NEXT POST MEETING: TUESDAY February 12, 2008

PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.

TIME: DINNER 6:00 PM, MEETING 7:00 PM

PROGRAM: Four Chaplains Tribute and

Special Guests Barbara Bowman and Tammy Lechner

February’s program features a tribute to the Four Chaplains, an inspiring story of four men of different faiths who gave their lives so four other servicemen might have a chance to live. We will also have two different and interesting speakers. Barbara Bowman won three National Emmys for editing the Olympics. She then became a marketing executive and producer for the ABC TV Network and remains active in entertainment endeavors. Tammy Lechner is a professional photo-journalist. Her latest book, 'Our Team, Our Dream' honors the 'great American pass-time' and one of America's favorite teams, the Chicago Cubs. You don't have to be a sports lover or a baseball fan to enjoy her work. Reflected in the pages is a rich history of passion for the USA-and the culture that comes with the territory of the American Fan! Don’t miss this one!

Chaplain’s Message to the Members: “Don’t hide your light under a basket! Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:15-16) If we can be of service to you, please give us a call. Jim Howland and Hal Dixon

Commander’s Corner: In January we passed out Continuous Membership Certificates to those members present. I will wait to mail them until after the February meeting in case you can make the February meeting for presentation. Our program interviews will begin soon i.e. Boys State, Girls State, and the Youth Environmental Leadership Conference. It is always great to meet with the best and brightest of Fullerton. FACES and Railroad Days are in the planning as well. Thank you again to the Commander’s Club for providing the funding for these and other important programs we do here in the Post. We talk about our citizenship duties when we recite the Preamble to the American Legion constitution. One of those duties is coming up soon. Please be sure to vote by February 5. Stay warm. Hope to see you soon.

Please jot this number down in case someone you know needs it. 800-342-9647 or www.militaryonesource.com. It is the number that all active service members can call 24/7 for help of all kinds. Their slogan is “You name it. We can help.”

Upcoming Events: The officer’s meeting is always the Wednesday prior to the Post meeting and the Post meetings are always on the second Tuesday. The next few monthly meetings are: March 11, April 8, and May 13. Please mark your calendars.

We are having mail delays. We have tried to write it earlier, but for whatever reason, we haven’t figured out how the newsletters get sent out, or when, from the Post Office. Electronic newsletters are available to anyone who wants to receive them. Contact Richard Wakefield to be put on the list for the email mailing. You can also check the web page fullertonpost142.com.

Membership drive for 2008 is ongoing. If you have paid, and it’s been a couple of weeks, but have not received your card from us, please call us (The membership team is Larry Sears (finance), Richard Wakefield (cards) and me (Marilyn). If you have received another notice from National but do not have your card, please call us. Most of the time, it is caused by the delay in processing from the Post, through Department, through to National. Sometimes it’s not. Sometimes we make mistakes as we go through the process. As always, please do not pay a second time if you have a 2008 card in your hand or you have paid already.

Hospital/Rehabilitation Program. Please continue to bring things to the meetings or call me (Marilyn) or Mike/Pat Hyland (996-8743) to coordinate a home pick up. For more information about this unique project sponsored by Cloudbreak Development, UC & United States Veterans Initiative, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) organization), call (562) 499-6717 or visit their web site at www.usvetsinc.org.

To request your DD-214, go to the National Archives and Records Administration at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/. Follow the instructions. You can also get assistance from the Veteran Service Office. (714) 567-7450

Important Dates: February 1, National Freedom Day; February 2, Groundhog Day; February 5, Shrove Tuesday; February 6, Officer Meeting at Marilyn’s; Ash Wednesday; February 12, Post Meeting, Lincoln’s Birthday (fly your flag); February 14, St. Valentine’s Day; February 18, George Washington’s Birthday (Observed), Presidents Day (fly your flag); February 22, Washington’s Birthday.

Memory Lane Dates: January 24, Casablanca Conference Ends (1943); January 25, Operation Thunderbolt Began (1951); January 27, First 8AF Raid on Germany/First WAACs Sent Overseas (1943), Siege of Leningrad Ends (1944), Signing of Vietnam Peace Accord (1973); January 28, First Women Marines Arrived in Hawaii (1945); January 30, Tet Offensive Began (1968); January 31, US Forces Land in Marshall Islands (1944), Battle of Hue Began (1968), Operation Just Cause Ended (Panama, 1990). February 1, US Army Nurse Corps (ANC) Established (1901), First Battle of Monte Cassino (1944), National Freedom Day; February 2, Germans Capitulate at Stalingrad (1943); February 5, Battle of Hill 440 Began (1951); February 6, Colmar Pocket Cleared (1945), Four Chaplains Day; February 8, Boy Scouts of America Founded (1910); February 12, Operation Homecoming Began (1973); February 13, US Marine Corps Women’s Reserve Established (1943), Dresden Air Raids Began (1945); February 14, Second Battle of Monte Cassino (1944); February 15, Sinking of the USS Maine (1898), Singapore Falls (1942); February 16, Seige of Wonsan Began (1951); February 19, Kasserine Pass Battle Began (1943), US Marines Landed on Iwo Jima (1945); February 20, Operation “Big Week” Air Offense Began (1944); February 22, Operation Junction City Began (1967); February 23, Siege of the Alamo (1836), US Marines Raised Flag on Mt. Suribachi (Battle of Iwo Jima)(1945), Post-Tet Offensive Began (1969); February 24, Operation Desert Storm Ground Campaign Began (1991); February 26, Operation “Big Week” Air Offensive Ends (1944), Battle of 73 Easting (1991); February 27, Java Sea Battle (1942), Battle of Norfolk (1991), Battle of Medina Ridge (1991) February 28, Operation Desert Storm Hostilities Ended (1991).

Notes from January Meeting. The meeting was called to order by Commander Marilyn Harris at 7:00 p.m. Guests were introduced.

Youth Environmental Conference student Jeff Hillman discussed his experience. The trip lasted from Thursday night until Monday and involved 14-hour days at Slide Park near Sacramento. They learned about forest fires, impacts of super-fires of recent years, took nature hikes and learned about the environment. Jeff plans to study Environmental Science or Forestry. Students in this program get a $1,000 scholarship in their second year of college.

Continuous membership certificates were issued to those who were present including T. E. Dahlgren for 50 years, Leland VandeVentor, Past Commander, for 25 years.

Dan Sanchez of EDD talked about special programs for veterans, including a priority list of jobs available for 24 hours before making them available to the general public. They also offer job fairs solely for vets.

Neil Reich mentioned that those 349,000 holding VA insurance policies will receive a dividend. You do not need any help to get it and there are generally scammers trying to charge fees to get you the refund. You do not have to do anything.

Minutes for the December meeting and financial report were reviewed and approved as presented. It was noted that people introduced as members in December were guests and had not yet joined. Staff reported status in their areas. Chaplain Jim Howland gave us an update on members not able to be with us.

Service Officer Mike Hyland reported on that the Comprehensive Work Therapy programs have been determined to be tax-free. You can go back 3 years. The SDVI program has a potential premium waiver for members who meet the test. For information contact 800-669-8477 or www.insurance.va.gov

Jeff Harris showed the DVD of the Veterans Day Parade and Ceremony.

Commander Harris reported on Faces of Fullerton participation, the need to be watchful on veteran charity organizations. Not all are worthy of donations. Also the Service Suicide Prevention Hotline, 800-273-8255. 70% of suicides are relationship connected. Our regular waitress Paula Hampton sent a thank you card and hopes to be back by February.