FIFTH ARMY ASSOCIATION |
Fifth Army Association Membership Drive Begins
Membership Sign Up Click Here
The Fifth Army Association is up and running and ready to bring in members. We have completed all the initial steps necessary to be a productive organization for our membership. The 501(C)3 paperwork is approved, making us an official non-profit entity. We have an initial Board of Directors, although in December we start the process to elect a more permanent Board. We have raised sufficient funds to operate successfully and accomplish our main mission--member support. And we have an initial strategic plan that lays out the way-forward. But now we need your help. Please forward the below link to both current and former members of the Fifth Army or Army North and ask them to join. The cost is minimal, and the benefits are many. We have already enabled over 100 NCOs to attend the Medal of Honor Awards Gala for free, and sponsored the Fort Sam Houston Army Ball hosted by Army North (Fifth Army). We have funds set aside to assist members who desire to hold a reunion with other members of Fifth Army with whom they have served. This website is ready to host members who want to find and communicate with past Fifth Army and Army North military and civilian co-workers by going to the member directory link on the bottom right side of this homepage. So join today and connect with old friends! Go here to sign up: Fifth Army Association Assists Medal of Honor Celebration The Fifth Army Association provided critical support to enable 33 Congressional Medal of Honor recipients to spend a week in San Antonio fully engaged with the military, the community, and our schools. They were joined by fifteen widows of recipients and dozens of their family members. It was a week full of fun and gaiety, mixed in with a somber realization of the incredible sacrifices these men, and those who came before them, made for our country. Most importantly, throughout the week these heroes spent their days interacting with thousands of our high school students discussing character development and what it means in life to be a person of character. When the Congressional Medal
of Honor Society choose San Antonio for their annual convention and
celebration, MG Pat Brady (USA, Ret), himself a Congressional Medal of
Honor recipient, and Dan Pedrotti, the Chairman of the Board of the Host
Committee, called the Fifth Army Association and asked for our help.
And help we did! | Fifth Army Association Receives $75,000 Grant for Caisson Mission The Fifth Army Association recently received a $75,000 grant in support of a number of initiatives on Fort Sam Houston, the largest being the revitalization of the Caisson Mission and Detachment Area. The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation is providing critically needed resources for items that are either not authorized for the military to fund, or too hard to get prioritized funding due to operational needs elsewhere. One of these is the continued building of our herd of the magnificant, large, Percheron horses you can see in the pictures on this page. We have totally replaced our old herd, and now have 12 young and healthy horses. This grant will enable the herd to reach the 16 horses required to properly handle the large number of funerals they perform every year, especially with the temporary closing of the Arlington Caisson Detachment for the next year. But the grant is providing funds for much more than the horses. Famous Monuments Donated to the Fifth Army Association If you have been on Post lately, you may have noticed an enormous amount of construction and pasture expansion near Staff Post Road. This is part of a $15m revitalization of the entire Caisson Detachment Area, to include renovating three major buildings, construction of a horse training pavilion, and expansion and enhancing of the pastures from the original 6 acres to 22 acres. As part of the revitalization project, and in honor of the Soldiers and horses who man this Detachment and perform the funerals, Dr Alfonso (Lon) Mellijor has donated the famous Duty First monument created by world renowned artist and sculptor James Muir for placement at the entrance of the Detachment area. This 14-foot statue of a Soldier on horseback has been on display at the Mellijor museum in Chicago for the past 20 years. Dr Mellijor and Mr Muir visited Fort Sam Houston this past summer, and were incredibly impressed with both the Funeral and Caisson teams here, and the revitalization project. Even more so, they were struck by the importance of the Caisson mission: to conduct funerals for fallen Soldiers in the most dignified and respectful manner possible. Dr Mellijor agreed with the Association, who accompanied him during his visit, that this is the perfect location for the monument, appraised recently at $160,000. The monument has a special place in Dr Mellijor's heart, as his dad, a cavalry scout himself, was used as the model for the Soldier riding the horse in this monument. | Featured Member Stay Up to Date Inside the Gate Upcoming Events January 2025: Fifth Army Birthday Celebration June 14, 2025 (est.): Army Ball Commander's Corner Welcome to the Fifth Army Association website. The revitalization of the Fifth Army Association after many years of dormancy, was accomplished through the incredible hard work of former Fifth Army Soldiers and leaders. I am grateful for the work they have done to create a forum and organization that honors the history of Fifth Army and supports the Soldiers, Civilians and Family members of current Army North personnel. The Association has been generous enough to grant the current Army North Commander a small section of the website to provide brief updates on the operations, activities and investments across this engaged Army Service Component Command (ASCC). As we stay immersed in Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) planning, we remain ever mindful of our Homeland Defense mission in support of USNORTHCOM. We also continue to foster close training and operational relationships with our Canadian allies and Mexican partners with whom we share this vibrant continent. On behalf of CSM Gan and I, we want you to enjoy this time of year with family and be safe regardless of where your travels may take you. The Fifth Army Association also asks that you review this website and provide feedback to our distinguished Quartermasters, Bob Naething or Carmen Soto, with your ideas and suggestions. Thanks to the Fifth Army Association for their continued interest in supporting our teammates – past and present. It’s great to be part of this Fifth Army/Army North team and part of Military City USA. Thank you again for all you do.... Strength of the Nation! - LTG John Evans |