Re: Travis AFB - After Action Report

From: Darrell Ramsell (daram@comcast.net)
Date: Mon Oct 17 2005 - 10:47:16 PDT


Jack

I heard in the past that some HMMWV owners had some problems getting there
vehicles off the base. Presumably to make sure they weren't stolen. Did
any one have problems this time?

Darrell

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stu" <stuinnh@mvnut.us>
To: "Military Vehicles Mailing List" <mil-veh@mil-veh.org>
Sent: Monday, October 17, 2005 10:13 AM
Subject: Re: [MV] Travis AFB - After Action Report

> Where did you get a resin M60?
>
> "Stu"
> Southern NH, USA
> "Live Free Or Die"
>
> MVPA #14790
>
> 1967 M151A1 Jeep 1964 M416 Trailer
> 1985 M1008 CUCV Pickup
>
>
>
>
>
>
> After Action Summary (ONE GUYS UNOFFICIAL OPINION):
>
> NorCal, Sat.- Sun: About 250,000+ visitors attended, weather was generally
> clear, but gusty winds at night sent our light gear flying into the next
> county. The MVCC fielded around 25 vehicles and trailers. WWII vehicles
> and
> up, and I should emphasize mostly up, WWII was a minority. Which begs
> the
> question why were we were booked in at the base "B-O-Q" as "WWII
> Vehicles",
> hmmm? Shows a bit of prejudice by our leaders who own those WWII
> vehicles!
> lol
>
> Things that were good for the MVCC:
>
> 1. Vehicles with owners present to interact with the public- GOOD!!!
> Public....this means mostly kids under 10 who want to sit in the drivers
> seat. Being present was also good for keeping your vehicle relatively
> unscathed. Adults and kids really love to touch and be a part of the
> display, so when possible its a great idea to do this!
>
> 2. Props folks could hold for photo ops or at least touchable, again
> mostly
> loved by kids under 10 and the grateful parents who appreciated the break
> from baby sitting- GOOD! This part received the most accolades from the
> public I think. My prop was a resin cast M60, a helmet, gas mask and an
> old
> LAWS rocket, man the kids lined up to hold these toys and many, many pics
> were taken with kids some as young as 3 (some adults too) holding up the
> M60! It was a riot for everyone.
>
> 3. Rare, restored vehicles, done very correct with mucho dollars and time
> invested, were carefully tagged with "Do not touch" signs - OK to GOOD.
> The
> signs were well respected and the vehicles admired for a good 6 seconds
> before the crowd hustled off to the not so wunnerful military vehicles
> where
> the kids could sit in and hold cheap plastic weapons and get their
> pictures
> taken! (Air soft has such toys - something to consider)
>
> 4. Seemed like later issue MV's were actually more popular than the rarer
> WWII MV's since 70% of the folks that could related to WWII era were dead
> or
> too old to come out. But, those, M38's, M151's, M35A2's, etc., were met
> with mucho enthusiasm! (Hey, just kiddin with ya on #3, 4 n 5, had to get
> back at the WWII guys for the BOQ lodging thing...that and I own a "not so
> perfect" M151 and no WWII vehicles)
>
> 5. Period uniforms were a plus. Any period, it all looked great,
> especially
> if you were with your vehicle and talking to the crowds..now the 3 guys
> hiding in the back of the deuce that said "Do not look under canvas" who
> lept out at anyone who peaked, dressed in full camo, face paint and fake
> rubber bayonets had to be curtailed after the first couple of faintings!
> Actually, we only had a couple of folks dressing the part, but this is
> definitely something to consider at any public event. OK, nooooo we
> really
> didn't jump out of the truck with fake rubber knives that would have been
> a
> little over the top even for us, actually we just grabbed em by the ankles
> and pulled them under the truck kicking and screaming, then rubber knifed
> em.
>
> 6. Radio gear, very limited, but well received by those who knew what
> they
> were looking at.
>
>
> Things that could have been better for the MVCC members:
>
> 1. Shuttle service..NONE! And everything was a long, long ways apart,
> we
> musta walked 25 miles a day! We needed a shuttle, Gad did we need a
> shuttle! I would have seen so much more at the event if I wasn't so
> exhausted from walking everywhere to setup and use toilet! Speaking
> of...ever hear of the book "40 yards to the outhouse!" By Willy Makett?
> Some of us older guys can relate to that one! lol
>
> The biggest single thing we could have done for ourselves was to provide
> an
> MVCC "crew" shuttle, if not b the USAF then by one of us. I'm sure
> something could have been arranged with a golf cart, etc., they were
> buzzing
> around everywhere run by teenagers. If had thought about it I could have
> brought something.
>
> 2. Should disconnect horns in vehicles open to the public...after about
> 3000 horn honks it gets a little tedious.
>
> 3. Remove, lable or cover anything you don't want touched in open to the
> public vehicles.
>
> ____________________
>
> Bottom line: Travis was a big deal, a very big deal. It was two full
> days
> long, with lots of aerobatics, events, tents, planes, gadgets, flight sims
> and all sorts of displays, Thunderbirds were outstanding, lots of great
> Air
> Force hospitality (except for no shuttle), good MVCC comradery, so overall
> it was a super event and probably the most public attention the MVCC has
> had
> all year!
>
> (Side note) This event (IMHO) should have been better attended by the MVCC
> members. Don't get me wrong, I like our events like TOWER PARK because we
> have so many venders adn that draws our MVCC flea market types (includes
> me)
> and that's great, but this was the big PUBLIC show and we should have had
> more of the MVCC there. We presented a good show and were obviously
> appreciated, but we could have done better. This was one of our biggest
> opportunities to interact with the public and provide our very best for
> the
> promotion of the club and preservation of our military history.
>
>
> _____________END___________
> _
>
> Jack
>
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