From The General’s Desk


the first quarter of 2012 was over before we could catch our breath here at the Club. Among our many activities was our 7th annual Gold Star parents series of events in February. On our cover, you’ll see photos of the Marines, soldiers, sailors or airmen whose parents came to be with us for the events. It is so much more impactful to match faces to the names of the 109 who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq or Afghanistan.


I asked our editor to print the speech given by LtGen John Kelly, the invited speaker for the Gold Star parents Friday night banquet. John and his wife, Karen, are also Gold Star parents, having lost their son, 2nd Lt Robert Kelly USMC, on 9 November 2010, in Afghanistan. I’ve known John Kelly for 27 years. He was a captain company-commander in the 26 MEU when I was commanding and we operated together for 13 months, including a seven-month Mediterranean deployment. He was the most innova- tive officer in the battalion landing team. John is cur- rently the Senior Military Assistant to the Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta. I have always known John to be one of our really great operational thinkers in the Marine Corps. He has recently been nominated to receive his fourth star, and assignment as a Combat- ant Commander at the US Southern Command. However, I really didn’t know Karen very well. Karen Kelly was one of the founders of the Semper Fi Fund, a charity recently rated by Charity Navigator as one of the 10 best charities in the USA. I had the opportunity to talk with Karen at length during their time here at the Club. I was so impressed with her and the way she dealt with all the other Gold Star parents. With her husband and her two sons serving in the Marine Corps, Karen has experienced her loved ones making eleven (11) combat deployments to Iraq or Afghanistan since 9/11. She really has endured so much.


Meanwhile, our programs continue here at your Club. You might recall that in 2009, we took over the operation of the Marines’ Memorial Theatre. We’re holding a very special Cabaret on 30 April to help us raise money to equip the Theatre with sound and lighting equipment. Up to this point, we’ve always had to rent sound and lighting for performances. The


Theatre was incorporated in the building when it was built as the Western Women’s Club in 1926. Since the Marines’ Memorial purchased the building in 1946, the Marines’ Memorial Theatre has been the site of thousands of memorable performances, includ- ing being the location where Bing Crosby held his weekly radio broadcasts in the late ’50s and early ’60s. We have a very important opportunity to upgrade


the Theatre to be a location-of-choice for the per- forming arts in San Francisco as well as a pre- mier location for our educational programs, like the George P. Shultz Lecture Series. I invite you all to join us at our Cabaret to help us raise the money. You’ll definitely get your money’s worth, including a recep- tion, a wonderful dinner and terrific entertainment. I thank all of you Members for your continued support. Those of you who come often to the Club know that your Club is unique. There is no other Club in the USA that focuses on a mission of: (1) commemorating the service and sacrifices of Veterans; (2) educating the public about those sacrifices; and (3) providing services to the Currently Serving men and women in the US Armed Forces. You truly are help- ing us make a difference.


Please remember that your contributions to the Marines’ Memorial Association are fully tax deduct- ible. All of our expenses are paid by our Club and Hotel Operations. Every dollar you donate goes directly to help us fulfill our mission.


Sincerely, and Semper Fidelis, J. Michael Myatt


Major General USMC (Ret.) President and Chief Executive Officer


4 Crossroads Spring 2012


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