EXCITING NEWS! NEW CHAPTERS FOR THE SECOND MARINE DIVISION ASSOCIATION
Most Marines and sailors in the Division since the 1960s identify more with their former battalion or regiment than they do with the Division. Marine Corps-wide, many battalions have established their own associations, e.g., 2dBattallion, 4th Marines (2/4) is The Magnificent Bastards Association and then there’s the 2/5 VN Association. In Nashville, the National Staff has approved the establishment of organizational chapters within the SMDA--each associated with a battalion or regiment organization of the 2d Marine Division. The chapters will bring SMDA closer to the active Division for purposes described below. Also SMDA membership will greatly expand, filling the ranks with the many 2d Marine Division Marines who wish to re-associate with their old outfit and their old foxhole buddies.
SMDA has drafted by laws for new chapters. The chapters can name themselves for the combat organization they will unite under. For 2/8, they’ll most likely be the “All American Chapter of the Second Marine Division Association”. While the national staff is recommending not charging chapter dues for the first couple of years, the members of the new chapters will have to belong to SMDA. Along the way, a question arose about being a member of multiple chapters. This is quite acceptable since many SMDA members already belong to more than one geographical chapter.
The focus of the new chapters will be to support the active-duty Marines and sailors of their old outfit. For example the new chapters can send care packages when their organization is deployed. They can stay in contact with specific men in the outfit through correspondence. They can meet/greet the men returning from deployment or training. They can attend change of command ceremonies and attend squad competitions. They can provide professional military education sessions and complete projects requested by the command. However, this focus will not replace the need to support our scholarship program. Socially, they can hold their own reunions in addition to uniting at the Association’s annual summer reunion and at the January Division birthday celebration.