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RFPB Fellows Society 
2018 Annual Meeting Minutes
12 September 2018

Members present:

Bobby Green                            John Cotton
Terry O’Connell                       John Paul Cook
Al Zapanta                        Gus Hargett
Mark Davidson                Tom Plewes
Larry Taylor                     George Rubesha
Tom Jones                        Mike Sumral

(Alex Sabol of the RFPB staff joined the early portion of the meeting)

Old Business:

Bobby Green, Vice-Present, opened the annual meeting by asking the members present if there were any questions or comment regarding last year’s annual meeting minutes.
With not questions or comments stated, Bobby made the motion to approve last year’s annual meeting minutes - the minutes were unanimously approved.

New Business:

Bobby Green opened the meeting to discuss new business, starting with the Treasurer’s report. George Rubesha, Treasurer, presented the Fellow’s financial position stating the Fellows bank account as having $2,595. It was further clarified that approximately $1,100 of that bank account balance came from Al Zapanta’s donation back in March of 2016, with approximately $4K spent on the Fellows sponsored program on the report of the Commission on the Future of the Army.

Included in Rubesha’s report was the significant declining number of members paying annual dues over the last three years; only 18 members paid FY-18 annual dues.

Terry O’Connell opened the discussion stating the Fellow’s structure means we have no boss and the Fellows are able to do whatever we decide. O’Connell stressed that the Fellows have a collective experience and connections that needed to be harnessed.

Al Zapanta discussed the success of the 2016 educational seminar held at the Reserve Officers Association and would like the Fellows to plan another such seminar to be held at NGAUS headquarters. Zapanta suggested a 12 December 2018 date for holding the seminar and presenting the Citizen Patriot Award (CPA).  

(Note: The CPA was not presented at this year’s annual meeting).
Bobby Green explained the current status of the CPA. Green asked all in attendance for a volunteer to assist the Chairman of the CPA committee. John Paul Cook and Tom Jones volunteered to assist. The CPA committee will officially discuss giving this year's Individual Award posthumously to Sam Carpenter and present the Award to his widow Ruthie at the December meeting.

Zapanta suggested this year’s CPA recipient be chosen from last year’s nominees and John Cotton suggested the possibility of selecting the next CPA recipient from the nominations submitted to Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) who presents a Reserve unit award annually. Accepting CPA nominations from OSD was abandoned. 

Bobby Green provided some background on the Fellows’ CPA award and stated the Fellows take a Reserve unit’s historical background as part of a unit’s qualification for the CPA. Green also stated that going through the Reserve Chief’s really results in unit’s self-nomination where their nomination then moves up the chain to the Reserve Chief.

Discussion continued on a 13 December meeting date at NGAUS based on venue availability (POC for the meeting date are Gus Hargett and Al Zapanta). The Fellows meeting would include a half-day RC Symposium with a lunch time presentation of the CPA. It was recommended that the Fellows hold their annual elections at the time.

Larry Taylor suggested a social event either before or after the December meeting. No decision made.

Bobby Green adjourned the meeting.
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