February 2017 Meeting Notes

The February meeting started with Tolling the Boats lost in February, followed by birthday wishes for our members, then introductions around the room, and the officer reports.

Old and New Business 
Seattle Base Membership – We had an update on Seattle Base membership and we are currently down to 114 members. This is the lowest membership has been in many years and we should all think about how we can help increase membership for Seattle Base.

Smokey Point Rest Stop Event Information – We will be manning the coffee booth at the north-bound Smokey Point rest stop again. This year we drew June 19, 20, and 21 (Monday through Wednesday). There have been a few changes this year and we are not required to man the booth between midnight and 5 AM, which will help with scheduling. We will have more information as we get closer to the date, but be sure to mark this on your calendar as a reminder.

VFW Post #2995 Sign – VFW Post #2995 is getting a new neon sign to help advertise themselves and the organizations that meet at the post. The Post Commander asked us for a donation and we contributed $350 to help offset the costs of the sign.

USSVI Charitable Fund Donations – For several years, Seattle Base has had a rule in place that the Base treasury would match member donations to the USSVI Charitable Fund up to $750. Because our members are very generous and the Base isn’t bringing in as much funds as in previous years, it was moved and approved that we rescind this rule. We are considering ways for the Base to contribute in the future.

2017 Activities – The Seattle Base executive board met before the February meeting and will continue to meet every two months. We are planning a couple times when members can get together in 2017, but we are still looking for input and suggestions from the members. So, if you have an idea for a social event, activity, or program, now is your chance to bring it up! Please contact any Seattle Base officer if you have an idea.

Seattle Base Float Storage – We are still looking for a new location to store the Seattle Base float between events. The current garage is being sold by the owner, so we must leave the space. If you know of a potential location, please contact the any of the Seattle Base officers.

Binnacle List – Jay Davis is in hospice care at Brookdale Assisted Living. He is currently still able to receive visitors. Cards or letters would be appreciated as well.

February Program 
February’s program was a presentation by Jerry Evans on high energy lasers. Jerry was an aerospace engineer with the U.S. Air Force and various defense contractors and worked on lasers.

Jerry Evans answering some questions about high energy lasers

Jerry started out with a short discussion about various directed energy weapons, such sound weapons, microwave weapons, and lasers. He then went on to talk about the history of lasers and how they work. He then went on to talk about U.S. military development of lasers as weapons. He talked through several key milestones, including the first time a drone was shot down by a laser in 1973. He talked about the use of lasers ballistic missile defense and development of higher energy weapons. He also covered some of the current work on weapon lasers and plans for their future use. Jerry then answered questions from around the room. It was an interesting program on the past, present, and possible future of laser weapons.

We hope to see you at the next meeting!