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Commander's Corner
It is my sad duty to report that the following members have been
transferred to Everlasting: Legionnaires: Ronald S. Leo (father of
Commander Steve Leo) and Charles Bodine (Past Commander and Life Member);
Son of Legionnaire Charlie Petitt. They will be missed.
The holidays are now over and I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year. Between Veterans Day and January, things are usually
a little slower than normal. But the new year brings renewed emphasis on
American Legion Programs and service to the "Community, State and Nation".
During the January and February meetings we will be starting the planning
for this year's activities and functions.
For those of you who couldn't make it, we had great time at our annual
Christmas Party and also served up very nice Thanksgiving and Christmas
Meals at the Post Home for those who preferred not to cook or just simply
were trying to avoid cabin fever. Most of the coordination for these
events was done by our Operations Manager, Ann Kuntz. Next time you see
her, tell her thank you and that we are fortunate to Ann involved with
Post 162.
Other notes: Membership is roughly at 80% and we need to get over 100%
soon. Please help. Also our Service Office Alan Amos is continuing his
studies to be a Department Certified Service Officer. This includes
completing a correspondence course and then resident training hosted by
our Richmond HQ. Keep it up Amos!!
Dewitt Duggar is now assisting Lou Ricker with American Legion Boys State.
Lou has been the focal point for longer than I can remember and it is
appropriate for Dewitt, as he is a graduate of the Department of Florida
Boys State Program.
Not caring much for the "I" word, as this is a team, it should be reported
that I recently attended National American Legion Leadership College. This
is one of the most intensive courses that I have ever attended. Only two
members maximum are selected per state, per year for attendance. The
course concentrated on the Programs of the American Legion; New Posts;
Revitalization of old Posts, and since we are all volunteers, management
of a group of volunteers.
Last but not least I would like to thank every Legionnaire, Son, and Unit
member who have pitched in throughout the year. Check the Auxiliary News.
Did you realize that our unit has been feeding the Veterans from the
Soldiers Home for 30 years? Great job Ladies!!!
Bill Strawsburg, 1 st Vice
Membership
As of this writing, we are at approximately 80% of our goal of 419. If you
haven't renewed yet you will be hearing from me. We still have time to get
100% by the 4th of January. That's our target date. Please help us help
ourselves.
Membership has become even more important as some of the Leadership in the
House of Representatives has decided to eliminate testimony from the
Veterans Service Organizations. Every renewal means that the American
Legion has one more person to count on against the erosion of our
benefits.
We served at the call of our government and the price of that service does
not end when we separate from the military. It has been said that "A
government that ignores its veterans, will itself be soon ignored".
USA Today-Veterans
benefit by sticking together
One of the strongest motivators for U.S. military recruits other than
patriotism is veterans benefits. Each branch of service routinely
advertises GI educational benefits as an enticement in its commercials,
recruitment literature and on its websites.
These benefits would not exist had it not been for the American Legion,
founded in 1919, and other veterans organizations. Harry Colmery, an
American Legion former national commander, handwrote a document that was
presented to Congress on Jan. 10, 1944. It was the basis for the GI bill
guaranteeing educational benefits, home loans, health care and insurance.
Now those benefits are under siege. Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., chairman of
the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, seeks to break a tradition that
dates to the 1950s in which veterans service organizations have been able
to present budgetary recommendations to a joint session of the House of
Representatives' and Senate's veterans affairs committees.
Veterans groups vehemently oppose the move as the latest attempt to erode
benefits. In the past, for example, any veteran could receive free health
care at a veterans hospital. Today, veterans needing care are ranked based
on eight classifications, including income, that can produce long waits
and might require co-payments. A former prisoner of war or a Purple Heart
recipient ranks only third. The top priority is given to veterans who are
50% (or more) disabled or unemployable as a result of their service.
Unfortunately, when veterans organizations need their strongest voice,
membership has dwindled:
*Thousands of World War II veterans are dying each week. WWII vets
represent 26% of the American Legion, down from 32% four years ago.
*The unpopular Vietnam War dissuaded many veterans from joining these
organizations. Slowly, as the country's war wounds have healed and these
veterans have grown older, some have joined. They make up 33% of the
Legion's 2.7 million members.
* Many Persian Gulf War veterans (including those serving in Iraq and
Afghanistan) return without joining these organizations. Persian Gulf
veterans represent only 5% of American Legion membership.
The average age of a Legion member is 63. To recruit younger members, the
Legion is using photos of youthful people in recruitment literature.
But a better recruitment tool might be to remind these younger veterans
what they have in common with their elders: They are all warriors who,
having put their lives on the line for their country, are united in a
battle to keep the benefits they have all earned.
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Auxiliary News
The
Auxiliary would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who
assisted with dues, membership, collecting the mail, remembering
birthdays, visiting a senior unit member who can't get out anymore, and
remembering all the little things that mean a lot.
Thank you for coming to our last unit meeting as we always enjoy your
company and participation. Please remember the upcoming VA Home dinner is
just around the corner (in March 06) and that we will need desserts again
ladies. Congratulations go out to our Unit Secretary Linda Salgado on her
recent (1 Oct 05) wedding to Steven Kowatch - Best Wishes!!
Please remember that any services or acts of kindness need to be
documented and given to President Cindy for our community service report.
Also thanks to Ann Kuntz, the Post's Operations Manager, for being so
accommodating with any and all or our requests. We are lucky to have you.
And last but not least please remember ladies it's membership time again.
Let's get those renewals in. Remember, it's still just $18.00 for 2006. We
made over our 100% goal last year so let's do it again! We would like to
have our Unit's name in the National News.
Remember to take time and look around, and thank God you are in the United
States of America and a part of this beautiful land.
Linda Salgado, Unit Secretary
Club News
We are over
with the holidays; I hope every one had a Merry Christmas, and I hope the
New Year brings you lots of joy.
Our Thanksgiving Dinner went very well. Around 3:00 I was getting a little
nervous. All the people that normally come were not here. They did
come around 3:30 and the joke was Ann was cooking and we know she is
always late.
Short's 0-60 Birthday Party was a blast. The decorations alone were out of
this world. Everyone had a good time. There are pictures on our web.
Take a look at them. There is one of Marv Rodney (from Annandale)
holding a plastic saxophone, but if you know Marv it would be normal for
him.
Our Annual Christmas party was one to remember, everyone had a great time.
The food that everyone brought was all gone! We do like to eat at our
Post!
Now some business: Locker dues are due no later then January 1 by
January 31st we will be going thru all lockers.
We have a list behind the bar for Birthdays so sign up for the list so we
can wish you a happy birthday, and have a little cake. So far I do not
have any birthdays in January or February.
Words of
wisdom from the purple circles:
More
doors are opened with "please" than with keys
Ann Kuntz,
Operations Manager
NASCAR Club
The
checkered flag went down with Bernie Duncan Leading the pack!! Mr Wiggles
(Ann) came in 2nd and Robbie DaCosta and Dewitt Duggar tied for third.
(Dewitt is still mumbling about being passed by a dog!! Brad
Barrington finished last in the first race of the season and stayed there
the entire year a full 32 points behind 42nd.
Thanks to everyone in this season's club. Next season's sign up list is
behind the bar. Multiple teams will be allowed after 15 January. So if you
want a team, get one now before the waiting list starts.
The Post is hoping to be able to support funding to bring the American
Legion Freedom Car to Lorton this year as a Fourth of July Parade
Participant. The car will be competing in the Busch series this season.
National Christmas Tree
Railroad
Twelve years ago, Bill Frank, then Customer Service Manager for Aristo
Craft Trains of Irving-ton, NJ, decided that even the National Christmas
Tree looked a bit unfinished without a train at its base. And since Aristo
Craft made Large Scale Model Trains, the kind that are designed to run
outside under virtually all weather conditions, he asked his boss if he
could take a display down to Washington. "Let's do something for the kids,
for Christmas, for the Nation," Frank explained. His boss agreed to supply
the trains and all the support materials if Frank would recruit the
requisite volunteer labor.
With the enthusiastic support of Aristo Craft Trains and the blessing of
the National Park Service, Frank recruited a group of volunteers from the
National Capital Trackers, a DC area model train club, to work with him to
build and operate that first and subsequent displays. The display was an
instant success, delighting visitors and establishing itself as an
important complement to the spectacular National Christmas Tree.
Bill Frank has been designated "Train Master" by Pageant officials and was
asked to coordinate the display again in 2005. This is the 12th year the
trains will run on time for the entire Pageant of Peace season. Following
the opening night ceremony on December 1, the trains run from 10 a.m. to
10 p.m. daily in Washington's unpredictable December weather - sleet,
snow, rain and high winds - until the Pageant concluded on January 1st.
Each year, Bill Frank and his volunteers have built a larger and ever more
complex display. Now retired from Aristo Craft Trains, Frank lives in
Charles Town, WV, where members of the Shenandoah and Potomac Valley
Garden Railway Club gather each fall to help him clean track, tighten
connections and design a new display. And each year, they bring it all to
Washington "for the kids, for Christmas, for the Nation.
"Bill Frank & his wife Jackie, Jim Grummonds are members of Springfield
Post 176 and Bill Strawsburg Post 162 and others are among the
Legionnaires supporting the community in this endeavor. Pictures of the
setup of the trains and of the National Christmas Tree can be seen at
www.valegion162.org. |
