2023 ANNUAL REUNION
18-20 AUGUST, 2023
QUANTICO, VIRGINIA
IMPORTANT PLANNING POINTS
- TRAVEL - Marine Corps Base Quantico is located in Northern Virginia, right off Interstate 95. The Crossroads Inn lodging can be accessed through the main gate in Triangle, VA. Weapons Training Battalion is across the highway from mainside Quantico. The National Museum of the Marine Corps is just outside the main gate off US Highway 1. The nearest airport is Reagan National, and Dulles International is also fairly close.
- BASE ACCESS - Anyone who does NOT possess a Government ID Card that allows base access will be REQUIRED to fill out a form that will be sent to you after registering. This form will be used to get you added to the base access list. If you are not on the list, you will be denied entry into MCB Quantico and will not be able to attend the Friday activities at WTBN or stay at the Crossroads Inn.
- LODGING - We had rooms blocked off at Crossroads Inn aboard Marine Corps Base, Quantico, but they have SOLD OUT for the weekend. We advise looking in Dumfries, Aquia Harbor and Stafford, VA for hotels.
- The planned arrival date for guests at Crossroads Inn is August 17th 2023, and departure is August 20th 2023.
- Keep in mind that the pick-up and drop-off point for our buses will be the Crossroads Inn, no matter where you are staying. If you want to use our charter buses to get around, you must meet at the Crossroads Inn at the designated Muster Time for each trip.
- PETS - Pets will not be allowed at the reunion venues. Please plan accordingly to care for your furry friend!
- CHILDREN - Well-behaved kids are welcome at all portions of the reunion. Keep in mind that a portion of the Friday activities at Weapons Training Battalion will be outside on a range. Small children may have difficulty in the heat or around the noise of gunfire. The Friday Evening Parade and the Saturday evening banquet are both formal ceremonial affairs, so again, please plan accordingly!
- LOCAL TRANSPORTATION - Base Motor Transport will provide buses to move Reunion Attendees from the Crossroads Inn to our events throughout the weekend and back again. Attendees may drive themselves, but using the bus will help us keep everyone together and save on parking, especially for the Evening Parade at 8th & I. The bus is a free service, courtesy of Marine Corps Base, Quantico. No one will be allowed on the bus without filling out a "Hold Harmless Agreement" and returning it by email to [email protected] no later than 8 August. Click the link HERE to download the form.
- Our sponsor on base is SgtMaj Collin Barry. He is the MCB Quantico Sergeant Major, and was kind enough to be our official sponsor to help facilitate getting base support. This includes access to the Crossroads Inn and WTBN for those without DOD ID cards, lunch at the WTBN Dining Facility and access to bus transportation to and from our events. If you see him, please thank him for his gracious support!
DAY ONE - Weapons Training Battalion
The Beginning of the Modern Era... While the history of organized training for Scout Snipers in the Corps goes back at least to World War I (Overseas Depot at Quantico ran a "Scout Sniper" course in 1918), the creation of a formal Scout Sniper training program at Quantico in 1977 by men who learned many hard lessons in Vietnam ushered in a new era of skill and professionalism in military sniping. The training run at Scout Sniper Instructor School became the standard that all other Services, and indeed the rest of the world, tried to emulate.
We will spend Friday morning at Weapons Training Battalion, hosted by the staff of Scout Sniper Instructor School. We will tour the schoolhouse; receive a brief from instructors on the current events surrounding the Commandant's decision to remove Scout Snipers from the Infantry; and you and your spouse will have a chance get behind a rifle and send some rounds down range alongside current students in the Scout Sniper Basic Course!
After a busy morning of Scout Sniper activities, SSA will host everyone for lunch at the WTBN Dining Facility.
Following chow, we'll all get a tour of the Precision Weapons Shop, where sniper rifles and shooting team guns have been built for decades. The staff at PWS will have some fine examples of historic Marine Corps Sniper Rifles on display for you to view and handle.
The Oldest Post of the Corps...
Friday evening, we'll be transported by bus to the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C. - better known as "8th and I" - to witness the Summer Evening Parade program, one of the most beloved traditions of our Corps.
This will be a night of high drama and ceremony as the "President's Own" Marine Band and the "Commandant's Own" Drum and Bugle Corps entertain with martial music. The highlight of the evening is a stunning performance by young Infantry Marines who serve in the Silent Precision Drill Platoon. If you've never been, you don't want to miss this!
We have 75 reserved seats, so you'll want to bring your loved ones with you to witness this remarkable event. We've been invited to an exclusive meet-and-greet in the SNCO Club at the Barracks after the parade. You may have an opportunity to meet Chesty, the Marine Corps' official mascot!
DAY TWO - NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS
We are building a Marine Scout Sniper War Memorial to honor our Brothers who made the supreme sacrifice in service to our country. This monument will be placed in the Semper Fidelis Memorial Park, on the grounds of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. It's only fitting that we take a few moments to walk the ground and show our Members where the memorial will be built, as well as view some artistic renderings that show what the finished product will look like.
All attendees will get a personalized guided tour of the exhibits inside the National Museum of the Marine Corps. To keep the groups a manageable size, we'll break up into staggered departure times. As each group finishes their tour, they will be invited to have lunch with us inside the museum.
Following lunch, we'll gather in the Medal of Honor Theater for a special presentation on Marine Corps Scout Sniper history. Joseph Tachovsky, the author of "40 Thieves on Saipan", is the son of 1stLt Frank Tachovsky, who commanded the 6th Marine Regiment Scout Sniper Platoon on Saipan during World War II. He's done some tremendous research on the early days of Marine Scout Snipers, and will surely enlighten us all with some history that has been previously unknown to most of us. We will also have an opportunity to meet and get acquainted with the sculptor we've chosen to create our Scout Sniper War Memorial!
After taking a break to relax and get dressed up, we'll all return to the Museum for our semi-formal banquet in the Leatherneck Gallery. There will be wining and dining, music and dancing, and we'll take some time to honor our special guests. This will be the highlight of the reunion weekend, and you'll want to have your best girl on your arm to enjoy the fine food and finer company!
DAY THREE - Business Meeting and Family Picnic
After a leisurely morning recovering from the Banquet....
The SSA Board of Directors will take care of some business at the meeting room in the Crossroads Inn. This will be an "open meeting", so members are welcome to sit in and ask questions.
Later in the morning, we'll head outside to prepare for a nice, casual picnic in Locust Shade Park, just down the street from the Museum in Triangle. This will be an awesome time for everyone to just hang out without the stress of any particular agenda prior to heading home.
In case of inclement weather, we'll hold the picnic indoors aboard Quantico at the Crossroads Event Center next to the hotel.
SSA will provide all the food, soft drinks and fixings. BRING YOUR OWN BEER (no liquor). We'll have an ABC Banquet Permit, so bring a six-pack of frosty beverages if you want. Otherwise, all you have to do is show up and relax!
