For God and Country Official Publication of the American Legion, Department of Delaware VOL
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For God and Country Official Publication of the American Legion, Department of Delaware VOL. XV. No. 3 • February 2020 • DOVER, DELAWARE 19901 National Commander James W. Oxford to Visit Delaware comes available. The Sadly, service officer support National Commanders and TFA grants often go unnoticed in banquet is scheduled local communities. But their impor - for Friday March 27th tance cannot be overstated. The Veter - at David C. Harrison ans & Children Foundation improves Post 14 in Smyrna, lives for veterans, servicemembers and Delaware. Tickets for their families. It is essential that the the banquet will be foundation remain a resource for our limited so contact your comrades in need in communities post leadership to throughout the nation. place your order. The Whether funds are used to as - Veterans & Children sist Coast Guardsmen who are missing Foundation is the paychecks or a veteran and her spouse Commanders who lost their home to a fire or a mili - fundraiser this year tary family struggling to make ends and he will be person - meet, the Veterans & Children Founda - James W. "Bill" Oxford was ally accepting dona - tion needs your support. elected national commander of The tions at his scheduled post visitations. For the remainder of my term American Legion on Aug. 29, 2019, in Message from the NCDR as national commander, I will be focus - Indianapolis, during the organization's Oxford: ing on my fundraising goal of $25 mil - 101st national convention. He has been Grants from the foundation not lion for V&CF. That may sound like a 1 N 0 9 T O 9 I only provide vital support for military lot of money. Just remember that in 5 I 9 F . E T a member of the nation's largest veter - 1 o G O D A . I A N E Z R S I . T and veteran parents in unexpected fi - 1924-25, Legion members created the t D P i U S N - A , ans’ organization since 1986. His r O A m N r e P P G O e v nancial crises, they also support Ameri - original American Legion Endowment R N P o schedule is allowing for a visit to O D Delaware from March 25th to the 27th. can Legion service officers in their Fund by raising $5 million — that’s We are honored that he is taking the tireless efforts to obtain care and due about $72 million in today’s dollars, ad - time from his busy schedule to see all benefits and opportunities for disabled justed for inflation. the great work our veterans do for the veterans and families. These service of - I am confident that with your state. ficers provide free expert assistance to kind contributions, we will indeed assist The schedule for posts visita - more than 700,000 veterans, widows veterans, support military families and tions has not been finalized and will be and families as they navigate the com - build a strong foundation for the future. distributed to post leadership as it plexities of VA benefits and services they have earned through their service. As always membership is a hot receive a 100% turn in rate on the Consoli - My Fellow Legion - topic. To the posts that are making their dated Report. naires: goals keep up the good work. To the post Finally, the Department is gearing The holiday that are close to their goal keep driving and up and working on the schedule for the Na - season has come and pushing forward. I am positive you will get tional Commanders visit in March. The gone. I hope everyone it done. For the post that have fallen behind schedule will be distributed once it is final - had a good Christmas on your goals please reach out to me or any - ized. I look forward to seeing many of you and that you are still one on the DEC for help. That is what we as we take the National Commander on a on track with keeping your New Year’s res - are here for. To assist you in any way we tour of the First State. olutions. 2019 was a good year for the De - can. When the Posts succeed the Depart - partment of Delaware and I predict that ment succeeds. Yours in Legion Service. 2020 will be an even better year. We will be It is that time of the year to be Michael A. Havel facing new challenges this year and I am working on your Consolidated Post Reports. Commander Department of Delaware confident that we as the Department of Please make sure they are filled out cor - Delaware will face these challenges head rectly and submitted in a timely manner. I on. am sure that once again the Department will 2 DELAWARE LEGIONNAIRE, FEBRUARY 2020 Mem - chairperson or the 1st Vice Commander post. We need to overcome the impres - to work the Buddy Check. It will let bership, who is but it is up to all members to help. I sion that we are old veterans that just sit members know you are thinking about responsible for know it is tough to get members but we around the bar drinking. When you them. Any district or Post needing help recruiting and must keep on trying. At your post plan have a function use social media and with membership please feel free to retaining mem - actives that will involve the family. your local papers to show the commu - contact me at 302-629-5624 I will assist bers? Some Young veterans have families so if we nity what you are doing. This might in any way I can. think it is the try to have functions that involve the spark some interest in veterans that Barry Sauers membership family you might get them to join your would like to get involved. Don’t forget 1st Vice Commander Since I last Commander, James W. “Bill” Oxford. I with them why they should belong. In located on your motorcycle, or even in shared words got to meet a host of Legion Members our Post there are resource materials those backpack that you carry every - with you, I have from various States, Countries, and that are plentiful that helps get the word where. I challenge you to help your traveled to Indi - Territories. Two weeks later I again out of why a Veteran should belong to Post and Department with meeting their anapolis, IN to traveled to Indianapolis to attend my the Legion. The resource book that I target dates and membership retention attend the Amer - first National Convention. I attended a speak of is called “Why You Should goals. I also challenge you with reduc - ican Legion Na - National Committee meeting, marched Belong”. Those books located in your ing the number of Why You Should tional Membership Workshop. There I in the American Legion Parade carry - Post are not for guest or visitors of Belong books out of your Post and into learned about communications, net - ing our Department of Delaware Le - other Post to read. The books are for hands of new eligible members. working, of new members and how to gion Flag and sat on the convention you the current member in your Post. See you in my travels retain the members we already have. I floor. Wow! We have work to do in re - The number of books in your Post Dwight Lacy, 2nd Vice Commander heard the vision of the Legion from the taining our membership and meeting should be few because you carry a copy Department of Delaware, the American Leading Candidate and now National with new potential members and share of that book in your car, in your packs Legion Inc. Deadline for next Legionnaire: April 6, 2020 My fellow veterans; of happenings going on every night. As always there Hope all is well as we are several positions from being a volunteer to running start off the New Year; hope that for office to further your ideas and help out your com - THE DELAWARE everyone had a great and joyful munity. Lots of different opportunities for the whole LEGIONNAIRE Christmas and a Happy New family to be involved in. From Halloween, Easter, fam - Year. ily oriented days. Even Santa visits most posts. You can AMERICAN The American Legion is having a membership get involved at any level that you feel comfortable in. LEGION PRESS drive, so if you know of anyone eligible to join, please Some of the American Legions have had a ASSOCIATION direct them to your nearest American Legion: There has few members pass away,, I have had the Honor to offi - been a new law passed that you don’t have to have ciate a lot of them. And they will always have a place OFFICIAL PUBLICATION served in a war time era to be able to join. Just have a in our hearts. OF THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF DELAWARE Honorable Discharge or under honorable conditions. We have a new home post opening soon in Mil - SUBSCRIPTION: Free to Members Have your DD-214 and sign up for a great experience ford, Delaware in the Hardee’s shopping center on the Send copy and correspondence to: with fellow Veterans young and old alike. north side with lots of facilities and lots of plans to THE DELAWARE LEGIONNAIRE There are several American Legions through help the community, so stop on by and check it out. Jeffrey K. Crouser, Editor out Delaware convenient to most homes. Most Ameri - 1-302-632-8598 email [email protected] can Legions have several programs going on to help For God and Country; Veterans in need to just plain ole comradery.