Last spring, a small group of retirees from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center met with Col. Bryan Green, ERDC commander, to discuss a means for those retirees to stay connected to ERDC. Green, Russ Tillman, Dennis Markle and Glenn Rhett met on two or three occasions to review how to get the word out and bring the group together.
Peggy Callaway, former ERDC Human Capital director, joined the efforts early, along with Christopher Wright, John Turner, Dwain Butler and others. An organizing meeting was held May 16 with this core group serving as interim officers for the ERDC Alumni Association, volunteering to develop the groups’ charter and bylaws, which was completed Aug. 18, 2017.
Nominations for 2018 board members closed Oct. 1 and the association continues to move forward. Current membership is 33 charter members and 11 associates, which continues to expand as the word spreads through networking efforts, a group Facebook page - ERDC Alumni Association - launched by Tillman and other efforts.
According to Callaway, the association currently meets on the Vicksburg campus. “We are hopeful that retirees at the other ERDC sites around the country will establish chapters. Our meeting typically consists of a short program by an invited speaker, where we learn more about ERDC’s plans and activities, followed by a very brief business meeting,” said Callaway. “For example, at our October meeting, Dr. Beth Fleming, ERDC deputy director, discussed strategic plans and presented interesting statistics for civil and military programs, the workforce and current areas of research.”
Membership is in two categories, either dues paying, which includes voting rights and the eligibility to serve as an association officer, and associate membership, which is non-dues paying. Spouses and current ERDC employees are welcome to be associate members.
“The common theme of our association is one of giving back to ERDC, promoting what a great place ERDC is and how it continues to be a tremendous asset for our communities,” Callaway added. “We desire to continue to support the ERDC by practicing outreach, documenting history and promoting goodwill with our neighbors. Whether it is through STEM outreach, assisting with science fairs, robotics competitions and recruiting venues or providing both oral and written history related to former projects, ERDC alumni are passionate about ERDC’s mission and the innovative solutions provided to the Army and the nation.”
The Alumni Association meets monthly and has plans for several socials throughout the year. The association is only limited by the creative minds of the members and the continued advocacy of ERDC leadership.
Interested persons may contact Dennis Markle at dennismarkle@bellsouth.net for an application. Applications are also available on the association Facebook page, ERDC Alumni Association.
The group can also be reached by mail at:
ERDC Alumni Association
P. O. Box 822191-2191
Vicksburg, MS 39182