11/2/2024
The 2024 187th Assault Helicopter Company reunion at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas is next week! The reunion takes at the Orleans Hotel & Casino, 4500 W Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89103. The hotel’s telephone number is (702) 365-7111
Pasted in at the end of this email is the schedule of reunion activities. Most activities are in the Prime Rib Loft, the former restaurant that never reopened after the pandemic. This is our hospitality suite. It is located on the second floor above the casino and is accessible by the escalator or by elevator. You will receive packets of your registration materials at the Prime Rib Loft.
If you are arriving by air, Harry Reid International Airport is adjacent to downtown Las Vegas. The Orleans does not have an airport shuttle. Your best bet to get to the hotel is by taxi or Uber/Lyft. It’s a short ride – about 20 minutes – so the cost difference between those two options is not great.
If you are driving, parking is free both in the hotel’s two parking structures or in the large outdoor lot. Valet parking is also free except for the gratuity.
One thing that is new for this reunion: we will ask you for contact information of someone we can call in case you have a medical or other emergency.
See you in Las Vegas!
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
187th AHC Reunion Schedule
LZ Orleans Hotel/Las Vegas
November 6–10, 2024
Wednesday November 6
Arrival/Registration (Prime Rib Loft 9 AM – 6 PM)
Arrival Briefing (Prime Rib Loft) 6 PM
Hospitality Ste. (Prime Rib Loft) 7 AM – 11:45 PM
Thursday November 7
Hospitality Ste. (Prime Rib Loft) 7 AM – 11:45 PM
Bowling Tournament 10 AM (tentative) Orleans Bowling Center
187th Authors’ Forum 3 PM – 5PM (Prime Rib Loft)
Friday November 8
Hospitality Ste. (Prime Rib Loft) 2 PM – 11:45 PM
Memorial Service (LaSalle A) 9 AM – 10:30 AM
Business Meeting/Lunch (OR Salon K&L) 11 AM – 2 PM
Ladies’ Luncheon (OR Salon J) 11 AM – 2 PM
Saturday November 9
Hospitality Ste. (Prime Rib Loft) 7 AM – 5 PM
Silent Auction (Prime Rib Loft) 1 PM)
Banquet (Bienville Salons G&H) 6 PM – 11 PM
Sunday November 10
Safe travels home.
10/18/2024
The 187th AHC reunion, November 6-10, begins in 18 days at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It is not too late to register! The reunion materials can be found on the 187th AHC website, here:
Or you can always email me for a registration form.
It IS too late to book hotel rooms at the special rate we negotiated with the Orleans. Tourism has been booming in Las Vegas lately but you still may be able to get a room at the Orleans by calling their reservation number, 800-675-3267. If not, there are many hotels in Las Vegas – Boyd Gaming, which owns the Orleans, has 10 hotels. So, if the Orleans is full, you should be able to find a room at another hotel including some that are close to the Orleans.
Thank you,
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
10/17/2014
The 187th AHC reunion November 6 – 10 at the Orleans Hotel & Casino begins in 18 days!
For those of you are flying into Las Vegas, the airport is only a short distance from the Las Vegas Strip and the Orleans Hotel. Getting an Uber or Lyft is more difficult than getting a taxi, and the difference in cost is not great. However, it is easy to get Uber or Lyft from the Orleans to the airport or other locations. And there are always taxis waiting at the main entrance. There is a shuttle that goes to the Strip.
For those of you who are driving, the Orleans has free parking either in their large outdoor lot, or in their two parking garages. I believe that the valet parking is still free (except for tip).
Please bring something for our Silent Auction. This is partly how we finance the reunion. Ladies, please bring a small gift – $20-$25 – for the gift exchange in the Ladies luncheon.
See you all in Las Vegas!
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
10/15/2014
The 187th AHC reunion begins in three weeks at the Orleans Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. It is not too late to register! The reunion materials can be found on the 187th AHC website, here:
Or you can always email me for a registration form.
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
9/22/2024
The 187th AHC Reunion at the Orleans Hotel & Casino, November 6 – 10 begins in 44 days. However, the cutoff date (October 10) for booking hotel rooms at the Orleans is only 18 days off. After that date, any unreserved rooms in the block of rooms set aside for the 187th at the special room rate we have negotiated, go back into the hotel’s inventory. There are no guarantees on rates or even availability though the Orleans will still make every effort to accommodate you.
If tight finances are holding you back, you should consider taking advantage of the 187th’s Steiger Program. The Steiger Program can help with, or fully pay, for hotel and meals. The 187th Board of Directors voted to pay for travel expenses though this is considered on a case-by-case basis because of the wide variance of travel costs. The Steiger Program is fully confidential. If you want help from the Steiger Program, please contact the 187th treasurer, Ray Root at rayroot1@gmail.com or 251-213-8846. Over the years, many members have contributed money for the Steiger Program, but very few members have used it.
The reunion registration form and more extensive information about the reunion can be found on the 187th website here:
I am also pasting in the registration for at the end of this email.
You can make reservations at the Orleans Hotel website and receive the special rate we have negotiated at this 187th portal:
https://book.passkey.com/e/50763235
Or you can call the Orleans at 800-675-3267. Please identify yourselves as members of the 187th AHC Association and use the reservation ID, AHCK24C
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
8/9/2024
TO THE 187TH AHC FAMILY
If you plan to attend the 187th AHC reunion (November 6-10) at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, and you haven’t registered yet, please do so soon. And if you have registered but haven’t made your hotel reservations, you must make them soon.
The reunion begins in 58 days! The cutoff date for making room reservations at our special rate ($49 weeknights & $109 Friday, Saturday) is October 10, a month from now. After that date, the block of rooms set aside for the 187th go back into the hotel’s regular inventory. The hotel, of course, will make every effort to accommodate latecomers but Las Vegas has been booming lately and the Orleans is sometimes fully booked.
You can make reservations online on the Orleans Hotel website at this 187th AHC portal:
https://book.passkey.com/e/50763235
Or you can call the Orleans at (800) 675-3267. Please identify yourselves as members of the 187th AHC Association and use the reservation ID, AHCK24C.
Registration for the reunion is $100 per adult. The registration form, schedule and Who’s Coming list can be found on the 187th AHC website, here:
To register, please print and fill out the registration form and mail it, along with your check made out to the 187th AHC Assn, to:
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
If you have questions, or have any trouble accessing the reunion information online, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thanks,
8/17/2024
REUNION UPDATE
This year’s 187th AHC reunion, November 6-10 at the Orleans Hotel, Las Vegas, begins in 80 days. The cutoff date for making room reservations, October 10, 2024, is 53 days away.
Information about the reunion – registration form, schedule, who’s coming – can be found on the 187th AHC website:
After the cutoff date, any rooms in the block set aside for the 187th AHC go back into the hotel’s regular inventory. The Orleans will make every effort to accommodate those making reservations after the cutoff date. However, Las Vegas has been booming lately. The hotel, for example, could not accommodate our group over the November 11th Veterans Day period because it was already too heavily booked for that time period.
You can make reservations online on the Orleans Hotel website at this 187th AHC portal:
https://book.passkey.com/e/50763235
Or you can call the Orleans at (800) 675-3267. Please identify yourselves as members of the 187th AHC Association and use the reservation ID, AHCK24C.
As of today, we have 43 veterans and the widow of one veteran who have registered for the reuion. There are a few people who have made hotel reservations but who have not yet registered for the reunion. And there are some who have registered for the reunion who have not made hotel reservations.
If anyone has any questions, please contact me.
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
7/30/2024
TO 187th AHC Family
We are on a fast approach to the 187th Assault Helicopter Company Reunion 2024, LZ Orleans Hotel/Las Vegas. The reunion takes place November 6-10. We currently have 40 187th members signed up You can find all of the information on the new 187th website at 187thahc.net
The room rate that we have negotiated with the Orleans Hotel is $49 per night Sunday through Thursday and $109 per night on Friday and Saturday. That does not include tax and a resort fee. The cutoff date for room reservations is October 10, 2024. After that date, the rooms set aside for the 187th revert to the hotel inventory. The hotel will attempt to accommodate last minute reservations after the cutoff date but Las Vegas has been booming lately. For example, the hotel could not accommodate our group over the November 11thVeterans Day period.
You can make reservations online at (This is a portal for the 187th):
https://book.passkey.com/e/50763235
Or you can call the Orleans at (800) 675-3267. Please identify yourselves as members of the 187th AHC Association and use the reservation ID, AHCK24C.
If you have any questions about the reunion, the hotel or hotel policies, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you for your attention, and…
“At Ease!”
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu
5/23/2024
To the 187th Community:
There are currently about thirty 187th veterans who plan to attend the Las Vegas Reunion, November 6-10 at the Orleans Hotel. Reunion information, including the ‘Who’s Coming’ list, can be found on the 187th AHC website.
The Orleans has given us a great room rate but we must pay attention to the fine print of the contract we have with the hotel. The Orleans is holding a block of rooms for the 187th reunion but the cutoff date for making reservations is October 10, 2024. After that date, any unreserved rooms in the 187th block go back into the hotel’s general inventory to be sold at their prevailing rate. So, last minute reservations would likely be expensive, and the hotel could be sold out. Las Vegas is currently booming. We originally wanted to hold our reunion over Veterans Day but the hotel was already full on those dates.
Reunion costs have gone up, which is reflected in this year’s $100 per person registration fee. Many years ago, the 187th created the Steiger Fund to help anyone in our band of brothers who felt they could not afford to come to a reunion. We did this because we believe our reunions have more value than simply a social gathering. Many have told us that coming to a reunion has made a big difference in their lives. Over the years, many of our members generously contributed to the Steiger Fund but not many have taken advantage of it. For the past two years not a single individual has asked for help from the Steiger Fund.
Several years ago, the Board voted to restrict the Steiger Fund from paying for travel expenses. We worried that the high cost of travel could quickly deplete the Fund. But our problem now appears to be underuse rather than overuse of the fund. So, at our most recent meeting, the Board voted to reverse the previous policy on travel. We will now consider paying for travel to a reunion on a case-by-case basis.
The Steiger Fund can pay for a little or a lot, including hotel, meals and the cost of travel. The fund can be used for both a 187th veteran and their spouse. We truly do not want lack of finances to prevent you from attending a reunion.
To use the Steiger Fund, please contact Jimmy Strait at 214-680-8327 or jstrait465@gmail.com
Regarding the 187th website – Until recently, our website was ‘locked’ and we were unable to update any information. That problem has not only been solved, but our website is undergoing a major, and much needed, renovation. Tom Martin, Blackhawk 67, is migrating all of the content on our website to a new WordPress platform. This is a huge undertaking and we all owe Tom our gratitude for volunteering to take this on. If you haven’t seen the new website, please check it out. If you go to the old website address you will be redirected to WordPress version at:
Finally, I apologize for the length of this email. See you in Las Vegas!
Bob Calverley
President & Reunion Host
187th AHC Assn
213-220-8878
calverle@usc.edu