[Vhfcn-l] Gold Star Family Breakfast at the upcoming VHPA Reunion

[Julie Kink]

As most of you know, families of fallen Vietnam helicopter pilots and crewmembers are warmly welcomed to attend the annual Gold Star Family Breakfast, held during the VHPA reunion. The Gold Star Family Breakfast grew out of our own Family Contacts Committee, chaired by Gary Thewlis, and a small gathering of Gold Star sisters at a VHPA Reunion in 2004. This year the VHPA reunion is in Kansas City, MO May 28-June 1 and the Gold Star Family Breakfast is May 30. Below, FYI, is an invitation letter that went out to families. Feel free to pass the info along if you know of a family of a KIA/MIA VN helicopter pilot or crewmember who may want to attend. If not this year, maybe next year!
Julie Kink
***************
Dear Gold Star Family Member,
As a sister of a helicopter pilot who lost his life in the Vietnam War, I want to let you know that the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association (VHPA) annual reunion will be held in Kansas City, Missouri May 28-June 1, 2019. The VHPA welcomes families of the fallen to attend its annual reunion, a gathering which usually draws 600-700 pilots and their families.
In addition to unit reunions and activities related to the role of helicopter pilots in the Vietnam War, the reunion itinerary includes a Gold Star Family Breakfast where family members of the fallen join helicopter veterans in remembering our lost loved ones. A Gold Star Family member is someone who, like you and me, lost a loved one in combat.The VHPA is a nonprofit fraternal military organization of over 16,500 individuals from around the world who served as helicopter pilots in the Vietnam War. As a social organization with no political agenda, it exists to enhance the cohesiveness, esprit de corps, and traditions of valor of rotary-wing aircrews that flew in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam Era. Anyone is eligible to subscribe to the excellent bi-monthly newsletter, The VHPA Aviator.
The 2019 VHPA reunion will take place at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. I would especially like to invite you to attend the Gold Star Family Breakfast that will be held Thursday, May 30 from 7:30-9:00 a.m. at the hotel. The cost to attend this breakfast is $20 but thanks to sponsorships, that cost is waived for Gold Star family members (you must register in advance).
The reunion has several other events that you may want to attend. Full reunion information is at http://www.vhpa.org/news.htm.
You may register for the reunion by calling the VHPA office, 800-505-VHPA (8472). Registration for a hotel room is a separate process via the VHPA personalized web site at the link above, or by calling the hotel’s reservation line at (877) 303-0104. You need to mention “VHPA 36th Annual Reunion 2019.”  Because the VHPA block of rooms at the rate of $127 + tax is going fast, you should book that as soon as possible. Once you’ve registered for the reunion, please pass along to me your contact information, who will be attending, relationship and date of arrival and departure.
Reunions provide an opportunity for those of us who lost loved ones to see firsthand the brotherhood and camaraderie they experienced. They often provide an opportunity for Gold Star family members to connect with men who flew with or trained with their loved ones. Spending time with veterans who served with my brother, who was killed at age 19 in 1969, gave me a glimpse of his life I had not known before. I was pleased to discover that he will always be remembered by the men who flew with him. 
If you're wondering what it would be like to attend a veterans' reunion, there are a couple of great articles about Gold Star families who have attended past reunions in the VHPA Aviator (pages 19-22) at: https://issuu.com/digitalpublish/docs/48_pg_aviator_magazine  Feel free to pass this information along to other family members of your loved one who may be interested. If I have reached you in error, and you are not related to a helicopter pilot who was killed or missing in Vietnam, please accept my apology. I have compiled this contact list by my own internet research.
I’m happy to answer any questions!
Never forget.
Julie Kink

sister of WO David Kink C Troop 1/9th Cavalry

Killed in Action August 3, 1969
http://www.virtualwall.org/dk/KinkDR01a.htm
 
member of Family Contacts Committee 
http://www.virtualwall.org/contacts 
cell 651-206-2542Kink100 at att.net
VHPA Office:2100 North Highway 360, Suite 907
Grand Prairie, TX 75050
Email: hq at vhpa.org www.vhpa.org