R. V. Van Schoick
American Legion Post 94
NOVEMBER 2017 Newsletter
Up-Coming Meetings and Events
Monthly Membership Meetings (Second Friday)
10 November 2017
Program will be a ceremony in honor of Veterans Day.
6:00 pm – Social
6:30 pm – Dinner
7:30 pm – Program
8 December 2017
LTC Brewer from Camp Murray will give a presentation on suicide prevention
12 January 2018
The Director of new USO at Joint Base Lewis-McChord will give a presentation on the new facility.
9 February 2018
Medic One will be conducting CPR training for Post members.
Post News
The Post, in partnership with the Thurston County Food Bank and the Lacey Veterans Service Hub, registered 78 veterans and families for Thanksgiving food baskets. The Post will be distributing those food baskets at the veterans stand down on 17 November 2017 at the Olympia Armory. The Post needs volunteers to help with the distribution. If you can help, please contact Gary at walkersolympia@comcast.net.
Since the last newsletter, the Post completed the work party to install siding at Corky Cunningham’s home and volunteered as work guards at a half marathon in Lacey. A big thank you to everyone to helped with these events.
The Post now has a website in addition to its Facebook page. Please check it out at:
http://centennial.legion.org/washington/post94
You can also follow Post activities on Facebook. Check it out and like us to follow events.
Our Facebook page is American Legion Post 94 Lacey Washington.
General Veteran and VA News
The Thurston County Veterans Council and the Washington Department of Veterans Affairs will be conducting the Veterans Day Ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda on 11 November 2017 at 11:00 am. COL Sonkiss, CDR, 62nd Air Wing, McChord AFB and Judge Brett Buckley, Thurston County Veterans Court, will be the keynote speakers. As a special part of the ceremony, two WWII veterans who flew bombing missions on D-Day will be presented with U.S. flags that had been flown over the U.S. Cemetery in Normandy, France.
Statement from Secretary of Veterans Affairs on Agent Orange Presumptive Conditions, dated 1 November 2017
Today, U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. David J. Shulkin announced that he is considering possible new presumptive conditions that may qualify for disability compensation related to Agent Orange exposure.
“After thoroughly reviewing the National Academy of Medicine (NAM)’s latest report regarding Veterans and Agent Orange, and associated data and recommendations from the NAM Task Force, I have made a decision to further explore new presumptive conditions for service connection that may ultimately qualify for disability compensation,” Secretary Shulkin said. “I appreciate NAM’s work and the commitment and expertise of VA’s NAM Task Force, and look forward to working with the Administration on the next steps in the process.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs will now begin work with the Administration to concurrently conduct a legal and regulatory review of these potential presumptive conditions for awarding disability compensation to eligible veterans.
Didn’t retire but would still like access to the PX? You will soon be able to shop online at the PX. Here is the link: https://www.shopmyexchange.com/veterans
Just a quick reminder on two changes to military/Tricare health care coverage.
· If you use Tricare for your health coverage, you will be asked for your DoD ID number and not your social security number. It is listed on your military ID card.
· When you call in for your prescription refills, you will be asked for your birth date (mm/dd/yyyy) instead of the last for digits of your social security number.
· To learn more about Tricare changes, go to www.tricare.mil/changes
Murphy’s Military Laws of the month
· Your bivouac for the night is the spot where your commander got tired of marching that day.
· Pilots who can see you when dropping you supplies cannot see you when dropping bombs.
· It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed.
· When reviewing the radio frequencies that you just wrote down, the most important ones are always illegible.
· To steal information from a person is called plagiarism. To steal information from the enemy is called gathering intelligence.
Adjutant’s Report
American Legion National and Department Headquarters voted to raise their dues by $5.00 each for a total of $10.00 starting January 2016 for a grand total of $50.00 per year. The Post voted to not raise its dues at this time.
Building Rental
If you were not aware, the Post offers both the post building and the pavilion for rent.
Building
Post Members
Non-Members
Post Building
$175.00
$325.00
Pavilion (available only on week nights)
$175.00
$325.00
Pavilion is no longer available for weekend rentals. The post has a Church renting it for both Saturday and Sundays.
There is a $200.00 refundable security deposit requirement as well. Please contact Larry Granish at 360.701.5921 or email at lgrani@comcast.net to reserve either facility.
Chaplain’s Corner
Contact the Post Chaplain, Otis Chapman, at lukie1964@gmail.com if you need assistance.
Service Officer
Do you feel that you have a residual health problem that is linked to your time in the service? Have you applied for benefits with the Veterans Administration and been turned down? If so, do not try to deal with the VA on your own. My name is Rose Hodgeboom and I am the Post 94 service officer. It is my job to help you navigate the benefits system. Call me at 360-491-3621 if you need assistance with a claim. The Legion also has a Temporary Financial Assistance program that could help you one time with paying your utilities, rent/mortgage, or other emergency needs. This is an American Legion Children and Youth program and to qualify you must have minor children in your home. If you feel you need help from this program let me know and I will be glad to help.
Post Officers for 2017-2018
Commander – Gary Walker
1st Vice-Commander - Bob Nakamura
2nd Vice Commander - Larry Douglas
Adjutant - Larry Granish
Finance Officer –
Sergeant at Arms – Kevin Lindsey
Chaplain – Otis Chapman
Veteran Service Officer - Rose Hodgeboom
Judge Advocate - David Hodgeboom
Post Historian – Donna Lowery
