May 2009 WI VFW News

Page 7 2009 Flag Day Celebration Page 15 goeldner Wins annual Veterans award Page 24 President Hild Visits Wisconsin NEWS 2009 Vol. 26 no. 6 turn to for Veterans May 22, 2009 Loyalty Day Was Great, Grandpa Rocked Loyalty Day (April 25) in Lancaster, WI, dawned cold and rainy. There was apprehension in the air: Would the festivities proceed as planned over these many months? Loyalty Day Chairman Mike Lieurance was up early and on the job at the city fire house, overseeing all the last-minute details with his crew of volunteers. Lieurance had managed to get amazingly strong support from local media (newspapers, radio and TV) in advance of this big day. The City of Lancaster had bent over backwards to provide all it could to make Loyalty Day a success. The town was festooned in flags and decorations, ready to host the event. The Chamber of Commerce had provided strong support throughout the planning and execution of the many facets of the project. Units were arriving from across the state and throughout the Southwest Wisconsin area. Mike kept himself busy attending to details, all the while keeping an eye on every passing cloud and wishing the periodic showers would do their thing and move on before the appointed step-off time. The Wisconsin state Honor guard, including national senior Vice commander-in-chief tommy tradewell, (in the center, holding our State VFW Flag), in position in front of the official Reviewing Stand at the April 25 Loyalty Day Parade in lancaster. threat of heavy rain mixed with lightning was the most dreaded worry of the tireless parade-organizer. But by the 1:00 p.m. step-off time, the rain had ceased and the pavement was mostly dry. The temperature was chilly, but there was no rain. The parade drew a respectable cadre of citizens who applauded each unit as it passed by, and there was hot coffee, cold drinks and burgers and brats back at the firehouse after the parade. Inside the hall, the afternoon’s program, complete with band music and vocal entertainment went off without a hitch. Remarks were made, participants recognized and awards presented. See LOYALTY DAY, Page 24 New VFW ‘Fortune’ Raffle Starts Monday, June 8th Senior Vice Commander Wilfred “Twiggy” Johnson has announced the kickoff of the VFW Department of Wisconsin Raffle for 2009-2010, named the VFW Fortune Raffle. This year ’s prize package totals $25,000. First prize is $10,000. The 2nd place winner will receive $7,000, third place is $3,000 and 4th is $2,000. There are also two $1,000 and two $500 prizes to round out the total of eight prizes. Like last year, tickets will be mailed to all VFW members. In addition, Posts will once again be able to sell State Raffle Tickets and retain 50% of the money they raise. These 50/50 tickets will be made available in time to sell during fairs and other public events over the summer. All Posts that participated in the 50/50 Raffle Ticket Sale last year will be sent books of tickets to sell this year. In addition, tickets will be available to pick up at State Convention in Eau Claire. “The raffle is a key fundraiser for the Department,” Johnson said. “We are under a lot of pressure to trim expenses at Department and raise the funds necessary to carry forward our work on behalf of Veterans. Participation in the raffle, as individuals or as Posts, is critical to our success.” At the same time, the 50/50 revenue split with participating Posts also gives them a chance to earn much-needed money at Post level as well. The VFW Fortune Raffle is not a joint raffle with the Ladies Auxiliary. The Ladies will announce their own fund-raiser after Convention. 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 2 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News State oFFiceRS As this year comes to an end and we all look back on the high and low points of “twiggy” the year, we had several high points. We Johnson excelled in the Buddy Poppy Program nationally this year and all Posts should State Sr. Vice take great pride in that. Our Post bonding Commander just gets better every year. The WebCom is 920-766-1491 making great strides to be an outstanding website for the Department. Its improve- srvicecdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com ments have greatly improved reporting and getting information. I anticipate the WebCom will only get better with time and expect great things to happen in the next year. Membership has not been as good as it should have been this year. This is a problem that many Posts have due to WWII and Korea Veterans going to the High Ground for their lasting peace and other recruiting issues. This means that we all have to seek out younger members and lots of them! Doing more in the community, talking to your neighbors and families to see if there are Veterans who might be eligible is a fundamental start. There are Veterans out there waiting to be asked to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars. One good membership tool is the Buddy Poppy program. You are out in the community promoting the Poppy program and at the same time you can be working your membership program. There are no magical secrets to recruiting new members. When you see an individual as a Veteran or current military, start up a conversation and ask if he/she is eligible for the VFW. Tell them why you joined and ASK them to join! Nine times out of ten they will join. There are National Certified Recruiters available to teach and assist in your Post Membership program. All that takes is a phone call or email to ask for the help! 2009-2010 Membership/Program book and Directory will be all in one this year. We will have this done and out to you by the second week in July. This means that all the Post Election reports must be in by the second week in June. If your Post election report is not in on time, your Post information will not be in the book. I would like to thank all the Posts and Districts for their hospitality that I got and a special thanks to my Post 10544 Combined Locks. Fellow Veterans, Spring has sprung and we are going into tom outdoor activities mode, Memorial Day parades lemmer and festivities, Poppy drives, Flag Day, many other parades and our State Convention. The State Jr. Vice reason I write this is to remind you we will be Commander reporting all these activities for our next VFW 262-369-5905 year, therefore, please do not forget to report your Posts activities. jrvicecdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com As for the end of this year, please get your election reports in and register for State and National Conventions to alleviate possible conflicts when you vote. As for voting, yes I am a candidate for Senior Vice Commander and would appreciate your support. I have had an enjoyable year as your Junior Vice Commander and look forward to serving you as Senior. Let us not forget about membership for the rest of this year though. We still have work to get done so we can assist with budget preparation for next year. The more new and re-instates we get, the more revenue we will have to work with for the ensuing year. Comrades, we are no different than any other business or household out there right now. Money is tight, we are all stretching our budgets and cutting everywhere we can, hoping for our economy to be re-energized. However, we must never forget the sacrifices our service men and woman endure on a daily basis. It’s time to reach down deep and grab every bit of strength we have to forge ahead and continue our service to our Veterans. As a last ditch effort before our new year, please examine how much you have in your relief funds and please consider a $50, $100, $200 or more donation for our State Service Office. Much needed funds are being cut for next year and we could definitely use a small boost. Thank you to all the Posts and Districts that have hosted me as your Representative. I appreciate all the hospitality offered and hope I have left you all with at least one or two positive memories of my visit. Remember, without the Post members we wouldn’t have a Veterans of Foreign Wars; we are truly your representatives. God bless you all and God bless this great country! 2009-2010 OTI REGISTRATION OTI DATE OF TRAINING: 25 JULY 2009 AT THE MEAD INN, WI RAPIDS Hours: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM NAME: _________________________________________________________ DISTRICT: __________ POST: ___________ POSITION: ______________________________________________________ ATTENDING: COMMANDER/GENERAL SESSIONS _____ QUARTERMASTER/TRUSTEE SESSIONS ______ SERVICE OFFICER SESSIONS _____ ***NOTE: Quartermaster and Service Officer training will be mandatory for the All-State Program this year. Get ahead of the game and have all attend the OTI. Trustees are strongly encouraged to attend the Quartermaster training. Mail this form and your $10.00 Registration Fee to: VFW WI PO Box 1623 Madison, WI 53701-1623 earmark/memo your check : OTI Registration Comrades and Sisters, Well, the 2008-2009 Veterans of Foreign Wars year is rapidly coming to a close. Past State Commanders told me my year would go gary erickson State Commander by fast, and it has. I was hoping for more support with the raffle 608-723-7373 from everybody. Since that didn’t happen we will cdr@wi.vfwwebmail.com have to do the best we can with what we got. We still need to get out and collect dues from our members that have not paid yet. We are in the middle of the Big Ten with membership, if every post would give it one more push I know we can get in the upper half of the Big Ten. PLEASE HELP us achieve this goal. You have just over a month to make sure that you have all your audits, reports, and election reports in so your post can vote at convention. We will not accept any audits or election reports at convention. Our state inspector Leroy Jansky needs time to review them before convention. If you don’t have them in, I recommend you do so. We have a lot to do at convention so I am asking that you be prompt and on time. I have enjoyed meeting the Comrades and Sisters this year, as I always have. Lana and I would like to thank everyone for your friendship and all the hospitality you have shown us. We will cherish the warm receptions we received from everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our chairmen and committees for all their hard work this year keeping the department running as smoothly as possible. A BIG thank you goes out to our Chief-of-Staff Bill, for all of his hard work for the Department and me this year. I will always be grateful to you, Bill, and thank you for your friendship and dedication. To the sisters of the Auxiliary, I thank you for Madam President Marla this year. You could not have given me a better lady to work and travel with. Thank you, Marla. I will see you in Eau Claire. Let’s have a great Convention and support our incoming officers. Again, a big thank you to everybody for your support and kindness. Best wishes and safe travels, Gary Erickson Wisconsin State Commander Comrades and Sisters, here it is May, and time for another article. I want to remind each Post Quartermaster Steve Lawrence that you are required to register at least State Adjutant one delegate to the Department ConvenQuartermaster tion and to the National Convention. Let’s send the check for $10.00 and submit the 608-255-6655 National Registration Form. Do it now so qm@wi.vfwwebmail.com you don’t forget. ANNUAL ELECTRONIC FILING REQUIREMENT FOR SMALL EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS – E-POSTCARD (Form 990-N). Don’t Throw Away Your Tax-Exempt Status. Beginning in 2008, small tax-exempt organizations will have a new filing requirement, it’s short, easy and electronic – it’s the new e-Postcard. If you are a tax-exempt organization that normally has annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less and does not have to file Form 990 or 990-EZ, you must file the e-Postcard. The e-Postcard is due by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of your tax year. So if your organization operates on a calendar year, the e-Postcard is due by May 15 of the following year. What happens if you don’t file? You risk losing your tax-exempt status! If you think this new filing requirement may apply to your organization, go to www.irs.gov/eo for complete details and while you’re there sign up for Exempt Organization’s free email newsletter, EO Update, to receive up-to-date Information, posted on the charity pages of irs.gov. Since the IRS implemented this requirement, they require that you report. If you fail to report for 3 consecutive years, you will lose your Non-Profit Exemption. It’s not Department that will revoke, it will be the IRS. Another item I wanted to talk with you about is Audits for your Post. We have audits that are outstanding from posts in each District. If you are planning on attending the State Convention, and are unsure as to whether your post has its audits completed, call me, and I will check for you. There is nothing more frustrating than to get to convention, and find out that your post will not be entitled to vote because the audits aren’t in for the period June 30, 2008 thru March 31, 2009. You are also required to have a completed election report on file with both National and Department. The National deadline to receive your Election Report is June 1, 2009. I wanted to remind the Commander’s that Section 218 of the National By-Laws require the commander or his representative attend all properly called County Council Meetings or District Meetings. Failure to attend these meetings could lead to removal from office by the State Commander. We are presently in the process of filling a vacancy at our State Service Office. We are accepting applications for the position of Assistant Department Service Officer at the Milwaukee VA Regional Office. We hope to select a qualified candidate with a start date of August 1, 2009. This brings me to another issue, each year our Service Office handles many claims for Veterans from Wisconsin. The workload is heavy, yet the staff perseveres and completes the task. Each year it costs $120,000 from our General Fund to run the office. This is where you can help; somehow we need to get additional funds into Department to help offset these costs. If your Post has a relief fund, consider making a donation and earmark it for the State Service Office. Money into our General Fund comes from Membership, donations that you send to National, and our State Raffle. When the income is down, we have no where to turn to make up this deficit. Hope to see many of you at the State Convention in Eau Claire at the Plaza Hotel and Suites on Clairemont Avenue June 24 through June 27, 2009. The reservation deadline is June 9, 2009. When you call, mention VFW for your rate. The Council of Administration at Wisconsin Rapids starts on July 23, thru July 25. King Day is July 26, 2009. The Council meeting will be held at the Hotel Mead. The cutoff date is July 1, 2009. Mention VFW when you call. Here’s wishing you safe travels where ever you go. If you have questions or concerns, you can contact me. Comrades and Sisters, thank you for the Good Work you do each day for Veterans and their families. If you would like to contact me, I can be reached by e-mail either at qm@ wi.vfwwebmail.com or sdlvfw@yahoo.com or by phone (608) 835-7494 evenings, or by mail Steve Lawrence, P.O. Box 23, Oregon, WI 53575-0023. State oFFiceRS PLEASE LORD, HELP ME, I’M LOST How long, O Lord? Will you forget me charlene cobb forever? How long will you hide your face from State Chaplain me? 262-882-6022 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts chaplain@wi.vfw And every day have sorrow in my webmail.com heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalm 13:1-2) Does that echo your thoughts? Are you feeling lost or hopeless? Does it hurt to live? You are not alone. Even David, who was a man after God’s own heart, wrestled with his thoughts and had sorrow in his heart. If he were here today, I wonder, would he be diagnosed with PTSD? David was a warrior from a very young age – he was just a boy when he faced Goliath, the best warrior the Philistines had. Life can be and often is extremely tough and David reflects that in many of his Psalms. Even though he shares his deepest feelings with us, he also shares the comfort and joy he finds in turning to the Lord in all the seasons of his life. If you read the rest of Psalm 13 you will see that David moves from spiritual despair to hope, from gut-wrenching internal wrestlings to complete trust and from deep sorrow to rejoicing. You can turn to the Psalms in times of distress because they dare to be honest and meet you right where you are. However, they don’t leave you there but help you find your way. All of us can experience and feel as David but this is especially true of our returning warriors. They return from war today with what is being called a “battlemind.” Now that is a really good thing when you are a warrior in combat – to be hyper-vigilant and always on guard. This keeps you and those with you safe and brings you home to all those that love you. However, what do you do once you get home? Even though your head tells you – it is safe, you’re home it is hard to let go of that “battlemind.” I saw a picture that shows a face with a line down the middle and one side shows a scene of a typical urban America setting and the other half showed soldiers in a combat setting. This is a good representation of a warrior lost here in America. They are trying to live and cope in urban America but still find themselves reacting as if they are in that combat zone. This is very disconcerting for everyone, but especially, our warriors. They really don’t want to scare everyone, jump at every sound, sleep with one eye open, etc. The question is, what can they/you do now? A good place to start is to read the Psalms as if they were written to you from a buddy who has been there and KNOWS exactly how you are feeling. He does! David found his way home and God can use him to help you. Jesus also tells us all: Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden light. Matt 11:28 When life is closing in on you, remember, “Come to me (Jesus) all who are weary and burdened … and you will find rest for your soul.” In his March column, Dr. Whittle wrote that he wanted to try to set up a training gundel Metz session for interested post representatives who want to promote post health. State Surgeon In response to Dr. Whittle’s article, we 608-698-8825 have two comrades who volunteered to do adult CPR training at this year’s state surgeon@ convention. wi.vfwwebmail.com We are starting out with adult training only as that alone takes about two hours. If we have enough interest, they will teach the complete CPR course. If we do the complete CPR course, then it will take between three to four hours. We are planning on conducting the training around 1300 hours on Friday, June 26, 2009 (room to be announced). The two certified CPR instructors are Angie Joseph-Gaffke (Post 8483) and Jeff Miller (Post 1318). Angie and Jeff are both Registered Nurses. Captain Angela K. Joseph-Gaffke currently serves as the Deputy State Surgeon for the WIARNG under the direction of the State Surgeon. Full time, Angie is the State Occupational Health Nurse for WIARNG and has great responsibility for the medical readiness, health and wellness and oversees health program management for Soldiers of the WIARNG. Jeff Miller (MAJ, USA RET) is the Periop Nurse Educator at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital in Nashville, TN. If you are interested in taking the CPR training, please contact me at surgeon@ wi.vfwwebmail.com. If you don’t have e-mail, call me or write to me. My phone number and address can be found in the state directory. I would just like to get an approximate number of individuals who are interested. This could be the beginning of various health related training sessions that we may want to conduct at the state conventions in the future. Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 3 May 2009 Why is an Organizational Chain of Command so Important? I have always stated that knowledge Michael borg and training activities will benefit our deJudge Advocate partment in many ways. The State Judge Advocate’s office has always looked at ways 920-739-5730 to improve our communications with the members and leadership, and often stated judge@wi.vfwwebmail.com that this newspaper is a valuable tool in that effort. This article gives the State Judge Advocate’s office direct contact without visiting each and every Post site. Recently, many of our Posts have completed their annual elections and elected new Commanders and line officers as well as appointed committee chairmen. It is very important that they seek out National’s Congressional Charter, By-Laws, Manual of Procedure and Ritual Manual to review their tools (duties of office) to assist their Post Commander and the membership. Many of these newly elected line officers hold title to the office only to fill a position at the Post level. Yet, there are many that have the knowledge and experience to assist their Commander and the membership. Comrades, this manual can be obtained through our National’s VFW Merchandise Catalog Supply. Your present Post Quartermaster or Commander should have a copy of the current Catalog dated 2008-2009. Catalog page 83 - Section A, Stock # 4108 - Podium Edition, Combined Congressional Charter, By-Laws, and Ritual Book for $6.90 and Demeter’s Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure, Podium Edition – Section D, Stock # 4105 for $24.95. Even though the second manual - Demeter’s Manual of Parliamentary Law and Procedure is not required to answer these questions - it is a great source of information to all Post, County Council and District officers (tools of the trade). If you can not get a catalog - you can go to National’s www.vfwstore.org and order it with a credit card directly. Orders/Product inquiries call 1-800-821-2606. With new leadership at each of these levels - I want to take another opportunity to reprint parts of one of my past newspaper articles on the chain of command. The Veterans of Foreign Wars organization has a chain of command built on a proven structure. The Post is the foundation of our Veterans of Foreign Wars organization; we must start at that point. The Post’s officers are subject to the approval of their membership. The Post then finds itself a part of a District. These Districts are under direct control of the Department. The Department now becomes a part of the Veterans of Foreign Wars National organization and is subjected to the control of the National Commander-in Chief and the National Council of Administration. The final decision on any matter or issue is held by the National Council of Administration and its members. The world should, in theory, hum along quite happily, but what if the chain of command breaks down? What if the system doesn’t work? What if any one of our levels spins out of control? Do these issues give us the right to break the chain of command? Let’s not kid ourselves–it’s complicated. Especially when the chain of command offers only a rough guide to those who are in the field, they seldom have perfect information to make an informed decision, clarification regarding policy or seeking permission may as well be like a man posting a letter from the moon. At this point, you might be asking yourself, why is the office of the State Judge Advocate addressing the issue of our Veteran’s organizational chain of command? Our Department administration has noticed a marked increase of individual post members breaking the chain of command by writing directly to our National Organization on their issues or concerns. These members either don’t understand the chain of command or believe that they have the right to violate the rule of pursuing proper channels by short circuiting the appropriate chain of command. These same individuals claim justification by “opening the whole can of worms” before a National forum, if the chain of command fails them. Others contend these individuals who continuously break the chain of command are driven by altruistic goals to improve the system; therefore, they should be accorded some measure of immunity and protection. When such questions are submitted directly to our National Headquarters, it is their policy to refer them back to the Department. This causes a major embarrassment to our State Commander and his administration. The State Commander as well as other Commanders at different levels weren’t even aware that individual members have made contacts with National Headquarters. Our Department, District, County Council and Post Commanders, can’t act without proper knowledge of complaints. This is why it is so important that individual complaints are handled at each level of the chain of command. Always, remember that each decision can be appealed to the next level of authority. That is the proper procedure or use of the chain of command. I want to take this opportunity to say thank you, comrades! It is a great feeling to be able to help our Department, Districts, County Councils, Posts, but most important, our membership. It has been a great pleasure to serve the Department and our State Commander Gary Erickson this past year. Thanks – Gary, for all your help. I hope that this year’s State Convention delegates will give me another opportunity to serve our new State Commander and his administration. This opportunity will be my tenth (10) year as your State Judge Advocate. Please feel free to contact me anytime you need assistance in any way with regard to the Bylaws of the VFW. Remember to address your concerns either to my address of 1809 N. Oneida St., Appleton, WI 54911 or e-mail to judge@wi.vfwwebmail.com . My phone number is 920-739-5730. Thank you. ❏ 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 Page 4 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News auxiliaRy Moose Memo Subject: Thanks For The Memories Marla J. Morgan To: The Sisters of the Department of Department Wisconsin President From: Marla J. Morgan, Department President 715-384-2500 BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, marla.aux.wi@verizon.net the “Taking Care of Business for Our Veterans” year will have fewer than 30 days left to complete our tasks. It has been a challenging year, but a rewarding one, filled with many learning experiences, and the start of many new friendships. After ALL of the miles and phone calls and visits and meetings and EVERYTHING this year has entailed, I still feel very honored and privileged to have served as your Department President. I have seen first hand the blessings of this Department: in our leadership both experienced and emerging; in our dedicated members who continue to perform countless hours of service on behalf of our great organization; in the reporting and inspiration of our Chairmen at all levels; in the smiles and laughter of the fun times; in the tears and remembering of our memorials; in the knowledge that no matter where you go, our great state abounds with Sisters of a like mind – service to Veterans. Blessings indeed! I KNOW THAT SOME READERS have been disappointed that I haven’t used this column as strictly a review of my travels this year, while others have made many positive comments about the topics I have addressed in previous Memos. To me, this forum has been an excellent chance to discuss the many serious issues and challenges facing our organization at all levels. It is humanly impossible to visit all of our 185 Auxiliaries in one calendar year, but hopefully, this column has been effective in conveying my message to a greater portion of our membership. A complete report of my travels and activities this past year will be in the 2009 Department Convention Book. AND SPEAKING OF THE DEPARTMENT CONVENTION, are YOU registered to attend? The deadline is fast approaching. The necessary registration and hotel forms are again printed in this edition of the Wisconsin VFW NEWS; they were included in the April Auxiliary mailing; and they are available on VFW WebCom. All members are urged to attend to see our Council of Administration in action; to experience more of our Auxiliary Ritual; to learn more about what our sister Auxiliaries are doing for Veterans; to make new friends and greet old ones (including Nurse Frazzle!) and of course to receive awards and thanks for your hard work throughout the year. And I know a few people might be a little bit interested in the Saturday morning doings . . . AN ESPECIALLY GRATIFYING PART OF THIS YEAR has been the overwhelming response to my President’s Special Project, the Fisher House Program. As of this writing, I believe we will have over $8,000 to pass along to this very important program for our Veterans and their families. I am pleased to report that both the Minneapolis Fisher House and the ever-growing fund for the first Wisconsin Fisher House will share in your donations. My sincere thanks to the nearly 150 Auxiliaries, Districts, Posts and individuals who gave to this project. You’re the best! AND SO IT GOES. Thank you for all you have done this year for our organization and our Veterans. Thank you for all of the kindnesses and courtesies extended to me in my statewide travels. The meals, flowers and overnight accommodations. The prayers, the kind words, the hugs and the smiles. The shared laughter, and the tears, too. The gifts – oh the many gifts – of moose, and LiveLoveLaugh and other beautiful mementos. The many, many photographs – keep ‘em coming, our Historian wants a ton of them! Special thanks to our Department Line Officers: your support and friendship have made all the difference. Extra-special thanks to our fantastic Department Program Chairmen: your leadership and inspiration have encouraged us to take care of business and make it happen for our Veterans. Thank you, Officers and Chairmen, for honoring me and our Department by your exemplary service. To those mentors “behind the scenes” who have blessed me with their support and ideas, and have helped me grow: thank you for the wonderful example you have set for me. To our State Commander Gary Erickson: heartfelt thanks for the great team effort and the many kindnesses this year. Your respect and support of the Auxiliary is much appreciated, and is not taken lightly. To Lana Erickson: thanks for being there for Gary, Bill and me. I have truly gained a Sister this year! To the comrades of the best VFW Department in the world: thank you for your service and for all you did to give us our eligibility. We are proud to be your Ladies Auxiliary. THANK YOU, SISTERS, for the high honor of allowing me to serve as your Department President this past year. Your efforts in “Taking Care of Business for Our Veterans” will never be forgotten. Best wishes to Linda Moran and our 2009-2010 team. May the Department of Wisconsin continue to work tirelessly for our Veterans and communities, and may you Live Well, Love Much and Laugh Often always. And, in all we do, “Let all our actions be for the greater glory of our cause.” VFW auxiliary Membership As the end of our membership year is rapidly coming to a close, I need your help for one last push at 100% membership. As of April 30, Wisconsin was at 95.17%. We are only 715 members short; if each Auxiliary in the State would send in dues for 4 new, reinstated or unpaid members, we would be 100%. That is a reachable goal! President Marla has worked so hard all year “TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS FOR OUR VETERANS”, let’s show her how much we appreciate her and make this dream a reality. Do you realize that every new Post member comes with family members eligible for our Auxiliary? Why not help our VFW by signing up a new Post member - then sign up all those eligible family members for our Auxiliary, and both organizations can be 100%. It has been a real privilege to be your Membership Chair this year. I am so proud of all you have done and will continue to do to reach our 100% goal. My heartfelt thanks for all you do for our Veterans. God bless you, our Veterans, and God Bless America! Judy Borg, Membership Chairman 920-739-5730 judybee@tds.net auxiliary cancer aid and Research Ready to ‘take care of Business’ Our Department Cancer Aid and Research Chairman Linda Feldkamp and her able team of assistants are gearing up for a host of terrific activities during our 2009 State Convention. There is guaranteed to be something for everyone, including the “Purse Boutique” which will showcase designs with a flair AND a surprise inside. Or try your hand at the “Car Races,” a unique take on this all-American sport. Back by popular demand are the games of chance (50/50 raffles) and the “General Store” shopping area with a pleasant mix of merchandise including “Dammit Dolls” and other great items. And of course, it’s not a Convention gathering without food and drink! The featured item of the main raffle is “Iridescent Tropical Garden,” a 12” x 14” framed watercolor pictured elsewhere on this page. Donated by Art Gallery owner and artist David Barnett of Milwaukee, the painting has a retail value of $250, and some lucky raffle ticket purchaser will get to take it home. Bring your piggy bank and make sure it is YOU! Sisters and Comrades, donations to Cancer Aid and Research are down all over the country this year. But the need for research of this insidious disease and grants to our Auxiliary Sisters continues to increase. Your ongoing support of this program is vital at this Convention. Please do whatever you can to help the Department of Wisconsin stand tall in the Big Ten Conference and the nation. See you at the Cancer Aid and Research table! Shown above is the watercolor painting “iridescent tropical garden”, donated by art gallery owner and artist David Barnett of Milwaukee. The picture has a retail value of $250 and is a prime item offered in the ladies auxiliary cancer aid & research raffle at State Convention in Eau Claire. 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. 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 Marla Morgan, Aux. 1866, 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 VFW News, chippewa Post 1038 Place 3rd in National contest VFW Post 1038 News and the Wisconsin VFW News both took Third Place in their respective division in the National Publications Contest. Chippewa Falls Post 1038 took honors in the Small Post Division, while the Wisconsin VFW News captured 3rd Place in the Large Department Publications Division. Wisconsin placed 2nd last year. “We’re disappointed that we didn’t finish higher,” said VFW News Editor Bill Knudson, “but we’re still proud to have finished in the top 3 of this competitive Division.” The Pennsylvania VFW News took the top prize, and the Department of Texas’ new glossy magazine format came in 2nd. “We congratulate these states, and now we’ll get back to work and aim for the top again in the coming year.” The VFW Post 1038 News is also a repeat winner at the National Competition. Editor Leroy Jansky is to be congratulated. At the Department level, there was only one entry in the District Newsletter competition, and that was the VFW 2nd District News, always a consistently topflight newsletter. Among Wisconsin Posts, in the large Post division The Burns Bulletin, Post 388, took top honors. The Gross Yaksh Newsletter, Post 6498, also competed in that division. Among Medium Posts, First Place went to the Post Guardian, Post 1391. Other entries included Soaring Eagle News, Post 2112, Truax-Longmire Newsletter, Post 8483, and The 721 Flyer, Post 721. Among Small Posts in the State Competition, First Place went to Hi-Lites, Post 9362. Other entries among Small Posts included VFW Post 1038 News, Germantown Memorial Post 9202 Newsletter, Mukwonago Post 7221 News, Westby VFW Post 8021, Runge Brothers Post 1691 Post & Auxiliary Newsletter, VFW & Auxiliary News Update, Post 7232, Stratford VFW Post 6352 News and Voice For Waterloovets, Post 6614. DRaPiNg oF the chaRteR Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 5 May 2009 Draping of the Charter Dist. 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 Person’s name Iola Christian Elaine Ingalls Audrey G Luther Alice Nelson Apolonia Nielson Barbara fecteau Betty Mendell Dolores LaVenture Dorothea Groska Eunice Jarmuz Genevieve Walker Jean Ittner Lois Pieper Pauline Hass Ruth M Donovan Gwendolyn Braunschkweig A M Christianson Donna J Grove Dorothy Holtz Dorothy Ralph Ida M Thorstad Marjorie E Ary Rose M Martinson G R Boettcher Bernice Kilelinger Jeanette wells Sandra wagner Helen Dimick Lillian Teletzke Horothy Hannon Verna M Barbian Alice Pelikan Lillian Shafer Doris Druswicki Dorothy Spyhalski Audrey Hass Marie E Goretzki Madonna Oakes Betty Eldregde Clara Joan Kolberg Lilly Knuth Opal Vollbrecht Anna K Mohr Bernice Eckes Bernice Eckes Delores woller Delores woller Evelina R Meehan Hazel Vollert Irene K Molespske Vera E Tveten Margaret Landsinger Helen Kieffer Dorothy Legner Jean E Wendt Lucille Neville Grace Somenske Marion Arnold Myrtle fickel Loretta Stewart Gertrude Thompson Lois Lacenski Rose Kralovetz Marian Smith Irene fiedler Marie E Leonhard Dorothy Vander Kelen June L Erdmann Elizabeth Mosel Nellie Norrish Betty Olson Elizabeth M Becker Mildred Caulsen Elizabeth Morgando Audrey wright Dorothy Boykins Elizabeth Manniello Lela Sackett Alvina Margetta Delores finke fern Petersen Mabel Towers Doris Kromke frances Regan Mae I Carlson Bernice fink city Kenosha Milton Waukesha Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Oconomowoc Jefferson Watertown Mukwonago Madison Horicon Horicon Madison Madison Madison Pewaukee Lancaster Lancaster Lancaster Platteville Milwaukee South Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Oshkosh Ripon Plymouth Plymouth Sheboygan Sheboygan wausau wausau wausau wausau wausau King wis Rapids wis Rapids Antigo Adams Stratford Mosinee Green Bay Green Bay Appleton Appleton Appleton Crandon Denmark Denmark Denmark freedom Cleveland Cleveland Bellevue Ashwaubenon Eau Claire Mondovi Augusta Osseo Superior Hurley Jump River Rhinelander Rhinelander Rhinelander Medford weyerhaeuser weyerhaeuser weyerhaeuser LaCrosse LaCrosse LaCrosse Camp Douglas auxiliary # 1865 9403 721 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 2260 3589 3709 7221 7591 8057 8057 8483 8483 8483 9537 2344 2344 2344 5274 2903 3742 7485 2787 2787 2923 2923 6498 1908 5278 5612 5612 9156 9156 388 388 388 388 388 1464 2534 2534 2653 6279 6352 8733 2037 2037 2778 2778 2778 3309 6705 6705 6705 7692 8974 8974 9677 10244 305 6711 8478 8514 1091 1580 2977 3143 3143 3143 5729 5780 5780 5780 1530 1530 1530 10911 life Members X X X honoring 2008-2009 State VFW commander Many of you know the 2008-2009 Wisconsin State VFW Commander Gary Erickson, but I have a feeling you don’t know him the way we do. He is a wonderful, loving and caring father, grandfather and husband. He has been there whenever we needed him, a lot like for all you guys. If you ever needed anything, all you had to do was ask. He is always willing to help out all of the wonderful Posts, from help getting all the dues in to just listening if you guys had any ideas for the Posts or upcoming events. As long as I can remember, he has been a part of this wonderful organization. I have learned so much from him throughout the years. As he worked his way up to Wisconsin State VFW Commander, I have so many wonderful memories of helping my father with the VFW. When Dad was Post 2344 Commander here in Lancaster, I remember they used to have a Halloween party for the kids and, yes, I would get involved by dressing up in some kind of outfit! Or another memory I have is helping out with bingo. But one of the biggest honors that I can remember is my senior year (and that has been quite a few years ago) when my father presented me with a scholarship from the VFW. I could not think of anyone else better present that great honor to me. Not only has he made me proud, but he has made everyone in his family proud in one way or another. My husband, Matt, my son, Camron, and I took a trip to Florida this past August which we would not have taken if my father was not this year’s Commander, (and in Camron’s words he would tell everyone do not go to Florida in August, because we were there while tropical storm Flo was there!), but we got to meet a lot of wonderful VFW members from across the United States. This past Veterans Day, Dad was privileged to speak at his grandson Camron’s school -- and he ate with the class! Let’s just say he made a BIG impact on the 3rd grade class at River Ridge School. Not only are we proud of our father, but we are also proud of my mother, Lana, for helping Dad, from typing up information that he might need to packing for their trips all over the country. Dad, we are so proud of you and proud to have met so many wonderful people through you --- too many to list here, but all great people! And thank you to everyone who made it to this year’s Loyalty Day Celebration in Lancaster. It was nice to see all the support for Veterans. You guys deserve it for all that you do. And yes, Dad, it did not rain on your parade. There are just two more people I have to mention. That would have to be our “second family”: This year’s Ladies Auxiliary President, Marla Morgan and her husband, (Dad’s Chief of Staff) Bill Knudson. Thank you both for all your help. I know Dad couldn’t have done it without you and many others. You all did a wonderful job! Marla and Bill, you guys are very special to us! We are so happy to have such wonderful people in our lives. I know we will keep in touch, and, just remember: we have a boat ride scheduled for this summer and we can’t wait to see you then. Congratulations on your year Love, your kids, Tonya, Matt & Camron Mish Lisa, Mike & Heather Miller Dan Erickson X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Page 6 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News WDVa uPDate wdva reminders 2009-2011 Biennial Budget. The Wisconsin State Legislature is considering the overall state budget, with its final version due to the governor by June 30, 2009. Updated information about the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs biennial budget request is posted to the WDVA website at www.WisVets.com/Budget as it becomes available. Memorial Day 2009. The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) will hold ceremonies to observe Memorial Day, on Sunday, May 24 at 11:00 a.m. at the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Union Grove and at 1:00 p.m. at the Northern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spooner, and on Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day) at the Central Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery in King, with a lakeside ceremony at 9:30 a.m. and then at the cemetery at 10:00 a.m. Each year WDVA includes on our Memorial Day page a list of Wisconsin Memorial Day Programs and Ceremonies taking place throughout Wisconsin. The public is invited to send the details relative to programs and ceremonies taking place; to do so and also to read more about Memorial Day, go to www.WisVets. com/MemorialDay. Veterans Mortgage Loans at 4.85% rate. WDVA recently announced that effective May 1, 2009, Primary Mortgage Loans are being offered at a 30-year fixed interest rate of 4.85%, with only 5% down payment needed and no primary mortgage insurance required. The home loans may be used to finance the purchase or construction of a single-family home, a condominium or 2-4 unit owner occupied residence that will be the Veteran’s principal residence. Eligible Veterans may borrow up to $385,000. More information is available at WisVetLoans.com or by calling toll-free at 1-800-WIS-VETS (1-800-947-8387). WDVA 2008 Annual Awards. WDVA Awards were presented in four categories at the March 31, 2009 Stakeholders Conference: Veterans Service Officer of the Year (non-CVSO) presented to Walter Peterson (Madison) a World War II Veteran and Former Ex-Prisoner of War who served as the National Service Officer of the Department of Wisconsin American Ex-POW’s. Veterans Volunteer of the Year presented to David Goeldner (Kenosha) a volunteer for the Wisconsin VFW. His volunteerism has included transporting Veterans, providing training sessions, assisting Veterans with paperwork and countless other contributions. Veterans Advocate of the Year presented to Michael Casey (Cassville). Responsible for establishing a war essay award. Works for the Cassville School District as a Special Ed Teacher. A lecturer on the Vietnam War and has given many speeches at local schools on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. County Veterans Service Officer of the Year presented to Bill Thoma, Trempealeau County Veterans Service Officer (Whitehall) for his ongoing support to county Veterans with special emphasis on a Supermarket of Veterans Benefits event held in Arcadia. Veteran Lifetime Achievement Awards presented. During the April 17 meeting in Madison of the Wisconsin Board of Veterans Affairs, two Veteran Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to two World War II Veterans. The February 2009 award was presented to Col. John (“Jack”) Rogan of Middleton and the April 2009 award recipient was Mr. Akira Toki of Madison. See more about their awards as well as how to nominate a Veteran for the award, go to www. WisVets.com/BoardAward. Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation (WMVF) Gala. The Foundation’s annual Gala was held on April 16, featuring “A Special Evening with Bob Woodruff.” Events began with a tour of the Wisconsin Veterans Museum galleries, for a sneak preview of the “Faces in the Sand” exhibit and a behind-the-scenes tour of Civil War battle flags. Then it continued on with dinner and a program at the Madison Concourse Hotel, with the ABC News Correspondent and former weekend anchor talking about his book “In an Instant,” which tells of an incident he experienced on January 26, 2008 when he was embedded with military forces in Iraq. Woodruff’s vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb and he suffered a traumatic brain injury. The gala is an annual fundraiser for the WMVF www.wvmfoundation.com proceeds also went towards Woodruff’s foundation www.remind.org. The Museum website features a Calendar of Events at www.museum. dva.state.wi.us/Calendar. WDVA Supermarkets of Veterans Benefits. A Supermarket of Veterans Benefits and Veterans Job Fair will take place at the Eau Claire County Exposition Center on June 4-5, and a Supermarket held in conjunction with Operation Freedom is being held on July 5 at the Milwaukee Zoo. Veterans, their families and the public are invited to attend. For details on these and other upcoming events, go to www.WisVets.com/Events. Education Programs: The WDVA Education Programs www.WisVets.com/education webpage currently includes information on: Wisconsin G.I Bill Tuition Remission, VetEd Reimbursement Grant, Personal Loan Program, Tuition Residency, Academic Credit for Military Experience, Federal GI Bill Benefits and High School Diplomas. Deployment Health: The WDVA Deployment Health www.WisVets.com/health webpage currently includes information on: Suicide Awareness, PTSD & Mental Health, Traumatic Blast Injury, Gulf Awareness Illnesses, Atomic & Radiation, Chemical - Biological and Camp Lejeune Drinking Water Study and numerous Veterans’ Health Resources. Mission: Welcome Home: The Mission: Welcome Home program is designed to help returning Veterans transition back to everyday life by ensuring that they have knowledge and access to all of the federal and state benefits they are eligible for. To learn more about the Mission: Welcome Home program and how you can assist visit www. WisVets.com/welcomehome For more information on WDVA news, state programs, services and resources, as well as to read updates on issues and hot topics, visit www.WisVets.com or call 1-800WIS-VETS (1-800-947-8387). cholesterol lowering with Statins Most people know that there is good cholesterol (also called HDL cholesterol) and bad cholesterol (also called LDL cholesterol). Jeff Whittle, They also know that the more bad cholesterol MD, MPH you have in your blood, the more likely it is Clement J. you will have a heart attack or stroke. ThereZablocki VA fore it is not surprising that very many people take cholesterol-lowering drugs. I would like Medical Center to comment on the most commonly used cholesterol-lowering drugs, which doctors call “statins” because their medical names all end in statin. For example, Lipitor, the most prescribed statin, is atorvastatin. It is important to remember that although these drugs lower bad cholesterol, the reason we take them is to prevent heart attacks and strokes. So it is important that you take drugs that are proven to reduce heart attacks, not just proven to lower cholesterol. Fortunately, all the widely used statins have been clearly shown to both improve the levels of bad cholesterol AND reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. In general, the lower the bad cholesterol level, the lower the chance of a heart attack. Because of this, it seems that even people who have relatively mild elevations of bad cholesterol benefit if their other problems put them at high risk of heart disease. For example, people who have had one heart attack are generally thought to be at such high risk of having another one that they benefit from a statin even if their cholesterol levels are already low. But I don’t take a statin even though my bad cholesterol is a bit high, because overall, as a 50-year-old nonsmoker without diabetes or hypertension or a strong family history, my risk is low enough that I am not willing to take a pill to lower my chances of a heart attack from 3 in a thousand to 2 in a thousand per year. This is a great example of a situation where the doctor and the patient really need to talk. The doctor probably can give you a better sense of your level of risk, but only you can say how much it bothers you to be taking a pill, or another pill, every day. For most people, the bad cholesterol and (risk of a heart attack) will go down by about a third if they take a full dose of almost any of the statin drugs. This includes simvastatin (brand name Zocor), pravastatin (brand name Pravachol), and lovastatin (brand name Mevacor). These three are available as generic drugs and are on the $4/month drug list that some pharmacies have. If your bad cholesterol starts out really high, you can cut it by more than half using full doses of either atorvastatin (Lipitor) or rosuvastatin (Crestor). These are not generic yet, so they cost a lot more. Most people do just fine with the generic ones. But all drugs have side effects. The most worrisome side effects of the statins are related to the muscles. A very rare side effect is to have people develop severe muscle destruction due to the drugs. This happens in fewer than 1 in 1,000 people, but it does happen. Only one person has developed this side effect of all the people I have treated with statins, but he got sick enough that he ended up in intensive care and had to get dialysis before he recovered. The chance of this side effect increases if you take certain drugs in addition to the statin, so you need to be sure your doctor knows about all the drugs you are taking. A less severe but bothersome side effect of the statins is muscle aches. Many people – maybe as many as 1 in 20 – have muscle aches when they take any one of these drugs. Unfortunately, it is not easy to tell when muscle aches are from statins; lots of people have muscle aches even if they don’t take statins. Since statins are very good at reducing a person’s risk of having a heart attack, stroke or even death, patients should not give up on them too early. Sometimes, by either switching to a lower dose or to a different drug someone can still benefit from these drugs even if they had muscle aches when they were on higher doses. For example, pravastatin is often tolerated by people who had side effects on simvastatin, especially if they were taking a high dose of simvastatin and then switch to a low dose of pravastatin. Next time, I will write about non-statin drugs for cholesterol. March 2009 TO: RE: All Post Commanders and Quartermasters DELEGATE CREDENTIALS FOR THE DEPARTMENT CONVENTION (DO NOT CONFUSE THIS WITH CONVENTION REGISTRATION) PLEASE USE THIS FORM WHEN REQUESTING CREDENTIALS FOR YOUR POST Credentials are being readied now! Post Commander Credential (One Only) NOTE: If Commander can’t attend, Sr or Jr Vice can represent him. Post Delegate Credentials (Number needed) NOTE: Post is allowed one (1) delegate for each 30 members or fraction thereof. Post Alternate Credentials (Number needed) NOTE: Post is allowed one (1) alternate for each 30 members or fraction thereof. Please send this request to Department Headquarters to the attention of: Department Adj./Quartermaster, PO Box 1623, Madison, WI 53701-1623. Do this as soon as you have your delegates and alternates elected, or as soon as you know the number of delegates and alternates attending. MAILING OF CREDENTIALS WILL COMMENCE AROUND MAY 15, 2009. If we do not receive an order from your Post specifying the number of credentials your Post will need, delegates may obtain them at Department Headquarters at the Convention site, but they will not be accepted by the Registration Committee until signed by the Post Commander and Post Adjutant. This can cause delegates a lot of wasted time in running around seeking those important signatures. SAVE TIME - - - ORDER NOW!! tWiggy anD linDa’s testiMonial oct. 9th - 10th 2009 fox Hills resort Mishicot Rooms $69.00 plus Tax • Call 920-755-2376 or 1-800-950-7615 Please use code VfW09 • cut-off Date will be 9-9-2009 After cut -off date rooms will be $109.00 plus tax national PresiDent Jan tittle Visit - october 11-13th, 2009 radisson Hotel & conference center green bay $89 Single/double--$99 Triple, $109 Quad. Call Hotel direct 920-494-7300 (Vfw Aux. Block) Cut off September 21st, 2009 More info to follow on both events in next paper. Post Name & No. Signed District No. CREDENTIALS WILL BE SENT TO POST QUARTERMASTER ONLY: Name Address City/State/Zip Korean War MeMorial Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 7 May 2009 now You Know about the Va REALLY, the VA is not the BAD GUY. They do not look for a reason to deny a Veteran’s claim or wait for their demise just to save Uncle Sam money. Believe me, they want to give away Uncle Sam’s money. They want to grant the Veteran every benefit that he/she is entitled to. Remember the three things to submitting a claim to the VA. (1) This is your claim. The Veteran Service Officer cannot do it all. There are certain things the Veteran must accomplish. (2) Submit your claim as soon as possible in order to protect the effective date. (3) This may be considered the most important. Veteran must have or able to get medical evidence that documents current disability and nexus (casual relationship) to military service. Second part we shared the three phases of development of a Veteran’s claim. Phase I was the pre-determination where the VA verified the eligibility. Phase II was the evidence must show the disability began while in service, and Phase III was there must be evidence or proof of a nexus or link to military service. Third part we identified the three stages of the appeal process. First stage, the Veteran has one year from the date of Board of Veterans’ Appeals for decision, this can actually take up to one to two years or more for a decision. One thing that was omitted is that during any stage of the claims process the Veteran has the right to request a hearing before the Regional Office Hearing/Decision Review Officer or a member of Travel Board of Veterans’ Appeals in Washington DC, or VA local office or by video teleconference. Additional information: Haas vs Nicholson, Compensation and Pension Service has provided additional guidance in processing those claims for service connection of diabetes type II presumptively and Naval personnel whose ships docked in the harbors of Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay, or Vang Tau, (1) evidence must show that the Veteran’s ship docked on the shore of Vietnam, (2) evidence shows that the Veteran was a crewmember aboard ship at that time, (3) the Veteran provides a statement of leaving the ship and going ashore, and (4) there is no substantial evidence contradicting the Veteran’s statement. Any questions can be directed to the VFW State Service Office at 414-902-5748. 2009 Flag Day Celebration The Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of WI and the National Flag Day Foundation Invite all Post-Vietnam Era Veterans to participate in the 2009 Flag Day Celebration in Waubeka, Wisconsin. If you are a member of the armed forces, retired military, or a Veteran who fought on foreign soil, in any war that took place after the Vietnam War, we want to invite you to come to the Flag Day Celebration in Waubeka, WI. There are numerous wars, invasions, and interventions. Among them are: Libya, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, Operation Desert Storm/ Desert Shield, Somalia, Bosnia, Desert Fox, Kosovo, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom. This is just a few of the seventy-nine wars, conflicts, interventions, and invasions participated in by American military personnel. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Flag Day Foundation want to honor you with special seating, a plaque, and coupons for free food and drink. Please send your name, address, phone number, branch of service and location of Foreign Service to: National Flag Day Foundation, P.O. Box 55, Fredonia, WI 53021. Yours in Comradeship Chris N. Kanios Sr. Flag Day Chairman VFW Dept. of WI Lee Guerrero, Wisconsin Veterans Service Officer notification of the VA decision (award/denial letter) to file a Notice of Disagreement. State specifically what issues are being appealed. Second stage, VA furnishes the Veteran a Statement of the Case describing the facts, laws and regulations used in making their decision. In this stage the Veteran has 60 days to submit his/her substantive appeal (VA Form 9, Appeal to Board of Veterans’ Appeals), or within one year from the date of VA letter providing notification, whichever period is later. The VA can also during this stage grant the appeal partially or totally. Third stage, the appeal is forwarded to national Home for Children re-dedication of Wisconsin Korean War Memorial at Plover Major reconstruction of the causeway (“Isle of Honor”) connecting the north shoreline of Worzella Pines Municipal Park in the Village of Plover and the island upon which the Wisconsin Korean War Veterans Memorial is situated – along with reinforcement of the island shoreline, was completed in early November 2008 at a cost of $330,000. Veterans’ groups, foundations, corporations, the Village of Plover and countless individuals contributed to the cause to the tune of $165,000. Then the Wisconsin Legislature provided a matching grant which made it possible for the major reconstruction work to begin. Unforeseen environmental damage (erosion) had weakened the steel grid and concrete overlay over time. “ARMORFLEX,” a new product developed in Europe, was installed, providing PERMANENCY to the memorial site. (To view photos of the project, visit the Association’s website at http://www.koreanmemorial.org). A re-dedication ceremony and program will be held on Sunday, June 7, 2009 at the Plover site with a starting time of eleven o’clock. A half-hour concert by the Brass Quintet ensemble of the 132d Army Band, WIARNG will precede the formal program. Following Presentation of the Colors and the playing of the national anthems of the Republic of Korea and the United States of America, there will be a special ceremony – for the sixth consecutive year – in tribute to Wisconsin Fallen Heroes in the ongoing wars in Iraq and in Afghanistan. Brigadier General Donald Dunbar, The Adjutant General will be speaking, and there will be a solemn reading of the names of those who paid the “Supreme Sacrifice” for our country. Also speaking will be the Honorable Sung Hwan Sun, the South Korean Consul General in Chicago. Ms. Seong Shin Ra of Seoul and Madison – wearing traditional Korean dress – will sing the time-honored Korean folk song, “Arrirang.” The annual programs at the Wisconsin Korean War Veterans Memorial complex are free to the public. For directions to the Memorial and parking, visit the KWVMAW website. Bring along a folding chair, bottled water, suitable raingear and a hat. Commander Jack Eaton, Leland Tollefson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2653, Antigo and VFW member, Steve Bradley, give a cash donation to Susan Stevens, Public Relations Director of the VFW National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, MI. The mission of the VFW National Home for Children is to provide children, youth, and families of members of the VFW and Ladies Auxiliary and of members of the active duty military opportunities for growth and development in a nurturing community, and by so doing serves as a living memorial to all Veterans. Plover Community Volunteer receives Special Merit award At a special session preceding the regular meeting of Post 10262 on May 11, local Volunteer Roger Zebro was presented the Bob Munro Memorial Award of Merit for his outstanding dedication and volunteerism in support of the Greater Plover Area Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #10262. The award is part of an ongoing recognition program sponsored by VFW District 7, and recognizes volunteer efforts on the part of VFW members and non-members alike. The award was presented by Bill Knudson, WI VFW State Chief of Staff, representing District Commander, Russ Iwen. Roger was recognized for his timeless efforts and continued volunteerism in supporting our events, fund raisers, Golf committee, cooking at the Rifle Squad Breakfasts, fish fries, steak feed and many other fundraisers that the Post uses to support its community programs. Last year, Zebro was exceptionally instrumental in helping the Post’s Golf Tournament raise $9,000.00 for Operation Uplink. Post 10262 Commander John Schultz says, “Although Roger is not eligible to be a member of the VFW, he is truly a brother Veteran and has the respect of all our members and our Auxiliary, just as though he was one of our members. Without Roger, we would not have the facility, camaraderie or organization we are so proud of.” De Pere VFW Post 2113 Makes History On April 14, 2009, on behalf of the De Pere VFW Post 2113 Military Funeral Honors Guard team, its leader, Harold “Butch” Zelten, was presented the Associated Bank Heart of Gold Lifetime Achievement Volunteer Award during the Wisconsin WPS Volunteer Awards ceremony in Green Bay. This marks the first time in the 21-year history of this awards program that a Veterans organization has been recognized for their efforts in honoring our fallen Veterans and their surviving family members. The team oversees an average of 10 funerals a month. The most endearing part of the awards ceremony was the playing of taps followed by the 650 people in attendance giving Butch a standing ovation. Being selected for this very prestigious volunteer award was a true team effort and joining Butch at the ceremony from left to right in the picture are Honor Guard team members: Jim Reignier, Randy Hansen, Jim Byrnes, Harold “Butch” Zelten (holding the award), Max Smits, Jerry Sargent, Lee Jansen, and Vietnam Veteran Chapter 224 bugler Don Brungrauber. Not pictured are team members: Les Krug, Jim Bergman, and Gordy Bodart. Post 2113 also needs to thank all the Funeral Home directors and their outstanding staff in Brown County for their total support of our efforts. Page 8 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News TaPS State WI WI WI WI WI WI TX WI WI WI MN WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI Wi WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi FL CA WI MN WI WI WI WI WI WI AZ WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI CA WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI CA WI MI WI WI WI IL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI POST # 1621 1621 1638 1638 1638 1638 1638 1691 1707 1707 1865 1865 1865 1866 1866 1866 1879 1904 1904 1904 1908 1908 1908 1908 1908 1912 1915 1915 1916 1916 1916 1916 1916 1945 1959 2028 2037 2037 2037 2112 2112 2112 2112 2113 2113 2113 2114 2115 2115 2115 2115 2115 2115 2115 2115 2115 2126 2126 2126 2204 2227 2227 2227 2227 2227 2227 2227 2241 2260 2260 2260 2260 2267 2267 2267 2273 2304 2304 2312 2312 2312 2312 2312 2336 2336 2336 2344 2344 2344 2344 2490 2534 2534 2534 2534 2534 2534 2534 2534 2653 2653 2653 2653 2708 2708 2708 2708 2723 2732 2732 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2778 2787 2787 2804 2874 2879 2895 2903 2903 2923 2923 2923 2925 Last Name Watry Wicker Beauparlant Hodgson Lagerbloom Voigt Wais Ward Hall Weiske Frederking Koehne Savaglio Bores Hewitt Pilsner Prigge Klee Kocos Mullenix Crossman Jones Leitl Steinhilber Wright O`Neill Hovell Leavitt Engel Finn Grosskruger Krey Normington Rybarczyk Johnson Bakkala Brown Lewandowski Vandersteen Ainslie Heitzman Peterson Shearing Collard Henn Peters Elam Bodesheimer Burnley Christophersen Koepke Malean Miller Osborne Schullo Zappa Fischer Nabbefelbt Pagel Cesik Frane Gorke Hazeldick Jensen Johnson Weix Whaples Lichte Edwards Leitzke Sauer Timm Athanas Bethke Lewis Lee Franzkowiak Rozanski Freitag Holcomb Lewis Miskimon Spani Catterson Jedry Johnson Day Funk Swab Tracy Priem Arnold Barten Kuhn Leverance Narel Ruland Tenpas Truitt Duchac Hanousek Marquardt Sharon Bartz Olstad Peterson Price Aschenbrenner Falk Stewart Behrent Berg Bernal Chapnitsky Drexler Fredericks Marr Mauthe Mc Namara Ottone Reitzner Robinson Becker Streng Frinzi Mazur Swietochowski Misovy Peters Winslow Gitzlaff Hugo Kressin Loging First Name Earl James Robert Irwin Carl Lester Arthur Bruce Irving Russell Victor Earl Gabriel Donald James Arthur Elmer James Gustave Michael Russell Duane Adolf Arthur Leonard Kenneth Kenneth Lester Harold Francis Ronald Lester John Earl Otto Wilhart Val Louis Herbert Fred Robert Floyd Kevin Donald Charles Robert Warren Jim James D Russell Jimmie Robert Earl George Henry Joseph Wayne Robert Aldrich David Adolph Ray Bruce Bernard Henry Howard Elmer Miles Harley David William Peter Gary John William Frank Matthew Karl Donald James Raymond Herman Marcel Edmund Gerald James Harold Donald Kenneth Peter Lawrence Edward Jack Elmer Robert Joseph Weldon Wayne Carl Victor Francis Robert Franklin Robert Henry Clifford Milton Rueben Robert Lawrence Joseph Alex Boris Gordon Carleton John Gerald Thomas Charles Harold Robert Edward Elmer Romeo Norbert Ted John William Alex Gordon Robert Robert Edgar MI N R C R R P S W J A B J G M J R A B L A C W E C L C D S E L T D L J F R M H J R F O P W E R M J V A L P J W D A M L H E H A O E J F H H A H L A L S R E J E P J F F T H L B E R J W W A D C J F W M R N S I H A E C J A J W H J J G A S C E W W E C City Lewisville Janesville Merrill King Merrill Merrill Clintonville Milwaukee Portage Portage Tulsa Kenosha Kenosha Marshfield Lindsay Neillsville La Crescent Fond du Lac Fond Du Lac Fond Du Lac Winnebago Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Oshkosh Milwaukee Trempealeau Trempealeau Reedsburg Wisconsin Dells Reedsburg Baraboo Reedsburg Prairie du Chien Black River Falls New Berlin Green Bay Green Bay Seymour Park Falls Sparta Sparta Sparta Green Bay Oneida De Pere Grand Marsh Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Hudson Kaukauna King Appleton Rice Lake Marshfield Dorchester Abbotsford Dorchester Medford Abbotsford Abbotsford Neillsville New York Oconomowoc Watertown Oconomowoc Richland Center Richland Center Richland Center Mellen Milwaukee Milwaukee Monroe Catawba Argyle Winslow Monroe Baraboo Mokena Baraboo Bagley Lancaster Lancaster Lancaster Ladysmith Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin Rapids Port Edwards Port Edwards Bethesda Eastpoint Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin Rapids Shawano Fall River Antigo Antigo Edgerton Edgerton Edgerton Edgerton Shawano New London New London Appleton Appleton Menasha Appleton Menasha Kimberly Appleton Appleton Kimberly Appleton Appleton King Union Grove Germantown Milwaukee South Milwaukee Cudahy South Milwaukee Colorado Springs Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Milwaukee Berlin State TX WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI OK WI WI WI WI WI MN WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI NY WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI IL WI WI IL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI MD FL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI CO WI WI WI WI WI TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS POST # 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 305 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 388 568 568 659 659 659 659 664 664 690 690 690 690 721 721 721 721 987 987 987 987 987 1028 1037 1037 1037 1038 1038 1038 1039 1039 1091 1091 1163 1163 1230 1230 1248 1248 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1318 1391 1391 1391 1391 1391 1393 1393 1393 1393 1393 1393 1393 1393 1530 1530 1530 1530 1530 1530 1530 1580 1580 1580 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 1621 Last Name Beguhn Davey Decker Gilman Greisen Hawkins Hewitt Hogstrom La Belle Martin Mattson Miller Nimsger Patrow Peterson Pieterick Putzy Roessler Steinke Steubing Bentz Carlson Kijek Konnhorst Lehman Lillie Manowski Roehrdanz Stubbe Telschow Tessmer Yach Zimmerman Holsen Myhra Bastianelli Keune Mc Ginnis Wilhelm Bohren Seelig Delfield Johnson Pufall Schafer Carlson Johnson Pernitzke Plehn Angell Conway Janzen Krey Schmidtke Snell Abrahamson Larson Lewis Brenner Fagner Molle Barton Long Glonek Oliver Hill Page Schuk Thuemmler Austin Klabunde Brown Colletti Drogsvold Farnsworth Hanek Hanson Harris Hobler Karnes Kupp Miller Motisi Peckham Rane Roche Rounds Schimelfenig Schuette Slauson Swenson Switzky Tollefson Walls Werner Wincentsen Winer Davies Giehne Keenan Ruetz Schliesmann Boegel Fish Frankenberg Helgeson Hoye Matenaer Neuman Thelen Buckley Elsen Mc Fee Nutt Stolfuss Ziel Zluticky Gamache Pedri Ritmanich Brockway Clough Gibbs Heise Mathews Mc Donald Mc Lean Mc Roberts Mooney Nelson Rismeyer Schumacher Stafford Utzig First Name Eugene Leon Eugene Roger Robert Byron Richard Harley William Francis Ernest David John Darold Willard Raymond Richard John Gerald Howard Raymond Leroy Edwin Robert Dolph Jack Roger Clyde Clayton Harold Everett Leander Vilas Larry Norman Henry Kenwood Robert Kenneth Derold Elmer John Kenneth Walter Pius Robert Charles Robert Raymond Milton Victor Durlin Raymond Floyd Richard Gene Clifford Donald John Clarence Verlyn Cyril Richard Robert Joseph John Morris Alexander Ernst Albert Ira Robert Vincent Curtis Paul Blaine Arnold James Lester Rufus Roy John Charles Charles Frank Harold Warren Norman John Leon Ellsworth Dean Tilmer Harold William Wayne Aaron Charles Harold Robert George James Lambert Robert Ernst Harlan Daniel Ralph Jerome Ronald Kenneth Francis Robert John Donald Clifford David Elwood Richard Emmett Roland James Arden Charles Wayne Paul Ivan Wallace Charles Edward Paul Maynard William Frank MI E J O L J I M L W E A D E J D J J A G F P L F E W A E H L R J L R A N F E E C L J S L F M A J A A M C R C J W E K J N A R D P A C A J O R K K R H H R F A J J G R H H J M R W C C C J A L E A J L A N B C A M A R J W G R L N C H J D V H A C G City Eau Claire Eau Claire Eau Claire Madison Cameron Eau Claire Leander Eau Claire Eau Claire Eau Claire Minneapolis Eau Claire Chippewa Falls Eau Claire Minong Madison Chetek Menomonee Falls Eau Claire Eau Claire Wausau Wausau Schofield Wausau Wausau Wausau Schofield Wausau Wausau Wausau De Pere Wausau Marathon Junction City Stevens Point Manitowoc Manitowoc Manitowoc Manitowoc Eau Claire Appleton Ashland Ashland Ashland Panama City Whitethorn Waukesha Minneapolis Palmyra Baraboo Baraboo La Crosse Reedsburg Baraboo Tucson Waupaca Waupaca Port Edwards Chippewa Falls Chippewa Falls Chippewa Falls Boyceville Menomonie Superior Superior Beaver Dam Beaver Dam Sheboygan Sheboygan Manitowoc Two Rivers Madison Madison Madison Mukwonago Madison Mc Farland Fort Atkinson Ogema Monona Madison Madison Madison Friesland Madison Madison Madison Palm Desert Barneveld Fitchburg Middleton Boscobel Oregon Sun Prairie Madison Madison Madison Racine Racine Racine Racine Racine King West Bend West Bend Saint Croix Falls West Bend Kewaskum West Bend Richfield Holmen La Crosse La Crosse La Crosse Onalaska La Crosse West Bend Sacramento West Allis Ironwood Janesville Peshtigo Janesville Rockford Janesville Janesville Janesville Janesville Milton Darien Beloit Milton Janesville Janesville TaPS POST # 2977 3088 3088 3143 3143 3143 3153 3309 3309 3309 3309 3319 3319 3319 3392 3392 3392 3434 3435 3589 3589 3635 3635 3709 3742 5158 5274 5276 5276 5278 5278 5278 5278 5278 5278 5278 5278 5278 5373 5373 5373 5373 5470 5470 5612 5716 5716 5729 5778 5780 5811 5811 5828 5960 5960 6003 6005 6005 6007 6179 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6279 6498 6498 6498 6498 6498 6498 6498 6498 6550 6705 6705 6705 6707 6709 6709 6709 6709 6709 6769 6856 6856 6856 6858 6858 6858 6905 7080 7131 7152 7232 7232 7232 7233 7233 7233 7240 7240 7300 7308 7345 7345 7534 7591 7591 7591 7591 7591 7591 7591 7694 7694 7753 7784 7852 7852 8057 8057 8068 8068 8090 8123 8171 8216 8216 Last Name Brooks La Luzerne Schroeder Buksyk Clemens Kurlinski Augsburger Gretzinger Haluska Resch Thiel Arnoldussen Robach Welhouse Lauscher Pardowsky Steinberger Wheeler Holmstadt Kruse Miller Majewski Uher Romlein Checky Nelson Van Natta Percival Schwab Abraham Dobrowolski Fashun Gatzke Gatzke Harder Hopp Resheske Singleton Bares Helm Puch Zausch Giese Hand Fritz Fredericks Williams Mechelke Kosiek Gordon Bennett Gosch Groskopp Doescher Michels Mueller Carlson Freagon Cummings Zipperer Fritz Hilt Kappel Klein Kunkel Price Rous Russo Schlachter White Ehlinger Hornsby Janik Keller Penkalski Reckner Rohlinger Wiesian Hulberg Felsheim Kobriger Piechota Wittrock Armga Bloedow Corcoran Dunham Dykstra De Gidio Campbell Cogswell Zuehlke Fowler Mason Ruf Bollerud Bradley Pliner Nessinger Hendrickson Hopp Loveless Ghent Mc Intire Mohr Schneider Wilkoski Ernest Karnes Hillary Stoddard Schuettpelz Beck Fuss Larson Mielke Olson Peckman Wagner Johnson Vinger Kempen Cornelius Rohr Wolf Buettner Hechimovich Szutkowski Wierzba Zellmer Dagnon Zwygart Mc Donald Mc Nally First Name Walter Laverne J David William Theodore F John John Eugene Robert John Roland Edward Jerry Michael Victor Forrest Beryl Merle Raymond Stanley Jerome James Kenneth John Edgar Eric Joe James Edmund Vincent Arden Wilbert Douglas James Carlton John Ed Arthur Anton Robert Gordon Donald Edward John Willard Clarence Joseph John Claude Carl Merlin Lavern George Richard Richard Lyle Duane Arthur Wilbur George Walter August Delos Robert Hugh Stephen Eugene Kenneth Francis Harold Leander Richard Robert Jerald Ralph Robert David Donald Thomas Kenneth Herman Lester Willard Neal Glen Albert Louis Charles Carol Robert Gerton Donald David Donald Walter Edward Chester Ingwald Wayne Charles James Warren Harold Laurence Alfred Lawrence Ralph Eldon James Randolph John Gregory Charles Dale Donald Walter Lee Cliff Henry Eugene Norrin Herman Clarence Fred George Leo Myron Frederick Thomas Roger James Arthur MI G A R P J V J C S H I J H W F J W E J W L M W M A F D C M P B D L E J G D G D L M W E W C L W E A S H M J A W V B H R J P B R G L H S w G J J J L W W D C B E R F M J J H W A R W R G J A T B W L P A A M M L M G P E J N E A H A D F City Gilman Forestville Sturgeon Bay Rhinelander Tomahawk Milwaukee Chilton Spring Argonne Palo Alto Crandon Kaukauna Kaukauna Kaukauna Kewaunee Kewaunee Kewaunee Reedsburg Durand Waukesha Jefferson Florence Florence Watertown South Milwaukee Oconomowoc Tampa Dickeyville Lancaster Ripon Ripon Eldorado Ripon Ripon Shakopee Ripon Green Lake Camp Douglas Belgium Saukville Oostburg Milwaukee Whitewater Delavan Sturgeon Bay New Berlin New Berlin Hudson Seymour River Falls Pell Lake Krakow Colfax Nekoosa Wisconsin Rapids Oxford Cadott Chippewa Falls Bancroft Reedsville Adams Nekoosa Grand Marsh Friendship Madison King Nekoosa Arkdale Friendship Nekoosa Butler Greenfield Milwaukee Mountain Home Milwaukee Greenfield Greenfield Greenfield Strum Green Bay Denmark Green Bay Kiel Waupun Waupun Madison Waupun Oshkosh Cumberland Saint Croix Falls Luck Hastings Monroe Brodhead Darlington Evansville Lancaster Pittsville Algoma Sheboygan Eau Claire Eau Claire Front Royal Eau Claire Hayward West Bend Capron Milwaukee Three Lakes Mineral Point Verona Chippewa Falls Madison Madison Monona Deerfield Cottage Grove Lodi Monona Prairie Du Sac Sauk City Mishicot Bowler Watertown Watertown Horicon Horicon Eland Rosholt Beaver Dam La Crosse Valrico Madison Middleton State WI WI WI WI WI WI WI TX WI CA WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI WI WI WI WI FL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI MN WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI AR WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI MN WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI VA WI WI WI IL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI FL WI WI POST # 8216 8216 8239 8329 8329 8329 8329 8337 8337 8337 8337 8337 8337 8375 8400 8447 8478 8478 8478 8483 8483 8483 8491 8491 8494 8494 8514 8527 8527 8637 8637 8637 8637 8637 8637 8637 8637 8642 8653 8733 8733 8813 8813 8834 8834 8834 8834 8895 8895 8974 8976 9057 9060 9060 9075 9156 9156 9156 9298 9298 9362 9362 9362 9387 9392 9403 9409 9424 9424 9438 9438 9469 9469 9469 9496 9536 9536 9536 9677 9719 9923 9923 10171 10173 10173 10197 10197 10244 10266 10272 10272 10272 10301 10301 10331 10331 10388 10393 10394 10394 10405 10405 10433 10433 10490 10510 10510 10544 10544 10544 10544 10544 10549 10625 10671 10818 10818 10818 11038 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 15051 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 9 May 2009 TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS TAPS Last Name Wentzel Wodke Gurnoe Heller Hunter Kuehling Ruff Casadonte Dziekan Erickson Futrell Larson Teichen Kennedy Dellies Bollig Marcellis Solberg Taggart Bishop Burbank Stuard Jensen Pisca Esser Loomis Matz Brodziski Writz Dobbs Keppen Kranz Krus Novenski Nowicki Rhoades Zellner Peters Erickson Michalik Taylor Anderson Sutek Gardner Koepke Spahn Zurn Berndt Zynda Bosman Zemaitis Schmidt Phillips Wakefield Gabrielson Franzen Haack Leonhardt Bisbach Freymiller Burright Bussan Peterson Randell Hartl Glynn Nicklas Loftus Taugher Maas Troemel Dobiecki Racinowski Skornia Creegan Behnke Pesche Wraalstad Orsted Dinsmore Kammerer Wunrow Holub Deschner Terpstral Nettleton Reed Metzner Anderson Kuska Williams Yanna Klonkowski Schuebel Cook Toufar Zeisse Barnett Brach Dwyer Miles Swanson Graham Patterson Welch Adams Lee Ellis Hansen Recker Siegel Van Thull Ryan Stuenkel Kupietz Mc Gill Teneyck Trautmiller Rasch Barker Barrette Becker Behrens Clark Freeman Kielar Luedtke Nicholson Nuorala Parker Peltin Phelps Ring Stelzl First Name Raymond Robert Michael Herman Chadburn Leroy George Casey Michael George Howard Owen John John Leroy Melvin Martin Cliff Charles James William Richard Dennis Tony Raymond Guyal Steven Frank Clarence Vernon Gary Werner Robert George Edward Allan Joseph Gordon Irvin Edmund Leo Richard John James James Francis Clarence Walter Steven Myron Frank Ceylon Glenn Louis Douglas Le Roy Herbert Jerome Neil Bernard Donald Leo Leonard John Jerome Dennis Wilbert Milo Edward Roger Richard Benny Casimer Paul Darrell Ralph Fred Cecil Alvin John Ray Lester John Donald Robert Charles Harvey Sylvester Robert James Wendell Le Roy John Robert Leroy Lawrence Edwin Wayne Kenneth Donald Lawrence Robert Eugene Willie Vern Archie Larry Steven Heather David Leroy Robert Paul William Vincent James Wayne David George Vernon Ronald Curtis Gerald Gaylord Edward Joseph Donald Norman William Robert Thomas Edward J Joseph MI R J B C J C F L A E E F M M O E G A A C M F G H F J J E P M T A L P M W J P T J E E F D R A H D D C C A E M H J F J N R E E A H W B F E T J J R G J A C H J E A R E H J P H H J E R B W W L P L O G D B C M H G F M T L J R R G City Stillwater Waukesha Ashland Gordon Eustis Barnes Cumberland Fort Myers Ellison Bay Sister Bay Maggie Valley Sister Bay Fish Creek Twin Lakes Iron Mountain Madison Boyd Eau Claire Eau Claire Prairie du Sac Mount Horeb Madison Ogema Prentice Alma Center Merrillan Osseo Athens Athens Three Lakes Klamath Falls Eagle River Eagle River Redgranite Pasadena Appleton Sayner Appleton Tucson Schofield Mosinee Peshtigo Peshtigo Hartford Allenton Hartford Hartford Wausau Schofield Sheboygan Birchwood Westerville Prescott Baldwin La Farge Sheboygan Sheboygan Sheboygan Montfort Appleton Monona Verona Columbus Wisconsin Dells Woodland Janesville Sobieski Deerfield Cambridge Shawano White Lake South Milwaukee Milwaukee Franklin Menomonee Falls Winchester Dunnellon Mercer Green Bay Seymour Stratford Marshfield Milwaukee Delavan Rockford Ashland Superior Green Bay Randolph Baraboo Mount Horeb Brooklyn Racine Racine Rice Lake Chetek Caledonia Blue River Waukesha Muskego Altoona Eau Claire Milwaukee Milwaukee South Range Holly Marshall Kaukauna APO Appleton Combined Locks Combined Locks Belleville Spooner Arcadia Somerset New Richmond New Richmond Waterford Manitowoc Marinette Iron Ridge Appleton Port Saint Lucie Chippewa Falls Pulaski Union Grove Washburn Phoenix Sanford Madison Birnamwood Minocqua Hubertus State MN WI WI WI FL WI WI FL WI WI NC WI WI WI MI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI OR WI WI WI CA WI WI WI AZ WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI FL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI IL WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI Wi WI WI WI MI WI WI AE WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI WI FL WI WI WI WI AZ FL WI WI WI WI Page 10 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News a looK aT THe CanDiDaTeS DEWITT WOODWORTH Candidate for State Jr. Vice Commander Department of Wisconsin • Radioman on USS Kankakee AO-39 during the • All-State Commander of Post 8351 & 1530 many Cuban Blockade. times. • Joined the VFW in 1968 VFW Post 2112. • All-American Post Commander of Post 1530. • Joined the Cooties 1970 Pup Tent 21 Sarta, WI. • State Membership Chairman 5 times. Co• Seam Squirrel in Pup Tent 21. Commander twice. • Ed Hogan & I Started VFW Post 8351 in Onalaska, WI. • Held many state positions including Chief of Staff. • Post Commander of Post 8351 many times. • Been to many state & national conventions. • District Commander of Dist. 11 1979-80. • Received National Recruiter for the last 8 years. • Co-Captain of the All State Team District • Have been Aide de Camp 4 times Commander. • Have been VAVS for Tomah twice. (Still am) • Post Commander of Post 1530 LaCrosse many • Started 5 new posts over the years. The last one times. Post 987. • Held many National Appointments. • Member of the VFW for 40 Years +. • All-State Commander of Dist. 11 second time. • Certified National Recruiter. I see that the comrades of the Dept. of Wisconsin are the true commanders of the State VFW. Without the Membership there wouldn’t be any VFW. Membership is the controlling factor. We need the Members and Posts and Districts to be strong, and help the State to maintain itself. Membership is the key. We also must come up with another method of financing the needs of the state organization. This needs to come from business donations, and post donations. Our only method is the raffle. (This is not enough.) stEVE laWrEnCE CandidatE FOr dEPartmEnt QuartErmastEr Education ♦ Associates Degree in Business Administration and Accounting Work Experience ♦ 30 years as tax accountant/analyst with State of Wisconsin VFW Experience ♦ Post Quartermaster, County Quartermaster and District Quartermaster, State Inspector, State Chief of Staff, State Commander. State Adjutant/Quartermaster 2006-2008. Served many years on State Finance Committee. Many other assignments. Instructor for Quartermasters for Dept OTI COMRADES. I ASK FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!! I PLEDGE TO YOU TO DO THE BEST JOB POSSIBLE FOR THIS DEPARTMENT!! MY DOOR WILL BE OPEN!! 40 years of experience in the VfW Management most of my business life. Desire and dedication is what it takes to be a great commander. I have both of these and promise to be the best contestant. Vote for “Woody” for state Jr. Vice commander re-Elect re-elect CharlEnE COBB Candidate for Chaplain VFW department of Wisconsin Former National VFW Chaplain 2006-2007 “I look forward to serving our great Department for another year. I will appreciate your vote at State Convention.” mikE BOrg as your state Judge advocate 2008-2009 A PROVEN RECORD OF DEDICATION TO THE OFFICE 2000 - 2008 I ask and look for your consideration in support of my candidacy for re-election to the office of State Judge Advocate Como Memorial Post 5811 Lake Geneva & District #1 Endorse Larry Kutschma for State Junior Vice Commander ‘09-’10 US Army - Vietnam - Kontum ................................................................‘68-’69 All American District #1 Commander ................................................‘06-’07 All American Post Commander .............................................................‘06-’07 All State District #1 Commander .........................................................‘06-’07 All State Team ................................................................................................ 7 Years All State Team Co-Captain ........................................................................ ‘04 All State Team Captain .................................................................................‘05 Post 5811 Commander ................................................................‘99 To Present State Youth Dev. Chairman.....................................................................‘03-’09 State Scouting Chairman .........................................................................‘03-’09 National Youth Dev. Comm ......................................................................‘03-’08 National Scouting Team ............................................................................‘03-’09 National Security & Foreign Affairs Committee .......................‘06-’07 National Deputy Chief of Staff........................................................ ‘06 & ’07 National Century Recruiter Award ....................................................‘06-’07 National “Fred C. Hall Memorial Award” ..................................................‘05 National Community Service Post of the Year Award .................. ‘06 National “USA Today” Front Page Feature in Promotion of the VFW ....................................................................‘04 & ‘05 Department of the Army-Commander’s Award for Civilian Service ........................................................................Nov. 21, 2006                                                                                                                     VFW Post 7232 Eau Claire’s “Other Post” 2 Blocks west on Folsom St. off North Clairmont Ave. Gross-Yaksh Post 6498 Home Post of National Sr. 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 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! TraDeWell HoMeCoMing Kristen Norderhaug won top honors from the more than 100 entries for Voice of Democracy in Wisconsin’s Second VFW District. Kristen read her winning speech after the Waterloo Post 6614 luncheon for district leaders and the Ladies Auxiliary on May 3, 2009. The assigned theme was “Service and Sacrifice by America’s Veterans Benefit Today’s Youth by...”. Kristen’s oration featured the word “Imagine” at the beginning of most sentences as she painted a word picture of the Veterans’ experience. Ms. Norderhaug then noted her many benefits from this sacrifice. Kristen is 16 years old and a sophomore at the Brookfield Academy where her favorite subject is math. Happily for us, she has two more years of eligibility. Her mother, a Ladies Auxiliary member, attended with Kristen and announced that Kristen had also joined the Auxiliary. She received $300 in U.S. Savings Bonds in addition to her post prize. Third place in the Voice of Democracy competition went to Garrett Martin of Marshall, WI. VFW Marshall Memorial Post 10510 Commander Gary Jensen presented the District’s $100 U.S. Savings Bond to Garrett in addition to the post prize. Mr. Martin will attend UW-LaCrosse this fall. First prize in the Patriots’ Pen essay contest went to Ryan Golner from Sussex, WI. He was sponsored by VFW Horne-Mudlitz Post 6377. Garrett’s essay won from a field of nearly 500 entries Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 11 May 2009 2nd District Fetes VoD & Patriots Pen Winners get aboard the Big Tradewell Homecoming! The Homecoming Committee for Tom Tradewell has been working very hard to put together a “Second to None” Homecoming event for Tom. Centered around the theme Milwaukee “let the good times roll,” this three-day event is Wisconsin’s turn to host the VFW membership from across the country to honor our own National Commander Tom Tradewell. The Homecoming packet for the weekend is available on line in the Downloadable Forms section of Department Forms, found under “Email & Forms” on our State WebCOM (www. vfwofwi.com). Please “open it up” and you will find the food, fun and tours that are planned. in the book, p lease take special note of the ad form for the Congratulatory book we are preparing. (The form is reproduced on this page.) We are using this both as a fundraiser for the event and as a keepsake as well. Our wish is to have an ad in this book from every Post, Auxiliary, Front Row, Left to Right - Department Auxiliary President Marla Morgan, First Place Patriots’; Pen Winner Ryan Golner, First Place Voice of Democracy Winner Kristen Norderhaug, Third Place Voice of Democracy Winner Garrett Martin, Department Junior Vice Commander Tommy Lemmer, Second Row - Second District Youth Chair Cora Tessmann, Third Row - Second District Youth Chair Roger Boeker, Top Row - Second District Commander Wayne Osterlie. in the Second District on the theme, “Why America’s Veterans Should be Honored.” His $300 of U.S. Savings Bonds were presented by post member Bill Backes, Past Department Commander. Garrett came with his mom, dad and sister, Danielle. She will become eligible for Patriots’ Pen next year while Ryan will compete in Voice of Democracy. Luke Davis, a senior at Heart and Hands School, has been named a winner in the 2009 National Voice of Democracy Program and recipient of the $5,000 Rehoboth Beach Post 7447 and Auxiliary Department of Delaware Scholarship Award. Luke plans a career in engineering or medicine and he was sponsored by VFW Post 7534 and its Ladies Auxiliary in Village of Howard, Wisconsin. Davis won the sixth highest prize in the whole U.S. competition. Photo & Story by Roger Boeker District, and County Council within the state of Wisconsin. But hurry! Time is running out: Deadline for advertising orders is July 15! Personal ads, ads from groups of Tom’s friends or memorial ads are also welcome. Do not worry about preparing an ad. We will help. Call us with what you want in your ad and we will prepare it. any questions on the event or the ads can be directed to Ed or Carla stockel at 608-732-1430 or 262-642-0488. don’t delay! We need your ads asaP!! Tom Tradewell “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 1/2 X 11. 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 8 1/2 X 11 8 1/2 X 5 1/2 4 1/4 X 5 1/2 name & state only $250.00 $150.00 $90.00 $20.00 Laura Bishop, Recreation Director, Tomah VA Medical Center snapped this picture of two Tomah VA Volunteers at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. on this historic flight. ______1/4 Page Patron ad anderson, Fish, among WWii Vets on october Honor Flight The first Wisconsin hub of the National Honor Flight Network flew from La Crosse on October 8, 2008. With 113 Veterans and 58 Guardians aboard the chartered 757 aircraft, it was the first honor flight from wisconsin and one of the larger single Flights in the national program’s history. LaVerne Anderson of Eau Claire and Vernetta Fish of La Crosse were honored to be part of the first Wisconsin hub of the National Honor Flight Network. Laura served as a Guardian for two World War II Veterans. Anderson was attached to the Group Command, U,S, Army Air Corps serving in the European/African Theater. From 1942 to 1945, it was his responsibility to provide communications and maintenance on all types of aircraft. Vernetta Fish (six term state hospital chairman for the Department of Wisconsin Ladies Auxiliary To The Veterans Of Foreign Wars) completed her basic training and quartermaster training at Camp Lejeune, N.C. She was then transferred to MCAS, El Toro, CA, where she worked for the Base Quartermaster’s office from 1943-1945. Another Freedom Honor Flight from La Crosse is being planned for June 20, 2009. 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: Ed Stockel, Homecoming Chairman 2574 Honey Creek Circle #232 East Troy, WI 53120 Page 12 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News VFW TruST FunD CHallenge NOTES FROM communicating to Post Commanders and Quartermasters. You will receive detailed instructions on how to access this “vfwwebmail” system. We are also aiming to expand our list of general membership e-mail addresses so that we can keep everyone informed of rapidly changing developments in the State House and Halls of Congress that could seriously impact every Veteran’s rights and benefits. While we have legislative chairmen who try and work closely with our elected officials, there are frequent times when the best tool to get legislative action is through direct contact from as many members of our organization as possible. When a senator or representative at either State or Federal levels is inundated with messages directly from constituents, our ability to influence that person’s vote is amplified many times. The coming political climate demands that we learn to respond in large numbers on issues of importance to us. Having your e-mail address allows us to quickly inform you of the issues that most demand your attention and/or response. So make sure we have your current e-mail address. You need to be “in the loop” on matters of concern. You are our most effective Political Action Committee, because you hold the most powerful ammunition in these legislative battles: The power of the vote! So the coming year holds new challenges, and I am looking forward to meeting those challenges and helping our great organization move ahead with a strong newspaper, a powerful internet network and a smooth and responsive communications system that will help us accomplish our primary mission: Serving Veterans. VFW Trust Fund Challenge “It is the mission of the Wisconsin VFW Trust Fund to help fulfill America’s promise to its Military Personnel and Veterans. We want to aid Wisconsin’s Veterans and their families in their time of need, through support of Wisconsin’s Veterans’ Homes, Wisconsin’s VA Medical Centers, Wisconsin’s Veterans’ Cemeteries, the Wisconsin residence at the VFW National Home and other worthy entities. We want to support Military Personnel and their families in their time of need. Also to support VFW programs to foster patriotism and scholarship among Wisconsin’s youth.” Patrick Nowlin, from the Stoughton VFW Post 328, challenged all VFW members and Posts, matching all donations to the Trust Fund up to a $5,000 limit. Comrades, that challenge Contributions payable to: Mail to: Questions: William Hustad has made a big difference for us. Please make your personal contribution and encourage your Post to make a donation. This is for the future of the VFW. Only the interest is spent, the principle remains intact, so your contribution basically lasts forever to assist Veterans, Military Personnel, their families, and VFW programs. If each member would donate $20, we could raise $800,000 and then this would fund our vital programs in Perpetuity. Challenge coins will be given for donation of $50 and above, and pins are for sale and are also used to build the Trust Fund. Our Trust Fund started in 2000, slowly grew the first few years, and has now doubled each of the last 2 years. A VFW Trust Fund policy has been approved. A PowerPoint presentation is being developed to show potential donors what the VFW is all about. The paperwork to establish a Wisconsin VFW Foundation as a 501c3 corporation is being completed. This very worthwhile program will secure the future of VFW - Department of Wisconsin. The financial health of our Department is tied to the health of the Trust Fund. All contributions are tax-deductible. Thanks for all of your support so far this year. The Editor’s Corner VFW – Department of Wisconsin Earmark on memo line – Wisconsin VFW Trust Fund VFW – Department of Wisconsin PO Box 1623 Madison WI 53701-1623 William Hustad W4489 Exeter Crossing Rd. Monticello, WI 53570 thE WisCOnsin VFW trust Fund donation Form 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 individual, small businesses: 1. Diamond member: $500.00 2. Platinum member: $250.00 3. Gold member: $100.00 Corporate donations: 1. Gold member: $10,000.00 2. Silver member: $5,000.00 3. Bronze member: $0.25 per member This has been an event-packed year. It has been an honor to have served both as your News Editor and as State Chief of Staff. It has been a year in which I have been privileged to meet many outstanding VFW Officers and Members. My travels took me to numerous Posts across the state, and enabled me to see how varied and creative are our approaches to the business of serving our fellow Veterans and our communities. We are a broadly diverse group united behind a common set of goals, and we accomplish much. Thank you for doing all you do for Veterans and for the VFW. In the coming year I will again be editing your Wisconsin VFW News and administering your Wisconsin VFW WebCOM. This responsibility for organizational communications will include an expanded effort to use both of these vehicles to raise advertising revenue that can help ease the burden on our State Budget. You will be asked to help grow our base of retail and corporate sponsors to keep us in business, so watch for mailings and e-mails that will detail ways for your Post to help through referrals and introductions. As we move forward, it is imperative that we take advantage of all the technological tools available to us. One of those is e-mail. Our VFW WebCOM system includes a complete set of standardized e-mail addresses, and the incoming administration plans to use these addresses for 4. Silver member: $50.00 5. Bronze member: $25.00 Somers Post Member receives WWii Decoration 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 4. Memorial Gift Program 2. Charitable Gift Annuities 5. Bequests 3. Charitable trusts 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 – Department of Wisconsin is a 501c(19) nonprofit 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). Retired Navy Master Chief Lewis Yore receives congratulations from Post 2751 Commander Dave Hart after Yore was presented with a WWII Mariana Island Medallion. Master Chief Yore served aboard the Santa Fe C660. He wore his full uniform for the ceremony. Name or Post Name and Number ___________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip _________________________________________________________ Amount Donated: ____________ an individual donation of $50 or more qualifies you for trust Fund Coin. VFW GiFt CArds Please remember to take advantage of our Wisconsin VFW Gift Card Program. For additional information, visit our State Website and click on the Gift Card link. This simple, convenient program will make money for your Post and your Department, and doesn’t require that you spend anything extra. Start using this great program today! Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 13 May 2009 VFW Gift Card store Program VFW Burns Post 388, Wausau Gift Card Order Form Below Post 1904 says ‘thanks!’ How often does your Post get out and say “Thanks!” to merchants who extend a hand of friendship and give breaks to Veterans? Last March, Post 1904 in Fond du Lac made sure some Veteran-friendly businesses get recognized. The Fond du Lac Applebee’s Bar & Grill honored Veterans with a free meal on Veterans Day. Here, General Manager Steve Flesch is flanked by Post Member Bob Plummer, left, and Commander John Lepinski after he receives his Appreciation Plaque. VFW Burns Post 388, Wausau recently hosted an informational program for members of a National Guard task force due back home from a training mission in Afghanistan. The unit members are from the Milwaukee-based 157th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade. The post participated in the VFW’s Military Assistance Program and intends to repeat the effort before the Wausau Guard unit it has adopted returns from Iraq. Family members heard from representatives of the National Guard and government agencies with programs for Wisconsin military personnel and Veterans. The Post then treated the families to dinner. sPECiAL NOtE – sPECiAL NOtE Walt Tack, owner of Jet Stream Car Wash in Fond du Lac, received an appreciation plaque from Post 1904 Commander John Lepinski, member Bob Plummer and Senior Vice Commander Jason Baumann. Jet Stream gave all Veterans a free car wash on Veterans Day last year. Our Council of Administration Meeting will be held on July 23 through July 24, 2009 at the Mead Inn, Wisconsin Rapids. We are also having Officer Training on Saturday, July 25, 2009. (Early start!) Our King Visit is scheduled for Sunday, July 26. If you are planning to be at either the Council Meeting or the Officer Training, it is important that you make your room reservations no later than July 1, 2009. You can call 1-800-843-6323 for reservations. Please mention VFW when you call. VFW POST Gift Card Order Form Gr oc ery Wo od ma Wo ns od $5 0 ma Co ns pp $1 s/P 00 ick Co Ns pp s/P av e$ ick Cu 50 nS bF av oo e$ ds Cu $5 10 bF 0 0 Co o o d s$ nv 10 en 0 ie n BP ce /Fu $5 0 el Ex xo n /M ob Kw il $ ik T 50 rip Kw $2 ik T 5 rip Kw $5 ik T 0 rip Sto $1 00 p-n -G o$ Sto 25 p-n -G o$ PD 50 Q $2 5 PD Q $5 0 PD Q $1 De 0 pa 0 rtm en Ko tS hl's tor $2 es Ko 5 hl's $5 Sh 0 op ko $2 Sh 5 op ko $5 Ta 0 rge t$ 25 Ta rge t$ 10 JC 0 Pe nn ey JC $2 Pe 5 nn ey Se $1 ars 0 $2 5 Wa l-M art Wa $2 5 l-M Ho a r t $ me 10 0 Im pro Ho ve me me De nt Lo po we t$ 10 s$ 0 1 Ac e H 00 ard Me wa re na $2 Sp rds $ 5 ort 10 0 ing Go Ga od nd s er Mt Dic n. k's $2 5 Sp Ca ort ing be la's Go Ba $2 od 5 s$ ss Pro 25 Sh op $2 5 Member Name QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - QTY. - Total Page 14 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News stAtE CONVENtiON siGN-uP 2009 Convention Agenda National reps for 2009 Convention Wednesday, June 24 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM Registration 09:00 AM Convention Committee 10:00 AM VFW News Committee 11:00 AM Service Committee 1:00 PM Finance Committee 2:00 PM 2008-2009 Council of Administration 7:00 PM Patriotic Rally Thursday, June 25 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM Registration 8:00 AM Joint Awards 9:30 AM Committee Reports 12:05 PM Nomination of 2009-10 Officers LUNCH BREAK 1:30 PM Committee Reports Continue 4:00 PM Caucus 7:30 PM Joint Memorial Service Friday, June 26 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Registration 8:30 AM Reopen Meeting *Legislative Committee *Resolutions Committee *Service Committee *District Commander’s, County Council, State Officers Comments 12:00 Noon LUNCH BREAK 1:00 PM - Reopen Meeting *Convention Committee *Charter & By-Laws Committee 6:00 PM Presentation of All-State Awards 7:00 PM Convention Banquet saTurday, June 27 6:30 AM Past Commander’s Breakfast 7:00 AM - 8:30 AM Registration 8:30 AM Reopen Meeting *Guest Speakers *Remaining Committee Reports 10:30 AM Election of 2009-2010 Officers *Adjournment 12:00 Noon Installation of 2009-2010 Officers 1:30 PM - 2009-2010 Council of Administration Meeting 5:00 PM – Commander & President Reception at Post 305 Walter G. (Wally) Hogan was elected Commander-in-Chief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States during the 90th National Convention, August 1989 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mr. Hogan was a squad leader in the U.S. Army’s 7th Infantry Division during the Korean War. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Combat Infantryman’s Badge and the Korean Service Medal with two battle stars. Following his military service, Mr. Hogan went to work for the Rexnord Corporation and remained there for 32 years until his retirement. In 1960, he joined VFW Post 6498 in Milwaukee and in 1966 was elected Post Commander. He served as the Wisconsin 5th District Commander in 1970-71. In 1974-75, he attained All-American status as Commander of the Department of Wisconsin. In 2000-01 he was again elected district commander and attained All American status. Mr. Hogan was elected to the National Council of Administration and served from 1975-1977. He has served as chairman of the National Community Activities Committee and the Veterans Service Committee and as a member of the National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee. He has also been involved in his community, serving as Cubmaster and Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America, Little League Baseball manager and a Junior Achievement advisor. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Spencerian College in Milwaukee. He and his wife, Diane, reside in Franklin, Wis. they have five children, 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. n n n Past National President Mona Walter G. (Wally) Hogan Commander-in-Chief 89-90 Longly of Lexington, Nebraska, is currently serving the Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States as Chairman of the 2008-2009 National Advisory Committee. She is also in her seventeenth term as local Auxiliary President since serving as 1988-89 National President and has continued to serve the organization in several capacities. We Have A Stake In America was the theme she selected for the Auxiliary’s 75th Anniversary year when the Auxiliary Cancer Aid & Research Fund topped the 3 million dollar mark for the first time in the history of the program. It was also the 34th consecutive year of membership growth with a new strength of 754,230 members. For the National President’s special project, members donated $84,732 for the Special Olympics Fund. In addition, she presented $10,000 from the national organization to Eunice Kennedy Shriver at the Special Olympics National Games. As National President, Mona represented the organization in the Far East, Japan, Korea (including the Demilitarized Zone), Taiwan, Guam, and Beijing, China. Mona Longly National President 88-89 A Life Member of Plum Creek Auxiliary #5136, she has served as State and District President and in many other National positions including Americanism/Loyalty Day Director, Membership Director, Publicity Director, Color Bearer and Big Ten Conference Chairman in Membership and Cancer Aid & Research. She also represented Kansas and Nebraska on the National Council of Administration. In addition to the Auxiliary, Mona is actively involved in the development of the Heartland Museum of Military Vehicles, near Lexington. She is also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and St. Ann Catholic Church. Her husband, Ronald, who served in the US Army in Korea from 194647, is a Life Member of VFW Post #5136 and is currently serving as Post Adjutant. The Longlys have three sons, two daughters, twenty grandchildren, two great-granddaughters, four great-grandsons, seven stepgrandchildren, two step-great-granddaughters, and one step-great-grandson. A former schoolteacher, Mrs. Longly is always interested in helping young people. Today she joins her husband in retirement from their farming and ranching operation. 2009 stAtE CONVENtiON siGN-uP FOrms CALENdAr OF EVENts June 7 Tomah Day 9 a.m. 13 Runge-Graham Post 1691 - 80th Anniversary Dinner 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. 14 Flag Day - Waubeka, WI 24-27 VFW & Ladies Aux State Convention July 9-13 Moving Wall at Platteville, WI - Post 5274 23-24 VFW & Ladies Aux Council of Administration 25 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News Page 15 May 2009 LAVFW Program for motion VFW Officer training 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. King Day 9 a.m. 26 augusT 15-20 VFW National Convention sepTember 10-13 National Commander-In-Chief Tommy T. Tradewell’s Homecoming 17-20 Ladies Aux. National Pres. Jan Tittle’s Homecoming - Myrtle Beach, SC 19-20 District 10 Fall Meeting - Milltown, WI - Sat. Cootie Scratch 1 p.m.; Sun. Dist. Meeting 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. 20 District 7 Fall Meeting - Antigo, WI ocTober 9-10 VFW Commander & LAVFW President Testimonial 11-13 LAVFW National President’s Visit 23-24 Big 10 Conference - Omaha, NB 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. show us the money! The Federal Government is currently engaged in the largest spending spree in our nation’s history. Yet, even in this spending climate, Congress is resisting efforts to establish Advance Funding for Veterans’ programs. Much ado is made when a senator or representative advances a plan to provide the care and services promised to Veterans, but without tying these efforts to secured funding, they are creating just another box full of empty promises. Closer to home, the Wisconsin Legislature and our Governor are pounding away at our Veterans Trust Fund, trying to find ways to divert this money, that is given in Trust for our Veterans, and slide it into countless non-Veteran budget line items. In addition, there are bed taxes planned for our state Veteran Homes, and onerous regulations proposed or passed that erode the individual rights of Veterans, with callous disregard for their comfort. One glaring example of this is the proposal to eliminate even the few, designated smoking areas at our Veterans Home at King. Because these issues demand your input, we continue to post real-time news online at our State Blog and our Legislative Blog Page. Please check our websites daily and respond appropriately by contacting your elected officials at all levels. We’ll provide the links and addresses, you provide the voice. Your voice counts. We’ll provide you with the addresses for you to contact. You provide the voice that will combine with many others so that, as a group, we can affect the outcome of these debates. We must do more than just grumble and commiserate with one another. Let’s get back to the roots of our great organization. Our predecessors had few tools, but a loud voice and used it in unison, often at rallies and other physical protests. Today we have many more powerful tools to make our voices even louder. Be a part of it and answer the call for Action. Our fellow Veterans are counting on us. To paraphrase the man in the movie: Show us the money! Front Row, from Left to Right: Josie Shabbit; Lexie Janssen; Leah Zielke; Afton Romaine Greenwood; Kierra Shumway; Anya Kopischke; Matt Hecht; Willie Franke; Amedee Savard; Eric Speiser. Back Row, from Left to Right: Kim Craig; Ella Jacobs; Lauren Catherine Heiman; Lindsey House; Ashley Caldecott; Austin Kissel; Brandon Steebs; Sam Kordon; Josh Leonard; Bjorn Johnson. two Posts Hold Joint Patriots Pen Honors Baileys Harbor Post 9290 and Ellison Bay Post 8337 pooled their efforts and honored ten Patriots Pen Winners jointly at a ceremony at Door County Auditorium, Fish Creek. All the students did a great job, and the combined presentation raised additional excitement. All the students are Gibraltar Middle School Eighth Graders. agenda for meetings 23rd and 24th July 2009 - Wisconsin rapids 10:00 A.M. News Committee Meeting Riverside B Thursday July 23, 2009 11:00 A.M. Service Committee Meeting Riverside B Thursday July 23, 2009 1:00 P.M. Finance Committee Meeting Riverside B Thursday July 23, 2009 11:00 A.M. Convention Comm Meeting GB Salon C Friday July 24, 2009 GB Salon A & B Friday July 24, 2009 1:00 P.M. Council of Administration REMEMBER SUNDAY, JULY 26 IS VFW/VFWA KING DAY. BE AT KING BY 8:30 A.M. WE CAN DO NO LESS FOR AMERICA’S HERO’S !!! Congratulations, dave! VOd/Patriots Each year WDVA presents Annual Veterans Awards to recognize advocacy for and service to Veterans. Among his many volunteer activities, Dave Goeldner helps train the Kenosha Police and Fire Department in recognizing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Veterans. Goeldner is a Vietnam Veteran and continues to serve as both the First District Service Officer and Post 1865 (Kenosha) Service Officer. He has drawn praise far and wide for his creative and dedicated outreach programs on Veterans Benefits, as well as his willingness to “show the way” for Veterans in need. In addition to his Veterans Service work, Dave Goeldner has served the Department of Wisconsin as Community Service Chairman for several years. Congratulations to a great VFW Member! He is shown after the presentation at WDVA Headquarters during the State Legislative Day in March. Left to right are 1st District Commander Tom Truesdell and incoming State Chief of Staff Arlene Banks. Pen items Wanted! We have received many VOD and Patriots Pen Award Photos and are seeking more for a planned feature section in our July edition. If you have not already done so, please submit photos and short articles on these awards. We will include as many as possible in our July Newspaper and also on our Wisconsin VFW WebCOM. Send by regular mail to: Editor, 505 S. Apple Ave., Marshfield, WI Or, e-mail a full-size “jpg” photo file and caption to: editor@ wi.vfwwebmail.com State ReSolutionS resoluTion 2009-1 resoluTion To amend The Federal Flag code (public law 94-344) Whereas, the POW/MIA issue is of National importance; and Whereas, the POW/MIA flag is recognized as a Federal Banner; and Whereas, the Flag Code is silent as to the protocol on its position relative to other flags and banners; now therefore be iT resolVed, that the Commander-inChief of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and its staff take action to amend the Federal Flag Code (Public Law 94-344) to establish protocol for the POW/MIA flag and that it be granted precedence over any other flag or banner except the United States, i.e: When flown from a pole, be directly beneath the United States Flag: and when carried in a “line-of march”, immediately to the left of the United States Flag. Submitted by: signed Steven D. Lawrence VFW State Adjutant/Quartermaster VFW Department of Wisconsin resoluTion 2009-2 arTicle Vii - deparTmenT conVenTion, mid-WinTer conFerence, council oF adminisTraTion and big Ten conFerence Section 701 -DEPARTMENT CONVENTION, MID-WINTER CONFERENCE, COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION AND BIG TEN CONFERENCE (1)The Department shall hold one (1) Convention each year. That will end on the first (1st) Saturday in June. (change will take place after 2011 department convention) (delete after 2011 department convention) The Department shall hold one (1) Convention each year to be held commencing on the Thursday of the last full week in June. (3)A Council of Administration Meeting shall be held on the first (1st) full week in August. (change will take place 2012) A Council of Administration Meeting shall be held within thirty (30) days following the Department Convention. (deletion will take place 2012) These changes are due to the National Convention being held in July 2012 (1)Department Convention has to be held on that week, due to getting the State By-Laws and Resolution into National Headquarter on time, for there Committees can get them ready for the National convention. There is a 45 day window (2)Department Council of Administration shall be held on that given time, due to National Convention Is being moved to July. Submitted by signed Wilfred Johnson State Sr. Vice Commander resoluTion 2009-3 resoluTion To amend arTicle V -disTricTs section 504 exception paragraph (7) of the charTer and by-laWs of deparTmenT oF Wisconsin WHEREAS, When the Third District was restructured. the Eleventh District was formed, and WHEREAS, at that time, Post #8123 Desoto requested to remain with the Third District, and this was approved at a State Convention, and WHEREAS, this Post (#8123 Desoto) now wishes to become a part of the Eleventh District, and WHEREAS, at a regular scheduled meeting on May 16, 2009, a resolution was adopted to implement this action, now therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, that Paragraph (7) of Section 504, Article V be deleted in its entirety, with an effective date of July 1, 2009. Submitted by: Charles Groves, Cmdr. Desoto Post 8123 Joe Ricco, Cmdr. District # 3 Renee Simpson, Cmdr. District # 11 Dated: May 17 , 2009 Page 16 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News NAtiONAL rEsOLutiONs 110Th naTional conVenTion commander-in-chieF resoluTions march 15, 2009 Finance and inTernal organizaTion general resoluTions NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS 401 - POW/MIA FULL ACCOUNTING COMMITMENT AND AGENCY FUNDING 402 - POW/MIA PUBLIC AWARENESS 403 - FULL FUNDING FOR THE JOINT POW/ MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND 404 - RECOVER THE REMAINS OF THE GEORGE ONE CREW 405 - RENEW POW/MIA DISCUSSIONS WITH NORTH KOREA 406 - CALL FOR VIETNAM POW/MIA UNILATERAL ACTION 407 - U.S. – RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS 408 - USE OF U.S. NAVY VESSELS AND/OR U.S. GOVERNMENT VESSELS FOR VIETNAM UNDERWATER ACCOUNTING ACTIVITIES 409 - SUPPORT FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM 410 - SUPPORT FOR THE TROOPS AND THEIR MISSION IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM 411 - INCREASE THE DEFENSE BUDGET 412 - BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE IS A NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITY 413 - MAINTAIN GLOBAL AIR SUPREMACY 414 - SUPPORT FOR THE COAST GUARD DEEPWATER PROGRAM 415 - SUPPORT FOR THE ARMY’S FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS PROGRAM 416 - RE-DESIGNATE THE POSITION OF SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AS THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS 417 - RAISE MILITARY BASE PAY TO EQUAL PRIVATE-SECTOR WAGES 418 - ENERGY DEPENDENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY 419 - LOWER THE RESERVE COMPONENT RETIREMENT PAY AGE 420 - CORRECT THE FY08 NDAA RESERVE RETIREMENT PAY PROVISION 421 - OPPOSE TRICARE FEE INCREASES 422 - UNIFORMED SERVICES FORMER SPOUSES PROTECTION ACT 423 - INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN 424 - CHILD CUSTODY AND MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS 425 - MILITARY ABSENTEE VOTING 426 - OPPOSE ALL EFFORTS TO REPEAL THE 1993 LAW BANNING HOMOSEXUALS FROM SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES 427 - SECURE AMERICA’S BORDERS / HALT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION 428 - SUPPORT NATO EXPANSION 429 - SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA 430 - SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN 431 - INVESTIGATE THE ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE USS LIBERTY 432 - HALT NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM 433 - ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL AUTHORIZATION DATE CHANGE 434 - EUROPE DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL 435 - COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL 436 - AMEND CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION WWII MEDAL 437 - RECOGNIZE MILITARY VETERANS WHO WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED DURING THE EARLY PERIOD OF THE COLD WAR 438 - EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR THE ARMY COMBAT ACTION BADGE 439 - AUTHORIZE THE COMBAT ACTION BADGE FOR PENTAGON SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 440 - ESTABLISH A COMBAT ACTION MEDAL FOR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL 441 - EXPAND THE DATES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL 442 - CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR ALL CODE TALKERS 443 - WORLD WAR ONE (WWI) GENERATION NATIONAL HONORS 444 - SUPPORT FORMER POW SLAVE LABOR CLAIMS AGAINST JAPANESE FIRMS 445 - CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMEN AIR FORCE SERVICE PILOTS (WASP) VeTerans serVice 601 - ADEQUATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET 602 - CONSIDER TREATMENT FOR A PRESUMPTIVE SERVICE CONNECTED CONDITION AS A CLAIM FOR VA COMPENSATION 603 - EXTENDING GULF WAR PRESUMPTIONS, REGISTRY, AND HEALTH CARE TO AFGHANISTAN THEATER VETERANS 604 - OPPOSE VA PHARMACEUTICAL COPAYMENT INCREASES 605 - ENTITLEMENT TO NURSING HOME CARE 606 - HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY 607 - VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS 608 - HIGH QUALITY VA SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS 609 - EXTEND A PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE CONNECTION TO BLAST SURVIVORS 610 - ADVANCED FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE 611 - VETERAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP 612 - SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION VETERANS PROGRAMS 613 - EXPAND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) PRE-SEPARATION COUNSELING AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS 614 - VA CLAIMS BACKLOG 615 - IMPROVE TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISORDER 616 - OPPOSE ATTEMPTS TO PRIVATIZE VETERANS HEALTH CARE 617 - PRESUMPTIVE SERVICE CONNECTION FOR TINNITUS AND HEARING LOSS 618 - EXTEND THE SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS OF P.L. 109-461 TO ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES 619 - BURIAL PLOT ALLOWANCE 620 - MINIMUM COMPENSATION FOR HEARING LOSS 621 - REPEAL THE SURVIVOR’S BENEFIT PLAN AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION OFFSET 622 - INCIDENT REPORTING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HEALTH CARE FOR MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST) 623 - PAYMENT FOR LOSS OF QUALITY OF LIFE 624 - EXEMPT BOTH CATASTROPHICALLY DISABLED VETERANS FROM PAYING ANY VA CO-PAYMENTS 625 - VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY 626 - HOMELESS VETERANS PRIORITIES 627 - EMPLOYER TAX CREDIT resolution no. 401 POW/MIA FULL ACCOUNTING COMMITMENT AND AGENCY FUNDING WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has long been deeply committed to achieving the fullest possible accounting for all U.S. personnel still held captive, missing, and unaccounted for from all of our nation’s wars; and WHEREAS, there have been 1,976 live sighting reports since 1975, with 2 percent remaining unresolved; and WHEREAS, service members still unaccounted for number more than 74,000 from World War II, more than 8,000 from the Korean War, more than 1,700 from the Vietnam War, 125 from the Cold War, 1 from the Persian Gulf War and 1 from the Iraq War; and WHEREAS, it is the responsibility of the U.S. government to account for America’s missing in action; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Congress has a moral obligation to appropriate all the funds necessary for all government agencies to carry out all their programs and operations to resolve this issue and bring closure for the families of the missing from all wars; and WHEREAS, this accounting should not be considered complete until every possible action has been taken to resolve their fate; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we remain steadfast in our commitment to the goal of the fullest possible accounting of all U.S. military personnel from all of our nation’s wars; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon Congress to fully fund the efforts of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office and all operations of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY AND & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To achieve the fullest possible accounting of all poW/mia’s from all wars and urge congress to fully fund all dod poW/mia offices and commands. resolution no. 402 POW/MIA PUBLIC AWARENESS WHEREAS, it is imperative that the American people never forget about U.S. military service members that are still unaccounted for from all wars and conflicts; and WHEREAS, the VFW is responsible to keep its subordinate units and membership informed on current POW/MIA issue developments; and WHEREAS, it is our duty to keep the POW/ MIA issue in the forefront of the public conscience; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we will provide routine distribution to the field of pertinent, credible and responsible information and reports, such as those initiated by the VFW National Security & Foreign Affairs Director; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each Department, District and Post is encouraged to exercise maximum effort to maintain the vitality and thrust of the POW/MIA program and appoint an interested member to act as the POW/MIA project officer or committee chairman; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support the annual National POW/MIA Recognition Day and encourage the display and daily flying of the POW/MIA flag. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support public awareness of the poW/ mia issue. Preparing a Proposed Amendment to the National By-laws Proposed amendments to the National By-Laws must have Department approval if submitted by a Post, District or County Council, and should be sent to national headquarters at the close of the department convention and must be received by the Adjutant General by the first working day in July in order that they may be publicized as required by Article XIV of the National By-Laws before being put before the national convention for action. A proposed change to the National By-Laws, Manual of Procedure & Ritual or Congressional Charter must be submitted as such, not as a resolution. Such proposed amendments must be definite and specific as to the material to be deleted or added, containing the exact wording of the proposed change. Any wording from the bylaws must be from the latest printed edition. *** By-Law changes not in proper form, unclear as to meaning, or concerning matters clearly not within the scope and purpose of the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot be considered by the National Convention. If you require help composing a proposed change to the bylaws, please contact us for advice and assistance in properly preparing a proposed amendment to be voted upon by your department convention. EXAMPLES Proposed Amendment to National By-Laws proposed by Department of ____________. ARTICLE VII—MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS Section 709 – Control of Units. Amend Section 709--Control of Units, National By-Laws, by deleting the words “two– thirds (2/3)” in the sixth paragraph and inserting, in lieu thereof, the following: “majority”. *********** Proposed Amendment to National Manual of Procedure proposed by Department of ____________. ARTICLE V--DEPARTMENTS Section 518 – Officers: Duties and Obligations. Amend Section 518—Officers: Duties and Obligations, (a) Officers. (1) Commander., Manual of Procedure, by adding after paragraph k., paragraph l. Plan and organize all social functions. *********** Proposed Amendment to National Ritual proposed by Department of ____________. Amend the Ritual by deleting on page 44, in the last sentence of the Member’s Obligation, the words “and a citizen of our great republic.” Further amend by placing a period after the word “comrade” in the same sentence. PREPARING A PROPOSED RESOLUTION The policy of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is established by resolutions adopted by the delegates attending Department and National Conventions. Most such resolutions originate at the Post level and are passed through the District and Department before being acted upon at a National Convention. Many times, an otherwise worthy idea gets nowhere merely because it is not correctly presented. A resolution contains two separate parts; a statement of the problem to be solved, and the proposed solution to the problem. The problem is outlined in the “WHEREAS” clauses, and the proposed solution is given in the “RESOLVED” section. The “RESOLVED” section of a resolution should be complete in itself without depending on the “WHEREAS” clauses to give it meaning. EXAMPLE WHEREAS, the rising cost of living has created an intense hardship on those disabled veterans whose only income is a meager pension check; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that we petition Congress to enact legislation which would provide a substantial increase in non-service connected pension rates. (Note: The “RESOLVED” section has a proposed solution that makes sense and can stand alone without the “WHEREAS” clause giving it meaning.) A resolution may deal with a local problem, It needs no action on a level higher than that of the Post. If the problem concerns an area larger than that served by the Post, it should, after Post approval, be presented before the District or County Council. All resolutions of statewide, regional or national concern must be acted upon by the Department Convention. Those resolutions approved by a Department Convention, which affect persons or matters outside the state boundaries, must be forwarded to the National Convention for final disposition. When submitting resolutions to the Department Convention, a notation on the bottom should show the previous action taken ... approval by Post and, if applicable, by the District or County Council. Since the Department and National Conventions are held once a year, it is important that Post resolutions be acted upon and submitted to the Department Adjutant at least a month prior to the opening of the Department Convention. Resolutions not in proper form, unclear as to meaning, or concerning matters clearly not within the scope and purpose of the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot be considered by the National Convention. HANDLING OF RESOLUTIONS The policy of the Veterans of Foreign Wars is established by resolutions adopted by the delegates attending Department and National Conventions. Most such resolutions originate at the Post level. All resolutions of statewide, regional, or national concern must be acted upon by the Department Convention. Those resolutions approved by a Department Convention, which affect matters outside state boundaries, must be forwarded by the Department Adjutant to the National Convention for final disposal. A resolution disapproved by the Department Convention or not acted upon by the Department Convention will not be considered by the National Convention. Approved resolutions affecting matters outside state boundaries, should be sent to national headquarters at the close of the department convention and must be received by the Adjutant General by the first working day in July before being put before the national convention for action. Resolutions may also be originated by Department officers or by the Department Convention itself and acted upon by the Department Convention. A National Officer may originate a resolution concerning National affairs and submit it directly to the National Convention without Department action. Likewise, a National Convention Committee may originate a resolution and present it for approval during the National Convention. Policy set by the National Convention is binding upon all subordinate units of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. No Post or Department is permitted to take any individual action or espouse any cause contrary to the National By-Laws or to the actions of the National Convention except that it may propose changes in policy by the preparation of a resolution for consideration as outlined in Preparing a Proposed Resolution. NAtiONAL rEsOLutiONs resolution no. 403 FULL FUNDING FOR THE JOINT POW/MIA ACCOUNTING COMMAND WHEREAS, the mission of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) is to achieve the fullest possible accounting of all Americans missing as a result of our nation’s previous conflicts; and WHEREAS, that mission has been compromised in the past by a funding shortfall; and WHEREAS, there are hundreds of previously investigated sites that await to be excavated by recovery teams; and WHEREAS, JPAC funding is received through the U.S. Pacific Command (USPACOM) where it must compete with war fighting priorities; and WHEREAS, this is not the way the American people expect the U.S. government to fund a high national priority; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we remain strongly supportive of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and urge the President and Congress to demonstrate their resolve to keeping this issue a high national priority by earmarking a fully funded dedicated line item appropriation for the JPAC budget. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To call upon the president and congress to fully fund a dedicated line item appropriation for the Joint poW/mia accounting command. resolution no. 404 RECOVER THE REMAINS OF THE GEORGE ONE CREW WHEREAS, on December 30, 1946, a Martin Mariner PBM-5 seaplane, code named ‘George One’, with a crew of nine took off from the Antarctic Sea as part of Admiral Richard Byrd’s Operation High Jump to photograph and map the Antarctic coastline; and WHEREAS, four hours into the mission the aircraft grazed a ridgeline and crashed, killing Ensign Maxwell A. Lopez (RI), Aviation Machinist Mate First Class Frederick Warren Williams (TN), and Aviation Radioman First Class Wendell K. Hendersin (WI); and WHEREAS, the three deceased crewmen were buried by the surviving members of the crew in a temporary grave under one of the aircraft’s wings; and WHEREAS, 13 days later, the survivors were rescued, but the bodies of the deceased crewmen were unable to be retrieved and remain buried under 150 feet of snow and ice; and WHEREAS, the technology now exists to locate and safely recover the remains of the deceased crew who have been lost for six decades; and WHEREAS, it is the solemn duty of our nation to not leave a fallen comrade behind; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we strongly urge the Department of Defense and the United States Navy to fully fund and support the recovery operation to retrieve the remains of the George One crew; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon Congress to provide the needed funding and direct the Department of Defense to carry out this operation. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge dod and the navy to fully fund and support the recovery operation to retrieve the remains of the george one crew. resolution no. 405 RENEW POW/MIA DISCUSSIONS WITH NORTH KOREA WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has supported and continues to advocate for the accounting of U.S. military personnel previously listed as prisoner of war, missing in action, killed in action/body not recovered from the Korean War; and WHEREAS, the Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) conducted 33 Joint Field Activities (JFAs), which consisted of investigative and recovery operations, in North Korea from 1996 through 2005, resulting in the repatriation of 208 remains and the identification of 24 service members; and WHEREAS, in May 2005 the U.S. government temporarily suspended JFA recovery efforts in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) due to safety concerns for the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) JFA teams, as well as bilateral talks with DPRK government officials; and WHEREAS, North Korea has been removed from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, thereby creating an opportunity for renewed bilateral talks with DPRK officials concerning humanitarian recovery operations; and WHEREAS, it is essential to reestablish bilateral talks between the U.S. and DPRK in order to restore Joint Field Activities in North Korea; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we encourage the renewal of bilateral talks between the U.S. government and North Korean officials for the purpose of resuming humanitarian operations to recover and account for Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Korean War. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To encourage the U.S. government to renew bilateral talks with North Korea to resume MIA recovery operations. resolution no. 406 CALL FOR VIETNAM POW/MIA UNILATERAL ACTION WHEREAS, diplomatic relations between the United States Government and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV) were established in July 1995 following assurances from Vietnamese officials that improved bilateral relations would result in expanded cooperation to achieve the fullest possible accounting of Americans captured, missing, or killed during the Vietnam War; and WHEREAS, on March 20, 2002, President George W. Bush issued Presidential Determination 2002-11, stating that Vietnam’s unilateral provision of POW/MIA-related documents and records should be improved, focused initially on archival data pertaining to Americans captured, missing, or killed in areas of Laos and Cambodia under wartime Vietnamese control; and WHEREAS, Presidential Determination 2002-11 also stipulated that the government of Vietnam must take unilateral actions aimed at locating and repatriating the remains of those who died while in Vietnamese control that have not yet been returned; and WHEREAS, on June 25, 2008, President Bush expressed his appreciation to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for Vietnam’s cooperation in the joint humanitarian effort to achieve the fullest possible accounting for Americans who remain missing in action and Vietnam’s willingness to carry out additional measures; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we encourage Socialist Republic of Vietnam Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to continue in this cooperative effort by authorizing officials in his government to locate and release immediately to the United States all records relating to Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam conflict; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we strongly urge the Vietnamese government to find and repatriate Americans or the remains of Americans last known alive in captivity or in immediate proximity to capture by their forces that are in Vietnamese possession or control. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To request the Government of Socialist Republic of Vietnam to release all documents and possible remains pertaining to Americans lost during the Vietnam War. resolution no. 407 U.S. – RUSSIA JOINT COMMISSION ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS WHEREAS, the U.S. – Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs was established in March 1992 by the direction of the Presidents of the United States and the Russian Federation, to serve as a forum through which both nations can seek to determine the fate of their missing servicemen.; and WHEREAS, the U.S. delegation’s objectives have been to determine whether American servicemen are being held against their will on the territory of the former Soviet Union, and, if so, to secure their immediate release and repatriation; to locate and return to the United States the remains of any deceased American servicemen interred in the former Soviet Union; and ascertain the facts regarding American servicemen who were not repatriated and whose fate remains unresolved; and WHEREAS, the commission is organized into four working groups, each representing a key area of investigation – World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cold War – and meets in regular plenary sessions several times each year; and WHEREAS, commission members include two United States Senators and two United States Representatives representing both political parties; and WHEREAS, the House Democrat Commissioner post has remained vacant since January 2006; and WHEREAS, on April 30, 2005 the Russian President, by decree, changed the makeup of the Russian delegation, whose organizational structure has yet to be completed, halting progress by the commission as a whole; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we strongly urge Russian Federation Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitry Medvedev to commit to the agreement made between our governments when the U.S. – Russia Joint Commission on POW/MIA Affairs was established, and requests their full cooperation on all humanitarian objectives of this committee; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon the Speaker of the House of Representatives to appoint a qualified Member of the House to actively serve as Democrat Commissioner. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To request the Russian government establish their side of the U.S. /Russia Joint Commission and request the Speaker of the House to appoint a member to fill the position on the Democratic side of this commission. resolution no. 408 USE OF U.S. NAVY VESSELS AND/OR U.S. GOVERNMENT VESSELS FOR VIETNAM UNDERWATER ACCOUNTING ACTIVITIES WHEREAS, the government of the United States has sought permission from the government of Vietnam to deploy U.S. Navy and/or U.S. Government Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News vessels to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions in the territorial waters of Vietnam; and WHEREAS, in May and June 1999, U.S. Navy divers operating from a Vietnamese barge, conducted the first underwater recovery operation in Vietnam in waters approximately 10-15 meters deep; where divers were able to recover remains, personal effects of the crew, and aircraft debris; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Navy possesses the necessary vessels, platforms and technology to successfully and safely conduct humanitarian underwater recovery missions; and WHEREAS, in January/February 2007, the governments of the U.S. and Vietnam negotiated an agreement in principle to allow U.S. Navy vessels and/or U.S. Government vessels to conduct humanitarian underwater recovery efforts in the territorial waters of Vietnam; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the government of Vietnam to honor the 2006 agreement and permit humanitarian underwater recovery missions in the territorial waters of Vietnam that could help account for Americans lost during the Vietnam War; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon U.S. Government officials to implement the terms of this agreement in an expeditious manner. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Vietnam to honor the 2006 agreement in principle to use U.S. Naval and U.S. Government vessels for underwater recovery missions. resolution no. 409 SUPPORT FOR THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM WHEREAS, for years, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and other responsible authorities have warned of the increasing threat of terrorism to Americans and our interests; and WHEREAS, terrorist attacks against our citizens and facilities, both at home and abroad, aided and abetted by “outlaw countries,” remain a threat to our national security; and WHEREAS, the U.S., its citizens and allies continue to be targets for international terrorism as witnessed by the discovery of Al-Qaeda terrorist cells on American soil and the capture of suspected terrorists trying to cross U.S. borders; and WHEREAS, it is clear that all Americans and our way of life are targets of a number of international terrorist organizations and religious zealots who have announced a declaration of war against America; and WHEREAS, it is important to the security of the American people that the U.S. take decisive action against terrorists by staying on the offensive and taking the fight to the enemy in order to prevent and/or mitigate attacks within our borders; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we continue to support decisive action in the war on terrorism by staying on the offensive against international terrorist organizations and groups, as well as rogue or outlaw states guilty of inciting, harboring or aiding and abetting terrorists; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we unequivocally support the men and women of our armed forces who carry out the orders to prosecute the war on terrorism around the world and across the nation. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support the war on terrorism and combat terrorist activity by taking decisive and offensive action when warranted. resolution no. 410 SUPPORT FOR THE TROOPS AND THEIR MISSION IN THE WAR ON TERRORISM WHEREAS, we support the Commander-inChief in his efforts to prosecute the global war on terrorism; and WHEREAS, we unequivocally support the U.S. armed forces and the execution of their mission in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere; and WHEREAS, according to Al-Qaeda’s own written communications intercepted in 2007, the war in Iraq is the centerpiece in the war of terror; and WHEREAS, U.S. emphasis to defeat Al-Qaeda is shifting to Afghanistan; and WHEREAS, if Iraq and/or Afghanistan become a haven for terrorist activity, those nation states will be used to plan and carry out attacks against America and U.S. citizens at home and abroad; and WHEREAS, it is critical that the Administration and U.S. Congress provide the resources to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan, which will result in stability and security in the region; and WHEREAS, the VFW has major concerns for the safety of American forces deployed in harms way should the U.S. Congress reduce or cut off funding necessary to achieve victory; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the Commander-in-Chief and the brave men and women fighting the war on terrorism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, as a matter of security for the American people: and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon the Administration and Congress to provide all the funding necessary to ensure the safety of our armed forces and to secure victory in the war on terrorism. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: Page 17 May 2009 To support the war on terrorism, the troops engaged in battle, and the prosecution of their mission. resolution no. 411 INCREASE THE DEFENSE BUDGET WHEREAS, America’s number one priority is to provide for the defense of this nation and security of its citizens; and WHEREAS, America’s defense and security is provided by a properly funded military establishment capable of ensuring a strong national defense and safeguarding U.S. vital interests around the globe; and WHEREAS, defense spending has steadily declined over the last two decades from 6.2% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 1985 to approximately 3.3% of the GDP in 2008; and WHEREAS, the military service chiefs have repeatedly called for the need to recapitalize and modernize the force as a result of the wear and tear on equipment and deteriorating weapons systems; and WHEREAS, for many years the military personnel drawdown has compromised the nations’ readiness and overstretched our armed forces; and WHEREAS, this end strength shortfall, coupled with repeated deployments, is wearing out the active duty and reserve component manpower pool, which is adversely affecting morale and will lead to retention and recruiting problems; and WHEREAS, the Department of Defense (DOD) has repeatedly called for increasing beneficiary health care costs, an earned entitlement, to pay for weapons systems and other programs; and WHEREAS, the nation is in the eighth year of the global War on Terror and sustaining operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and around the world has come at a high cost; and WHEREAS, if the defense budget is not significantly increased, it is inevitable that the military will shrink in terms of both material and manpower, and America’s security will be jeopardized; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we strongly urge the Administration and Congress to increase defense spending to a minimum level of at least 5% of the Gross Domestic Product in order to adequately provide for the readiness, training, modernization, health care, and quality of life initiatives for our armed forces; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call for an increase in personnel and strength for all branches of the military. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY AND FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the Administration and Congress to significantly increase defense funding. resolution no. 412 BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE IS A NATIONAL SECURITY PRIORITY WHEREAS, while the Russian ballistic missile threat to the United States has decreased in recent years because of changes in our strategic relationship with Russia and declining numbers of nuclear weapons in the Russian inventory; and WHEREAS, because of worldwide proliferation, new ballistic missile threats to the United States and our allies have emerged; and WHEREAS, according to a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) on the ballistic missile threat through 2015, the United States will likely face intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) threats from China, North Korea and Iran; and WHEREAS, China has been modernizing its long range strategic missile force since the mid 1980’s and by 2015, the total number of Chinese strategic warheads is projected to rise several-fold; and WHEREAS, many nations, including Pakistan and India, and some not friendly to the U.S., have ballistic missiles capable of being armed with nuclear, chemical or biological warheads; and WHEREAS, despite the growing threat of unstable third world countries, potentially armed with nuclear, chemical or biological ballistic missile warheads, the United States still has no strategic missile defense system deployed to protect this country and its citizens against attack; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the development and deployment of a ballistic missile defense system to protect our country and our deployed military forces; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon the Congress to fully fund a ballistic missile defense program as a high priority national security requirement. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support a ballistic missile defense system and urge Congress to fully fund this program. resolution no. 413 MAINTAIN GLOBAL AIR SUPREMACY WHEREAS, in an unstable world environment it is critical that the United States continue to exercise global air supremacy to protect our ground forces wherever they may be engaged; be able to penetrate heavily defended areas undetected; and protect the sovereign airspace over the nation; and WHEREAS, the emergence of modern Russianbased fighter designs, like Sukhoi Su-27s, Su-30s and the MiG-35, along with sophisticated surfaceto-air missiles, threatens pre-eminence in future conflicts; and WHEREAS, for the U.S. to remain a dominant air power, the Air Force and Defense Department must Page 18 May 2009 continue to develop and procure the next generation fighter aircraft; and WHEREAS, the F-22A Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will provide the needed protection and stealthy capabilities for many years to come; and WHEREAS, the Air Force plan to buy 648 F-22’s in 1991 was whittled down to 180 aircraft; and WHEREAS, in light of the aging F-15 fleet, the need exists to significantly increase the F-22 inventory above 180; and WHEREAS, the F-35 is the result of the Defense Department’s Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, which sought to build a multi-role fighter optimized for the air-to-ground role with secondary air-to-air capability and to meet the needs of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps, with improved survivability, precision engagement capability, and reduced life cycle costs by using many of the same technologies developed for the F-22; and WHEREAS, the Department of Defense JSF purchase plan is for 2,723 aircraft to outfit the Air Force with 1,763, the Marine Corps with 480 and the Navy with 480; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we call upon Congress and the Department of Defense to provide the aircraft that the Air Force and all services need to carry out their mission and maintain global air supremacy. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress and Department of Defense to provide the military services with the aircraft necessary to maintain global air dominance. resolution no. 414 SUPPORT FOR THE COAST GUARD DEEPWATER PROGRAM WHEREAS, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has been protecting the lives and property of the American people on the high seas since 1790; and WHEREAS, the Coast Guard’s current fleet of deepwater assets, which operate from our ports to the high seas as the front line of our layered maritime defense, are aging, technologically obsolete, and prone to frequent system failures; and WHEREAS, these current assets do not possess the speed, interoperability, sensors, and communication capabilities required to respond effectively to America’s diverse and growing maritime needs; and WHEREAS, the Integrated Deepwater System (IDS) plan provides for the need to modernize or recapitalize the Coast Guard’s aging legacy deepwater assets; and WHEREAS, the IDS will ensure that the USCG has a flexible and agile system of cutters, aircraft, command, and control systems and logistics infrastructure to meet current mission demands and future maritime threats and challenges; and WHEREAS, increased funding will yield essential system-wide capability for the Coast Guard’s maritime homeland security and national defense missions, as well as sustain operational effectiveness in all of the service’s multiple military and maritime responsibilities; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we fully support the United States Coast Guard Deepwater Program, and call upon the Congress to fully fund the modernization and recapitalization of the Coast Guard through this program initiative. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support and urge Congress to fully fund the Coast Guard’s Deepwater Program. resolution no. 415 SUPPORT FOR THE ARMY’S FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEMS PROGRAM WHEREAS, the Future Combat Systems (FCS) program is the principal Army modernization initiative, and the first comprehensive modernization of the nation’s ground forces in more than three decades; and WHEREAS, the modernization of the nation’s ground forces is not an option – it is a national imperative; and WHEREAS, the FCS is a key component of the Army Modular Force that will enable the Army to meet head-on the challenges and uncertainties of the future; and WHEREAS, the FCS empowers soldiers with a suite of 18 manned and unmanned systems integrated into a network for unprecedented situational awareness; and WHEREAS, the FCS protects soldiers by making them less vulnerable to all forms of attack, and giving them the knowledge and the weapon systems they need to locate and immobilize a hidden enemy in irregular warfare; and WHEREAS, FCS technology will give the Army a major operational and tactical advantage on the battlefield and enable joint forces to act with seamless coordination; and WHEREAS, the FCS program is designed to alleviate operational and equipment shortfalls, and save billions of dollars in maintenance, fuel, and personnel costs; and WHEREAS, the FCS is the Army’s most critical investment program and most cost-effective way to modernize the Army; and WHEREAS, the Congress has repeatedly cut the Army’s FCS funding requests over the last five years and is projecting future cuts in the years ahead; now, therefore Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the Army’s Future Combat Systems program that will better prepare and protect soldiers for current and future threats; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon Congress to fully fund the Future Combat Systems program this year and into the future to achieve program stability. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support and urge Congress to fully fund the Army’s Future Combat Systems program. resolution no. 416 RE-DESIGNATE THE POSITION OF SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AS THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY AND MARINE CORPS WHEREAS, on November 10, 1775, the Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia passed a resolution directing that two battalions of Marines be raised for the service as landing forces with the fleet, thereby establishing the Continental Marines and signifying the birth of the United States Marine Corps; and WHEREAS, the Marines throughout our Nation’s history have often been called upon to be the first into battle and have accepted this duty without hesitation and with a sense of honor and espirit de corps that is second to none; and WHEREAS, throughout the 232-year history of the Navy and Marine Corps, they have fought side by side as a cohesive team against any interest that would do or cause harm to this nation; and WHEREAS, the first United States Marine served as the sixteenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from September 30, 2005 to October 1, 2007; and WHEREAS, the Marine Corps is the only service in the Department of Defense without a specific service Secretary and the Secretary of the Navy serves as both the Secretary of the Navy and Secretary of the Marine Corps; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support legislation to re-designate the position of the Secretary of the Navy to Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corps. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To change the position of the Secretary of the Navy to Secretary of the Navy and Marine Corp resolution no. 417 RAISE MILITARY BASE PAY TO EQUAL PRIVATE-SECTOR WAGES WHEREAS, in 1999, the base pay of military personnel was 13.5 percent less than their civilian counterparts; and WHEREAS, to close this pay gap, Congress created a formula for basic pay raises that provided the military with a pay increase of one half of one percent above private-sector wages as determined by the Employment Cost Index (ECI); and WHEREAS, this formula to determine military pay raises expired on January 1, 2006; and WHEREAS, military base pay still lags behind private-sector wages by 2.9 percent; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we call upon the Administration and Congress to provide a military base pay raise that will restore full comparability with private-sector wages. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To achieve full military base pay comparability with private-sector wages. resolution no. 418 ENERGY DEPENDENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY WHEREAS, United States dependence on foreign oil, coupled with the rising cost of fuel, weakens the U.S. economic base and will inevitably weaken our military; and WHEREAS, the United States cannot sustain a strong military with a weak economy; and WHEREAS, dependence on foreign oil reduces the leverage of the United States and the world community in responding to threats from oil-exporting nations (i.e., Iran, Venezuela); and WHEREAS, oil accounts for more than threefourths of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) total site delivered energy consumption; and WHEREAS, the largest portion of oil-based fuel used by DOD is in the form of aviation fuel, which accounts for more than 50% of total DOD energy consumption and nearly 60% of its mobility fuel; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we encourage the President and Congress to develop and implement a long-term comprehensive strategy that reduces our dependence on foreign oil through conservation; substitute and alternative fuels; and the development of more efficient propulsion systems, power generators, machinery, and light-weight vehicles; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we encourage the President and Congress to secure our oil supply by diversifying the geographic sources of U.S. oil imports; investigate the feasibility of expanded production of bio-fuels; and enhance the protection of critical shipping choke points (i.e., Straits of Hormuz, Malacca, Gulf of Aden) and develop contingency plans for seaborne terrorism aimed at tanker ships. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief NAtiONAL rEsOLutiONs To Committee of NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To encourage the President and Congress to find and implement a long-term solution to the country’s energy dependency and enhance protection of critical shipping points and tanker ships. resolution no. 419 LOWER THE RESERVE COMPONENT RETIREMENT PAY AGE WHEREAS, current law stipulates that after completing 20 satisfactory years of honorable service, Reserve Component members must wait until age 60 to receive retirement pay; and WHEREAS, when the current age requirement was established, this nation didn’t utilize the Reserve Component forces the way it does now; and WHEREAS, the posture of Reserve Component forces has changed from a strategic reserve to an operational reserve; and WHEREAS, in peacetime and in wartime, they have become a larger percentage of the total force and are essentially partners in the wide range of military operations, from smaller-scale contingencies to major theater war; and WHEREAS, it is well known that the active force cannot sustain the readiness posture to meet our national military strategy without the Guard and Reserve; and WHEREAS, over the course of a military career, with months and years of mobilized service on active duty, a reserve member’s ability to accrue a civilian retirement is severely impacted because they contribute less to their own 401k and IRA retirement plans; and WHEREAS, the 1.4 million men and women who serve in the Reserve Components – the Army and Air National Guard, Army Reserve, Naval Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, and Coast Guard Reserve – represent one-half of America’s total military might and are an integral and vital part of today’s total force; and WHEREAS, a truly seamless and integrated total force is one that does not make rigid distinctions among active Guard and Reserve forces, and one that provides a retirement benefit equal to their contributions; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Congress and the Administration to lower the retirement pay eligibility age to 55 for all Reserve Component members. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support legislation that will reduce the Reserve Component retirement pay eligibility age to 55. resolution no. 420 CORRECT THE FY08 NDAA RESERVE RETIREMENT PAY PROVISION WHEREAS, Since September 11, 2001, America’s reliance on reserve forces at home and abroad is unprecedented in our Nation’s history; and WHEREAS, the Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (FY08 NDAA) includes a provision allowing National Guard and Reserve members to receive retirement pay earlier than the normal age-60 by three months for every 90 days served on active duty after January 29, 2008; and WHEREAS, more than 700,000 Reserve Component members have served on active duty since September 11, 2001 – including more than 150,000 who have served for two or more tours; and WHEREAS, the overwhelming majority of these Reserve members, who have served bravely and honorably, are ineligible to credit their service toward an earlier reserve retirement under the FY08 NDAA; and WHEREAS, this inequity shamefully overlooks the dedication and sacrifice of our Reserve members serving at home and abroad; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Congress to provide all Reserve Component members who served on active duty in support of a contingency operation since September 11, 2001, with eligibility for early receipt of retirement pay as outlined in the provision included in the FY08 National Defense Authorization Act. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to provide all Reserve Component members serving on active duty since September 11, 2001, with eligibility for early retirement pay as outlined in the FY08 National Defense Authorization Act. resolution no. 421 OPPOSE TRICARE FEE INCREASES WHEREAS, a primary benefit of enduring a career of unique and extraordinary sacrifices in the armed forces is a range of exceptional retirement benefits, including the healthcare package known as TRICARE; and WHEREAS, service members pay the equivalent of enormous in-kind premiums for health care in retirement through their extended sacrifices in uniformed service; and WHEREAS, the Department of Defense (DOD) and the nation have a committed healthcare obligation to retired service members and their families that exceeds the obligation of private sector employers to its employees and retirees; and WHEREAS, all retired service members earned equal health coverage by virtue of their service, and there should not be multi-tiered fee schedules for retired military beneficiaries, any more than there are for different salaried employees under civilian coverage or different grades of federal employees under the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program (FEHBP); and WHEREAS, Defense Department officials have renewed their call to raise TRICARE enrollment fees and co-payments for military retirees under age 65 and their families; and WHEREAS, the Defense budget should be significantly increased to cover this healthcare cost obligation, along with other defense programs; and WHEREAS, co-payments are not designed as premiums and in no way should pay for the earned healthcare benefit; and WHEREAS, eroding benefits for career service only undermines long-term retention and readiness; and WHEREAS, the authority to increase or impose co-payments should be moved from the Department of Defense to the United States Congress; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we oppose any TRICARE fee increases and urge Congress to prevent the Department of Defense from escalating or realigning co-payments or any other fees for TRICARE services and benefits; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support legislative action to move the authority to set TRICARE fees to the United States Congress. Submitted by the Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To oppose any TRICARE fee increases and support moving the authority to set fees to the Congress. resolution no. 422 UNIFORMED SERVICES FORMER SPOUSES PROTECTION ACT WHEREAS, in 1981, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in McCarty vs. McCarty that military retirement pay is not divisible as community property in the event of a divorce; and WHEREAS, in 1982, the Congress adopted a law to circumvent the Supreme Court decision, the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act (USFSPA), allowing military retirement pay to be divided in divorce settlements; and WHEREAS, thousands of military retirees are now under court-ordered garnishment because state courts have ruled military pay to be a property asset, causing military retirees to pay a court-ordered percentage of their retirement pay to their former spouses regardless of fault, merit, or need, and regardless of whether the former spouse remarries; and WHEREAS, military retirees are subject to a lifetime of recall to active duty and subject to the Uniformed Code of Military Justice, and that no other retirement system includes similar provisions for division of pay and the spouses right to receive the pay requires no code of conduct or behavior; and WHEREAS, certain inequities exist in the USFSPA, including the “windfall provision,” which grants divorce awards based upon the pay on the date of retirement, as well as a provision that requires service members with more than 20 years of service to divide their expected retired pay before their actual retirement date; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Congress to reform the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act to include granting divorce awards based on the service member’s rank at the time of divorce, and not require service members with more than 20 years of service to divide their expected retired pay before they actually retire. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to reform the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act. resolution no. 423 INTERSTATE COMPACT ON EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY FOR MILITARY CHILDREN WHEREAS, the Council of State Governments, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Personnel and Readiness, has drafted a new interstate compact to address the educational transition issues of children of military families; and WHEREAS, due to frequent relocations in the course of military service, military families encounter significant challenges when dealing with enrollment, eligibility, placement, and graduation of their children; and WHEREAS, these frequent moves and long deployments place a heavy burden on military families and put the military student at an educational disadvantage; and WHEREAS, this compact would apply to the children of active duty members of the uniformed services, including members of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty orders; members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medically discharged or retired for a period of one year after medical discharge or retirement; and members of the uniformed services who die on active duty or as a result of injuries sustained on active duty for a period of one year after death; and WHEREAS, the compact is active since more than ten (10) states have adopted the compact language; and WHEREAS, the adoption of this compact by every state government will address the key child educational issues encountered by all military families; now, therefore national resolutions BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon all state governments to expeditiously adopt the language of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a duly authenticated copy of this resolution be transmitted to the Council of State Governments and the Department of Defense. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children and call upon state governments to adopt the compact language. Resolution No. 424 CHILD CUSTODY AND MILITARY DEPLOYMENTS WHEREAS, many service members run the risk of losing permanent custody of their child(ren) because there is no safeguard in the law to protect them from being sued for permanent custody of their child(ren) while deployed in support of a contingency operation; and WHEREAS, single-parent service members are required to have a family care plan in the event they are deployed, which delegates caregiver responsibilities for minor children; and WHEREAS, such caregiver arrangements are not equivalent to legal custody and some civilian courts have chosen to ignore the family care plan during child custody challenges; and WHEREAS, a deployed service member cannot appear in court to defend their right to custody; and WHEREAS, the range of state approaches to family law makes it impossible for the military to create a document that would be legally binding; and WHEREAS, child custody challenges put undue stress on a deployed service member, which may negatively affect the member’s performance of duty and mission accomplishment; and WHEREAS, the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act does not adequately protect service members from child custody challenges while deployed; and WHEREAS, due to the nature of military service a need exists for more federal guidance so that no court may permanently alter an existing custody agreement while a military parent is deployed; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Congress to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prevent courts from convening child custody hearings or changing child custody arrangements while a service member is deployed. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to amend the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act to prevent changing child custody arrangements while a service member is deployed. Resolution No. 425 MILITARY ABSENTEE VOTING WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has long been deeply committed to ensuring that all military personnel have the opportunity to participate in our democracy by voting in federal elections; and WHEREAS, a national study by The Pew Center on the States found that military voters from 16 states and the District of Columbia are disenfranchised from exercising their right to vote due to insufficient time allotted to apply for, complete, and return their absentee ballots in time to be counted; and WHEREAS, according to the Election Assistance Commission, only one-third of the one million ballots mailed to military voters during the 2006 election cycle were counted; and WHEREAS, the Federal Voter Assistance Program (FVAP) needs authority to institute greater oversight and accountability measures to ensure access to the ballot for thousands of military overseas voters as mandated by the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA); and WHEREAS, agencies within the State and Federal government have a moral obligation to provide the means necessary to enable all armed forces personnel the timely opportunity to take part in all federal elections, regardless of their location; and WHEREAS, the voting process would be greatly improved for military absentee voters by expanding the use of the Federal Write-in Absentee ballot; by allowing election materials to be transmitted electronically; by requiring at least 45 days for ballots to be mailed to the voter and returned to the election office; and by eliminating a requirement for military voters to have their completed ballots notarized before mailing them to election offices; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, that we call upon state and federal government officials to implement measures to ensure all military absentee voters have ample time to request, complete, and return by the due date their absentee ballot for a federal election. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge state and federal government officials to allow sufficient time for military personnel to request, complete, and return by the due date their absentee ballot for a federal election Resolution No. 426 OPPOSE ALL EFFORTS TO REPEAL THE 1993 LAW BANNING HOMOSEXUALS FROM SERVING IN THE ARMED FORCES WHEREAS, in 1993 Congress passed Public Law 103-160 (Section 654, U.S. Code Title 10) that sets policy and clearly excludes homosexuals from serving in the armed forces of the United States; and WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has annually adopted a resolution from 1983 through 2006 opposing homosexuals from serving in the military; and WHEREAS, the presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability; and WHEREAS, success in combat requires military units that are characterized by high morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion; and WHEREAS, military life is fundamentally different from civilian life in that the military society is characterized by its own laws, rules, customs, and traditions, including numerous restrictions on personal behavior, that would not be acceptable in civilian society; and WHEREAS, the standards of conduct for members of the armed forces regulate a member’s life 24 hours a day, whether the member is on base or off base, and whether the member is on duty or off duty ; and WHEREAS, recent polls reveal that 58% of active duty members oppose repeal of the 1993 law that bans homosexuals from service in the military, 10% would not reenlist, and 14% would consider not reenlisting if the law is repealed; and WHEREAS, this exodus of military members would put a great strain on the all volunteer force in the areas of retention and recruiting during a time when the U.S. is trying to increase the personnel strength of the Army and Marine Corps; and WHEREAS, the current Department of Defense “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy is inconsistent with the public law because it incorrectly suggests that homosexual orientation is not a bar to military service, and that homosexuals may serve in the military as long as they do not engage in homosexual conduct; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we strongly oppose all efforts to repeal Public Law 103-160 (Section 654, U.S. Code Title 10), which bans homosexuals from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Department of Defense to review the current, “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy and replace it with a policy more consistent with the intent of Public Law 103-160. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To oppose all efforts to repeal Public Law 103-160 (Section 654, U.S. Code Title 10), which bans homosexuals from serving in the U.S. Armed Forces Resolution No. 427 SECURE AMERICA’S BORDERS / HALT ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION WHEREAS, the ability of individuals to illegally enter the United States is a threat to homeland security, undercuts the rule of law, and imposes economic strains on U.S. border communities; and WHEREAS, 71% of our 2,000 mile border with Mexico is not protected by any physical barrier; and WHEREAS, the Department of Homeland Security “Secure Border Initiative” will not achieve operational control of the nearly 7,000 mile northern and southern borders until 2011; and WHEREAS, the U.S. also needs to secure more than 16,000 miles of coastline and all airports and shipping ports of entry; and WHEREAS, the December 2005 9/11 Report Card gave failing grades to the Department of Homeland Security in a number of areas, including airport passenger arrival screening against terrorist watch lists; and WHEREAS, despite various immigration laws and several different immigration enforcement agencies, there are an estimated ten to twelve million illegal immigrants living in the United States of America; and WHEREAS, attempts to catch illegal immigrants, once they have established themselves in the United States, have proven even less effective than our efforts to control border-crossings; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Administration and Congress to fast-track funding to departments and agencies responsible to halt the flow of illegal immigrants from entering the United States; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon the Department of Homeland Security to expedite all initiatives to secure the entire United States border and ports of entry; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we insist the U.S. government aggressively work to identify all illegal immigrants and determine who should be deported and who should be allowed to apply for citizenship under existing laws. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To expeditiously secure U.S. borders and halt the flow of illegal immigrants. Resolution No. 428 SUPPORT NATO EXPANSION WHEREAS, in the midst of the rapidly chang- Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News ing political situation in Europe, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has remained a stable, steadying influence in the region; and WHEREAS, since 1992, the former Warsaw Pact countries of eastern Europe have thrown off the yoke of communism and reestablished democratic governments; and WHEREAS, in 1998, the United States Senate approved the expansion of NATO to include the countries of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic; and WHEREAS, in 2004, the former Warsaw Pact countries of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia and Slovakia also were admitted to NATO; and WHEREAS, in 2008, NATO announced that it is moving forward with the process for Albania and Croatia to join the Alliance; and WHEREAS, the expansion of NATO has not caused Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union to form an opposing political or military alliance; and WHEREAS, the eastward expansion of NATO has accrued political and strategic benefits to the United States by bringing security and stability to this region and is acting as a catalyst for democracy in Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the continued expansion of the NATO Alliance to ensure the future security of Europe, as well as U.S. strategic interests in that region. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support future NATO expansion on the European continent as an element of U.S. strategy for greater stability in the region. Resolution No. 429 SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA WHEREAS, the Republic of Korea is politically and militarily vital to the United States and to the defense and stability of the Pacific and Asian regions; and WHEREAS, numerous treaties are in force with the Republic of Korea concerning aviation, consular affairs, defense, economic and technical cooperation, education, finance, fisheries, maritime matters, trade and commerce, and especially the Mutual Defense Treaty that was effective on November 17, 1954; and WHEREAS, South Korea and North Korea signed the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation on December 13, 1991; and WHEREAS, in late 1992, the North Korean nuclear issue halted progress of that agreement; and WHEREAS, North Korea still maintains an extremely large and forward deployed military force capable of launching offensive operations against South Korea on short notice; and WHEREAS, North Korea has produced nuclear material for the development of nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, North Korea is developing powerful long-range missiles that could possibly reach targets in the United States, particularly Alaska; and WHEREAS, North Korea has escalated tensions in the region by the test launching of missiles and periodically deploying armed forces along the demilitarized zone and Joint Security Area at Panmunjom; and WHEREAS, the presence of a large contingent of U.S. ground and air forces in the Republic of Korea serves as a real deterrent to North Korean aggression; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the government of the United States to keep a substantial military presence in South Korea and increase its military aid and assistance to the Republic of Korea by providing modern state of the art weapons and technology to safeguard its freedom and promote security in the Pacific and Asian regions. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the U.S. government to keep a military presence in the Republic of Korea and provide them with military aid and assistance to ensure stability in the region. Resolution No. 430 SUPPORT FOR THE REPUBLIC OF CHINA ON TAIWAN WHEREAS, the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan is a historic and democratic ally of the United States; and WHEREAS, the ROC on Taiwan is a valuable trading partner of the United States; and WHEREAS, the ROC on Taiwan is a vital link in the Western Pacific defense chain and is important to the security and stability of the region; and WHEREAS, the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) has not made any moves forward, in accordance with the peaceful tone of the Shanghai Communiqué, to resolve the issue of which government is the legitimate representative of China; and WHEREAS, the PRC continues to oppose the admission of the ROC to the United Nations or other international organizations; and WHEREAS, the PRC has continued its military buildup, including deployment of short and medium range missiles in close proximity to the ROC; and WHEREAS, the Taiwan Relations Act (PL 96-8) codifies the policy of the United States to provide Taiwan (ROC) with arms of a defensive character; Page 19 May 2009 and WHEREAS, a strong deterrent capability for Taiwan bolsters peace and stability in the cross-strait environment; and WHEREAS, on January 1, 1979, the President terminated diplomatic relations between the U.S. and ROC, and established diplomatic relations with the PRC to help maintain peace, security and stability in the western pacific; and WHEREAS, this loss of diplomatic status has prevented the ROC head of State from receiving the same respect and privileges that are afforded to the leaders of other Nations visiting the U.S.; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Administration and Congress to strictly adhere to the concepts of the Taiwan Relations Act by approving the sale to the Republic of China on Taiwan such stateof-the-art military equipment, weapons and technology as may be necessary to maintain adequate defense capability; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Administration to employ its full range of influence to contain aggressive posturing of the Peoples Republic of China; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon the Administration and Congress to support the admission of the Republic of China on Taiwan into the United Nations and the World Health Organization; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we encourage the Administration to afford the President of Taiwan (ROC) the same respect and privileges as afforded to other visiting heads of state. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the Administration and the Congress to strictly adhere to the concepts of the Taiwan Relations Act; and urge the U.S. government to employ its full range of influence to contain aggressive posturing of the Peoples Republic of China; and to afford Taiwan (ROC) heads of state equal respect and privileges. Resolution No. 431 INVESTIGATE THE ISRAELI ATTACK ON THE USS LIBERTY WHEREAS, on June 8, 1967, the USS Liberty, while operating in international waters in the eastern Mediterranean, was the target of an attack by Israel war planes and torpedo boats; and WHEREAS, this attack killed 34 members of the USS Liberty’s crew and wounded 171 other United States personnel on board in addition to causing extensive damage to the ship; and WHEREAS, a controversy continues to surround the attack on the USS Liberty in that some Americans believe the attack was deliberate while others believe the attack was a mistake by the Israeli military; and WHEREAS, aircraft dispatched from U.S. aircraft carriers to aid the USS Liberty were recalled, and this action may have resulted in the death and injury of additional American service members; and WHEREAS, the sailors and Marines and their families should have closure of this tragic attack and its aftermath; and WHEREAS, the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty is the only such naval incident to have never been investigated by Congress; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we call upon Congress to immediately investigate the attack on the USS Liberty that was perpetrated by the armed forces of the State of Israel on June 8, 1967, in order to determine the truth behind the attack, and bring closure to the families and crew; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support the efforts of the USS Liberty Veterans Association calling for an investigation to unmask the truth. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To call upon Congress to investigate the attack on the USS Liberty by Israeli military forces on June 8, 1967 to determine the truth behind the attack. Resolution No. 432 HALT NORTH KOREA’S NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM WHEREAS, North Korea remains a highly militarized Stalinist state with a long history of hostile behavior towards the United States and the Republic of Korea; and WHEREAS, North Korea is not a signatory of the Non-Proliferation Treaty and has a ballistic missile development program; and WHEREAS, it is estimated that North Korea has produced enough highly enriched uranium to build six to eight nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, security and stability in the region is threatened by North Korea’s ambition to build nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, the greatest threat to America’s security is nuclear weapons or weapons grade material falling into the hands of terrorist organizations; and WHEREAS, North Korea can be expected to sell these weapons or material to the highest bidder; and WHEREAS, Iranian officials have confirmed that North Korea is assisting Iran in the development of nuclear weapons; and WHEREAS, in a September 2005 agreement, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear program in exchange for an energy package and a U.S. pledge not to attack or invade North Korea; and WHEREAS, North Korea has broken all agreements and cannot be trusted; and Page 20 May 2009 WHEREAS, the Administration and Congress must remain suspicious of North Korea’s actions and motives; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we call upon the Administration to halt North Korea’s nuclear weapons development program and the proliferation of nuclear weapons or material to third world countries, terrorist states or organizations. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To call upon the Administration to stop the development and proliferation of nuclear weapons by North Korea. Resolution No. 433 ARMED FORCES EXPEDITIONARY MEDAL AUTHORIZATION DATE CHANGE WHEREAS, President Kennedy established the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) by means of Executive Order 10977, dated December 1961, for operations conducted on or after July 1, 1958; and WHEREAS, between the hostile activity termination of World War II on March 2, 1946, and the effective date of authorization of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal on July 1, 1958, there is no specific medal to recognize armed service personnel for expeditionary activities and deployments; and WHEREAS, during this period, military personnel responded to various threats, contingencies and support activities around the globe, including the areas of Guam, the Philippine Islands, and the United Kingdom; and WHEREAS, as a matter of criteria, the AFEM may be authorized for three categories of operations: U.S. military operations, U.S. military operations in direct support of the United Nations, and U.S. operations of assistance to friendly foreign nations; and WHEREAS, many of these military operations between March 3, 1946 and July 1, 1958 meet the criteria for the award of the AFEM; and WHEREAS, criteria is already established that the medal shall be awarded only for operations for which no other U.S. campaign medal is approved; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the President of the United States to issue an executive order changing the effective date to qualify for the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to March 3, 1946; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Joint Chiefs of Staff to review all military operations during this period and award the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal to participants of those operations that qualify. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To change the authorizing date of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal from July 1, 1958, to March 3, 1946, and award it to participants of military operations that qualify. Resolution No. 434 EUROPE DEFENSE SERVICE MEDAL WHEREAS, the U.S. government has established military medals for service in particular theaters of operation or portions of the globe; and WHEREAS, the Korean Defense Service Medal and Vietnam Service Medal are examples of recognizing military service; and WHEREAS, the successful defense of Europe during the Cold War from 1945 – 1991 deserves the same recognition; and WHEREAS, U.S. military men and women were stationed in the European theater of operation to deter the aggression of an armed enemy; and WHEREAS, there are numerous documented hostile fire events resulting in U.S. forces being wounded or killed; and WHEREAS, not all service in Cold War Europe was combative, similar to other theaters of operation, where U.S. service medals were awarded; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we call upon the United Status Congress to establish a Europe Defense Service Medal to recognize the significant contributions of U.S. military personnel in the defense of Europe that resulted in the Cold War victory. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To establish a Europe Defense Service Medal. Resolution No. 435 COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL WHEREAS, in 1998, the United States (U.S.) government recognized the contributions of more than 20 million U.S. service members during the Cold War with a certificate of recognition; and WHEREAS, no medal exists to recognize the dedication and participation of these service members in hundreds of military exercises and operations that occurred between 2 September 1945, to 26 December 1991, to promote world peace and stability; and WHEREAS, during this period, service members were killed, wounded, and missing in Cold War operations overseas, which were separate from other recognized wars such as the Korean War and Vietnam War; and WHEREAS, eligibility for a veteran’s pension, in part, requires honorable service during time of war; Cold War veterans are not eligible for a pen- Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News sion because there is no medal indicating a Cold War existed; and WHEREAS, there is a significant population of homeless veterans in the United States, many of whom are not eligible for a veteran’s pension; and WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States recognizes that the Cold War veterans prevented world domination of communism and nuclear war; and WHEREAS, it is fitting and right that these service members receive proper recognition from their government in the form of the award of a Cold War Victory Medal that will entitle eligibility for a veteran’s pension; and WHEREAS, the United States government has not properly recognized the service of these veterans who sacrificed so much; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the creation and awarding of a Cold War Victory Medal to all eligible U.S. service personnel who served in the military during the Cold War era, 2 September 1945 to 26 December 1991, and whose service has not already been recognized by a campaign or service medal. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To establish a medal for the Cold War period. Resolution No. 436 AMEND CRITERIA FOR AWARD OF THE ARMY OF OCCUPATION WWII MEDAL WHEREAS, the Navy Occupation Service Medal was awarded for service in Trieste, Italy from May 8, 1945 to October 25, 1954, to Naval personnel; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Army was part of the Trieste, Italy occupation from May 8, 1945, to October 25, 1954, but not awarded the Army of Occupation Medal; and WHEREAS, not equally recognizing all military personnel who served in an occupation force, regardless of military branch of service, is an injustice that needs to be rectified immediately; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress of the United States, the Secretary of Defense, and/or the Secretary of the Army to rectify this injustice by awarding the Army of Occupation Medal to those who served in Trieste, Italy with the U.S. Army from May 8, 1945, to October 25, 1954. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To petition Congress, DoD and U.S. Army to award the Army of Occupation Medal to those who served in Trieste, Italy with the U.S. Army from May 8, 1945, to October 25, 1954. Resolution No. 437 RECOGNIZE MILITARY VETERANS WHO WERE KILLED OR WOUNDED DURING THE EARLY PERIOD OF THE COLD WAR WHEREAS, not all members of the military who lost their lives or were injured from special circumstances were recognized during the early period of the Cold War; and WHEREAS, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 11016, “Authorizing Award of the Purple Heart,” on April 25, 1962, for members of the military, and civilians who died or were injured without a formal declaration of war; and WHEREAS, President Ronald W. Reagan signed Executive Order 12464, “Award of the Purple Heart,” on February 23, 1984, for members of the military who died or were injured while serving outside the territory of the United States as part of a peacekeeping force, and as a result of an international terrorist attack; and WHEREAS, during the Cold War period, after World War II to the early 1960’s, the majority of service members lost their lives or were injured in the performance of their mission; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the President to sign an Executive Order that will award the Purple Heart Medal to members of the military during the period 9 May 1945 to 25 April 1962 under identical circumstances as contained in Executive Order 11016 and Executive Order 12464. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To award the Purple Heart Medal to military members wounded or killed while engaged in certain operations or missions during the early period of the Cold War. Resolution No. 438 EXPAND ELIGIBILITY FOR THE ARMY COMBAT ACTION BADGE WHEREAS, in 2005, the Department of the Army authorized the creation of the Combat Action Badge to recognize soldiers who engaged the enemy in battle; and WHEREAS, this important badge currently applies to the brave military men and women who might not qualify for awards such as the Combat Infantry Badge or Combat Medical Badge, which are limited to those individuals serving with an infantry or medical unit; and WHEREAS, the Army’s current policy limits eligibility to those individuals who meet its criteria after September 18, 2001; and WHEREAS, this eligibility criteria overlooks the thousands of veterans who made similar sacrifices in previous wars; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign national resolutions Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to direct the Department of the Army to expand the eligibility for the Army Combat Action Badge to those soldiers who served during the dates ranging from December 7, 1941, to September 18, 2001. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To expand retroactive eligibility for the Army Combat Action Badge to those soldiers serving during the dates ranging from December 7, 1941, to September 18, 2001. Resolution No. 439 AUTHORIZE THE COMBAT ACTION BADGE FOR PENTAGON SERVICE ON SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 WHEREAS, on 2 May 2005 the Army Chief of Staff approved the Combat Action Badge (CAB) to provide special recognition to soldiers who personally engage the enemy, or were engaged by the enemy; and WHEREAS, Headquarters, Department of the Army Letter 600-05-1, which announced the establishment of the Combat Action Badge, stated that retroactive awards for the CAB are not authorized prior to 18 September 2001; and WHEREAS, service personnel assigned to or performing duties with the Army staff, Joint staff, Department of Defense, and other agencies of the Defense establishment in the Pentagon were clearly engaged by the enemy during the terrorist attack on 11 September 2001; and WHEREAS, many members of the Army and other service branches were killed and wounded during the 11 September 2001 attack on the Pentagon and received the Purple Heart; and WHEREAS, all members of the Armed Forces of the United States serving in the Pentagon during the month of September 2001 were authorized hostile fire pay; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to direct the Secretary of the Army to authorize the Combat Action Badge for service members who were present for duty in the Pentagon on 11 September 2001; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Combat Action Badge be posthumously awarded to those service members killed in action on 11 September 2001 or who subsequently succumbed to wounds suffered on 11 September 2001. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To authorize the Combat Action Badge for members of the armed forces who were serving in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. Resolution No. 440 ESTABLISH A COMBAT ACTION MEDAL FOR NAVY AND MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has a policy of maintaining uniformity between existing and newly authorized decorations; and WHEREAS, this uniformity was recently evidenced by the inscription change on four existing campaign and service medals, as well as the resizing of eight other medals; and WHEREAS, the personal decorations of all four military branches have corresponding ribbons and medals except for the Navy Combat Action Ribbon (CAR); and WHEREAS, the Secretary of the Air Force has authorized the issuance of the Combat Action Medal and corresponding ribbon on 26 January 2007; and WHEREAS, numerous military decorations require no exceptional performance, sacrifice or engagement with the enemy, but have ribbons and corresponding medals authorized, such as the National Defense Service Medal; and WHEREAS, the level of sacrifice required to qualify for the Combat Action Ribbon, by engaging the enemy in combat, should warrant the issuance of a corresponding medal; now, therefore, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to direct the Secretary of the Navy to establish a suitable corresponding medal to the Combat Action Ribbon and rename it the Navy Combat Action Medal; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we support the Navy Combat Action Medal as a replacement for the Combat Action Ribbon with the same eligibility criteria, thereby authorizing its wear by all who previously were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the eligibility for the Navy Combat Action Medal be authorized retroactive to 7 December 1941, which is the same date now established for the Combat Action Ribbon. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To petition Congress to direct the Secretary of the Navy to establish a Combat Action Medal to replace the Combat Action Ribbon Resolution No. 441 EXPAND THE DATES OF ELIGIBILITY FOR THE VIETNAM SERVICE MEDAL WHEREAS, the Department of Defense recognized service of United States Armed Forces personnel in the Republic of Vietnam from 1 July 1958 to 3 July 1965, by awarding eligible personnel the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and WHEREAS, Executive Order 11231 established the Vietnam Service Medal as recognition of service in the Republic or contiguous airspace or contiguous waters from 3 July 1965 to 28 March 1973; and WHEREAS, service in the Republic of Vietnam during Operation Frequent Wind during 29 to 30 April 1975, was recognized by awarding eligible personnel the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and WHEREAS, armed forces personnel originally receiving the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for service in the Republic of Vietnam during either 1 July 1958, to 3 July 1965 or 29-30 April 1975, are now qualified to receive the Vietnam Service Medal in lieu of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal; and WHEREAS, after the Paris Peace Accords were signed 27 January 1973 and the last combat troops were withdrawn from the Republic of Vietnam on 29 March 1973, there were members of the United States Armed Forces who remained in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand, and on ships in the Gulf of Tonkin supporting military operations from 29 March 1973 to 28 April 1975 and not recognized by a campaign or service medal; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition the Congress to direct the Secretary of Defense to authorize the Vietnam Service Medal to those that served in the Republic of Vietnam, Thailand and on the ships in the Gulf of Tonkin in support of military operations during the period of 29 March 1973 to 28 April 1975, providing the service member meets the eligibility criteria considered as qualifying service during 3 July 1965 through 28 March 1973. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To expand the dates of eligibility for the Vietnam Service Medal Resolution No. 442 CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR ALL CODE TALKERS WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars has always supported the recognition of any and all veterans for extraordinary service; and WHEREAS, the men of many Native American nations and other ethnic groups performed an invaluable service in defense of the United States as “Code Talkers”; and WHEREAS, the “Code Talkers” were able to transmit their spoken language quickly and accurately without the need for delay in encoding and decoding messages in the heat of battle; and WHEREAS, it is the custom among the Native American nations and other ethnic groups that warriors not discuss their combat experience; and WHEREAS, the individuals so employed were cautioned to maintain secrecy to protect any future use of the code; and WHEREAS, the only “Code Talkers” to receive the Congressional Gold Medal have been those of the Navajo Nation; and WHEREAS, there are many “Code Talkers” from other Native America nations who served in WWI and WWII who deserve to be recognized with the same honor; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to support the efforts to identify all Native Americans who served as “Code Talkers”; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we call upon Congress to award all Native American Code Talkers the Congressional Gold Medal. Submitted by the Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To award the Congressional Gold Medal to all Native Americans who served in the armed forces as Code Talkers. Resolution No. 443 WORLD WAR ONE (WWI) GENERATION NATIONAL HONORS WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) was formed in 1899, and is the nation’s oldest veterans service organization comprised solely of combat theater veterans; and WHEREAS, the Great War for Civilization, as it is memorialized on the reverse of the WWI Victory Medal, was the first major overseas conflict in which the United States was engaged following the establishment of the VFW; and WHEREAS, 4,734,991 men and women served in uniform during WWI; and WHEREAS, more than 320,000 of these veterans were casualties of the war including more than 53,000 battle deaths in less than two years of actual combat; and WHEREAS, their heroism has endured to this day in military lexicon through such nom de guerre titles such as “devil dog,” and unit sobriquets such as “Rock of the Marne”; and WHEREAS, WWI veterans twice occupied the Oval Office of the White House, served as the only General of the Armies (until the title was posthumously bestowed upon George Washington), and include all nine five-star officers in United States military history; and WHEREAS, only one WWI veteran, is known to be alive today; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that in recognition of a grateful nation’s homage to its WWI veterans’ courage and service, we urge the Congress to endorse and the President to proclaim that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff from all public buildings, military installations, and naval ships for the national resolutions time of notification of the passing of the last WWI veteran until that individual is laid to rest, or for one week, whichever is shorter. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the President to proclaim the U.S. flag to be flown at half-staff upon the death of the last WWI veteran. Resolution No. 444 SUPPORT FORMER POW SLAVE LABOR CLAIMS AGAINST JAPANESE FIRMS WHEREAS, during World War II in the Pacific Theater, over 29,000 American military personnel were captured and interned by the Japanese as prisoners of war (POWs); and WHEREAS, nearly 40 percent of those POWs died in captivity; and WHEREAS, this heavy loss of life gives a good indication of the horrific conditions that existed in the Japanese POW camps in contrast to less than two percent of American POWs that died in German POW camps; and WHEREAS, most of these POWs were transported throughout the Japanese Empire to work as slave labor in horrific conditions for the military or private Japanese companies all in violation of the 1929 Geneva Convention; and WHEREAS, since the end of World War II, neither the Japanese government nor those private Japanese companies that enslaved our fighting men have offered to make restitution for the abuses and injuries suffered; and WHEREAS, the Government of Japan did not offer an apology until February 2009 and one has yet to be received from Japanese industry for their inhumane actions; and WHEREAS, the U.S. government has never actively sought to have fair compensation and restitution paid to these former POWs who were deprived of all human dignity during their service to their country; and WHEREAS, the U.S. Government takes the position that the 1951 San Francisco Peace Treaty ends any and all war claims against Japan, the U.S. Department of State opposes the legal actions of the former American POWs to obtain compensation from Japanese companies, and the U.S. Department of Justice has filed papers in court proceedings that stopped all court cases of these former POWs from ever going forward in any court; and WHEREAS, all lawsuits filed by American veterans captured by the Japanese during World War II and later enslaved by the Japanese military and companies have failed; and WHEREAS, every Allied nation whose military personnel suffered under Japanese internment during WWII (United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Norway, and the Isle of Man), except the U.S., has in recent years compensated ex gratia their survivors between $14,000 and $23,000 (in 2008 dollars); and WHEREAS, every Allied nation whose military personnel suffered under Japanese internment during WWII, except the U.S., has had their former POWs and their descendants invited to participate in the Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Initiative started in 1995 to fund visits and research on the POW experience in order to promote a spirit of reconciliation with Japan and the Japanese people; now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the U.S. Congress to emulate our Pacific War Allies and provide support for fair and just compensation for the injuries suffered by all American POWs who were forced to work as slave laborers for Imperial Japan during World War II; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Congress and Administration to encourage the Government of Japan: to communicate to the Japanese business community to follow the government’s example to unequivocally and in a public way apologize to the former POWs of Japan; to include the American POWs in a new and permanent Peace, Friendship, and Exchange Fund (or Peace and Reconciliation Fund); and to release all remaining Japanese government and industry records and documents regarding Allied POWs and wartime forced labor. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To support the claims of former American WWII POWs who were enslaved by Imperial Japan and forced to work for private Japanese companies. Resolution No. 445 CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR THE WOMEN AIR FORCE SERVICE PILOTS (WASP) WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States honors the service and sacrifice of the Women Air Force Service Pilots of World War II, known as WASP, who were the first women in history to fly American military aircraft; and WHEREAS, when the United States entered World War II there was a severe shortage of male combat pilots necessitating the utilization of women pilots to help in the war effort; and WHEREAS, more than 25,000 women applied for training, of which 1,830 were accepted and 1,074 successfully completed the 27 weeks of Army Air Force pilot training; and WHEREAS, WASP flew in every type of aircraft and on every type of assignment flown by their male counterparts, except combat; and WHEREAS, 38 women pilots lost their lives while serving their country, but because they were not considered members of the military, there were no honors or benefits given; and WHEREAS, these women faced significant cultural and gender bias and overcame inequities in order to serve their country; and WHEREAS, through their dedication and service, the WASP eventually were responsible for groundbreaking reform in the incorporation of women pilots into the Armed Forces, benefitting the hundreds of servicewomen who have flown combat missions in recent military conflicts; and WHEREAS, it is fitting for this nation to honor and recognize these women for their service, sacrifice, and unselfish devotion to duty; now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we petition Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Air Force Service Pilots Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on NATIONAL SECURITY AND & FOREIGN AFFAIRS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) Resolution No. 601 ADEQUATE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS BUDGET WHEREAS, presently there are about 24 million living veterans of whom 40 percent are over 65 years of age and require increased health care including long-term care; and WHEREAS, the laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs authorizing benefits for veterans, their dependents and survivors are classified into the following general categories: compensation for service-connected disabilities and death; pension for income maintenance of veterans and survivors; educational and training assistance and loans; service members life insurance; veterans life insurance; hospital and medical care services; nursing home and domiciliary care, including state veterans home construction funds; health manpower training; medical and prosthetic research and burial benefits; and WHEREAS, the health care delivery facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs are aging physical plants in need of modernization through renovations and reconfiguration to meet the demands of advances in medicine and current fire, safety and privacy standards; and WHEREAS, veterans who served in our armed forces have rendered honorable service to our great nation and are at a minimum, deserving to receive timely and accurate processing of claims for veterans entitlements along with the best and most appropriate health care; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Congress of the United States to mandate a budget and authorize appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs, which will fully fund and maintain the integrity of, and enhance, veteran entitlement programs and health care system. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To have Congress pass a budget that fully funds and sufficiently maintains all VA entitlement programs and services. Resolution No. 602 CONSIDER TREATMENT FOR A PRESUMPTIVE SERVICE CONNECTED CONDITION AS A CLAIM FOR VA COMPENSATION WHEREAS, many service members have suffered from diseases that are recognized to be presumptive; and WHEREAS, veterans suffering from diseases which include many types of cancer, as well as diabetes and other chronic diseases may not be aware that they may be eligible for service connection, even if they are being treated in a VA facility; and WHEREAS, many VA medical facilities are not currently staffed or equipped to provide appropriate counseling to veterans or their families on how to file a claim for service connected benefits; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to enact legislation requiring that treatment by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for a condition or disease recognized as presumptively service connected will be considered to be an informal claim for service connection for compensation purposes. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To provide legislation that would consider treatment for a presumptive service connected condition as a claim for VA Compensation. Resolution No. 603 EXTENDING GULF WAR PRESUMPTIONS, REGISTRY, AND HEALTH CARE TO AFGHANISTAN THEATER VETERANS WHEREAS, many service members have served in Operation Enduring Freedom; and WHEREAS, these veterans have served under circumstances similar to those serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first Persian Gulf War; and WHEREAS, Afghanistan was not considered part of the Southwest Asia theater of operations during Operation Desert Storm and the VA did not update Title 38 USC 1117 and 38 CFR 3.317 to include Afghanistan; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News and the VA to include Afghanistan in the Southwest Asia theater of operations so that appropriate benefits, including eligibility for compensation based on undiagnosed illnesses, and medical care eligibility, will be provided, retroactive to the beginning of Operation Enduring Freedom. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To extend Gulf War benefits under 38 CFR 3.317 to include veterans serving in Afghanistan. Resolution No. 604 OPPOSE VA PHARMACEUTICAL CO-PAYMENT INCREASES WHEREAS, veterans, other than those with a service-connected disability rating of 50 percent or greater, those who are receiving medications for their service-connected conditions or those whose incomes fall below the non service-connected pension threshold, must pay a co-payment for each 30-day supply of medications obtained through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); and WHEREAS, there have been repeated proposals to raise the pharmaceutical co-payment, placing an undue hardship on many veterans; and WHEREAS, in 2005, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, using his statutory authority, raised the pharmaceutical co-payment from $7 to $8 for each 30 day supply, and authority to raise it again in the future exists; and WHEREAS, the increase in costs of the benefit would likely cause many veterans to turn away from the VA health care system and would serve to inequitably balance the federal budget through veterans programs; and WHEREAS, pharmaceuticals are part of the VA’s standard health benefits package and must be provided to all eligible veterans; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we oppose increases in the VA pharmaceutical co-payment. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To oppose raising VA co-payment for medication. Resolution No. 605 ENTITLEMENT TO NURSING HOME CARE WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States has called upon Congress to enact legislation to regulate and expand eligibility for VA health care and provide all veterans with mandated access to the full continuum of VA health care services which include nursing home care; and WHEREAS, current VA regulations extend VA eligibility for nursing home care to those veterans who are service-connected at 70 percent or above or those seeking nursing home care for a service-connected disability; and WHEREAS, the demand for VA nursing home care is increasing as the veteran population continues to age; and WHEREAS, VA nursing home care units are VA hospital-based and provide an intensive and extensive level of nursing home care supported by the clinical specialties and other services within the host hospital; and WHEREAS, VA nursing home care is considered the “safety net” for VA outpatient services such as residential care, respite care, hospital-based home care, adult day health care, homemaker/home health aid services and other extended care programs; and WHEREAS, VA, through their own statements, recognizes the difference in eligibility for nursing home care and inpatient hospital care as inconsistent with the principles of sound medical practice, which support continuity of care for veterans; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to establish a standard entitlement for all veterans. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the Congress to establish a standard entitlement for all veterans. Resolution No. 606 HEALTH CARE FOR VETERANS WITH TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY WHEREAS, almost 20 percent of combat casualties have sustained permanent brain damage due to Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) while serving in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom; and WHEREAS, veterans with blast injuries, blunt trauma, motor vehicle accidents, and falls are at risk for TBI which often goes unrecognized; and WHEREAS, even mildly injured TBI patients may have long-term mental and physical health consequences; and WHEREAS, there has been universal recognition that veterans with severe TBI will need a lifetime of intensive services to care for their injuries and many VA medical facilities are not currently staffed or equipped to provide the necessary and appropriate screening, or quality health care services to veterans suffering from TBI; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to provide sufficient funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs to ensure that appropriate screening, diagnostic services, treatment and life-long case management services are available to every veteran suffering from TBI; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase research Page 21 May 2009 pertaining to, screening methods, diagnostic tools, and more effective treatments for traumatic brain injury patients to ensure that wounded TBI veterans are receiving the best treatment and rehabilitation care available. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To provide sufficient funding so VA can provide appropriate screening, diagnostic services and treatment for veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries and increase the research on screening methods, diagnostic tools, and more effective treatment modalities. Resolution No. 607 VETERANS EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS WHEREAS, the Veterans of Foreign Wars recognizes that it is in the best interest of veterans to have a strong and viable veterans employment and training system dedicated to the interest of our nation’s veterans and without such a system, it is likely that vital services currently provided to veterans would be diminished or abolished; and WHEREAS, veterans of all eras, especially recently separated service members, are finding it difficult to obtain meaningful employment and careers; and WHEREAS, while there are certain employment and educational programs in place for veterans there is a great need for improvement in the quality, purpose, and accountability of these programs; and WHEREAS, veteran employment programs need to have a proactive, long-term career focus versus an immediate and often low wage, job focus; and WHEREAS, all veteran employment programs should conduct impact studies to assess their effectiveness in attaining and maintaining meaningful long-term employment for veterans. Programs need increased accountability, oversight, and acceptable performance measures to prove the effectiveness of the program; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support a viable and effective veterans employment and training system, which has necessary funding and capability to assist veterans in seeking and maintaining meaningful employment and re-employment opportunities; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that programs which are proven to be effective should have the necessary funding and personnel to fully assist veterans seeking employment and reemployment opportunities in both the public and private sectors; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that such programs must be held accountable for the effectiveness of the services provided and their funding should be adjusted to reflect their abilities in creating long term meaningful employment for veterans. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to support effective employment and training programs for veterans. Resolution No. 608 HIGH QUALITY VA SERVICES FOR WOMEN VETERANS WHEREAS, the number of women joining the armed forces of our country continues to increase every year; and WHEREAS, women veterans comprise approximately five percent of all users of VA health care services and within the next decade, this figure is expected to double, making it essential that VA is staffed and equipped to meet their specific health care needs; and WHEREAS, many VA facilities are not currently equipped to provide gender-specific health care services to include mental health professionals trained to provide counseling and care for Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD); and WHEREAS, most VA facilities only provide women veterans program managers on a part-time basis or assign the duties as adjunct responsibilities which limits their involvement; and WHEREAS, most women veterans are unaware of their eligibility as veterans and often do not utilize VA for benefits or health care services; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge VA to increase priority given to women veterans by providing adequate mental health care services to include individuals trained to provide care for Military Sexual Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge VA to also mandate a full-time women veterans program manager at all VA medical centers and to ensure necessary and gender-specific health care services are available to women veterans; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge the Secretary of Veteran Affairs to improve outreach and expand programs for women veterans to close critical gaps by offering a full-range of services, designed to meet their current and future needs. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To ensure VA health care and access to mental health services for women veterans are available at all VA medical centers or nearby network facilities. To further mandate a full-time women veterans program manager position at all VA medical centers and to increase priority and outreach to women veterans. Page 22 May 2009 Resolution No. 609 EXTEND A PRESUMPTION OF SERVICE CONNECTION TO BLAST SURVIVORS WHEREAS, ongoing conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) are placing tens of thousands of service members in harms way; and WHEREAS, the nature of the conflict these men and women face is frequently guerrilla-style combat where the enemy is widely known to use improvised explosive devices, or IEDs; and WHEREAS, much of the attention has been focused on the apparent physical wounds, there are many unseen effects of blast trauma, which could include brain injuries, long-term hearing and balance issues, chronic pain, air embolisms, or injuries mistaken for personality disorders; and WHEREAS, these effects may not manifest themselves immediately or lead to a simple diagnosis, or the lack of direct physical wounds may allow the service member to return to the field, only to have their ability to fulfill their duty dramatically affected by the long-term effects of the blast; and WHEREAS, there is currently no presumption of service connection for these long-term effects, many of which are difficult to diagnose, especially because the effects of these IEDs were seen so infrequently prior to this conflict, and our men and women in uniform can suffer from these injuries for many years after the blast; and WHEREAS, a large number of veterans who have been identified as having been evaluated or treated for a condition possibly related to a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) at a VA medical center from the start of OIF/OEF in October 2001 to December 2006; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to approve a presumption of service connection for the conditions associated with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and/or Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) that are the direct result of blast events sustained in combat, and manifest themselves at a later date. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To encourage Congress to extend a presumption of service connection for TBI and ABI as a result of blast injuries. Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News funding and small business centers across the country and more favorable options and access to capital; and WHEREAS, the Small Business Administration lacks the funding and staff necessary to create robust veterans programs; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars that Congress expand entrepreneurial education and networking for veterans via veterans small business centers funded through the Small Business Administration in order to reach all governmental agencies 3% goal; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Congress expand veterans and disabled veterans access to capital by creating and funding a direct loan program through the Small Business Administration in order to reach all governmental agencies 3% goal. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To require Congress to eliminate the barriers impeding veterans from establishing and maintaining a small business by providing sufficient funding for veterans small business training, and increasing veterans access to capital, in order to raise veterans capacity and capability at a level sufficient to provide the federal government with 3% of all their contracts for goods and services. Resolution No. 612 SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION VETERANS PROGRAMS WHEREAS, veterans are in need of assistance in establishing, financing and operating their own businesses; and WHEREAS, the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) has the statutory responsibility to provide such assistance to small businesses in the United States and has established an office of Veteran Business Development (VBD) within SBA; and WHEREAS, the budget for VBD has failed to keep pace with rising costs limiting the amount of outreach and training support that VBD can provide veterans seeking help to establish a veteran owned business; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we support the strengthening and sufficient funding of an effective veterans entrepreneurship program in the Office of Veteran Business Development within the United States Small Business Administration. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To obtain increased funding and staffing for the Office of Veterans Business Development within SBA. Resolution No. 613 EXPAND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) PRE-SEPARATION COUNSELING AND DEPARTMENT OF LABOR (DOL) TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS WHEREAS, the goal of the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) is to ease the adjustment of separating service members during the difficult transition from active duty into civilian life by offering jobsearch assistance, medical/health services, and other related counseling; and WHEREAS, the Congressional Commission on Service Members and Veterans Transition Assistance (Principi Commission) found that, “individualized services increase the likelihood of service members obtaining suitable employment after separation from military service,” thus reducing unemployment among veterans and increasing their stability in civilian life; and WHEREAS, past Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports have shown that not all eligible service members receive TAP assistance prior to discharge. Also, National Guard and Reserve members returning from overseas are not always given appropriate time to attend either pre-separation counseling or TAP briefings during demobilization; and WHEREAS, GAO reports, suggest participation in both Department of Defense (DOD) pre-separation counseling and TAP varies by component and branch of military service. The differences in scope, content and delivery locations of pre-separation counseling and TAP services among military branches creates a disparity in the quality of counseling being provided individual service members; and WHEREAS, TAP and VA pre-separation counseling is not integrated into the Military Separation process for service members and not all military bases allow nationally accredited service organizations to participate in the pre-separation or TAP briefings; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we request that Congress require a comprehensive DOL review of TAP sites and encourage state cooperation in providing adequate Disabled Veterans’ Outreach Program (DVOP) staff and Local Veterans’ Employment Representatives (LVER) personnel to conduct TAP sessions and further allow the inclusion of nationally accredited service organizations in their programs; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that DOD expand and standardize their existing pre-separation counseling programs to ensure counseling services are available to all service members during regular duty hours and by adding additional information on the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) benefits, to include healthcare and entitlements, federal and private sector employment opportunities, information on homelessness, and to assure that individual ser- national resolutions vice members will receive appropriate transitioning services; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that DOD’s preseparation counseling and DOL’s TAP programs include information pertaining to National Guard and Reserve members in an effort to ensure that they receive the same level of services as regular active duty members prior to demobilization; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that each state Judge Advocate General coordinate with DOL for providing TAP employment workshops to all National Guard and Reserve units upon returning from the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: Seek legislation to expand DOD’s pre-separation counseling process and DOL’s transition assistance program prior to demobilization. Resolution No. 614 VA CLAIMS BACKLOG WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has a large backlog of compensation, pension, education and appeals claims; and WHEREAS, due to the increasing complexity of claims, the need for compliance to Court of Veterans Appeals decisions claims and the continual increase in the number of claims year to year the backlog has continued to grow; and WHEREAS, because of substantial backlogs of claims and appeals cases, timeliness in rating cases has steadily degraded; and WHEREAS, decades of staffing freezes and neglect within VA are contributing to increasing backlogs and decreasing timeliness; and WHEREAS, although Congress has acted to provide oversight and increased funding for staffing at VA and improved and extended training cycles. Yet, the attrition of new hires and retirement of journeymen claims adjudicators continues to challenge VA’s ability to maintain a technically proficient workforce; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to continue to exercise its oversight capacity and provide the resources necessary to hire, train and sustain a workforce sufficient to overcome the backlog and provide quality and timely service to those claiming benefits or appealing decisions from VA. Submitted by Commander-in Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to allocate the necessary resources for the Veterans Benefits Administration to hire sufficient employees to implement the necessary training and transitional planning that will allow VBA to begin to overcome the claims backlog. Resolution No. 615 IMPROVE TREATMENT FOR CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISORDER WHEREAS, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD), a disease of the lungs in which the air passages become narrow and impair breathing, is the fourth largest cause of death in the United States; and WHEREAS, veterans suffer disproportionately from COPD as compared to their peers with a rate approximately three times higher than the civilian population and it is the fourth most common diagnosis among hospitalized veterans and first among those aged 65-74; and WHEREAS, COPD exacts a heavy price not just on the health of the veteran, but on the health care system as it is the most expensive chronic disease among veterans, accounting for over 15 percent of VA’s bed occupancy and leads to about double the average hospital stay length as veterans who are not suffering from COPD; and WHEREAS, VA’s treatment options appear to be limited, restricting viable formulary options and imposing roadblocks that other federal health care systems such as Medicare or TRICARE may not impose; and WHEREAS, VA lacks a disease management specialty clinic (which it has for certain other conditions) on COPD despite its prevalence among veterans and the large costs associated with VA’s care of this condition; and WHEREAS, without a specialty clinic, most COPD veterans that VA cares for are managed by primary care providers, who may not have the specialty knowledge to properly treat this deadly condition; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge VA to improve the health care treatment options for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder to include making necessary adjustments to the formulary to ensure that pharmaceuticals that have proven effective are easily available to veterans without hassle and that VA create specialty clinics to educate, train and recruit health care professionals to deal with this disease’s harmful effects. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge VA to improve health care treatment options for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder. Resolution No. 616 OPPOSE ATTEMPTS TO PRIVATIZE VETERANS HEALTH CARE WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) provides health care to nearly 8 million enrolled veterans at over 150 major medical facilities and at nearly 1,000 Community-Based Outpatient Clinics and Vet Centers; and WHEREAS, VA has been lauded for the quality of health care it delivers through numerous studies, including those by the Institute of Medicine and in the New England Journal of Medicine; and WHEREAS, VA’s health care system has four main missions that benefit not just America’s veterans, but all of America; and WHEREAS, these four missions include: delivering health care to this nation’s sick and disabled veterans; providing education and training to over 100,000 medical and allied health staff; conducting world-class medical and prosthetic research to uncover the solutions to important health care problems and aid with veterans’ disabilities, many of which – such as performing the first liver transplant or the development of the nicotine patch – greatly improve the lives of all Americans; and, serving as a backup health care system in times of national emergency, such as in partnership with the National Disaster Medical System (NDMS), post Hurricane Frances, VA deployed approximately 120 employees into damaged areas to help with relief efforts; and WHEREAS, through innovations such as their electronic medical record, VA has been shown to provide care at a cost per patient that is lower than that provided by other government medical programs, such as Medicare; and WHEREAS, VA already has the statutory authority to provide contracted care to certain veterans, especially those in rural areas who have problems with access to care or for those who need specialized services that VA has difficulty providing; and WHEREAS, proposals to allow all veterans free and open access to any non-VA facility for their health care needs could lead to a diversion in funding away from the system and the reduction in the critical mass of patients that VA needs to continue operating and performing all four of those essential missions, jeopardizing not just VA’s ability to adequately care for sick and disabled veterans, but for providing the ancillary benefits to the American public; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge the Congress and the Administration to resist any attempts for wide-scale privatization of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To oppose attempts to privatize the VA health care system. Resolution No. 617 PRESUMPTIVE SERVICE CONNECTION FOR TINNITUS AND HEARING LOSS WHEREAS, veterans of the armed services who served in combat or in a position (e.g. member of a gun crew on board Navy ships) or certain occupational specialties have a high incidence rate of hearing loss or tinnitus as a direct result of acoustic trauma; and WHEREAS, many pre-service and discharge examinations, particularly for World War II and Korean Conflict veterans, were usually accomplished with the highly inaccurate whispered-voice test; and WHEREAS, veterans, in those cases, were not afforded a comprehensive audio logical examination upon entrance and discharge from the military services; and WHEREAS, in recent years the second leading disability granted service connection by VA was for hearing loss or tinnitus. WHEREAS, in 2005 the Institutes of Medicine (IOM) released a study that showed that nearly all service members are exposed to acoustic trauma at some point during their military service and that many experience hearing loss and/or tinnitus as a result, often years after service. However, “after the fact, hearing loss or tinnitus incurred as a result of military service cannot be distinguished with certainty from subsequent noise-induced hearing loss…” Given these findings, reasonable doubt must be resolved in favor of veterans who suffered acoustic trauma in service. BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, we urge the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to grant service connection on a presumptive basis for any veteran diagnosed after discharge with hearing loss or tinnitus when the evidence shows that the veteran participated in combat or worked in a position or occupational specialty likely to cause acoustic trauma. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To authorize presumptive service connection for veterans with a hearing loss or tinnitus due to combat or occupational acoustic trauma. Resolution No. 618 EXTEND THE SERVICE DISABLED VETERAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS OF P.L. 109-461 TO ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES WHEREAS, P.L. 106-50, “The Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Act of 1999,” established a government-wide procurement goal of not less than three percent of the total value of all prime contracts/subcontract awards for Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB); and WHEREAS, P.L. 108-183, “The Veterans Benefits Act of 2003,” was enacted to enable SDVOSB to receive sole-source and restricted competition contracts for goods and services used by the federal government; and WHEREAS, on October 20, 2004, President Resolution No. 610 ADVANCED FUNDING FOR VETERANS HEALTH CARE WHEREAS, while Congress has made great progress over the last few years to dramatically increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the will of future Congresses to provide sufficient funding for VA health care cannot be guaranteed; and WHEREAS, despite this push, Congress still has a lengthy history of providing VA with its annual appropriation after the fiscal year has begun with VA having received funding late in 19 of the last 23 fiscal years, clear evidence that timeliness cannot be expected; and WHEREAS, VA needs a predictable funding stream to allow for proper planning and budgeting so that its hospital managers can efficiently care for this nation’s veterans, especially when it comes to recruiting high-quality doctors, nurses and other health care providers, which can be impossible when VA does not know what its funding level will be until after the fiscal year begins; and WHEREAS, the current discretionary process does not serve the best needs of veterans or VA and a more sufficient, timely and predictable funding stream for veterans’ health care is drastically needed; and WHEREAS, numerous programs in the federal government are funded via an advanced appropriation where funding for future years is allocated ahead of time; and WHEREAS, were VA to receive an advanced appropriation for the following fiscal year, Congress would maintain the same level of discretionary oversight and authority that they already have over the current budget process; and WHEREAS, advanced funding for VA would ensure that VA has a sufficient, timely and predictable funding stream, which would allow VA to operate more efficiently, but also would dramatically strengthen veterans health care programs; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge Congress to implement an advanced funding process for VA health care appropriations so that VA is assured of its budget ahead of time, enabling VA to adequately care for this nation’s veterans. Submitted by the Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To have sufficient, timely and predictable VA health care funding provided to the department via an advanced funding mechanism. Resolution No. 611 VETERAN ENTREPRENEURSHIP WHEREAS, several government reports indicate that nearly every federal agency is falling below their 3% contracting goal for disabled veterans; and WHEREAS, many veterans and disabled veterans lack access to capital; and WHEREAS, the tools available to veterans to fulfill their obligation and provide the federal government with the capability and capacity to fulfill 3% of all Federal contracts has continued to fail America’s veterans; and WHEREAS, other groups have comprehensive national resolutions Bush issued Executive Order 13360 to help strengthen federal procurement opportunities for SDVOSB. This Executive Order laid out the structure for government-wide implementation of the three percent procurement requirement for SDVOSB by promoting agency accountability, training of government procurement officers and agency executives and requiring agencies to develop an implementation plan; and WHEREAS, to date the majority of federal government agencies have fallen well short of their three percent SDVOSB procurement requirement, even though there has been a concerted effort by Veterans Service Organizations (VSOs), veteran business owners, and lawmakers to educate and push agencies toward the three percent procurement requirement for SDVOSB; and WHEREAS, P.L. 109-461, “The Veterans Health Care, Benefits and Information Technology Act of 2006,” was passed and required the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish a setaside and sole-source contract award mechanism for SDVOSBs, established a clearly defined contracting preference for SDVOSB, established a prime and subcontracting requirement of not less than the three percent required by P.L. 106-50, established a setaside provision for Veteran-owned Small Businesses (VOSBs) and required registration of all Veteranowned Small Businesses (VOSB) and SDVOSB concerns in VA’s Vendor Information Page (VIP) database and required VA to verify ownership and control of the company that claims veteran status. As a result of this law, VA is the only federal agency to exceed its three percent procurement requirement for SDVOSB; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, we urge Congress to pass legislation like that of P.L. 109-461, “The Veterans Health Care, Benefits and Information Technology Act of 2006,” for each specific agency in relation to Service Disabled Veteran-owned Small Businesses (SDVOSB); and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we urge Congress to exercise oversight to ensure adherence to existing laws related to SDVOSB and Executive Order 13360 with the goal of meeting and exceeding the three percent government procurement goal for SDVOSBs. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To extend the service disabled veteran-owned small business requirements of P.L. 109-461 to all federal government agencies, require all government agencies to use the VA Vendor Information Page (VIP) database to verify veteran and service disabled veteran ownership and control of a company, establish congressional oversight to ensure adherence to existing laws related to SDVOSB and Executive Order 13360. Resolution No. 619 BURIAL PLOT ALLOWANCE WHEREAS, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is authorized by the Congress of the United States to pay certain burial benefits at the death of a qualified war veteran; and WHEREAS, in addition to the burial and funeral expense allowance, if a veteran is not buried in a cemetery that is under U.S. government jurisdiction, the VA will also pay a plot allowance provided the veteran was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable; and WHEREAS, the current benefit does not keep pace with inflation nor the cost of purchasing a final resting place for those who honorably served our nation during a wartime period; and WHEREAS, a veteran’s spouse and dependent child are entitled to be buried with the veteran in a national cemetery at no cost; and WHEREAS, the current plot allowance is not awarded to a spouse or dependent child eligible for burial with the veteran outside a national cemetery; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that Congress pass legislation increasing the burial plot allowance; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that Congress pass legislation expanding eligibility for the burial plot allowance to include the spouse and dependent child eligible for burial with the veteran. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To increase the VA Burial Plot Allowance to include the veterans spouse and dependent child buried outside a national cemetery. Resolution No. 620 MINIMUM COMPENSATION FOR HEARING LOSS WHEREAS, veterans of the armed services who served in combat have a high incident rate of hearing loss usually associated with acoustical trauma; and WHEREAS, it is the general principle of disability compensation that ratings not be offset by the function artificially restored by prosthesis; and WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs has the authority to grant service connection for disabilities associated with combat-related diseases or injuries even if medically undocumented at the time of service; and WHEREAS, many veterans have incurred extreme hardships through undocumented acoustical trauma related to combat service or occupational duty; and WHEREAS, hearing aids are considered a prosthetic device necessary for good quality of life; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to amend the Schedule for Rating Disabilities to provide a minimum compensable evaluation for any service connected hearing loss for which a hearing aid is medically indicated. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to enact legislation to provide a minimum compensation evaluation for any hearing loss for which a hearing aid is medically indicated. Resolution No. 621 REPEAL THE SURVIVOR’S BENEFIT PLAN AND DEPENDENCY AND INDEMNITY COMPENSATION OFFSET WHEREAS, under current law, the surviving spouse of a retired servicemember whose death is related to a military service connected condition is entitled to Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs; and WHEREAS, if the military retiree was also enrolled in the Survivors Benefit Plan (SBP), the surviving spouse’s SBP benefit would be offset by the amount of DIC benefits provided by VA; and WHEREAS, the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included a provision that now provides a $50 per month payment to survivors of members entitled to retired pay whose SBP is reduced by VA and the 2009 NDAA extended this payment to survivors of active duty deaths neither benefit equals the amount being offset by the DIC benefit; and WHEREAS, SBP and DIC payments are paid to beneficiaries for different reasons: SBP is purchased by the retiree like life insurance and is intended to provide a portion of the veteran’s retired pay to the surviving spouse after the veteran’s death, and DIC is a special indemnity compensation benefit paid to the surviving spouse when the veteran’s service connected condition caused the premature demise of the retiree; and WHEREAS, a surviving spouse of a federal civilian retiree who is a disabled veteran and dies from military service connected causes can receive DIC benefits without losing any of their SBP benefits due to an offset; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to repeal the Survivor’s Benefit Plan and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation offset. Submitted by the Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To seek legislation to repeal the SBP and DIC benefits offset. Resolution No. 622 INCIDENT REPORTING OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AND HEALTH CARE FOR MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA (MST) WHEREAS, allegations of sexual assault in the military have climbed steadily over the past 10 years and this escalation is due to weak prevention efforts, inadequate field reporting, and poor managerial oversight; and WHEREAS, Department of Defense (DOD) incident numbers indicate that there were 2,688 allegations of sexual assault reported in 2007, however, an estimated 80 percent of sexual assaults go unreported each year, and approximately 8 percent of those cases reported were prosecuted; and WHEREAS, a civilian panel that advises top Pentagon officials on matters related to women in the armed forces found that sexual assault victims fear embarrassment, lack of action by authorities, retaliation and career penalties as a result of reporting incidents, and many refuse to answer screening questions if it means their record will reflect that they were assaulted or raped; and WHEREAS, survivors of sexual assault often cite anonymity concerns and the absence of an independent authority that does not include commanding officers with direct authority over the survivor as reasons for their decision not to report an assault; and, WHEREAS, many survivors of sexual assault experience Military Sexual Trauma (MST) which often leads to the development or worsening of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and current treatment strategies are often inadequate because they are generally tailored to the treatment of combat-induced PTSD and thus fail to provide the appropriate treatment environment survivors require; and WHEREAS, evidence suggests that gender-specific inpatient and outpatient care facilities, including gender-specific housing, established for the treatment of veterans suffering from MST and PTSD resulting from MST lead to higher rates of recovery as compared to co-ed treatment centers targeted at combat-induced trauma; and WHEREAS, TRICARE will only pay for sexual assault forensic evidence kits (i.e., “rape kits”) if the survivor seeks care in the military healthcare system, however, in many cases survivors choose to go off-base for post-sexual assault care to protect their anonymity and/or careers and evidence collected during these examinations is crucial to a successful prosecution of an offender; and WHEREAS, survivors who choose not to report or who face obstacles in reporting instances of sexual assault often develop PTSD and other mental health issues at higher rates which may, at a later date, necessitate the use of more intensive health care services over extended periods of time, putting added burdens on VA; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge VA and DOD Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News to ensure that necessary and appropriate health care services are available to all veterans who experience sexual assault and/or suffer from MST, to include access to rape kits, confidential counseling and other treatment options, and additional gender-specific facilities for the treatment of MST and PTSD resulting from MST amongst the veteran population; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that DOD should establish an independent authority with oversight capacity, outside the chain of command, to be the primary respondent and advocate for those reporting a sexual assault, better ensuring confidentiality and the protection of the rights of victims; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the current assessment and treatment process for sexual trauma be conducted in a way that will convince members of the armed forces and veterans that the process protects the confidentiality of survivors and assures that appropriate investigations and disciplinary actions will be taken against the perpetrator; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that DOD must aggressively support a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that servicemembers be provided educational programs aimed at the prevention of, response to, and the reducing of stigmas associated with sexual assault during initial training and pre-deployment. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To improve and expand access to healthcare services for the treatment of MST and PTSD resulting from MST and to develop more responsive and appropriate reporting processes available to survivors of sexual assault. Resolution No. 623 PAYMENT FOR LOSS OF QUALITY OF LIFE WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs is charged with compensating veterans for lost earnings capacity caused by the residuals of disease or injury incurred coincident with military service; and, WHEREAS, the Institutes of Medicine (June, 2007), Veterans Disability Benefits Commission (October 2007), President’s Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors (July 2007), and Economic Systems, Inc. (in a study commissioned by the Department of Veterans Affairs, September, 2008), all recommended that VA devise and incorporate additional payments for loss of quality of life caused by service connected disabilities; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge Congress to enact legislation which changes the purpose of compensation to include both loss of earnings capacity and loss of quality of life. In doing so, we urge Congress to increase compensation to adequately address the impact that service connected disabilities have on veterans quality of life. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To increase the amount of VBA service disabled compensation by also taking into consideration the veteran’s quality of life. Resolution No. 624 EXEMPT BOTH CATASTROPHICALLY DISABLED VETERANS FROM PAYING ANY VA CO-PAYMENTS WHEREAS, The Veterans’ Health Care Eligibility Reform Act of 1996 required the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to establish and operate a system of annual patient enrollment and created eight Priority Groups of which Priority Groups 7 & 8 must pay co-payments for their care; and WHEREAS, The Veterans Millennium Health Care and Benefits Act provided authority to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to increase the medication co-payment for each 30-day or less supply of medications and concurrently established an annual adjustable cap for calendar year 2002 and beyond; and WHEREAS, veterans who are determined by VA to be catastrophically disabled as a result of nonservice-connected causes and whose incidental incomes exceed the “means test” thresholds, are assigned to priority group 4 and still remain subject to co-payments for their medical care; and WHEREAS, the requirement to pay co-payments causes a tremendous hardship on catastrophically disabled veterans and their families who need to use more health care services to a greater extent at a time when the veteran’s ability to work is severely diminished; now therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, that we urge Congress to exempt category 4, catastrophically disabled veterans from paying any VA co-payments. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To exempt catastrophically disabled veterans from paying any VA co-payments. Resolution No. 625 VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION AND EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY WHEREAS, the period of eligibility for VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) benefits is 12 years from the date of separation from the military or the date the veteran was first notified by VA of a service-connected disability rating; and WHEREAS, many veterans do not understand Page 23 May 2009 their eligibility to VR&E services and the benefits of the program until later in life when they become so disabled that their disabilities create an employment barrier; and WHEREAS, many veterans who served this country honorably and returned from service uninjured acquire non-service-connected disabilities post-discharge and, if these disabilities are severe enough, they would be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), but under current law, they would not be eligible for VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment services under VA; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge Congress to change the eligibility delimitating date for VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment program by eliminating the 12-year-delimitating date for eligibility to Chapter 31 benefits and allow all veterans with employment impediments or problems with independent living to qualify for VR&E services; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that VA streamlines eligibility and entitlement to VR&E programs to provide earlier intervention and assistance to all disabled veterans. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge Congress to change the delimitating date for eligibility to VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Services and to streamline eligibility to provide earlier assistance. Resolution No. 626 HOMELESS VETERANS PRIORITIES WHEREAS, homelessness in America is a growing crisis as increasing numbers of home foreclosures and the growing unemployment rates threaten more and more veterans with homelessness; and, WHEREAS, during this time of significant economic downturn, the issue of homelessness seems more and more related to poverty, unemployment and lack of affordable housing; and WHEREAS, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) estimates, at least 154,000 veterans are homeless on any given night and more than twice as many veterans experience homelessness at some point during the course of a year; and WHEREAS, it also appears the number of female veterans and veterans with dependents in the homeless population are increasing; and WHEREAS, the VFW is supportive of President Obama’s statement that he is committed to establishing a “zero tolerance” policy toward homelessness among veterans and promises to restore cuts to public housing subsidies (HUD-VASH) vouchers, and ensure that all Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) homeless programs are restored to their original purpose of providing affordable housing to low-income veterans; and WHEREAS, programs have been implemented at the federal level to assist state, and local agencies to provide services to homeless veterans. These agencies and providers receive a portion of their funding from the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) Grant and Per Diem program and the Department of Labor (DOL) Homeless Veterans Reintegration program; now; therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge the President and Congress to establish homeless veterans a priority by increasing access to affordable housing, ensure adequate incomes by increasing education and employment opportunities, expand access to healthcare services and to fully fund all veteran homeless programs to include the VA’s Grant and Per Diem program DOL’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration program. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is: To urge the President and Congress to establish homeless veterans as a priority and fully fund all veteran homeless programs to include the VA’s Grant and Per Diem program DOL’s Homeless Veterans Reintegration program. Resolution No. 627 EMPLOYER TAX CREDIT WHEREAS, a federal Employment Tax Credit would help increase America’s economic growth and productivity; and WHEREAS, a federal tax credit would provide tax savings to employers who hire and train veterans and help them to become productive in their communities upon discharge from military service; and WHEREAS, a federal tax credit would reduce an employer’s cost-of-doing business and their initial cost of locating and training highly skilled personnel; and WHEREAS, veterans and service disabled veterans offer employers the proven ability to learn new skills and concepts, provide leadership capabilities, are trained in teamwork, are effective in performance under pressure, are reliable, and have learned to triumph over great diversity; now, therefore BE IT RESOLVED, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States that we urge Congress to establish and appropriate funds for a federal tax credit program for employers who agree to hire and train recently discharged veterans for positions within their companies. Submitted by Commander-in-Chief To Committee on VETERANS SERVICE RESOLUTIONS The intent of this resolution is; To urge Congress to establish an employer Federal Tax Credit for hiring and training recently discharged veterans. Page 24 May 2009 Wisconsin Veterans of Foreign Wars News president hild visit national auxiliary president hild visits Wisconsin “A dream realized,” is how National Auxiliary President Dixie Hild described her tour of Lambeau Field, home of the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers. An avid, lifelong Packer fan, Dixie and 24 Sisters and Comrades of the Department toured Lambeau as part of the National President’s three-day visit to Wisconsin April 28 – May 1. Culminating in a “run” through the team tunnel, complete with cheering crowd noise, the tour was just one of several stops throughout the state. Following the tour, a good time was had by all at a well-attended “Red, White and Blue, Green and Gold” Tailgate Party, hosted by Duck Creek Auxiliary 7534. Luncheon visits at Auxiliaries 388 in Wausau and 1916 in Reedsburg, and evening receptions and dinners at Auxiliaries 1866 in Marshfield and 7591 in Madison, gave many more Sisters and Comrades from around our state an opportunity to spend time with our fun-loving, gracious National President Dixie. Tours of the Laird Research Facility at the Marshfield Clinic and the Highground Memorial in Neillsville rounded out the visit. And what can be better than a farewell breakfast with the National President on your birthday? My heartfelt thanks to ALL who helped make Dixie’s official visit Dixie always finds her way to gather with the kitchen crew, shown here after the dinner at Marshfield Post 1866, where Commander Jake Dick confirms how delicious the dinner was! From left: Roy Lippert, Bob Lindau, Commander Jake Dick, Steve Barrett, Duwayne Wintrone, Ray Poeppel, Romie Andres, National President Dixie Hild, and keeping them all in line, Lucille Knoble in front. to our Department such a memo- the extra-sharp Aisle of Honor at rable success: the Presidents and Austin Straubel Airport. Dixie was members of the hosting Auxiliaries quite taken by our welcome! And 388, 1866, 1916, 7534 and 7591; extra-special hugs and thanks to the Department Line Officers, National Chief of Staff and PDP District Presidents, Chairmen and Rita Byers for a superb job as aide Sisters who attended many of the to the National President; and PDP events; the VFW Officers and and Historian Jean Hoium for a job Comrades who attended and also well done documenting the entire worked so hard to assist with the visit. You two are great traveling Auxiliary functions. We are very companions! grateful for your support. Special You did us proud, Wisconsin! thanks go out to our VFW State Thank you and God Bless You! Honor Guard and the participating Marla J. Morgan Auxiliary Officers and Sisters for Department President National President Dixie Hild reviews the value of the Auxiliary Facts Leaflet to the Auxiliary Sisters gathered for lunch at Post 1916 in Reedsburg. Aux. 1916 President Joanne Biesek, at left, examines an Auxiliary National magazine published in 1982. Dixie’s discussion of the National magazine emphasized the $100,000 savings realized with the return to the smaller format. National President Dixie Hild visits with Auxiliary 388 Sisters at a lovely luncheon held at Burns Post in Wausau. Sisters from Auxiliary 1638 in Merrill also attended, along with various Dept. Officers. Prior to the luncheon, Dixie gave an interview to local TV Channel 9, stressing the importance of membership to our organization and our work for Veterans. loyalty day Continued from page 1 The boys at the firehouse were so impressed and happy to have taken part that they wished we’d come to town and do this more often. The crowd engaged in happy chatter, then listened respectfully as the speeches were made, and many, with a tear in the eye, took time to thank the Veterans present for their service to our nation. After it was all over, the hall was cleared, the food booth dismantled and everything put back in place, Mike could finally relax. Receiving a compliment for a job well done, Mike Lieurance just smiled and said, “Well, an awful lot of people helped. But boy, it sure looked like it was going to rain on our parade. But it didn’t! Boy am I glad of that!” Comrade Lieurance, so are we. But we’re even happier that you took charge and did State Commander Erickson and Auxiliary President Morgan salute the passing colors as State Sr. Vice Commander Johnson and Auxiliary Sr. Vice President Moran prepare to follow suit. an outstanding job in pulling together perhaps the best array of resources employed in promoting this event that has been assembled in years. Great job, Mike. Congratulations! The award-winning Dayettes Color Guard did their usual awesome job of posting the colors at the dinner concluding Dixie’s visit to Wisconsin. Pictured here under the “rainbow” are: front, L to R - Lois Butt, Dolly Jenkins, Aux. 7591 President Helen Storch, Dept. President Marla Morgan, National President Dixie Hild, Nancy Smith, Lin Hochstetter, Pat Fisher and Rose Stuvetraa. Second row, L to R - JoAnn Klongland, Jacki Bohne, Kristi Barbian and Linda Schluter. Third row: Teri Bultman. Thank you Sisters, for a job well done! This four-wheeler, festooned with photos and signs in honor of VFW State Commander Gary Erickson, was a “surprise” unit in the parade. It was driven by Gary’s granddaughter, Heather, with grandson, Camron, aboard. The sign on the back features a photo of the Commander and is emblazoned with the accolade, “You Rock, Grandpa!” Dept. President Marla Morgan and State Commander Gary Erickson pause with National President Dixie Hild in the tunnel at Lambeau Field. Also pictured at right, Sr. Lois Levandowski, big sister of the Dept. President. Yes, Dixie had that smile on her face during the entire tour! Auxiliary 7534 President Kathy Johnson (left) welcomes National President Dixie Hild to the Head Table at the “Red, White and Blue, Green and Gold” Tailgate Party. Note the beautiful corsage, the festive beads and of course, the ever-popular football antennae on our National President! State Commander Gary Erickson, background right, awaits the start of the festivities. The Duck Creek Auxiliary and Post outdid itself with a super party for a super lady!