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Reunion 2010 Report
After Action Report
AVEL Reunion 2010
Our first Avel Reunion was hald in Schiller Park (a Chicago suburb), Illinois at the Sheraton Four Points Hotel.
Our first AVEL Reunion is now history. I can safely say that we all had a fantastic time! It was incredible seeing each other again after all these years. We don't look the same as we did 40 years ago but as soon as we spoke our voices and mannerisms were the same as we remember so long ago.
Everyone enjoyed each other's company whether talking to old friends or meeting new. The wives were a welcome presence and seemed to enjoy our stories and maybe even our colorful language at times.
The itinerary was as follows:
Friday, 7/24
The evening started with a Meet and Greet in one of the hotel's meeting rooms. There was a cash bar and appetizers. Jack McCabe put together a Power Point slide show with over 350 photos. Everyone had a good laugh about how young we were back then.
Everyone had a great time getting to know each other again. The wives got to listen some of the great AVEL stories we haven't talked about for 40 years. Some members brought their photo albums, souvenirs and AVEL artifacts. Jack brought his old khaki shirt and couldn't believe he ever fit in it!
We were all treated to a free drink courtesy of Russ Mason. Russ couldn't make it but made arrangements with the hotel for us all to have a drink on him. Thanks Russ!
There were some major storms that night and flooding cancelled some of the plans for Saturday.
Saturday, 7/25
Saturday afternoon found everyone sitting in a large circle and talking. Telling stories, reminiscing and just having a good time.
The evening program started with a cash bar and appetizers at 5:00pm. Once again Jack played his slide show for everyone. Several members brought artifacts including Company Yearbooks which everyone enjoyed. Jack played a DVD of his old 8mm movies he took in Vietnam and on R & R with Bob Rhine.
At 6:45pm Jack gave a short welcome speech to all present and thanked all for coming.
At 7:00pm Mike Hensley gave a toast to Rick Page who was Killed In Action in Phu Loi on 19 July 1971.
At 7:20pm Dale Garringer spoke to the group about the job we did and our time in Vietnam.
At 7:40pm Roger Shiley spoke to us about AVEL Central, which he commanded in 1970 & 1971 as well as our time spent in Vietnam and its impact on us. The highlight was when he spoke of the orange hats we were pressured to wear and how one soldier actually burned his. Then Roger brought out a bag and gave us each a beautifully embroidered orange hat! The perfect souvenir of the reunion. Thanks Roger!
Dinner followed. The menu was:
Cream of Chicken Rice Soup
Garden Salad
Petite Filet Mignon & Boneless Breast of Chicken
Glazed Baby Carrots
Butter Whipped Potato
Cheese Cake with Strawberries
Following dinner we watched a slide show from John Veers showing his pictures from Vietnam. We spent the rest of the evening talking and enjoying each others company.
Thank you to everyone who attended and made this a memorable event!
The attendees were:
AVEL South: Garringer, Dale (66~67)
AVEL Central: Anzaldua, Frank (71~72) Beneville, Warren (66~67) Biggs, Bill (71~72)
Clark, Gary (71~72) Dees, Richard, (67~68) Fesus, Bill (71~72)
Farkas, George (71~72) Garringer, Dale (67~68 & 70~71) Haase, Eric (68~69)
Hensley, Mike (70~71) McCabe, Jack (70~72) Montecinos, Nick (71~72)
Rhine, Bobby G. (70~71) Rothrock, Lynn (~70-71) Shiley, Roger (70~71)
Trietch, Doug (70~71) Veers, John (71~72)
AVEL North: Rapinski, Frank (68~69)
AVEL Far North: Farkas, George (71)
Significant Others: Garringer, Jennifer Haase, Joyce Jane Shiley
Trietch, Cindy Trevoort, Monica (Warren Beneville)
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