2024 Debrief

Sapper in the wire

I’m sure everyone knows by now, the fundraiser shirts were a mess this year, from a sabotaged design during production to shortages, I’ve explained in detail how it happened already in our Messenger chat group so I probably don’t need to say it again.

My vendor was horrified by it and could not apologize enough. I think she is great, treats us very well and I would recommend her business 100%.

Shirts are being reprinted and I’ll ship them out as soon as they are done.

Nidy’s Loadmaster Certification

Congratulations to Nidy for earning his Loadmaster rating heading down to Alabama! His hard work and dedication paid off and the Ohio/Michigan Swoop Crew are all proud to celebrate this milestone achievement with him. He showcased his loading and unloading capabilities to perfection. Good thing he didn’t struggle with any straps. Cheers to you, Nidy!

Fancy Coffee Bar

A new addition this year was a fancy coffee bar, complete with all the bells and whistles. It was a hit, offering a perfect pick-me-up for those early mornings and late nights. Thank you Dirty Wendy for this.

Another thank you goes out to Julie DeOrzio for getting up extra early to make sure coffee is ready for when everyone wakes up.

Bacon Hors d’Oeuvres Surprise

Though bacon appetizers weren’t on the official menu, they made a surprise appearance thanks to “overaggressive selflessness”. Good initiative, bad judgement. They were a huge hit, disappearing almost as quickly as they appeared which meant some of us didn’t get any when it came time for actual breakfast.

Cornhole

The legendary Shaggy Balls team clinched another cornhole victory, bringing the kitty to an impressive $2,541 (not sure where the extra $1 came from). Their precision and teamwork left the competition in the dust. Check out the full details of the cornhole tournament here.

Even when we played recreationally on Saturday, they ran the boards at least a dozen matches in a row without defeat. We kept trying but the sun went down too soon.

I’ve received laughing compliments on my newly painted boards so in this election year, don’t argue politics, argue whether it’s under or over!

The other thing I’ll add about cornhole is that keeping score can be challenging especially after drinking. I’ve added these cheap $12 magnetic score keepers to the back of my boards which helped out a lot. Either use the included double-sided tape or screw it to the boards.

Check them on Amazon.

Ass Plant Recipients

This year saw two unfortunate drunkards receiving Rob’s infamous Ass Plants. Ball being a newcomer while Haley being a repeat customer. Both recipients took it in stride, wearing it like badges of honor. Maybe we’ll make actual badges for the future.

Ass Kissing for a Cigarette

Speaking of Rob’s ass, the lengths some will go for a smoke were on full display. Let’s just say that Doc kissed it where the sun don’t shine, unless it’s Rob’s ass then the sun shines on it a lot at these reunions. All in the name of securing a coveted cigarette.

Swimming Trips

As hot as it was, swimming was a staple of the reunion with trips via pontoon boat, a trip to High Falls, the pool at the main resort and cabin-side lakeshore swimming providing ample opportunities to cool off. The refreshing water and stunning scenery were the perfect backdrop for relaxing and catching up.

Pass the Bottle

While many went swimming, some of us got caught up in other ways. As usual, there were too many rounds of pass the bottle to count (or cup, or dinner for that matter). The tradition of reminiscing over shared bottles/cups of whatever made it around continued to be a highlight, fostering even stronger bonds among us.

For those that don’t know, Tim Elyea brings a bottle (or more) every year to pass around then has everyone sign it once it’s empty. This year’s bottle admittedly was rough and it burned every step of the way.

He keeps this private collection of bottles from years past and will need a bigger shelf soon.

Troy Manning

Another bottle we passed around was Wild Turkey… Manning’s favorite. This year we sadly learned of Troy Manning’s death in 2021. Manning was one of the original 8 but only came to the first two.

This should be a motivator for us all to reach out to Marines that have not yet been to a reunion. Call them to invite them to a reunion or just to say hi. The sad truth is that our Memorial page is only going to grow as we get older.

Reunion Within the Reunion

Speaking of the original 8, the OGs had a special reunion within this reunion, reminiscing about the early days and marveling at how far we’ve come. Thanks to everyone for coming back, especially Marty, Shag & L.B. It was a touching reminder of the enduring bonds we all share and the incredible journey we’ve been on together.

Also, 3 of us still hold the “Perfect Attendance Award” after 10 reunions but sadly, we didn’t receive our steak knives. Oh well, maybe for the 20^th.

Boots

Remember, being labeled as a Boot, your goal is to bring a new member to next year’s reunion. That’s the only way to lose the Boot status. I suppose we could rename Boot to Recruiter since that’s what you’re really doing but we Marines motivate through humiliation so we’re keeping the term Boot.

Despite their best efforts, Boots from previous reunions didn’t get “promoted” this year since they didn’t recruit a new Marine to join us. And NO, the 5 west coast Marine air-wingers that crashed our reunion doesn’t count! However, we did have a new Boot join us this year, even if it was only for 1 day, Bob Barber… welcome!

Current known Boots are:

• Bob Barber (new)
• Billie Lucas
• Shawn Puryear
• John Reina
• Shane Martin (did not attend this year)

Check out the attendance matrix to see past attendees and where everyone ranks.

Armadillo Hunt

Rob’s Outdoor Adventure Expeditions LLC led an impromptu armadillo hunt becoming one of the weekend’s most elusive creatures. Although no armadillos were actually caught, there was one big ass spider waiting to chew anyone’s face off that stepped into its web.

Kumbaya – Plugged-In

Last year, Shawn Puryear showcased his singing and guitaring talents around the campfire with help from Julie DeOrzio and others. This year they partnered up with Marty Rogers & Michelle Puryear to plug-in and entertain us all. While they don’t officially have a band name, I think I’ll call them The Bastard Band Four. You come up with a better name!

If you didn’t know, they spent several hours on Friday privately rehearsing for their gig on Saturday night. They did a great job as evident by the sing-alongs by many and dancing by several couples.

Church Service

While some of us got a jump on the long drives home on Sunday, there were many that went to church to listen to TT’s message. Thank you Travis for taking the time to prepare for your Sunday morning spotlight and reminding us of the inspiration that comes from a His message as well as all the prayers and of your words of wisdom during our reunion.

If you didn’t get a chance to go to church, the link below is a recording of what went on at church.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/WpSSJTP42avvq4xJ

Thank you to Cornerstone Baptist Church for welcoming us into their house of worship.

Special Thanks

Special thanks to Brent & Melissa Walker for being this year’s host. This place ranks in the top 10 and had everything we could ask for. 😉

Thanks to everyone that came, especially the wives/girlfriends that keep us somewhat civilized throughout the weekend.

Thanks to the generosity of those that donated a little extra (sometimes a lot extra) and volunteered to help get Doc back on track and to get him and Madden to the reunion.

Thanks to those that planned and cooked meals. For the most part, the food was plentiful and delicious.

Congrats to DT for his sobriety even though Tito’s donated cases of your favorite drink. We are proud of you and are here if you need help.

Congrats to Sal for his incredible weight loss. We are very proud of your journey!

Final Words

Planning began for next year’s reunion a couple of weeks ago already and will be held in Texas with Jason & Sara Dahl being our hosts. They already found a spot and space may be limited which is why registering is important.

Registration for 2025 will begin soon so keep an eye out for that as soon as we confirm the dates of availability.

Please share your favorite memory below and here’s to the next ten years and many more reunions to come. Semper Fi!