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Casper Aviation Platoon Organization, CAPO - Membership Notice 2008 CAPO Membership Dues are due on January, 1, 2008
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Casper Aviation Platoon Organization will soon be celebrating it's "7th Anniversary" at our 2008 reunion. It is hard to believe that we formed this group only seven years ago and have provided so many Caspers with the means and opportunity to reunite once again. Who would have ever thought some 38+ years ago that any of us would have the means to communicate with each other by using the technology of today.
What is the purpose of CAPO? Mostly to have "FUN." However, it has provided much, much more than that: 1. Website The Casper Platoon website has been the main tool for bringing Caspers together. It has provided us with the means to "Communicate" with one and other. It is also a way to display and share many "Photos" of our different tours in Vietnam. The Casper Platoon "History" is important and is there for all to read now and for many years in the future. Naturally, we haven't forgotten the Caspers who gave their all for our country and they are honored in our "Memorial" section. There are many interesting "Casper Stories" that also helps the reader understand more about our great platoon. Other website features such as the: Casper Newsletter, Guestbook, Bulletin Board, Aircraft Information and many Vietnam Veteran Related Website Links are also displayed. The Casper Platoon website is one of the leading Veteran Websites in the world. It has earned more that 30 different "Website Awards." 2. Information Group emails are sent to all Caspers informing them of related Casper Platoon information, news and updates, along with other Veteran information from PTSD and other medical issues to Veteran Affairs. It also provides Caspers with a means to forward important information to other Caspers. 3. Annual Reunions Most of the guys who have attended a Casper Aviation Platoon Organization reunion in the past will tell you just how great they really are! The reunions have grown into a "Family Affair" with more and more family members & guests attending them each year. For the most part, the reunions have turned into some really great vacation time and well deserved "R&R" for everyone. At past reunions, we have enjoyed hearing from some excellent "Guest Speakers" and have been honored with the presence of some very important guests, such as Senator Max Cleland, and Major General (Ret) Ellis Williamson -- who by the way, we made an Honorary Casper. Our tour of the White House in 2005 was special along with the bus tour around Washington, DC and the Casper Memorial Service we held at the Vietnam Veteran Memorial were all outstanding events. We were especially honored with the presence of two Casper Gold Star family members at our 2006 reunion. Each of our reunions have been, and will continue to be well structured and provided informative & helpful information to various topics, entertainment and follow military protocol -- with flags and color guard. 4. Casper Reunion 2008 Our next reunion will be held in Savannah, GA -- Why Savannah? Because as a CAPO member, you have the opportunity and responsibility to vote and select the reunion site/location each year. 5. Casper vs CAPO Member Any Pilot, Crew Chief, Door Gunner or Mechanic who served in Casper Platoon from May 1965 thru August 1971 is a Casper and should be proud of it! However, that distinction does not make them a CAPO Member. CAPO membership is only $25 per year and naturally, we encourage ever Casper to join. Membership has grown nicely from 45 to 107 members since we formed the group. 6. Do you have to be a CAPO Member to attend a reunion? NO. A Casper is a Casper and everyone is "Welcome" to attend! In fact, the more the merrier. 7. Why join CAPO, what's in it for me? You Don't have to join. I am sorry, but we do not have any special funny looking hats to wear or any secret hand shake in our group. However, being a CAPO Member should give you a good feeling and the satisfaction knowing that you help support everything we stand for and the services that we offer. Your $25 annual dues, along with any other donations we get help fund our organization's maintenance, website, publishing, postage, our annual reunion, the special Casper support fund and other operating expenses -- that's it, nothing else. This money and other private donations are what allows our group to operate in a successful manner. 8. Voting Rights As a CAPO Member, you are eligible to vote each year for CAPO President and Vice President. As in the past, an email was sent to all CAPO members in late December asking for their nominations for the 2009 President and Vice President. In March, the ballot was emailed to members asking for your vote. The election results for CAPO President and Vice President will be announced at the 2008 reunion in Savannah. The 2009 Casper reunion will take place in Reno, NV. 9. CAPO Business Meeting Because so many Casper family members and guest now attend the reunions, we decided to follow what so many other groups and organizations do, and that is to hold our business meeting separate and away from the general group. Our first CAPO Business Meeting was held immediately following the reunion luncheon in Las Vegas. This business meeting allowed all CAPO members an opportunity to meet and discuss any CAPO subject or issue. At the 2006 business meeting, it was decided by the group to recommend three different locations to select the sites in advance. We will continue this process and vote for each site at our annual business meetings. I hope this information answers any questions you may have regarding CAPO and moreover, I hope it encourages you to join our group, renew your membership or make a donation to our Casper Special Support Fund. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the other CAPO executive officers. If not, please grab your checkbook and mail us your check. CAPO Officers: http://www.casperplatoon.com/ContactUs.htm CAPO Membership: http://www.casperplatoon.com/CasperMembership.htm Casper Reunion 2008: http://www.casperplatoon.com/Reunion2008.htm Thanks again for your support and dedication, Ned Ned Costa Executive Director, CAPO Casper Crew Chief - Casper 721 LZ English, 7/68 - 7/69
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Home | Directory | Contact Us | Reunion Photos This site was last updated 1/1/08
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CAPO was created to be more as a
"Fraternity" than anything else. After we formed the
group in 2002, elections for officers and committee members were held at
our first reunion. During our first board meeting we decided not to draft
a set of by-laws or to file for any special non-profit status with the
government. What we did decide was to keep CAPO simple and to make
it a place that members would be proud of and could hang their hat.
Since that time, Caspers have successfully met each summer and have
enjoyed five very awesome reunions. This camaraderie has also
helped to create several other Casper get-togethers during this time.