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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE
Richard C. Schonberger
1st ABG, 327th Inf,; Ft Campbell, KY, 2nd Bn 327th Inf Abn
VN, 2nd Bn 502 Inf Abn, VN, and HQS XVIII Abn Corps
Fellow Screaming Eagles, Iris with a great deal of pride and much humility that I
assume the presidency of your Association. [would first like to express my appreciation to
out-going President Jim Brennen, the Board of Governors, and the hard working committees
who have carried out the business of the Association throughout the past year. I expect to
build on their efforts as we tackle the challenges facing the Association. And we do have
challenges! These include the status of Association finances, membership, and the
proliferation of separate Screaming Eagle organizations which provide alternatives to the
Association. We have developed a game plan to meet these challenges, and will be
addressing them as the year progresses.
I, like most others, feel that anyone who ever wore the Screaming Eagle patch has a home,
and should feel at home, in this Association. We will be reaching out to address the
mutual interests and traditions we share with the other organizations, with the
expectation we can build upon these relationships in the future.
Jim Brennen has eloquen4y outlined the financial status of the Association in his past
messages. If we are going to be able to support the various initiatives for new programs
and activities, we are going to have to do more than meet our obligations. I have asked
the Planning Committee, in conjunction with the Finance Committee, to devise fund raising
activities to increase our positive cash flow and discretionary income. Your support for
these activities is essential if we are to develop financial flexibility in supporting
Association goals. while composing this message, I was made aware of a generous bequest to
the Association in the will of Matthew Butorayac, 502 PIR, WWII. I would like to take this
opportunity to express our condolences and also our appreciation to the Butorayac family
for the generous bequest. For those who can, this is a truly effective way to perpetuate
our Association and the heritage for which it stands.
The Membership Committee will be working on initiatives to increase membership, but you,
the members, are our best recruiters. There are lots of "lost" Eagles out there
to be found! Let's bring them on home. I firmly believe the best way to gain new members
is to have activities and functions that members enjoy and in which they want to
participate. This applies to national activities as well as to the chapters. I urge the
chapters, as we will do at national, to relook at our activities to see where we can make
them more user friendly and events in which all Eagles will enjoy participating.
On behalf of all those veterans who attended Gathering of the Eagles, I would like to
thank MG Clark, the officers, the NCOs, and the troopers of the Division for their
outstanding operations and support to the veterans throughout the weekend. Every Screaming
Eagle veteran should experience the opportunity to pass in review before the entire
Division, then witness those outstanding young soldiers reply in kind. We are planning the
Year 2000 reunion at Fort Campbell in conjunction with the Gathering of Eagles. This will
be a spectacular event, don't be left out!
To the chapters, 1 would like to ask that you identify functions that you'd like the
President and/or Vice President to attend. Vinnie Vicati and I will support to the extent
we can. To the members, I~would ask that you get involved, and stay involved, with you
Association. It is only as good as we want it to be. If you have suggestions or problems,
do not hesitate to contact me, or better yet, your unit governor who represents your
interests. With your support, we can continue to build upon the proud history and
traditions that have made this Association great. I look forward to serving you this
coming year.
Airborne/Air Assault
Richard C Schonberger
President
The Screaming Eagle, September-October 1998
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