Meeting Minutes August 2025
1. The Shipmates monthly meeting of FRA Branch 208, Camp Lejeune, NC was called to order at 1830 on 12 August 2025 by Shipmate President Raymond Applewhite.
2. The Pledge of Allegiance, Opening Prayer and Preamble to the FRA Constitution were recited by all Shipmates present.
3. The following Shipmates were present:
Raymond Applewhite – President
Jerry Gray – Master-at-Arms
Paul H. Miethker – Secretary
Luis Alers – Chairman, Board of Directors
George Cleveland
Al Farrell
Paul Levesque
Tom Punda
Steve Tracy
Darrell Taylor
The following guests were present:
N/A
4. NEW SHIPMATES
N/A
5. MINUTES
The Minutes were accepted with 1 correction made.
6. FINANCIAL REPORT
The financial report was accepted as given pending audit.
7. COMMUNICATIONS
- S/M Secretary Miethker indicated the Branch received the following:
- List of paid S/M’s for Aug 25 from National HQ.
(2) List of deceased S/M’s for Aug 25 from National HQ
(3) Letter from the Salvation Army requesting a monetary donation.
(4) Letter from Special Olympics, North Carolina requesting a monetary donation.
(5) Letter from the family of S/M Donald Broussard thanking the Branch for the flower arrangement for his funeral and the Branches attendance.
(6) Letter from S/M S.D. Martin, FRA Branch 163 announcing his running for the FRA National Vice-President. He requested the Branch’s endorsement.
8. OLD BUSINESS
- The Branch appreciation letter for the MCB Commissary will be presented soon. We are
waiting to hear back from the commissary on a good day to present the letter.
- The Branch asked for volunteers for the By-Laws Committee to review the FRA Branch
208 By-Laws and present their recommendations to the Branch when the review is complete. The committee consists of S/M’s Alers (Chairman), S/M Cleveland, S/M Punda, and S/M Taylor. S/M Alers requested that he receive any recommended changes by 26 Aug 25 at Luis.Alers@USMC.MIL
- S/M President Applewhite, informed the Branch that he is still waiting to hear back from
the various civilian police departments for a date and time for the Branch, Coffee-With-A-Cop Program.
- S/M Secretary Miethker informed the Branch that he had a meeting with Chris Mobley,
Recreation Coordinator, City of Jacksonville, Recreation Department about the Branch sponsorship of 2 youth athletic teams. Corrections to the Branch point of contact were made. The season schedule will be mailed out to the correct address and S/M Secretary Miethker will also pick-up a schedule at the Recreation Office.
- S/M Tracy updated the Branch on the winning ticket from the FRA Beach Package Raffle
drawn at the Jul 25 monthly meeting. Due to a negative response, a new drawing was held. Mr. Jose Cuellar (S.M Punda’s Son-In-Law) is the new winner. S/M Punda will deliver the package.
- The Branch budget review was tabled until S/M Hill (Branch Treasurer) was available.
9. NEW BUSINESS
a. The Branch has submitted a request to be sanctioned under Article 1216(a) of the FRA Constitution and By-Laws, allowing the Branch to operate with a reduced number of elected officers. Scheduled for vote during the East Coast Regional Convention.
b. An updated Branch membership roster will be sent to Shipmates. The roster will be a password protected document.
- The next scheduled Quarterly Road-Side-Cleanup is 18 October 2025 at 0730.
- FRA National President S/M Mara Behm is planning on attending a Branch monthly
meeting later this year.
10. GOOD OF THE ORDER.
- First Saturday of the month: Reading of the North Carolina POW/MIA Names, Vietnam
Memorial, Lejeune Memorial Gardens @ 1200.
- Every Friday, Veterans Coffee, Lowe’s Foods, Cape Carteret @ 0800.
- Second Saturday of the month, Navy Retired Chiefs Breakfast, Jacksonville Golden
Corral @ 0830
- Retiree Breakfast, Hilton Garden Inn, 23 Aug 25 @0700
- Afghanistan withdrawal memorial service, Lejeune Memorial Gardens 26 Aug 25 @1830.
- MCB CL Retiree Appreciation Day, Marston Pavilion, 27 Sep 25 @ 0900-1400
- Beirut Memorial Observance, Lejeune Memorial Gardens, 22 Oct 25 @ 1030
- City of Jacksonville Veterans Day parade, CCCC, 8 Nov 25 @ 1000
- Regiment of Retired Marines Ball, 8 Nov 25, New Bern Convention Center @ 1730 Tickets only available online at VETERANBALL.COM
- S/M Steve Tracy briefed the Shipmates on his retreat at the House in the Woods Retreat
Center, Lee, Maine. It is a nonprofit organization offering outdoor programs to bring together small groups of active-duty military, veterans, and their family members to relax, share, bond, and deal with the stress, loss, grief, and other emotions which can haunt the grieving soul.
- S/M Paul Levesque brief Shipmates on the latest MRC meeting.
(1) Naval Medical Center Camp Lejeune Pharmacy closed until roof is fixed.
(2) Base CG and Sergeant Major aware of no standardization of Military Funerals. If you attend a military funeral please provide your feedback of the support that was present.
(3) Grand Marshall nominations for the Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade are due 1 Oct 25.
- S/M President Applewhite ask if we could get the word to our churches and
organization on supporting the reading of the North Carolina POW/MIA Names, at the Vietnam Memorial, Lejeune Memorial Gardens the first Saturday of the month at 1200.
- S/M Cleveland briefed the Branch on the SgtMaj Joe Houle Pickleball Tournament 23
Aug 25, Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center 0800-TBD.
11. BIRTHDAYS
Michael Lentz – 8 Aug
Randall Pence – 11 Aug
Lewis Dadisman – 17 Aug
Frank Doyle – 19 Aug
Alexander Nevgloski – 22 Aug
Tom Punda – 24 Aug
Fred Schiedeck – 26 Aug
Martin Johnson – 27 Aug
Dennis Carveny – 29 Aug
Joseph Waltz – 31 Aug.
12. TWO BELL CEREMONY
Charles O. Johnson, III, GySgt, USMC, RET. DoD: 28 Dec 24.
Donald J. Brussard, SSgt, USMC, RET. DoD: 6 Jul 25.
13. There being no further business, a motion was made to adjourn. The Closing Prayer was recited, and honors rendered to the American Flag. The meeting was adjourned at 1925. The next meeting will be held on 9 September 2025 @ 1830 at DAV Chapter 16 Building Jacksonville, NC.
Paul H. Miethker
Shipmate Secretary