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A not-for-profit
Corporation
March 6,
2013
Dear Shipmate,
It is that time of year when I appeal to you to help
enrich the Association Scholarship Fund. Since 2001 when our program
was launched, we have developed quite an honor roll of those to whom we
have made awards. That group now numbers 29 great young Americans. Of
these, 24 were Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen and officer candidates
and 5 were Association member descendants. We would like to see more
applications in this latter category that was added to our program in
2006. Be sure to make this financial opportunity known to your family
members with kids in college. (Go to the scholarship section of our
website for application particulars.)
Recall that our scholarships have a value of $2,000;
that is $1,000 presented initially to the rising junior, then the 2nd
increment of $1,000 that is delivered as the winner becomes a senior.
In 4 of the past 5 years, we’ve been fortunate to be able to afford 3
awards which required a fresh annual donation input of $6,000. We are
confident that, with your help, we can maintain that pace this year.
Please send in your most generous, tax-deductible donation. Checks should be made out to “USS LITTLE
ROCK Assoc. Scholarship Fund” and mailed to Treasurer Frank Berglas at
10 Bayberry Lane, South Salem, NY 10590-1414.
Here's a reason why we do this. In 2002, I made a presentation at the
NROTC Unit at the University of Wisconsin (my alma mater) to the then
Midshipman Brett Ackerbauer. This year we learned that he is now a
Marine Corps Captain who flys the AV-8B Harrier with VNA-211 known as
the "Wake Island Avengers". In September his squadron was at Camp
Bastion in Helmand Province in Afghanistan when it was hit at night in
a surprise attack by a force of heavily-armed Taliban. While a large
number of aircraft were heavily damaged or destroyed, the outgunned
Marine aviation personnel fought back in a fierce defense of the
garrison. Captain Ackerbauer was in the thick of the chaotic firefight
that ensued and with his fellow Marines, staged an effective
counterattack that drove off the attackers. They lived up to their
proud claim that "Every Marine is a rifleman". For us, this action
gives assurance that our scholarship money is well-spent on these
exceptional young men and women. (For a more complete account of this
battle, see our website, Scholarship Program Winners in 2002, strip
highlighted in red and gold.)
Thanks for your continued interest and support.
Sincerely,
Kent R. Siegel
Chairman, Scholarship Committee
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