PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.
Our February program open
with our traditional Valentine’s Day
program featuring a barbershop quartet singing old favorites; 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. And the big
event, our own Neil Reich will
provide his GI Benefits 101 course. This is an excellent meeting to bring your spouse or significant
other. Special treats served.
Commander’s
Club. We
are still seeking at least one
additional member. If you, or
someone you know is interested, contact
Ed Paul at (714) 992-1816. The
Commander’s Club support allows us to provide the Veterans Day Parade, Boys and
Girls State, School Scholarships and helps with Memorial Day.
Chaplain’s Message to the Members:
“For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord
commends.” (II Corinthians 10:18 NAS translation)
If I can be of service to you, please give me a call.
Jim Howland
Post Everlasting: This month we transferred John
Twineham to Post Everlasting.
Commander’s Corner:
February is almost here. This
meeting is very important to you if you don’t know what your benefits are.
I have included two special notes, the letter from the VA and contacts
for veterans’ homes. This month the
officers are going to the Hillcrest Park presentation at City Hall 6:30pm in the
Council Chambers, instead of our monthly meeting (Feb 2).
Please come if you can. We
have worked hard to protect the veterans’ memorial plans.
Don’t forget to take care of your families by giving them a copy of your
discharge papers! See you soon.
WARNING TO VETERANS:Forwarded by Kevin Secor, VSO Liaison, Office
of the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs.An
organization called Veterans Affairs Services (VAS) is providing benefit and
general information on VA and gathering personal information on veterans. This
organization is not affiliated with VA in any way. [Websites with the name
"vaservices" immediately after the "www" ARE NOT part of the Department of
Veterans Affairs, the US Government agency. D o not go to them or if approached
or called, do not offer them any information concerning yourself or data on
other veterans. Keep in mind that the real VA website ends in .gov. Also, be
aware that the Department of Veterans Affairs does not randomly call veterans,
nor does it ask veterans for information which it does not already have--like
Social Security Numbers. In particular, if you have not dealt with the VA
previously--and in person--and all of a sudden, you receive a call from someone
saying they are with the VA or something similar sounding, hang up the phone.
Also, do not respond to emails which suggest that they are from the VA. The VA
never conducts official business nor asks for personal information by email.
Mike]VAS may be gaining access to military personnel through their close
resemblance to the VA name and seal. Our Legal Counsel has requested that we
coordinate with DoD to inform military installations, particularly mobilization
sites, of this group and their lack of affiliation or endorsement by VA to
provide any services. In addition, GC requests that if you have any examples of
VAS acts that violate chapter 59 of Title 38 United States Code, such as VAS
employees assisting veterans in the preparation and presentation of claims for
benefits, please pass any additional information to Mr. Daugherty at the address
below. Michael G. Daugherty, Staff Attorney, Department of Veterans Affairs,
Office of General Counsel (022G2), 810 Vermont Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20420
Continuous Membership Certificates:
After the February meeting, I will get the certificates in the mail.
Hopefully some of you that missed the last meeting can get to this one.
Membership drive for 2011 is
ongoing. Sometimes the delays in the
membership system mean that a second notice is received even though dues have
been paid. If you have a 2011 card
in your hand, please do not pay a second
time. Call Richard Wakefield
or Larry Sears if you are concerned.
For those with internet
access at home or at the city library, all of our newsletters and meeting and
event pictures are available for viewing at our web page.
(Fullertonpost142.com)
Thanks go to Richard Wakefield and Mike
Box for keeping our web page updated with great stuff.
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 duty, Guard and Reserve and their families can call
24/7 for help of all kinds. Their
slogan is “You name it. We can
help.”
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.
If you are not sure what you or your family is entitled to, please call
the Veterans Service Office to talk to a claims officer.
(714) 567-7450 If you reside outside of
Orange County, call your County offices to find the Veterans Service Office
location nearest you.
Hospital/Rehabilitation Program.
Please continue to bring things to the meetings or call
Mike and 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. (Villages at Cabrillo)
Veterans Homes: Qualifications: 1)
You are age 62 or over, or you have a significant disability. 2) You served in
the military and you were Honorably Discharged. 3) You are still able to live
independently or you qualify for a higher level of care offered at one of the
Homes. (Contact the Home of choice for services available)
4) You are a California
resident. 5) You are able to live with and get along with other people in a
structured communal environment. 6) You must be participating in a qualified
federal, state or private health service plan, a United States Department of
Veterans Affairs medical program, or have an application pending for such
coverage. A non-veteran application
must be participating in a qualified federal, state, state or private health
service plan to be admitted to the Home.
Information:
www.cdva.ca.gov
Locations: Barstow
(780) 252-8315 or (800) 746-0606; Chula Vista (888) 857-2146; Lancaster (661)
477-5829; Ventura (805) 765-5601; and Yountville (800) 400-8387.
Two additional homes are planned for Fresno and Redding.
Important Dates: February 2,
Officer Meeting-at City Hall/Hillcrest
Park Presentation (no regular meeting);
February 8,
Post Meeting; February 12, Lincoln’s Birthday; February 14,
St. Valentine’s Day; February 21, Presidents Day (fly your flag); February 22,
Washington’s Birthday.
Memory Lane Dates:
February 1, US Army Nurse Corps
(ANC) Established (1901), First Battle of Monte Cassino (1944), National Freedom
Day; February 2, Mexican War ends
(1848), Army Nurse Corps (ANC) Established (1901), Germans Capitulate at
Stalingrad (1943); February 3, GIs
Liberated Santo Tomas Army Nurse Corps POWs (1945);
February 4, Philippine Insurrection begins (1899), USO Incorporated
(1941); February 5, Battle of Hill
440 Began (1951); February 6, Colmar
Pocket Cleared (1945), Military Assistance Command Vietnam Established (1962),
Four Chaplains Day; February 7,
Punitive Expedition (Mexico) ends (1917);
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, Union Forces capture Fort Donelson (1862), Seige of
Wonsan Began (1951); February 18,
First Class of Army Flight Nurses
Graduated (1943);
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,
Battle of Buena Vista begins (1847), Purple Heart Medal is revived (1932),
Operation Junction City Began (1967);
February 23, Siege of the Alamo (1836), Battle of Buena Vista ends (1847),
US Marines Raised Flag on Mt. Suribachi (Battle of Iwo Jima)(1945)/ Freedom Came
for Los Banos Navy Nurse POWs (1945), Post-Tet Offensive Began (1969);
February 23/24, Operation Desert
Storm Ground Campaign Began (1991);
February 25, Battle of Kasserine Pass ends (1943);
February 26, Operation “Big Week” Air Offensive Ends (1944)/ Navy
Nurse Became First Woman Captain in the Navy (1944), Battle of 73 Easting
(1991); February 27, Java Sea Battle
(1942), Battle of Norfolk (1991), Battle of Medina Ridge (1991)
February 28, SS United Victory, First
Victory Ship Launched (1944), Operation Desert Storm Hostilities Ended (1991).
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
The next few monthly meeting dates: March 8, April 12 and May 10.
Notes from January Meeting:
We had an excellent presentation from
Scott Stradling, Area Manager of In
and Out Burgers and Michelle, the Fullerton store manager, who told us about the
history of the firm and why they are so successful.
He also passed out coupons to all.
See, it pays to come to meetings.
Commander Harris also passed
out the continuous membership certificates to those present.