Newsletter Now Available in PDF Format on Web Site

 

   The clubs web site on the Internet is available at

 

www.belleville-rotary.org

 

   The current and previous issues of The Belletarian are now available on the web site in the standard PDF format. You  will need a copy of the free Adobe Acrobat Reader to view these images, and a link to download this free program is included on the web site. You can easily print your newsletter on your color or black and white printer if you need a hard copy for your reference files.

                 

 

 

The Rotary Club’s travel and adventure film series

 

January 21            Buddy Hatton

"China - The 21st Century"

 

February 18          Fran Reidelberger

"Bavaria and the Black Forest"

 

 

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FBI Presents Update on Terrorism in Our Area

     Special Agent John Jimenez (on the left) and  Special Agent Martin R. Feely presented an update on the activities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in our area. They discussed several local cases  and emphasized their close contact and good working relationship with the Belleville Police Department.

     Their local terrorism component has increased three fold since last year.  There are currently about 11,000 agents in the US. Questions about "gangs" in our area revealed that most are related to the control of drugs in the area. The local area is not as highly organized as the Chicago area gangs, and tend to have fewer members in their organizations. The FBI only gets involved in local criminal activity when a federal law is broken and enters cases on their own or by request of the local police force, depending on the situation involved.

     They also mentioned that civil rights area was one of their main concerns. The following is from the www.fbi.gov web page.

 

 

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for investigating all allegations regarding violations of applicable federal civil rights laws. These laws are designed to protect the civil rights of all citizens and persons within United States territory. The mission of the FBI's Civil Rights Program is to enforce federal civil rights statutes and to ensure that the protected civil rights of all inhabitants are not abridged.

 

 

Member Darrell Coons attends the National Security Forum at the Air War College.

 

 

 

     I had a rare privilege this year to be a part of the 49^th National Security Forum at the Air War College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, held May 27-31, 2002. This year, as a result of the events September 11, the Secretary of the Air Force, Dr. James G. Roche, decided to expand the National Security Forum so that there were 170 civilians who joined the 259 Air War College students for a forum of 430 people. Those of us who attended as guests paid for our own transportation, paid the going rate for our base lodging, and paid for our own meals.

     The National Security Forum is an event that marks the final week of each Air War College academic year and has each year since 1946 with the exception of the Korean War years when it was suspended.

     Air War College is the Air Force’s top military school for the top colonels and Lt. Colonels who are slated for command promotions

     At the conclusion of the ten months of Air War College, civilians from around the country are selected to join in a week of seminars and discussions with the soon-to-be graduates of the Air War College, to help those students re-connect with the civilian population and to afford a few select civilians a greater knowledge of the current state of the Air Force and our National Security program.

     Our daily routine consisted of an address in the morning by one of the program personalities, a question and answer session, then a break-out

session in the nineteen Seminar Groups which functioned throughout the Air War College year.

     During lunch there were box-lunch forums exclusively for the civilian guests, which we were able to choose according to our own interests.

     After lunch, we repeated the morning schedule but then added one additional formal address at the end of the day by one of the special Air Force top brass

 

 

 

     One of the first things we were made to understand was that we were operating under strict rules of non-attribution, so because of our security agreements, I can’t tell you who said what or too many of the details, but I can share some general things we learned.

1.      We have the distinction in the United States of being the world’s only Superpower, no question. This is the only time this has happened in recorded history since the Roman Empire and as such, we have some very heavy responsibilities.

2.      Our military is in pretty good shape. We hear a lot about waste and overspending and needs to trim, but the reality is we are at about the limit of how much we can scale back and still be effective.

3.      Our National Security is a tough nut to crack mainly because of the freedoms we enjoy and are reluctant to give up. The means for tightening security are readily available, but the nature of our American civil liberties and freedoms keeps that from happening.

4.      The pictures we get of our allies and our supposed adversaries is not always as clear and clean as we are led to believe by our media. For instance, Israel is not the best friend we have in the world. On the other hand, I learned that China may not be the big bad bogeyman we have all come to fear as we’ve moved out of our confrontations with the former Soviet Union.

     On Friday, my host, David Merrill, a member of Hope Church, and who, by the way, is a civilian, was awarded the Air War College Leadership Award by the Secretary of the Air Force and I had the privilege of attending a luncheon with Dr. Roche and his staff as they honored Dave.

Darrel Coons

 

District Governor Speaks

     Don Mueller, the District Governor of district 6510 spoke October 22nd at the Belleville Rotary noon meeting.

     Don was raised on a farm 50 miles west of Springfield, Illinois. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University in 1962. He is a U.S. Army veteran. Don worked for Farm Services, Inc. for 34 years, and retired in 1995. He joined the Sparta Rotary Club in 1984, and is a Past President of that club. He has served as an Assistant Governor and as a Deputy Governor before taking office as District Governor on July 1, 2002. Don is a multiple Paul Harris Fellow. He and his wife Connie are major donors to the Rotary Foundation. Don has been a member of the District Committee for Belize Crippled Children, and has hosted a child from Belize. He is an active member of his local church.

Robert Hardy

 

Connie and Don Mueller

 

 

Club welcomes new member

     Member Eugene Hausmann (left) presents new member Al Wunderlich with his Rotary pin & membership materials.

     Al is a resident of the Belleville area and received his college education at St. Louis University and is a CPA. He is married to his wife Emma Lee and has four children and seven grandchildren.

     He is a retired executive with Anheuser-Busch who now gives most of his time as the Executive for the Franklin Neighborhood Community Association.

     Al is also a member of the board of Memorial Hospital an has been active for many years in St. Paul’s Home, St. Paul’s Church and the St. Paul Home Foundation.

Eugene Hausmann

 

Notes from the Rotary Board

 

     The fundraising committee wants to resurrect the Saturday BBQ's.  They plan on having 3 or 4 over the next year, starting in the spring. They are currently looking for a location, preferably a Schnucks parking lot.  The grill was in need of repair and the board approved $500 to have the grill fixed. 

     The board approved the Constitution of the Belleville Rotary Club.  The document will be able to be viewed on the club website.

     The Board will be doing a review of the club by the 4 avenues of service, International, Community, Club, and Vocation.

Michelle Wuller