BelvoirDMS
Defense Mapping School
News Archive
6 Mar 2018
Greetings T3 Folks -
May 11th is not too far away. If you would like to join us for our only 100th Year Anniversary ever please let me know ASAP. I’m right at fifty now and that doesn’t include folks still at the Agency or hardly any of the local gang. Sadly I still don’t have the cost down but am guessing it to be between $25-$35 a head. If I don’t get any more info soon its liable to be my head that is being served. There is still the possibility it will be at the O Club on post. Ray Chapman has been looking into O Club possibilities. Camp Humphries broke ground in 1918 right at the Belvoir Plantation hence the name Fort Belvoir. I guess there is something I don’t know as the post celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2012. They have a large historical library with all kind of documentation and all I have is one CD, a 1918 copy of “The Castle” our school printed then, a set of “The Contour” and some old memories so I guess they know better. Our school started May 11th, 1918 based on the info in “The Castle”, the post newspaper. Once the Engineer School vacated Fort Belvoir the paper changed its name to “The Eagle” . What is a shame is that I have a lot of info on 1918 and nothing before and nothing after until the late 40s. OK - NEW INFO!! I started this email earlier this morning. I just got off the phone for the second time today with Jerome. Here’s the scoop - May 11th at the Agency can only be done in the evening and can be sort of a Reunion Anniversary Ball and dress would be a business casual - or on the 11th at noon the O Club on Belvoir is available and dress as far as I am concerned can be pajamas. Still don’t have the cost but I NEED TO KNOW ASAP is if either of those venue options would cause the plans for those that have already RSVP’d to have to change their availability. Hope I said that right. Jerome will also be sending out an invite from the Agency. This has been in the works now for a hundred years - it won’t happen again - so if you have any desire to see old friends or at least reminisce somewhat this is your chance. Now on with the show -
Those of us in the DC area had March winds like never before several days ago! (almost never). Trees, power lines, etc were down in a lot of locations. Personally we lost a good truck full of limbs and branches and only had one shingle get damaged and it was minor. Actually I guess saying we lost a truck load is wrong as I have the truck load to prove it in my driveway now. Technically I found a truck load spread out over my yard.
Bumped into a former DMS/College icon at the Quantico Commissary last week. A big bunch of you should remember Brenda Vincent. I thought I remembered her well until I realized I called her Barbara probably 14 times. Sorry Barbara - I mean Brenda! She looked like retirement hasn’t done her any harm at all!! Great to see her again.
Had a great meeting with Russ Gaines the week after our last dinner. Russ refuses to age. We talked about the 100th. He evidently is opting for the early retirement as he is getting out after only 38 years of service in the Army to our great nation. Russ, a Chief Warrant Officer Five, is a power horse in our Geospatial Intel field. As you may or may not know I have a flea market set up at the Virginia Bazaar in Ladysmith, Virginia. Not as a surprise to most of you but I like to talk a lot. I can’t recall talking to anyone in the GEOINT field, and I have met quite a few down there, that did not know Russ and they all had great things to say about him. I am planning on attending his retirement March 16th at the Agency. I am positive all of our T3 community wishes him the best. What I didn’t know is that he was reclassified into the mapping field. I was under the impression that he helped design the Bleau map. Great career Russ, great career! Thanks for ALL you have done!! He sent me a recent photo along with a bio which I will send to Ray Chapman, our www.belvoirdms.org web site guru for including in our site. Thanks Ray!!
Had another super conversation with Leon Combs. Leon lives in the Camp Lejeune area. Leon’s health will keep him from attending our 100th. If all goes right I will see him in the next month or two when I drive down his way.
Also talked with Bobby Urban! Bob is just about fully healed from a nasty fall several months ago. He is planning on coming to our luncheon this coming Monday. If all goes to plan he will bring his wife Barbara with him and we’ll attempt to possibly get a bit of entertainment from her and my super vet Gene Tatum. They both participate in Barber Shop Quartet events. Hope to team them together for a song or two. Of course if Barbara doesn’t make the trip or Gene has to work it will not happen. Gene, at age 92, still substitutes teaching. He can’t predict when the call will come needing his services but I just talked to him and he said he’ll turn them down if they call. Now it’s up to Bob. Bobby??
Had a call from Stu Lobel. Stu and his bride Lisa are both now fully retired and still reside in Boca Raton Florida. He is coming up this way for a family reunion in October and hopes to attend our get together then. Stu was a great fund raiser for our annual DMS picnic while he was stationed here. I could sure use his help and skills with our 100th!!
And once again I am calling out for anyone with any contact information on anyone that ever worked for our school/college. I only have about 120 email addresses out of almost 2000 folks that served is so well. Please don’t assume I know who you know. Please, I need your support to make the 100th a success!! Thanks!!
Our next luncheon is this coming Monday - March 11th at the usual location, The China King Buffet in Woodbridge. It is located on the opposite side of Opitz Blvd from the Olive Garden. March is an odd numbered month so it will be lunch at around 1130 hours.
Once again I need to know if you are planning on attending our 100th. If we have it at the Agency they have “requirements” to get in the building and it takes several weeks out to get that done and approved. The paperwork is a very simple who are you and where are you type of form.
And so in advance - THANKS!!
Jack (540) 846-5413
Greetings T3 Folks -
May 11th is not too far away. If you would like to join us for our only 100th Year Anniversary ever please let me know ASAP. I’m right at fifty now and that doesn’t include folks still at the Agency or hardly any of the local gang. Sadly I still don’t have the cost down but am guessing it to be between $25-$35 a head. If I don’t get any more info soon its liable to be my head that is being served. There is still the possibility it will be at the O Club on post. Ray Chapman has been looking into O Club possibilities. Camp Humphries broke ground in 1918 right at the Belvoir Plantation hence the name Fort Belvoir. I guess there is something I don’t know as the post celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2012. They have a large historical library with all kind of documentation and all I have is one CD, a 1918 copy of “The Castle” our school printed then, a set of “The Contour” and some old memories so I guess they know better. Our school started May 11th, 1918 based on the info in “The Castle”, the post newspaper. Once the Engineer School vacated Fort Belvoir the paper changed its name to “The Eagle” . What is a shame is that I have a lot of info on 1918 and nothing before and nothing after until the late 40s. OK - NEW INFO!! I started this email earlier this morning. I just got off the phone for the second time today with Jerome. Here’s the scoop - May 11th at the Agency can only be done in the evening and can be sort of a Reunion Anniversary Ball and dress would be a business casual - or on the 11th at noon the O Club on Belvoir is available and dress as far as I am concerned can be pajamas. Still don’t have the cost but I NEED TO KNOW ASAP is if either of those venue options would cause the plans for those that have already RSVP’d to have to change their availability. Hope I said that right. Jerome will also be sending out an invite from the Agency. This has been in the works now for a hundred years - it won’t happen again - so if you have any desire to see old friends or at least reminisce somewhat this is your chance. Now on with the show -
Those of us in the DC area had March winds like never before several days ago! (almost never). Trees, power lines, etc were down in a lot of locations. Personally we lost a good truck full of limbs and branches and only had one shingle get damaged and it was minor. Actually I guess saying we lost a truck load is wrong as I have the truck load to prove it in my driveway now. Technically I found a truck load spread out over my yard.
Bumped into a former DMS/College icon at the Quantico Commissary last week. A big bunch of you should remember Brenda Vincent. I thought I remembered her well until I realized I called her Barbara probably 14 times. Sorry Barbara - I mean Brenda! She looked like retirement hasn’t done her any harm at all!! Great to see her again.
Had a great meeting with Russ Gaines the week after our last dinner. Russ refuses to age. We talked about the 100th. He evidently is opting for the early retirement as he is getting out after only 38 years of service in the Army to our great nation. Russ, a Chief Warrant Officer Five, is a power horse in our Geospatial Intel field. As you may or may not know I have a flea market set up at the Virginia Bazaar in Ladysmith, Virginia. Not as a surprise to most of you but I like to talk a lot. I can’t recall talking to anyone in the GEOINT field, and I have met quite a few down there, that did not know Russ and they all had great things to say about him. I am planning on attending his retirement March 16th at the Agency. I am positive all of our T3 community wishes him the best. What I didn’t know is that he was reclassified into the mapping field. I was under the impression that he helped design the Bleau map. Great career Russ, great career! Thanks for ALL you have done!! He sent me a recent photo along with a bio which I will send to Ray Chapman, our www.belvoirdms.org web site guru for including in our site. Thanks Ray!!
Had another super conversation with Leon Combs. Leon lives in the Camp Lejeune area. Leon’s health will keep him from attending our 100th. If all goes right I will see him in the next month or two when I drive down his way.
Also talked with Bobby Urban! Bob is just about fully healed from a nasty fall several months ago. He is planning on coming to our luncheon this coming Monday. If all goes to plan he will bring his wife Barbara with him and we’ll attempt to possibly get a bit of entertainment from her and my super vet Gene Tatum. They both participate in Barber Shop Quartet events. Hope to team them together for a song or two. Of course if Barbara doesn’t make the trip or Gene has to work it will not happen. Gene, at age 92, still substitutes teaching. He can’t predict when the call will come needing his services but I just talked to him and he said he’ll turn them down if they call. Now it’s up to Bob. Bobby??
Had a call from Stu Lobel. Stu and his bride Lisa are both now fully retired and still reside in Boca Raton Florida. He is coming up this way for a family reunion in October and hopes to attend our get together then. Stu was a great fund raiser for our annual DMS picnic while he was stationed here. I could sure use his help and skills with our 100th!!
And once again I am calling out for anyone with any contact information on anyone that ever worked for our school/college. I only have about 120 email addresses out of almost 2000 folks that served is so well. Please don’t assume I know who you know. Please, I need your support to make the 100th a success!! Thanks!!
Our next luncheon is this coming Monday - March 11th at the usual location, The China King Buffet in Woodbridge. It is located on the opposite side of Opitz Blvd from the Olive Garden. March is an odd numbered month so it will be lunch at around 1130 hours.
Once again I need to know if you are planning on attending our 100th. If we have it at the Agency they have “requirements” to get in the building and it takes several weeks out to get that done and approved. The paperwork is a very simple who are you and where are you type of form.
And so in advance - THANKS!!
Jack (540) 846-5413