Good news! Following
over a year of dormancy, the Parche Association ("PA") is stirring
to life and dedicated to making good things happen for you - the
members! To fully understand what we're doing now and why, as well
as what we intend for the future, it might be best to consider where
the PA (and its Steering Committee) came from.
How the Parche Association Steering Committee
came to be An organization like ours
is only as good as its volunteers and we have had some of the best.
Kicked off by Bob Walesby, the PA was built on the inertia resulting
from the resounding success of our 2000 reunion - a success due
in no small part to Bob's efforts. A website, newsletter, scholarship
fund, PA plankowner cert program and ship's store were initiated.
As so often happens in volunteer organizations that rely heavily
on the strengths of one individual though, significant personal
events can have a huge impact. When Bob's life turned a few unexpected
corners and no one was available to assume his leadership role,
the PA then lapsed into a period of relative inactivity.
Sensing that we might lose all that had been accomplished to date,
Bob Lewis recently stepped forward and led an effort to revitalize
the PA. Through his leadership, the Parche Association Steering
Committee was formed as a way to oversee the PA's recovery to an
active status. Open communication and accountability to our membership
were identified as core values for this group. A group of key PA
members responded to his call for action - and the rest is history
(in fact, this "history" is available to you through the meeting
minutes published elsewhere in this newsletter. I encourage you
to read them).
I have now stepped into the chairmanship as Bob Lewis moves on to
focus more on specific tactical issues for us. For those of you
who I did not meet at the 2000 reunion, I served on the 683 from
the early to mid '90s. The challenges and rewards of my experiences
on Parche provided me with a passion to preserve its legacy and
that of it's illustrious forerunner, the 384 boat. I can think of
no better means of honoring this rich heritage (aside from being
an USSVI member) than to have the privilege of working with Parche
veterans from all eras as the chairman of this committee. So, what
is this mysterious Steering Committee doing now and where is the
PA headed?
What we are doing now ·
* Holding monthly on-line meetings (all
are welcome).
* Resuming the publication of a PA newsletter (online only for now).
* Regaining command and control of our finances.
* Providing accountability and resolution to individual PA members
whose requests or merchandise orders "slipped into a crack" over
the last year or so.
* Reestablishing our Washington State nonprofit status as well as
applying for the federal level.
* Developing by-laws and a sound organizational structure.
What we intend to do ·
* Plan reunions!
* Reestablish a scholarship fund.
* Sell Parche and PA memorabilia. ·
* Enable the membership to vote on by-laws and a Parche Association
organizational structure.
* Elect Parche Association officers.
* And whatever else you, our membership, deem to be of value!!!
We need Your Participation!
Everyone has something to bring to the table - be it an idea or
a skill. You can't say that you weren't asked. The Parche Association
Steering Committee would welcome your participation in our monthly
on-line meeting, appreciate an article or announcement for the newsletter,
and value any idea or feedback from you. You set your own level
of participation. Contact me anytime for more details: pa_chair@hotmail.com.
Very Respectfully, Will Longman CWO3, USN (ret)
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SS 384
Parche Association
Steering Committee
Members
Chair - Will Longman
Member - John Dale
Member - Elvie Jackson
Member - Bob Lewis
Member - Linda Colavechio
Secretary/Treasurer: Linda Colavechio
Newsletter: Will Longman
Reunion Committee: John Dale
Fundraising: Cal Colavechio
SSN 683
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The Submariner
Only a submariner realizes to what great extent an
entire ship depends on him as an individual. To a landsman, this is
not understandable and sometimes it is even difficult for us to comprehend
but it is so.
A submarine at sea is a different world in herself, and in consideration
of the protracted and distant operations of submarines, the Navy must
place responsibility and trust in the hands of those who take such
ships to sea.
In each submarine there are men who, in the hour of emergency or peril
at sea, can turn to each other. These men are ultimately responsible
to themselves and each other for all aspects of the operations of
their submarine. They are the crew. They are the ship.
This is perhaps the most difficult and demanding assignment in the
Navy. There is not an instant during his tour as a submariner that
he can escape the grasp of responsibility.
His privileges in view of his obligations are the
most ludicrously small, nevertheless it is the spur which has given
the Navy its greatest mariners -- the men of the Submarine Service.
It is a duty which most richly deserves the proud
and time-honored title of SUBMARINER.
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