Veterans, Members and Friends...
A reminder that October 24, 2009 will start our three day Annual Membership Meeting at the Westin Hotel in
Irving, TX. The Membership will look at some Bylaw changes to ratify and other required business will be brought
up. If you stay an extra day to visit the area attractions we will visit the new Cowboy Stadium that was
recently constructed at the cost of 1.2 Billion Dollars. Instead of having to stay an extra day between meeting
times which forces an extra day cost, because of the pinch on dollars for most families and the losses many have
had on their retirement funds, the committee decided to leave the decision up to the membership to either stay
an extra day to sight see or leave for home.
I also am happy to report to the membership that our audit by the IRS has resulted in our being cleared of
any problems and we have also been restored to deductibility status after having been dropped by the IRS for no
known reason nor had they informed us that we no longer met the requirement as a deductible 501(c)19 Veterans
Organization. That is all a moot point at this time since we also were restored to a deductable status during
the audit. It did take almost seven months to resolve that problem.
I also wish to remind all of our members that the Korean War Revisit Program continues and those who had
returned some 10 years ago are now eligible to go again. I made the trip back with the June 21, 2009 group and
it was a very good experience. I was made an Honorary Member of the Korean Veterans Association of Korea and
also took part in the Ceremonies the Korean's have when they commemorate the beginning of the Korean War on
6/25/1950. That also allowed me to represent the United States Armed Forces in honoring those, from all the
Nations who came to the aid of Korea, and who died and are buried in the Korean National Cemetery. That indeed
was an honor for me to do so. I also was able to "Thank" the Korean Veterans and their families for their
abilities to take the freedom gained and became a great nation, which has repaid all their fellow UN Veterans
many times over. They have done so with their continuing gratitude even to this date. I also had the opportunity
to meet His Excellency Lee, Myung-Bak the President of the Republic of Korea and his lovely wife.
For those who voted in our last election, you have elected some very capable Directors. I look forward to
their service as representatives of you the membership. Also you need to know that two of our previously elected
Directors have had to resign for health problems and I wish to publicly say we will miss the services of Leo D.
Agnew and Thomas S. Edwards and I hope that their health does not deteriorate any further. Director Agnew had
two (2) years and Director Edwards had one (1) year left on their three (3) year terms. Both will be replaced
per the Bylaws and Standard Procedure Manual and approved by the Board of Directors at the July 25, 2009 called
Board meeting. You should see who were selected to replace both Directors in this copy of The Graybeards in the
listing of Officers on the inside cover page.
60th Commemorative Committees in all nations are now planning and coordinating what will be done for this
60th Commemoration of the War Beginning and Armistice Signing. Plans by both the 60th Commemorative Committees
in the United States and Korea will be in ongoing., so we have started our plans early on the KWVA, Inc. Annual
Membership Meeting for 2010 in Washington, D.C., and our Revisit Program Staff is also looking at plans in Korea
so we might take part in both committee plans as more information becomes available.
William F. Mac Swain
National President, KWVA/US