January’s highlights include the beginning of the YEAR 2018 (1 Jan) and visits from the postman documenting the fiscal consequences of our holiday generosity. In many American climes, it is the depths of winter and nature’s storms reinforce the reality. The birthday celebration of a great African-American leader, Martin Luther King, on 15 Jan reminds us of our progress and our continuing journey.

Resolutions are popular and, in some cases, quickly broken; while many remain intact as the month ends. Semester breaks for school children and college students allow for mid-winter family vacations. Dead batteries and bald tires remind the tardy to tune up for winter.

Early tax filers wait impatiently for their forms W-2 and 1099. The DFAS 1099-R form can be printed from https://mypay.dfas.mil. IRS packets, resting on hall tables or kitchen counters, intimidate those who are challenged by the tax code. Auditors arrive at many firms to peruse the trial balance of balance sheet accounts.

The optimist knows that spring is just 11 weeks away. The pessimist mourns that spring is still 11 weeks away.

And, of course, we can't forget the New Years Eve and later January College Football Playoff (CFP) bowl games, starting with the Cotton Bowl in Arlington (Jerry World) on 29 Dec followed by Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, AZ, and the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, FL, on the 30th. The bowls take a break on Sunday, New Years Eve to let the pros finish out week 17 of their season with six games. Then, on Monday, New Year’s Day, we continue the CFP bowl. Those games include the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. (Again, the Cotton Bowl is NOT played in the Cotton Bowl but, instead at "Jerry World" in Arlington, TX). It all culminates with the National Championship game on Monday, 8 JAN, in Atlanta, GA. Since 8 JAN is also Elvis's birthday, is it likely that the half-time festivities might be entertained by sky-diving Elvis imnpersonators? In any event, you can check out the full schedule here. .

1 JAN 2018 - New RAFINO Dues Year

If your dues were only paid up through 2017, you will see a notice when you log into RAFINO.org reminding you to pay up (at least) through 2018 by 31 Mar 2018. Many of our members take advantage of the opportunity to pay their dues for several years at a time.

Please consider taking advantage of our new Lifetime membership offer. With your one-and-done payment you can avoid any further dues payments/hassle from this point forward! To do so, you must have your date of birth up to date in your member record, as the Life dues are determined based on your age. Log in and check it out in our Life Dues Calculator .

Currently, of our 448 members in good standing, those 448 members who have a "Dues" paid-up year for any year from 2019 and beyond are distributed as follows (note some years do not have any members represented):

1 Jan 1863 - Emancipation

The Emancipation Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln.

2 Jan 1942 - Manila Falls

2 Jan 1942 - Japanese occupied Manila.

6 Jan – Day of Epiphany, or the 12th day of Christmas.

This day is known as the day of the Three Kings (or wise men/magi): Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar (take a close look at the three kings - do you recognize any of them?). According to an old legend based on a Bible story, these three kings saw, on the night when Christ was born, a bright star, followed it to Bethlehem and found there the Christ child and presented Him with gold, frankincense and myrrh. You can find more about this at this URL link.

9 Jan 1945 - He DID Return

9 Jan 1945 - 3 years after he promised "I shall return", General Douglas MacArthur returned to the Philippines.

14 Jan 1784

14 Jan 1784 - The Continental Congress ratified the Treaty of Paris officially establishing the United States as in independent and sovereign nation.

15 Jan 1948

15 Jan 1948 – The Pentagon Building, begun in 1943, was completed.

15 Jan 1991 Operation Desert Shield Ends

The deadline for Saddam to withdraw from Kuwait ends. See URL for more details.

17 Jan 1991 - Operation Desert Storm Begins

The air war started Jan 17 at 2:38 a.m. (local time) and Operation Desert Storm was begun to liberate Kuwait, just over 2 years to the day from the beginning of its predecessor hostilities. There is a nice web site about this operation at http://www.desert-storm.com.

15 Jan 2016

This is a legal holiday (Martin Luther King day - always observed on the third Monday of January).

18 Jan 1919

18 Jan 1919 – Versailles Peace Conference opened in Paris; Big 4 includes Lloyd George of Britain, Orlando of Italy, Clemenceau of France, and US President Woodrow Wilson.

20 Jan 1937

Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first U.S. president sworn into office in January. It was his second of four inaugurations; the first had been held four years earlier on 4 Mar 1933.

21 Jan 1968

The battle of Khe Sanh began. See this website (Battle of Khe Sanh) for details.

22 Jan 1944

The United States Fifth Army landed 40,000 soldiers at Anzio Beachhead, Italy. Facing a German foe twice their strength, General Mark Clark, Commanding General, told his commanders no reinforcements would come and simply "Stand and Fight!" Nearly 28,000 casualties were suffered and 22 Medals of Honor were awarded during the battle. Four months later, on May 25, 1944, the Fifth Army broke through the German lines and rolled onto victory in Rome!

27 Jan 1973

US and North Vietnam signed a cease-fire agreement.

23 Jan 1904 - Medal of Honor Recipient BG Dodge Appointed Paymaster

Col Francis Safford Dodge was promoted to BG and appointed Paymaster of the Army on 23 JAN 1904. BG Dodge was a Medal of Honor recipient for his gallantry during the battle of Milk River (CO) in 1879

28 Jan 1986

Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing crew of seven.

30 Jan 1968

The Tet Offensive began and on 31 Jan the City of Hue was attacked during a cease-fire agreement. See URL

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Statehood Dates

The following states achieved statehood in January: