UPCOMING REUNION

16 May 2026

 

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(The following correspondence about our UPCOMING REUNION is from our MCDSA President, Danny Burke. It is taken from two files which he recently sent out to us all, however, because his email address has changed, some of us did not see his email because our systems did not recognize his new email address, and the correspondence ended up in our Trash/Spam folders.)

Hello everyone,

            Wow, what a wonderful gathering we had at our 2025 MCDSA Reunion/Cookout!  We had 102 in attendance, and what a spread of chow we enjoyed catered by Mission Bar-B-Q. 

            This will be the 4th year that Randy and Leslie have hosted our event, and if you attended last year, you saw that they’ve built a large pavilion capable of seating everyone.  No more tents, tables or chairs to set up or tear down.  Many preparations have already begun, so let’s add the weekend of 16 May to your calendar.  Our event will again be catered by Mission Bar-B-Q.  We took note of the chow that went fast last year, and was left over, and have adjusted the quantities to more align with our desires.

            We will still have the silent auction if you have any items you would like to donate to financially support the association.  We will be selling Red Books Vol I and Vol II.  We will also be selling 50/50 Raffle Tickets, our Fraternal Items, and giving away some door prizes.  The cost of entry to this year’s event will be $30.00 for Life Members and Annual Members (in good standing).  As a reminder, all annual membership dues are payable every January 1^st.  If you plan on attending, please send your RSVP and check to:

MCDSA, P.O. Box 134, Quantico, VA 22134

NLT 11 May 2026, as we need to provide the final numbers to Mission Bar-B-Q.

            If you plan on bringing an RV or Camper, please coordinate with Leslie @ 540-840-2074 (primary), or Randy (540-406-0368).  It will be a great time hanging out for a few days!  Randy will set up his grill Friday evening (15 May) for anyone wanting to arrive early and chow down.  Bring what you want to throw on the grill and bring a side to share.  We’ll sit around the fire and reminisce.

            Capt. Bartlett said many members preferred to stay in Culpeper at the Microtel Inn and Suites, 885 Willis Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701 (540) 829-0330.  His rate is $199.00 for two rooms.  We arranged for a  discount of $125.00 (no tax) for rooms with two double beds at the Days Inn/Baymont Inn & Suites, 791 Madison Rd, Culpeper, VA 22701 (540) 825-1253.  The Group Block Name is MCDSA, Group Block Code is 051526MCD, and the Group Block ID is 478724.  Other motels in Culpeper are the Red Roof Inn, 889 Willis Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701 (883) 617-1943; and the Quality Inn, 890 Willis Lane, Culpeper, VA 22701 (540) 825-4900.  All locations offer free breakfast, WIFI and parking.

            Also, the Marine Corps Marksmanship Championships (MCMC) are 13-24 April 2026, with the awards ceremony tentatively taking place on 24 April at 0900 on Range 4.  If you plan to attend, Capt Bodzioch needs to know numbers for the ceremony.  Please send me your name.

            One more thing, if you are interested in serving your MCDSA as a member of the Board of Governors, please let us know.  We will be holding elections this year, with all ballots due NLT June 15^th.  Ballots and boxes will be at the Reunion/Cookout, and ballots will be sent to members that cannot attend.

            Last year, we had many door prizes, dozens of Silent Auction items, the 50/50 Raffle, and the highlight of the day, the “Leg Match” where everyone who RSVP’d and paid their $30.00 entry fee by the cutoff date was entered into the drawing to win either a Gold ($200.00), Silver ($100.00), or Bronze ($50.00) “Leg Medal.”  

            I want to thank MGen James S. “Hammer” Hartsell for his leadership in starting the ball rolling with his donation, prompting others to donate which totally funded the “Leg Match” last year. If you’d like to follow his leadership again this year, please contact Leslie or Danny.          

            Again, this year we will have something special to be entered into for all those who RSVP and send in their entry fee NLT 11 May 2026 (the cutoff date for Mission Bar-B-Q).

            For those interested, there will be a potluck dinner/cookout on Friday, the evening prior to the Reunion/Cookout.  If you plan on bringing an RV or Camper, for coordination please contact Leslie 540-840-2074 (primary), or Randy (540-406-0368).  It will be a great time hanging out for a few days!

            Anyone who would like to donate any items to the Silent Auction please bring them, and we will place them on the table to help generate funds for future use.  If you plan on donating a specific item, let me know, and I’ll get the Silent Auction forms filled out prior to the event to save time.  If you want to place a value and starting bid on your item, that will help.

            Everyone will receive one door prize ticket when they arrive, and those winners will be drawn approximately one hour prior to clean up.  An itinerary will be posted at several locations around the area.  If anyone has a drone they would like to use to take pictures of our event along with the group photo, that would be great.  Leslie will order the cake, there will be plenty of chow, and we will have lots of beverages on hand.

            I mentioned in a previous email sent to our Annual Members, that CWO3 Raymond Coleman had donated another Life Membership ($150.00) for a raffle that will be drawn on 16 May for any Annual Member in arrears that renews their membership by 16 May.  If you know of any Annual Members in arrears, encourage them to renew to get in on this raffle, or better yet, an upgrade to a Life Membership will enter them in the drawing. 

            Anyone interested in a planned fishing trip to SW Virginia at a place called Cedar Springs Sportsman Lodge, in Rural Retreat, VA?  This is a privately owned stream (1.5 miles).  They also own a hatchery and have been in business since the 1950’s.  Vince Sulik is organizing a two-day trip for one of the best fishing experiences in the world on Monday and Tuesday, 18 and 19 May 2026 (two days after our Reunion/Cookout).  If you are interested in joining us for this unforgettable time, you should contact Vince at 804-761-2535, or vincesulik@gmail.com.  Vince has reserved the creek for those two days, which gets stocked for our group.  It will cost $1,750.00 to rent the entire stream, which comes out to $70.00 per person for 25 people.  Call or email Vince if you are interested.  There are videos on YouTube if you would like to check it out.

           

            Camaraderie is the main purpose and function of this association.  As written in our Constitution, Article III states:

 The objectives of the Association are to: 

1. Provide a means to further the camaraderie established among Marines who have distinguished themselves in the Marine Corps Competition-in-Arms Program, as well as those Marines who have tirelessly supported the United States Marine Corps Shooting Teams as Armorers and Ammunition Technicians, and those non-Distinguished Marines who have earned points toward the Distinguished Badge.

2. Foster the preservation and promotion of Marine Corps Marksmanship and the Marine Corps Competition-in-Arms Program history.

3. Act as a vehicle by which Distinguished Marine shooters, those non-Distinguished Marines who have earned points towards the Distinguished Badge and those dedicated Marines who supported the USMC Shooting Teams as Armorers and Ammunition Technicians can maintain continued contact with one another.

4. To hold an annual social gathering for the membership.

 ========================================================

2026 MCDSA Reunion/Cookout

Date – 16 May 2026

Location – Randy Allen’s Bittersweet Farm

Unionville, VA 22567

540-406-0368

***Reservations paid in Advance to:   MCDSA P.O. Box 134, Quantico, VA 22134***

***(RSVP 05/11/26)***

PRICE INCLUDES ADMISSION, FOOD AND DRINKS

$30.00 – (in advance) Life Members and Annual Members (in Good Standing)

$35 Day of Event

$45.00 – (in advance) Annual Members (who are in Arrears) (Brings Membership Current)

$50 Day of Event (Brings Membership Current)

Schedule

(All times subject to change)

0800 – Dedicated Volunteers Set-up

1000 – Arrival of Guests/Cocktails/Social Gathering/Start bidding on Silent Auction Items and 50/50 Raffle (Donations of Silent Auction Items Graciously Accepted)

1100 – MCDSA Membership Competitions (TBD)

1300 – Shared Blessing /Chow Served (Catered by Mission BBQ)

1430 – Introductions

1630 – MCDSA Photo

1700 – Silent Auction Items Winners Announced

1730 – 50/50 Raffle Winner Announced

1730 – Cleanup

1800 –Tear Down – Secure

 

Semper Fi,

Daniel E. Burke, Sr.

MGySgt, USMC (Ret.)

President, MCDSA

(540) 287-3833

 

Happy Birthday, Marines!

 

TIME MACHINE….

Here are some items from the past which may take some of us back in time…

Clipping compliments of Maj. Gen. Hartsell (USMCR Ret.)

The first is a newspaper clipping from 1990 listing the names of those Marines who were selected for the Marine Corps Summer Rifle and Pistol Teams.

Next we have the first and last pages of the results for the “PRE- Preliminary WESTERN DIVISION Rifle and Pistol Matches which were held back in May of 1973.

 

 

 

1973 Match Bulletins compliments of  1st Sgt Ray Del Rio (USMC Ret.)

(…Note who signed the last page of each Bulletin.)

We join all in our Nation as we remember, mourn and honor those U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Beautiful weather, beautiful setting and a beautiful opportunity to reconnect….

 

Many thanks to Leslie Cook and Gene Rucks for providing photos and snapshots of the 2025 Reunion!

All other Photos from Leslie and Gene of our 2025 Reunion are able to be accessed on PhotoBucket.

[To access our albums stored on PhotoBucket, simply click on our “Photos” tab (here, at the top of this website page), and you will be taken to our “Photos” page where you can then select the album you want to view. After you have clicked on the album of your choice, a new window will open up (the PhotoBucket website) where you will be prompted to enter the MarineDSA Membership password which will then grant you access to the Album you want to view.]

Please RSVP by tomorrow, 09 May 2025 if you will be attending the upcoming Reunion on

17 May 2025…

 

Outstanding chow and opportunities to re-connect with fellow Distinguished Shooters, Shooting Team Armorers and Shooting Team Ammo Techs are all right around the corner — and, planned for this year (besides the cookout catered by Mission Bar-B-Q) will be a silent auction, raffle tickets, door prizes, and a drawing for “Leg Medals: 1 Gold (a $200 gift card), 3 Silver ($100 gift cards) and 6 Bronze ($50 gift cards)” which is open to those Members who

RSVP along with paying the $30 for their ticket by tomorrow, 9 May 2025.

The Marine Corps Championship Awards Ceremony hosted by LtGen Benjamin T. Watson (CG Training & Education Command, Quantico) was held on 18 April and saw SSgt Payton Garcia awarded for his clean sweep of both the Rifle and the Pistol Matches, scoring perfect scores of 100% in each — the only competitor to do so, thereby making him the default recipient of the highly esteemed Lauchheimer Trophy.

The Rifle Match consisted of eight intermediate-range and long-range stages of fire during the day, and five stages conducted at night.

The Pistol Match consisted of six action pistol stages conducted during the day, and four action pistol stages conducted at night.

SSgt Payton Garcia was also the only competitor to make a clean sweep of the Multi-Gun Match (using the M16 and the M18) achieving 100% in a course of fire which requires competitors to move through eight shooting stages while engaging targets in a variety of different positions. In the Multi-Gun Match, targets consist of either paper targets or steel targets, and the targets cover a distance ranging from a few yards away to over 100 yards away. (Missed targets or hitting “no-shoot” targets all incur penalties.)

LtGen Benjamin T. Watson presented an M1 Garand rifle to SSgt Payton Garcia who had been awarded the Lauchheimer Trophy, and SSgt Payton Garcia (wishing to provide and signal an encouragement to all new competitors who may participate in the Marine Corps’ Competition-In-Arms Program)  in turn presented his M1 Garand to the High Tyro, Sgt Kai Byrom.

MajGen Hartsell presented Sgt Kai Byrom with the “Hammer” Hartsell High Tyro Trophy which is awarded each year to the first-year competitor possessing the highest overall aggregate at the Marine Corps Championship.

MajGen Hartsell is himself Distinguished and a member of the Marine Distinguished Shooters Association.

Other members of the Marine DSA who were present included Marine DSA President Danny Burke, as well as Jake DeBerry and Ray Bailey.  …Jake DeBerry and Ray Bailey both took advantage of the “hands-on” opportunities offered by WTBn CO Colonel Cuomo in the invitation which he extended earlier to all members of the Marine Distinguished Shooters Association.

LtGen Benjamin T. Watson, CG of Training & Education Command

 

*Col Scott Cuomo, CO WTBn Quantico

 

*LtGen Watson presents an M1 to SSgt Payton Garcia, Lauchheimer Trophy Winner

 

MajGen James S. Hartsell stands ready to award the High Tyro Trophy

 

*Sgt Kai Byrom, recipient of the MajGen “Hammer” Hartsell High Tyro Trophy

 

*SSgt Payton Garcia, MajGen James S. Hartsell, Sgt Kai Byrom, Col Scott Cuomo

 

Marine DSA members Jake DeBerry and Ray Bailey give the recently-developed courses of fire a go.

 

To see more photos (including Team Champions), click on the following link:

Marine Corps Championships Award Ceremony

 

*Pages from the Awards Pamphlet:

*”The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.”

 

 

At the most recent meeting of the Board of Governors the subject was broached and concerns were discussed over the fact that there have been some who publicly identify themselves as members of the Marine DSA and then proceed to publicly post on social media their criticisms of recent changes to the Marine Corps Marksmanship Program.

CO WTBn INVITE

 WHEN: 18 April 2025

WHERE: QUANTICO, VA 

Members of the MCDSA have been extended a formal invitation by Colonel Scott A. Cuomo, the Commanding Officer of Weapons Training Battalion Quantico, to attend the Marine Corps Championship Matches and Awards Ceremony on 18 April 2025 which will then be immediately followed by a live fire event at WTBn during which time members of the MCDSA will be provided with:

-a demonstration of the Infantry Marksmanship Assessment (and how the Corps is quantitatively measuring lethality) 

AS WELL AS, 

-the opportunity to themselves engage targets over the new courses of fire and thereby measure their own lethality!

Furthermore, once live fire is concluded, the Battalion will be hosting a barbecue in the Downrange Club for members of the MCDSA and the Marine Corps Shooting Team — an opportunity to break bread together and to build bonds.

THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING OPPORTUNITY…

SEIZE IT!!!

 

NOTE: Members wanting to engage targets during this phenomenal opportunity will want to wear comfortable clothing and closed-toe footgear.

 

*****Please advise our MCDSA President Danny Burke if you will be present at this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so that he can RSVP the Team.*****