VA death benefits presentation:
Perch Base member Governor Joy will be giving a presentation on VA death benefits on Saturday, August 26th at 11:00am at the Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City, AZ.
You must contact Governor (623-933-0161 or Governor.Joy@DignityMemorial.com) for a reservation to attend because lunch will be served during the presentation. Sunland Memorial Park is located at 15826 Del Web Blvd, Sun City, AZ 85351
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Sunland Memorial Park.)
There is also information about VA death benefits on the Perch Base website (thanks, in part, to Governor Joy) HERE

2017 Convention:
2017 Convention will be held in Orlando, FL at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort.
Visit the Convention website.
(More details to follow.)
Here's some pictures from last year's Convention in Reno, NV.

September Monthly General Meeting:
Join us at 1200 hours (noon if you’ve been out a while.) at Dillon's Restaurant,
20585 North 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308-6821
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Dillon's.)
Come at 1100 for time to "socialize."

Deadline for Summer Quarter MidWatch:
All input must be in to Chuck Luna, Communication Officer, to be included in next MidWatch Newsletter to be published on October 6th.

Gudgeon Base Picnic:
Fain Park, 2215 N 5th St, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314
Click on address above to open a Google Map of Fain Park.
BBQ lunch will include a Holland Club induction ceremony.
Here's some pictures from the 2015 Gudgeon Base Picnic.

October Monthly General Meeting:
Join us at 1200 hours (noon if you’ve been out a while.) at Dillon's Restaurant,
20585 North 59th Ave, Glendale, AZ 85308-6821
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Dillon's.)
Come at 1100 for time to "socialize."

Billy Moore Days Parade:
Save the date - more details will follow.
Billy Moore Days Parade celebrates the rich history of Avondale and the Southwest Valley.
Perch Base has been invited for our first time to participate is this parade.
The parade begins at 10:00 am. The route begins at Litchfield and Western Avenue, travels east on Western to 5th Street where it turns north and ends at Agua Fria High School.
The staging area is in the employee parking lot across from the old Lockheed Martin facility on the east side of Litchfield Road (Just south of Western Ave.)
1300 S Litchfield Rd, Goodyear, AZ 85338
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to the staging area.)
Take Litchfield Road south off of I-10 past the traffic lights at Auto Drive and Van Buren to the next traffic light which is Western Ave on the left and Yuma Road on the right. Continue past the Goodyear Tire Store to the SECOND entrance into the large parking lot on your left and park in the back or right side after entering.
The parade entries will be on the left side of that driveway.
There will be a shuttle bus from the destaging area back to this lot at the end of the parade. There is a good chance those riding in vehicles will be able to go directly back to the staging area without offloading passengers.
Read more about the parade at http://billymooredays.com/parade/.
Here's some pictures from last year's Billy Moore Days Parade.

Daisy Mountain and Black Canyon City Veterans Parades:
Save the date - more details will follow.
Daisy Mountain Veterans Parade to be held on November 4, 2017, at 10 a.m. in Anthem, Arizona. Perch Base will tow the USS Phoenix float in the parade as in previous years. This year’s parade will honor Women Veterans. The parade is free and open to the public.
Staging area is in the Cross of Christ Church parking lot.
39808 N. Gavilan Peak Pkwy, Anthem, AZ 85086
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Cross of Christ Church.)
Access to the staging area will not be permitted after about 8:30 AM.
Assuming you are traveling north on I-17 from Phoenix, you can access the staging area by taking the Daisy Mountain Road exit (Exit # 227) and turning right at the end of the exit ramp. Take the first left turn bay in about 0.3 mile into the Circle K. There is parking behind the Circle K.
This link to last year's official parade map shows additional parking locations if you arrive late, or parking is full, but you will have to walk farther to the staging area.
Here's some pictures from last year's Anthem/Daisy Mountain veterans' parade.
After Anthem, we expect to go up to Black Canyon City (not yet confirmed) for their parade.
The 3:00 PM start time in Black Canyon City gives us time to stop at the Rock Springs Cafe for pie on the way.
35769 Old Black Canyon Hwy, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to Rock Springs Cafe.)
Assuming you are headed north on I-17, take the exit ramp 242 (Rock Springs/Black Canyon City.) At the end of the ramp (Velda Rose Road,) turn left and cross over I-17 and turn left (south) on the Old Black Canyon Hwy. The Rock Springs Cafe is 0.4 miles on the right.
To get to the staging area from the Rock Springs Cafe, go back (left) on the Old Black Canyon Hwy for 0.9 miles (you will go past Velda Rose Road this time) to the next right, which is Oasis Road. Turn right onto Oasis Road which is the staging area.
19394 Oasis Dr, Black Canyon City, AZ 85324
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to the staging area.)
Here's some pictures from last year's Black Canyon City veterans' parade.

Sierra Verde Elementary School:
More details coming later.
This will be a static display with the USS Phoenix (SSN-702) for the school's Veteran's Day celebration during which they instill a sense of honor and duty to our veterans. The Sierra Verde Elementary School is located at:
7241 W Rose Garden Ln, Glendale, AZ 85308
(Left-click address, above, for a Google map to the school.)

Phoenix Veterans Day Parade:
The Phoenix Veterans Day Parade will be presented by Honoring Arizona’s Veterans on November 11th, 2017 @ 11AM. The parade starts at Montebello and Central runs southbound, then turns East on Camelback Road, and then turns South on 7th Street and de-stages at Indian School Road.
That's all we know, so far! Click here to view last year's photos.

2018 Convention Cruise:
Save the date (and start saving your money!) for the 2018 USSVI National Convention Cruise.
More details will follow, but we know the cruise will depart from somewhere in Florida via a Holland America Cruise ship and will go to locations to be selected in the Carribean. Such locations as St. Thomas, St. Croix, and San Juan, PI have been discussed. (Sounds like an AUTEC run)