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 A meeting of the Executive Council of the DINFOS Alumni Association was held on October 10, 2009, at 1130 at The Garrison Restaurant at Ft. Harrison.

 

Present were:

Jack Rubak, President

Mike Davis

Mike Scott

Helen Stritt, Secretary

 

Absent were:

Tom Conrad

Bob Foster

Mike LaBonne

 

The President opened the meeting.  He distributed copies of a letter from Colonel Gary L. Keck, DINFOS Commandant, in which he enclosed a paper with DINFOS Highlights for FY 2009.  Rubak gave a synopsis of the highlights as follows:

 

- DINFOS currently trains 3,200 students a year.  (When the school was at Ft. Harrison, we trained a max of 1,800 yearly.)

- With increased funding of $18.6 million in additional budget authority, 82 new civilian positions were added, and $39.2 million was allocated to the school for military construction funding.

- Distance Learning is in effect for the Public Affairs Officer Qualification Course. This has the same curriculum as the PAOQC Course that requires a five-month web-based program followed by a two-week capstone course at the school.

- The school in May hosted the fifth annual “Communicators of Excellence” award to honor winners of the Military Photographer, Videographer and Graphics Artist of the Year competition as well as winners of the Thomas Jefferson Awards in both Print and Broadcast categories.

- Efforts are continuing to develop working relationships and partnerships with other DoD Schools, e.g., the National Geospatial College and Defense Acquisition University to share best practices.  The University of Maryland now grants graduates of the Public Affairs Qualification Course three graduate credit hours towards a Masters Degree in Public Relations and Northwestern Louisiana University grants the full credit recommendation of the American Council on Education to all students enrolled in their journalism program.

- Construction began across the street from DINFOS on the new headquarters building for the Defense Media Activity.

- Several personnel changes occurred.  Colonel Gary Keck replaced Captain W. Curry Graham as the school’s 16^th Commandant.

 

We have made Colonel Keck an Honorary Member of the DINFOS Alumni Association, and a Certificate to this effect will be prepared and mailed to him.

 

The next agenda item included an update on membership from the Membership Chairman, Mike Scott.  He has prepared mailings to 295 students who have signed up for their one-year, free memberships.   In addition to the student memberships, we have 120 life members, and four one-year memberships along with one new life member have been received so far in 2009.  In each packet is a welcoming letter along with a membership card.   Mike suggested convening a meeting to discuss the procedures for sending these students notices of renewals if they are interested in continuing their memberships and providing additional incentives for them to take out regular members.  He would also like to discuss setting a set fee rather than the different fees that were previously set according to military rankings.  For all student memberships up to the present time, he would like to begin renewals in June 2010.  He has suggested one fee for renewal memberships along with the fees now set for life memberships.  A meeting date to discuss his proposals will be set.

 

Next agenda item was to set a date for our next membership meeting.   Since we’re getting close to the 2009 holiday season, a proposal was made to hold the next meeting in January 2010.  The first date proposed was January 16 along with an alternate date or January 23, 2010.  Mike Davis has contacted Grissom AFB for a potential guest speaker, and they gave him a form on their website that he can submit.  He will fill out the form asking for someone who has been to Afghanistan or Iraq.

 

The President then brought up the issue of the Alumni Association donating another $500 to purchase books for the DINFOS Library.  This had unanimous support, and Rubak will contact the DINFOS librarian asking for a list of needed books.  Also, we can check with the school to see if there are any other items the Alumni Association can purchase such as lamps or other items needed for the barracks.

 

At the January meeting, election of new officers will be discussed.  Nominations will be solicited and voted upon, and the Treasurer position needs to be filled.  Additionally, we need help with memberships as well as someone to assist Bob Foster with keeping the website up-to-date.  Volunteers in these two areas are needed.

 

The meeting adjourned at 1:30 PM.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

                                                                 

                                                                      Jack  Rubak, President

 

 

                                                                      Helen Stritt, Secretary