Granite State Detachment 542, Marine Corps League

Greater Hillsborough County Area

Wow it is hard to believe that we have already sailed through most of winter and are now enjoying warmer weather arriving and better yet longer days to enjoy.

I very much appreciate the support that the detachment members have given me with dealing with open heart surgery to replace an aortic valve and a portion of the ascending aorta attached to it, followed a week later with a pacemaker implant. If you may have thought that I was a beehive buzz saw previously, I assure you that since my heart engine rebuild you haven't seen the best yet....good for another million miles before the potential "rebuild".

Now that this has all been accomplished it is time for me and our detachment leadership team of officers and valuable appointed positions to buckle down hard to help make 2025 an even more year of accomplishments than 2024. 

We have already established a number of fun filled days of FUNdraising at three local Market Basket supermarkets as well as the Hookset Bass Pro Shop. (sign up to volunteer in the SVC segment below)  We will be adding again this year the annual Manchester Rotary Car show venue on Labor Day weekend Saturday to be linked up with the local Marine recruiting command. I expect to add to our venue a local rebuilt military vehicle, along with a dunk tank and mystery balloon artist to increase crowd participation. I hope that we will also be able to have a successful detachment and guest summer picnic at a location TBD that I feel will be a great delight.

Stay safe and please come to participate in our monthly detachment business meetings and end of the month last Saturday of the month FUNday breakfast.

The Marine ethos:

Alieni Semel, Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres et Sorores in Aeternum!   

Strangers Once, Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers and Sisters Forever  

Quidam Dedit Omnibus 

All Gave Some, Some Gave All

Commandant - Gary Gahan

Hello GSD #542 Members,

If we can get each member to volunteer for two out of the five events (but, feel free to do more) we could raise extensive funds and blow past our 2024 fundraisers. However, this takes a commitment from all our members, and I know Marines are not afraid to commit and help out were we can!

We are only on site for six hours at each location, and the time just flies by. These fundraising opportunities are great ways to make our presence known in the community, to share what we do, and to bring in potential members.

Please check your calendars and use the SignUp Genius link below to see what times slot are still available and sign up for what you can do this fundraising event.

Our first event in 2025 will be Memorial Day Weekend at Market Basket and Bass Pro Shops, May 24th and May 25th.

Semper Fi,

Senior Vice Commandant

It is a new year, and our detachment is changing, and growing.

We have persevered as a team, and discussed our future vision to increase our support for our Marines, Navy Corpsmen, and Veterans, and families in need, and still provide support for our community in the Manchester area.

Working together, we will achieve this goal.

When I joined the Granite State Detachment #542, I realized that it is apprised of experienced MCL members, and officers. As your newly appointed JVC, I have learned from all of you, and I am honored to be part of the team. Your support is appreciated, and as a team we will “help each other, help others”. 

Sincerely, Glen Thayer Sr - Jr Vice Commandant

Dear God,

We thank you for the brave Veterans who have fought & continue to serve our nation.

We ask you for your blessing, protection & healing for our families.

Bring Peace, Freedom & Protection to our Country.

Through Christ Our Lord,

Amen 

Joe Duquette, Chaplain

PAYMASTER REPORT

RECAP of TOTAL GSD #542 DONATIONS YEAR 2024

This past year marked a period of many notable accomplishments for the GSD #542 membership. The Detachment demonstrated significant achievements in raising funds that made a notable impact for many deserving Veterans and community organizations in the Manchester area in 2024. These efforts entailed coordinating volunteers and hosting the important fundraising events at Market Basket and Bass Pro Shop. In addition, the Detachment’s involvement with the Charity Gaming also contributed to the GSD #542 donation capability. All of the time and energy donated by GSD #542 member volunteers resulted in the year-end donation report below:

VETERANS DONATIONS 2024

$          6,377.00

COMMUNITY DONATIONS 2024

$          4,000.00

SCHOLARSHIPS 2024

$          5,500.00

GSD #542 TOTAL DONATIONS for 2024

  $       15,877.00

I encourage and look forward to GSD #542 members volunteering at one or more of the fundraising venues in 2025 - as I am confident in our membership’s ability to build upon the above mentioned achievements in order that GSD #542 may continue to provide funds and volunteer services to our deserving Veterans and community organizations.

ENJOY THE SPRING SEASON, MARINES!

Respectfully submitted,

Marge Romano

As the new quartermaster I have taken an inventory of the GSD #542 MCL clothing that we have in our storage facility.

These are all men's clothes. If there is anything in the list below that interests you, please email me directly with the link below and we will work out getting the clothes distributed.

If anyone needs to order a MCL cover or have any questions concerning uniforms please let me know.

Antwon Scott, Quartermaster

Granite Marine Corps Clothing Inventory

Dress Blue Trousers Size 34R

Black Trousers Size 42x30

Dress Blue Trousers Size 36R

Dress Blue Trousers Size 38R

Dress Blue Trousers Size 44R

Black Trousers Size 44x30 (2)

Short Sleeve Shirt White Neck Size 16

Long Sleeve Shirt White Neck Size 16 1/2

Black Dress Tie

Dress Blue Cover with EGA Size 7 1/8

We are happy to welcome our newest members to the Granite State Detachment #542 in 2025 that were sworn in at various times in the last couple of months. We are looking forward to years of friendship, camaraderie, and fun as we help fellow Marines, Veterans, and the Community together!

Welcome

Rich Andrus

Danial G. Crim

Denis Kearns

Patrick McMonigle

Chris & Esther Sawyer

Swearing in of Rich Andrus at a membership meeting.

Swearing in of Denis Kearns at a FUNday Breakfast.

Swearing in of Patrick McMonigle at a FUNday Breakfast.

Swearing in of Chris and Esther Sawyer at a FUNday Breakfast.

The New England Division has put out two newsletters since our last newsletter was published in mid-December. The first image below is of the special edition that came out the end of December with all the information for Quad State 2025 as well as other MCL events this year.

The second image below is of the February-March 2025 issue that recently came out. Please click on both images to open and review their newsletters.

Click on either image to view that full newsletter.

Below you will find the information to be able to register for the upcoming Quad State Convention at the end of April 2025. Click on any of the images below to be taken to the Department of ME's website to print off these documents and register.

For all our new members out there, MCL National mandates that once a year each states membership gets together to exchange ideas and new happenings in the MCL and the Department. Because our states in New England are so small, four states in our Division have banded together, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island, to share the expenses and organization responsibilities of a convention and we call this, Quad State. Each year the responsibility of which department organizes the conference shifts between the four states. This year is Maine's turn.

This Year We Are Offering Two Different Scholarships

FRANK A. DIEKMANN

GRANITE STATE DETACHMENT #542 ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP

GSD #542 member, Frank A. Diekmann, passed away on November 5, 2021.  Frank was active in the Marine Corps League (Commandant of the Granite State Detachment for 2 years and Department of New Hampshire for 4 years). He was recognized as Marine of the Year for the Department of New Hampshire in 2016. It is from his dedication to veterans and the community in general that translates into why we have named our scholarship in his name.

This scholarship is open to any college bound student with a current GPA of at least 2.5 of 4.0 scale, and resides in the coverage area listed on our website and documentation, or falls into one of the other categories in our eligibility section.

Frank A. Diekmann Scholarship  for 2025 will have two award winners each for $3500.

Commandant's Trade School Scholarship for 2025 will have two award winners each for $1000.

Granite State Marine Corps League #542

Commandant Trade School Scholarship

In Recognition of 1st Lt. Rogers Blood

The Granite State Detachment (GSD) #542 – Marine Corps League has established the Granite State Marine Corps League #542 Commandant Trade School Scholarship in recognition of 1st Lt. Rogers Blood to provide, to qualified applicants who are pursuing a certificate-state issued license in such fields as: electrician, plumber, barbering, cosmetology, hair styling, truck driving, or other trade schools, as a full-time student as defined by the accredited programming of training by the state where the student will be attending.

This scholarship is open to any trade school bound student with a current GPA of at least a 2.5 of 4.0 scale, and resides in the coverage area listed on our website and documentation, or falls into one of the other categories in our eligibility section.

For full details and to apply to either of these scholarships, via our website for the fillable form, please click the button below. The ability to print and mail in the application is available as well, we just ask that you be sure to mail it in time to reach us by the deadline list on the application.

Deadline is April 30, 2025

to submit all applications!

During the Seacoast Detachment meeting on January 13, 2025, Cody Dumont, State of NH Department Commandant, and Kevin Brown presented presented the Departments Associated of the year award to Jim Ambrose.

Please note that the award is from the Department, representing all the NH State Detachments, not just an individual Detachment. Jim is a duel member of both Granite State and Seacoast Detachments.

Congratulations Jim, well deserved!

Semper Fi

As a testament to why Jim is deserving of this award, he sent me the following message about how he spent some of his time on Christmas 2024.

Just a note to let you know that on Christmas day I visited the New Hampshire State Veterans Home in Tilton, NH.

I was there as a volunteer helping setup and serve a special Christmas lunch to the Veterans and their visiting families and friends. I was there representing both the Seacoast and Granite State Detachments.

I wore my undress blues uniform as a special representation of the Marine Corp League. And all the Veterans, family, and guests acknowledged the uniform and gave special compliments to the help of someone from the Marine Corp League.

It was a most enjoyable, interesting, and rewarding experience as I was able to spend some time chatting with all the the Veterans, family, and friends .

Best Regards and Semper Fi, Jim Ambrose

We are starting a list of businesses in our area that offer discounts to Veterans. If you know others please email us at granitestatemarines542@gmail.com .

Bass Pro Shops - Hooksett

The Home Depot

Lowes

Tucker's Restaurant -Bedford, Hooksett, and Merrimack

T-Bones - Bedford, Derry, and Concord

VIP's Tires and Service - Bedford -offers discounts for veterans and offer free NH state inspections, check their website for other locations for their offerings.

For a list of Veteran Owned Business in NH please visit: www.veteranownedbusiness.com

Below please find all the information about the upcoming event. To volunteer please click the image.

Get one year of LinkedIn Premium and LinkedIn Learning for free.

In collaboration with SheerID, LinkedIn offers eligible members of the U.S. military community one year of access to LinkedIn Premium. You’ll also get unlimited access to more than 10,000 courses through our LinkedIn Learning platform as a part of the program.

Click on the button below and it will bring you to a form to fill out to sign up for one year of free usage of LinkedIn.

Kevin Galeaz, President, NH Council Navy League of the United States (NLUS) and member of the Granite State Detachment #542, wishes to invite all MCL members to attend and participate in any event listed on their link below, except for the AUKUS Industry Roundtable. 

Please visit the NH Council Navy League link to see more information on what they do and how to participate.

Some of you may have noticed that back in May our Facebook page was no longer published on the social media site. It seems that someone attacked (hacked) our page and made it so that it was unpublished and no mater what we did to fix it, nothing worked.

Therefore, we have had to recreate our Facebook page with a slightly different page name.

Below is the link for the new page, we ask that you go to the page and click the follow button so that you can see all of our posts.

January 4, 2025 we held our December 2024 FUNday Breakfast and Yankee Swap to celebrate the holiday season. We enjoyed a great turn out of membership with some new faces to the breakfast. Below are a few pictures from the fun had with the Yankee Swap.

Our next FUNday Breakfast is scheduled for March 29th.

So please join us for our next FUNday breakfast at 0800 at the Airport Diner for the FUNday meet-n-greet breakfast @ 2280 Brown Avenue, Manchester to join in on all this fun!

LIVE Music entertainment by our own Pat Anthony and Glen Thayer Sr.

Hope to see you there!

The eight-point Veteran’s Creed is:

1.   I am an American Veteran

2.   I proudly served my country

3.   I live the values I learned in the military

4.   I continue to serve my community, my country and my fellow veterans

5.   I maintain my physical and mental discipline

6.   I continue to lead and improve

7.   I make a difference

8.   I honor and remember my fallen comrades

Source:  https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/latest-releases/archives/2018/6/veterans-organizations-establish-veterans-creed

VA Bingo Afternoon

January 19th, 2025 GSD #542 members volunteered to help the veterans at the VA as they played a rowdy game of BINGO. A helping hand is just as important as a money donation.

Pictured below, left to right: Joe Duquette, Marge Romano, Joey Duquette, and Peggy Fedor. Fun was had by all.

March 3, 2025 GSD #542 had a check presentation to the NH Troopers Association at their office in Concord. GSD member, Sara Steffen's, family contributed $500 in memory of family member, Alan Heim, to support NH Troopers and their families. GSD#542 matched this $500 for a total of $1,000 donation to the Association.

March 4th, 2025 GSD 542 had a check presentation at the Friends of Aine Center for Grieving Children and Families.  Gary Gahan and Sara Steffen from GSD 542 are pictured below with members of the Friends of Aine Center.

A text from a vet’s group

A marine passed; no family left

Obit’s brief- 83, Illness, Served

An 0311, basic, essential marine

Got to the church early, empty

One by one they came, a small group

Band of strangers, all familiar

Brothers unmet they gathered

Light smiles, nods, handshakes warm and firm

WWII- Korea- Nam- Afghanistan

Sunday dress to ball caps and Camo

All real uniforms all ready

A quiet word, as the hearse pulls up

Forms us up, not crisp but respectful

Our responses still soul engraved

Between our ranks casket makes its way

Firm order and the slow salute starts

Priest waits, we barely fill a few pews

Words of comfort, inspiration, preparation

Wash over all, touching all eyes front

And safely a passing marine departs

From new brothers’ salute

Surrounded by his new family in arms

Heaven’s Gates the next stop

Where marine guards smile and salute

With lowered swords and the gates swing

Expected inside he is, by The Source of Love

And we part each richer than we were.

Easterseals NH has recently published an update for the new Military & Veterans Campus in Franklin, NH. To read the full flyer, please click the image or button below.

Granite State Detachment #542 MCL has partnered with Revo Casino and Social House with the NH Charitable Gaming in the last couple of years, and has been selected to participate again this year.

The funds we receive from our assigned days at the Lebanon, NH Revo Casino will be designated to support local NH based Marine and Veteran organizations or individuals in need.

Once we receive our dates for this year we will let everyone know, so stay tuned for future email and Facebook posts with the dates to come.

Below please find some links for the VA website that may be helpful to you.

Outreach events

VA benefits can help Veterans and their families buy homes, earn degrees, start careers, stay healthy, and more. Join an event for conversation and information.

Outreach Materials

Use our outreach materials to help Veterans manage their journey with VA and learn about their benefits.

State Departments of VA Offices

Select a state or territory below to visit the website for that location’s Department of Veterans Affairs office.

Download or Print out your VA Welcome Kit

Whether you’re just getting out of the service or you’ve been a civilian for years now, the VA Welcome Kit can help guide you to the benefits and services you’ve earned.

Monthly Member Meeting - Every 2^nd Tuesday at 1800 for the detachment meeting at the American-Canadian Genealogical Society at 1 Sundial Ave., Suite 317, Manchester, NH 03103.

Upcoming Meeting Dates

March 11, 2025

April 8, 2025

May 13, 2025

Monthly Breakfast -Every last Saturday of the month at 0800 at the Airport Diner for the FUNday meet-n-greet breakfast @ 2280 Brown Avenue, Manchester.

Upcoming Breakfast Dates

March 29, 2025

April 26, 2025

May 31, 2025

Quarterly Department Meeting - March 23, 2025 - Berlin, VFW with the Demers Detachment for full details go to the Department's website

Quad State Convension and NE Division Conference - April 24-26, 2025 - Portsmouth, ME. For more details see above in this newsletter, or go to the Department of Maine's website.

Operation Mercury V - June 21, 2025 - Camp Carpenter, 300 Blondin Road, Manchester

Members of the Marine Corps League join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving the traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps. 

Our mission is to voluntarily aid and render assistance to all Marines, FMF Chaplains, FMF Corpsmen and former Marines, FMF Chaplains and FMF Corpsmen and to their widows and orphans. 

Our Membership Coverage Area is the greater Hillsborough County with some towns in Rockingham County. For the full list of towns we encompass, please check out our membership page on our website.

Monthly Meetings

When: Monthly Meetings of the Granite State Detachment are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month

Where: The American-Canadian Genealogical Society (ACGS), 1 Sundial Ave, Suite 317, Manchester, NH 03103

Time: Meetings begin promptly and 1800



Info: Membership is not a requirement for attendance and guests are always welcome to attend these events.

2025 Officers

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