87th APS Association Aerial Reporter Newsletter May 18 2018 87apsa@gmail.com www.87apsa.com Page 1

Hello Everyone,

It is time again to shake

off the winter doldrums

and start gearing up for

summer. Foremost on that

summer to-do-list is the

Association’s 2018 reunion at the Holiday

Inn Fairborn, August 9 – 12,

2018. The Holiday Inn ad-

dress and Reunion Registra-

tion form you will find in the

pages of this Newsletter.

Handicap rooms are available at the Holiday

Inn so please let them know when you call to

make your reservations if you want a Handi-

cap room. The room rate is $109.00 per night

and that includes free breakfast buffet for

each person (2 per room). Please call 937-

426-7800 before July 13, to make your

room reservations. You must tell them

your reservation is for the 87th APSA to re-

ceive the group rate and our room block is

credited with your reservation. This is very

important. We must have 12 rooms per night

minimum or we will have to pay for extras

that we need, like the Hospitality room.

The Association officers have held our first

reunion planning meeting and preparations

are being made for another successful reun-

ion.

The reunion has been moved closer to

WPAFB. We have done this because the at-

tendees at the 2017 reunion voted to move

the 2018 reunion to the WPAFB area with

the hope and expectation that the attendee

number would be bigger. Our goal is 80

members and guests to attend this year.

The Holiday Inn is a good location with sev-

eral restaurants and entertainment venues

closer than when we were at the Hope Hotel.

And of course there is always the Air Force

Museum with the new Global Reach Gallery

that is now open. This new Gallery has the

Hanoi Taxi C-141 on display as well as a C-

130E.

Please mail your completed reunion registra-

tion to: 87th APSA P O Box 15585, Coving-

ton, Ky. 41015, as soon as possible so we can

start completing the logistical concerns found

at every reunion.

Until Next Time,

Charlie

Recommended Read:

Dick Cole’s War, Doo-

little Raider Hump Pilot

Air Commando; Author

Dennis R. Okerstrom

87th APS

Association

87th APS Association Aerial Reporter Newsletter May 18 2018 87apsa@gmail.com www.87apsa.com Page 2

PORT DOG CHALLENGE

Association members were

extended an invitation from

Major Borden, Commander

87th APS, to attend the Port

Dog Challenge on 5 May

2018.

Our members conducted a

mentor session with the

members of the 87th for one

hour then acted as judges for

the competition. The tasks in

the competition were very

familiar to all of us: Pallet

building, Top net only pallet,

2 Pallet train using chains

and devices, Vehicle tie

down, and MHE obstacle

course.

There were 8 teams of 6 -10

members per team and

points were deducted from

each teams overall score for

discrepancies found in each

task. The competition lasted

for about 5 hours.

This was a well thought-out

and coordinated competi-

tion. Our POC was Capt. Dan

McFadden and MSgt Jon

Webber and they were in-

strumental in the invitation

to the APSA because they

knew our mem-

bers are an un-

tapped reservoir

of many years of

knowledge and

experience and

could act as im-

partial judges.

The take-away for each Asso-

ciation judge was that the

87th APS is in great shape.

Every team performed each

task with very few, if any, dis-

crepancies. The espirit-de-

corps was evident to all of

us. Each team was eager to

perform the tasks better

than the other teams.

The 445th Wing Public Affairs

Officer was in attendance to

write a story on the competi-

tion and hopefully the 87th

APSA will receive an honora-

ble mention in her story.

Major Borden and Capt

McFadden informed me that

the 87th will probably con-

duct another Port Dog Chal-

lenge later in the year and

the Association was invited

back. I assured them that the

Association’s members will

be as eager to participate as

we were this time. Every

member that volunteered for

the Challenge on May 5 has

indicated they would partici-

pate again.

I would like to thank those

members for committing a

Saturday to help the 87th

and the Association. They

are; Ron Dale, Kevin William-

son, Steve Knorr, Rich War-

ren, Dave Hampton, Ron

Thomas, Larry “More-man”

Moorman, Paul Wright, Ter-

ry Scott and Ralph Smith.

This is what it’s all about,

the reason the Association

was formed. To come togeth-

er as friends and comrades

and participate together in

activities like the Annual Re-

union, Grill-out for the

Troops, Fisher House Part-

nership, Port Dog Competi-

tions and just staying in

touch with one another.

Charlie

87th APS Association Aerial Reporter Newsletter May 18 2018 87apsa@gmail.com www.87apsa.com Page 3

This is what it’s all about, the reason the Association was formed. To come together as friends and comrades and participate together in activities like the Annual Reunion, Grill-out for the Troops, Fisher House Partnership, Port Dog Competitions and just stay-ing in touch with one another.

New 87th Challenge Coins

87th APS Association Aerial Reporter Newsletter May 18 2018 87apsa@gmail.com www.87apsa.com Page 4

Staying In Touch We have prime contacts that have volun-teered to help us keep in touch with our members. They call the members to touch base. If they hear on anyone in the hospital or in extended care, they will let us know and we will send a get well card. If they are close by some members may try to stop in for a visit. Retirements TSgt Shawntel Golden Jan 26, 2018 SMSgt Cleve Samuel Feb 10, 2018 TSgt Rufus Vaughn Jun 11, 2018 TSgt Philip Francis Sep 1, 2018 MSgt Tony Errett Oct 13, 2018 TSgt Herman Frilling Dec 10,2018 MSgt Elisa Haid Apr 7,2019 Reunion Website sail2camp.wixsite.com/87apsa

87th APS Association, P.O. Box 15585 Covington, KY 41015

Officer Position Open The Chaplain’s position is open and needs to be filled. You can review the responsibilities of this of-fice by going on our web site and read the By-Laws. In short a Chaplain needs access to the in-ternet, Facebook, be able to mail cards to the ill and bereaved, order flowers to be sent or make monetary contributions to organizations like Hospice and then sub-mit receipts to the Treasurer for reim-bursement, invoke the Blessing at Banquet dinners etc… Please let me know if you would be inter-ested in filling this very important posi-

tion. You must be a paid up dues member to fill any Officer position. Reunion Info Holiday Inn 2800 Presidential Drive Beavercreek, OH 45324 937-426-7800 $109 per Night—Breakfast included

Call before July 13th to get this rate.