View the "Then and Now" photo album of Central Florida Marines
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Links
The 1st Marines Division Association
The North-East Florida Chapter of the 1st Marines Division Association
The 1/5 Vietnam Veterans Unit Chapter of the 1st Marines Division Association
Upcoming Events:
- December 6, 10:30 am | Chapter meeting, VFW Post 2093 (4444 Edgewater Dr.)
Our December Meeting Speaker:
Sgt. Maj. John Estrada, USMC (ret.)
Sergeant Major of the USMC, 2003-2005
Sergeant Major Estrada immigrated to this country from Trinidad at the age of 12. He went to Marine Corps boot camp at Parris Island in 1975 and from there went to aircraft maintenance schools. He later returned to Parris Island as a Drill Instructor and returned there again as a 1st Sergeant Drill Master. His duty stations with the air wing took him to Iwakuni, Japan; Yuma, AZ; El Toro, CA; USS Coral Sea; Andrews AFB; and Jacksonville, FL.Estrada became the command Sergeant Major of 2nd Bn., 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division and later of the 3rd Marine Air Wing. During this assignment, he was forward deployed and participated in Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sergeant Major Estrada assumed his post as the 15th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps on 26 June 2003. On 25 April 2005, Estrada stepped down from his post as Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps and retired from the Corps in June 2007. We are fortunate to have Sergeant Major Estrada join us at the next meeting and look forward to his comments.
- December 6, 10:30 am | Chapter Meeting
- December 9 | Central Florida Veterans, Inc. meeting
Pearl Harbor Remembrance. VA Cafeteria, 6:00 p.m. (dinner served) - December 25 | Merry Christmas!
All Annual Memberships in our Central Florida Chapter Expire December 31
Unless you have joined as a LIFE MEMBER of the Central Florida Chapter, your membership expires at the end of 2008 and will need to be renewed for 2009. Our Chapter By-laws allow 60 days of "grace period" after the beginning of the new year, but we would like to receive your membership renewal before having to send you a written reminder.IMPORTANT :: Please make sure that your membership in the 1st Marine Division Association is current. It was discovered recently that several of our current members had not joined the Association. If you are not a member in good standing of the 1st Marine Division Association, you cannot be eligible to be a Regular Member of the Central Florida Chapter!
2009-2010 Officers to be Elected at the December meeting!
The Nominating Committee has recommended the following slate to the membership. Voting will take place at the December 6 meeting: Mike Galyean, President; Phil Ray, Vice President; Art Dreves, Treasurer; Rick Kennedy, Secretary; Don Schyberg; Chaplain; Elmer Hawkins, Sergeant at Arms and Chapter Representative.
Meetings feature programs and speakers of interest to Marines and other military veterans, followed by an optional lunch and good old fashioned Marine fellowship and espirit de Corps.