American Legion Post 13 December 2018 Newsletter 2017-2018 Officers Commander: Richard Brown Sr Vice: Rod Pedersen Adjutant: Phil Youngblood Jr Vice: Stephen Blanton Jr Vice: Whit Chappell Fin. Off.: Henrietta Traynor Judge Adv: Phil Youngblood Serv. Off: Ed Kent Historian: Clayton Roberts Sgt @ Arms: Raymond Meeks Chaplain: Bill MacLaughlin Members @ Large: Jimmy Traynor; Dave Guest & Don Van Pelt COMMANDER'S CORNER: Well, I hope this newsletter finds all of you well. I hope everyone enjoyed the Veterans Day Program this year. I want to thank all of those who helped with the program. I also hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and didn't eat too much turkey. Let's all remember our annual Christmas dinner will be on December 15, 2018. Social Hour begins at 6:00 P.M. and we will eat around 7:00 P.M. for those who haven't called to make your reservation, you have until December 8, 2018 to do so. You can either call me at 229-563-7263 or the post at 229-242-7616 and leave a message. We will need to know how many in your party for the meal. Let's also remember our regular membership meeting will start up again on the second Tuesday of January. WE, AS THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, HOPE WE CAN MAKE THIS POST WORK FOR THE MEMBERSHIP. IF ANYONE HAS AN IDEA, DON'T HESITATE TO CONTACT ONE OF US. ANYONE WISHING TO ASSIST IN ANY ACTIVITIES THE POST IS HAVING CAN CONTACT ANY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER AND THEY WILL BE GLAD TO ADD YOUR NAME TO THE VOLUNTEER LIST RICHARD BROWN, COMMANDER conductorbrown@hotmail.com
Senior Vice Our new 2019 American Legion Membership cards have been available at the Post for renewal. Currently as of November 21st, District 12 reported that Post 13 has a total 2019 Paid Membership of 332 members, at an overall 61.2% of our Department s Membership Goal which put District 12 in FIRST PLACE Statewide. As always, although the 2018 Membership cards are still good until December 31, 2018, The American Legion encourages us to renew early to ensure the success of our Post, District, Department and National Programs. If you know a qualifying Veteran or Active Duty Service Member, invite them to attend and/or stop by the Post on Thursday, Friday or Saturday afternoons and evenings to see who we are and what we are about. If anyone knows of a Veteran or Veteran s Dependent in need of a FREE aluminum Wheelchair Ramp for a home, please contact the Post Commander, the Senior Vice-Commander or one of the Junior Vice-Commanders. Delivery and installation will be arranged through the Post 13 Executive Committee. When the ramp is no longer needed by the Veteran, the Post 13 Executive Committee will arrange for the return of the ramp to Post 13 and placed in storage for the next needing Veteran. We also have a limited inventory of medical-assistance items stored at Post 13. Follow the Airborne!!!! Rod Pedersen Sr. Vice Commander Post 13 Valdosta rod.pedersen.1956@gmail.com Jr. Vice Stephen Blanton sabusn6976@gmail.com We observed Veterans Day at LHS inside the gym due to inclement weather. Thanks to all who made this a success. The 21 Gun Salute was done just outside the door, This day is for all veterans so fellow legionnaires please plan to attend next year. Special thanks to the Legion Family kitchen crew who served the BBQ lunch. We also observed the Marine Corps 243rd birthday. We also supported several Hospice "We Honor Vets" ceremonies during November. I hope all enjoyed Thanksgiving. No membership meetings until January 2019. New LED parking lot lights have been purchased and will soon be installed. Please invite fellow veterans to join our Legion Family of Legionnaires, Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and Legion Riders. It is the members that turn a building into a Post Home. Legionnaires make an effort to help a fellow veteran in any way you are capable of. Thank
you. Post 13 Christmas party is on Saturday December 15th, please RSVP by December 7th by calling Post phone 229 242-7616 and leave your name and number people in your party. Post 13 is paying for meal. Please continue to invite veterans to join our American Legion Family and let us all find a way to serve our fellow Veterans, Community, State and Nation. For God and Country. Stephen Blanton JVC 864 680-3865 cell or 229 232-4891 leave message Ask yourself each day, What have I done to help a veteran today? Service Officer VA Pension Program: Entitlement Regulations Amended The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently amended its regulations governing entitlements to VA pension and Parents Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, which are need-based programs. The amended regulations bring consistency to the pension process and ensure benefits are available for Veterans and survivors with financial need, said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. They will help maintain the integrity of and provide clarity to our needs-based pension program. VA s pension program provides monthly benefit payments to eligible wartime Veterans and their survivors with financial need. The pension regulations, which were updated Oct. 18, cover the following: Establish a clear net-worth limit for income and assets for Veterans to qualify for pension, Establish a 36-month look-back period to review asset transfers at less than fair market value that reduce net worth and create pension entitlement, Establish up to a five-year penalty period to be calculated based on the portion of the covered assets that would have made net worth excessive, and Updates medical expense definitions for consistency with VA internal guidelines. The changes are intended to ensure VA only pays benefits to those Veterans with a genuine need. For more information on VA s pension program, visit www.benefits.va.gov/pension. VA Blue Water Claims: House to Senate Pass the Bill Already As tens of thousands of so-called Blue Water Navy veterans wait for Congress to act, 45 House Members are calling on the Senate to advance crucial legislation to expand much-needed care to them. In a letter sent to Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Rep. Tim Walz (D-MN) and 44 other House Democrats urged the Senate VA Committee chairman to pass the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act, so that the legislation can be brought to the Senate floor as soon as possible. It is a very sad reality that every day of delay means there are fewer Blue Water Navy veterans who earned and deserved compensation and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) care for their illnesses, the letter reads. As veterans advocates, we have all heard from frustrated veterans who say it sometimes looks to them as if the Congress and the VA are denying benefits just waiting for them to die. Unless Congress passes this bill, it will be hard to argue against that notion. The House unanimously passed the bill in June, which represents the first time these veterans saw any real progress from their government, says Walz. However, it s extremely disappointing to see the legislation lose traction in the Senate, presumably
because the Trump Administration has come out in strong opposition to the bill, not based on policy, but because it simply does not want to invest the money it would take to do right by these veterans. The legislation would finally grant a presumption of exposure to Agent Orange for sailors who served in territorial waters off the coast of Vietnam; U.S. service members who served on-the-ground in Vietnam during the war already have that. It would also allow these veterans to receive expedited care and other VA benefits if they re suffering from illnesses connected to their exposure. Some 90,000 Navy Vietnam veterans stand to benefit. The issue gained conflict when VA Secretary Robert Wilkie said he did not support the measure due to, in part, a lack of scientific evidence. The VA argues that since there is no definitive proof that exposure to the dioxin-riddled Agent Orange has led to any identifiable diseases, there s no reason to provide disability benefits to these vets. They re suffering from cancers and other diseases common for people their age, the VA says. Another concern the VA has is the cost. Expanding benefits to Blue Water veterans would cost the agency nearly $7 billion over the next decade. Looking to offset that cost, the bill would increase fees on VA home loans. But VA officials say that would be unfair to the general veteran population. VA will continue to object and try to find roadblocks, the House members wrote. It is the Congress job to say enough is enough. Agent Orange was used by the U.S. military to clear out forests, denying the enemy cover. But the chemical contains a known cancercausing agent, dioxin. Sailors at the time and veterans since say the ships would use contaminated water on board and then distill it enough so service members could drink it. It appears as if exposure to toxins by American service members in theatres of war will always be a reality, says the letter. As Members of Congress, our task for the future will be to take the lessons learned from the use of Agent Orange in Vietnam so many decades ago, and find ways to forthrightly acknowledge the exposure, determine the service connection and then compensate service members in far less than two generations. VA Community Care: Three StepsTo Access Veterans may be eligible to receive care from a provider outside of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in their community when VA cannot provide the care that is needed. This type of care is known as community care, and is paid for by VA. Although some changes occurred with community care recently, Veterans continue to have access to this type of care. The process starts at your VA medical facility. Follow the steps below to see if you re eligible: 1. Go to VA Schedule an appointment with a VA provider. Your VA care team will work with you to see if you are eligible for community care. Eligibility is based on your medical needs, care that is available at VA, and other requirements. Important: Make sure VA confirms you are eligible and authorized before you proceed to the next step. 2. Make an Appointment VA will work with you to find a community provider and make an appointment. You can select a community provider, or VA can select one for you. Important: The community provider selected must be in VA s network and be willing to accept payment from VA. 3. Receive Care Arrive promptly for your appointment. Important: If you need to schedule a follow-up appointment, check with your community provider to make sure VA authorized the care. If VA did not authorize the care, your community provider should contact VA to arrange the care you need.
Note: Go to https://www.va.gov/communitycare/programs/veterans/index.asp#faqs to see VA s list of Frequently Asked Questions if you have questions about the above steps. Getting Support: If you have questions about your specific circumstances, please contact your nearest VA medical facility. Go to https://www.va.gov/communitycare/programs/veterans/vcp/index.asp or contact (866) 606-8198 for questions about the Veterans Choice Program Call the VA Adverse Credit Helpline at (877) 881-7618 for help to resolve adverse credit reporting and debt collection issues from using the Veterans Choice Program. Visit https://www.va.gov/communitycare/programs/veterans/index.asp for more information, Ed Kent kentj2@bellsouth.net UNIT 13 Scoop To those of you born in December we wish you a Happy Birthday! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and were able to celebrate with family and/or friends. Jimmy and I were excited to serve the immediate family a traditional turkey dinner. As usual, cook for 2 days and it s gone in 30 minutes. But I was thrilled to know that I still had it in me. This is the time of year that the unit gets its busiest. We will be decorating the post on Thursday the 6th of December at 10:00am, helping the SAL host its annual Kids Christmas Party and Pancake Breakfast with Santa at 9:00am on Saturday the 8th of December. The Post-Christmas Party is on the 15th. Fellowship at 6:00pm and dinner will be served at 7:00. Please call the post and reserve a place by 8th of December and include the number your party. On Monday the 10th of December at 10:00am the unit will be putting Christmas Bags together for 30 nursing home veterans and will deliver them on Wednesday the 19th at 10:00am. Please, if you can help with any of these events call me @ 561-2802 or just show up. I know we can put you to work. The unit Boston Butt Sale went well. I do understand that a few people were disappointed, if you know of someone that is and still has a ticket please let me know and it will be corrected. Thank you to all that helped sell tickets and made this a great fund raiser. Also, I want to thank the Post family for their support. Friends of Our Troops or the Christmas Card campaign was once again a big hit. I mailed off 440 cards which was up compared to last years 230. I want to thank all of you that signed cards. We even had nonmembers participate. Hope to get an earlier start next year. If you have any leftover cards the unit will be more than happy to take them. Livia Tatum is the 2018-2019 Chaplain. Her contact # is (229) 251-7370. Please contact her if you are aware of a unit member that s ill or could just use a little cheering up. Don t forget to pray for our men & women in uniform and their families. This is a difficult time to be separated from family and loved ones. Let s not forget our first responders.
Thank you to all who got out and VOTED in the mid-term elections. If I don t see you before hand, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Until next time please stay healthy and safe. Next UEC meeting is on Thurs 27 December at 6:00 pm Next membership meeting is on Tues. 08 January, 2019 at 7:00 pm. Dinner to be served at 6:00 pm. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. Titus 2:7 For Service not Self For God and Country Henrietta SAL If you are a Son or a Dual Member, please remember that our 2019 Sons of the American Legion Membership Cards are available. $20 for Sons Memberships, $10 for Junior SAL Memberships and $9 for Dual AL/SAL Memberships. We need all Squadron members to attend and participate this month as we are planning and facilitating our annual Children s Christmas Party breakfast and meeting with Santa and Mrs. Claus, December 8th at the Post Home, 9:00AM (ongoing cycles of breakfast, crafts and Wishes with Santa) until Noon. As many of you know, there was a Committee meeting on Wednesday, November 28th and of course, we will do last minute discussions at our next Squadron 13 First Monday meeting which will be conducted at the Post on December 3rd, 2018 at 7:00 PM. In advance, I would like to thank ALL American Legion Family who helped make this another enjoyable occasion for the Military and Veteran s children, some of whom may not otherwise have had an opportunity to see and speak with Santa. For God and Country ***Our next Squadron 13 meeting will be conducted at the Post on December 3, 2018 at 7:00 PM. Rod Pedersen rod.pedersen.1956@gmail.com Squadron Commander, Post 13 Valdosta
Legion Riders The 11th Annual Books 4 Vets Ride was a great success! We took down almost an entire 8 foot truck bed of items to the Veterans at the Lake City VA. Thank you to everyone that supported our ride. We will not have a monthly meeting in December, but look forward to seeing everyone on January 17th, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. for our Meet & Greet with the meeting starting at 7:00 p.m. May everyone have a safe & enjoyable Christmas. Thank you, Tina Dooley Post 13 ALR Officer Secretary & Activities There will not be a Membership or PEC Meeting in December December 2018 & January 2019 1 2 3 SAL Meeting 7:00 pm 4 5 6 7 RSVP cut-off date Post Christmas Party 8 Children s Christmas Party 9am @ Post Home 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Post 13 s Annual Christmas Party 6pm until? 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Merry Christmas! 30 31 January 1, 2019 2 3 4 5 Happy New Year! 6 7 SAL Meeting 7:00 pm 8 Membership Meeting 9 10 11 12