What’s New!

TBS 1-68 Reunion
May 10-15, 2022
Warning Order

Hard to believe with all the world’s challenges, but our May 10-15, 2022 reunion is shaping up quite nicely.
All credit goes to our “worker bees” who are pulling together the complex details necessary to make this work. Dozens have been involved in many ways, but the current leadership list of people to thank (big Covid free hugs) are:

Joel Brummel (+ Bob Winn): Hospitality suite, ABC licenses and (hopefully) beer .
Dave Raper: Our Basic School tour / brief and lunch with the Lts
Ken Bruner: Our USMC University tour and briefs
Bill Tehan: Heritage Museum visit, military protocol for our event
Mike Williams: Keynote speaker from HQMC to brief us on the overall picture
Jim Williams: Registration desk, Covid management, assistant commandant
Bob Waller: Transport (thankless, but obviously critical)
Ray Norton: Our intrepid Treasurer collecting fees and paying bills
Courtney Tucker: Organizing our most excellent Civil War guided tour
Doug O’Connor: Master of Ceremonies duties
Ken Bruner-2: Padre for the event and group
Dave Peters: Our web site, email rosters and SO VERY much more
Ron Burton, Jim Sanborn: And others who made the tough phone calls

We are being Covid aware, following the guidelines used by the Corps for base visits and more. Like the airlines, we will be requiring a Covid Rapid Test at registration. Jim Williams (bless his efforts) has been able to obtain sufficient test kits gratis from FBurg- amazing accomplishment! The vast majority of us, who medically can, have been fully vaccinated. Staying in our group “bubble” will be much safer than going to your local grocery or pub. We monitor Covid changes daily and will respond as necessary to keep everyone safe- we have your back!

Registrations are now approaching 50+ attendees. In my heart, I know that many of you are waiting to see the “lay of the land” before committing. To you, I remind that any financial commitments made with us and the hotel will be refunded if we have to cancel. Air fares are going up- commit now. More important, as we order meals, you may not get your brownie or chocolate chip cookie if you wait until the last minute to commit.

Not sure we will have any more of these formal gatherings. Please don’t plan on “coming next year”.

MOST IMPORTANT: this is going to be a lot of fun. What possibly beats hanging out with your best friends and sharing life’s experiences. What else will you be doing during this week in May that could be even close??

Semper Fi,
Bob

TBS 1-68 Gathering New Dates: 10May to 15 May 2022

Marines and Families –

After significant deliberations, and accounting for way too many factors, we have decided  that the above dates are about the sweet spot among many gathering date alternatives and challenges.

Hoping that it is far enough from the present Covid mess that we will have a health window;

• And not too close to miserable DC humid summers.;
• And before most of our grandchildren’s graduations;
• And that The Basic School will have a class in session that we can visit;
• And that there is a significant Civil War battle anniversary reenactment nearby;
• And that the Fredericksburg Trolly will still take us to the many very cool and old places and pubs in the historic district;
• And that we can have a waaayyy cool surprise event like bowling with the stars;
• And that the Quantico Senior Schools will have classes in session that we can visit;
• And that Gen Mike can arrange a high level General Officer type speaker who can explain to us how OUR Corps is planning for the future we helped shape;
• And that the Clarion Hospitality House will extend out most excellent room and hospitality suite terms (they will!!);
• And that YOU will join us.

My thanks to the classmates who volunteered to contact all.  This recon allowed us to shape the event with your input.

Just a heads up:

• We will be following all the USMC Covid protocols promulgated as of the reunion date.  Presently, our Corps requires two vaccinations and will likely require a booster by then; we will require the same to join us.  Depending on threat level, we will likely require that each attendee take and pass a Covid rapid test at registration.
• Our hotel presently requires masking in all public areas- we will comply. Our hospitality suite is deemed a private area- masking will be optional therein.

The Clarion is standing by for your reservation.  https://www.choicehotels.com/virginia/fredericksburg/clarion-hotels/va828  Our group number is #ZB72K4.

And, as usual, all reunion information is now being updated and will be promulgated on our most excellent web site https://tbs1-68usmc.com  Go there for info, and events as they are developed.  Make a “note to self” to check back regularly for new postings.

I really hope that our trails cross in May, before we are too old to remember why.

 

Semper Fi,

Bob Koury

rckoury@mac.com

*****************

Dave Peters

Alpha Company Admin

**UPDATE – New Reunion Dates are May 10 – 15, 2020 due to Covid spread. Please see New Reunion Information above.

2 December 2021

Greetings –

It is time to get our collective butts in gear and hold a spectacular reunion March 23-27, 2022.  It has been waaayyy too long since we have been in personal grip-and-grin contact.  Good friends are terribly difficult to come by- not sharing time and space with them is a huge loss.

We are hoping that by reunion date, things in the world will have settled a bit for travel and our gathering.  If not, all reservations and payments will be fully refundable.  Not sure we will have the collective energy to do this again- so…..

As before, we will have a wonderful slate of visits and briefings on all things Marine Corps.  And historic Fredericksburg is a great place to browse and visit.  Our reunion hotel is fully renovated (from being pretty darned good to better) and is now a part of the Clarion chain.  The room rates are spectacularly reasonable and include breakfast.

Not a Jewish Mothers’ guilt trip, but please know that a bunch of your classmates are spending a lot of their time and effort to make this reunion and its events possible.  All in the hopes of a large attendance.

Everything you need to know about the reunion and other class news is on The TBS1-68 web site: https://tbs1-68usmc.com/2022-reunion-overview/  Go there for hotel registration and reunion registration, info, and events as they are developed.  Make a “note to self” to check back regularly for new postings.

Hope our trails cross while we can still remember why.

Semper Fi,
Bob Koury

July 14, 2021 All Hands Message

TBS 1-68 Alpha Company Upcoming 2022 Reunion
March 22-27, 2022
Fredericksburg, VA

Hotel Reservations:

It is official, we have reserved our hotel for the 2022 gathering.
The Fredericksburg Hospitality House is now under the Clarion brand, but our contact folks are the same.
Room rate of $95 + taxes, including breakfast.

You can reserve now to guarantee you get the heart shaped bed in the honeymoon suite.

Online link: https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations/groups/ZB72K4

• • If you make a reservation using this “hot link”, the Clarion reservations system defaults to a check-in on the 21st and checkout on the 27th. That is to accommodate anyone who wants to come a day early for their own purposes.
  • If you use that hot link and make the reservation, but actually want other dates, Just above the event dates is a “Change Dates” dialog box.

Alternatively, you can call direct: 540-786-8321 and ask for group ZB72K4.

Reunion Registration:
More information on Reunion Registration to follow as our planning committee details develop.
Please send ideas for events you want, and maybe volunteer to set them up. It is all open now.

Please note that reunion reservations may be cancelled with reasonable cause with a full refund.
Financial Assistance To Attend: We obtain free rooms and meals with our booking. And class members have already created a fund specifically to assist those who may need it to addend. Please, if financial constraints are an issue with your coming, at least chat with us about how we can make it easy for you to be there. Only two people will ever know: Ray Norton (Treas) and Bob Koury (Pres). Please email Ray ray.norton@nortonfamily.org to discuss.

Semper Fi,
Bob Koury