Greetings!
 We hope that you are enjoying the summer months with family and friends. This is a special time of year when things tend to slow down a bit and hopefully we find time to relax at the beach, mountains or just a pool.
Well things have not slowed here at the Association. In fact, we are probably more active and involved than in any time in the recent past. Therefore I am going to take this opportunity to tell you about many of the activities and projects the association is working right now.
There is a lot going on! If after reading about the projects you want to learn more go the Association's website News Center.
[Dragoon Uniforms 1847]
First let me address the "Fallen Soldiers Memorial"
The Regiment is now deployed North and East of Baghdad where day time
temperatures are soaring to 110-115 degrees Fahrenheit. And, while the news is
generally good, the Regiment has not been free of casualties and injuries. In
fact, just this week we lost another trooper to an IED.
The Regiment
remains very much in a fight!
Sadly this
makes 28 of our brothers who have given the ultimate sacrifice during this tour
of duty in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As most of you know, this is not the 2d
Cavalry Regiment's first tour in Iraq and approximately twenty
soldiers were lost in the previous tour
The
Regiment's reorganization to a Stryker unit after the first tour of duty and the
subsequent hustle and bustle of new equipment training resulted in the fact that
no permanent memorial was raised to these brave young soldiers. This became a
matter of deep concern to all of us.
Now
we are correcting that issue. The Regimental Command Sergeant Major, Victor
Martinez, has led the charge for a permanent memorial. Your Association
immediately stepped up with the promise of support. The entire Regimental
Command Team, your Board spearheaded by our fund raising committee of Bill
Bewley and Chris Golden, with the assistance of the 72d Colonel, BG Brad May,
and the Dragoon Foundation is seeking your donations for a permanent memorial to
all 2d Cavalry troopers killed in OIF.
I
am truly proud of all the hard work and commitment that the Regiment, this
Association and the Dragoon Foundation are putting into creating a world class
memorial for our fallen comrades. The memorial project will consist of the
memorial, a park lined with trees representing each of our fallen brothers and
two historical armor vehicles provided by the Grafenwoehr Post and Training
Command.
The cost to construct the memorial itself is approximately
$30,000. To date the joint efforts of our Association, the Regiment and the
Dragoon Foundation have raised approximately
$15,000.
The
challenge is to raise the remainder in time to complete construction by
November.
I am asking you to help.
Can you please
contribute what it might cost to take a trooper to dinner if you had that
opportunity? A good steak and a beer (or two) might run you about $100. Or,
perhaps you would consider giving a tank of gasoline $60-75?
No gift is too
small to make a difference and any gift is appreciated.
For those who can afford
more, remember, we are registered with the IRS and your contribution is tax
deductible.
Why not contribute on line right now?
The "Dragoon Foundation"
I wanted to let you know that there is a brand new organization supporting the Regiment and its families in a very direct way. It is the recently formed "Dragoon Foundation". You can learn more details on the Associations website News Center.
Supporting Our Wounded Warriors
Sam Palmer and his band of voluteers continue to support the Regiment's wounded here in Washington and throughout the United States. If you would like to volunteer your time please email Sam Palmer. Sam, thank you from all of us.
The On Line Gift Store
The Association's on line gift shop will open soon. We are currently offering the "Cavalry Kit" to our young soldiers who have won their combat spurs and will be looking to dress the part. The "Kit" consists of a real honest to goodness Stetson Cavalry hat, unit insignia, cord, spurs and straps at a discounted price of $180. The price includes a two year membership in the Association. The individual components will also be offered to members at a 10% discount. For more information check the Association Website or contact Bill Heidner
On Line Membership Site
We also recently opened our On Line Membership site. On this site anyone wishing to join the association can now do so on line and pay with MasterCharge of Visa. If you have questions on membership or the on line site contact Frank Hurd.
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Memorial Monument Finances
Please consider a generous tax deductible donation to the memorial fund. You can make your donation on line at On Line Memorial Donation or if you prefer to donate by check please make the check out to "2d Cavalry Association Memorial Fund" and mail it to:
Bill Bewley
3115 Windsong Drive
Oakton, VA 22124
Thank you in advance for your generous support.
Homecoming and Memorial Ceremony
On November 25th of this year, at approximately 9 AM the official homecoming ceremony for the 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment will be held at Rose Barracks, Vilseck, Germany.
Your association has established the Angerer Hotel in downtown Vilseck as our headquarters. We welcome you all to join us. If you would like more information please go to Dragoons
Site
Following the Homecoming Ceremony we will dedicate a permanent Memorial to our fallen brothers lost in Operation Iraqi Freedom tours one and two.
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