Retiree, Veterans and Friends:
The 2025 Oklahoma National Guard Retiree/Veteran Retreat will be held on 26-28 September 2024 at Camp Gruber 6000 S Hwy 10, Braggs, OK 74423. The Oklahoma National Guard (OKNG) Retiree Committee with support from the State Command Sergeant John Hernandez and the Camp Gruber Support Personnel have planned, organized, resourced, and will successfully carry out this three-day event for the enjoyment of all who attend. You may stay in one of the Bays of Bldg 333 if you can’t get a room. Be sure to bring your own bedding (sheets, blankets, and pillow with pillowcase) and towel and wash clothes.
Appreciation Day/Retreat activities will kick off Friday evening with a “Meet, Greet, Corn Hole, Card Games & Eat” at the Dining facility at Bldg 334, complete with food and beverages. It’s not a formal event, just come and go or stay and hang out. Meals served out of the Dining facility are under the direction of MSG (Ret) Curtis Lee and his team.
On Day two, Saturday (27 September), the Retiree Appreciation Day Briefings. We will open the briefings in a formal manner with the colors and opening of the POW/MIA ceremonial table. A variety of agencies will be present, and some will set up booths solely for the purpose of providing information to our retirees. Retired Service Members are authorized legal support and pending confirmation, a Legal Team can discuss wills, advance directives, and answer legal questions. We are working with a variety of agencies providing retirees/veterans with the most up to date information. A final list of those will be provided at a later day. Following the briefings, we will all once again pay tribute to our fallen comrades that have passed away during the past year, drinking a toast at the end, then close the POW/MIA table and retire the colors.
Three events will be available in the afternoon. 1: Range Firing: Pending availability of range. The Camp Gruber personnel will draw a range for weapons firing. A bus will depart Bldg 334 and 1300 hours. Bring your own weapons, enough ammunition, eye protection and water. Rifles: NO LARGER THAN .300 Win Mag will be allowed. No black powder rifles. Pistols: .22, .45, .9, .357, .38, .380mm are the only ones allowed. During the open shoot, there will be a separate firing line for pistols, another for rifles and another for shotguns. Remember to bring your own safety equipment. Also, NO POVs on the range. You must take the bus or military vehicle. No loaded clips in weapons on bus. 2: Military History Museum: WE MAY NEED VOLUNTEERS TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES FOR THIS EVENT TO HAPPEN. POC will be WO4(Ret) Rick Bornoff @ wo4rick@gmail.com. Military History Museum is located in Broken Arrow, OK run by Brigadier General (Ret) Thomas Mancino. Museum Docents will conduct the tours and refreshments will be provided. 3. Tour of the renovated Camp Gruber. With all of the changes made to Camp Gruber since COVID, we thought some of the attendees would like to see the changes. Camp Gruber personnel will provide the tour and transportation.
On Day Three (Sunday September 28), we will provide a hearty breakfast and conduct the final AAR in Bldg 334.
To ensure you are well informed of the events scheduled, we have provided you with a schedule of events with this newsletter. Since plans to change, a final and detailed Retreat Program will be available at the registration table. Make sure you pick up a copy.
Registration. All of you have served, and for that we are grateful, however, there are still several people who may show up and don’t register. The main purpose for the registration is for HEAD COUNT. This is no different from when you served. This allows us to know how much food and other logistics to order. Please fill out the form, submit it!!! Pay by check, or bring cash and pay at sign in. That is how we pay for the event. The cost is only $20.00 prior to September 1st and $25.00 after September 1st to attend this event. This is a flat rate fee that covers the food costs. It does not include the cost of your billeting. Registration and billeting instructions are enclosed with this newsletter. But please remember this: A successful event begins with an accurate count of attendees and knowing what activities they will be attending. The registration table will be set up in Bldg 334.
For chargeable billeting, Camp Gruber is doing the same thing we did last year. We will maintain a spreadsheet and send it to Camp Gruber. For room rates or questions, you can contact Penny Whipkey-Jefferson at 405-922-1406 or email okngretireeassociation@gmail.com.
OKNG COMMAND STAFF AND CAMP GRUBER COMMAND STAFF
MG Thomas H. Macino The Adjutant General-Oklahoma National Guard
CSM John Hernandez State Command Sergeant Major (Army National Guard)
CMSgt Dennis Dipiazzo State Command Chief (Air National Guard)
COL Beck Commander, Camp Gruber Training Site
CSM Barnett Command Sergeant Major, Camp Gruber Training Site
2024 RETIREE/VETERAN COMMITTEE MEMBERS
MSG (Ret) Rebecca McGary Co-Chairman
MSG (Ret) Penny Whipkey-Jefferson Co-Chairman/Treasurer/Retreat Registrar
CPT (Ret) Maxine Townsend Co-Treasurer
MSG (Ret) Cindy Scarbrough Retreat Registrar
MSG (Ret) Wayne Metcalfe Retreat Registrar
LTC (Ret) James (Jim) Pahdoco Past Chairman
MSG (Ret) Curtis Lee Dining Facility
MSG (Ret) Leroy Scott Color Guard/Vendors
MSG (Ret) Cindy Bargas
CW4 (Ret) Rick Bornoff
SMSGT (Ret) Robert (Bob) Green
VOLUNTEERS: If you would like to volunteer during the Appreciation Day/Retreat, please send a text to MSG (Ret) Rebecca McGary at 405-488-7066 or MSG (Ret) Penny Whipkey-Jefferson at 405-922-1406.
We are always looking for new ideas. If you would like to be on the committee, contact MSG (Ret) Rebecca McGary at 405-488-7066 or MSG (Ret) Penny Whipkey-Jefferson at 405-922-1406.
People without internet. If you know someone without internet contact Penny Whipkey-Jefferson at 405-922-1406 and a hard copy of the registration form and newsletter can be mailed to them.
**Payment can be made upon arrival at Camp Gruber if you need to send the registration via e-mail. Please send to: MSG (Ret) Penny Whipkey-Jefferson at okngretireeassociation@gmail.com