Military Order of the Devil Dog Pound 101

01/01/2026

Happy New Year. Hopefully this is better than the last.

🎆🐾 Happy New Year, Devil Dogs! 🐾🎆

As we welcome New Year’s Day, we pause to celebrate a fresh start, new goals, and another year of service, fellowship, and Devil Dog pride. May 2026 bring good health, strong Packs, well-run Growls, and plenty of moments that remind us why this Order means so much.

Thank you to every Dog in our Division for your dedication, your heart, and your unwavering loyalty. Here’s to new memories, continued service, and taking care of one another in the year ahead.

Enjoy the day, stay safe, and we’ll see you at the next Growl.
Semper Fidelis & WOOF WOOF! 🐶🔥

#2026

12/06/2025

Great advice to bark about!

There are several reasons why members don’t attend membership meetings. Exercise your resources to reduce excuses you can control. Read this quick list of considerations and evaluate your meetings:

1. Give proper advance notification (consistently). People's lives are busy and full of distractions. Sending meeting notice reminders at least one week in advance helps.

2. Have a written agenda available for all participants; and follow it. Have accurate (printed) minutes of previous meetings. Repeat.

3. Understand, follow and implement parliamentary procedure.

4. Don't be a stuffed shirt and make meetings so rigid or formal. Ensure they are enjoyable, engaging, and provide positive outcomes. There are protocols - but there is also reality.

5. Committees should be created to discuss project pros/cons, planning, etc. The committee chairperson brings back recommendations to the body. The full body does not need to discuss the details in a membership meeting; by doing so makes an easy way to add 30 extra minutes (for each action). Ongoing discussion of a project/activity or idea needs to be done in a committee, not in a membership meeting. Know when to send that type of discussion back to committee.

5. Consider a time limit for discussion; use an egg timer or something similar.

6. Consider an occasional guest speaker and engage a small discussion with the membership surrounding that speaker's topic.

7. Engage the participants during the meeting. consider opening each meeting with an ice breaker.

8. Don't let one person (or a small group of persons) dominate your meetings.

9. Implement a social (getting to know you) before or after each meeting; and ensure new members and/or prospective members are being engaged.

10. Don't have a meeting for the sake of having a meeting.

11/27/2025

Woof Woof and Happy Thanksgiving.

Many of us are gathering with family and friends this week. I wish you safe travels and a joyous holiday. Please keep in mind your fellow brothers and sisters. Whether they are out in the civilian world, standing on the wall, or guarding the pearly gates. If you can, reach out to them or their family these next 2 months as these are the darkest times for some. If any of you are in need of a friendly ear, I've got two.

Woof Woof My Friend
PDD Antonio Marino
Pound Keeper

11/03/2025

🐾 Midwest Division Dog of the Year – Nominations Now Open! 🐾

Beginning in 2026, the Midwest Division will honor one outstanding Dog each year as the Division Dog of the Year (DOY) — recognizing dedication, loyalty, and service to the Order and the Marine Corps League.

📅 Deadline: March 1st each year
📨 Submit to: MWDVCDD or Division DOY Chair
🐶 Who can nominate: Pounds, Packs, or individual Dogs

Until a Division DOY Society is formed (after three honorees), the recipient will be selected by three active PDDs who have not been nominated.

➡️ Note: This is a Division award, not a Kennel award.
🏅 The recipient will receive a plaque, and the cost of the award may be donated by the sitting Midwest Division Vice Chief Devil Dog or covered by funds raised at the Growl during the Division Conference/Convention.

Let’s honor the Dogs who go above and beyond!
Woof, Woof! 🐾

11/01/2025

You will be missed. Our condolences to his family.

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our 61st Chief Devil Dog JD Jones.

Chief Jones served the Military Order of the Devil Dogs with unwavering dedication, humor, and heart. His leadership, loyalty, and commitment to the Order and the Marine Corps League left a lasting legacy that will not be forgotten.

We extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends. May we honor his memory by continuing the traditions and camaraderie he so deeply cherished.

Fair winds and following seas, Chief. Semper Fidelis and Woof Woof.

10/23/2025

A birthday message from The Marine Corps League 66th National Commandant, TJ Morgan.


U.S. Marine Corps

10/19/2025

Yesterday showed light attendance for the annual Growl. We made the best of it with 3 fun games set up by DD Cheyanne Lemburg-Delgado . This one proved to be the most entertaining, for the players and the spectators.

Election Results
Pound Keeper PDD Antonio Marino
Sr Vice PK DD Phillip Phil Haines
Jr Vice PK DD Cheyanne Lemburg-Delgado
Smart Dog DD Randy Hawkins
Dog Trainer DD Jean Carlos Delgado Algarín
Mad Dog PUP Joel Joel David Rogers
Appointed
Dog Robber PDD Jason House

All other positions will be appointed and installed at a later date.

Woof Woof 🐶✊🏽

10/14/2025

What a great time at the 5th Gathering of the Dogs in Minnesota. Many bones were collected and bonds made. Most of the movers and shakers of the Marine Corps League are in the MODD. That is the only way you are invited in. And when you work hard, we are gonna play hard! Woof Woof My Friends

09/11/2025

🐾🔥 5th Gathering of the Dogs – Minnesota Pack 🔥🐾

Join us for a weekend full of camaraderie, fun, and traditions at the 5th Gathering of the Dogs!

📅 Dates: October 9–11, 2025
📍 Location: Hotel link on MN Pack website
(make sure to book under the “Devil Dogs Room Block”)

🎟️ Registration is open now!

Meals: $55.00 per person

Gathering of the Dogs Patch: $10.00 (pre-order recommended!)

Raffle Tickets: $10 each or 3 for $25

1st Prize: Suite for 3 nights + 2 meal tickets

2nd Prize: Regular Room for 3 nights + 2 meal tickets

🐶 Important Notes:

Please use the room block to help support our event space.

Raffle drawing will take place September 23rd, 2025 Winners will be announced on MODD Connections, Minnesota Pack MODD, and Midwest Division MODD pages.

👉 Register and get all the details here: https://www.mnpackmodd.org/events

Let’s make this Gathering one to remember. We look forward to seeing all you Dogs there! 🐾

08/07/2025

Today is - America's Oldest Military Award.

President George Washington established the Badge of Military Merit Aug. 7, 1782, to recognize both unusual gallantry and extraordinary fidelity. Only three of these cloth hearts were awarded, until the Badge of Military Merit was revived in 1932 as the Purple Heart. Originally, the Purple Heart could be awarded for both meritorious service or for combat wounds. Posthumous awards were prohibited until World War II and were awarded only to those killed on or after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order granting the Navy authorization to award the Purple Heart to members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Those wounded in previous wars were granted retroactive awards.

However, posthumous awards were limited to those killed on or after December 7, 1941. During the 1930s, some Civil War veterans applied for and received the Purple Heart.

President Harry S. Truman signed an executive order in 1952 allowing for family members of those killed from April 5, 1917 onward to apply for posthumous awards. Between 1941 and 1997, around 100 civilian war correspondents, Red Cross personnel, and government employees earned the Purple Heart until Congress prohibited the practice in 1997. To date, over 1.8 million Purple Hearts have been awarded.