CAROLINA PIEDMONT BASE MEETING MINUTES
Meeting Date: December 20, 2025 Christmas Celebration
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
• Base Commander Mike Hubbell called our meeting to order at 1400 hrs. at VFW Post #9138 located in Fort Mill, SC.
• The meeting followed a wonderful Christmas meal brought in by our base families which also included an awesome dessert table spread.
INVOCATION
• Base Chaplain Raymond Fritz started off our base meeting with an invocation.
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
• All joined in saying our nation’s Pledge of Allegiance, led by Base Commander Mike Hubbell.
USSVI CREED
• The USSVI Creed was read today by Rick Petitt.
TOLLING OF THE BOATS
• A Tolling of the Boats remembrance ceremony was held for the 4 boats lost in Decembers past.
• The reading of the lost boats was presented by Ray Fritz, and the bell was rung by Bill Strand.
MEMBER INTRODUCTIONS
• 19 base members were present at today’s meeting along with 13 very special ladies who are just as much a part of our base as our submarine veteran members.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• Presentation of additional Award Patches
Mike Hubbell presented to base members (who were not at our last meeting) with a special patch marking our base being awarded the Meritorious Base Award - Class II Base – for Civil Involvement during this year’s national convention.
This award was mainly the result of members like Andrew Brown, Rick Petitt, Dave Violette, Bill Strand, Raymond Zieverink, Mike Hubbell and others who were recognized for their unique roles in the various civic involvement and outreaches programs supported by our base.
REVIEW OF LAST BASE MEETING MINUTES
• Members are reminded that minutes from past base meetings are posted on our Carolina Piedmont Base website at carolinapiedmont.org for their review. Members are encouraged to read the previous month’s meeting minutes prior to attending our next base meeting.
No comments or corrections were received on last month’s meeting minutes.
READING OF THE TREASURER’S REPORT
• Base Treasurer Bill Strand read our latest treasurer’s report. Combined monies in all base accounts stands at $19,819.97 as of 12/20/2025.
BASE STOREKEEPER REPORT
• Jeff Nieberding, our base storekeeper, is our contact person for ordering patches, vests, challenge coins, calendars, parking signs, and other USSVI items.
• Jeff distributed 2026 calendars to members who ordered calendars and who were at today’s meeting. Jeff has 2 USSVI calendars left for 2026, titled Deadly Quiet submarines, for anyone who still would like to purchase next year’s calendar.
OLD BUSINESS
• None
NEW BUSINESS
• USSVI National/Base Dues
2 members were still outstanding for 2026 dues for both National (for non-life members) and base dues; one of those members was present at today’s meeting so he is now caught up.
Information on the amount of money you owe for dues can be obtained by contacting John McHugh, our base Vice-Commander.
Outstanding dues for 2026 must be paid in full by the end of December to prevent members from being dropped from USSVI National membership rolls.
GOOD OF THE ORDER
• Kap(ss)-4-Kid(ss) Update
Dave Violette is presently arranging for a second visit to the Jeff Gordon Hospital in Concord for another K4K visit.
Dave reminded us that any member who is interested in joining him for future K4K visits should contact him to be added to his list of possible/available visitors. Dave says that we can have up to 4 people allowed per visit to Levine’s, likely not more than 3 at Jeff Gordons hospital also.
• Submarine Presentation Visits by Bill Strand
Bill is presently arranging for another visit to the Nations Ford High School ROTC for an early 2026 visit.
Michael Hubbell is continuing to make contact with the York Comprehensive High School which has an NJROTC program for a future school submarine presentation visit.
Bill Strand is our submarine school presentation coordinator and Bill has been contacting area schools to see which schools might be interested in 2026 to have some of our members come by to show our short presentation video and to answer questions about life aboard today’s submarines.
• Color Guard Opportunities
A brief discussion was had about future color guard opportunities. A suggestion was made to investigate the possibility of visiting the Gastonia Ghost Peppers ball team. The Ghost Peppers are a professional baseball team as part of the Atlantic League and are based in Gastonia.
• Bilge Rats Update
Raymond Zieverink, our Bilge Rats program coordinator, asked persons who were members of our Bilge Rats traveling group to meet after today’s base meeting to review the songs selected for our 2026 shows and to do a short practice with those attending.
Raymond also asked that we have a full practice on Sunday, January 4th at the VFW which will begin at 1400 hours.
• Future USSVI Events to add to our Calendars:
2026 South Eastern Conference, February 26th-28th, 2026, Gulfport MS. You can register on line or contact Mike Hubbell and he will email you the registration form.
USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) commissioning
Rick Petitt mentioned previously that in April of 2026 in Boston Harbor, alongside Old Ironsides (the USS Constitution), the new submarine USS Massachusetts (SSN 798) will be commissioned at a public event.
The webpage for this commissioning event is www.ussmassachusetts.org. Invitations are extended for anyone interested in attending.
2026 USSVI National Convention, Sept 6th-11th 2026, Corpus Christ TX.
For more details you can see most of these events listed on the USSVI national website.
1MC Additional Announcement:
• Rick Petitt reported he was contacted by Douise, the wife of our late Carolina Piedmont Base member Clarence Jordan, who called him asking was there any organization that she could contact that could assist her with their family’s financial affairs. It was Rick’s impression that Clarence handled all the finances when he was alive and with his sudden passing back earlier this year, Douise is now struggling with managing his estate and their finances.
• Rick asked for suggestions/ideas on how they could provide guidance to Douise and if anyone knows of a good organization who could provide her with help to please contact Rick directly.
BENEDICTION
• Base Chaplain Raymond Fritz closed our meeting with a benediction.
NEXT BASE MEETING
• Update on Base Meetings
Good news is that issues have been resolved by the VFW staff to allow them to be open again fully for business as usual. Carolina Piedmont Base members are sure happy to hear that!
• Our next base meeting will be held on Saturday, January 24th at 1230 at the Fort Mill VFW which will be our first base meeting for 2026.
• Doors should be open at 1230; the meal will be served between 1300 to 1400 with the meeting starting around 1400 hours.
MOTION TO ADJOURN
• A motion to adjourn the meeting was made at 1438 hours. Motion passed.
RAFFLE RESULTS
• Maxine Cook won today’s meeting raffle! Congratulations to Maxine!
Today’s meeting attendees are listed on the next page below:
December 20, 2025, Meeting Attendees:
• Steve Bell
• Bob Bunney – Kathy
• Doug Cook – Maxine
• Ray Fritz
• Mary Gilles
• Jim Harris
• Mike Hubbell – Glenna
• Tom Kelly – Susan (and visiting Aunt Helen)
• Lowell Kemp
• John McHugh - Donna
• Jeff Nieberding – Michele
• Rick Petitt – Cindy & Missy
• Calvin Reese
• Zeke Rybczyk
• Bill Strand
• Dave Violette – Beth
• Chris Walker – Melinda
• Kevin Walker - Tessa
• Raymond Zieverink – Linda
Minutes Respectfully Submitted by:
Tom Kelly
Base Secretary