WI VFW News - July 08

Page 6 VFW Post 7924 Makes 20K Donation Page 10 There’s Rust in Iraq Page 11 Welcome Home 395th Ordnance Company Erickson, Morgan Installed At Joint Ceremony A new VFW year has begun, and Gary J. Erickson, of Lancaster Post 2344, has assumed the mantle of leadership of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of Wisconsin, as State Commander. At the same time, in a joint ceremony at the State Convention in Milwaukee, Marla J. Morgan was installed as President of the Department of Wisconsin Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The two have already developed a close working relationship which should bode well for cooperation between the two organizations. “I’m looking forward to a great year ahead,” Commander Erickson said. “We will be building on the firm foundation crafted by (immediate Past State Commander) Bill Hustad. He has been a great commander to work with, and we will continue to serve the interests of all veterans while securing a sound future for the VFW.” President Morgan, whose home Auxiliary is Post 1866, Marshfield, is equally enthused about the coming year. “I believe we can make the Ladies Auxiliary stronger and more vibrant by focusing on our primary mission: Supporting the efforts of the VFW to make things happen for veterans,” she said. “My slogan this year is ‘Taking Care of Business for our Veterans.’ If we can keep that mission uppermost in our minds, we will fulfill our key role in the VFW/Auxiliary Team Effort.” Commander Erickson has chosen the phrase “Turn To For Veterans” as his motto. “Turn To” is Navy jargon for “get to work!” and he is firm in his determination to see our organization get the job done for all veterans in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin VFW News wishes both a fantastic year ahead. Vol. 26 no. 1 turn to for Veterans July 17, 2008 Wisconsin laVfW President Marla Morgan and VfW state commander gary erickson take a brief time out for photos following their Joint installation ceremony on June 28th at the Wisconsin VfW & auxiliary state convention at the Wyndham airport conference center in Milwaukee. a large crowd attended the ceremony and the afternoon reception afterward. VFW Raffle Off Lemmer, Metz Elected In Close Contests To A Great Start In just the first few weeks, our Joint State Raffle has gotten off to a good start, with total receipts of more than $31,000. The goal for Department is to achieve a net income of $100,000 to help cover our operating expenses which includes our State Veterans Service Office. Our special Purple Heart tickets have already raised over $1,000. Purple Heart net revenue (after a $1,000 prize is paid out in November) will be distributed among all returning wounded Wisconsin Afghanistan and Iraq Vets.) This was the earliest we’ve ever started a raffle program, and the idea was to get tickets out to members and participating Posts in time to solicit sales at summer events such as picnics, fairs and other public gatherings. See VFW raFFLe, Page 10 state surgeon state Junior Vice commander tom lemmer gundel Metz While many organizations have a hard It took two votes to finally choose time finding candidates for elected office, Tom Lemmer over Bob Bolz and Larry your Wisconsin VFW saw two races con- Kutschma. This was Lemmer’s fourth try tested among three hopefuls in each. for the office. Kutschma had run last year, See Lemmer, metz eLected, Page 3 official Publication: Wisconsin Veterans of foreign Wars Phone: (608) 255-6655 • Fax: (608) 255-0652 Website: www.vfwofwi.com • wivfw@tds.net VFW Department Headquarters Editor: William Knudson Phone: (715) 384-2500 E-mail: vfwnews.wi@verizon.net Page  july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News state officers Comrades, tom Let me take this opportunity to thank all who supported me and helped get me lemmer elected as your State Jr. Vice Commander. State Jr. Vice A special “thank you” to Past State ComCommander manders Al Kochenderfer and Bill Backes for their inspiring words nominating me. 608-723-7373 That being said, I am ready to “turn to” and jrvicecdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com get started supporting Commander Gary and serving you comrades. As you all know, membership is the lifeline of our organization. I want to ask all of the Posts to get out and sign up your Continuous members as soon as you can. The weather is nice, and it beats chasing them down when the weather turns. Commander Gary also has incentive points available towards All-State requirements for those Posts that collect all their Continuous dues. The schedule is: All Continuous members paid by 30-Sept.-150 points, 31-Oct.-125 points, 30-Nov.100 points, 31-Dec.-75 points, and 9-May, 50 points. Also for each Continuous member converted to Life, the Post will receive 50 points, each new Continuous 25 points, and each new Life member 50 points A few suggestions to encourage the Continuous to pay as soon as possible would be to offer a prize drawing in September for all those who have paid by a specific deadline. That drawing could be a coveted item, cash or possibly the Post paying for a Life membership or two. Also, don’t forget to ask, when selling raffle tickets, if the person is a veteran, and ask him to join our organization. Last but not least, refer to the organization as the Veterans of Foreign Wars instead of VFW when speaking with anyone outside the organization. Thank you, comrades, and I look forward to a great year serving you. Tom Lemmer, State Jr. Vice Commander First, I would like to thank the membership for the confidence they expressed in steve lawrence re-electing me State Quartermaster. I stated State Adjutant at the Convention that I will endeavor to do Quartermaster the best job possible for each of you. A reminder to all of the Quartermasters 608-255-6655 on your Quartermaster Bond: Your current qm@wi.vfwwebmail.com bond will expire on August 31, 2008. In order to be properly bonded in accordance with section 703 of the National By-laws, you must have a Fidelity (Surety) Bond on the Quartermaster, and any other accountable officers. This is not to be confused with the post insurance purchased through the national organization which has employee dishonesty coverage. The easiest way to make sure you have the proper bond is to apply through Department Headquarters. For Comrades and Sisters going to the National Convention Banquet, and who are not on National VFW Orders, you need to submit a check to Department Headquarters in the amount of $50.00 for each banquet ticket. MAKE YOUR CHECK PAYABLE TO THE VFW OF WISCONSIN. Deadline for tickets is July 27, 2008. I will need to order these tickets early next month. I hope to see many of you at the C of A in Wisconsin Rapids on July 24 and July 25 and July 26 for OTI, and also at the King Veterans Home for King Day on July 27 this year! Thank you for making this a better day for our veterans. Note to the District Commanders: Please make sure that Department Headquarters is advised of your District Meetings, dates, locations and times so the Commander can make assignments for the reps at your meetings. Also, at your fall meeting your District will be inspected. Reminder to all Quartermasters: Your June 30, 2008 audit is due at Department Headquarters no later than July 31, 2008. All audits and inspection forms need to be sent to Department first. Thanks. When you are making donations to National Programs, you do not need to send your check to Department. The checks for Operation Uplink should be sent directly to National Headquarters. If you want to make sure you get credit for a program, make a copy of your check and send to the Program Chairman. If you are receiving requests from either National Headquarters or the VFW National Home, send your donations directly to the organization requesting, thanks. SIMPLE PROGRAM EARNS BIG BUCKS FOR YOUR POST AND DEPARTMENT - AT NO ADDITIONAL COST TO PARTICIPANTS! I wanted to write something concerning a new program that is available. It is the VFW Gift Card Store. Comrades and Sisters, I used the program yesterday to buy Gas Cards for my favorite station. All I did was change the way that I am purchasing my gas. My gas bill is about $350.00 to $400.00 per month. I used to charge this on my Gas credit card. Now I will use the Gift Card like cash with no additional cost. I am just paying for my gas on the front end instead of after the fact. The per cent of the card that is returned to the VFW Department of Wisconsin and a local VFW Post varies by supplier. I am also going to buy my groceries this way. It’s a way for me to help the organization without spending additional money. The trick will be to get our members and friends to use the system. There are no hidden costs. Until next month, take care! If there is anything that I can do to help, please feel free to contact me at wivfw@tds.net, phone number (608) 255-6655, or (608) 770-0590 cell. Remember “TURN TO FOR VETERANS.” Thanks for all the work each of you gave this Department! Steve Sisters and Comrades, Congratulations to all of our elected and appointed officers, chairmen and commitgary erickson tee members. I think we have assembled a State Commander great team for this year. My theme for this year is “TURN TO 608-527-2942 FOR VETERANS.” “Turn To” is a Navy cdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com term that means “Go to work!” So let’s all “Turn To” - Go To Work - for Veterans. Convention is over and we are starting a new VFW year. I would like to thank Past Commander Bill Hustad and his wife, Jackie, for all their friendship and communication during his year. I know it will continue. This will be a very busy and exciting year and I know it will be a challenging membership year, but with the help of all of you, we can do it. Reporting has been made very simple for the Posts this year. The first thing is to do is shred, burn, or throw out all your old reporting forms. The new forms are on-line and also will be in the Commander’s Book. You will only need to report once for each program, but the more you report, the more points you can earn for the All State Competition. You’ll need to report your post number, number of members involved, money spent, and time involved. Also a short description of what you did. An active Post is a successful Post. We have four main areas we need to concentrate on this year. They are: • MEMBERSHIP • JOINT RAFFLE • PROGRAM REPORTING • OUR VFW TRUST FUND Best wishes, safe travels, and let’s Turn To For Veterans! State Commander Gary J. Erickson Turn To For Veterans We’re off and running on a brand new “twiggy” VFW program year. This year, we got our annual Raffle Program off to an early start. Johnson You should already have received your State Sr. Vice VFW State Raffle Tickets. The Ladies AuxCommander iliary will be mailing their tickets before the end of the month. 920-766-1491 It’s important for one and all to realize srvicecdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com that our raffles are very important to the funding of our State organization. Without the revenue they provide, many of our veterans’ programs would have to be severely cut back. We have already tightened the State budget, just as you have to watch every penny you spend at your Post. In your mailing, you received one sheet of State Raffle Tickets priced at $5.00 each or 3 for $10.00. You have a total of 6 tickets available to purchase or to sell to friends or neighbors. Our main drawing, at Mid-Winter Conference in February, will be for $20,000 first prize, $5,000 second prize, and $1,000 each for 3rd through 7th place. You also received a smaller sheet with two tickets on it. These are our special “Purple Heart” tickets which are only $1.00 each, and are aimed at creating a fund that is dedicated solely to benefit wounded Wisconsin troops returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. There is a $1,000 prize to be drawn at the Veterans Day Ceremony in Milwaukee on November 8. Please remember to support this important fund as well. It’s our way of providing some much-needed veteran-to-veteran moral support! Let’s all get behind this great effort. When sending in your tickets, send them directly to VFW State Headquarters, P.O. Box 1623, Madison, WI 53701-1623. Make your check payable to: VFW Dept. of Wisconsin. In addition to the tickets mailed to our membership, our Department has also made available a special series of tickets that are aimed at augmenting our traditional sales and providing much-needed revenue for individual Posts. These tickets come in pads of 600 tickets, and if you sell all those, there are more available. They are a separate series of tickets, but go into the general Raffle drawing for the $30,000 prize package. The difference is that these tickets allow the Post to keep 50% of the money collected, sending the other 50% to the Department. These tickets can only be paid for with a Post Check, payable to the Department, but mailed to a special address for accounting: VFW State Contest, P.O. Box 61, Marshfield, WI 54449-0061. To make this a real contest, the State has been divided into 3 divisions by membership size. The top revenue-producing Post in each division will win back the money they’ve already submitted! The 50/50 aspect of this raffle recognizes that Posts also need to raise funds, and this provides a great vehicle for them to do just that. The success of the raffle, though, depends on YOU participating, first and foremost, by sending in your member’s tickets, and then helping your Post sell the special 50/50 tickets. Let’s all work together and make this year’s raffle a huge success for the Department, for our Posts and for veterans! Wilfred “Twiggy” Johnson, Sr. Vice Commander ❏ Don’t Delay, Subscribe Today! One Year Subscription address change Please note I have changed my address to: (Please print.) Name _________________________________________________________ Street _________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________________________________ Zip Code ________________________ Post No.______________________ Mail address change to: VFW Circulation Department 406 West 34th Street Kansas City, MO 64111 Name _________________________________________________________ Street _________________________________________________________ City ___________________________________________________________ Zip Code ________________________ Post No.______________________ Only $6/year send this form along with payment to: VFW State Headquarters P.O. Box 1623 Madison, WI 53701-1623 state officers Comrades, Thank you for allowing me to be your Surgeon for this year. It is an honor to serve State you. I have asked Dr. Whittle to continue Surgeon to write his columns on medical issues to lend his level of expertise. 608-698-8825 I would like to see the Wisconsin members Veterans of Foreign Wars take the lead surgeon@ in assisting our returning service members. wi.vfwwebmail.com I will attempt to set up a state-wide network to help them reintegrate into civilian life, especially those that have been wounded. Several states are already constructing their own programs to help returning service members and working with the local law enforcements, National Guard and Reserve units. This is especially true when there is a service member who is considering taking his/her own life. But not all service members belong to the National Guard or Reserves. We have a lot of active duty members who return to the state alone and have only their family to turn to, and that is not always enough. As we know, war is not easy, nor is the transition to come home and resume your daily civilian life. We have seen things that will be with us for the rest of our life and, unfortunately, some of us are not able to adjust as readily as others. Some of our wounded service members may feel that their life has no meaning and they will withdraw from society. We need to ensure that we show our wounded service members that they are still a vital part of society and that they are still needed and wanted. Through my job at Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs, I have been working with the Army Wounded Warrior program for several years. Plus a member of my Post will be working with the Marine Warrior Regiment in Quantico starting in August. With my connections to those two programs and you, the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Ladies Auxiliary, I hope that we can set up a network of members to call upon when we know of someone returning to our area who may need assistance. You can find several articles on the web about what our returning service members are facing. Use a search engine and type in wounded service members or wounded warriors. This idea is still in the planning stages, but I would like to start gathering names of volunteers throughout the state. If you are interested, please contact me via e-mail or snail mail. Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page  july/august, 008 gundel Metz one of our levels spins out of control? Do we break the chain of command? When complaints are submitted directly to our National Headquarters, they are referred right back to the Department. Our Department Commander is asked why they don’t have control of their organization at all levels. This causes embarrassment to our State Commander and the Council because they had no prior knowledge. Commanders at any level can’t act without proper knowledge of complaints. Members may not understand the chain of command or believe that they have a right to circumvent the chain of command. They may claim justification by “opening a can of worms” in a National forum if our chain of command fails them. Others contend individuals who continuously break the chain of command are driven by altruistic goals to improve the system and should be accorded some measure of immunity and protection. None of these reasons are acceptable. It is so important that individual complaints are handled at each level of the chain of command in the proper order. Each decision can be appealed to the next level of authority. Commanders at all levels must educate their membership on the proper use of the chain of command. Note to Readers: Judge Advocate Borg will be posting detailed articles of parliamentary and procedural interest on his new weblog, located at: www.vfwwebcom.org/wi/judgeadvo. If you would like to submit a question of general interest for him to address, e-mail him at: judge@ wi.vfwwebmail.com. Lemmer, Metz elected continued From Page 1 and Bolz was a candidate earlier in his VFW career. All three candidates brought unique skills and talents to the contest. Fifth District and Post 1691 Quartermaster Bob Bolz has successfully chaired the prestigious Voice of Democracy campaign for our Department, is a past 5th District Commander, and has for several years been chairman of the State Competitions Committee. Post 5811 and past 1st District Commander Kutschma has been active as Youth Activities and Scouting Chairman, and is well known for his support of military units at Ft. Campbell, KY. Tom Lemmer has also been a long-time active member, serving as Past State Commander Al Kochenderfer’s Chief of Staff, and as a member of the Convention Committee for several years. He is a past County Council Commander, All-American District Commander and three-time Post Commander. “I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Lemmer said. “And I’m going to make sure we have some fun getting the job done!” The race for State Surgeon also drew three candidates. Past 3rd District Commander Patti Leahy of Post 10533, Current 11th District and Post 10911 Commander Renee Simpson, and the winning candidate, Gundel Metz of Madison Post 1318, Past Post, 2nd District and Dane County Council Commander, and an All-State Co-Captain, who has held a variety of key chairmanships at State level. Contested races are always good for our organization. Past National Commander-inChief Gary Kurpius was pleased to see the level of interest among candidates seeking to serve our great Department. “It’s a healthy sign that is always refreshing to see,” he commented as the voting took place. The Wisconsin VFW News extends congratulations to all the winners, and kudos to all the candidates! IT’S NOT A FOUR-LETTER WORD First of all - Congratulations, Gary and charlene cobb Marla, and all the officers for the 2008State Chaplain 09 year. I look forward to working with everyone. Our department has had our 262-882-6022 annual change of officers and there are chaplain@wi.vfw several other changes happening this year webmail.com as well. Maybe we should make the spelling of change, CHNG, because for some it is a four-letter word. However, we need to recognize that we change and things around us change all the time, so it is a natural occurrence and not an aberration. I personally do not like hearing the phrase, “We’ve always done it that way.” I don’t think we should change something just to change it, but then neither should it NOT be changed just because that is how it has always been done. In everything, we should be looking at why we are doing something and whether it is helping or hindering us in the accomplishment of our goal. If it IS helping, is there anything that needs to be changed to make it better? If it is hindering, how should it be changed to be of benefit instead? Our actions should be based solely on the answers to those questions. Anything that assists us to accomplish our goal of “Honoring the dead by helping the living” should not be changed arbitrarily, but we also should not hang on to something that has outlived its usefulness. How many of you would trade that 52-inch high definition digital TV for the 13-inch black and white that I thought was great when my parents first got a TV fifty years ago? Or even trade it for a 30-inch color? One thing I’m glad has changed is that I now have a computer to write the article you’re reading and I can edit it as I go instead of having to do several rough drafts and retype or rewrite the entire thing on a typewriter. So, see, we do allow – even relish – that some things change. As we enter into our new VFW year, keep an open mind and evaluate everything on its merit, not on what has or has not been done in the past. Change is not a four letter word. It is looking forward to greater potential and possibilities. As we start the year, let’s “Turn To” and “Take Care of Business” for our veterans. Infinite possibilities await us! I hope everyone had a great time at this year’s convention. It is always such great fun for our membership to come together Michael borg for this special event. I want to take this opportunity to say, “Thank you, comrades!” Judge Advocate The State Convention delegates gave me 920-739-5730 another opportunity to serve our new State Commander Gary Erickson and his adminjudge@wi.vfwwebmail.com istration. This opportunity is my ninth year as your State Judge Advocate. It is my duty to give the Department Commander, Council of Administration and Department Convention legal assistance, incident to my office, upon request, along with advising on parliamentary procedures. I want to discuss the Chain of Command in this article, as we start a new year with new officers. You might be asking yourself, why is the State Judge Advocate addressing the issue of VFW Chain of Command? Our Department has noticed an increase of individual Post members breaking the chain of command by writing directly to our National Organization on their issues. The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization has a chain command built on a proven structure. The Post is the foundation of our organization; we must start at that point. All complaints must begin at the Post level and the member(s) have an obligation to submit their complaint to the Post Commander. Unresolved complaints at the Post level are forwarded to the District level. If still unresolved, the complaint forwards to the Department. If Department cannot resolve it, the complaint forwards to National. It is subjected to the control of the National Commander-in Chief and the National Council of Administration with final decision resting on the National Council. What if the chain of command breaks down or the system doesn’t work? What if any Tom Tradewell homecoming Plans are well underway to make the “Let The Good Times Roll” Homecoming for Tom Tradewell a special event. Wisconsin will be the host for visitors from all 50 states and foreign territories that have VFW Posts. This is a large undertaking and will require a lot of volunteer help and funds to make it a Second to None event. This is Wisconsin’s chance to host an event to remember. At this time we are working on the congratulatory book. This is your chance to show Tom Tradewell how proud we are of him and his accomplishments. We would like each post and Auxiliary to purchase an ad. These funds will support the homecoming expenses. Included in this paper is an ad form. If your post needs help setting up an ad, please contact Carla Stockel at 608-732-1430 or e-mail lucas66@live.com for assistance. She will be glad to help lay out an ad for your post or auxiliary. The sooner we get the ads in the better. We need to stay on track to make the Homecoming in September of ’09 a success. Thank you to those who purchased raffle tickets and shirts at our state convention. You are most appreciated. TOM TRADEWELL “WISCONSIN LET ThE GOOD TIMES ROLL” hOMECOMING SEpTEMbER 10-13, 2009 CONGRATULATORY bOOK The “Wisconsin-Let the Good Times Roll” Homecoming Committee would like to invite you to place your congratulatory ad in Commander-in-Chief Tom Tradewell’s Homecoming Book. The book will be 8-1/2x11. To place your ad or congratulatory messages attach your camera-ready ad to this page along with any artwork, photocopy, or photos. Please indicate what size ad: ______Full Page ______1/2 Page ______1/4 Page 8-1/2x11 8-1/2x5-1/2 4-1/4 x5-1/2 $250.00 $150.00 $ 90.00 DEADLINE FOR ADS IS JULY 15, 2009 Name:_______________________________________Phone________________ Address:__________________________________________________________ City____________________________State______________Zip_____________ Make checks payable to: VFW Post 6498 Earmark-Tradewell Homecoming Mail ad material and check to: Carla Stockel 2574 Honey Creek Circle #232 East Troy, WI 53120 Page  july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News wdva update wdva news briefs John a. scocos secretary of the Wi dept. of Veterans affairs Benefits of physical activity The last couple articles have asked that you work closely with your doctors. I hope that you are now asking your doctor or nurse more questions – asking about what medical conditions you have and why you take each of Jeff Whittle, your medications. For Md, MPh many chronic condiclement J. tions, including diaZablocki Va betes, high cholesterol Medical center and high blood pressure, you should know what your doctor thinks your goal should be, and where you are right now. I would be surprised if your doctor objects to you wanting to know such things, but if he does, tell him you heard it from me and have him email me at the VA – jeffrey.whittle@va.gov!! But now I want to go back to things that are entirely in your control. Instead of talking about a disease, I would like to review physical activity. I get a lot of questions about exercise when I work with veterans or visit VFW posts to talk about health, but I like the words physical activity better. Exercise seems a little too much like a chore. The good news is that everyone does some physical activity, and that physical activity has a number of good health effects. Because my space is limited, I want to focus on the benefits for weight and for heart health. All physical activity has benefits for weight control. First, all activity burns calories. The more active you are, the more calories you burn. Many people know that walking one mile burns about 100 calories for a 200 pound man. What is perhaps more important is the idea that taking every step helps some. So that person burns 1 calorie for every 25 – 30 steps that they take. They can do this walking in place, just as well as by walking a mile. And if you can take 200 steps while walking in place during every commercial break you burn an extra 8 calories each commercial break. If you watch 1 hour of TV a day, there will be a minimum of 5 commercial breaks, so you can burn 32 calories each day. It does not seem like much, but over a year, that is over 4 pounds and in five years that is 20 pounds!! For people with high blood pressure, that much of a weight change drops the blood pressure as much as taking another blood pressure medicine. Physical activity also improves your heart health totally apart from its effect on weight. Once again, any physical activity seems to have some benefit. But in this case you get extra benefit by working hard enough that you can feel it, and especially if you can keep it up for more than 10 minutes at a time. A common measure of whether you are working hard enough is heart rate, but there are so many exceptions that I don’t recommend it for most of the older people I see. Instead, use the guideline that you should work hard enough that you breathe noticeably harder than normal. For some people, this will mean walking at a slow pace. Other people may have to walk very briskly or carry some weights while they walk. You should try to find an activity that you can do for 10 minutes. So if walking makes your knees hurt so much that you have to stop in 3 minutes, then you may want to try a stationary bicycle. See if you can find an activity that you enjoy while you do it. For some people, this will be playing basketball, but for others it may simply be riding a stationary bike while watching a baseball game on TV. Next time, I will write some more about exercises. If you have a question you want me to address, send a note to the VFW News and they can get it to me. holiday Weekend Culminates In Tribute To State Veterans Operation Freedom and Supermarket of Veterans Benefits held in Milwaukee Message from WDVA Secretary John A. Scocos: “Independence Day is an important patriotic holiday for citizens, as we commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, declaring our country’s breakaway from colonial rule. American service members from all conflicts throughout our nation’s history have served dutifully and with pride. Our military veterans deserve the best we can offer them in return. “This 4th of July weekend, over 15,000 people came to an Operation Freedom event hosted by Milwaukee County at the Milwaukee County Zoo on Sunday, July 6 at the Zoo. In conjunction with Operation Freedom, WDVA held a Supermarket of Veterans Benefits, with over 35 providers about VA health, long-term care, education benefits, veterans’ homes’ loans, military funeral honors and more. “During this summer, Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs staff have had the opportunity to meet with veterans at events around the state – at veterans service organizations conventions, the Supermarket of Veterans Benefits that took place at the Milwaukee Zoo on July 6 , and at the department’s Stakeholders’ Conference on July 29. “Please make note of two key events in August. The first is the Purple Heart Day Ceremony being held on August 7, 2008 at the Riverside Park in La Crosse. All veterans, and especially Purple Heart recipients, are invited. The second is the Ex-POW State Convention being held on August 20-21, 2008 at the Elizabeth Inn in Plover.” State Conventions. Veterans’ service organizations’ spring and summer conventions are underway, and Sec. Scocos has been addressing various groups, providing updates about current department issues, the biennial budget for 2009-2011, and strategic goals including outreach to veterans. Sec. Scocos spoke to the VFW State Convention on June 28. WdVa secretary John scocos addressing the VfW state convention in June. 10 days later it was announced that the secretary is redeploying to iraq for a second tour. Stakeholders’ Conference. A WDVA Stakeholders’ Conference will be held on July 29, from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Second Floor Education Center of the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs offices at 30 W. Mifflin Street in Madison. Pre-registration is required – see www.WisVets.com/Events and go to the July 29 event listing. Veterans’ License plates. The Wisconsin Dept. of Transportation Division of Motor Vehicles has decided to go back to issuing military license plates with a red, white, and blue background (last year the DMV changed the plates to a white background with a spot for veterans decals). Effective as of July 1, a new red, white, and blue plate is being issued to those purchasing military license plates. Those with the white plates may, if they wish, request a replacement plate by completing a form MV2118 (mark “military option”) and mailing it in along with a check for $10, the standard replacement fee. Forms can be printed out from the DOT’s website, or picked up from any DMV field office -- they do not stock the plates, so forms must be mailed to: Wisconsin Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 7949, Madison, WI 53707-7949. For more information, go to http://www.dot.state. wi.us/drivers/vehicles/plates/. Wisconsin State Veterans Cemeteries 2009-2010 burial Fees. Also as of July 1, 2008, the state veterans’ cemeteries located in Spooner, King and Union Grove, have posted new burial fees for spouses and dependent children, due to operational costs. There are no fees charged for the interment of a qualified veteran. To view the rates, go to www.dva. state.wi.us/Cem_fees.asp. Veterans Service Officer Training. WDVA will hold a three-day training session for County, Tribal and National Veterans Service Officers and staff on August 4-6 at WDVA headquarters in Madison. Topics will include a department overview, eligibility, claims, grants, benefits and services. To view an agenda, see www.WisVets.com/Events. purple heart Day. The State of Wisconsin Purple Heart Day Ceremony, hosted by the WDVA and the Military Order of the Purple Heart, will be held on Thursday, August 7 at Riverside Park in LaCrosse at noon. Read more about it at:. www.wisvets. com/purpleheart. New home Loan Maximum Amount. At the end of June, lenders were informed of a new maximum home mortgage loan amount of $385,000 that the Wis. Dept. of Veterans Affairs can approve for the period July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009. Currently there is a fixed rate of 5.75% with no funding fee and terms up to 30 years. The source of funding is Qualified Veterans Mortgage Bonds (QVMB). Eligibility for QVMB funds is limited to veterans with federal active duty service who apply within 25 years of their date of discharge. Learn more at www.wisvetloans.com or call WDVA’s Loans Section. Economic Stimulus payments. Veterans who are recipients of VA disability compensation, pension and survivor benefits who have not yet filed a tax return may still qualify for economic stimulus payments this year if they send in a form by October 15, 2008. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) estimates there are about 77,000 potential Wisconsin recipients eligible to receive up to $600 ($1200 for married couples). The rebate includes an additional $300 for each eligible child under 17. Those usually exempt from filing a tax return need only complete a few lines on Form 1040A and send it to the IRS before Oct. 15. The IRS has seven local Taxpayer Assistance Centers across Wisconsin to help individuals. For locations, go to www.wisvets.com/hottopics. Veterans Day at the Wisconsin State Fair. The Wisconsin State Fair runs from July 31 to August 10 at the fairgrounds in Milwaukee. While veterans are being honored every day at the State Fair, on August 10, Veterans Day at the State Fair includes a Memorial Service on the Amphitheater and Bazaar Stages at 11:00 a.m., veteran displays throughout the day, and a Veterans Parade in the Central Mall at 3:00 p.m. See a flyer about the state fair, at: www. wistatefair.com/home/wsfp. badger Football Salute to Veterans. The 2008 Salute, again presented by WDVA, the University of Wisconsin-Madison Athletic Department and UW Marching Band, will be on August 30 at Camp Randall stadium in Madison. The Badgers will host the Akron Zips. A veterans hospitality tent (public invited) will be open from 8:30 – 10:30 a.m. prior to the game at Camp Randall’s GAR Memorial Park followed by a pre-game ceremony and kick-off at 11:00 a.m. For more information see the flyer, at www.wisvets.com/events and go to the Aug. 30, 2008 listing. Supermarket of Veterans benefits. Upcoming Supermarkets for this year will include an event at Fort McCoy on September 5 as part of Retiree Appreciation Day; and in the northwestern part of the state in New Richmond on October 24-25. For additional information visit www.WisVets.com/Supermarkets. hot Topic item: Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act. The federal Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, signed into law on June 30, 2008 (PL 110-252), effective August 1, 2009, will provide up to Court Limits Agent Orange benefits Some Navy veterans who served in Vietnam and now claim they are sick because of exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange during the war now bear a heavier burden of proof if they hope to earn disability compensation and health care for their conditions from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled May 8 that the VA correctly defined “service in Vietnam” as actually setting foot on land or navigating the country’s inland waters, rather than off the coast. The ruling overturns an earlier Court of Veterans Appeals decision that would have forced the VA to broaden its definition, and as a result open the doors to compensation and treatment to more veterans. The decision in the case, Haas v. Peake, is available on-line. Find it at: www. cafc.uscourts.gov/opinions/07-7037.pdf. Citizen of the Year honored Wisconsin VFW News Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News is published six times per year by the Department of Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, 214 N. Hamilton Street, Madison, WI 53703. Periodical Postage Paid at Madison, WI and additional office: Greenville, WI. Subscription rates $6.00 per year for non-members, $.60 per year membership dues is for the official publication Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News. Postmaster: send address changes to: V.f.W. circulation department, 406 West 34th street, Kansas city, Mo 64111. george Moats (left), commander of VfW Post 6711, Mondovi, presents a plaque to donna nyre (right) who was selected as outstanding citizen of the year at a recent banquet honoring her for her lifetime of community service and her dedication to helping people in need. 36 full-time months educational benefits for qualifying veterans for the 15-year period following discharge or release from the last period of active duty military service. See link to information on WDVA’s Hot Topics webpage, at www.wisvets.com/hottopics. To learn more about veterans programs, go to www.WisVets.com, or call toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (1-800-947-8387). I.S.S.N. #1061-4591 U.S.P.S. #007787 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars coMMittee: Robert Bolz - Post 1691, News Chairman Roger Boeker, Post 1318 Charlene Cobb, Post 10173 Bernie Olson, Post 10510 Tom Lemmer, Jr.Vice Cmdr., Post 6377 Lisa Kimmel, Post 10262, Ladies Aux. Liaison editor: William Knudson 505 S. Apple Ave., Marshfield, WI 54449 Phone: 715-384-2500 vfwnews.wi@verizon.net deadline first of the Month of Publication auxiLiary Moose Memo Subject: And away we go! Marla J. Morgan To: The Sisters (and Comrades) of the Department Department of Wisconsin Fr: Marla J. Morgan, Department PresiPresident dent (marla.aux.wi@verizon.net anytime, 715-384-2500 or 715-384-2500 before 10:00 p.m.) marla.aux.wi@verizon.net First, my heartfelt thanks to all those Sisters and Comrades who made the Erickson-Morgan Joint Installation a most memorable and joyous occasion. Your presence and participation made it extra special. I am especially grateful to Commander Gary Erickson and his wife, Lana Erickson. We’ve had a wonderful two years of team building and I’m looking forward to a delightful year ahead, “Taking Care of Business for Our Veterans.” My travels so far to start the year have been quite varied. I was delighted that my first “official” visit was to my own Auxiliary and Post 1866 annual summer picnic on July 1 in Marshfield. It was wonderful to greet the local Sisters and Comrades who have been so supportive. I even signed my first new member of the year! Our Budget Committee met in Racine on July 5. You will hear more about the budget and our revenue needs in upcoming meetings and publications, but know that we welcome any suggestions and ideas you may have for generating income for our Department. We are especially interested in strategies for securing more support from the public at large, rather than concentrating only on our own membership. In my estimation, the Dept. of Wisconsin is extremely fortunate to have a very personable and talented group of Line Officers from diverse backgrounds. I am very honored to work with all of these ladies and anticipate a year of much success for our Auxiliaries. I look forward to visiting as many Auxiliaries and Posts as possible in the coming months. Please use the form included in the forthcoming August mailing to invite me to either regular meetings or your special events. I will get there if my schedule allows! I hope you are planning to attend the “Instruction Weekend” at the Hotel Mead in Wisconsin Rapids on July 25 and 26. The weekend starts with a School of Instruction for the District Presidents on Friday at 7 p.m. and continues on Saturday with the Program Chairmen’s Presentations at 8:30 a.m. and the Council of Administration at approximately 1:30 p.m. ALL OF THESE SESSIONS ARE OPEN TO ANY AUXILIARY MEMBER! Please come to learn firsthand about the exciting program changes happening this year and to watch the Council in action. And be sure to stay in the area for the King Day Picnic at the WI Veterans Home at King on Sunday the 27th. We ALWAYS have a great time there - and we can ALWAYS use more helpers! Sisters, I am honored to serve as the 84th President and “steward” of this great Department. It is an awesome responsibility but I am thrilled that new Officers are also serving in so many of our Auxiliaries this year. Let’s do all we can to welcome fresh new ideas and to support each other in OUR learning process. “Let all our actions be for the greater glory of our cause.” Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page  july/august, 008 draPing oF the charter District Person’s Name City Auxiliary 1 Ruth Dicicco Janesville 1621 1 Josephine Elliott Janesville 1621 1 Deloris Garlow* Janesville 1621 1 Marian Gilstrap Janesville 1621 1 Harriet Griffin* Janesville 1621 1 Patricia J Schricker Janesville 1621 1 Emma Arnold Janesville 1621 1 Lela Benson Janesville 1621 1 Annie L Sholler Kenosha 1865 1 Lorraine Walby* Pell Lake 5830 2 Marion Kutschenreuter Waukesha 721 2 Shirley M Martin Waukesha 721 2 Bettie Gabriel Madison-Truax 1318 2 Gladys Hobler Madison-Truax 1318 2 Leona Morrisey* ** Madison-Truax 1318 2 Virginia Teasdale Madison-Truax 1318 2 Leone Morrissey Madison 1318 2 Geraldine A Walther Jefferson 3589 2 Elmira B Kube* Watertown 3709 2 Shirley Roznik* Sussex 6377 2 Dolores Hennes Sussex 6377 2 Ena Yitti* Madison-Day 7591 2 Dorthy Lothe Sun Prairie 9362 2 Ella Mae McPhail* Sun Prairie 9362 Audrey Skibba 2 Sun Prairie 9362 3 Doris Brustman* Richland 2267 3 Margaret Jeidy Lancaster 2344 3 Norma M Turnbull Platteville 5274 4 Joy Wagner West Allis 1912 4 Lorraine Goforth Cudahy 2895 4 Maria L Valvo Cudahy 2895 4 Maree Pavlovich Cudahy 2895 4 Leona Clayton* Milwaukee 2903 4 Margaret Weinzatl Milwaukee 2903 5 Evelyn Vogl Milwaukee 2923 5 Catherine Moosakowski Milwaukee 2923 5 Violet Schroeder Milwaukee 6498 5 June Vargas* Milwaukee 6498 5 Grace Vopravil Milwaukee 6498 6 Nancy J Lazansky Chilton 3392 6 Ethel Chipman* Ripon 5278 6 Ruth Brown Plymouth 5612 6 Lois Backhaus Plymouth 5612 6 Doris Bohn Barton 8658 6 Dorothy Wesener Sheboygan 9156 7 Violet Gesicki Wausau 388 7 Irene Kempf Wausau 388 7 Esther Remmus Wausau 388 7 Inez Kotsch Wausau 388 7 Belva Debalske Wausau 388 7 Clara Hans Wausau 388 7 Jeamette Myers Waupaca 1037 7 Patricia Vogt King 1464 7 Dawn Muschinske Merrill 1638 7 Rita Walsh* Marshfield 1866 7 Delores Dums Colby 2227 7 Wanda Decker Colby 2227 7 Florence Mortenson* Antigo 2653 7 Helen Smith Shawano 2723 7 Florence Brooks Adams 6279 7 E Jungenberg Adams 6279 7 Eva Lewke Adams 6279 7 Joyce Seaman Adams 6279 7 Hildegard Skerven Adams 6279 7 Mary Zalewski Adams 6279 7 Genevieve Grassl Stratford 6352 7 Helen M Morris* Mosinee 8733 8 Ada Mae Ahrens Manitowoc 659 8 Berdeva Adelmann* Manitowoc 659 8 Lucille Ann Coen Manitowoc 659 8 Irene Kressc Mountain 2119 8 Isabelle Wachinski New London 2732 8 Vivian Barnhart Appleton 2778 8 Audrey M Strong Crandon 3309 8 Betty Kussow Kewaunee 3392 8 Dolores Kornely Mishicott 7753 8 Maye Klukas Pound-Coleman 9379 8 Ina Lambert Bellevue 9677 8 Violet Simon Bellevue 9677 9 Bernice P Domer Eau Claire 305 9 Edna L Ziehlsdorff Eau Claire 305 9 Carol L Oatman Eau Claire 305 9 Mary J Kalmanson Chippewa Falls 1038 9 Marie Karlen Chippewa Falls 1038 9 Martha Catzman Trempeleau 1915 9 Wanda J Lendl Boomer 6175 9 Alma Jean Hanson Mondovi 6711 9 Rita Lamere Almena 8512 9 Mary Claflin Osseo 8514 9 Sharon Crandall Altoona 10405 10 Arlene D Thell Superior 1091 10 Patti J North* Hurley 1580 10 Emily Spengler Rhinelander 3143 10 Elleonore E Loney Dresser 4186 10 Louise J Gomulak Dresser 4186 10 Rita Roberts* Medford 5729 10 Lillian Selby Medford 5729 10 Evelyn Olson Medford 5729 10 Lillian Harmon Prentice 8491 10 Mary Kundiger Prentice 8491 11 Elaine Hunter La Crosse 1530 11 Kathleen J Deitrich Baraboo 2336 11 Helen Fortney Viroqua 3032 11 Partricia E Simpson Cashton 8584 Unknown Hazel B Christenson Unknown * Life Member ** Past National President or Past Department President “Christ has died, Christ has risen and I am at his side” post 8216 Auxiliary Officers The new 2008-09 officers of the ladies auxiliary to William ‘sonny’ simon VfW Post 8216, Middleton, pose for a group photo following installation. Pictured (l-r) are front row: delores shiveler, treasurer; Betty Hinsaman, installing officer; and freda baltes, president; back row: farnancita, member; sandy shiveler, junior vice president; connie allard, former trustee; Kathleen esser, senior vice president; arline finky, 1-year trustee; and Patty baltes, chaplain and secretary. not pictured is helen black, conductress. packages For Troops on May 5, the combined locks heart of the Valley ladies auxiliary to VFW Post 10544 accumulated and packed up contents filling seven boxes of food, toiletries, games, books, candy, stationery, playing cards and many other items on a soldier’s wish list in iraq. his platoon will reap the benefits of the care packages, and the boxes will be shared by the guys and gals fighting in Iraq. The members of the VFW Post 10544 generously donated the postage for shipping the seven boxes overseas. the ladies auxiliary would like to thank the men of Post 10544 for their contribution and also thank all the auxiliary members who participated in the collection. it will truly make a difference in the lives of our gis in iraq. Pictured (l-r) in front of a few of the items boxed up are delores fisher, Milly fransek, anja baars, betty Jansen, betty Jansen, Kay Meyer,theresa lamers, linda reitzner, sally lamers, and Karen Janssen. Page  july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News King day wiLL Be JuLy 27 The Wisconsin VFW TrusT Fund (FoundaTion) The Trust fund doubled this last year from $6,000 to $12,000 due to a matching offer from a generous donor. The donor, Pat Nowlin, has decided that, in addition to matching last year, he will match all donations from January 2008 until December 2008, up to a maximum of $5,000. So make your donation now, and we can increase the Fund to $22,000. The Wisconsin VFW Trust Fund was created solely to support VFW programs on State and local levels, including assistance to military personnel and their families. The mission of the VFW Trust Fund is to support programs to increase awareness of the sacrifices of America’s veterans, to promote citizenship education, volunteerism and positive youth programs and to facilitate aid for veterans and their families in need of medical, rehabilitative, educational and employment services. The VFW is committed to improving the lives of veterans and services personnel, their families and their communities. Gifts to the Trust Fund can be made in many ways: Post: 1. Gold member: $1.00 per member 2. Silver member: $0.50 per member 3. Bronze member: $0.25 per member Individual, small businesses: 1. Diamond member: $500.00 2. Platinum member: $250.00 3. Gold member: $100.00 4. Silver member: $50.00 5. Bronze member: $25.00 Corporate Donations: 1. Gold member: $10,000.00 2. Silver member: $5,000.00 3. Bronze member: $1,000.00 VFW Foundations can be included in estate planning in a number of ways, such as: 1. Wills and trusts 2. Charitable Gift Annuities 3. Charitable trusts 4. Memorial Gift Program 5. Bequests Each post, individual contributor, and corporation will receive a certificate acknowledging their donations; additionally, corporations may be awarded plaques for display purposes. All donations are tax deductible as the VFW Foundation is a 501c(3) non-profit organization and qualifies as a public charity. Checks should be made payable to the VFW Department of Wisconsin, memo specifying the VFW Trust Fund (Foundation). Wisconsin VFW Trust Fund Chairman William F Hustad W4489 Exeter Crossing Road Monticello WI 53570 608-527-2942 Wfhus1@tds.net 52nd Annual V.F.W. King Day Will be held on July 27 State officers of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary, members of V.F.W. Posts and Auxiliaries throughout the state and their guests will participate in the 52nd annual pilgrimage at the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King on Sunday, July 27. The newly elected Department Commander and Department Auxiliary President will preside at a gathering of V.F.W. dignitaries from across the state that will make their 52nd annual visit to the King Day picnic for the members of the Veterans Home. If you wish, you may also carry your colors in the short parade prior to the formal program. During the day, V.F.W. and Auxiliary members are asked to assist residents. Gifts will be distributed to all members of the Home in their rooms at about 9:00 a.m. by VFW and Auxiliary members. A picnic lunch will be served to all Wisconsin Veterans Home members in their dining rooms. After lunch, the activities move to the Veterans Home Park. The Oshkosh VFW band will perform at 1:15 p.m. on the bandstand in the park. Door prizes, official program, and the annual “Parade of Checks” on the Bandstand will begin at 2:00 p.m. Free soda and ice cream will be distributed to members of the Home by the Military Order of the Cootie in the park during the program. All VFW and Auxiliary members, their guests and families are invited to purchase their meals at the King VFW Auxiliary lunch stand in the park. Checks donated to the Home should be made payable to “Wisconsin Veterans home.” Posts and Auxiliaries who wish to help offset the cost of V.F.W. King Day should make their checks payable to VFW Department of Wisconsin King picnic Account and mail to: Richard Morey E3741 Rocky Ridge Rd. Waupaca, WI 54981 VFW post 7924, Kansasville Makes 20K Donation post and Auxiliary Trip to King a ceremony was held recently at the Kansasville fire department when a check in the amount of $20,000 was turned over to the town of dover and the Kansasville fire department by Post commander bob hanson and Post Quartermaster bob ludwig. Members of the Post, the Kfd, town of Dover officials, and grateful citizens attended the event. Kansasville Post 7924 recently made recent purchase to the attention of other a generous donation to the Kansasville members and suggested that $20,000 be Fire Department to help offset the costs donated to the Kansasville Fire Departof an ambulance purchase. Until recently, ment. After much discussion, the majority the ambulance services were provided by of the members approved the motion. Union Grove/Yorkville Fire Department Post Commander Bob Hanson states, for many years in the Town of Dover. “This is the largest donation in the post’s Last fall, the UGYFD notified the Kan- history.” sasville Fire Department that they could Post 7924 is also involved with various no longer provide ambulance services community eventss, namely: due to an increase in the number of calls • Most recently, members donated which placed increased demands on their $500 toward the tornado victims in emergency medical services. Many of nearby Wheatland and soldiers serving the calls were coming from the Southern overseas. Wisconsin Center campus in Dover which • Maintain the Veterans Memorial Wayincludes the Wisconsin Veterans Home side Park in Racine County complex. • Participate in ceremonies at the During the months of preparation and Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial planning by the Town of Dover and the Cemetery in Union Grove KFD, it was decided that purchasing a • Volunteer at the weekly bingo and new ambulance for more than $100,000 holiday programs at the Southern Wisconwas not an option. A used, low mileage sin Veterans Home in Union Grove vehicle that was in excellent condition at a • Purchase animals from 4-H Club cost of $19,000 was located at Butler Fire members at the Racine County Fair Department in Waukesha County. • Participate in the Kansasville Grade A member of Post 7924 brought this School Veterans Day program. Members of burns VfW Post 388 and auxiliary recently traveled to King to spend a birthday celebration with the veterans. Pictured are (lr) front row: faith borchardt, angie hameister, anna tanck, etola Pengle - hospital volunteer at King, and connie Voight; second row: bea doede, audrey tessmer, Mary gilles, betty hoerter, delores bauman, and doris erdman; back row: Warren doede, bob bauman, Warren tessmer, Joe Voight and ben Ziolkowski. absent from the picture are tom and geri treu. post and Auxiliary honor Volunteers at a recent recognition banquet, Mary gilles (left) and doris erdman were honored for their volunteer efforts with the VfW burns Post and auxiliary #388 functions. Thank You Thank You To all the Comrades and Sisters, Department Officers, District Presidents, Past Department Presidents and Chairmen that served this past year as “WISCONSIN AuxILIArIeS SerVINg VeTerANS” Thanks for all the gifts, blessings and friendships that made my year as president a year to remember. Love and Friendship, PDP Joyce Hoffman vfw gift cards Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 7 july/august, 008 “Drive ‘N Dine” On VFW Gift Cards … A Simple Program Earns Big Bucks For Your Post & Department - At No Additional Cost To Participants! Your Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Wisconsin Council of Administration approved a statewide program that promises to bring much-needed revenue to both the Department of Wisconsin and all active Posts. All Posts are automatically signed up and eligible to receive their share of the new revenue. Other than depositing the check, there’s no work involved at the Post level, except to encourage members and friends in the community to make their routine purchases through the VFW GIFTCARD Program. Hundreds of regional and national brand businesses participate in the program already. Participating businesses accept the gift cards much as they do a debit or credit card purchase. The cards are purchased either on line or by mail or fax and sent to customers, who then spend them just like cash. There is no cost to the customer to purchase the cards, either. Buyers may specify which Wisconsin VFW Post is to receive a share of the percentage the merchant is donating to the VFW of Wisconsin. (Some businesses donate 3%, others 7% or more.) The donation is divided between the Department of Wisconsin and the designated Post. Card Purchasers can establish their own online account and track how much has been donated by way of their purchases. Posts may also log on to see how much has been generated on their behalf as well. The program is already generating serious donations for other organizations across the country, and if our members get involved, and encourage their friends to do likewise, the cash benefits can be tremendous. You don’t have to change a thing about your grocery, gas, or other routine expenses except how you pay for them! Take a look at the impressive roster of participating businesses, and then see how you can help budget your expenses and support the Veterans of Foreign Wars at both the local Post Level and the Department as well. This is truly a win-win program for all concerned. We can all agree that a tank of gas or a basket of groceries has become a serious purchase these days. With a minimum of advance planning, you can turn that purchase into a benefit for your Post! Ordering cards is easy, quick and uncomplicated. You can order by mail, by fax or online. Does your Post give prizes? Give VFW Gift Cards! Need a present for someone in the family or the neighborhood? Give VFW Gift Cards! Shop Smart for: Groceries, Gas, Restaurants, Movies, Office Supplies… the list of goods and services is virtually endless! Support your Veterans of Foreign Wars simply by shopping smart! VfW gift card order forM turn everyday purchases into cash for our Post! introducing the VfW gift card fundraising program. a virtually effortless way to help raise funds for our post! Order gift cards to use for your everyday purchases such as gas, groceries, clothing, or dining out at the businesses you already patronize and our Post receives a donation from the card issuing merchant with each gift card purchased! The gift card merchants make the donation and you still spend the full value of the gift cads, just like cash! 4 These are the same gift cards you buy in the store, but when purchased through VFW Gift Cards, our Post receives a donation from the merchant. 4 Gift cards are delivered directly to your home in about 7 business days. 4 Order anytime, there are no deadlines! 4 100’s of gift cards to choose from. 4 Friends and families can participate, too. 100’s of cards to choose from! the Wi VfW introduces the VfW gift card store “drive & dine” campaign! help raise $100,000 by 9/30/08! all we need you to do is buy fuel for your vehicle, shop at your grocery store or maybe eat at your favorite restaurant. its easy to do your part: order gift cards from the VfW gift card store and use them to buy the items you normally buy. any time you buy a gift card through the VfW gift card store you spend the card just like cash while the gift card merchant provides a donation to your local Post and the Wisconsin VfW. to place your order visit www.vfwgiftcards.com or use the order form above. Purchase your gift cards today...easy ordering anytime! 3 Ways to order: 1) Order on-line at www.fvwgiftcards.com. 2) Order by mail: Complete the form on the back and mail in with your check. 3) Call in orders, 1-800-514-1891. www.vfwgiftcards.com Questions? contact customer service 1-800-514-1891 Page 8 july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News white hat recipients Wisconsin VFW Salutes its White Hat Members Cmdr Jerry parchem & QM David Yatalese, 987 Cmdr Norbert Carter, 1393 Cmdr DeWitt h. Woodworth & QM harlan Thompson, 1530 Cmdr Susan haig, 1638 Cmdr Thomas Robinson & QM paul Fluette, 2126 Cmdr ben Anderson & QM Thomas puig, 2204 Cmdr Gordy harmon & QM Roger Sampson, 2534 Cmdr John Thompson, 2708 Cmdr Wally bandomir & QM James Goodrich, 5270 Cmdr Charles Eberhardt & QM John Schultz, 6377 Cmdr Frank Mesa & QM John Williamson, 6709 Cmdr peter Storch & QM L. Joe Ellis, 7591 white hat recipients Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page  july/august, 008 Wisconsin VFW Salutes its White Hat Members Cmdr John Laudolff, 8092 Cmdr patrick Shaw & QM Douglas Cowley, 9336 Cmdr Stephen Kidd & QM Larry Sikowski, 10244 Cmdr John Schultz & QM Gary Matthees, 10262 Cmdr Dave Winkler & QM Allen Olkives, 10405 Cmdr Samual hennessee & QM Vern Calbaum, 10452 Cmdr Gary Jensen & QM bernard Olson, 10510 Cmrd William hustad & QM Ed Andreas, 10549 Cmdr Richard Mier, 10818 Cmdr Walter Matzek & QM Kevin higgin, 9060 Individuals who need to be acknowledged, but are not shown in photos: QM Julie harris, post 1393 QM Ralph Wangen, post 1638 QM Leroy Ide, post 2708 QM Gene pfalzgraf, post 8092 QM Thomas hess, Sr., post 10818 Cmdr Darrell brown & QM Kenneth puls, 9202 Page 10 july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News woMen veterans conference VFW Raffle continued From Page 1 There are two important aspects to the raffle: First, and foremost, we count on the generosity of all members to pitch in and send a check for the tickets that were sent to them personally. You are the key ingredient in successfully funding your VFW Department of Wisconsin. Even if you can only afford a single ticket at $5.00, that would be a help. Tickets have been priced at $5.00 each or three for $10.00. The Purple Heart Tickets are $1.00 each. So for five or six dollars, you can be a valuable contributor to your State organization. Your tickets may be purchased by friend, family or neighbors, too! Many people are in a position to buy all six of their tickets and the Purple Heart tickets for a total of only $22.00. Won’t you please send in your personal ticket money today? The second aspect of the State Raffle is designed to help Posts, and that is the voluntary sale of tickets by participating VFW Posts and Auxiliaries. That set of tickets (available in pads of 600 tickets) is designed to generate revenue not from members, but from the general public. Anyplace you find ordinary people, you have a chance to raise funds for your Post and your Department. The receipts from these ticket sales are split 50/50 between the Post and Department. So, if you’re doing a brat fry, have someone selling State Raffle Tickets, or take them to a local event. Or do what State Commander Gary Erickson did the other day: He took State Raffle Tickets to the local supermarket and asked for permission to set up a card table and offer his tickets for sale. The grocer gave him a key spot right where customers enter the store and get their carts, and Gary just greeted folks as they came in. “It was great,” he said. “Many people noticed the Raffle Poster, stopped, and bought a ticket or more. One woman looked over the $30,000 Prize Package, pulled out a $50 bill and said ‘give me fifty bucks worth!’” In a single day, Commander Gary took in $650. That’s $325 for his Post and $325 for Department. “It’s an easy sale, with no pressure necessary,” he says with enthusiasm. By month’s end, the Ladies Auxiliary will be sending out their share of the Joint Raffle Tickets as well, in a separate mailing. Local Auxiliaries can access the public tickets through their Post. Let’s get going, Comrades and Sisters. Help yourselves and help your Department! “To believe a thing cannot be done is proven right by doing nothing. To make a thing of value happen requires little more than action!” Make something good happen: Act now! Support your VFW/Auxiliary Joint Raffle for 2008-2009. There’s Rust in Iraq... Beloit native Matthew Rust left for boot camp in the U.S Marine Corps two months after high school graduation in the summer of 1999. Matt had joined up as a junior on the delayed entry program. The recruiter only had to sell Mom on the enlistment since Matt was a legacy - his Dad was a jarhead. But Mom was no easy sell. He worked out and practiced elementary combat skills one Saturday each month until shipping out. Matt also dallied in golf and wrestling during his senior year. Recruit Rust did not get to use his golf skills at the Recruit Depot in San Diego, nor anywhere else during his Marine career. The Marines assigned Matt as a ‘0311’ – i.e. and infantryman. As such, Matt joined a FAST company: Fleet Anti-terrorism Security Team. This group was based in Norfolk-Yorktown, Virginia area. FAST was tasked with embassy reinforcement [Macedonia], foreign anti-smuggling operations [Kosovo], security for overseas U.S. Navy construction projects [East Timor], and urban warfare cross-training for allied-nation units [Thailand]. Matt participated in all of those missions in just his first two years of Leatherneck life. By this time, Matt had become fire-team leader Corporal Rust. Corporal Rust became Sergeant and Squad Leader Rust before the unit entry to Iraq. The 24th MEU had its first assignment near Nasiriyah one week after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Nasiriyah is 200 miles south of Baghdad. The mission was the recovery of a Marine’s remains in the city. With too little Iraqi cooperation, Rust’s unit found the body under six feet of trash. The body was returned to the Marine’s unit for transport home. In the early days of the invasion, lines of communication and supply were stretched by the quick collapse of formal defenses. However, stay-behind guerrillas were plentiful along the major highway route to Baghdad. City patrols and highway roadblocks were main duties during this period. Most difficult were the checkpoint inspections. Often the local population would pass the checkpoint to bury family dead. Marines had to inspect the contents of every coffin for contraband – never a pleasant task. Sgt. Rust returned to the U.S. for discharge in 2003. He spent a few months around Pittsburgh before coming to Beloit. Matt enrolled at the UW-Madison in the fall of 2004. He is now a senior with a major in consumer affairs. He works fulltime in the summer and part-time during the school year at the State Approving Agency for the Montgomery GI Bill. He began this work with some familiarity with the GI Bill since he has used it for the past three years. Matt joined the Cranefield VFW Post 1318 this spring. State Commander Visits Meeting Women Veterans To hold Second Conference In September The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is inviting you to participate in their second state-wide Women Veterans Conference, September 26 – 28, 2008. The Conference will be held again at Ft. McCoy. The Keynote speaker is BG Wilma L. Vaught, USAF (RET), Foundation President of the Women In Military Service For America Memorial Foundation. The conference is sponsored by Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs. To keep costs low, rooms have been obtained at the Wisconsin Military Academy (WMA) and Army Lodging for attendees’ use. Rooms, both single and double, are available at WMA. Bathrooms are shared between the single rooms. If you select a double room, you must bring your own towels and there is one big bathroom on the floor to be shared by all. Army Lodging (if available) is in a separate building not in the immediate vicinity of WMA, but still on Ft. McCoy. Please call Gundel Metz (number below) to ensure that Army Lodging is available before you send in your registration form. If you choose this lodging option, you will need a vehicle to get to WMA from the lodging. They have handicapped and regular rooms available for our use. The Warrens Cranberry Festival is also being held this same weekend. If you would like more information on Cranfest go to www. cranfest.com. A copy of the conference agenda will be online at www.vfwofwi.com. (There will be a link to Women Veterans Conference on the main page.) You will see that we again begin the conference on Friday evening with a reception. Meals can be obtained at the Wisconsin Military Academy for a minimal cost (see registration form). Saturday and Sunday morning are lectures/group presentations followed by various workshops in the afternoon. Please indicate on the back of the registration form which workshops you want to attend so we can ensure everyone is accommodated. Please enter Ft. McCoy through Gate 15, if open, or through the Main Gate and they will give you directions to WMA. You will be given a pass for your vehicle at registration. If you are in need of transportation or are willing to transport another attendee to the conference, please complete the registration form indicating your need or willingness to help. For more information, check the VFW website, or call Gundel Metz directly at 608-266-1312. Her e-mail is gundel.metz@ dva.state.wi.us. rust Makes east timor amphibious landing In a rush, the USMC sent Cpl. Rust to the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit [MEU]. The unit spent six months training for deployment to Kosovo for humanitarian aid work. Training included checkpoint orientation, municipal patrolling, and generally ‘showing the flag’. When deployed, checkpoints revealed a variety of bad guys. Troops scanned the vehicle undersides with mirrors while other Marines used a mechanical device to sniff for drugs and bomb ingredients. After a month, the unit was sent to Djibouti – between Somalia and Yemen - for desert training. The next stop was obvious to most of the troops: Iraq. post 6765 Remembers Orville Collins Orville was a Charter member of VFW post 6765 Denmark. he was also a “pOW” captured in the battle of the bulge on Christmas Eve, 1944. The first thing I remember about Orville Collins was seeing him march in parades and at cemeteries on Memorial Day. Most of us can’t fit into our uniforms, but Orville could and he marched with pride. I, as well as the VFW Post, Brown County Council, and the 8th District marveled at how he could recite page after page of sayings without looking at a book. Orville enjoyed attending Brown County Council and District Meetings, and meeting old friends and making new friends. Orville was very active in the Denmark Post 6705 Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was Post Commander “three” times and adjutant for numerous years until he couldn’t handle it anymore. He helped create our Holiday “Safety Break” for travelers, which to this day is still a very successful project. When I first became Commander, I asked Orville for advice many times. He was always very helpful. The best advice he ever gave was, remember in any organization it is “We” not Me. We not only lost a Comrade, we lost a “Great Friend.” Submitted By: Alan Malewiski, Cmdr. VFW Post 6705 an honored guest appearing at the VfW horne-Mudlitz Post 6377 regular post meeting is the Past state commander bill hustad (center). on the left is Post commander chuck eberhardt and on the right is Post Quartermaster and district 2 commander d. J. schultz. Whitewater 4th of July parade Veterans of foreign Wars Post 5470, Whitewater, led the Whitewater 4th of July parade with a 3/4 ton weapons carrier with VfW passengers, preceded by a combined color guard. the color guard was formed with Post 5470 VfW, american legion Post 173, uW-Whitewater rotc, Marine corps league and disabled american Veterans. the vehicle has been restored and is owned by Phil Jones of elkhorn. Support Our Troops weLcoMe hoMe! Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 11 july/august, 008 TheVFWWelcomes home the 395th Ordnance Company! Forty-three troops of the 395th Ordnance Company (Ammo), USAR, returned to the Fox Cities on Wednesday, June 4, 2008 after a yearlong deployment to Kuwait. The troops entertained themselves by calling out the landmarks of their hometown as they passed them. They relished the lush greenery they saw, a marked contrast to their desert experience. Their arrival at the US Army Reserve Center signaled an end to this long adventure. There was a very short welcoming ceremony as the troops were in formation and the families waited quietly. Then the troops were released to meet their families and loved ones. An orderly quiet ceremony turned into shrieks and motion in a second. There were many moving 2008 Wisconsin Korean War Memorial program Sunday, June 1, 2008 having placed wreaths at the foot of the bronze statuary, scouts render boy scout hand salute during ceremony at Wisconsin Korean War Memorial in Plover. (Photo by cliff borden) by Cliff borden The troops arrived by bus at the VFW Post #2778 parking lot from Ft. McCoy in the early afternoon. They quickly transferred to two trolleys, provided courtesy of Lamers Bus Lines. The parade through town began immediately. A full Appleton police escort led the way, followed by a city fire department ladder truck. Next came 24 motorcycles of the Patriot Guard Riders and an M-37 3/4-ton truck with flags for the detachments commander and senior NCOs. The trolleys followed with the shouting troops. Downtown Appleton Inc. spread the word to local businesses whose people came out on College Ave. to greet the troops. Appleton Papers released their employees to come out and greet the troops, also, as the trolleys rolled past the factory. Elementary school children were led from their school to greet them and were the apex of the parade for the troops. The weather was perfect for this year’s annual ceremonies and program at the Wisconsin Korean War Veterans Memorial complex In Plover on Sunday, June 1. After Presentation of the Colors and the playing of the national anthems of the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, a special tribute in honor of Wisconsin men and women killed in Iraq and Afghanistan was held, which included remarks by LTC Gary Skon, WIARNG and reading by MAJ Gwendolyn Sheppard, USAFR of the names of those Killed in Action since last year’s ceremony. Both officers had been deployed to Theater. Main speaker for the event was COL Raymond Boland, USA-Ret., Civilian Aide to Secretary of the Army and former Wisconsin Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Master-of-Ceremonies Cliff Borden spoke of the upcoming major Reconstruction Project to take place in the September to November time frame. Borden, on behalf of the Memorial Board, personally thanked State Senator Julie Lassa for her amendment to the State Biennial Budget which provided $165,000 in matching funds which will make repairs to the causeway and island possible. Dan Mahoney, Plover Village Administrator, further elaborated on details of the reconstruction. Other speakers on the program included Dan Naylor, representing the Board of Veterans Affairs and the WDVA. The Honorable Young Yong Lee, Deputy Consul General for the ROK Consulate General in Chicago, praised the Wisconsinites who fought and died to save South Koreans from Communist domination more than 55 years ago. Seong Shin Ra of Seoul and Madison – an accomplished coloratura soprano – entertained the audience by singing a capella, “Danny Boy” and the traditional Korean ballad “Arirrang.” The program concluded with laying of ceremonial wreaths by Senior Boy Scouts of Plover Troop 201, prayers by Chaplain Sharon Pieper, the firing of volleys and the sounding of “TAPS” by trumpeter Bob Kitto. Greater Plover Memorial Post No. 10262 furnishes the official Memorial Honor Guard and Firing Detail for the annual ceremonies held each June. The program concluded, the audience visited the island memorial, and many enjoyed lunch served in the park shelter by the Portage County Detachment of the Marine Corps League. On Sunday, June 7, 2009 there will be a special REDEDICATION of the Memorial, celebrating the completion of the major reconstruction project, estimated to cost $330,000. scenes as they met and embraced one another after such a long absence. Many lingered and talked and visited for some time after the ceremony. One trooper expressed his gratitude and amazement to the community for its support and enthusiasm after more than five years of troops coming and going. Post 2778, and others, pledge to ensure that these returning troops will always be met with respect and enthusiasm as long as they continue to depart for duty and return home. National home Jr. Vice presidents Conference able to mingle with some of the residents and their children. Afterward, we were treated to a hay-less hay ride out to the farm where the animals are kept for the 4-H members, around the farmhouse and the fishing pond and past the area where the Vietnam Moving Wall recently was displayed. This area will be kept up in anticipation of having the Wall back again someday. A video of the Moving Wall is available through the home. The Ladies Auxiliary VFW Label Program has purchased four seven-passenger vans for the home. They now have a red one, a white one, and a blue one with another blue van to arrive in September. The labels and the Box Tops are also used for educational equipment for the students. There are 40 homes sponsored by 29 states, posts, pup tents, etc. The repairs are managed, as needed, by the National Home. Any large repairs are contracted out. Currently, there are in excess of 70 children at the home. Only five homes are empty and they are currently being renovated. The home has its own water treatment system, their own water wells and their own sewer system. There are also 1-1/2 miles of road, owned and maintained by the home. They have their own fishing pond and Boy Scout cabin along with a small campgrounds area. The motto of the home is ‘The VFW National Home serves the nation.’ We truly have an asset in the VFW National Home and we thank you again for allowing us to attend this wonderful conference, and we thank Jan Tittle and Tommy Tradewell for arranging for our visit to the home. For those of you who never visited the Home, please do so – you will learn so much and leave with a good feeling. Linda Moran, Jr. Vice President and Wilfred (Twiggy) Johnson, Jr. Vice Commander during the recent Jr. Vice training at the VfW national home in eaton rapids, Mi, Wisconsin attendees got an introduction to Priscilla, who currently resides in our Wisconsin ‘cottage.’ Pictured above are Pat Moran, state Junior Vice commander “twiggy” Johnson, Priscilla, auxiliary Junior Vice President linda Moran, national Junior Vice commander-in-chief tommy tradewell, and Karen Johnson. Thank you, sisters and comrades, for al- began the day with a breakfast prepared lowing us the opportunity to go to the VFW and served by some of the residents at the National Home as your Department Junior home. Then the tour began. The first stop Vice Presidents. This was an experience was the nursery – when full they can acwe won’t soon forget. We have memories commodate 36 children. Next we saw the that will last a lifetime and gave me a com- new duplexes – one built by the United pletely new outlook on the home, being it Auto Workers and the other by donations was my first visit. Twiggy has been there from the Buick, Pontiac GMC. Prior to many times before at the Halloween parties these two homes built, the last was built held by our Department, so he knows how 40 years ago. From there, we toured some special this place is. of the homes. All of the homes come comWe met many dedicated, caring and lov- pletely furnished, right down to the dishes, ing professionals. We are truly blessed to pots and pans, etc. The homes are move-in have a place such as this for our veterans and ready when there is a family in need. We their families in their time of need. Because had the privilege of touring the Wisconsin of the superior quality of the employees of home and meeting the tenant. She’s a very the home, the residents truly have a home, caring mother. We saw the new carpeting not just a place to live. The grounds consist that was recently installed (it’s beautiful) of many beautiful old brick homes. All are and the house looks great, inside and out. well kept and neat in a park-like setting. Several of the residents told us their stories Upon arrival, we went to the VFW Post and were very grateful to the home for help2406 in Charlotte for a taco dinner and a ing them get back on their feet. In the evening, little social with the other Jr. Vices. The we were treated to hot dogs and hamburgers next day was to be very busy for us. We by VFW Post and Auxiliary 2306 and were Representing Veterans in Northeastern Wisconsin for over 50 years Social Security Disability (Including PTSD) Workers Compansation • Personal Injury • Family Bankruptcy • Wills/Trusts/Estates Contact: William b. Kulkoski, Esq. Lawrence G. Vesely, Esq. Walter N. Neta, Esq., CpT (Retired) 416 S. Monroe Ave. Green Bay, WI 54305 Office: 920-437-5405 Fax: 920-437-5917 www.okgv.com Page 1 july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News student awards VOD Award presented post 5470 Awards Scholarship Veterans of foreign Wars Post 5470 members presented a $500 scholarship to Whitewater high school graduate, amanda houghton. this is in keeping with our mission to assist children or families of veterans, as well as veterans themselves. father, Master sergeant bruce, is a 33year veteran of the us army. amanda is enrolled at uW-lacrosse in the microbiology program with the intention of attending the uW-Madison school of pharmacy. We wish her well. Pictured are (l-r) amanda’s parents, bruce and Patti houghton, amanda, adj. roberto rodreguez, Jr. Vice ed thele. (submitted by: John newhouse, Post QM) VfW Post 721 and ladies auxiliary presented the Voice of democracy (Vod) award to robert Jones at honors night at Waukesha north high School. Robert also won first place in District 2. Pictured with Robert are cora tessmann, President of VfW Post 721 ladies auxiliary and Past commander loran lenhart. Student honored For patriotic painting Calumet post and Auxiliary Support parks projects cami cullinan, a new berlin West graduate, was honored at hoeppnerhorn bros. Post 5716 ‘Patriotic citizens day’ program for her moving painting of a soldier with his small son on his shoulder overlooking the Cemetery at Normandy. She received a flag that flew over the White house and $25.00. cami noticed that there were only pop culture things hanging on the walls at school that didn’t represent anything patriotic. she wanted to do something to honor the average soldiers that put their lives on the line for our country. cami plans to go to Marquette university to be a Physician’s assistant and wouldn’t mind going into the army. Patriotic citizens day is VfW Post 5716’s way of saying thank you to all the local volunteers from various organizations for their service to the organization, the community and their country. If you have a business, if you are running for a political office, or whatever the need may be, you can place an ad in our Wisconsin VFW News Phone: 715-384-2500 E-mail: vfwnews.wi@verizon.net Need To Get The Word Out? don Kampfer, calumet Post 3153 commander, and linda schaid, auxiliary President, present checks of $1,000 and $250, respectively, to calumet sheriff Jerry Pagel for construction of a children’s Playground Park in chilton. Pagel is one of the project’s leaders. Two park projects in Calumet County, one band shell in the Hilbert Civic Park. in Chilton and one in Hilbert, will receive In addition to the financial contribufinancial support totaling $1,750 as a result tions to the Chilton project, a number of of decisions by Calumet Veterans of Foreign members of both groups rolled up their Wars Post 3153 and its Auxiliary. sleeves and went to work as part of the The Post approved a $1,000 gift to the volunteer group during the “build days” Morrissey Park Community Playground in late June that launched the park’s first project in Chilton and the Auxiliary voted phase. to donate another $250. The Playground The Hilbert park bandshell has been is a unique project in that it is being built a huge part of the many celebrations without any public funds. Private dona- held in the park during its 70 years of tions that are well over $100,000 will fund existence but time has taken a toll on the work and all of the labor is being done the structure. by volunteers. Renovation will begin after the highly The Post also approved a second dona- popular gospel music festival in August. tion for park restoration, a gift of $500 to Besides restoration, plans call for a 600 the Village of Hilbert for restoration of the square foot expansion to the structure. gross-yaksh Post 6498 home Post of national Jr. Vice commander-in-chief tommy t. tradewell supporTs The VFW neWs the albert h. groska Past “all-state” Junker-ball VFW post 1865 and Ladies Auxiliary pUbLIC bAR OpENS 9 A.M. 7 DAYS A WEEK Visit us at 6618 39th Avenue Kenosha, WI check our web site! www.vfw1865.org • Daily Food Specials • 2 Halls for Rent • Complete Catering VFW post 7232 Eau Claire’s “Other post” 2 Blocks west on Folsom St. off North Clairmont Ave. Bar Open to the Public Hall Rental Available 4/08 pEWAUKEE MEMORIAL pOST 9537 Meetings on the 3rd Wed. of the Month Post is open 4 til 8 p.m., Mon.-Fri. hOME OF ThE STATE hONOR GUARD The greatest little post in the state 1/08 VfW Post 8320 phone: 262-652-2751 8/08 The Wisconsin VFW News salutes these local Wisconsin Posts and thanks them for their patronage! caLendar of events VFW News is Waupun honors Available at the VFW Veteran Of Waupun Library The Year 2008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News NOTES FROM Page 1 july/august, 008 The Editor’s Corner I am the youngest of four children. So much so, in fact, that I came along, totally unexpected – completely unplanned, a full 7 years after my next oldest sibling was born. You might say “mistakes” and unexpected results are built right into my DNA! So it came as no surprise that Bill Backes took me to task for a “mistake” in my last column, in which I said kind things about Bill Hustad and his efforts as Commander. Bill felt I had slighted all recent State Commanders and demanded an apology for writing, “Bill Hustad has, perhaps, visited more post meetings than any commander in recent memory.” So ordered, and apology proffered. However, it is fair to point out that the compliment was intended to recognize Hustad’s year as Commander, not his total time through the chairs. Maybe if that context had been a little clearer there wouldn’t have been any misunderstanding. Likewise, I didn’t say he definitely “had” visited more posts, only that “perhaps” he had done so. I checked with numerous recent PSCs and none of them took umbrage at the article. In fact, they generally praised the erstwhile Commander Hustad for a job well done and an effort well put forth. That’s all we were trying to recognize. The other thing worth remembering is that, especially in a volunteer organization, the giving of compliments is not a zero-sum game. Praise toward one person does not dilute praise toward any others. Bill Backes suffered a horrendous tragedy in the course of his year, but still served the organization well. And even this past year, rallied the “troops” and got the DMV to reverse its decision on Veterans License Plates. Nice job, Bill. Great job, actually. (Although in a way, I kind of liked the new plates! But enough said.) Just kidding, Bill, really! Also built into my aforementioned DNA, apparently, is an inability to say “NO” when it most matters. Thus, the 2008-2009 Program Year is underway with Commander Gary Erickson resolute at the helm and eager to turn in a banner year. (For the record, all Commanders, past, present and future come to the job with a desire to do well. I praise them all!) When Commander Gary asked me a while back to become his Chief of Staff, my DNA kicked in and, Wham!, I said “YES.” I hope that all who serve in the Department of Wisconsin get to know Gary well enough to understand his vision for our organization. As his Chief, my responsibilities include helping bring that vision into sharp focus and accomplishing our goals. In the days and weeks ahead, you will learn all there is to know about this fresh approach to accomplishment. Less paperwork, more recognition for results and further improvement to communications are key elements. We are following National’s lead in these areas, so clamp your Cap on tight and jump aboard for a voyage that will be fast-paced and successful! Commander Gary, a Navy Veteran, at the helm and yours truly, an Army Vet, up there at the pointy end, helping to guide us through the rocks. Wow! This is going to be a GREAT year! Let’s “Turn To!” calendar of eVents July 19 VFW National Flying Squadron Recruitment Campaign, Chicago, IL. 20 District 3 C of A, Post 10393, Boscobel, 10:00 a.m. 24-26 VFW & VFWA C of A and VFW Officer Training Inst. - Mead Inn, Wisconsin Rapids. 27 King Day - Veterans Home, King. 31 Deadline: Quarterly Audit (4/1-6/30) august 2 District 1 - C of A, Elkhorn VFW, 9:00 a.m. 3 District 2 - C of A, American Legion Post, Marshall, 9:00 a.m.; District 8 C of A - Lunch, followed by meeting, 12:00 p.m. 15-21 VFW & LAVFW National Convention - Orlando, Florida. 16 District 7 Info Meeting, Post 10262 Plover, 10:00 a.m. 20-21 VFW hosting picnic for National Guard Troops at Fort McCoy, 10 a.m.6 p.m. sePteMber 4-7 Commander-in-Chief’s Homecoming, San Antonio, TX. 7 District 6 Fall Meeting, Rock River Country Club, Waupun, 1:30 p.m. 13 District 9 Fall Meeting, Post 305, Eau Claire, (Round Table, lunch, then meeting), 9:00 a.m. 20 District 10 Fall Meeting, Day 1: Cooties and Social – Post 10197, Iron River. 21 District 10 Fall Meeting, Day 2: VFW Meeting, Post 10197, Iron River, 9:00 a.m. District 1 Fall Meeting, Post 1865, Kenosha, 10:00 a.m. District 8 Fall Meeting, Stone Harbor Resort, Sturgeon Bay (Lunch, then meeting), 11:30 a.m. District 7 Fall Meeting, Post 2653 Antigo, (Lunch, then meeting), 12:00 p.m. District 4 Fall Meeting, The Bunker (Waterford), 1:00 p.m. 28 District 2 Fall Meeting, Post 328, Stoughton. 30 QM’s Note: eNd OF QuARTeR. october 3-5 National Budget & Finance Meeting and National Council of Administration – Kansas City, MO. 4 District 11 Fall Meeting, Post 987, Baraboo (at Emanual Church), 8:00 a.m. 11 Councils of Administration (VFW & LAVFW) 12:00 p.m. followed by Department Commander & President’s Celebration (Testimonial) – Platteville, WI, 6:00 p.m. 17-19 Big Ten Conference – St. Louis, MO. 24 Charter bus trip to VFW National Home, Eaton Rapids, MI. 25 Charter bus trip to VFW National Home, Eaton Rapids, MI. Halloween Party at VFW National Home (Wisconsin sponsors), 3:00 p.m. 26 Charter bus trip to VFW National Home, Eaton Rapids, MI. 31 QM Quarterly Audit due today (July 1-September 30). bret Jaeger, director of Waupun Public library, displays the latest copies of VFW Magazine, and Wisconsin VFW News, which are available to area residents and veterans thanks to bentleyhull VfW Post 6709 in Waupun. area veterans are often featured in the bi-monthly newspaper. the June/July issue of VFW magazine (shown) features Waupun’s own forest Peachey and his combat team unit in afghanistan. (readers may be aware that he was recently wounded in afghanistan, and is presently recovering in germany.) ThE wIsConsIn vfw nEws Back issues of the Wisconsin VFW News will soon be back online. We are in the process of reloading the complete library. Keep checking our main page at either Walter riel sr., 85, of Waupun, was selected by bentley-hull VfW Post 6709 as the Veteran of the year and honored by commander frank Mesa and Mayor Jodi steger during the 2008 Memorial day ceremonies and parade. during the depression, riel left school at age 13 and went to work full-time on a farm, earning $10 a month for the family. on dec. 7, 1942, one year after the Japanese bombed Pearl harbor, he enlisted into the army air corps where he served three years in the signal corps as a radio repairman. he served in the South Pacific during WWii. after reurning from the war, he held several jobs working up to management and sales. since retirement 20 years ago, one of his hobbies is making electric clocks out of skillets. Walter and his wife, catherine, recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. they have two children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild. his son, Wally, a Vietnam veteran, is currently the sr. Vice commander of VfW Post 6709. (Photo by larry duer, Post 6709) MaKe Plans noW for the Joint testimonial celebration for VfW state commander gary erickson and Wisconsin laVfW President Marla Morgan to be held on sunday, october 11, 2008 in Platteville. www.vfwofwi.com or www.vfwofwi.org horne-Mudlitz post 6377 Color Guard – THANK YOU – The Wisconsin VFW News would like to thank you for continually submitting information and story ideas for your VFW newspaper. If you think it’s worth reading, share it with everyone. Editor: William Knudson 505 S. Apple Ave., Marshfield, WI 54449 phone: (715) 384-2500 E-mail: vfwnews.wi@verizon.net the horne-Mudlitz Post 6377 color guards appear for an invitational color photo taken at the Wisconsin Memorial cemetery for their Memorial hall. Pictured are (l-r) Joe schaffer, howard chamblis, leroy eichhorst and Post commander chuck eberhardt. Page 1 july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News taps Post # 4186 5373 5373 5470 5612 5612 5716 5780 5780 5780 5780 5780 5780 6007 6007 6179 6377 6377 6377 6377 6377 6377 6377 6498 6705 6707 6856 7240 7240 7240 7345 7534 7898 8021 8171 8320 8337 8527 8733 9156 9156 9156 9156 9156 9156 9392 9409 9409 9409 9424 9924 10262 10272 15051 15051 last name PLASTER GEBHART RASSEL HEBERLING KNOBLAUCH VORPAGEL BARANEK BUSH EIDAHL FETKE JR GOCHEE HAMELTON SWIERSZ BARKER MALSON THEISEN HESS JONES KARAS PEIL PETERSON TETZLAFF THEW EHRHARDT COLLINS WAGNER KALLAS FORMELLA KLOSTER RZEPIEJEWSKI THOMAS LEMEROND CARUFEL JAEGER SUBEL LIEDERBACH MAHONEY BURMEISTER DUNAJ AKRIGHT BOONE KNIGHT KREPSKY ROSENTHAL WUNSCH SCHULER AERTS REHN VALENTINE SWENSON SCHEIBL DISHER FRYE KOEPP MILZ first name CHARLES WALLACE RAYMOND MARTIN JAMES DONALD JOSEPH CHESTER RAYMON HENRY EDMUND RUFIS ROBERT EARL LEROY DONALD GENE ROY LEONARD GENE ARNE DOUGLAS EDWIN EARL ORVILLE SYLVESTER JAMES EMIL FLOYD ERVIN R MELVIN WILLIAM EARL EDWARD THOMAS JOHN MARTIN STANLEY HENRY DANIEL JOHN WAYNE JOHN DONALD EDWIN MARVIN HARVEY NORBERT PETER FRED GREG EARL ROBERT FRANK Mi W C C R city OSCEOLA CHILTON BELGIUM WHITEWATER CASCADE PLYMOUTH NEW BERLIN WEYERHAEUSER RICE LAKE BRUCE BRUCE CHETEK WEYERHAEUSER PLAINFIELD PLAINFIELD APPLETON SUSSEX SUSSEX EASLEY, SC SUSSEX PEWAUKEE SUSSEX HARTLAND COLOMA DENMARK KIEL LUCK NEENAH CEDAR RAPIDS, IA JACKSON DODGEVILLE GREEN BAY LAC DU FLAMBEAU WESTBY MUSKEGO WAUKESHA ELLISON BAY ATHENS MOSINEE HOWARDS GROVE OOSTBURG SHEBOYGAN SHEBOYGAN SHEBOYGAN SHEBOYGAN BEAVER DAM OCONTO FALLS SUAMICO SUAMICO SUN PRAIRIE ELKHART LAKE STEVENS POINT OREGON WIMAUMA, FL TREVOR taP s taP s taPs ta Ps ta Ps taPs Post # 305 305 721 1037 1248 1248 1248 1393 1530 1530 1530 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1691 1865 1866 1866 1866 1904 1904 2037 2115 2119 2306 2306 2306 2306 2306 2306 2336 2490 2534 2534 2823 2925 2925 2925 2925 3032 3392 3392 3589 3709 last name BOEHLKE TAINTER HANSEN POMERENKE BRICE GREENWOOD ROBERTS SR GRACZYK KAUFMANN MARCUM SAWYER ANDERSON CASSELS CECKA KOWAL LASSE LEGG MAYFIELD MITCHELL REYNOLDS SCHROEDER SESSLER STONE TRACEY VINGERS FREEMAN FREDERICK FISCHER HANSEN KOHNHORST SINGLETON TEMPLIN BEAUDRY GARY HEINKEL CLARK GREENWELL GRUTSCH HUDSON MESSERLI RUBNITZ SCHULTZ BOSS EICHORN KRONSTEDT LEICKEM CISMOSKI HAASE PELT STICKNEY FETTY WARMOUTH WEIDNER BLEECKER KUBLY first name ROBERT ANDREW BERNARD ORVILLE HAROLD RAPHAEL PAUL ZIGMUND LAWRENCE HERBERT FRANCIS GORDON MARVIN ARTHUR GEORGE JOHN CODY ROBERT HAROLD BARTON EVERETTE ROBERT DAVID JAMES ROBERT PERRY NICHOLAS DONALD JAMES KARL RONALD VAUGHN JOHN PAUL ARTHUR DANIEL MARVIN ALBERT EUGENE WILLIAM DOUGLAS LA VERN GERALD JESS HARRY JOHN NORMAN LELAND JAMES CLARENCE GORDON ROBERT JOHN ALLEN ALVIN Mi H W P. E. J G H E L M L G F R R R B E L R E K F G city EAU CLAIRE EAU CLAIRE WAUKESHA WAUPACA TWO RIVERS TWO RIVERS TWO RIVERS WEST BEND LA CROSSE LA CROSSE LA CROSSE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE IRAQ KIA JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE BELOIT JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE JANESVILLE MILWAUKEE KENOSHA MARSHFIELD MARSHFIELD MARSHFIELD FOND DU LAC FOND DU LAC GREEN BAY STONE LAKE TOWNSEND ROCKTON, IL BELOIT BELOIT BELOIT BELOIT BELOIT BARABOO TONY WIS RAPIDS WIS RAPIDS BURNS, TN BERLIN OSHKOSH OSHKOSH BERLIN VIROQUA POMEROY, OH CASCO JEFFERSON WATERTOWN A W R A S P. R P. F J P. L J M D N H J A E J L C B D L H W E T W J M A A J L J A L L N L A E J taPs taP s ta Ps ta Ps ta Ps taPs VFW picnic For The Troops A remarkable program that deserves the support of every VFW Post, District and County Council in Wisconsin is the VFW Picnic For The Troops on August 20 and 21. The picnic, planned and organized by Pete Breed and John Frederickson, is a big undertaking designed to let our Army National Guard Troops know that we support them in every possible way. Over the two-day period we will be providing FREE hamburgers, brats, beans, sodas, watermelon and more for approximately 3,400 troops each day. A MAPS Grant from VFW National is helping to support the effort to the tune of $12,500.00, and Wal-Mart, Burger King and Coca Cola have generously donated thousands of dollars more in supplies and equipment for the event. Pete and John emphasize that this is far, far more than a 9th District event. These units come from every part of Wisconsin, and we need volunteers to spend one or both days on hand to assist with cooking, serving meals and, most importantly, visitCONTACT INFORMATION: Let us know you’re coming… and how many! Call Pete Breed at 715-237-2470 (email: daisydawg_1999@yahoo.com) Or John Frederickson at 715-234-8050 (email: chieffredadak@yahoo.com) ing with the troops. These troops will be just completing an intensive training exercise in preparation for their redeployment to the Middle East in early 2009. Our show of moral support for their sacrifice is important to them as soldiers, to us as veterans, and to our national effort in these trying times. Your VFW Post is being asked to send volunteers to help out. Dress comfortably, but wear your cap or at least a ball cap with VFW insignia. Show these soldiers that we stand with them! All Districts are asked to help organize groups to take part in this unique event. Contact information is below. State Commander Gary Erickson has sent out the call to “Turn To” for veterans and our troops. This show of support will ease these soldiers minds in the knowledge that our VFW is ready to work with their Family Readiness Groups to provide support here on the homefront as well. Get a group together and come on down. (There are camping facilities if you want to spend the night.) DRIVERS ENTERING ThE bASE WILL NEED ThE FOLLOWING: • Valid Driver’s License • Vehicle Registration & • Proof of Insurance SATURDAY OCTObER 11, 2008 for VFW State Commander Gary Erickson and Wisconsin LAVFW president Marla Morgan at the Governor Dodge hotel and Conference Center hwy. 151 • platteville Same location as the VFW and LAVFW Fall Council Meetings 6 p.m. Attitude Adjustment 7 p.m. Dinner Music and DJ following program Watch for complete information including hotel choices and dinner selections in upcoming VfW news and the laVfW september mailing. info will also be distributed at the council of administration weekend in Wisconsin rapids. Testimonial Celebration MeMoriaL day highLights De pere Memorial Day Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 1 july/august, 008 National home bus Trip planned This is Wisconsin’s year to sponsor the Annual Hallowe’en Party at The VFW National Home. The Department has arranged for a Luxury Motorcoach to take us from Central Wisconsin to the National Home in Eaton Rapids. • Early departure from Abbotsford, WI on Friday, October 24. • Pickups along the route via Hwy. 29 through Wausau, down I-39, via Portage, Madison, Milwaukee, and down 94 through Illinois. Pickup points will be arranged as needed at towns along this route. Parking will be available at all designated pickup points. • Mimosa’s and Bloody Marys, plus coffee, pastries and snacks will be provided as we travel. • We will stop east of Chicago for lunch at Old Country Buffet (on your own), reboard and continue on to Eaton Rapids. • Accommodations at Comfort Inn, Charlotte, MI (Continental Breakfast both mornings) • Saturday is Fall Festival. Lunch and Tours of the National Home available and, of course, there’s a great gift shop and plenty of opportunity for photos. • Halloween Party that afternoon and early evening. • Reception and party for group at Charlotte VFW that evening. • Sunday Morning Departure for Wisconsin • Refreshments and snacks on board • Meal stop on the way back • Return to Abbotsford Sunday evening, October 26. based on 35 passengers, prices will be: $238.20 Per Person: Single Per Person: Double (2 per room) $179.90 Per Person: Triple (3 per room) $160.47 Per Person: Quad (4 per room) $150.75 If we have more passengers, the price will be lowered accordingly, or you may opt to donate the overage to our resident at the Wisconsin Cottage – Your choice. This is an EXCELLENT way to have a fun, worry-free mini-vacation, a great time on the coach, and an unbelievably great experience at the VFW National Home. This is a chance to really see the true heart and soul of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Join us and come home with a lifetime of memories and new respect for our great organization! More details over the C of A weekend in Wisconsin Rapids and at King. Interested? Fill out the information on the form below and send it to: NATIONAL HOME TRIP P.O. Box 223 Marshfield, WI 54449 Classified Listings For Sale J & R MILITARY SURpLUS Thursday thru Monday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed holidays. Hwy. 35, De Soto, WI 54624. Toll free (877) 315-8773; (608) 648-2112. www.jrmilitarysurplus.com Real U.S. military surplus! (No catalog.) 4/09 FOR SALE: COLLECTION OF 119 MINI ALCOhOL LAMpS with display rack, $200. Call 715-522-0009 for photos. 8/08 FOR SALE: 1953 M-37 bEAUTIFUL pARADE VEhICLE. Extra tires and wheels, flags and flag holders. VFW 3143, Rhinelander, WI, $7,500.00. Call Ralph, 715-369-1451. 8/08 FOR SALE: USED 24” CAST ALUMINUM VFW EMbLEM.Was mounted on masonry – would work on wood also. First $500 takes it. Call 414466-7304, Post 2923, Milwaukee. 8/08 de Pere Post 2113 honor guard stands ready to lead the parade on Memorial day. Pictured are (l-r) gerry sargeant, deborah hansen (auxiliary), Max smits, and Joe roffers. behind them is Pat Moran. de Pere Post 2113 and its ladies auxiliary stay pretty active in their community. here, members of the auxiliary, including some adorable youngsters, ride the Auxiliary float in De Pere’s Memorial Day parade. Post 2113 and its auxiliary traditionally lead the parade with a noteworthy honor guard. Pictured are (l-r) back row: geri christian, Marge Van Vonderen, and Verna Zelten; front row: linda Moran, sharon Manders and Jennifer Manders. the two cuties are granddaughters, one bashful, one not! Wanted to Buy WAR RELICS WANTED: VFW member will buy your relics for cash – any country, any period. Craig Luther, P.O. Box 63, Oak Creek, WI 53154-0063. (414) 750-6589. 12/08 V I E T NA M V E T E R A N bU Y I N G hISTORICAL ITEMS for personal collection (no resales), especially U.S., German WWI, WWII items, helmets. 715-453-8882. Bob Steigerwaldt, N11005 Pickerel Creek Rd., Tomahawk, WI 54487. 8/08 VFW post 664 poppy princess For rent CAbIN ON hEART LAKE, Conover, WI, sleeps 6. $500 per week. (715) 5478409. Boat & motor. www.kenheiser.com. 12/08 CLASSIFIED LISTINGS INFORMATION: You get up to 25 words for $25.00 in 3 issues (over 45,000 circulation each) of our newspaper, plus a 3 month listing on our web site http://www.vfwofwi.com. We are accepting listings for: • For Sale – Autos, trucks, boats, motorcycles, furniture, etc. • Rentals – Homes, apartments, equipment, storage, commercial, etc. • Service – Repair, cleaning, roofing, heating/cooling, painting, etc. • Notices – Meetings, Professional, Auctions. Travel, etc. • Want to buy – Merchandise, homes, equipment, etc. • Want to Rent – Apartments, equipment, etc. • Employment – Help wanted, work wanted by job type. Sorry, no personals. please include a phone number, ad copy, typed or printed and a check for $25.00 per ad and send to: Veterans of Foreign Wars, Dept. of WI Newspaper / classifieds P.O. Box 1623 Madison, WI 53701-1623 the VfW and auxiliary of clintonville’s Post 664 selects a Poppy Prince or Princess each year and honors them with a ride in their Memorial day parade. Pictured is this year’s Poppy Princess, connor bruette, along with her grandmother, shirly higgans (without cap) and Mary anne heaslip. in the front seat is la Verne gehrke, auxiliary President. the Poppy drive runs the week after the parade and was quite successful. after the parade, club members and veteran guests gather for lunch at the Post home. Fill out this information and send it to: NATIONAL hOME TRIp, pO box 223, Marshfield, WI 54449 Name_______________________________________________ Phone__________________ Address_____________________________________________________________________ City________________________________________________ Zip____________________ Number of persons in room: [ 1 ] [2] [3] [4] Include check as deposit: $50. (Refundable if tour is cancelled) Payable to VFW of Wisconsin Page 1 july/august, 008 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News 2008 state convention Convention Was Event-Filled and Successful Department of Wisconsin Poised for Busy Year Ahead shortly before the VfW and ladies auxiliary Joint installation, our national award-Winning state honor guard took a quick break at the conclusion of rehearsal to strike this V-formation pose. flanking col. of the honor guard, Matt Mayer, from the far left is: Micahel eggleston, gerald Parchem, robert george, earl banks, Jr., John Miller, “the colonel”, tom lemmer, david schmid, bill backes, Phil Jasinski and troy tuschel. The recently completed Veter- tions for relocation in the general revenue for Posts and our Depart- graded its service and eagerness to • Our annual Memorial Service ans of Foreign Wars, Department Madison area. Priorities for the ment as members and supporters accommodate. A tip of the hat goes was among the best ever. The of Wisconsin, Convention at the committee will be suitable space participate. More information on to a facility that finally is living up to State Honor Guard did outstandWyndham Airport Hotel and that is highway- and handicapped- this program is found elsewhere expectations. Friday’s banquet meal, ing work, as did State ChapConference Center, Milwaukee, accessible, preferably one-story in this edition of the Wisconsin for example, was outstanding. The lain Charlene Cobb. Charlene’s was an unqualified success in the with ample parking within a rea- VFW News. It is important to note overall atmosphere at the Wyndham brother, Roger Cobb, provided eyes of most who attended. sonable distance of the Capitol. that the Department is focusing made our stay a pleasure. Our Mid- recorded musical accompaniment In addition to Department Elec- Also being examined are the vari- on fundraising promotions that Winter Conference will also be held that set exactly the right mood. It tions, reported elsewhere in this ous options to lease, buy or build. directly benefit local Posts as well there, so plan to attend and have an was a very moving experience. edition, a number of exciting All options will be examined. The as the Department. The VFW Gift enjoyable stay. • The joint installation cerdevelopments were discussed and committee is under instructions to Card Program and the new “50/50” • Wednesday evening’s Patri- emony on Saturday afternoon was approved. Among them: have their recommendations to Revenue aspect of the Raffle otic Rally was outstanding. The well attended and came off in fine • It was announced that the sale the Commander and Council of should accomplish that goal. event took place at the 128th Air fashion. Later in the afternoon, of the Department Headquarters Administration no later than the There were several aspects of Refueling Wing, Wisconsin Air new Commander Gary Erickson building in downtown Madison October 11th Council Meeting. the Convention that deserve rec- National Guard. Buses provided and Auxiliary President Marla has been contracted. The pro- The committee is comprised of ognition and applause. free transportation from the hotel Morgan hosted a very nice recepposed Buyers are developers from members who bring strong build• The business sessions moved and off-site parking areas. Per- tion that a nice crowd seemed to out-of-state who are acquiring ing, real estate and development efficiently and in good order. So forming was the US Air Force enjoy. There was much laughter property in the Madison area for experience to the task. much so that by Friday afternoon, Band of Mid-America. Very and good cheer and well-wishes renovation and redevelopment. • In addition to our State Raffle the traditional “caucus” sessions polished, extremely talented and as new administrations look forPending a due-diligence period, Program, which kicked off earlier convened well ahead of schedule. wonderfully entertaining. The ward to a great VFW year. the sale is expected to be consum- in May to allow for direct pro- This ultimately allowed many at- show featured a narrative set to In all, this was a very good mated in early September. motion at public events such as tendees to enjoy some welcome music honoring the late Lance convention that allowed one and • Incoming Commander Gary community picnics and fairs, the free time socializing. Sijan, posthumous Medal of all to renew acquaintances with Erickson has appointed a Build- outgoing Council approved an • The hotel, which last year Honor recipient, a Milwaukee old friends and, at the same time, ing Committee which will review affiliation with VFW Gift Cards, came under new management by native who died heroically in gain exposure to some exciting potential new locations and op- which will generate significant Wyndham, has significantly up- captivity in North Vietnam. His new ideas. If it’s been awhile since robert “bob” collins displays the plaque award- mother and sister were honored you made it to a State Convention, ed at convention by the Past state command- guests at the concert. Jeff Unger, or if you’ve never been to one at ers’ club honoring him for his many years of ded- Patriotic Rally Chairman, is to all, plan on getting a good taste of icated VfW service. collins was Wisconsin state be commended for arranging a one at the Mid-Winter next Februcommander in 1997-98, but over the years has great evening. Future convention ary. The Wyndham will be waiting held many offices from Post through District and attendees are encouraged to plan with open arms to help us all have a good meeting and a great time. served on, or chaired, numerous key committees. to attend these terrific events. his contributions to our service to Veterans are truly deserving of such an honor. flanking collins are, from the left, Past national commanderA highlight of the Joint Awards in-chief gary Kurpius (‘06-’07), state commander Ceremony on Thursday mornbill hustad (‘07-’08), collins, state auxiliary Presing was recognition of our three ident Joyce hoffman (‘07-’08), Past national auxTeacher Of The Year honorees. iliary President glenneta Vogelsang (‘84-’85), and The award goes to a teacher Past state commander Joel Walker (‘00-’01). seatwho has done an outstanding ed in front is bob’s lovely wife, Marge. job of teaching Patriotic Values to students from kindergarten through high school. Winners are featured below, each with Commander Hustad and Auxiliary President Joyce Hoffman: amy hillesheim of franklin elementary school in appleton, nominated by Post 2728. Teacher of the Year Award Winners State Auxiliary President Joyce Hoffman and State VFW Commander Bill Hustad flank Commander’s Gold Medal Life-Saving Award recipients, Horicon Police officers William Pansier and robert Korth, together with dodge county council commander Jason stearns and horicon Police chief Joseph adamson. Pansier and Korth, arriving at a burning apartment building ahead of fire department personnel, promptly entered the structure at personal risk to evacuate residents. believing they had accomplished their mission, a woman called out to say she could not locate her kids from her second-floor apartment. Korth scaled the balcony and Pansier also re-entered the smoke-filled building. Happily, they successfully located the four sleeping girls and escorted them to safety. chief adamson emotionally described their heroism and said, “I couldn’t be more proud of these two fine officers. They knew there were kids in trouble and they took decisive action in spite of personal risk.” included in the award is a certificate for each from National Commander-in-Chief George Lisicki. The officers will now be considered for the national VfW gold Medal award for heroism. James homan of brookfield Academy, Brookfield, nominated by Post 8320. (in the background are citizenship education chairs for the VfW, dick Morey, and the ladies auxiliary, annette uhlig.) dianne rasmussen of stanley-boyd high school, nominated by Post 2711.