USARA News

WASHINGTON (Wednesday, March 27, 2013) – Starting today at airports nationwide, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will offer expedited screening to severely injured members of the U.S. Armed Forces.  The new policy is available to any service member or veteran with injuries or mobility issues, regardless of when they served.  They will no longer be required to remove their shoes, jackets or hats at airport security checkpoints.

To be eligible for this service, a Wounded Warrior or traveling companion should email the Military Severely Injured Joint Services Operations Center, MSIJSOC@dhs.gov, or call 1-888-262-2396 with itinerary information for the traveling party.  Traveling companions will receive standard screening. 

 “In recognition of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, we have revised our screening requirements to allow expedited screening for this trusted group of citizens,” said John Halinski, TSA’s Deputy Administrator and 25-year U.S. Marine Corps veteran.

Read more…

USARA election of Association Officers is an Annual Event, with one half of those officer holders being elected each year. The election is held not later than the month prior to the Annual Ranger Muster (ARM), with the newly elected officers taking office at the ARM.  This year’s ARM is July 22-26, 2013 in Columbus, Georgia.

During the month of April all members will receive a special edition of the Ranger Register in which they will be asked to approve a change to the USARA Bylaws that will allow electronic online voting.  If approved, those who have e-mail addresses registered on the USARA website will have the opportunity to vote electronically by e-mail.  For those not having a valid e-mail email address, elections materials will be mailed to you.

It is the responsibility of each Association member to insure that his contact information is up to date, and that his Association dues are current.

This year’s election includes:

• Executive Vice President
• Vice President Personnel
• Secretary
• Mid-Atlantic Region Director
• Southeast Region Director
• Southwest Regional Director

The Association is looking for those potential candidates who are interested in furthering the goals and objectives of the Association.  The criteria to be a candidate for office are:

• A Regular Member of the Association in good standing (dues current).
• Have the time and desire to be fully involved.
• Be computer literate since the majority of Association business is conducted through our website and/or by e-mail.

If you are interested in running for one of the positions or, or just have questions about the election process, please contact me, or your Region’s member of the National Election Committee noted below, or your  Region Director.

Len Boulas

Chairman, USARA Election Committee

E-Mail: Lboulas1@aol.com

(575) 541-1449 (H)

(303) 522-7374 (C)

Herbert Lawrence "Bud" Godschalk, Jr., of Staunton, Va., passed away Saturday, February 23, 2013, at the Hunter McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Virginia. He was born on December 27, 1930, in New Rochelle, N.Y., the son of the late Herbert L., Sr., and Mildred McCarthy Godschalk.

He attended Xavier University and served with the U.S. Army Rangers during the Korean conflict. He retired in 1999 as a manufacturer's representative for H.L. Godschalk Associates of Huntington, W.Va.

He is survived by his children, Dr. Michael Godschalk and wife Dorothy of Richmond, Va., Maggie Godschalk of Huntington, W.Va., Susan Cremeans and husband Bob of Crown City, Ohio, Herbert L. "Herb" Godschalk, III, and wife Sue of Staunton, Va., Catherine Spurlock and husband Clarence of Huntington, W.Va., Patricia "Trish" Hickey and husband Ed of Lexington, Ky., John Godschalk of Huntington, W.Va., Teresa Godschalk of Charlotte, N.C., and Mary Godschalk of Cincinnati, Ohio; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Applicants can now complete the online USARA Scholarship Request for Application. The application process is only available online; no paper-based documents are used. Read the complete process details and schedule by clicking here.

USARA 2013 Scholarship Program Announced

The 2013 US Army Ranger Association (USARA) Scholarship Program Schedule is now available. Applicants will be able to complete the online Request for Application beginning March 10, 2013. The application process is only available online; no paper-based documents are used. Read the complete process details and schedule by clicking here.

Sunday November 11, 2012 at 14:30 hours Mike Conklin, Chairman and CEO of Sentinels of Freedom Scholarship Foundation, and Honorary Member of USARA, accompanied by his wife Peggy will be honoring Rangers laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery.

There are 14 Rangers who served with the 75^th Ranger Regiment at Arlington in Section 60.

Mike and Peggy will lay an individual wreath at each fallen Ranger's grave.

USARA members are welcome to attend and assist.

Click for printable Map of Arlington Cemetary

Section 60:

Arthur “Robbie”' Robinson, USARA Life Member, died at the age of 84 years at his home October 10, 2012.  A military funeral will be conducted this week on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia.

Robbie was a remarkable soldier in his day, with a span of service from the end of WWII in the British Army and then, from 1950, in the Australian Army until 1976 where he was proud to qualify at PTS (then School of Land Air Warfare) in 1953 as a Basic Parachutist and later as PJI #3 on the first PJI course held in Australia. He went on to serve in the Australian Army Training Team - Vietnam where he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in 1968 and was also recognized for his gallantry by the Americans with the Silver Star and the South Vietnamese with the Cross of Gallantry - each of these being among several other awards. He was inducted as an Honorary Members of the U.S Army Ranger Hall of Fame in 1999, the only foreign soldier to have achieved this honor at that time.

U.S Army Ranger Hall of Fame Citation:

Arthur “Robbie” Robinson is inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame as an honorary member for military and civilian service to the Ranger community spanning over thirty years. His amazing career with the Australian Army during Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War included multiple tours of duty alongside the United States units, not the least of which was the defense of Quang Tri City where his service and heroic actions were recognized with numerous awards including the U.S. Silver Star, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Vietnamese Armed Forces Honor of Medal. He later served as an advisor with the Vietnamese Rangers and forged a reputation with fellow U.S. advisors as a tough, dependable, and dedicated member of the team. Since retiring from the Australian Army, he has continued his association with the Ranger community as a member of the United States Army Ranger Association, Allied Forces, and has traveled extensively speaking on behalf of all Rangers and living the Ranger Creed. With deeds, not word, Arthur “Robbie” Robinson has exemplified the true meaning of being a Ranger.

All Rangers, past and present, are cordially invited to attend the Second Annual Ranger Happy Hour and Dinner.  Reconnect with old Ranger buddies and make new ones.

Please register on the USARA website at www.ranger.org or RSVP to Travis West RSVP To Travis West at (608) 561-1779 or twest@vaclaimslaw.com .

To register online click on Event Registration. Click on “Register” and enter your email address and password if asked (if you are not already logged in).  Make sure you enter the number of guests at the bottom of the form (not counting yourself) that will attend with you.

Ross Hall, a USARA Associate Member and known long-time Ranger Supporter/Ranger Novelist passed away yesterday at his home in Dahlonega, Ga.

A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, June 29, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. at the Dahlonega Funeral Home Chapel. The family will receive friends on Friday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

More to be added.

USARA Scholarship Program provides financial grants to students who plan to attend or are already attending an accredited college, university, or higher technical trade school. Scholarship awards funds are to assist with academic expenses at the attending University/School and will be disbursed directly to the University/School to assist with tuition, books, fees, supplies and room and board.

This year the USARA Scholarship Program has been expanded to include not only the USARA Legacy Scholarship that was established last year, but now includes the First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship.   

On June 25, 2011, US Army First Lieutenant Dimitri del Castillo, 24, of Tampa, Florida, died in Kunar province, Afghanistan. He was on the radio calling in support for the men of his unit around him who had been attacked and wounded by small arms fire from enemy forces. While refusing to give up the radio so he could help keep his men alive, he was hit and died with the mike in his hand.  To honor his memory this scholarship has been established by his family.  Graciously, the del Castillo family selected USARA to manage the scholarship and made it available to our members. 

Applicants must be a qualified dependent of a USARA member.  Qualified Dependent is defined as an unmarried child; grandchild or great-grandchild of a USARA member (included those legally adopted) who is under the age of 23 for the entire academic year.  USARA Member (scholarship sponsor) in this case is defined as an individual who at the time of scholarship application has been a Regular Member (Annual or Life) of USARA for a minimum of one year; or a deceased Regular Member of USARA.

Applicants that meet the eligibility requirements for the USARA legacy scholarship are also eligible to compete for The First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship.

The First Lieutenant Dimitri A. del Castillo Scholarship is also available to a qualified child or spouse of a fallen tabbed or scrolled Ranger. Qualified child is defined as an unmarried child of a fallen tabbed or scrolled ranger (included those legally adopted) who is under the age of 23 for the entire academic year. Qualified Spouse is defined as the person legally married to the fallen Ranger at the time of his death; and not remarried at the time of application for the scholarship.

The term “fallen tabbed or scrolled rangers” is means those tabbed (graduated from Ranger School and awarded the Ranger Tab, or scrolled Rangers (served with the 75th Ranger Regiment in a Ranger slot) who were killed in action or those tabbed or scrolled Ranger killed in training. This includes those who died in a hospital later as a result of critical wounds related to combat or training.

Detail description, containing the purpose, scope and eligibility requirements, specific to each scholarship is outlines on the USARA website at www.ranger.org.