BelvoirDMS
Defense Mapping School
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Defense Mapping School
105th Anniversary -- 23 October 2023
105th Anniversary -- 23 October 2023
Attendees –
Directors/Commandants – COL Dan Clark, COL Dave Maune and COL Stu Harrison
Sergeant Majors – SGM Jesus Vega and SGM Bruce Mersereau
The Invocation was done by Major John Jens who also explained the improper manner in which to get off a motorcycle.
The Pledge of Allegiance – properly performed by true patriot MGySgt Bob Urban who made the trip down from New Jersey.
Speakers –
Mr Jim Harnden – the recipient of the prestigious “I traveled the furthest to Get Nothing Award”. Jim also had the distinction of winning the vocal award for being assigned to the school house the most times, having been assigned there eight times with the first being in 1949 as a student. And although he reportedly tried harder he came in second place in the oldest to attend our reunion category (92). He was escorted by his celebrity son Danny. Danny is a Sports and News anchor at FOX8 WGHP TV n Greensboro, North Carolina. Autographs anyone?
COL Bob Wallace - Our longevity winner at 94. Bob gave us a pretty good recap of life in the late 1940 and 50’s at the school house. Mind boggling is that he used to be the Assistant to the Director in 1951. Super cool! Wish I had more time to spend with him. Other interesting history of Bob with the school was that he had promoted Jim Harnden years ago and then somewhere around 1961 talked Dave Maune into staying in the Army! Great job X2 Bob!
COL Dave Maune – A true mapping double dipper. Dave recapped mapping from the days of the large balloons used to enable aerial photographers to take aerial ground images used in mapping to the satellite imagery produced today. We’ve come a long way!! For us 105 years to be close to exact. And for Dave it was current events and on the job mapping for over half of it – sixty years of experience!!
CW3 Ed Huth – Ed brought us up to date with modern technology. And to think when I was a kid I thought the guy at the gas station made the maps!
For me one of the highlights was presented to me by COL Stu Harrison. The good Colonel knowing my fondness for any type of memorabilia of the School gave me the sign in the attached photo. I’m going to put it on display at the flea market I am set up at with the hope I may find some more alumni of our school passing through. And further hope I don’t get arrested for possessing government property. I hope that wasn’t COL Harrison’s intent. I’ll go away, just ask. Is it too late or too early to say “April Fool”? Thank you Sir!!
And for those of you who took any pictures of anyone in attendance I need pictures to send to Ray Chapman. I only took a few and on some of them I went around too fast and a good chunk of them came out blurry.
While I am thinking about it a special thanks goes to all spouses that attended. Without them who knows where some of us would have wound up.
Long Distance Travelers – Dale Cuave from Raleigh, North Carolina, Steve Cvetkovic from Pittsburgh, Pa, George Desrochers and his bride Suzanne from Swansboro (Emerald Isle), North Carolina, James “Robbie” Robertson from somewhere, Tennessee, aforementioned Jim Harnden, Phoenix, Arizona, and his son Danny from Greensboro, North Carolina. Miss anyone?
Our next mammoth reunion will either be in three or five years. First priority will be to live that long. I’m ready and willing. Hopefully the O’Club will be back open by then!! Anyway my sincere absolute thanks to all of you that attended this one. For me it was an honor to try and organize this. I had to laugh when I thought of how it was for me years ago to get anyone to react to something I said. And now I had folks that far out ranked to me to raise their arms, wave their hands and cheer when I asked them to. Sorry, but you have to have been there to understand. I owe special thanks to those of you who made extra phone calls and emails in response to my “Spread the Word” plea. I’m scared to mention names here because I may forget someone but I’ll try. Dale Cuave, Jack Haefner and Dave Maune made calls. Russ Gaines spread the word. And I’m sure others did also. If you did please let me know I missed mentioning you so that I can offer an apology in my next winded email. Other thanks is to Jim Harnden. Jim kept asking me “when” so it was him that sort of had the feather to tickle my butt and get this started. Thanks Big Jim!!
Normally in my windbag emails I would mention close encounters of the DMS kind. So here goes. A few days earlier I met with Warner “Lee” Mayden. Lee was a Navy Senior Chief when at the school some years back. I’m getting old – I can’t remember exactly when he was there even though we car pooled together. It was somewhere in the late 1990’s. Lee is doing fairly well although battling some medical issues. We had a good lunch together. And the day prior to the 105th I had dinner with Dale Cuave, Bob Urban and his girlfriend equipped grandson. Back in the employed days I would have lunch with Bob and Dale. Great reminiscing guys!!
-Jack Batt-
DMS Rocks - Bob Urban and Dale Cuave
GAD Round Table - Stan Martin, Mark "Scoop" Martin, Bob Urban and Virgil Tarry
James Robertson, Russ Gaines, and COL Dave Maune
COL Dave Maune and COL Bob Wallace
COL Bob Wallace and Mrs. Wallace, supervised by COL Dave Maune (middle)
SGM Bruce Mersereau and Bobby “aka Bobby Spoons” Urban
COL Dan Clark (R) providing wisdom to Barney Free and Ed Huth
Our ninety year olds - Jim Harnden (92) and Bob Wallace (94). Both Jim and Bob first entered our school during the 1940’s!!!
At the request of Jack Batt to “Raise your arms, wave your hands and cheer” when introduced COL Dave Maune follows orders as Garrett Moore observes.
Jim Harnden and Garrett Moore display their friendship that has lasted over forty years.
Jim Harnden, who won the verbal award for traveling the furthest (Arizona) and having the most assignments to DMS (8) talks with LTC George Desrochers whose claim to DMS fame was stepping aside as Captain Tuttle walked into the MCGOC classroom in 1982 uninvited.
Supporting Spouses: Arlene (Bill) and Elsie (Bruce) Mesereau
A bit of ancient history here - years ago a young Lieutenant Dave Maune had decided to exit the Army when Colonel Bob Wallace realized that if Dave “got out” he wouldn’t have anyone to take his picture with fifty years later. So Bob talked Dave into staying in the Army. Good decision!!
Mary Batt and Elsie Mesereau
Knowing Jack’s interest in DMS school history COL Stu Harrison presented this sign to him. Thank you Colonel!!!
Steve Cvetkovic, who drove South from Pittsburgh and Jack Batt who traveled north from Spotsylvania. Steve was our last Air Force print instructor prior to the Air Force flying out of Fort Belvoir. (Bottom). Bill Sutton - a successful DMS Double Dipper.
Bill Sutton - a successful DMS Double Dipper.
Dave Maune in an attempt to satisfy the duties of Minister tries to tell Bob Wallace that the affirmation of the statement "I do" is required over the statement "I'll try"
Survey veterans James “Robbie” Robertson and Chris Levesque rekindle their friendship.
Jack and Toni Haefner not showing any aging!
A loud cheer of relief was heard from Jack’s wife that page 214 of his comments was the last.
After fierce completion George Desrochers and Jim Hardden show off the form that won them the slow dance completion.
Guest speaker Ed Huth made a presentation on modern mapping technology after Bob Wallace, left, discussed early school house techniques and Dave Maune, right, had covered everything else
Event Photos
These were all the photos I received. Apologies to all the folks that were there but didn’t make the photo shoot.
Sincere thanks to all that came. It made all the efforts well worth while. We’ll do it again, sooner next time I hope!!! Thanks to the supporting cast especially to all that made phone calls. Thanks to Acting Reverend John Jens for presenting the Invocation and to Patriot Bob Urban leading all with the Pledge of Alligence. And thanks to Gina Lynch who checked in everyone. Sadly her picture is not here. Long live the DMS family!!
Sincere thanks to all that came. It made all the efforts well worth while. We’ll do it again, sooner next time I hope!!! Thanks to the supporting cast especially to all that made phone calls. Thanks to Acting Reverend John Jens for presenting the Invocation and to Patriot Bob Urban leading all with the Pledge of Alligence. And thanks to Gina Lynch who checked in everyone. Sadly her picture is not here. Long live the DMS family!!
if you have photos you would like to share please send them to Jack Batt jackbatt1946@outlook.com