BelvoirDMS
Defense Mapping School
News Archive
4 September 2017
Greetings T3 Buds -

The sad news first - I was notified by Herb Kressler that former DMS Warrant Officer Lester Fitzgerald had passed away.  Herb was informed by a friend.  Herb said he was unable to find an obit on Les and neither could I.  So I will apologize that I have no details of where, how or when.  Les was at DMS at least during the early eighties up in the Topographic Sciences Division (TSD) in Wheeler Hall.  I believe he was a CW2.  Condolences…..thanks Herb.

Three Way -

1.        I’ll start at the bottom and work my way up.  In the Close Encounters segment I saw three former colleagues.   The most recent is one of the few exDMSrs still employed by the Agency - Keith Voyzey visited me at the Virginia Bazaar.   Keith used to work in Logistics in Building 215.  He kept us in office and school supplies.  He has been family now since the early 90’s.  We experienced the pain of 9-11 together in his office. 
2.       You many have noticed that I didn’t say “of the DMS kind” this time.  That is because of the next two encounters.  At the same place several weeks ago I saw retired SFC Clark Johnson.  Clark used to be in our Operations as the Personnel Sergeant.  He was on loan from the Agency.  Clark is doing well.
3.       Up to the top - My wife and I took our granddaughter out to dinner to downtown Fredericksburg to celebrate her  16th birthday.  After dinner we were walking around a bit and I noticed a face that looked familiar.  Once we had eye to eye contact my beliefs were made certain.  It was Dave Broadhurst our former College Head Honcho.  I hadn’t seen Dave in perhaps a good dozen years.  He looked well and said he hoped to make one of our get togethers one day.  Hint Dave - read below for the next one!  Dave looked great.

I received an email from Ange Meoli about the next Agency Alumni Luncheon which will be Tuesday October 3rd.  The flyer is attached.  The email stated:

Subject: NGAA-East Fall Luncheon

The flyer for our annual Fall Luncheon/Meeting is attached.  Please respond as soon as possible as the event is early this year.  NGA has once again invited our members and guests to attend the GEOINT Hall of Fame 2017 Induction Ceremony, which takes place following the luncheon.  Note that the NGA briefings are unclassified (SF85 is not required.

If you have never been to the Agency’s new location this is a great opportunity.  I am going to give this one a try.  My bride is having knee replacement surgery the day after our next DMS luncheon so her health will be my deciding factor.

Sorry for personal stuff but I had a great jolt to my memory yesterday - one of my flea market customers actually owns a deuce and a half - a.k.a. 2 ½ ton tactical personnel carrier.  My pre DMS Army employment was as a driver of the same.  He was going to let me drive it a bit around the parking lot but evidently the seats are now closer to the driver and the steering wheel bigger so my stomach rubbed the steering wheel.  Then I was not able to raise my foot off the accelerator onto the brake without hitting the steering wheel with my knee.  So I didn’t risk eradicating cars, light poles or flea market set ups.  The attached pictures will show I am not lying.  Damn I have to lose weight.

Got an email the other day that has me questioning how weak do some people think we are.  The Company is Cheryl’s Cookies - pretty good, overly sweet, gourmet cookies.  The ad was for three dozen cookies for “only $12.95 a month for three months”.  Almost forty bucks for a pack of cookies!  And to have them financed for three months!  I’d have them gone in a setting or two and still owe them money.  Hey, for a buck sixty-nine I get a pack of vanilla crèmes with six dozen cookies in it at Dollar General.  They’ll last for…..damn, I got to lose weight.

Last item - to be filed under the “are you kidding me” category also.  I have to be careful here before I get misunderstood.  I have seen women putting on make-up while driving, someone reading while driving (guilty), texting while driving, texting while riding a bike, etc.  I thought the one that someone told me about someone doing face time on an i-phone using sign language while driving was the worst until this one.  (Careful Jack)  This one was in a Wal-Mart.  In the men’s room.  A gent standing at a urinal where I presumed he was doing what guys do when standing in front of  a urinal is a men’s room in a Wal-Mart…..texting…..I hope he wasn’t using face time.  Sorry, I thought it was almost worth mentioning.

Now business - next luncheon is the sixteenth Anniversary of 9-11.  September is an odd numbered month so we meet for lunch.  Same place - China King Buffet across from Potomac Mills in Woodbridge around 1130 hours or so.  Hope that if it fits your schedule and is logistically possible you join us.  We have been averaging a dozen or so.   September 11th - China King - be there!  (please?)


                                Jack (540-846-5413)
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