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DONORS
Founders Club ($1,000+)
Betty Lee Raymer Bequest
Corvette Club-Corpus Christi
Thomas M Howlett
David Leighton
Mark Cancian
Semper Fi Club ($500+)
Anonymous
Anonymous
Gung Ho Club ($250)
Donald P Burnham
Chistopher Crimi
Alfred M Gray
Al Harvey
William E Lednicky
C L Reynolds
2024 Donations to Date
$ 1,750.52
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Board of Trustees
Chairman of the Board
Thomas M. Howlett, LtCol USMCR (Retired)
Lieutenant Colonel Howlett was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin. He joined the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class as a freshman in college
and received a commission as a Second Lieutenant when he graduated from the College of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1963. His orders
to Active Duty were deferred to allow him to complete a graduate program at St. Thomas. While in graduate school he worked part time as a
Computer Programming Instructor for the City of St. Paul Vocational School. Following receipt of his Masters Degree in August of 1964 he was
ordered to the Basic School at Quantico, Virginia. Three months after reporting to The Basic School he was promoted to First Lieutenant. He
joined the rifle team and took home two trophies, a team first place and an individual first place. He graduated number 11 in his Basic School
class. He was assigned to attend training as a Naval Aviator and completed his carrier qualifications on 25 April 1966. He was promoted to
Captain 23 months after assignment to Active Duty. His flight training was terminated 15 August 1966 for medical reasons.
He was next assigned to the Fleet Computer Programming Center, Pacific, San Diego, California, and then transferred on 25 April 1967 to
MACS-3, Marine Corps Air Facility, Santa Ana, California. MACS-3 was the research and development squadron for the Marine Tactical Data
System. He worked on developing and testing the Tactical Data Communications software for the new system. In September 1967 he was transferred
from Santa Ana to MACS-9, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Beaufort, South Carolina, where the MTDS equipment was newly deployed. In February 1968
he was transferred back to MACS-3 to work on Operation IRONHORSE, a joint operation involving the Navy, Air Force, Marines, and the National
Security Agency in Vietnam. From MACS-3 he was ordered overseas, first to MACS-8, MAG-15, 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade, Okinawa, and then to
Vietnam. After a one week assignment to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Headquarters G-2 Section, he was transferred to MACS-4, Vietnam. In November
he was assigned to the G-3 Section, III Marine Amphibious Force. He returned stateside in May 1969 and was assigned to the G-1 Section, 4th
Marine Aircraft Wing. In October 1969 he was released from Active Duty.
He joined the Marine Wing Facilities Squadron 4, Marine Headquarters Group, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, in Green Bay and served in several
billets starting with Admin Officer. In August of 1971 he was assigned to the Reserve Amphibious course Phase I at Quantico, Virginia. The
following summer he was assigned to Phase II. On 3 May 1973 he was promoted to Major and moved to the billet of Operations Officer. While
in the squadron, he received requests to participate in additional Active Duty assignments. Because of his expertise in the computer world,
he was assigned to Active Duty to assist with a recently acquired DEC computer at the Landing Force Training Command, Atlantic, for the
summers of 1973 and 1974. In September 1972 he assumed the Executive officer billet. Two years later he served as Acting Commanding Officer
of the squadron. Starting in 1977 he served in an associate billet as Recruiting Officer.
In 1979 he attended Phase I of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico. He was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in August 1979.
The next year he attended Phase II of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College. From December of 1980 to December 1981 he was assigned to
MTU WI-2. In December 1981 he joined Mobilization Station Milwaukee as Officer in Charge. In December 1984 he was transferred to the
Individual Ready Reserve. In July of 1985 he was assigned to a special Reserve Officer course offered at the Industrial War College and the
National War College. In September 1985 he rejoined MTU WI-2, serving as Commanding Officer until his retirement on 30 June 1989. While a
member of MTU WI-2, he served several Active Duty assignments starting in October of 1985 to HQMC to prepare a report to the U.S. Congress
entitled "The Total Force Concept." He also served several Active Duty Assignments at the Marine Corps Enlisted Commissioning Program
Preparatory School in San Diego as Calculus Instructor. Decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V", Navy Unit
Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Organized Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with four
stars, and Armed Forces Reserve Medal with Silver Hour Glass, the Vietnamese Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry Ribbon with Palm
and Frame, Vietnamese Civic Action Ribbon with Palm and Frame, Rifle Expert Badge (2nd Award), and Pistol Expert Badge (4th Award).
On June 30, 1989, he was formally retired at San Diego.
Member of the Board
Robert Donaghue, Colonel USMCR (Retired)
Unfortunately Colonel Donahue passed away just recently and his replacement has not yet been named.
Member of the Board
Sgt Seth Synstelien USMCR
Seth Synstelien was born to a pastor near Cocoa Beach, FL, spending most of his childhood moving between metro Atlanta, GA, and
rural MN. In 2004, he graduated high school from Hillcrest Lutheran Academy in Fergus Falls, MN, and began studies in
Bergen, Norway. After returning home, Seth felt a call to service, enlisting in the Marine Corps in 2006 and becoming
a reserve Military Policeman. After completing initial training, he accepted activation orders as a command recruiter
to support the Iraq War's troop surge in 2007, running a satellite office for a recruiting sub-station in Fergus Falls,
MN. Upon completing his orders, he became a deputy sheriff in Becker County, MN, and served with Detachment MP Company,
HQ Battalion, 4th Marine Division.
In 2008 he was sent to Tifnit, Morocco to participate in bilateral combined arms training for exercise African Lion.
Seth and his fellow Marines trained Moroccan soldiers in military police tactics and strengthened diplomatic ties with
the Royal Moroccan Army. After returning to the United States, Seth moved to Marietta, GA, becoming a Training NCO with
HQ Company 4th MLG while working as a police officer with the Cobb County Police Department. Within days of starting
his new civilian job, Seth received activation orders and subsequently deployed with 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines,
conducting security operations in Iraq. During this deployment, his team had the honor of executing a mission with
Personnel Recovery Marines that successfully brought home the recovered remains of Captain Michael Scott Speicher,
the first casualty of the Persian Gulf War.
After his deployment to Iraq, Seth returned to HQ Co 4th MLG. In 2011, he received an award for his "outstanding
performance" as the Training NCO for Quantico Viper 11.2. He completed the remainder of his time in the reserves as a
sergeant, leaving 4th MLG in 2012.
In 2013, Seth became a small business owner, consulting for local and international businesses and organizations.
While running his business, he continued his education, graduating Magna Cum Lauda with a Bachelor of Science from
Post University. He continued to Harvard University, where he received a master's degree and began teaching as an
adjunct at a local technical college. His experience as a reservist and non-traditional student led him to join a
research team that delved into the experiences and education of military reservists. His team was well-received at
academic conferences, and their work was eventually published.
Seth currently works for the University System of Georgia's eCampus, fostering student success and designing online
courses for the Georgia FinTech Academy. Seth lives in Dallas, GA, with his beautiful wife, Miranda, and his two
daughters that look like their mom, Rosella and Eliana.
Decorations include: Navy Unit Commendation with star (2nd award), Select Marine Corps Reserve Medal, National
Defense Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal with campaign star, Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, Navy Marine Corps
Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Armed Forces Reserve Ribbon with M device, Rifle Expert badge (3rd award), and Pistol
Expert badge.
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