Commander`s Corner - The American Legion Department of

Volume 6, Issue 8
February 2015
Commander’s Corner
As you all know by my absence at the DEC I
am recovering again, and hope to see you all at
the next DEC.
We are struggling with 9 out of the 10 Districts
making the 85%, 10 February Target date, some
have just barely made it; but they made it and
that is what counts. I wish to congratulate all of
you for making the 85% target date. As of this report we are in 24th place in the
nation. I am not sure what place we are in the Northeast Region. We all should
be working on the retention surge. National Commander Helm has asked everyone of you along with all department and district officers to: 1) Call at least 3
lapsed members and renew them, 2) get all post and district commanders to do
the same by calling and renewing lapsed members in their respective areas.
There are people in all districts that are willing to help. All you need to do is
ask. We are getting into the tough months with winter weather and travel problem, hopefully the telephone and e-mail communication will still be working.
We still have 3,323 members in the 462 holding post just waiting to be accepted
by and transferred to a local post closest to their home. All it takes is a phone
call and a transfer form. It can all be done over the phone.
IT’S A NO BRAINER.
MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP MEMBERSHIP
Inside this Issue
Membership
2
DVC Burke Appreciation
15
Guest Commentary
2
DVC Starks Appreciation
16
Community Service Committee
3
National Commanders
17-18
Scholarship Committee
3
District Testimonials
19-21
Membership Incentives
4
Partnership for Kids Bowling
22-23
Editorial
5
Winter Sweepstakes Winners
24
Strategic Plan - Communications
6
Tom Wigmore
25
American Legion Weekly
6
Calendar of Events
26
Walter Reed Society Combat Medic
7
Membership
26
Boys State
8
MySAL - A Membership Tool
27
SAL Membership
27
Per Capita Banner Program
9-10
National Convention Housing
11-12 Military Ball
28
World Series Schedule
13
Food Bank Mobile Market
29
DSVC Brault Appreciation
14
POW/MIA Ceremony
30
MEMBERSHIP TEAM PAGE 2014-2015
DSVC Louis Brault – Chairman
As we approach the close of January and the mid-winter target date of 80%, it is amazing to see how in the
last 45 days we have pulled together as a team and brought our membership up from a low in the 70% range
up to the 80%-85% range in our membership.
This didn’t happen without a lot of hard work and team effort of a lot of folks and it paid dividends.
My feeling now is that if we keep up working as a team we can reach 90% in membership well ahead of The
American Legion birthday cutoff date of March 11th. If we keep up this team effort of helping the post and
members that need the help, we are well on our way to achieving that 100% membership goal that we are all
trying to achieve. We came very close last year early on. Now with everyone’s help; and it being later in the
year, I believe we can achieve it.
Do you need a hand with membership? Have questions? Don’t hesitate to contact myself, your district commanders or the vice commanders for your districts. They all are more than willing to help. If we don’t have
the answer as a team, we can get you the answer and provide you with the tools you need to achieve that
100%.
Keep warm, keep up the good work and team effort. Hey spring training is just around the next snow mound!
Guest Commentary
When most people think about veteran groups, they picture old soldiers sitting around the bar telling each
other war stories. This is the perception that, at one time, seemed to prevail. That has changed thanks to the
biggest veterans group, the American Legion and its auxiliary.
Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time.
American Legion Baseball is one of the nation's most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young
people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. Did you know more than 50 percent of
Major League Baseball players are graduates of the program? About 82,000 youth play on Legion-sponsored
teams each year.
On May 29, 1946, the American Legion, along with its auxiliary, presented a small struggling organization
called the American Heart Association with a $50,000 grant. The grant inaugurated a nationwide program for
the study, prevention and treatment of rheumatic heart disease.
The American Legion wrote the GI Bill of Rights for veterans. The Legion practically created the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and its predecessors.
Starting in 1978, the Legion demanded medical and monetary benefits for veterans exposed to Agent Orange
in Vietnam.
In our community we have just finished with the American Legion Oratorical Contest. This exists to develop
deeper knowledge and appreciation for the U.S. Constitution among high school students. Over $138,000 in
scholarships can be awarded each year.
Operation Comfort Warriors is another American Legion program dedicated to meeting the needs of wounded, injured or ill military personnel by providing them with comfort items not usually supplied by the government.
The list of all programs the American Legion has created and supports would be too numerous to go into detail today.
The American Legion family is available to sons and daughters of veterans as well as veterans. To find out if
you are eligible, call or visit your local American Legion post. Remember there is strength in numbers, and
veterans groups do a lot more than most people perceive.
Patrick O'Donnell is First District public relations liaison for the American Legion. The views are the writer's
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Community Service Committee
PDC Leland F. Plummer – Chairman
George “Al” White Memorial Award
Rules and Guidelines
Award Period is from June to May
1. An award shall be given each month to a Post, Unit or Squadron judged to have performed an
outstanding Community Service project for the betterment of the community or the people therein.
2. Entries for this award must be submitted by a Legion Post, Unit or Squadron of the Department of
Massachusetts with a letter or resume of accomplishments, signed and attested to by the Post
Commander and Adjutant, Unit President and Secretary or Squadron Commander and Adjutant.
Documentary proof of accomplishment shall be made to the committee when possible.
3. All entries must be submitted within 45 days of the project.
4. Entries will be judged at the regular Department Community Service Committee meetings.
5. All other entries will be judged at the next meeting.
Mail all entries to the Chairman:
Leland F. Plummer, PDC
51 Shore Drive
Templeton, MA 01468
978-939-4237
Department of Massachusetts Scholarship
Milton K. Lashus, PNEC, Chairman
1.
These Scholarships shall be designated “The Scholarship Fund of the Department of Massachusetts Inc., The American Legion.
2.
The Department of Massachusetts, The American Legion, may grant ten $1,000.00 and ten $500.00 scholarships to be used
towards the expenses of education of the child/grandchild whose parent or grandparent is a current member in good standing
of an American Legion Post within the Department of Massachusetts.
3.
Applications shall be filed on or before April 1, and mailed to: The American Legion, ATTN: Scholarshipp Chairman, Room
546-2, State House, Boston, MA 02133
4.
The Scholarship shall be for the next school year only and limited to incoming freshmen. The scholarship committee will
make its selections before June 1st.
5.
Scholarship payments shall be made directly to the recipient of the scholarship in two equal payments. Payments whall be
made at the beginning of each semester and will be withheld if the student fails to remain in good standing. In the event of
termination during the school year payment must be returned to the Department of Massachusett, The American Legion.
6.
Applications are available from you local Posts or can be obtained by call the Department of Massachusetts, The American
Legion at (617) 727-2966
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Editorial
By PDC John Lenotte
As we get to shoveling out from yet another snow storm, did you check on a neighbor, friend or family member to see if they were all right? Maybe you knocked on their door or at least made a phone call to them.
Or maybe you hoped that someone would check in on you, just to hear a voice of someone who cares about
you. Now think about our troops who are stationed around the world and have family and friends who they
cannot physically go to their assistance. Some might not even be able to reach out by phone, email or internet because of the location where the service member is stationed. While they are protecting our lives and
freedoms we need to take care of their families. I hope you will check on your family and friends and those
of our troops.
February is the month when The American Legion will hold its annual Washington Conference. Members
of the Legion from all over the nation will converge on our nation’s capital. They will be briefed on major
concerns that the Washington Legion Staff feels will be acted upon in this session of Congress. Many will
then meet with their Congressional Representative/Senator or a legislative staff member. Some members of
the Legion family will also observe the National Commander of The American Legion give testimony to a
meeting of the Joint Senate and House Veterans Affairs Committees. And I will note that they do not ask
for just the members of the Legion to receive benefits, they are there advocating for ALL veterans as they
have done since 1919. Which is all great, but they need OUR support. This means reaching out to the local
offices or the Washington office of our Congressional delegation. Our representatives gauge how much reaction they receive within their district. No or little response means no one cares. I care, do you? I will
contact my Congressional Representative and 2 U.S. Senators, will you?
What are some of the concerns? Sequestration is still a major concern. Given the status of what is happening all around the world, is this the time to continue massive cuts to the Department of Defense? The Veterans Administration still has a way to go in correcting their methods of service delivery. Yes, many are getting better help but others still have problems getting appointments and/or having them constantly cancelled.
Claims and Claims Appeal processing is still far from where it needs to be. Our newest veterans are suffering from ailments that the VA continues to deny exist. It took decades for the VA to recognize Agent Orange as a medical problem. We must not let this happen to the current generation of veterans.
Credentialing of service members who are transitioning to a civilian career still face many obstacles. At this
years Conference, The American Legion will again hold a summit bringing together veterans advocates, government agencies and major employers such as Microsoft, UPS, Boeing, Verizon, Monster.com, Amtrak,
Time Warner and Bechtel Construction Services to facilitate credentialing. This issue has been brought to
Congress since 1997. Some progress has been made but more needs to be done.
Additional information can be found at www.legion.org.
May God Bless our troops, their families and bring them home safe.
John Lenotte, Commander, Post 4 Haverhill and Past Department Commander, The American Legion, Department of Massachusetts.
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Strategic Plan for Sustained Membership Growth - Priorities: Communication
Tactics:
Utilize all internal media (Massachusetts E-Legionnaire, Vets News, Post Mailings, Massachusetts
Web Site and Massachusetts E-Legionnaire Web Site) to encourage membership to join us in this
5-Year membership plan. This is an ongoing effort.
Have all Districts develop media relations teams by the end of year 1. Establish a training team within the Department Media Relations to assist and guide the district teams by the end of year 1.
Communicate The American Legion’s Story to local military components (Active, Reserve & National Guard), with the emphasis on eligibility. This is an ongoing effort.
Continue the effort to collect all members’ email addresses and telephone numbers to enhance timely
dissemination of information and any calls to action.
Continue to utilize the 2 billboards and strive to increase the number of billboards across the Commonwealth. Marketing Committee is reviewing potential to increae the number of billboards by
the end of year 1.
Increase the utilization of National PSA’s in local media channels.
Increase our presence in social media.
The American Legion Weekly – Volume 2 Issue 6 February 6, 1920
“Traitor”
When Victor Berger, traitor, undertook to make a public address at Providence, R.I, the other day he reckoned without
those sentinels of decent Americanism who are standing vigil in every community in the country. The
Prompt challenge and the method in which Berger was turned away from the city are both typical of The American Legion and a credit to the Providence post which took action in the case.
In calling upon the local authorities to suppress Berger, the Executive Committee of the Providence post quoted Berger's
rotten record of disloyalty.
The post pointed to the fact that the Legion stands for all the constitutional rights of free speech and free assemblage.
Its members having fought for personal and political liberty, they would deny nothing to anyone who might entertain opposite economic or political views, asking only that he advocate alleged reforms by lawful American means.
"But the presence of this smug traitor is an insult to our citizenship and an intolerable offense to our sense of fitness and
justice," the Providence local post concluded.
The authorities took the same view, and Berger didn't speak.
There was a time when such enemies of the country went about the land unchallenged in their insults upon American citizenship.
That was before the time of The American Legion
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Walter Read Society Combat Medic Award
On behalf of the Walter Reed Society and Vice President Patient Services SGM (Ret.) Dan Bullis, American Legion Post 405
Member and Walter Reed Society Liaison Jeff Brodeur presented American Legion Post 405 Raynham MA the very prestigious
Walter Reed Society Combat Medic Award.
For three years in row, American Legion Post 405 Raynham MA has supported the Society, our wounded warriors, and their families at Walter Reed National Military Center at Bethesda Maryland. No one in the Walter Reed Society gets paid a salary and all
are volunteers.
The Walter Reed Society is located at Walter Reed and offers direct financial support to our wounded warriors and their families.
Presently American Legion Post 405 has 2 members who are patients at Walter Reed, American Legion Post 405 Life Member Cpl.
(Ret.) Vincent Mannion-Brodeur 82nd Airborne Division and American Legion Post 405 Member Sgt Brendan Karona, 10th
Mountain Division. Both Members are Purple Heart recipients.
Presented in the CMOH SFC Jared Monti Hall to the officers and members of the Post were Sr. Vice Commander Bob Chase, Jr.
Vice Commander Tom Guinta, Finance Officer James Banks, Adjutant Dave Tanguay, Sgt. at Arms Bob Eklund, Judge Advocate
Joe Hetherington, Commander Bill Ryder (not present), members Kevin Garvey, Peter King , Mike Nicholson , Paul Mullins , SAL
Commander Eric Bastarache, "The Hens", Kathy D'Amico, Peg Hertherington, Mary Dooley, Colleen Maloney.
97th National Convention
which will be held August 28 September 3, 2015, in
Baltimore, Maryland.
Go to this link for additional information.
http://www.legion.org/convention/resources
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DEPARTMENT CALENDAR OF EVENTS
2/21/2015
6:00 PM
Appreciation Day – DVC
Robert Burke
Boston Tavern (58 E Grove
St, Middleboro)
2/28/2015
1:00 PM
District 7 County Council Mtg
VAMC Rm #3 Bldg 1, 3rd fl
(West Roxbury)
3/07/2015
11:00 AM
DEC Mtg
(11 AM Membership; 1 PM EBoard)
Fairview Post 438 (Chicopee)
3/7/2015
5:00 PM
Hampden County Council
Banquet (District 3)
Chicopee Falls Post 275
3/8/2015
2:00 PM
District 5 County Council Mtg
Shirley Post 183
3/8/2015
2:00 PM
Appreciation Day – DSrVC
Louis Brault
Chicopee Falls Post 275
3/12/2015
District 1 County Council Mtg
Dalton Post 155
3/14/2015
7:00 PM
Middlesex County Banquet
(District 5)
Dracut Post 315
3/15/2015
10:00 AM
Combined Meeting
Sutton Post 414
3/15/2015
10:00 AM
District 10 County Council
Mtg
Mattapoisett Post 280
2015 Membership Standings as of
1/31/2015 NEXT TARGET IS 85% BY 2/10/2015
District
Goal
Current
% of Goal
1
BERKSHIRE
1812
1597
88.13%
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
FRANKLIN /HAMPSHIRE
HAMPDEN
WORCESTER
MIDDLESEX
NORFOLK
SUFFOLK
ESSEX
BRISTOL
1783
3244
6304
6070
3523
1668
3270
2465
1500
2772
5460
5190
3069
1428
3008
2176
84.13%
85.45%
86.61%
85.50%
87.11%
85.61%
91.99%
88.28%
10
PLY/BARN/NAN/DUKE
4490
3961
88.22%
98
5416
131
3961
133.67%
88.22%
40143
31641
78.82%
297 CAPITOL HILL
462 HEADQUARTERS
TOTAL 319 POSTS
Please note District Goals have been set based on 2014 End Strength as of July 1st. The National
Goal is a little higher at 40,143 se every district needs to exceed its goals for the Department to
reach 100%. Goals are substantially lower than they were as little as 10 years ago so we can do
this!
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MySAL – A Membership Tool
Our Squadron, Squadron 293 (Purcellville, Virginia), signed up for MySAL in 2013. Our renewals for 2014
slowed and we were able to use MySAL to help make our 100% for the year. Once we got access, we downloaded the information for our Squadron in .csv format (comma delimited). We were able to create mailing
labels for all of our members. We created a Membership Invoice where we promoted some of our accomplishments at the National, State, and Local levels and explained what their dues money was used for including donations to CWF and NEF. We also requested updates on the Member’s information. We then mailed
these membership invoices or renewal notices to our unpaid members. As a result of our mailing, we were
able to have the remaining unpaid members pay their dues for the year.
When our members sent their dues in along with their updated membership information, we can go into
MySAL and update their membership information, ‘real time’. With the access to MySAL, your Squadron
can better maintain your membership records. If your members have a change to their information, have
them fill out a Member Data Form and use that as your backup when updating their information in MySAL.
By maintaining these records on MySAL, this will help you communicate with your members. It will also
help the National Organization communicate with your members through The National Update.
MySAL is not set up to do Transfers. The Member Data Form is still needed for Transfers. But you can update other information. You can use MySAL to update Birthdates, Phone Numbers, and E-mail Addresses.
With this information available to you online, your Squadron can keep your members informed on Squadron
and Post activities. Remember that our members are the lifeline of our organization and we need to make
them feel a part of something larger than our local Squadron. MySAL will help do that. If your Squadron has
not signed up for MySAL.org, please do so today!
Scott Williams, Assistant National Adjutant – Virginia.
2015 Sons of the American Legion Membership Standings as of
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
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1/31/2015
District
Goal
Current
% of Goal
BERKSHIRE
FRANKLIN
/HAMPSHIRE
HAMPDEN
WORCESTER
MIDDLESEX
NORFOLK
SUFFOLK
ESSEX
BRISTOL
PLY/BARN/NAN/
DUKE
244
173
70.90%
271
261
956
1371
808
100
410
270
150
174
654
869
517
67
281
169
55.35%
66.67%
68.41%
63.38%
63.99%
67.00%
68.54%
62.59%
713
524
73.49%
TOTAL
5404
3578
66.21%
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Massachusetts
E-Legionnaire
ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
The Massachusetts E-Legionnaire is
the official publication of the Department of Massachusetts American
Legion and is published at least 12
times per year by the Massachusetts
American Legion Newspaper
Committee
Do you have an article or news announcement to share with the rest of the Department of
Massachusetts? If so, please follow these basic guide-lines for submissions.
The American Legion
Department of Massachusetts, Inc.
Room 546-2, State House
Boston, MA 02122-1099
email: [email protected]
Editor
Francis J. MacDonald
2014-2015 Officers
Commander
Charles Towers
Sr. Vice Commander
Louis Brault
• Submit your text in Microsoft Word format (.doc) or as a text file (.txt or .rtf). Save your
file as the same name as the article, so we can easily keep track of it. Be sure to make it
clear who the author is, whether it’s you or if you are just forwarding it to us. • WE
LOVE ARTICLES WITH PHOTOS, or any other kind of images! Include photos and/
or artwork for articles separately (NOT embed-ded in the article) as high resolution (300
dpi, or better) JPGs. Please name these files accordingly so we can track them along with
your article. Let us know in your e-mail of any corresponding captions, and/or name of
the photographer if necessary.
• Spell check everything! Especially people’s names, web addresses, etc. You can help us
greatly here by simply running your spell check function in your word processing program.
• E-mail
everything directly to us at [email protected] by
the 25th of every month for it to appear in the very next issue. This way
we have plenty of time to work with in case we need to clarify anything with you.
We hope you enjoy this issue, and hope you continue to help us grow The Massachusetts
e-Legionnaire!
Vice Commanders
Kenneth Starks
Mike Davis
Robert Burke
Historian
Ben Wilcoxen
Executive Committee Women
Sally Nay
Sergeant-at-Arms
Henry Young
Service Officer
George Cameron
NEC
Steve Jimmo
ANEC
Frank MacDonald
Want to Subscribe to Mass E-Legionnaire:
Send your email address to: [email protected] or to
the Editor at [email protected].
Still receiving correspondence through the U.S. Postal Service?
Send the Department office your Name & Address and you will
get a hard copy mailed to you.
The American Legion, Dept. of Mass, Inc.
Room 546-2, State House
Boston, MA 02133
(617) 727-2966
Massachusetts e-Legionnaire is a member of National American Legion Press Association NALPA.
Follow the Department of Massachusetts on Facebook @
The American Legion Department of Massachusetts
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