We encourage you to sign up promptly for July's "Lunch with the General," sponsored by the Marine Corps Coordinating Council of Greater Charlotte.  (On-line registration will close out at midnight, July 9th.)  This continuing quarterly series features Marine Corps general officers speaking on Marine Corps-related topics of the day. The event also provides an opportunity for Marines -- active, retired and former -- and interested members of the public at large to network and share comraderie.  The July edition is the first of these events to be open to the general public, so we urge you to also invite interested friends and colleagues to join you for the presentation.

This quarter's speaker is Major General Les Palm, USMC (Ret), President and CEO of Marine Corps Association (MCA).  (He will be introduced by Ms Moira Quinn, COO of Charlotte Center City Partners.)  The 90,000+ member MCA is the preeminent professional organization for all Marines. Through their many programs, branches, and two magazines (Marine Corps Gazette and Leatherneck Magazine), they disseminate knowledge of military arts and sciences, provide professional development opportunities to Marines, foster the spirit and preserve the traditions of Marines, and offer special benefits to their members.

General Palm is a graduate of the University of Oregon and holds master's degrees from the Army Command and General Staff College and the Naval War College. Commissioned in 1966, General Palm spent the majority of his career in the artillery community. He served in that capacity at locations around the world, ranging from Forward Air Observer and Gun Platoon commander in Vietnam, to instructor (at both Ft Sill, OK and The Basic School, Quantico VA), to battery commander, battalion operations officer, battalion commander, and regimental commander. Additionally, General Palm served in staff positions at Headquarters Marine Corps, Little Creek (VA), and Twenty-nine Palms, California. He participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm -- and as a general officer, served as the Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, and the Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center at Twenty-nine Palms. He concluded his career as Director, Marine Corps Staff, Headquarters Marine Corps, retiring from active duty in 1998.