Veterans of Foreign Wars

Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 9785
“All American Post”
Commander
Bill Yudiskas
Ladies and Men’s Auxiliaries
Ladies Auxiliary President
P.O. Box 770266
Eagle River, AK 99577
Phone: 907-694-2739
Fax: 907-694-4537
Email: [email protected]
Web Site: www.vfw9785.org
Kathleen Just
Men’s Auxiliary President
AUGUST 2014
LADIES AUXILIARY
COMMANDER’S CORNER
Hi everyone, I would like to say thanks to all
the volunteers who made each of our events last
month a success. It was an extremely busy month
with the Fourth of July celebration at the Lions Park
with the Taco booth, then turned right around and
had Chugiak/Eagle River Parade and cooking hot
dogs and hamburgers for a pot luck dinner at the
Post the next day. Top that off with the very next
weekend with the Bear Paw parade. We can’t make
it happen without those who contribute their time
to these functions.
Next event, several of us from the Post
were off to the 115th VFW National Convention in
St. Louis, MO. Great turn out with more than
12,000 attending from across the world. Some of
the things the Post delegates were involved with
were to elect new leadership and to approve
resolutions that will guide the National
Organization’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill, and
its Veteran and Military support programs across
the country. Those of us that like to ride
motorcycles participated in the “Heroes on
Wheels” 2014 Howard E. Vander Clute, Jr.
Memorial Motorcycle Ride. This is an annual ride to
honor the memory of Howard E. Vander Clute, Jr.
(Commander-in-Chief 1979-80, Adjutant General
1981-1995). All net proceeds from the ride will be
donated to the VFW National Military Services to
(Continued to Page 2)
Al Stoddard
Greetings fellow Patriots!
It has a nice ring to it, right? I have
never seen so much patriotism as I did at our
National VFW & LAVFW Convention this past
month. Of course, everyone has heard our
National Anthem sung by large groups of
people. I became quite overwhelmed with
pride; however, when during the joint opening
of the business meetings, our Pledge of
Allegiance was recited by so many people in
one room. Tears were streaming down my
face. What an amazing feeling!
Our new Ladies Auxiliary National
President is Ann Panteleakos. She will lead
the organization under the theme “Patriotism
Begins at Home” for the 2014-2015 year.
Beginning in August I will make “Flag
Education for Kids” printouts available at the
Post for your children. In the words of Ronald
Reagan, “Freedom is a fragile thing and
is never more than one generation
away from extinction. It is not ours by
inheritance; it must be fought for and defended
constantly”.
In closing I would like to say that, while
our Ladies Auxiliary is in need of members
who are willing to actively participate in
meeting the goals of our Veterans Support
Programs, we will gladly accept any help we
can get from non-members. Thanks to all
those who have stepped up to help.
Respectfully,
Kathleen Just
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President
What's New at the
COMMANDER’S CORNER
ALASKA VETERAN’S MUSEUM?
(Continued from Page 1)
benefit those in uniform and their families. All in all
it was a great Convention, and I look forward to
sharing things that were learned at this venue.
During the month of August the Men’s
Auxiliary will continue to have Burger night on
Fridays. Come on out and support that. If inclined
volunteers are always welcome. On the 8th of
August at 2:00 PM the 3rd MUNS has volunteered
to conduct road clean-up. Just a reminder, our Post
is responsible for three every year, so two down
and one to go before the snow starts flying.
Tuesday 12 August is the General Membership
meeting at 7;00 PM, so please attend if you have
the time.
In closing I appreciate all those behind the
scenes volunteers, employees, and loyal patrons
that help make our Post the greatest.
Bill Yudiskas
MEN’S AUXILIARY
Well, it’s the end of another month. We
need to have some more participation from
everybody in the Men’s Auxiliary. Everybody
needs to get involved. This is your chance to help
the Men’s Auxiliary and our Post.
We did well on the July $100 a day Raffle
and we will be looking to have another Raffle in
the near future.
The August meeting will be on Aug 17th at
11:00 am. Mark it on your calendar and make
plans to attend.
Al Stoddard
The Alaska Veterans Museum has two new
exhibits, one Eye on the Colonel: The Story of Mary
Louise (Milligan) Rasmuson. We have uniforms, a
swagger stick, photographs, scrapbooks, awards and
period Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC)
and Women's Army Corps (WAC) artifacts. There
is an original 1940s WW II WAAC doll also, and
an original pencil portrait of Colonel Milligan by
internationally known portrait artist, Michael G.
Reagan who has selected AVM as his charity of
choice. Mike draws an Alaska Legend portrait for
us and we auction it off for operating funds -- he
has now done three.
Another new exhibit is the greatly expanded
Vietnam War section. This was done courtesy of
the Alaska Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
chapter. We also gained three new volunteers from
them!! Way to go guys! AVM loves you.
The Japanese 37 mm Anti-Tank Gun taken from
Attu is on display in its new case, thanks to John
Peck, Jim Anderson and Carl Loken. We will
shortly then repopulate that case with Japanese
artifacts: two Arisaka rifles, a Type 14 Nambu
pistol and holster, a Baby Nambu pistol (a smaller
version preferred by Japanese pilots), two Arisaka
bayonets (one from early in the war and one later), a
Samurai sword, two postcards taken from a
Japanese tent on Attu, and a personal prayer flag.
The latter was signed by family and friends and
then worn around the soldier's body.
An exciting program will be the Cold War
Conference 4-6 September 2014. AVM has had a
vital role in arranging tours, banquets and finger
foods for our social events.
Registration is
required at www.nikesitesummit.net/2014-coldwar-conference.html Sergei Krushchev will be the
speaker 4 September at 7:30 PM at the Wendy
Williamson Auditorium. There will be presentations
at the Captain Cook Hotel from 9:00 AM. to noon
on 5 September, followed by a luncheon and Cold
War Today panel. This will be followed by a
"Swords into Plowshares" ceremony and tour at
President
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(Continued to Page 3)
What's New at the
VFW SERVICE OFFICER NEWS
ALASKA VETERAN’S MUSEUM?
(Continued from Page 2)
Airborne Hazards & Open Burn Pit Registry
Kincaid Park (another Nike Hercules Missile Site)
from 1:30 to 5:00 PM.. Then we will all gather for
a special showing of Dr. Strangelove, or How I
Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" at
the Alaska Experience Theater in the Market Place,
333 W 4th Ave at 8:00 PM. Come join us and the
Nike Veterans too!
Suellyn Novak
AVM Executive Director
MARRIAGE
ANNOUNCEMENT
VFW member Ken Speegle and Ladies
Auxiliary member Tammy Bailey met in our
Post back in 2010. Love blossomed from there.
Ken and Tammy were married in the Post on
Saturday 28 June at 3:00 pm with their children
Amanda, Jenny, Zane & Carly by their side.
Tammy’s father Warren performed the
ceremony. Many of their friends and family
attended to witness and celebrate their special
day of happiness.
Veterans and Service members who were
close to burn pit smoke or exposed for longer
periods may be at greater risk for health problems.
Health effects from burn pit exposure will vary and
depend on a number of factors such as the kind of
waste being burned, pre-existing conditions, and
wind direction. There is not enough medical or
scientific information to conclude that short or longterm health effects have occurred from exposures to
smoke from burn pits or other airborne hazards
during recent deployments.
The Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit
Registry is a database of information about
Veterans and Service members. Participation in the
registry is voluntary and will not affect access to
health care or benefits. Veterans and Service
members can use the registry questionnaire to report
exposures to airborne hazards (such as smoke from
burn pits, oil-well fires, or pollution during
deployment), as well as other exposures and health
concerns.
VA will determine eligibility for the Airborne
Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry based on
deployment information from the Department of
Defense. To be eligible, you must be a Veteran or
Service member who deployed to contingency
operations in the Southwest Asia theater of
operations at any time on or after August 2, 1990
(as defined in 38 CFR 3.317(e)(2)), or Afghanistan
or Djibouti on or after September 11, 2001. These
regions include the following countries, bodies of
water, and the airspace above these locations:
Iraq
Afghanistan
Kuwait
Saudi Arabia
Bahrain
Djibouti
Gulf of Aden
Gulf of Oman
Oman
Qatar
United Arab Emirates
Waters of the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, and
Red Sea
RESOURCE:
https://veteran.mobilehealth.va.gov/AHBurnPitRegi
try
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SUPPORT OUR VFW POST 9785
MEMBER’S BUSINESSES
Please support our VFW and Auxiliaries
member’s businesses. If you have a full-time or
home-based business that you would like to
promote, please submit your business card to
Tina Stoddard before the 20th of each month
for submission to the newsletter. If you have
already submitted a business card once, it is
not necessary to submit a card each month.
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HAL RODGERS
At the invitation of Editor Tina, I Bren
Rodgers have been asked to let you know
what is going on with “big daddy”. Well
your ultimate good member in status (never
tells a dirty joke, keeps them short and
never repeats a joke) Hal Rodgers is to
undergo open heart surgery again.
Anticipate the earliest schedule date to be
mid-August as cardiovascular surgeon has
to take an early August vacation. So keep
this 81 year old in your positive thoughts
and look out for him to show up at the
Adult Day Care VFW bar as soon as possible
following surgery.
Loyally
Bren Rodgers
9 / 11 / 2001
VFW Post 9785
P.O. Box 770266
Eagle River, AK 99577
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