I told them that they had all
mentored me and influenced me in one way or another throughout the years and that I wouldn't be where I am today
without any of them. That goes for you too Ted. Tell the Chapter guys the same thing. It was a good evening at the
GB Club!
Hearing Aids for Retirees
1. The good news: The Army has authorized several Army bases to issue hearing aids to retirees @ cost. This will
result in tremendous savings to the retiree.
2. The bad news: Due to the wars in the middle East, there is a shortage of audio personnel to handle the cases
that are building up on these bases and no retirees are being offered appointments at this time.
I have contacted Senator Patty Murray and was told to contact the people I had already contacted at Fort Lewis,
WA. I requested that the Senator seek authorization for civilian hires, but she seems not to hear that part of the
conversation. Maybe all of you people in Idaho could contact Senator Larry Craig and Senator Crapo to see what
could be done in your state.
If the government can hire Haliburton and Blackwater w/o batting an eye, they should be able to hire some good
audio specialists here in the States to complete their contract w/veterans.
The people to contact are: Lt Col. Laura R. Trinkle,
Madigan Army Medical Center
Execu Officer, @253-968-6802
Cpt Cornish
Madigan AMC, 253-968-0927
Ms. O’Malley, AMC, 253-968-3763
Col Ronald J. Place, MD, FACS, FASCRS
Madigan Army Medial Ctn. Tacoma, WA 98431
If anyone knows anyone who might be able to help with this excellent program, please contact them ASAP. The
program is titled: Retiree At-cost Hearing Aid Program RACHAP
Good Luck,
Bill Matherly
From Bill Matherly