R. V. Van Schoick
American Legion Post 94
MAY Newsletter
Up-Coming Meetings and Events
Monthly Membership Meetings (Second Friday)
6:00 pm – Social
6:30 pm – Dinner
7:30 pm – Program
11 May 2018
Presentation by Sidewalk Veteran Assistance Program and Election of Post Officers
8 June 2018
Installation of New Post Officers for 2018-2019
No meetings in July 2018
Post and American Legion News
Our Post Auxiliary will be conducting its Poppy drive on 18-20 May at the Lacey Safeway. If you can volunteer, please let Karen Grundler (grundler1@comcast.net) know.
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
Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC)
Combat Related Special Compensation (CRSC) is a program that was created for disability and non-disability military retirees with combat-related disabilities. It is a tax free entitlement that you will be paid each month along with any retired pay you may already be receiving.
Eligibility
To qualify for CRSC you must:
· be entitled to and/or receiving military retired pay
· be rated at least 10 percent by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA)
· waive your VA pay from your retired pay
· file a CRSC application with your Branch of Service
Disabilities that may be considered combat related include injuries incurred as a direct result of:
· Armed Conflict
· Hazardous Duty
· An Instrumentality of War
· Simulated War
Retroactive Payment
In addition to monthly CRSC payments, you may be eligible for a retroactive payment. DFAS will audit your account to determine whether or not you are due retroactive payment. An audit of your account requires researching pay information from both DFAS and VA.
If you are due any money from DFAS, you will receive it within 30-60 days of receipt of your first CRSC monthly payment. If DFAS finds that you are also due a retroactive payment from the VA, we will forward an audit to the VA. They are responsible for paying any money they may owe you.
Your retroactive payment date may go back as far as June 1, 2003, but can be limited based on:
· your overall CRSC start date as awarded by your Branch of Service
· your Purple Heart eligibility
· your retirement date
· your retirement law (disability or non-disability)
· six-year barring statute
· Disability retirees with less than 20 years of service will be automatically limited to a retroactive date of January 1, 2008 as required by legislation passed by Congress effective 2008.
All retroactive pay is limited to six years from the date the VA awarded compensation for each disability.
If you have questions about your CRSC eligibility, please call us at 800-321-1080 or contact your Branch of Service.
Shingles (Mayo Clinic)
Overview
Shingles is a viral infection that causes a painful rash. Although shingles can occur anywhere on your body, it most often appears as a single stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or the right side of your torso.
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you've had chickenpox, the virus lies inactive in nerve tissue near your spinal cord and brain. Years later, the virus may reactivate as shingles.
While it isn't a life-threatening condition, shingles can be very painful. Vaccines can help reduce the risk of shingles, while early treatment can help shorten a shingles infection and lessen the chance of complications.
Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of shingles usually affect only a small section of one side of your body.
These signs and symptoms may include:
· Pain, burning, numbness or tingling
· Sensitivity to touch
· A red rash that begins a few days after the pain
· Fluid-filled blisters that break open and crust over
· Itching
· Some people also experience:
· Fever
· Headache
· Sensitivity to light
· Fatigue
Pain is usually the first symptom of shingles. For some, it can be intense. Depending on the location of the pain, it can sometimes be mistaken for a symptom of problems affecting the heart, lungs or kidneys. Some people experience shingles pain without ever developing the rash.
Most commonly, the shingles rash develops as a stripe of blisters that wraps around either the left or right side of your torso. Sometimes the shingles rash occurs around one eye or on one side of the neck or face.
When to see a doctor
Contact your doctor promptly if you suspect shingles, but especially in the following situations:
· The pain and rash occur near an eye. If left untreated, this infection can lead to permanent eye damage.
· You're 60 or older, because age significantly increases your risk of complications.
· You or someone in your family has a weakened immune system (due to cancer, medications or chronic illness).
· The rash is widespread and painful.
Causes
Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus — the same virus that causes chickenpox. Anyone who's had chickenpox may develop shingles. After you recover from chickenpox, the virus can enter your nervous system and lie dormant for years.
Eventually, it may reactivate and travel along nerve pathways to your skin — producing shingles. But, not everyone who's had chickenpox will develop shingles.
The reason for shingles is unclear. But it may be due to lowered immunity to infections as you grow older. Shingles is more common in older adults and in people who have weakened immune systems.
Varicella-zoster is part of a group of viruses called herpes viruses, which includes the viruses that cause cold sores and genital herpes. Because of this, shingles is also known as herpes zoster. But the virus that causes chickenpox and shingles is not the same virus responsible for cold sores or genital herpes, a sexually transmitted infection.
Are you contagious?
A person with shingles can pass the varicella-zoster virus to anyone who isn't immune to chickenpox. This usually occurs through direct contact with the open sores of the shingles rash. Once infected, the person will develop chickenpox, however, not shingles.
Chickenpox can be dangerous for some people. Until your shingles blisters scab over, you are contagious and should avoid physical contact with anyone who hasn't yet had chickenpox or the chickenpox vaccine, especially people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and newborns.
Risk factors
Anyone who has ever had chickenpox can develop shingles. Most adults in the United States had chickenpox when they were children, before the advent of the routine childhood vaccination that now protects against chickenpox.
Factors that may increase your risk of developing shingles include:
Being older than 50. Shingles is most common in people older than 50. The risk increases with age. Some experts estimate that half the people age 80 and older will have shingles.
Having certain diseases. Diseases that weaken your immune system, such as HIV/AIDS and cancer, can increase your risk of shingles.
Undergoing cancer treatments. Radiation or chemotherapy can lower your resistance to diseases and may trigger shingles.
Taking certain medications. Drugs designed to prevent rejection of transplanted organs can increase your risk of shingles — as can prolonged use of steroids, such as prednisone.
Complications
Complications from shingles can include:
Postherpetic neuralgia. For some people, shingles pain continues long after the blisters have cleared. This condition is known as postherpetic neuralgia, and it occurs when damaged nerve fibers send confused and exaggerated messages of pain from your skin to your brain.
Vision loss. Shingles in or around an eye (ophthalmic shingles) can cause painful eye infections that may result in vision loss.
Neurological problems. Depending on which nerves are affected, shingles can cause an inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), facial paralysis, or hearing or balance problems.
Skin infections. If shingles blisters aren't properly treated, bacterial skin infections may develop.
Prevention
Two vaccines may help prevent shingles — the chickenpox (varicella) vaccine and the shingles (varicella-zoster) vaccine.
Chickenpox vaccine
The varicella vaccine (Varivax) has become a routine childhood immunization to prevent chickenpox. The vaccine is also recommended for adults who've never had chickenpox. Though the vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get chickenpox or shingles, it can reduce your chances of complications and reduce the severity of the disease.
Shingles vaccine
People looking to receive the shingles vaccine have two options: Zostavax and Shingrix.
Zostavax, which was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006, has been shown to offer protection against shingles for about five years. It’s a live vaccine given as a single injection, usually in the upper arm.
Shingrix was approved by the FDA in 2017 and is the preferred alternative to Zostavax. Studies suggest Shingrix offers protection against shingles beyond five years. It’s a nonliving vaccine made of a virus component, and is given in two doses, with two to six months between doses.
Shingrix is approved and recommended for people age 50 and older, including those who've previously received Zostavax. Zostavax isn’t recommended until age 60.
The most common side effects of either shingles vaccine are redness, pain, tenderness, swelling and itching at the injection site, and headaches.
As with the chickenpox vaccine, the shingles vaccine doesn't guarantee you won't get shingles. But this vaccine will likely reduce the course and severity of the disease and reduce your risk of postherpetic neuralgia.
The shingles vaccine is used only as a prevention strategy. It's not intended to treat people who currently have the disease. Talk to your doctor about which option is right for you.
Murphy’s Military Laws of the month
· Professional soldiers are predictable; the world is full of dangerous amateurs.
· The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: (1) when they’re ready; and, (2) when you’re not.
· Military intelligence is a contradiction.
· No combat ready unit has ever passed inspection.
· No inspection ready unit has ever passed combat
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.
The Lacey Veterans Service Hub also provides a wide variety of assistance to veterans and now has over 35 providers working out of there. The Hub is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (except holidays) and is located at 4232 6th Avenue SE, Suite 202, Lacey, WA 98503. The phone number is 360.456.3850.
Post Officers for 2017-2018
Commander – Gary Walker
1st Vice-Commander - Bob Nakamura
2nd Vice Commander - Larry Douglas
Adjutant - Larry Granish
Finance Officer – Dave Hodgeboom
Sergeant at Arms – Kevin Lindsey
Chaplain – Otis Chapman
Veteran Service Officer - Rose Hodgeboom
Judge Advocate - David Hodgeboom
Post Historian – Eric Strom
