THE UNITED STATES ARMY
SIGNAL CORPS
OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION
Our Association is a not-for-profit fraternal organization. It's purpose is a) to foster camaraderie among the graduates of Signal Corps Officer Candidate School classes of the World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War eras, b) to archive for posterity the stories and history of all of the Signal Corps OCS Officers who served this great country, and c) to organize and offer scholarships and other assistance for the families of Officer and Enlisted OCS cadre in need. We are open to ALL former Army Signal Corps OCS graduates, their families and friends, as well as other officers, enlisted men, those interested in military history, and the general public. If you are interested in the life and history of those who served in the U.S. Army Signal Corps, and especially those who graduated from its OCS program, you should be a member. Please, come join us!
Feel free to contact us at any time with any questions you may have. You can contact us at Info@ArmySignalOCS.com.
| Title | Name |
|---|---|
| Chairman of The Board of Directors | Max Holt, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) |
| Directors | R. Lee Wheless, Richard A Green, Earnest Robertson,Preas L. Street |
| President | Max Holt, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) |
| Association Treasurer | Preas L. Street, Colonel (Ret) |
| Association Secretary | Richard A. Green, Major (Ret) |
| Association Membership Coordinator | Richard A. Green, Major (Ret) |
| Newsletter Managing Editor | R. Lee Wheless, Major (Ret) |
| OCS Graduate Locator | Earnest Robertson, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) |
| Association Scholarship Chairman | Preas L. Street, Colonel (Ret) |
| Chaplain | Max Holt, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) |
| Assistant Chaplain | Rev. (Dr.) Pat Polis (Captain) |
| Historian | Richard A. Green, Major (Ret) |
| Quartermaster | Earl L. Tingle, Colonel (Ret) |
| Association Counsel | Leonard N. "Sam" Herb, Esquire |
| Name | Duties | Location | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| R. Lee Wheless, Major (Ret) | Director, Newsletter Editor | Spotsylvania, Virginia | rleewsr@comcast.net |
| Richard A. Green, Major (Ret) | Secretary, Membership Coordinator, Historian, Director | Lake City, Florida |
1-386-752-6950 signalocsbw36@comcast.net |
| Earnest Robertson, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) | OCS Graduate Locator, Director | Johns Creek, Georgia |
1-770-642-7786 ltcr79@bellsouth.net |
| Max Holt, Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) | Chairman of The Board of Directors, President, Chaplain | Martin, Tennessee |
1-731-587-6900 MaxHolt@ArmySignalOCS.com |
| Preas L Street, Colonel (Ret) | Treasurer, Director, Scholarship Chairman | Martinez, Georgia |
1-706-863-2007 preasstr@csranet.com |
| Rev. (Dr.) Pat Polis (Captain) | Assistant Chaplain | Knoxville, Tennessee |
1-865-654-4450 revpat5@comcast.net |
| Earl L. Tingle, Jr. Colonel (Ret) | Quartermaster | New Smyrna Beach, Florida |
1-386-402-4288 earl.tingle@us.army.mil |
Note: Names in Bold Army Green are linked to a separate page with a personal bio for that person. Click the name to read the bio.
All graduates of Army Signal Corps OCS, officers, enlisted men, family, friends, those interested in military history or helping military families in need, and the general public are all welcome to join our Association. Dues are minimal, and the proceeds are used by us to support good causes and those in need of assistance. One of our best programs is a scholarship program, where proceeds from dues and other sources are used to support continuing education for those in need. If you enjoy this site, if your memories of your time in OCS are strong and warm, if you yearn for those days of youth when you felt bulletproof, then come join us. We'll help you rekindle those memories, reconnect with old friends, start new life-lasting friendships, and in the process help a few people along the way.
We need you to become a member today! Join us!
Special Announcement
Contingency Plan for Future USASCOCS Dissolution
Previously Presented at the 2015 Annual Reunion, San Antonio, TX
Several years ago at an Annual Reunion several people asked what the plans were for eventually dissolving the Association, given the likelihood that no more Signal Corps OCS graduates will ever be produced by the Army.
The Board of Directors has researched the most appropriate approach to planning the eventual dissolution of the Association; the results are listed below. These are general plans that will have to deal with the inevitable decline in our membership and the future unknowns as Association membership and financial assets decline.
The obvious truth is, we are all getting older and someday the last guy will have to turn out the lights. So, these plans are in response to the ongoing question about how best to handle Association assets when the Association can no longer function as an organization. These general plans are:
1. When registrations decline so that the Annual Reunion can no longer provide enough revenue to cover Reunion costs, that Reunion will be cancelled. At this point our Reunion Coordinator says that the break-even point is currently about 15 room reservations. A second consideration is how the registered attendees would view the value of traveling to be with such few fellow graduates, given the time and expense. Individual members will have to answer that question.
2. When two Reunions in a row have to be cancelled, the next Newsletter will include a survey of the membership to determine interest in attending a reunion the next year. If interest is sufficient we will plan one; if not, then we will skip another year.
3. When the Association can no longer sustain any reunions we can still provide the important functions of our organization: The Newsletter, Awarding Scholarships, keeping the Roster current by locating & relocating members and keeping the Deceased Roster current while ministering to their families. However, we project that the income generated by annual renewals of memberships will diminish rapidly and donations to the Scholarship Fund will taper off, particularly as membership declines. Of the approximate 900 members, about 600 are Lifetime Members and no longer have to renew annually.
4. As income declines, the Board will employ cost-cutting measures to sustain an Association presence; such as, reducing newsletters from 3 to 2 annually, still maintaining the quality you have come to expect. It currently costs about $2,400 for each edition. An additional measure at some point would be to revert to a Black & White newsletter, saving another 1/3 of the cost per edition. When the Operating Fund can no longer pay for the newsletter it will be stopped. (As a reminder, NONE of the Board Members or Association Officers receive any compensation for their service to the Association…they are all volunteers.)
5. Obviously, when the Scholarship Fund is depleted, no more scholarships will be awarded.
6. In preparation to finally close down operations completely the Board will have to dispose of any remaining funds and dispense of the property of the Association; namely, the memorabilia we display at reunions and the left-over supplies in the Store (hats, jackets, etc).
a. The Store supplies will be given away to members at what can be determined to be a final reunion, if possible, or donated to an organization such as the Salvation Army or Goodwill.
b. The memorabilia will be donated to an Army organization that has an ongoing future plan to maintain a presence as a museum-type entity. The Board has identified several such organizations but will not decide on one at present because of the changing nature of such organizations… relocations, combining with other organizations, etc.
c. If Operating Funds remain they will be transferred into the Scholarship Fund. Any remaining Scholarship Funds will be donated to an Army organization that has plans for a long-term future goal of awarding scholarships to descendants of military personnel.
7. The most difficult question is, WHEN should we put these plans into action. For that, we will have to depend on our OCS training…be flexible and make the best decision possible based on the circumstances at hand. So, I’ll just say that you elected the Board to make the best decisions possible for the Association. We are committed to doing what’s right when the time comes.
8. Comments/Suggestions can be addressed to the address below.
Max Holt, 02-67, Chairman of the Board
MaxHolt@ArmySignalOCS.com
Thank You
