USS Bremerton Reunion II (CANCELLED)
(CANCELLED/POSTPONED DUE TO BREMERTON DECOM SCHEDULING)
It’s time to start thinking ahead, a year ahead to the
VIVA LAS VEGAS 20[XX] REUNION!
We’ve got an exciting 5 day 4 night itinerary set up
“That looks great!”
With last year’s Reno reunion not too far in the past, the reenergizing of old friendships with our Bremerton shipmates, and a fantastic outlook for the future, let’s get ready to get underway for the next big event. We’ve got a year to do a work up for this operation.
On Monday, May 1st, 2017, registration for the USS Bremerton SSN 698 Viva Las Vegas 2018 Reunion has officially launched! Even a year ahead of time, shipmates are already saving their seats for what will certainly be another amazing reunion. You will be able to see the latest members who have signed on already at the official website www.BremertonReunion.com.
The 2018 Reunion will be Bigger and Badder, BadFish Badder.
Arriving in Bremerton, Wa. 1982. Image courtesy of Senior Chief Donald Jones
We made some improvements in response to feedback from last year’s attendees and we believe we’ve come through with a program that will be right up your alley, for example,
–MORE DAYS – when we left the time had gone by all too fast. It’s like we were saying “Good-bye” just right after we had said “Hello!”
–MORE CONVENIENT TRAVEL – Las Vegas offers more direct connection flights from around the world.
–MORE CHEAP DRINKS WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE – What can I say? The work hard, play hard attitude still lives! Last year the cheap beers were a taxi drive away, not this time.
–MORE EATING ESTABLISHMENTS – last year we almost had a riot at the one restaurant that wanted to divide our group.
–POOLSIDE HANGOUT – This year we will have our own private cabana at the hotel. Inspired by Mr and Mrs. Master Chief Bill Brehler’s awesome hospitality in Reno last year, we wanted to incorporate something to help remember the Luau so graciously provided by Bill and Terry Brehler. If we could somehow transport Master Chief’s Diving Alarm (and move his whole house) to Vegas, that might be a popular attraction.
–Yes, a reunion is much more – We’re doing our best to meet the needs of the largest cross section of shipmates, enlisted and officers, as we aspire to accommodate Plankowner 698 veterans, up though the generations up to and possibly some active duty BadFish submariners. The USS Bremerton, being the longest serving active duty submarine in the United States Navy, gives us challenges that not every unit has. Nevertheless, the formula is fairly simple = Create a comfortable opportunity to gather shipmates together to remember, honor the Silent Service, and create some new shared fun experiences to carry these uncommon friendships forward.
Read on, Shipmate, we think you’ll find that excitement is just around the corner.
THE GOLDEN NUGGET and Fremont Street
The Golden Nugget offers many strategic advantages that are best described by Rich Crombie, who has been busy patrolling Vegas out for this event.
Rich writes:
The following reasons why this will be a great place to stay:
CHECK OUT THE ITINERARY, EVEN MORE …
Click on the Line below!
Click here >>> LINK TO REUNION EVENTS SCHEDULE
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FAQ’S
More FAQ’s can be found on the Reunion website www.BremertonReunion.com
1.QUESTION: When is the cut off date?
Answer: The absolute drop dead day to register and make payment will be on April 7th, 2018. Afterwards, you are DINK!
When we say drop dead, we mean drop dead. The hotel is always near max capacity and they need an accurate room count, and not to mention that, since the organizers are NOT a professional travel business, they need some leeway to make sure all the arrangements for the scheduled events goes as smoothly as possible.
You’ve got 11 months to plan your move, so don’t procrastinate! Get yourself Qualified!
2.QUESTION: How many people can this event handle?
Answer: We’re shooting for 50, but there are bypass systems in place to handle 100. If there’s more, I’m sure some submariner innovation would come into play and make it work.
3.QUESTION: What if I have my own accommodations? I live nearby or I have my own rack on wheels.
Answer: You qualify for the “spouse/guest” price which does not include the hotel accomodations.
Make sure you meet with the whole group for event transportation as the bus is on a tight schedule.
4.QUESTION: Can we pick and choose which events and tours we go on?
Answer: If you mean can you pay for events individually? The answer is sorry but no* (*see the possible exception below). We need to simplify the deal and the accounting so there will be two prices:
The FIRST deal for 1 reunion attendee and the SECOND deal for 1 spouse/guest.
The price FIRST price is $698 and the SECOND price is $498.
Please check out the “Agenda” link to see what all you are provided for this price! Plenty of Meals and Deals.
Doing everything together last year was simply a blast. Besides, Free beer on the bus will help you get over any of your previously held woes. Hahaha!
*However, we know there’s some of you shipmates are thinking that “I can’t afford the cash or all the time, but I’d like to see the guys again.” You might be between jobs or may have a very busy and unpredictable schedule. We’re open to allowing an exception for the reception dinner on 7May2018, but you’ll have to be in communication with the organizers to help make that work out. Aside from that, we’re not set up to manage the variations and keep our sanity in accounting for this event.
5.QUESTION: May I bring my spouse or family member?
Answer: Yes and they are welcome. Just have to register and pay as a spouse/guest via the www.bremertonreunion.com website.
6.QUESTION: Anything else worth noting at this moment?
Answer: As with last year, the first night’s dinner will have a special program in a private room and people will dress a grade comfortably higher than usual.
The hope is Las Vegas will be much easier to fly into and people will not experience delays and inconvenient layovers. Last year we had a few shipmates who were delayed by severe weather and who had hoped to arrive a day earlier and some unable to arrive on time due to poor weather.
7.QUESTION: What is the weather expected to be like in Las Vegas in May?
Answer: The temperature in May is expected to be moderate (60 – 88 deg F) with lowest chances of rainfall. One of the reasons we selected these dates,
SHARE THIS LINK ON YOUR OWN WALL OR ON A VET WEBSITE THAT MAY HAVE 698 SHIPMATES YET UNCONNECTED!
-CKY
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USS Bremerton SSN 698 News
Emergency Surface – USS Bremerton SSN698 (image source google.com).
LOOKING FORWARD
USS Bremerton (SSN 698) just celebrated her 36th Birthday and is the longest serving commissioned submarine in the United States Navy, She’s home ported in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and tentatively scheduled for decommissioning in 2019 and she’s not about to be retired yet. With all that is happening in the world today, there was never a more important time to be “Standing Ready to Defend Our Country” and the protecting the vital interests of the United States as sea.
SAVE THE 698
Join the Movement! Are you passionate about preserving the USS Bremerton in any way shape or form after her decommissioning for the benefit of the public and of naval history? You are invited to a new closed group forum on Facebook “SaveThe698” to be involved in public discussion related to Saving 698. You can see the group site by clicking HERE.
Viva Las Vegas 2018 Reunion
Scheduled for May 7-11, 2018, stay tuned for more details. Will be open to any 698 Alumni and guests. Also see www.BremertonReunion.com
STS1/SS(DV) C.K. Yee USS Bremerton SSN698 1983-1986