Conv-Commemorative Partner

From: Supple, John P LCDR USN NHHC WASHINGTON DC (US)

Date: June 18, 2015

Subject: Vietnam War Commemoration - Contact US (Sent to WHS Pentagon WSO Mailbox VNWar50th CPP Events)

Mr. White,
That sounds like a great program! The answer is that we used to do that, but we don't anymore. In fact we are in the process of getting a new website, and we actually plan to get rid of the links page that we have there now. What we would like to do with the new website, is give our commemorative partners (CPs) the option to make their contact information public. So if your group becomes a partner (and I highly recommend it, because it will really help both of our missions), when we have the new site, you will be able to put up your website on our page.
Hope that helps!
Best regards, John
LCDR John Supple Navy Liaison The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration
www.vietnamwar50th.com

From: Jim White

Date: June 15, 2015

Subject: Vietnam War Commemoration - Contact US (Sent to WHS Pentagon WSO Mailbox VNWar50th CPP Events)

I was with AFVN (American Forces Vietnam Network) from July 1970 to June 1971 as the Admin NCO. Currently I am the webmaster for AFVNVETS.NET, a website designed to collect and present information about AFVN as a unit as well as stories and photos from the many individuals who were assigned to this unit from 1962 through 1972. It is supported by those of us who are members of AFVN@Yahoogroups.com.

I learned about your website while attending a Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony at Camp Zama, Japan, on May 12th, 2015. I wonder if you already have or have ever considering setting up a section of links to websites such as the one I am running. Respectfully,

Jim White

SGM (Ret'd), USArmy

Vietnam War Commemorative Partner

June - July 2015

AFVN Group Conversations

From: Jim White

Date: July 9, 2015

Subject: Forward: Vietnam War Commemoration - Contact Us

Commander Supple,
It has been about three weeks, so with all due respect, I wonder if you have an answer to my question at the end of the first message below.
Respectfully yours,
Jim White

NOTE: No reply as of August 3, 2015. JimW

From: Ken Kalish

Date: June 19, 2015

Subject: Vietnam War Commemoration

Ken...you want to be chairman of all Commemorative activities for us?...and see if we can tie into anything in the coming year? Dickie

From: Ken Kalish

Date: June 19, 2015

Subject: Vietnam War Commemoration

Interesting information, Jim. So, is we is or is we ain’t an “organization” as defined by out good Navy friends?
Ken

From: Jim White (Courtesy copies sent to Dick Ellis, Ken Kalish and Bob Morecook)

Date: June 18, 2015

Subject: Vietnam War Commemoration - Contact US

Thank you for your quick reply. I saw your Commemorative Partners page the other day and wondered if it might a possibility.
One problem, however, is that we are not an "organization" such as the VFW or XXX Historical Society, etc. As a group, we exist on on the Internet with no elected officials or even a snail mail address (other than mine). The only full-time employee is the Webmaster--me. (Smile! I am retired from all gainful employment but spend hours working on the AFVN website at a negative salary because I personally pay the costs for a place (URL) on the web, HTML editing software, etc.) All we really have is possibly 400+ of the 1,200 or more of us who with AFVN between 1962 and 1973 signed up to AFVN@yahoogroups.com so we can exchange information and other things via email. In summary we exist only as a collection of bits and bytes somewhere in space.
We do have occasional reunions. Sporadically at first, but for 2012, 2014 and now 2016 (planned) they are being held on a more regularly. Normally, only 50 or so attend at any one time but that is understandable since we are spread all over the United States with even a few of us living abroad. And, even though they are always a group of Vietnam veterans getting together to learn to know and honor each other, they have never been specifically planned to fulfill the the first of the Congressionally-mandated objectives.
All this having been said, would AFVN be at all eligible to be a Commemorative Partner?
Respectfully yours,
Jim White