Message from the Commander I hope everyone made it through the holidays without too many regrets. The Christmas Dinners at the Posts were awful tempting. As we greet the New Year, please observe all the necessary precautions. In January our 2016 membership year comes to a close. If you haven’t renewed for 2017, please do so as soon as possible. Unlike previous years in which the National American Legion had enough cushion to absorb the declines without falling below 2,000,000 members, 2017 is the year we have to start growing our membership. This means that every Department and every Post should endeavor to exceed their membership goals. The many benefits that the American Legion has fought for in Congress and protected every year will be more difficult to defend if we become a smaller organization. Each District Commander has been asked to start one new Post this year. The districts have been working on this goal and most of the reports back say this is doable. Every District has more than one location where a Post is needed. In fact, this may be the strategy most likely to bring the younger veterans into the American Legion. The young veteran is interested in family oriented activities. Newly formed Posts will find it easier to adopt policies which promote these activities. Each District Commander has also been asked to revitalize at least one Post. The Department of Texas has printed 20,000 door hangers which can be left at our expired members’ homes during Post revitalizations and distributed in commercial parking lots to potential members. The National American Legion will prepare and mail letters to your expired members and prepare lists by zip codes that are in Map Point order. This allows volunteers to enter the addresses into a GPS and visit each address without excess mileage. If you miss the member, the door hanger will let them know you cared enough to come ask for their membership. Leave your name and phone number. The door hangers can be ordered from the Department Headquarters prior to your Post revitalization. Thank you for all you do for the good of the Legion. Walter Ivie Department Commander 2016-2017 CONTENTS Message from the Commander 1 Hints from Hince 2 Border Security Seminar 4 Post 17 Speaks to Business Leaders 5 Local Heroes Honored with Name of Legion Post 5 35th Annual Massing of the Colors 6 Chaplain’s Corner 7 Do you have an article or announcement for The Legion Times? If so, please send all submissions to [email protected]by the 20th of every month and it will appear in the following issue
Transcript
Message from the Commander
I hope everyone made it through the holidays without too many regrets. The Christmas Dinners at the Posts were awful tempting. As we greet the New Year, please observe all the necessary precautions.
In January our 2016 membership year comes to a close. If you haven’t renewed for 2017, please do so as soon as possible. Unlike previous years in which the National American Legion had enough cushion to absorb the declines without falling below 2,000,000 members, 2017 is the year we have to start growing our membership. This means that every Department and every Post should endeavor to exceed their membership goals. The many benefits that the American Legion has fought for in Congress and protected every year will be more difficult to defend if we become a smaller organization.
Each District Commander has been asked to start one new Post this year. The districts have been working on this goal and most of the reports back say this is doable. Every District has more than one location where a Post is needed. In fact, this may be the strategy most likely to bring the younger veterans into the American Legion. The young veteran is interested in family oriented activities. Newly formed Posts will find it easier to adopt policies which promote these activities.
Each District Commander has also been asked to revitalize at least one Post. The Department of Texas has printed 20,000 door hangers which can be left at our expired members’ homes during Post revitalizations and distributed in commercial parking lots to potential members. The National American Legion will prepare and mail letters to your expired members and prepare lists by zip codes that are in Map Point order. This allows volunteers to enter the addresses into a GPS and visit each address without excess mileage. If you miss the member, the door hanger will let them know you cared enough to come ask for their membership. Leave your name and phone number. The door hangers can be ordered from the Department Headquarters prior to your Post revitalization.
Thank you for all you do for the good of the Legion.
Walter Ivie Department Commander 2016-2017
CONTENTS
Message from the Commander 1
Hints from Hince 2
Border Security Seminar 4
Post 17 Speaks to Business Leaders 5
Local Heroes Honored with Name of Legion Post 5
35th Annual Massing of the Colors 6
Chaplain’s Corner 7
Do you have an article or announcement for The Legion Times?
A new year, a new calendar and lots of new opportunities to serve God, Country and our fellow man. What more could a person ask for?
The older I get, the quicker the Legion year seems to pass by and I find myself wishing I could go back and start all over! Hope all your programs are on a glide pattern AND files are being kept for the future.
HINT: Establish goals based on known deadlines for reports, awards, competitions and training. If you are not a goal setter or a list keeper, work as a team with someone who has those talents that you lack. Mentorship is the way to go for success. Our Legion has very specific programs with clear guidelines and dates. Take the time to look at them and make it happen.
Christmas, Kwanzaa and Hanukkah..all saw lots of service opportunities for Legion involvement and our Posts came thru in lots of activities. These service projects are the backbone of our Legion family. December 7th saw Former President George H.W. Bush, Senator Bob Dole and 27 other veterans of World War II at the Bush library for a special program honoring them. There were numerous Legion caps at the event and it was yet another great veteran day in Aggieland.
HINT: Go to the web sites of the three presidential libraries in Texas: Austin- President LBJ; College Station- President Bush 41 and Dallas- President Bush 43 and follow the activities offered at the all three. Many are free and many are directed to veterans! What a great outing for us all!
Oratorical is a major function in full swing now at the Post, District and Division level. It is a program that does not cost a lot of money, offers a great opportunity to work with the high schools and give students a chance at scholarships to say nothing of learning and sharing a lot of history.
Special recognition goes to Barbara Hemmer of Brenham for heading the program up once again. Barbara is a super source of information…all you have to do is to just ask!
World War I Centennial work is beginning to take shape across the Country. We in Texas have already started and will continue at the upcoming DEC.
START NOW and pass the location of any World War I monuments or community work dealing with “the war to end all wars.” Just pass the location to me and I will ensure we pass it up the chain!
God blessGerry Hince
Past Post Commander David Marion, Past Post Commander John Hince and Post Historian Gerry Hince place a wreath on the grave of Earl Graham, the namesake of Bryan’s Post 159.
Legion members helped place over 700 wreaths this year as part of the Wreaths Across America drive.
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We hope you enjoy this issue, and hope you continue to help us grow The Legion Times!
Walter Ivie, Department CommanderLloyd Buckmaster, Department Vice CommanderC.W. Sparks, National Executive CommitteemanKenneth Mueller, Alternate National Executive CommitteemanWilliam West, Department AdjutantHarvey Klee, Department ChaplainDavid Paris, Department Treasurer Bryan Coleman, Department Judge AdvocateSusan Marty, Department HistorianJim Forbus, Department Sergeant-at-ArmsKimberly Biggerstaff, Assistant Sergeant-at-ArmsJohn McKinny, Immediate Past Department Commander Michael Simon, Director of Internal AffairsEdward Reyes, Department Service OfficerMichael Lacy, Department Service Officer Ron Peterson, Department Service OfficerAllen Sharp, Department Service Officer
Andy Lowen, 1st District CommanderMark McClelland, 2nd District CommanderMike Crosin, 3rd District CommanderGene Toohey, 4th District CommanderLarry Taylor, 5th District CommanderGary Towers, 6th District CommanderEd Jarvis, 7th District CommanderRuth Sholler, 8th District CommanderBea Trevino, 9th District CommanderTed Weeks, 10th District Commander Ricky Wilson, 11th District Commander William Deal, 12th District Commander Greg Garland, 13th District Commander Tom Harlan, 14th District Commander Gus Garcia, 15th District CommanderThomas Bowe, 16th District CommanderKenneth Simonton, 17th District Commander Donald Sherman, 18th District Commander Johnny Franklin, 19th District Commander Garnel Alford, 20th District Commander BJ Seider, 21st District Commander Jimmy Mitchell, 22nd District Commander Hector Alva, 23rd District Commander
Border security was a hot topic during the recent presidential election. But what is “border security” actually all about and why was so much attention focused on this campaign issue?
Legion Pillar No. 2: National Security
The American Legion recognizes the importance of maintaining the due processes of law in our domestic affairs in order to protect our God-given right to pursue happiness.
Porous borders present real threats. Consequently, The American Legion is justifiably concerned about American security. Amid the Islamic State’s reign of terror, which has been linked to individual attacks on our soil, national security has risen to the top of the Legion’s priority list.
“… To maintain law and order”
At the beginning of every American Legion meeting, Legionnaires typically recite the Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion declaring that one of the purposes for which we associate ourselves together is “… to maintain law and order.” How do Legionnaires fulfill that purpose? As citizens, Legionnaires don’t take laws into their own hands; rather, as an organization it supports the constituted authorities that enforce our laws.
The National Security Committee of the 3rd Division recently supported law enforcement authorities in a big way. On November 18, the Commit-tee partnered with the St. Mary’s University Center for Terrorism Law to conduct a Border Security Seminar in San Antonio. The purpose of the seminar was to raise the public awareness of national security issues as a means to gain broad support for the law enforcement officers and agents who, underfunded and overburdened, deal with challenging real life situations at the border daily.
The 3rd Division is a 58 county region of South Texas that includes more than 300 miles of coastline and shares approximately 400 miles of border with Mexico. Nowhere are the border security concerns greater than in South Texas. The Center for Terrorism Law understands those concerns as well as anyone. The Center is a fully operational research facility affiliated with a variety of strategic institutions – educational, governmental, military, and business – to address issues that impact homeland security.
America’s Border Security Seminar
The attendees came away from the seminar with a comprehensive understanding of the reasons why “border security” was, indeed, such a hot topic during the presidential campaign. The seminar presented a unique opportunity for leaders in law enforcement, first responders, public safety, and the general public to receive critical information on the full range of issues – legal and policy – related to border security. High profile subject matter experts from the Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Coast Guard and the Drug Enforcement Administration provided the latest developments impacting national security, concentrating on the myriad legal and policy challenges of securing America’s southern border.
“Eye opening” were the words used by many of the attendees to describe what they heard during the seminar. Videos of the presentations can be viewed at the following internet web sites.
Opening RemarksMajor General Alfred Valenzuelahttps://youtu.be/XQ69mFqsbIc Texas Department of Public SafetySteven McCrawhttps://youtu.be/GPynWRCHcws U.S. Border PatrolChris Cabrerahttps://youtu.be/5X-A-z1snCM U.S. Coast GuardCaptain Tony Hahnhttps://youtu.be/5-yvmLTIuoE U.S. Drug Enforcement AdministrationDante Sorianellohttps://youtu.be/D1t9SqicaUw Closing RemarksJohn A. Briedenhttps://youtu.be/6n7R13egEbw
Border Security Seminar Was “Eye Opening”
Center for Terrorism Law Director Jeffrey Addicott with 3rd Division Commander Jerome Iltis. Both Addicott and Iltis, as well as Alfred Valenzuela who gave the opening remarks, are members of Castroville Post 460.
Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steven McCraw speaking at the America’s Border Security Seminar.
Every three months the Greenville Chamber of Commerce hosts a Quarterly Luncheon for its members. In the spirit of giving the Chamber of Commerce invited a few of its non-profit members to speak at their Luncheon held on December 2nd at the Landon Winery. Among the invited speakers, were the Otho Morgan American Legion Post# 17; they were asked to explain their organizations mission and the type of help needed for them to succeed. Jason Castleberry who spoke on behalf of the American Legion explained the vast history of Post 17 along with its signature program Boys State to the audience. Every year Post# 17 sends students to both Boys and Girls State. Last year the post sent eight students to this prestigious program. Boys State has provided the students college and scholarship opportunities that they may not have received had it not been for their attendance in Boys State. “We value our partnership with the Chamber of Commerce. The opportunity to explain a great program like Boys State to the business leaders in our community is just one of the many reason’s we are involved.” said Jason Castleberry. Non-Profit Organizations cannot rely solely on their members to finance every program. Post 17 believes that by partnering with other groups like the Chamber of Commerce they can build stronger bonds within their community and accomplish the goals of the American Legion by supporting Veterans, their families and the community.
Local Heroes honored with name of American Legion Post
Spc. Tracy Laramore-West and Spc. Jerod Osborne have been chosen as namesakes for the Royse City American Legion Post #100. The new post will be named the Laramore-Osborne American Legion Post. “Both soldiers paid the ultimate sacrifice for their service to this great country.” Said Jason Castleberry “We received the blessing of both families and are pleased that we can honor their sacrifice by naming our post after them.”
Spc. Tracy Lee Laramore graduated from Lamar High School in Arlington, Texas, in 1999 he enlisted in the Army. Known as “POPS” because he was the oldest man in his unit, he distinguished himself and quickly became top of his class in basic training. Before going to Iraq, he was stationed in Colorado, Korea, Germany and Kosovo, his family said. But after two and a half weeks in Iraq, Laramore-West, 30, died March 17, 2004 in Baji when the road gave way beneath his Bradley Fighting Vehicle while he was on a reconnaissance mission. The vehicle went over an embankment and flipped into the Tigris River, trapping Laramore-West inside. He would die from injuries sustained in the accident. Tracy was a lifetime member in the Sons of the American Legion.
Jerod Osborne was born February 23, 1990 in Dallas TX to Allan and Sharon Osborne. His mother later married Gary Grillett of Rockwall, who helped raise him. A 2008 graduate of Rockwall High School, he joined the Army July 1, 2008, and attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood. He then attended Ad-vanced Individual Training at Fort Sam Houston where he was trained to become a combat medic. Jerod was tops in his class in medical training and they sent him on to an advance lifesaving course in Virginia, which only a handful of soldiers get to do. In 2009, Jerod was assigned to his unit at Fort Bragg NC and later attended Airborne School at Fort Benning GA. He deployed with his unit to Afghanistan in August, 2009. In May 2010, he was the only medic at the scene when a roadside bomb killed five civilians and critically wounded seven others. He received a Bronze Star for saving the lives of the injured civilians. On July 5, 2010 his unit was attacked by an IED and Jerod died from his wounds.
The American Legion is the Largest and Oldest Veterans service organization in the United States. Their focus is to serve Veterans, their families and the community. “The first year our focus will be on establish-ing our youth and first responder programs. Then we will add more programs as we grow.” Said Jason Castleberry Post# 100 member. The post will send the charter application to the Department of Texas for approval at the Mid-Winter Conference at the end of January. Once approved the post will begin to estab-lish its constitution, by-laws along with its programs. If you would like to learn more about the American legion or how to join you can contact Jason Castleberry at 903-274-0702 or by email at [email protected]
Sunday November 13, 2016Hosted by the Fort Worth Chapter, Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW)
The Massing of the Colors is a patriotic ceremony provides a living tribute to our heritage and rededicates our faith in the Flag of the United States. It demonstrates our support for the Colors of the United States of America, and for the men and women of our uniformed services under whose Colors they chose to serve. It combines the colors and color guards of Active and Reserve Component military units, ROTC/JROTC Units, Veterans’ Organizations, Civic and Patriotic organizations, including Boy and Girl Scout units from the local councils.
The American Legion Harold L Gregory Memorial Post 626 In Fort Worth participates in this inspiring event every year. More pictures by Bruce Zielsdorf and Ken Cox, District 12 Historian, can be found at http://www.12dis.org/scrapbook/20161113motc/
35th Annual Massing of the Colors and Service of Remembrance
With the beginning of a New Year, I reflect back on the multitude of blessings I’ve received during my two decades serving as a Chaplain for The American Legion. I’ve served in that position at the Post, District, Division, Department and National level.
Meeting fellow Legion, Auxiliary and Sons of The Amer-ican Legion chaplains and sharing experiences and insights with them is one of the treasures to which I hold dear. I was sent the following by a close friend. After extensive research it appears that the author is unknown. It is my New Year’s Gift to you. Today I will delete from my diary two days:yesterday and tomorrow...
Yesterday was to learn and tomorrow will bethe consequence of what I can do today.
Today I will face life with the convictionthat this day will not ever return.
Today is the last opportunity I have to live intensely, as no one can assure me that I will see tomorrow’s sunrise.
Today I will be brave enough not to let any opportunity pass me by, my only alternative is to succeed.
Today I will invest my most valuable resource: my time,in the most transcendental work: my life.
Today I will spend each minute passionately to make of today a different and unique day in my life.
Today I will defy every obstacle that appearson my way, trusting that I will succeed.
Today I will resist pessimism and will conquer the world with a smile, with the positive attitude of expecting always the best.
Today I will make of every ordinary task a sublime expression.
Today I will have my feet on the ground, understanding reality and the stars’ gaze to invent my future.
Today I will take the time to be happy and will leave my footprints and my presence in the hearts of others.
Today, I invite you to begin a new season where we can dream that everything we undertake is possible and we fulfill it, with joy and dignity.
Happy New Year!
Harvey H. KleeNational Chaplain 2016-2017Department Chaplain 2016-2017
The “40 & 8” Boxcar StoryA World War One Centennial Commemoration Event
Saturday, February 18, 2017Texas State Capitol / South Steps
Program begins at 11:00 am
Special Guest Speakers to Include:Texas State Representative Tony Dale, Texas State Representative and
Chair of the House Defense and Veteran Affairs Committee Susan Lewis King, representatives from the American Legion Department of Texas, Texas VFW and Forty & Eight National Commander Chef de Chemin de Fer Mark Moots
The Texas 40 & 8 Boxcar will be on Public Display at the State Capitol for 1 day only
The 40 & 8 boxcars were used to transport American Doughboys in France during WW1. These small 20’ x 8’ rail cars would hold either 40 men or 8 horses!
These same 40 & 8 boxcars were re-purposed after WW2 as a response to the Friendship Train of 1947. In 1949 France sent the “Train de La Reconnaissance” or “Gratitude Train” which consisted of 49 boxcars decorated with French Coats
of Arms and each filled with gifts from the people of France. ____________________________________________________________________________________________
GRAND OPENING OF TEXAS MERCI BOXCAR ARTIFACT EXHIBITCAPITOL VISITOR CENTER, AUSTIN, TEXAS
A selection of these artifacts will be on display at the Capitol Visitor Center with the Grand Opening of the exhibit directly after the WW1 Centennial Commemoration Event. Items will be on display through November 2017.
Join us for a one-of-a-kind event featuring a hiring fair, networking opportunities and workshops tailored for veteran job seekers, active duty military members, guard and
reserve members, and military spouses.
At 8:00 a.m., a free employment workshop for job seekers will feature resume building, networking, and interview tips.
This event is presented in partnership with the American Legion Mid-Winter Conference, Texas Workforce Commission, Texas Veterans Leadership Program,
Texas Veterans Commission, Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Workforce Solutions Rural Capital, Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce and our other local partners.
TEXAS VETERANS FREE VEHICLE LICENSE PLATE PROGRAM EXPANDEDA bill was introduced in the Texas Legislation and passed that expanded the free vehicle license plate program for Veterans last summer. The program now includes free plates for more of the military medals that are awarded our servicemen. We encourage you to look into this as you may now qualify. It does require you to have your DD214 to send into Texas Department of Motor Vehicles(SPB), 4000 Jackson Ave, Austin, TX 78731. This takes about 4 weeks to process. For more information call them at 512-374-5010
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