February 26, 2010

Greetings Pards,

I hope that this message finds you safe and warm, as I write this, I know that the entire Northeast is still being hammered by yet another winter storm.

Our Winter meeting in Harrisburg went especially well, I was glad to get the opportunity to chat with several of you, and I think that we accomplished quite a bit.

Our goals for this year, and in the near future, are all attainable with your enthusiasm, es'spirit and co-operation.

We, (the USV) have come up with a broad based plan to enhance our recruiting, (we are aiming for a trial run at Neshaminy.) The entire scheme will be up on our site in the very near future, and I would hope for your utmost effort.

As we are all well aware, our hobby has been contracting these last few years, and with the 150th coming up we need to start re-filling our ranks.

We have also decided to initiate the "USV Expeditionary Force". The purpose of it is this: we have many guys in the hobby who can travel almost any time, some who can travel part of the time, and some folks who have to carefully plan in order to get one or two weekends a year. So, in any given unit there may be 3 guys who would love to go to an event, but the rest of the unit can't, so they sit home. Meanwhile, in seven other units there are three or four guys who would like to go, but assume, that they likewise, would be by themselves, so they stay home. The USV could be fielding 30 or 40 soldiers, but no one knows what the other units are doing. And, they could be missing a great event!

It will work like this: on the USVEF section, units will post what event they are looking to attend, and "hook up"with other USV units that have some soldiers going, and some where whole units that are planning to attend.

It can also be extended to other members of the Eastern Alliance and the Blue Gray Alliance to provide a "home away from home" for Eastern Re-enactors to go to Major and Minor events in the next few years.

What is the "Blue Gray Alliance"? It has come out of the meeting in Chickamauga in January, where almost all of the major re-enactors organizations have pledged to work together for the upcoming 150th. We should see some fruits of the BGA at Bentonville this February.

Speaking of Bentonville, I hope that most of you can attend, and please feel free to stop by Headquarters to say hello. (Bring your own whiskey.)

See you in the Field.

"Close up, and press on!"
Gen. Lucifer T Daniels
Cmdr. USV