Serving Here in Cochise County Since 1972
From the Archives As early as March 1972, members of the Retired Officers Association (TROA) living in the Sierra Vista area were holding meetings to discuss the formation of a local chapter. At that time there were about 200 TROA members residing in the area bounded by Douglas, Benson, Hereford, and Nogales. The only existing chapter in Southeastern Arizona was in Tucson. That month COL Eric R. Osborne (Ret) received a letter from TROA with an offer of financial assistance in the establishment of a "new chapter in the Fort Huachuca area." Later that year, COL Osborne attended the annual TROA convention in Washington, D.C. and soon began corresponding with COL Sidney Harris (Ret) of Tucson (TROA Regional Representative) to make final arrangements for the formation of a chapter. According to an article appearing in the Herald Dispatch on 26 January 1973, "A group of retired officers met on 18 January to form a local chapter of the Retired Officers Association. The name "Coronado" was selected for the chapter as it will seek members who reside in Cochise and Santa Cruz counties, an area explored by Coronado. . . ." At this meeting an "initial" board for the chapter was named. It was announced that the chapter would hold a general organizational meeting the following month on 15 February. At that ensuing meeting, held at the Lakeside Club, an election was held during which six were elected to the executive board and nine were elected to the board of governors. Those elected were from Sierra Vista, Hereford, Bisbee, Douglas, Sunsites, Tombstone, and Nogales. Fifty-nine persons attended that meeting which included a buffet dinner costing $3.50 per person. Following that meeting , COL Osborne sent a letter dated 21 February to TROA to which was attached "a signed copy of the Constitution and By-Laws, the list of elected chapter officers, and the list of chapter members. The latter list comprises the "Charter Members" - those who had signed up by the time of the dinner meeting." The list contained the names of 47 retired members of TROA and one widow. At the next meeting held on 15 March at the Lakeside Club the chapter’s charter was presented by a representative of national headquarters and was signed by all members present. There are 34 signatures on the charter. As reported in the 22 March Issue of The Huachuca SCOUT, "It’s official. The Coronado chapter of The Retired Officers Associal (TROA) now has its charter." (29 June 2008, by Tom Fail)
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