PLACE: THE SIZZLER, 1401 N. HARBOR BLVD.
Our speaker,
Keith Rhodes is the CEO of Big
Brothers and Big Sisters of Orange County.
His life story and life’s work are both inspiring and entertaining.
We will also have our first
nominations for officers for 2011-2012.
Note:
if you missed the February meeting on GI Benefits and need some help,
Neil Reich’s name-phone number has
been added to the officer list on the left front page of the newsletter.
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:
“Be strong, and let you heart take courage, all you who hope in the
Lord.” (Psalm 31:24, NAS Translation)
If I can be of service to you, please give me a call.
Jim Howland
Commander’s Corner:
I love spring! Our interviews
of Boy’s State, Girl’s State, and Youth Environmental
Leadership Conference program candidates are almost complete.
George Miller, Jeff Harris,
and I are pleased to do the interviewing.
The money and forms will go out in March (and later for Boys State).
It gives us a chance to see some of the terrific students we have here in
the Fullerton JUHS District. We’ll
see them at the September meeting like always. Thank
you to the Commander’s Club for
sponsoring these programs for Fullerton students.
It’s not too early to start thinking about serving in the Post this next
election year or moving to another position.
If you are interested, please talk to
Ed Paul during the next couple of
months. Also, as the weather gets
better, we’ll start thinking about a picnic again.
Memorial Day activities are right around the corner.
Put it on your calendar.
I just received a document
through Legion channels that would appear to outline a way for
WWII veterans who served in France to
receive a Legion of Honor awarded by
the French government. I have
requested some official acknowledgement since the letter is not dated or signed,
and only applies to states which are supported out of the Chicago office.
It does say that the local regional office will process other areas.
It requires submission of supporting documentation (which might contain
information you might be uncomfortable releasing) and states it could take
months to process. The award is not
awarded posthumously. If I can get
more detailed information about this, or further verify its authenticity, I will
put it in the newsletter.
Upcoming Meeting Dates:
April 12th, May 10th, and June
14th.
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 planned:
Fresno, Redding.
Important Dates: March 2, Officer’s Meeting at
Marilyn’s; March 9, Ash Wednesday;
March 13, Daylight Savings Time Begins, Set clock ahead one hour; March 17, St.
Patrick’s Day; March 20 – Spring!
March 1, Sinking of USS Houston (1942); March 2, Bismarck Sea Battle Began (1943), Raid on North Vietnam Began (Operation Rolling Thunder)(1965); March 3, “Star Spangled Banner” Made US National Anthem (1931), American Forces capture Manila (1945); March 4, Operation Utah (1966); March 6, First Navy Flight Nurse Landed on Iwo Jima (1945), Navy Permanently Assigned 1st Women Aboard an Operational Combat Vessel (USS Eisenhower, 1994); March 7, Remagen Bridge Captured (1945), Operation Ripper Began (1951); March 8, 11 Navy Nurses Imprisoned by Japanese at Santo Tomas Internment Camp (1942), First African-American Woman Bacame an Ensign in the Navy Nurse Corps (1945); March 9, US Forces Land at Vera Cruz, Mexico (1847); March 11, Lend-Lease Becomes Law (1941), Operation Resolve to Win Began (1968); March 12, Girl Scouts of America Founded (1912); March 13, First Women Marine Officer Candidates Arrived at US Midshipmen School, (Women’s Reserve) at Mount Holyoke College, MA (1943); March 14, Punitive Campaign (Mexico) begins (1916); March 15, Battle of Guilford Court House (1781), Third Battle of Monte Cassino (1944), Advisory Campaign begins (first campaign of Vietnam War) (1962); March 17, British forces evacuate Boston (1776), Peninsula Campaign begins (1862), Camp Fire Boys and Girls Established (1910); March 18, 1st Woman Marine Reported for Duty in Vietnam (1967), Operation Breakfast (1969), Operation Dewey Canyon ends (1969); March 19, Operation Iraqi Freedom Began (2003); March 20, British Capture Mandalay (1945); March 21, 1st Woman Enlisted in the US Naval Reserve (1917); March 22, Central Europe Campaign begins (1945), 1st Woman Assigned to Guard the Tomb of the Unknowns (1996); March 23, Battle of Pork Chop Hill (1953); March 24, Operation Allied Force Began (Kosovo) (1999); March 25, Remaining US Ground Forces Leave Somalia (1994); March 26, Battle of Komandorskis (1943), Groundbreaking of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (1982); March 29, British besiege Charleston, SC (1780), Vicksburg Campaign begins (1863); March 31, Operation Uphold Democracy Ended (1995).
Notes from February Meeting:
Neil Reich provided his GI
Benefits 101 course. Neil is
uniquely qualified to lecture on this subject since he is a veteran of WWII,
Korea and Vietnam, plus he was the Orange County Veterans Service Officer for 18
years. He stressed the need to think
and act today for what is sure to happen tomorrow.
Think of those left behind who have to make decisions that you did not
make. He has had to counsel so many spouses and children who said “He never said
what he wanted to do”. First make
sure you have a copy of your DD-214 or if pre 1950 service, a certificate from
your service branch indicating the dates you served.
This is critical to getting buried in a National Cemetery.
Did you know that if your spouse precedes you in death, she or he can be
buried in the National Cemetery first?
When you get your DD-214, take it to the OCVSO and have them make a
couple of certified copies for you.
If you cannot use the internet, a number for the VA is 1-800-827-1000.
Also make sure your beneficiary is current on your insurance.
Many times he found out that after the death, the current spouse found
out the beneficiary was the veteran’s mother, also dead, or worse, the former
spouse, who was still alive and got the proceeds.
Neil also discussed the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency
Indemnity Compensation (DIC). These
cover you and potentially your spouse when there is a Service connected
disability. Are you eligible for
Health Care at the VA.? Depends. If
not disabled, it is based on income; Single up to $29,400, married up to $35,
300. You are Priority 8.Neil also
passed out an Emergency Data Form
which he urged all to complete NOW!
He also passed out a copy of Chapter 7 of
the Burial and Memorial Benefits.
If you did not attend and would like copies, please contact the Post at
(714) 871-2412 and provide your name and either an email address your mailing
address and we will get it to you.
Neil also volunteered to take any questions via telephone.
He can be reached at (714) 526-0627.
We will start listing this on the left side of the monthly Newsletter
under VA Benefits.
If you need the forms, please contact
the Post at (714) 871-2412 and we will get them to you.
Chaplain Jim Howland provided the annual recognition of the Four Chaplains
who gave up their life jackets so four others could survive the sinking of the
USS Dorchester.