The Old Guard Association
(3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment)
July 29, 2020
Members and Friends,
Sadly, I must report that the TOGA Board of Directors voted unanimously to cancel our 2020 Reunion. It was both an easy and a very difficult decision to make. I trust you understand why but let me share some of the reasons that led to the decision.
- The health and welfare of the attendees is our highest priority.
- Review of credible COVID tracking websites at Johns Hopkins University and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation clearly forecast that infections in DC and VA will either remain at the current levels or begin trending up in advance of the reunion. Forecasting of social distancing restrictions shows the same trend.
- The Board has previously determined that current social distancing restrictions are not conducive to a successful reunion.
- We have received a strong indication from the Regiment that the wonderful support we have come to enjoy will not be possible this year due to Army and DOD COVID restrictions.
- The Association would be exposed to other potential and new expense and liability issues if we were to execute the Reunion.
The difficulty of course is that we’re very sensitive to the importance of this gathering for you. We truly hoped we could find a way. I’ve received many comments about how much people were hoping things would work out. To be honest, I wasn’t fully aware of how much it also means to our active duty brothers and sisters of the Regiment. I’ve been told time and again throughout this process that they value the relationship with you highly. I believe they will miss it too.
If you registered and paid for the reunion, keep an eye out for an email from me that will explain the refund procedure. If you made a hotel reservation, call Sheraton at 800-325-3535 to cancel your room.
Finally, know this, our reunion in 2021 will be the best yet!
Old Guard,
Flip Godfrey, President
