Special Operations Association Newsletter

Four Months & Two Days Until SOAR XLVII SOAR XLVII October 16 - 20 Orleans Hotel & Casino Updates will be posted on the SOA website SPECIALOPERATIONS.ORG Soon the Pre-Reunion-Packet (PRP) will be sent out and registration for SOAR will open. Please make sure your home mailing address it up to date so you receive your copy of the PRP. UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION RESERVATIONS FOR GROUP RATE ROOMS ARE NOW AVAILABLE   ORLEANS HOTEL & CASINO Las Vegas NV Reserve your room online: Orleans Hotel & Casino or call 800 675-3267 Use the following Group Code when making your room reservation:  ASP3C10 (Alpha-Sierra-Papa-3-Charlie-1-0) Room rates are guaranteed through 11 Sept 2023: Sun through Thurs - $49 + $15.99 resort fee + tax per day Fri and Sat - $99 + $15.99 resort fee + tax per day Billy Waugh Memorial Events USSOCOM Memorial Ceremony The U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC) will conduct a Memorial Ceremony to celebrate the life and to honor the service of our fallen and former 5th Special Forces Group Airborne (5 SFG (A)) Soldier, Sergeant Major (Retired) William 'Billy' Dawson Waugh on 27 June 2023.  The ceremony will take place 0900-1000 (local) at the Base Theater, MacDill AFB, Florida (2420 Florida Keys Ave, Building 41).  Guest speakers will be Enrique Prado (CIA - friend of Billy's); MG Patrick Roberson (DCG USASOC); LTG (R) John Mulholland and GEN Bryan Fenton, CG USSOCOM. CSM Josh King, 5th SFG(A) will conduct the Last Roll Call.  The Ceremony will be available on "Facebook Live".  Ashes jump for Billy Waugh on 22 JUL 2023 at Raeford DZ WHO: Friends and Family of SGM(R) Billy Waugh WHAT: Memorial Freefall Jump at Raeford DZ with the release of Billy's ashes (JUMPERS- all are SF and knew Billy).  There will be a reception "toast to Billy" at the Drop Zone bar  following the jump. WHEN: at approximately 22 1100R JULY 2023 (jumpers depart aircraft / release ashes). Be at the drop zone by 1030R that Saturday. WHERE:  Raeford DZ, NC (also known as XP Paraclete). WHY:  Mrs. Waugh requested a final jump for Billy at the Drop Zone where he and many of his SOG CCN Teammates (HALO Combat Jump Vets) conducted annual Memorial Day Reunions and jumped together.  POC:  Alan Shumate Blue Skies and DOL!  THE QUARTERMASTER STORE Two new items - SOG and Special Operations Association Hats. Visit the SOA QM Store FIRST EVER SOAR PRAYER BREAKFAST                  I am pleased to announce our first prayer breakfast will be held at this SOAR. Now, more than ever, as we see the foundations of our great country assailed and nearly destroyed, we need prayer. It was our relationship to the creator that produced our great freedom, rights, and prosperity.               “We hold these truths to be self-evident (obvious) that they are endowed by their Creator (God is the ultimate source and not the state) with certain unalienable rights, that among them are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”               I look forward to praying together at SOAR this year. “If my people which are called by my name shall… pray…then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 2:14)   Dale Hanson Chaplain, SOA We know that airfare is up so here's some suggestions to help get the best deal. Experts recommend booking domesic flights one to three months in advance, and using a travel site to help monitor the cost of flights across airlines. Always set up price alerts. Researching flight prices is part of planning any trip, but if you haven’t been setting up price alerts, now’s the time to start. Price alerts on sites like Skyscanner will notify you when airfare drops for destinations and dates you’ve saved so you won’t have to constantly check prices manually. Get travel insurance. Seriously – do it. Travel insurance covers nonrefundable flight tickets and other prepaid travel expenses so you can be refunded in the event something unexpected comes up. A good travel insurance plan is a must if you’re booking flights in advance since anything can change between now and the time of your planned trip.  1. Use an airline that you belong to the loyalty program at. This can save on luggage fees and you might get other perks. 2. For domestic trips you monitor prices three to four months in advance, and book one to two months before the trip, which tends to be the lowest price.  You won’t necessarily book as early as you start planning, but you want to start planning your trip early enough so that when that low price sweet spot hits, you can book and take advantage of the low prices. 3. Booking with third party sites, also known as online travel agencies (OTAs),  makes finding the cheapest deal easier because their platform does the heavy work of monitoring air routes that could be cheaper than what any individual airline would offer. Check https://www.hopper.com/, FlightDeal.com, AirfareSpot.com, and SecretFlying.com for flight deals. BUDDY FINDER REQUESTS From Joe Copalman: I am currently writing a book on the OV-10 Bronco and need to speak to a few SOG guys who flew aboard OV-10s as Covey Riders covering out-of-country insertions and extractions.  If it helps break the ice, I was friends with Bill Shelton, who ran air ops for CCN out of NKP in the 69-70 timeframe. Since Bill passed, I lost my go-to-guy for SOG stuff.   Thanks for any assistance you can provide.  Email Joe at jcopalman@gmail.com. Sick Call Albert Slugocki, SOA Mem #278, is very ill.  His wife Margaret fears the end is near. Please include Al and Margaret in your prays. Al Slugocki joined the Army in 1950, five years after he escaped from his native Poland by crossing the border to Czechoslovakia and made his way to the United States. Shortly after enlisting, Slugocki, who fought in the Korean and Vietnam wars, was assigned to the Army’s special Green Beret unit. Fluent in English, Spanish, Polish, Russian and French, he helped train guerrilla fighters in Cambodia, Guatemala and Nicaragua. His highest award was the Silver Star. Al was one of the Green Berets called to watch over President Kennedy's body.     DONATIONS The SOA gives a big Thank You to our donors.  We couldn't exist without you! John E Bristow, $110 to the Video History Program Roger W Jordheim $100 to the Video History Program DONATE NOW VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit The VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit gives a description of each burial benefit, instructions on how to apply, and where to go to get assistance. The Planning Your Legacy: VA Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit covers: Pre-need eligibility for National Cemetery burial or memorialization Memorial or burial flags Government headstones or markers Medallions Presidential Memorial Certificates (PMC) Burial benefits and burial automatic payments Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA) Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship Survivors pension Special monthly pension benefits The Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMP-VA) Home loan guaranty Veterans Month of Death benefits VA life insurance Other features include tips on how to fill out applications with examples of completed forms. These tips examples give applicants a better understanding of how to properly fill out applications. VA encourages Veterans and service members to discuss their military service with their dependents, as well as planning their legacy. Families and survivors should know where to locate service medical records, discharge documents, VA disability ratings, and other information. These details will be beneficial to survivors as they prepare to apply for VA benefits. Families and survivors should keep this kit in storage so that it will be available when needed.  DOWNLOAD THE Survivors and Burial Benefits Kit JUNE 2023 Calendar of Events June: 14 Jun: Retirement Gala for 5th Group Executive Secretary Mrs. Joyce Luster June 19-23: Annual Ranger Muster (ARM). AC Hotel in downtown Columbus, Georgia. Events will take place throughout the Columbus-Ft. Benning area and will be highlighted by the 75th Ranger Regiment’s Battalion Change of Command Week and Ranger Hall of Fame events. https://ranger.org/ 23 June: Fayetteville, NC.  SFA 71st Anniversary of Special Forces at SFA Headquarters, 4990 Doc Bennett Road. 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. MOH Recipient COL(R) Paris Davis will be attending. 27 June:  Billy Waugh: Memorial gathering, organized by SOCOM, will be held at MacDIll AFB.  Location and time not provided yet. The SOA encourages members who attend veteran/military events to represent the SOA and engage potential members. Encourage them to learn more about our Association. Joe Wilson, the membership chairman, can mail you some brochures to hand out if you'd like.  TAPS HAGEN, Michael E. Mem# 2100, passed away on May 29, 2023 KOUNS, Leon Wes, Mem# 831, passed away on May 20, 2023. CSM(R) Morris G. Worley will be buried in a ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery on Thursday, June 29, 2023 at 9:00 am.  Guest are asked to arrive 45 minutes before the ceremony at 8:15 am.  Picture ID is required to enter the grounds. Pam Worley has set up a reception after the funeral at Celtic House, 2500 Columbia Pike, Arlington, VA. 22204.  Welcome New Members John W. Bartlett Phillip B. Brown, Jr. NEW BOOKS AND MEDIA Facing the Khmer Rouge - MG Ken Bowra   Major General Ken Bowra served as a Special Forces officer in Vietnam as a MACV SOG 1-0 recon team leader, running recon in Laos. After SOG, as an A-Team commander, he trained, advised, and conducted combat operations with Cambodian troops. He returned to Cambodia in 1974, assigned to the Military Equipment Delivery Team Cambodia, and remained in Cambodia until the fall of the Khmer Republic in April, 1975. Talking on camera for the first time about this subject, in this moving interview General Bowra recounts his experiences opposing the Khmer Rouge with the Cambodian Army (FANK), leading up to the tragedy of the Killing Fields, which many of his Cambodian friends did not survive. WATCH VIDEO SOGCast 034 - Dale Hanson 2 - Returns to SOG after losing finger, flies secret mission WATCH VIDEO THE ARMORY LIFE ANNOUNCES SUMMER 2023 PRINT ISSUE FEATURING MAJOR JOHN L. PLASTER COVER STORY Questions? Comments? Contact us. Newsletter Editor:  Bonnie Cooper SOA President: Doug Godshall Visit the Special Operations Association Website Visit the Special Operations Association Foundation Website Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list