Fellow Marines and Associates, By the time you receive this newsletter it will be some time in February.  Let’s hope the negative degree temperatures are over for the year and a warming trend starts.  As you can tell, I am not a fan of the winter but while I like the warmer weather that the south has.  I am not a fan of hurricanes or tornadoes either.  Guess I will not be selling the snow blower and shovels in the garage anytime soon.   This will be the last report I will be writing for the newsletter and will likely be my shortest (well, maybe).  February brings the swearing in of the newly elected officers for 2025-26.  They are Commandant - Joey Dadum; Sr Vice Commandant - Kevin Zaffino; Jr Vice Commandant - Fred Terling; and Judge Advocate - Tom Hazlett.  Congratulations to all and I look forward to the new ideas this younger group will bring to our Detachment.  I ask you all to come out to the upcoming meeting on Thursday, February 27, and welcome these new officers as well as give them your support throughout their term.  While there is a learning curve that the new officers will go through, I am sure they will all do a great job for our detachment. I will now be the Jr Past Commandant which has one great benefit -- I can now sit during the meetings and give my knees a rest.  I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your Commandant for two years.  I was able to learn the jobs of all officers and the makeup of the MCL. The job is time consuming but I have no regrets accepting the nomination.   Lastly, I would like to thank Joey Dadum, Kevin Zaffino and Sandy Young, the 2024-25 elected officers, for their support of not just me but the entire Detachment. I would also like to thank the appointed officers Linda Dunham, Carley Steadman, Tommy Steadman and Bryan Welling for doing the jobs that support our Detachment.  You are much appreciated. The Veterans and Youth Program tickets ($1.00 each) are now for sale and will be drawn June 2025 by the Dept of PA, MCL.  Proceeds go to PA MCL scholarships and Youth and Veteran programs.  We have several members whose family members received $500 scholarships last year so please support these programs.  See the Jr Vice for tickets.  Remember, the Detachment gets 40 percent of all tickets sold. Let’s have a great 2025 and continue to support those who will stand up and take the oath during the February meeting.  Those in a volunteer organization who make the commitment to help keep it running efficiently deserve it.  Semper Fidelis.    Semper Fi! Doug Dunham

Commandant