The President's Corner

                  This is my first article as your president. I am very excited in taking the helm at a
             time when our membership is growing so rapidly.  There are nearly 1,600 former
             Foo Dogs that have been found. Rich Ruyle has been doing a great job tracking
             down our elusive Foo brothers and sisters.
             
                  We have a reunion coming up.  The board will be making a decision
             sometime in the coming months, but it looks like it will not occur until the Summer
             of  2000.  There were many responses to an inquiry from Rich Ruyle and some interest 
             was shown in meeting in 1999 but no one stepped forward to take charge 
             and I am not available for this duty until the year 2000.  

                  As far as where to have the reunion, the responses were quite varied,
             from "anywhere, anytime,"  to "San Diego again", to  "let's try the
             East coast again."  There were too many suggestions to list.

                   There were a fair number of votes for Las Vegas which is a strong
             possibility for a future reunion.  I think we owe it to our East coast members
             though to find something in their region, perhaps Virginia Beach, Pensacola
             or Charleston.  Several calls asked "How about the Reno Air Races; How about
             the Oshkosh Fly In."

                  We want to provide interesting reunion festivities. What would you like 
             to see at our next reunion?  Are their any activities, movies, pictures,  memorabilia,
            guest  speakers, etc., that would make the reunion a little more  enjoyable for you?
               We already  have a  lessons learned file from last  year. How much would you be willing
             to spend on a reunion?

                  Personally, I would like to see a trivia  contest of some kind, so please send
             me your best bit of VRC-50 trivia and I will compile it for the reunion. 
             I would also like to see more VRC-50  memorabilia to stir the old memories. 
             The problem is  transportation to the reunion site-  but I'm working on it.

                  I am writing this -  during a huge thunderstorm -  I am  reminded of the
             terrible floods some of you may have had in the midwest.  Remember the rainy
             season in the Philippines?  I remember during our indoctrination when the 
             meteorologist spoke to us and said  that the average rainfall in August was
             over 100 inches. What about the Binictican yacht club - whcih was actually the golf
             course -  all the lower holes would  flood and  cover the road.  Then there were the
             mud slides, the road closings, six inches of standing water on the ramp. 
             Pilots and aircrews, do you  remember the storms that just seemed to welcome you
             to the Philippines in the summer on every trip back from Japan or Guam?  
             The old Laoag Boys and the Jomalig Giants were always there to greet you! 
             Does anyone remember going to  Manila and requesting clearance only to be
             told, "You're cleared for  whatever you want."
             
                  Ah, those were the days!  If you have a memory you would like to share,  please 
            send our fine newsletter editor Roddy Crook a letter or an e-mail with  your anecdote.
             
                  It has been suggested that we use e-mail to send our  newsletter to those so equipped. 
             This could save the association some money on printing and postage. It would be
             sent as a Microsoft Word 6.0 file.  If you are compatable with this and would prefer
             to receive the newsletter in this manner, contact Rich Ruyle and get your name
             on the e-mail distribution list.

                  It's that time of the year, dues are due.  Some of you would  probably like to
             know what the dues are used for.  Well, first and foremost, is the publication  and 
             distribution of the newsletter as well as other postage  costs, our annual
             corporation registration renewal,  some working capital to  purchase t-shirts
             and ball caps for later sale, and then some seed money to get  deposits down
             for the next reunion before individual checks start coming in. 

                 Would you like to see a treasurer's report on a regular basis?  I'm sure Rich  
             can give a  quick update in each newsletter to let you all know where we stand.    
             Let me know what you desire.         
             
                  Our organization was originally founded in the state of Florida 
             because that's where Clint Staples- our first president - resided.  Clint will be 
             moving out of Florida and we will have to register in a different state.  Is 
             anyone familiar  with the laws of their state in this regard?  I need to
             know if their are any advantages of one state over another.  If not, I will register
             in North Carolina where I live and we can  transfer each time the office of
             President changes.
             
                I would like to challenge you to name as many locations that 
             VRC-50 aircraft have visited or been stationed as you can, from its establishment 
             to its disestablishment.  I will give a free VRC-50 baseball cap to the person who submits
             the most complete list. Stay tuned for the results.   Send your list to me at:
             
             Walt Milowic
             717 Currituck Dr.
             Raleigh, NC   27609
             e-mail - [email protected]