What a great end to 2004 and good start in 2005!! Our Hall rental phone is ringing at a good pace. We have redone our GM's office to offer a more professional appearance to those patrons seeking business with us and it makes for a more pleasant customer experience. We have replaced our kitchen fire suppression equipment and everything is currently "All Systems are a Go".

On March 17th we will observe the American Legion's Birthday (1919). The American Legion is the largest organization of wartime veterans in the world and we should all be proud of our affiliation with this organization.

March 13th at 12:30 is the District Spring Conference at Fairfax Post 177. And on April 2nd is the 17th District's Mini-College.  Please see Bill Strawsburg to sign up and attend. The Post is paying for the registration. Sign up by March 29th.

March also brings the Department Spring Conference at Virginia Beach 18 - 20 March.

Ann is still outdoing herself with our social quarters' activities.  Please see the Club News section for everything that is happening for our members' enjoyment.

The 17th District is doing extremely well at the Department and National levels. McLean Post 270's Brett Reistadt is the leading candidate for Department Commander and Vienna Post 180's Dan Dellinger will have a resolution introduced requesting support for his candidacy as National Commander of the American Legion. The 17th has an extremely large group of caring and talented individuals supporting the American Legion. Also, our own Bill Strawsburg is working his way through the chairs and is the leading candidate for District Commander for Legion Year 2007-2008!!

Our March meeting will be held on the 26 rather than the 19^th so as not to conflict with the Department Spring Conference. During that meeting I will be appointing our nominating committee for Legion Year 2005 - 2006. Please attend this meeting. Immediately after the April meeting, there will be an Honorary Life Membership selection meeting. Our By-Laws call for me to chair this meeting. Only those persons who have already been selected for Honorary Life Membership may attend. They will be notified by separate correspondence of the meeting.

Last I wish to apologize for the tardiness of this newsletter. My authoring of this column delayed it getting to the printer. I have been extremely busy since my marriage, addition of a new son in December, Army Reserve Drill weekends, plus I am averaging over 65 hours a week at my job. Therefore my availability to lead this organization has not been what I hoped it would be.  Please bear with me.

For God and Country
Steve Leo, Cmdr.

Membership
by Bill Strawsburg

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  Auxiliary Unit 162 has reached their 100% of goal in February. Thanks go out to all of the Ladies for making this a great year. The Sons are knocking on the door at 90.7%.  Now for the bad part.  Post membership is only at 88.8%. Renewals have slowed almost to a halt.  We still need 45+ renewals or new members to make our 100% goal. If you belong to the American Legion, then ask someone else to join. If you know  one of our members check with them to make sure they have already renewed and if they haven't - twist their arm. If you haven't renewed this will be the LAST newsletter you get until your dues are caught up.
 

NASCAR

Our drivers have started their engines and are off and running for the 2005 NASCAR season. We do have a waiting list and as long as you are a member of any Post, Unit or Squadron you can sign up.

This year we are moving the drawing time to 7:30 to accommodate various Tuesday night meetings. Also, we will become more strict with delinquent NASCAR members.

Auxiliary News

Well ladies, we made it through all of the holidays. Congratulations are in order to all of our members for achieving 100% of our membership goal 3 months ahead of time!! Way to go Ladies!

With Spring just around the comer, things are starting to kick up a bit. Thanks for everyone's participation on the Christmas & Valentine's basket raffles.  Please remember the Spring Conference in Virginia Beach.

We had our initiation of new members ceremony at the last meeting. Our own 17^th District President Dot Hall officiated the Candle Light Ceremony. The majority of our 25 new members appeared. Linda's meatballs were a hit.

March is Community Service Month - any kind acts of service by our members need to be reported to Candy Mohaupt.  Our Chaplain will be taking our donations to the Lorton Community Action Center.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for April 29 & 30 - Fort Belvoir Poppy Program - 2 hours of your time is needed. 

April 6 is our next Veterans' Home luncheon - corned beef lunch. We may do a spaghetti lunch for them in May.

Other items coming up: 

March 5^th - Auxiliary workshop being held at Post 364 (Woodbridge);

March 13^th-Children's Easter Party 2—4 p.m.

Happy Belated Birthday to Joetta O'Neill 14 February and Margaret Sullenberger 28 February.

In closing, what matters more than the type of service we give are the feelings behind the service. If we serve for personal gain not for love of those we serve, it spoils our gift.

Please be sure to say farewell to our beloved Donna "Sam" Schiller. She has accepted a new position and will be relocating to Reno, Nevada on March 4^th - Good Luck we will miss you.

Linda Salgado

CLUB News

Well, the holidays are over and I hope everyone got all their bills paid!

Now that our Post Home has been upgraded to County Health Department Standards we are getting busier. On Tuesday NASCAR drawing nights, we are selling tacos for $.50 ea from 4:00 until they are gone. We are also doing Wing Dings on the 2nd Thursday of each month from Noon until they are gone and spiced shrimp @$6.00/doz the last Thursday of each month from Noon until they are gone.

Please don't forget Easter Ham Night on the 21st of March - 1 free ham given away every 15 minutes from 7:00 until 9:00!!! No purchase necessary but you must be present to win. And of course don't miss out on the Bartenders Breakfast which is now going to be on the first Sunday of every month so we don't compete with other organizations.

We will also celebrate the American Legion's Birthday and St Patrick's Day on 17 March. Happy Hour will start at 2:00 that day and at 5:00 we will remember the Legion's Birthday. On 19 March Wendy and Laura will do one of their famous Bar-B-Q's. Check the calendar for Betty's Juke Box nights and our singers should look for the 5 dates we are having Karaoke. On April 9th we are organizing a one day trip to Atlantic City - details should be available after 1 March.

Have a Happy Easter, don't forget the Tax Man Cometh, and please say a prayer for military around the world. Ann

AGENT MAY ASSIST COMMISSARY SHOPPERS

The Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA) has issued a reminder that there are provisions for authorized commissary patrons to have an agent assist them or shop for them. Such an agent can help commissary shoppers who need assistance in shopping or who cannot shop because of disability, illness or infirmity. An authorized agent also can assist children of service members who are not available due to deployment, remote assignment or other reasons. Agent authorization is not granted by DeCA. The system is administered and managed by installation commanders through local pass and identification offices.