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Meeting Minutes November 2025

1.  The Shipmates monthly meeting of FRA Branch 208, Camp Lejeune, NC was called to order at 1830 on 11 November 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:

     Luis Alers – Chairman Board of Directors

     Raymond Applewhite – President

     George Cleveland

     Gerald Gray – Master At Arms

     James Hill – Treasurer

     Tim Manchester – PAO

     Paul H. Miethker – Secretary

     Alexander Nevgloski – Chaplain

     John Rooney

     Michael Rooney

     Darrell Taylor

The following guests were present:

      N/A

4. NEW SHIPMATES

     N/A

5. MINUTES

     October 2025 minutes were accepted as written.

6.   FINANCIAL REPORT                                  

          The financial report was accepted as given pending audit. 

7.  COMMUNICATIONS

  1. S/M Secretary Miethker indicated the Branch received the following:
  • List of paid S/M’s for Nov 25 from National HQ.

           (2)  List of deceased S/M’s for Nov 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 RPEC Oliveira with 4 Streamers that the Branch won during the last FRA fiscal year.

8.  OLD BUSINESS

  1. The Branch appreciation letter for the MCB Commissary will be presented soon. We are

Still waiting to hear back from the commissary on a good day to present the letter.

  • Branch By-Laws final approved revision was completed and will be signed by the Branch

President and Branch Secretary and then provided to all current Branch Shipmates.

  • S/M President Applewhite, updated 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 President Applewhite has been in contact with FRA National President S/M Mara

Behm about her possibly attending a Branch meeting soon.

  • The December 2025 meeting will be our Annual Holiday Dinner at the Jacksonville

Golden Corral at 1800.  Shipmates are encouraged to bring spouses or significant others.

Please bring a new unwrapped toy for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys-for-Tots Program and canned or dry food for the Onslow County Food Bank.

  • The Branch budget was reviewed and approved as presented.
  • The Branch voted to purchase one (1) long sleeve Blue Polo Shirt with the Branch Logo

      and S/M’s Name for active Branch Shipmates.  S/M Secretary Miethker will compile the list

      and place the order.

  • S/M President Applewhite is scheduling a date and time to deliver the Branch’s Annual

Donation of $300.00 to the Onslow County Soup Kitchen, Christmas Cheer, Onslow Community Ministries. As well as purchasing $300.00 worth of turkeys for the Annual USO Thanksgiving turkey dinner giveaway. The date and time will be announced soon.

 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.  The motion passed at the FRA National HQ Convention.

      b. An updated Branch membership roster will be sent to Shipmates. The roster will be a password protected document.

  1. The next scheduled Quarterly Road-Side-Cleanup will be in January 2026 @ 0730.
  • S/M President Applewhite reminded the Branch of the Annual Christmas party on 9 Dec

25 at the Jacksonville Golden Corral @ 1800. S/M’s are requested to bring new unwrapped toys for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program and some canned food and boxed dry food for the Branch donation to the Onslow County Food Bank.

  • S/M President Applewhite gave an update on Branch S/M’s that are ill or in distress.

10.  GOOD OF THE ORDER.

  1.   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

      d.  Regiment of Retired Marines Breakfast, Hilton Garden Inn 6 Dec 25 @ 0700.

      e.  Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony, American Legion Post 265, 7 Dec 25 @ 0800

      f.  City of Swansboro Veterans Holiday Dinner, Rotary Club, 11 Dec 25 @ 1800.

      g. Wreaths Across America, Veteran State Cemetery, 13 Dec 25 @1200.

      h.  S/M Tracy reminded the Branch of Operation Chow Hound, the Gunny Claus Program, the House in the Woods veteran program and the MCL 1407 Yeti package raffle.

11. BIRTHDAYS    

Gerald Gray              3 November

Delbert Glover          4 November

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS 10 Nov 

John Caskey             11 November

Dennis Smith            14 November

George Rothermel    18 November.

12. TWO BELL CEREMONY

     N/A.

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 1930. The next meeting will be held on 9 December 2025 @ 1800 at the Golden Corral Restaurant, Jacksonville, NC.

14. After the meeting was closed the Branch held a cake cutting ceremony to honor the Marine Corps’s 250th Birthday.  S/M President Applewhite continued the tradition of delivering the left-over cake to the Camp Lejeune, NC gate guards.

                       Paul H. Miethker

                          Shipmate Secretary