The Army & Navy Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is a non-profit veterans association founded on love of country and dedicated to maintaining a strong national defense and ensuring that our nation keeps its commitments to currently serving, retired, and former members of the uniformed services and their families and survivors. We seek to foster fraternal relations among our members and families and also support our community and our nation. We are a local chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA). ## The purposes of the Club have been consistent through the years: (1) To become more informed and to encourage participation in matters of national affairs, national preparedness and military effectiveness. (2) To help further the interest of our Armed Forces in our community. (3) To further implement the cooperation, harmony and understanding of all the elements of our Armed Forces in the National Defense Program. (4) To cooperate with others with like objectives.

Membership in the Army and Navy Club of Grand Rapids is open to those who hold or have ever held a commission or warrant in any component of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, as well as their surviving spouses. Dues are $20 per year ($10 for surviving spouses). To join, please contact any of the following: President – David Kennedy (CH COL, USAR Ret) – ChDKennedy@gmail.com (616-340-6608). Secretary – Linda Crumback (LtCol, USAF Ret) – army.navy.club.of.gr.mi@gmail.com (616-891-9141). Membership Chair – Mel Bauman (LTC, USA Ret) – srmiamb@gmail.com (616-446-0798). All members of US Uniformed Services are strongly encouraged to join and take an active role in the chapter. ###### You may join or pay chapter dues online: https://chapterdues.moaa.org/Membership.aspx

NEXT MEETING: September 12th at the 84th Street Pub and Grille, 8282 Pfeiffer Farms Drive, Byron Center, MI. Speaker: MG Robert W. Smith III, President of the Michigan Military and Veterans Hall of Honor. ##### MEETINGS: The Army & Navy Club holds four dinner meetings each year, usually in April, July, September/October, and December. Typically, meetings feature a speaker who provides information that may be military specific or of general interest to the membership. The July meeting is a picnic where members have an opportunity to share with one another. The December dinner often features entertainment appropriate to the season. ##### ACTIVITIES: The Club, along with the United Veterans Council of Kent County, participates in the annual Veterans Day and Memorial Day services at Veterans Park in downtown Grand Rapids. We actively support the Junior ROTC and ROTC medal programs at local high schools and area universities, personally making the award presentation whenever feasib

The Army & Navy Club tries to keep members informed of important State and Federal legislative issues that may have an impact on veterans and their families. Financial and medical benefits are often addressed as points of interest. We communicate information on these issues in person at meetings and by our Club newsletters and emails. We join with other service organizations to support the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans. We also represent Michigan MOAA members on a rotating basis with the other Michigan chapters during the annual national MOAA Storming the Hill event.

For the latest copy of the Club newsletter, “Army & Navy Club News,” please contact newsletter editor Linda Crumback (LtCol, USAF, Ret) – Email: army.navy.club.of.gr.mi@gmail.com; Phone: 616-891-9141. ##### Four Club dinner meetings are held each year, usually in April, July, September/October, and December. Locations vary and specific information is in the newsletter. Regular Board of Directors meetings are open to all members and are held four times per year at the Walker Army Reserve Center (3870 - 3 Mile Road, Grand Rapids MI 49534). For additional information about the Club, please contact Club President David Kennedy (CH COL, USAR, Ret) – ChDKennedy@gmail.com. #### To reach our MOAA Club web page, please go to – http://www.moaa.org/chapter/ArmyAndNavyClubOfGrandRapids. #### Future meetings: ## December 12, 2019 – 6:30 pm Cocktails; 7:00 pm Dinner. Location: Boulder Creek, Rockford. Program: Northview High School Jazz Band, Director Greg Wells. ## April 9, 2020 – 6:30 pm Cocktails; 7:00 pm Dinner. Location: Boulder Creek, Rockford. Program: Tracy Nelson, director of the GR Home for Veterans. ## July 9, 2020 – 6:00 pm Gather; 6:30 pm Picnic. Location: Walker Reserve Center, 3870 - 3 Mile Road, Grand Rapids MI 49534.

The Army and Navy Club of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was formed in 1921. It welcomed officers and former officers of all the uniformed services as well as their spouses, significant others and surviving spouses. It was incorporated as a Michigan corporation in 1946 and it affiliated as a chapter of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA) in 1998 (then known as TROA – The Retired Officers Association). We are chapter MI05. ##### In 1921, the "War to End all Wars" had been over for almost three years. Things in the country were getting back to a normal routine. It was during this time that a group of socially minded officers, reservists, former officers and concerned patriots formed the Army & Navy Club of Grand Rapids. The Club had no facilities, equipment or real estate. Instead it was comprised of a group of individuals who shared a love of country, things military and a concern for the security and well-being of the country.