Register now, seating at the Banquet will be based on first come, first serve
Wednesday is the Ice Breaker, Sunday is Departures
PJ Rodeo
(Mon, 17 Sept-Fri, 21 Sept 18)
Competitors go to
http://www.pjrodeo.com
Don't miss out, get your Classmates or Teammates together for the History Books
Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Pararescue
September 19th - 23rd,
2018
Back where it all starts, Lackland AFB TX
Special events and surprises from LD Jeffries and Randy Galloway
Spread the word on your Facebook pages and emails.
2018 PJ Reunion Hotel Reservations
Rooms are going fast
Wyndham San Antonio Riverwalk
Make sure you mention Pararescue Reunion
You can make your hotel reservations for the 2018 PJ Reunion in San Antonio, TX. It's four nights: check-in Wednesday, September 19th and checkout Sunday, September 23, 2018. Book
now so you don't have to stay at an overflow location. If they tell you they are out of rooms, lets us know, we may be able to add a few more rooms to our contract, but that will end soon.
You do not want to miss this one, it will be special, bring your teammates back together!
These things we do that others may live" by Michael Herrera
Keep our Brothers in your prayers
James (Jim) Watson and his wife Marie are both struggling with major medical and health issue. Both Jim and Marie worked on many PJ reunions, Mini Reunions and other PJA functions on numerous occasions, Jim also served as a BOD, Treasure and Editor of the Canopy Chatter for many, many years.
Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
Terry Wetzel, Kathleen has asked us to keep Terry and family in your thoughts and prayers as they too struggle with these changing health issues affecting our Brothers today. Please reach out on their Facebook pages, text or phone them and if you are in the Fort Walton Beach area, ask to stop by and pay them a visit. With all our love, Hooya
PJ Flag Challenge
Join the challenge with Pararescue/CRO class 17-04
Class 17-04 will be the first Team signing and passing on to the
next PJ/CRO Class, join in and get your PJ Flag, take a photo with friends or Teammates and send it on to use. Take your photo anywhere, in the Air, on a Jump, a dive, a climb, a Ski trip, or meeting and reunions with friends.
We will post your Photo on the PJA Website and FaceBook pages and chose a winner each month. Those winners will compete for the Best Flag photo to be selected and recognized at the 2018 PJ Reunion and Rodeo 75th Anniversary of Pararescue.
Visit the PJA Store - Items Flying off the Shelf, Order yours today and more!
King 11Site Angel Dedication
April 5th 2018 - Followed by PJ Graduation April 6th
History:
Shortly after the crash of King 11
(April 2nd,1986) a metal plaque along with a plastic “Angel of Mercy” was placed at the site to honor the crew of King 11. In 2008 as an instructor at the PJ school, Dan Inch and his wife & Teresa went to the site, cleaned it up as best they could. After that they decide have a stone memorial made of the crew and the names. Dan and Tracy Debbs that took it to the site. After every tactics class they would make the students go to the site and pay respects
to the crew. They buried an ammo can where each class would put a memento in it. Vandals later destroyed the memorial a few years later after Dan moved to Nevada.
Approximately three years ago Steve Rodman (a retired PJ) started a project to replace the metal plaque with a granite memorial headstone, engraved
with all crew-members names.
In September of 2015 Steve, along with several retired/former PJs and tremendous support from the PJ/CRO School, spent three days at the crash site prepping and laying the granite plaque in concrete. During this time it was noticed that the plastic “Angel of Mercy” had seen better days due to the fact she had been in the harsh New Mexico weather for almost 30 years standing guard over the plaque and crew. It was
decided that a new Angel to watch over the site was needed. With that, a new Angel was carved out of marble.
On September 28th & 29th, 2017 a mission was launched to the site and set the new marble Angel into a concrete base. She is now safely standing guard over the headstone and our fallen brothers.
The Brotherhood (along with support from the Pararescue/CRO School
and Pararescue Association) would like to hold an informal memorial service to rededicate the new engraved headstone and Angel of Mercy. This Memorial Service will be held at 12:30pm, April 2nd, 2018 the 32nd anniversary of the crash.
It is unlikely that most surviving family members or friends have been to the site and this visit may bring some closure for them.
Our plan is to get an invitation out to all King
11 crew members, PJ’s, and SERE instructor’s, surviving families and friends to attend this memorial.
Assistance is needed contacting the C-130 unit as well as any crew member surviving families, friends and team mates. Please share any support or contact information and volunteer below. Since the site is in a remote area that will require less than a 1 mile walk/hike, it must be noted that
ambulatory individuals may not be able to make the last 1 mile trek. Most all others can.
A plan would be to secure a hotel in Albuquerque (possibly near the airport) for family and friends to stay or the Hotel where the April 6th PJ/CRO graduation will be that following Friday, which many will be attending.
It is said that “one never dies if we keep them alive in our memories”. Let’s always remember these fallen
warriors.
Draft Time Line: April 5th, 2018 Depart Albuquerque 0800
Arrive Parking Area 1030 We will stage there 50 minute with coffee, donuts, and depart as a group to Memorial site.
Depart Parking 1120 MEMORIAL
1230 Depart Memorial 1330 Arrive Parking 1410 Arrive Albuquerque 1640 Libations 1700
Make plans and let us know if you would like to attend the Pararescue Graduation on Friday 6th
Moab Rafting Tripp
We are launching this year's 4-day PJ trip on May 18 from Moab to Lake Powell.
You will need to be at the motel in Moab on the afternoon of the 17th.
Note that we have practically no limitation regarding disabilities except being bedridden. Wheel chairs, service dogs, multiple amputations,
blindness are all OK.
Please contact Fred below for more information,
on what you will need for the trip and how to sign up.
They will see if they can also get a couple of Royal British Commandos along also. Brit NATO troops fought in our
conflicts. I hope to see you all on the River...
Complete your update information so we and others can find you
Subject: Member Profile Update To: PJA Association Members
The PJ Brotherhood is the foundation for the PJ Association. Membership is the core that binds the brotherhood together as an association. We live by Mottos like, “The things we do, that Others may Live” and “Once a PJ, Always a PJ”.
It is vital
to the success of this initiative, that all members of the PJA update their member profile as soon as possible. And if you are not a Member or Current on Dues, please do so TODAY.
Members who update their records and become current, will receive a new association membership list delivered to their updated email address, and they will have access to the new, members only database and records archive when completed.
Don’t put it off until
tomorrow… update here, now: https://www.pjassociation.com/update/ Please visit the Members tab to pay dues and shop at the PJ store for new and awesome items.
On behalf of all PJA Members, Officers and
the Board of Directors
Are you an artist or know someone that is willing to provide some volunteer work for the PJA.
We need a few art pieces updated in; ai, .png, .gif with transparent background.
Help us to make new Teeshirts, Patches and postings on the Website.
e-mail us and let us know
The new Pararescue Association website, our Facebook page and the New PJA AIG (all in group) is live and online. It's a living and changing process. So share the news and check out the store for all your PJ memorabilia, buy a beret, hat, stickers and more.
Anything you would like to see us add, please pass on.
At the PJ Association, 100% of all funds donated by individuals go to our family services fund and will go directly to support our veterans. Our staff and
team is made up of 100% volunteers. We raise funds from the sales of memorabilia items, our PJ Reunions and the PJ Rodeo ( which is a competition amongst our Special Operations and Guardian Angel Teams every two years). These functions as well as our dues cover all operating cost.
So, thank you to everyone for your donations, contributions and dues payments to the Pararescue Association.
Thank you again very much for your
continued support and God Bless our Troops.
Bill Watson
PJ Association Membership
Membership in the Pararescue Association is based on eligibility. All
membership applications are subject to review and approval by the PJ Association Board of Directors. Membership Classifications, Fees & Dues
Full and Associate Members, with dues in good standing are encouraged to upgrade to a Life Membership. New Member Applicants qualifying for Full or Associate membership are encouraged to join as a Life Member.
Life Member - ($300.00 1 time fee) - open to Full and Associate Members with dues in good standing, and
to New Applicants for Full or Associate membership.
Full Members - $40.00 to join; renews at $20/year on the anniversary date.
Associate Members - $40.00 to join; renews at $20 year on the anniversary date.
Legacy and Honorary applicants are sponsored by a Life or Full Member with dues in good standing. Dues do not apply for Legacy and Honorary Members.
Applications for a Gold Star Family
Membership, or a Widow of a PJ applying for Associate Widow Membership are reviewed and approved by the PJ Association Board of Directors. Dues do not apply.
Go to the Website for more information, https://www.pjassociation.com
Pararescue Association Officers:
President - Bill Watson
Vice Pres. - John Pighini
Treasurer - Ryan Beckmann
Recorder - Scott Gearen
Association Board Member:
Rod Alne
Joe Topel
Bill Sine
Bill Preble
Past Association
Presidents:
Chuck Morrow
Roy Taylor
Randy Galloway
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