Woodbury Post 501 January 2021 Newsletter
Commanders Corner: I want to start this column with my two wishes for 2021. I wish for Hope and Patience.
Hope that 2021 will bring us a vaccine that is available to everyone who wishes to receive it. I hope that 2021 will allow us to finally get together with family, friends and other loved ones, in person. I hope that the Post will be able to get together again for meetings and gatherings to being able to see everyone’s smiling faces.
Patience for each other and for those around us as we continue to deal with bar and restaurant closures. Patience in continuing to deal with schools not meeting in person and patience with the continued requirement to wear masks to protect others as well as ourselves from the spread of COVID. Patience as we wait our turn for the vaccine. After all, not everyone can be first.
Remember, anything that annoys you is teaching you patience. Anything that angers you is teaching you forgiveness and compassion. Good things come to those who have hope and who believe. Better things come to those who are patient and the best things come to those who Never Give up.
Membership Update: As of today, we have 132 renewals, which means that we are at approximately 90% to goal. We are way ahead of last year’s membership drive. Let’s keep this rolling along and renew now so that we can get to our 100% goal. There has been some confusion lately with the Department sending renewal notices to folks that have already renewed, which has resulted in duplicative renewals. If you have any questions if you renewed your membership give me a call at 703-851-5416. If you still need to renew go to www.legion.org.
Looking Forward in 2021: Shortly I will be receiving applications for nominees for the Post’ Eagle Scout of the Year Award. This is a Legion wide scholarship program that starts at the Post ($250 award) with winner going to the Third District ($500) award), MN Department ($1,000 award) and if lucky to the National level competition ($10,000 award). This is the first time that Post 501 has participated in this program and I have seen a lot of enthusiasm from the Woodbury Scouting community.
Additionally, I should be hearing from MN Department on the 2021 Boys State program. As you are aware of lasts years program was cancelled due to COVID-19. We are hoping for a full program this year with the vaccine being distributed. Once I know what Boys State planners are doing, I will be getting the information to the Woodbury High Schools and the local media to get the word out. In the past the Post has done quite well with getting highly qualified young men.
Lastly, if all goes well, we will be having Poppy Days in the normal April time slot. With the vaccines now going out to the health care and senior living facilities the general public should be already be getting their shots by that time. The Post will start the Poppy Days planning in February and will be looking for volunteers to fill time slots at our various locations in Woodbury.
Recycled Rides Project: Heppner’s Auto Body in Woodbury for the 2nd year is sponsoring a recycled rides project for a local veteran in need of a reliable car. They typically look for a veteran who needs a reliable form of transportation. The only other criteria for being eligible is being able to assume maintenance costs as well as keep the vehicle insured. Heppner Auto Body’s goal with the repair is to get the vehicle to the point where the veteran won't really have to worry about anything major for quite a while, but routine maintenance will be their responsibility. If you know of a veteran that would fit this criteria give me a call at 703-851-5416 and I will submit the name.
Help Wanted: The life blood of any Post is its members, but it takes a group of dedicated members, as Post officers, to make things run smoothly and keep the lights on. Post 501 is at a crucial point in its history that we are in need of members who can participate in the Post operations as Officers. A few of our members are currently performing in multiple Post officer positions and this cannot be maintained long term for the Post to remain as a viable activity. I am asking if you can find the time I am looking for people for Membership, Activities, and Adjutant. We can start you as an assistant in one of these positions and work up into the full position duties over time. If you interested in becoming more involved in the Post give me a call at (703) 851-5416 and we can discuss.
This Month in History: Though the long-running war between Iran and Iraq had ended in a United Nations-brokered ceasefire in August 1988, by mid-1990 the two states had yet to begin negotiating a permanent peace treaty. When their foreign ministers met in Geneva that July, prospects for peace seemed bright. Two weeks later, however, Saddam Hussein delivered a speech in which he accused neighboring Kuwait of siphoning crude oil from their common border, claiming that Kuwait and Saudi Arabia were conspiring to keep oil prices low in an effort to pander to Western oil-buying nations.
In addition to Hussein’s incendiary speech, Iraq had begun amassing troops on Kuwait’s border. Alarmed by these actions, President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt initiated negotiations between Iraq and Kuwait, but Hussein broke off the negotiations after only two hours, and on August 2, 1990 ordered the invasion of Kuwait. Hussein’s assumption that his fellow Arab states would stand by him proved to be a miscalculation. Alarmed by these actions, two-thirds of the 21 members of the Arab League condemned Iraq’s act of aggression, and Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd, along with Kuwait’s government-in-exile, turned to the United States and other members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) for support.
U.S. President George H.W. Bush immediately condemned the invasion, as did the governments of Britain and the Soviet Union. On November 29, 1990, the U.N. Security Council authorized the use of “all necessary means” of force against Iraq if it did not withdraw from Kuwait by the following January 15. Hussein defied the Security Council, and early on the morning of January 17, 1991 the Persian Gulf War began with a massive U.S.-led air offensive known as Operation Desert Storm. The U.S. was accompanied by troops sent by NATO allies as well as Egypt and several other Arab nations. The coalition effort benefited from the latest military technology, including Stealth bombers, Cruise missiles, so-called “Smart” bombs with laser-guidance systems and infrared night-bombing equipment. The Iraqi air force was either destroyed early on or opted out of combat under the relentless attack.
Success is how high you bounce when you hit Bottom.
