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The Year 2012 in Review
By Walt Stitt
Association Secretary/Treasurer
The year 2012 has seen some "historic" events in
the Association's annals. In October, by a unanimous vote of
the participating regular membership, a new amendment (#17) to
the Constitution allows family members to be accepted as regular
members of the Association with full voting rights and with the
right to be voted onto the Board of Governors and onto corporate
positions. This is very exciting news, with more information
coming soon from the Board.
This amendment is the best way we can guarantee the perpetuation
of the Spearhead WWII legacy far into the future. It will also
greatly help to provide the expansion and permanence of the 3AD.com
website and to allow a continuity of Division representation
in many future dealings. Those dealings include, for example,
inquiries from historians, the general public, and filmmakers;
collaboration with the University of Illinois Archives; and future
involvement with the National Armor Museum at Ft. Benning and
the future National Museum of the U.S. Army outside Washington,
D.C.
Also in 2012, the March Association Newsletter was the final
publication of its printed and mailed edition. It had been published
continuously since 1948. Current Association funds and a lessening
membership (with corresponding loss of incoming dues) simply
made the production and mailing of our traditional newsletter
impossible.
However, 2012 also saw the birth of the Association's new
"Online Newsletter", which is now available on the
3AD.com website to anyone with access to the Internet. The Newsletter
address is www.3AD.com/newsletter, and there will also be a permanent
conspicuous link to the Newsletter on the 3AD.com home page.
Now I know that some of you are going to say, "I don't
have a computer!" or "What am I ... a genius!?"
Well, I believe there is hope and opportunity. The great majority
of our members, if not computer savvy enough, can certainly find
a younger family member, a neighbor, or even a helpful local
librarian to log onto our Newsletter and show the pages on the
computer screen or easily print copies.
The new online Newsletter will be free for viewers, but it's
not free to produce and maintain. While still far less expensive
that the older mailed edition, incoming dues and other donations
are still needed, not only to support the Newsletter, but to
help with the maintenance and continued expansion of the 3AD.com
website. There is, in my opinion, no finer tribute and "monument"
to the 3rd Armored Division of WWII than 3AD.com. Incoming dues
and donations will then be used primarily for the support of
both the online Newsletter and 3AD.com. Those much appreciated,
tax-deductible checks should be made out to the Association and
mailed to me as your Secretary/Treasurer.
Sincerely,
Walt Stitt
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