Mormon Battalion Association

Transcription

1 Mormon Battalion Association Minutes Executive Staff Meeting 10:00 AM, Saturday, 19 September 2015 LTC Max Jamison Residence, 2854 N. Augusta Drive Lehi, UT The Mormon Battalion Association Executive Staff meets at least once per quarter on the third Saturday the month at 10:00 am, except when that day is a holiday or conflicts with another event. In that case, the meeting will be re-scheduled and the Executive Staff will be notified of the change. Members of the public are invited to attend. Policy: As with U.S. Congressional minutes, anyone can read appropriate items into the minutes. In the interest of expediency, all participants should be familiar with our proposed minutes before each meeting. We will only discuss items requiring discussion and decisions. Also, detailed discussion of Action Items will be referenced to equivalent sections in Membership Reports, Member Advisory Committee Reports, and New Business. Executive Staff Attendance: The following were present: LTC Max W. Jamison (Battalion Commander) and COL Jerome G. Gourley (Battalion Commander s Chief Advisor). The following were excused: COL Carl V. Larson (Battalion Executive Officer), MAJ Val John Halford (Quartermaster/Logistics Officer), CPT Todd Crappa (Chief Finance Officer and member of Board of Directors) MAJ Clark Olsen (Community Relations Liaison), Margaret Larson (Membership Officer), Steven L. Rinehart (Judge Advocate General), and CSM David Munford (Command Sergeant Major). Leadership and Guest Attendance: The following were present: CPT Blaine Bachman (Albuquerque Squad), David Jamiel (Colorado Squad), Ashley Hall (Board of Directors), and James Waite (Board of Directors). The following were excused: Kevin Henson (Senior Historian), Ed Kimball (Chairman, Board of Directors), Guy Dickson (Board of Directors), Dennis Holland (Board of Directors), and Al Matheson (Board of Directors). Welcome / Call to Order / Recognize Guests / Administrative Items Invocation Pledge of Allegiance LTC Max W. Jamison C OL Jerome Gourley N one Minutes of 20 June 2015 and 29 August Executive Staff Meetings Reviewed and Approved General Business:! Recognition & Awards We received notice after the fact of the 8 September 2015 graveside service for former Battalion member, MAJ Don Jay Schurtz (3 June August 2015), at the Utah Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Riverton, UT. Ninety years old at his passing, he was known for his long and valiant service to the Mormon Battalion Association, particularly his dedicated production and distribution of over 7,000 Mormon Battalion Eagle Scout slides. Due to increasing dementia, he moved to live with his son in California several years ago. We suspect that he spent his declining years in a rest home and returning to Utah without our knowledge, as his obituary stated that he was a resident of Sandy, Utah at his passing.! Service Opportunities None.! Action Item Review: Leadership: All: Recruit civic and community leaders to serve on our new Board of Directors. We have two remaining unfilled positions. Page 1 of 11

2 All: Find viable candidates to run for offices of Battalion Commander (e x o ffic io President of Board) and Battalion Executive Officer (e x o ffic io Vice President of Board), who will stand for election for two years. Section 2.02 of the Articles of Incorporation states that they coordinate and direct all member activities. Their roles are that of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO). All: Find individuals willing to serve as 1 st Executive Director (S1 - Adjutant General) and 2 nd Executive Director (S7 - Public Relations Commandant) of the Battalion Continental Support Staff. Section 2.02 of the Articles of Incorporation states that they manage all administrative support business matters. Their roles are that of Chief Business Executive (CBE) and Chief of Business Operations (CBO), supervising the Battalion Continental Support Staff. Col Gourley (Executive Secretary of the Board of Directors): Swear in Greg Christofferson as member of Board of Directors. LTC Jamison: Swear in CSM David L. Mumford as Command Sergeant Major. Recruiting: LTC Jamison: Provide James Waite with contact information for CPT James Hansen to reactivate Logan Squad (aka D Company). Graves Memorialization: COL Larson, LTC Jamison, and Kevin Henson: Locate living descendants of Lewis Dent and Dr. George Sanderson to invite to graves memorialization. COL Larson to research placing ad in local St. Louis newspaper. COL Larson and Kevin Henson: Locate living descendants of Thomas P. Dutcher and William Reynalds (Reynolds) in Michigan to invite to graves memorialization. Contact historical organizations in Michigan. Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Award: Kevin Henson: Lead Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Member Advisory Committee in updating requirements list, booklet, and appropriate bibliographic/resource documentation, and provide to the BSA National Trails Office, the LDS/BSA Relations Office, and the Battalion s webmaster for use on their websites. This committee should make a diligent search of the internet to identify the sources of outdated copies of the Award and replace them with links to the new award on the Mormon Battalion Association website. Since completing the FamilySearch campaign, the committee is now returning to this task. Kevin Henson: Rewrite History of the Battalion using previously written articles written by Larry Porter as jumping off point. COL Gourley: Coordinate with Elder D. Todd Christofferson regarding continued association between LDS Church and Mormon Battalion Association, including historical research and LDS participation in BSA Mormon Battalion Trail Award after Mormon Battalion Association takes over. Contacts with Mormon History Association and Old Spanish Trails Association: Greg Christofferson: Arrange meeting between leaders of Mormon History Association, Old Spanish Trails Association, and the Mormon Battalion Association to find common ground during annual convention in Provo in June. Propose a presentation in their 2016 convention describing our joint efforts with FamilySearch and Kevin Henson s MapNTour virtual trails activities. Meeting was not arranged as hoped in June. Will try for later meeting. FamilySearch Campaign: COL Gourley: Advise Elder D. Todd Christofferson of FamilySearch Campaign and discuss implications. Website Release 3.0: LTC Jamison: Create new recruiting materials (brief background of Association and donation page with receipt) for website to go with Membership Application. Forward copies to David Jamiel. Lecture by Dr. Lyman: Ashley Hall: Approach Dr. Leo Lyman for copy of lecture to post on the Battalion website. Mr. Lyman has assured Bg Hall that he will get his lecture/article to us for posting on our website. Page 2 of 11

3 Men s Uniforms: Ed Kimball: Contact Virginia City, Montana store regarding old pioneer costumes and uniform parts from the Army of the West. Membership Reports 1. Board of Directors: No report. Associate Organization Reports: 1. Battalion Trek/MapNTour.com (Michigan Contingent) Kevin Henson: No report. 2. Boy Scouts of America: No report. 3. California Pioneer Heritage Foundation: No report. 4. Daughters of Utah Pioneers: No report. 5. Early Saints Research Group: No report. 6. FamilySearch : See FamilySearch Campaign report below. 7. Friends of the Battalion & Ship B ro o kly n - Pres. Erma Bullock: Their 15 September 2015 Newsletter reported that they held their September meeting that day at the Old Rock Church Pioneer Hall, 1137 W South (across from Gardner Village), West Jordan. Jerry Anderson arranged for Matt Hart to speak about his activities and help after the earthquake in Nepal. They will be holding their officer elections early this year. Due to her uncertain health, President Erma Bullock tendered her early resignation because it is so questionable whether I will be strong enough to serve out the last few months. President Bullock expressed her gratitude for dependable assistance from her predecessor, Steve Burton and his wife, Janice Burton, her Vice President, Don Eastman, and her husband, Richard Bullock. As with all service organizations these days, she expressed the need of young members, to lift our spirits, and give us new ideas and ways to do things with energetic enthusiasm, to care about the organization, and what it stands for and means! 8. Heritage Trails Association Ms. Marilyn Mills: No report on progress of refurbishing Fort Moore Memorial in Los Angeles. 9. Mormon Battalion Arizona (Mesa Company) CPT Gary L. Smith: No report on preparations for their October to April Christmas Camp programs. 10. Mormon Battalion Volunteers, Historic Reenactment Group. Utah Living History Association CPT Jared Cornell: No report. 11. Mormon History Association: No report. 12. Old Spanish National Historic Trail Association Pres. Ashley Hall: BG Hall invited us to send representatives to attend the inaugural joint Three Trails Conference of the El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro Trail Association (CARTA), the Santa Fe Trail Association (SFTA), and the Old Spanish Trail Association being held on September 2015 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ( S e e h t t p : / / w w w. o l d s p a n i s h t r a i l. o r g / p a r t i c i p a t e / c o n f e r e n c e / annual_conference/program for program details and speakers.) CPT Blaine Bachman, our local commander in Albuquerque, has been assigned to represent us at the conference with instructions to seek closer cooperation with the other three associations on areas of common interest, providing them with Kevin Henson s contact information as our Senior Historian. 13. Sierra Nevada Mormon Pioneers Peter D. Guilbert: Received numerous reports. This is a very active group of LDS service missionaries. 14. Sons of Utah Pioneers: Received monthly report from Lehi Chapter. Local Unit Reports: Headquarters (HHC) Company MAJ Clark Olsen: No report. Utah North Platoon CPT Robert Olson: MAJ Olsen, MAJ Halford, and CPT Olson made numerous Eagle Scout slide presentations. Eastern Idaho Squad CPT Thomas Griggs: No report. Logan Squad (aka D Company) James Waite: No report. Ogden Section (aka C Company) MAJ Clark Olsen: Company C had a meeting a couple of weeks ago lining out the winter schedule. We will meet as normally on the last Thursday of September and October in the Roy Public Library. Then have our Christmas dinner in November after Thanksgiving with no meetings in December. Meetings in the new year will generally be on the last Thursday of each month, but in the newly constructed library located Page 3 of 11

4 approximately 3900 S West, Roy, UT. The May meeting might be another Battalion gravesite tour in Weber County. I recently presented my 222nd Eagle Scout with the buffalo neckerchief slide. Through the years I have had Courts of Honor for up to eleven Eagles in a single event. Salt Lake Squad (aka A and B Companies): No report. Utah South Platoon LTC Jerry Harris: No report. Albuquerque Squad CPT Blaine Bachman: No report. Cedar City Squad CPT Robert Tingey: Larry Bilyeu presented two Eagle Scout slides last Sunday. CPT Tingey has recommended his replacement as local commander by Larry Bilyeu. Under the new rules basing local commander rank on the size of their unit, Larry be given the honorary rank of Sergeant. All agreed. St. George Squad (aka Dixie Company) CPT Robert Wood: COL Gourley and CPT Wood made several Eagle Scout slide presentations. White Mountain Squad CPT David Crockett: No report. Field Company CPT Lynn Tegland: No report. California Detached Section LTC Frank Szeles: No report. California South Squad (aka B Company): No report. Arizona Detached Section LTC Lloyd Smith: No report. Yuma Squad CPT Gary L. Smith: No report. Colorado Detached Squad David Jamiel: No report. LTC Jamison recommended that, under the new rules basing local commander rank on the size of their unit, Mr. Jamiel be given the honorary rank of Sergeant. All agreed. Membership Advisory Committee Reports: CCA Christensen 1. Battalion Flag Committee Mike Anderson, Chair:: Mr. Henson found a sketch of the Flag Raising at Fort Moore in Los Angeles reportedly drawn by PVT Charles Brent Hancock ( ) of Company C, who was present. The sketch shows an unusual U. S. Flag with stars in a small canton and four each (not three each) stripes below. The authenticity of this sketch is questionable. MAJ Halford has advised that this drawing was actually done by Carl Christian Anton ( CCA ) Christensen (1831- Page 4 of 11

5 White Mormon BATAlion Flag Smith Family Bear Flag 1912), a Mormon folk artist who was NOT present, and there is no evidence that the Mormon Battalion had the portrayed Sibley tepee tents. LTC Jamison found a newspaper clipping reporting the first Pioneer Day parade on 24 July 1849 in Salt Lake City which made no mention of participation by the Mormon Battalion. They apparently did not start participating in the Days of 47 parades until later. Mr. Henson found a newspaper article reporting the 30 th Anniversary Pioneer Parade on 24 July 1880 in Salt Lake City which states that the Mormon Battalion, marching as the flag honor guard, carried their worn out but honored old flag. There was no indication of the origin of this flag or whether it was carried by the Battalion during their enlistment. (This may or may not have been the white Mormon BATAlion flag with the word Battalion curiously misspelled and in partial caps sold to the Lagoon Resort by the Sons of Utah Pioneers.) Another group in the parade, the Life Guards independent battalion of the Utah Territorial Militia tasked with protecting the territorial Governor and LDS Church President Brigham Young, carried the Smith Family Bear Flag with the inscriptions Life Guards and Always Ready. Unconfirmed Smith family tradition holds that this flag originally had a beehive in the canton when flown over the Nauvoo Temple, which was overpainted with an eagle similar to the U.S. coat of arms when given to the Mormon Battalion by Brigham Young; the Battalion reportedly added the Bear while in California, and returned it to President Young upon their arrival in Salt Lake City; whereupon President Brigham Young gave it to his Life Guards, who added the text in the white stripes. 2. Graves Memorialization Committee COL Carl V. Larson, Chair: No report. a. Dr. George Sanderson and Lewis Dent No report. b. Milton Smith No report. c. Thomas P. Dutcher and William Reynalds (Reynolds) No report. 3. Historians Committee Kevin Henson, Chair: a. Journals Transcription: No report. b. Website Support: See Website Release 3.0 Committee below. c. 1 st Iowa Battalion or 1 st Iowa Volunteers: Mr. Henson has been valiantly debunking the myth that the Mormon Battalion was ever known as the 1 st Iowa Battalion, the Iowa 1 st Volunteers, or the Iowa Mormon Battalion. His research indicates that the erroneous term was never used during the enlistment period of the Mormon Battalion, but appears to have originated with misprinted 1891 Compiled Military Service Record (CMSR) card stock for the Mormon Battalion. It would appear that Iowa historian Harvey Reid ignored the repeated 1894 auditor deletions of all reference to Iowa on the CMSRs (see examples on next page) when he published his 1910 Early Military History of Iowa, excerpts of which were reprinted in the official 1911 Iowa Adjutant General s Roster and Record of Iowa Soldiers in Miscellaneous Organizations of the Mexican War, Indian Campaigns, War of the Rebellion and the Spanish-American and Philippine Wars with Historical Sketches of Volunteer Organizations. Sadly, this was the beginning of the oft repeated myth that the Mormon Battalion was an Iowa Territorial volunteer unit. It is a little known fact that the Mormon Battalion was neither the first nor the only military unit raised within the boundaries of Iowa Territory during the Mexican-American War. On 26 June 1846, completely oblivious to the Mormons Page 5 of 11

6 on their western borders, the organized eastern counties had raised (but never activated) an entire volunteer regiment of 12 companies, adding an independent company in July All this was done in response to "normal" congressional levy. Eastern Iowans had no claim on the transient Mormons on their western frontier, and the Mormons had no allegiance to Iowa. They were unwanted exiles former Illinois residents emigrating out of the United States into the mountains of Alta California, Mexico. They were outcasts in a temporary grand encampment of wagons strung out 40 miles eastward from the Missouri River bottoms onto the bluffs and prairies of unclaimed former Pottawattamie Indian tribal lands only ceded to the federal government 42 days earlier in the treaty of 5 June Due in great part to its superbly fertile loess soil, this sparsely settled frontier area soon became a welcome respite for thousands of European converts to gather their strength for the push across the great plains to Utah. Unlike anything before or since, recruitment of the Mormon Battalion was not normal by any stretch of the imagination. It was raised by CPT James Allen and Brigham Young on 16 July 1846 as the result of direct personal invitation from President James K. Polk through GEN Kearny pursuant to personal negotiations with COL Thomas Kane and Jesse Little. 4. Membership Committee Margaret Larson, Chair: No report. 5. Scouting Relations Committee MAJ Clark Olson, Chair: a. Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Award Member Advisory Committee Kevin Henson: 1) Patches and Lapel Pins/Pendants LTC Jamison: We are ready to order our patches and lapel pins/necklace pendants from Celestial Arts. They will not be needed until the committee completes the requirements in ) Requirements Kevin Henson: The committee is ready to resume it s work after completion of the FamilySearch campaign in July and August. 6. Men s Uniform Committee [TBD], Chair: No report. 7. Women s Dress Committee Kayla Willey and Wendy Sorenson, Co-chairs: No report. 8. Website Release 3.0 Committee LTC Jamison: Our new website is a constant work in progress, adapting to our changing needs. The following items still need completion: History Tab: Original Battalion Roster Subtab Kevin Henson: Mr. Henson has confirmed that Compiled Military Service Records [CMSR] of Volunteer Soldiers Who Served During the Mexican War in Mormon Organizations were compiled between 1891 and 1894 by pension examination clerks of the Record and Pension Division of the War Department (U.S. Army) directly from the eight bimonthly Muster Rolls and twelve monthly Post Reports during their 16 July 1846 through 16 July 1847 enlistment period, as well as the six month period of their reenlistment company. These CMSR cards were nicknamed the M351 or 351 cards because, when The National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration microfilmed them in 1961, they labeled the three microfilm rolls Microcopy No Roll 1 (surnames starting with letters A through G), Microcopy No Roll 2 (surnames starting with letters H through R), and Microcopy No Roll 3 (surnames starting with letters S through Z, plus the reenlisting CPT Davis Company A, Mormon Volunteers). They included the following introduction: On the three rolls of this microfilm publication are reproduced the compiled service records of volunteer soldiers of two Mormon organizations that served in the Mexican War. The first of these organizations, the Mormon Battalion, Volunteers, was organized at Council Bluffs, Iowa, on July 16, This battalion consisted of five companies of Mormon emigrants [those leaving one area for another, vs. immigrants those coming to an area from Page 6 of 11

7 another], then en route to California, who enlisted for one year. At the end of this term of enlistment, an attempt was made to re-enroll all the members but only one company was organized at Los Angeles, Cal., on July 20, This second Mormon organization, which was designated as Captain Davis Company A, Mormon Volunteers, served for six months. The compiled service records consist of a jacket-envelope for each soldier, labeled with his name, his rank, and the unit in which he served. The jacket-envelope typically contains card abstracts of entries relating to the soldier as found in the original muster rolls and [post] returns. There are cross-reference jacket-envelopes for soldiers names that appear in the records under more than one spelling. The compilation of the service records of soldiers of the Mexican War was begun around 1891 under the direction of Maj. Fred C. Ainsworth, head of the Record and Pension Division of the War Department. The abstracts made from the original records were verified by a separate operation of comparison and every conceivable precaution was taken to ensure that the abstracts and indexes were accurate. The compiled service records of soldiers belonging to the Mormon organizations are arranged by unit and thereunder alphabetically by the soldiers surnames. Preceding the jacket-envelopes for the individual soldiers in the two units there are jacket-envelopes containing [Regimental Return] record-of-events cards, indicating the station of the unit and occasionally the activities in which any portion of the unit had been engaged. The committee is searching for copies of the eight original Muster Rolls (from which the M351 CMSR cards were compiled) to post on our website. Until recently, we have only found the 28 February 1847 Muster Roll of the Pueblo, Colorado Detachments (next page). But just last month, Mr. Henson located the oldest verified copies of the final 16 July 1847 Muster Rolls in we have absolutely no idea why the Iowa State Historical Archives, and is seeking LDS Church History and FamilySearch assistance in obtaining digital copies for posting on our website. The most difficult task is proving to be identification and tracing of those NOT on the official Mormon Battalion Muster Rolls: Soldiers from other units accompanying the Battalion, and the non-military scouts/guides, families, and others who traveled with the Battalion for safety and convenience. Page 7 of 11

8 28 February 1847 Muster Roll of Detachments at Pueblo, Colorado Dan Roper is working on upgrading our Individual History screens (see 20 June 2015 Minutes) to become switching stations to numerous other locations; the BillionGraves.com logo, MapNTour.com logo, and all of the entries printed in blue are links to other sites or website pages. (See next page.) 9 Database Subtab We will add a new subtab specifically for Dan Roper s parsed copy of COL Larson s Database. 9 Annals of the Mormon Battalion Subtab Dan Roper is working on parsing COL Larson s Annals book for inclusion on our website. 9 Graves Memorialization Subtab Dan Roper is working on parsing COL Larson s Graves Memorialization book for inclusion on our website. 9 Images and Descriptions Subtab We will soon post Margaret Larson s information about Women s Dress. Mr. Henson is soliciting photographs of original Battalion members. 9 Annotated References Subtab We have posted a temporary list of annotated references pending a complete list from Kevin Henson and our historians. Publications Tab: 9 We need to obtain electronic copies of all known minutes prior to 2004 in the BYU Special Collections. Ditto for all documentation held by the Sons of Utah Pioneers from the 1940s through the 1970s. Page 8 of 11

9 Key to Individual History Thomas Leonard Frazier Private, Company D Individual Information BIRTH DATE 11 June 1826 BIRTHPLACE Paris, Henry, TN DEATH DATE 27 July 1868 DEATH PLACE Wanship, Summit, UT Thomas Leonard Frazier was a Private in Company D. He completed the journey to California and was discharged at Los Angeles, California on 16 July Ranks/Positions/Duties in Muster Rolls Back to Comprehensive Alphabetical Listing Age when joined the Mormon Battalion: 20 Mormon Battalion Association Sources Larson, Carl V., A Database of The Mormon Battalion Larson, Carl V., The Annals of The Mormon Battalion: Larson, Carl V., Graves Memorialization Reference References in Original Diaries and Journals Doe, John, Diary Other Sources Doe, John, Other Source Contact Us Tab: Due to lack of use, we are considering deleting - but not deactivating the following blind addresses from the Battalion Leaders page: Graves Memorialization: gravesmemorialization@mormonbattalion.com (COL Larson) Membership Recruiting: membership@mormonbattalion.com, (COL Gourley) Historians: historian1@mormonbattalion.com, (Kevin Henson) Page 9 of 11

10 (Kevin Henson associate) (Kevin Henson associate) Scouting Liaison: (MAJ Olson) Quartermaster: (MAJ Halford and/or CSM Mumford) We would only show the following addresses, but would reactivate the others as needed: Battalion Commander: (LTC Jamison) Webmaster: (LTC Jamison)! Continental Support Staff Reports: 1. Quartermaster/Logistics Report MAJ Halford: CPT Jared Cornell has completed repairing our set of 10 musket replicas. Three are missing some parts, which we hope our purchasing agent, Cap Cressap, can find. Cap is still in the process of replacing nine missing leather belts. It will take at least two months to acquire the white leather. We will reimburse him for the cost when delivered. We have asked for volunteers to help with the printing and distribution of certificates related to membership, Battalion Eagle Scout slide certificates, and the forthcoming Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Award. 2. Chief Finance Officer Report CPT Todd Crappa: Continuing to rebuild QuickBooks account. We are planning on hosting the software on our new website for remote internet access by Battalion and local leaders. LTC Jamison: Our financial status continues to steadily improve. After paying $ for two sets of printer cartridges from Cartridge World (and received nine reams of paper due to special store incentive), we have a current balance of $2,238.50, with a transfer of $ in process from PayPal, and a manual deposit of $ to be made Monday, bringing our total to $2, Our next major bills include renewing our Utah corporation license, paying Cap Cressup for replacing the nine missing leather belts, and ordering the Mormon Battalion Historic Trails patches and pins/necklace pendants. New Business None ( Open to Floor) Projected Action Items: Leadership: All: Recruit civic and community leaders to serve on our new Board of Directors. We have two remaining unfilled positions. All: Find viable candidates to run for offices of Battalion Commander (e x o ffic io President of Board) and Battalion Executive Officer (e x o ffic io Vice President of Board), who will stand for election for two years. Section 2.02 of the Articles of Incorporation states that they coordinate and direct all member activities. Their roles are that of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Operations Officer (COO). All: Find individuals willing to serve as 1 st Executive Director (S1 - Adjutant General) and 2 nd Executive Director (S7 - Public Relations Commandant) of the Battalion Continental Support Staff. Section 2.02 of the Articles of Incorporation states that they manage all administrative support business matters. Their roles are that of Chief Business Executive (CBE) and Chief of Business Operations (CBO), supervising the Battalion Continental Support Staff. Col Gourley (Executive Secretary of the Board of Directors): Swear in Greg Christofferson as member of Board of Directors. LTC Jamison: Swear in CSM David L. Mumford as Command Sergeant Major, Larry Bilyeu as new commander of Cedar City Squad with rank of Sergeant, and David Jamiel as new commander of Colorado Detached Squad with rank of Sergeant. Recruiting: LTC Jamison: Provide James Waite with contact information for CPT James Hansen to reactivate Logan Squad (aka D Company). Page 10 of 11

11 Graves Memorialization: COL Larson, LTC Jamison, and Kevin Henson: Locate living descendants of Lewis Dent and Dr. George Sanderson to invite to graves memorialization. COL Larson to research placing ad in local St. Louis newspaper. COL Larson and Kevin Henson: Locate living descendants of Thomas P. Dutcher and William Reynalds (Reynolds) in Michigan to invite to graves memorialization. Contact historical organizations in Michigan. Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Award: Kevin Henson: Lead Mormon Battalion Historic Trails Member Advisory Committee in updating requirements list, booklet, and appropriate bibliographic/resource documentation, and provide to the BSA National Trails Office, the LDS/BSA Relations Office, and the Battalion s webmaster for use on their websites. This committee should make a diligent search of the internet to identify the sources of outdated copies of the Award and replace them with links to the new award on the Mormon Battalion Association website. Kevin Henson: Rewrite History of the Battalion using previously written articles written by Larry Porter as jumping off point. COL Gourley: Coordinate with Elder D. Todd Christofferson regarding continued association between LDS Church and Mormon Battalion Association, including historical research and LDS participation in BSA Mormon Battalion Trail Award after Mormon Battalion Association takes over. Contacts with Mormon History Association and Old Spanish Trails Association: Greg Christofferson: Arrange meeting between leaders of Mormon History Association, Old Spanish Trails Association, and the Mormon Battalion Association to find common ground during annual convention in Provo at earliest convenience. Propose a presentation in their 2016 convention describing our joint efforts with FamilySearch and Kevin Henson s MapNTour virtual trails activities. FamilySearch Campaign: COL Gourley: Advise Elder D. Todd Christofferson of FamilySearch Campaign and discuss implications. Website Release 3.0: LTC Jamison: Create new recruiting materials (brief background of Association and donation page with receipt) for website to go with Membership Application. Forward copies to David Jamiel. LTC Jamison: Resend set up instructions to COL Gourley for Membership Recruiting. Lecture by Dr. Lyman: Ashley Hall: Approach Dr. Leo Lyman for copy of lecture to post on the Battalion website. Men s Uniforms: Ed Kimball: Contact Virginia City, Montana store regarding old pioneer costumes and uniform parts from the Army of the West. Closing Remarks & Inspirational Thought L TC Max W. Jamison The Mormon Battalion Association is a non-denominational organization with strong ties to both the LDS Church and the Boy Scouts of America. Following the announcement by the LDS Church of its continuing alliance with the BSA, we are seeking a better way to interact with both organizations, particularly in places where the BSA has no representation. James Waite suggested we pursue an associate status with the LDS Church similar to the service mission in California led by our Board members Dennis Holland and Guy Dickson. Benediction / Adjournment James Waite Next Executive Staff Meeting: 10:00 AM- Noon, Saturday, 17 October 2015 Residence of LTC Max W. Jamison 2854 N. Augusta Drive Lehi, UT Page 11 of 11