VFW Post 5864 Newsletter 1842 Veterans Way, Greenwood, IN 46143 – Phone 317-888-2488
Greenwood Memorial VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter
"It’s not the dues you pay to be a member, it’s the price you paid to be eligible!”
“Like us” on --Facebook -- Greenwood VFW 5864-- and visit our --Website-greenwoodvfw.com—
2017 and 2018 VFW First Place Award winner in the District / Post level for “Large e Frequency” Publications. 2019 Silver Award winner at the District / Post level l ______
VFW Post 5864 Auxiliary to host 9-11 luncheon
Greenwood VFW Post 5864 Auxiliary will host a “9-11 Remembrance Luncheon” for Greenwood city workers to include all departments on Thursday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The luncheon is in remembrance and honor to the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 at the World Trade Center site; near Shanksville, Pa.; and at the Pentagon, as well as the six people killed in the World Trade Center bombing in Feb. 1993. The meal will consist of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, beef and noodles, corn, green beans, rolls, butter, and assorted desserts. Upwards of 100 to 150 city workers will stop by for lunch. The VFW is located at 1842 Veterans Way in Greenwood. Go east on main St., under I-65, past the Road Ranger Truck Stop and turn right at the first street – Commerce Parkway Dr. West approximately 200 yards and the VFW is on the right. Any questions can be directed to the Post at 317-888-2488.
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VFW Bingo starts with a $1,000 Progressive Pot
Beginning Wednesday, Sept. 2 starting at 6 p.m.
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COVID-19 Information, protect yourself and others
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. • Avoid close contact with people who are sick. • Stay home when you are sick. • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. • Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Free Notary Service to all Veterans and Auxiliary
Members -– Contact Steve Milbourn –- 317-525-7291
2 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
VFW Auxiliary and
Six members donate to purchase 3 table carts
Six VFW members donated enough money to purchase three table carts like the one seen on the left. The carts were $199 each. Each cart holds 11 rectangular tables or 10 round tables. Those who donated include: Jay Collars, Steve Milbourn, Sherri Jones, Butch Umphrey, Ed Dunham, Doree Boger and the VFW Post 5864 Auxiliary. We can still use 10 -- 6 ft. and 10 -- 8 ft. rectangular tables. They average about $50-$70 each. If you feel inclined to help in this area, please do so. Recently Don LaFountaine purchased a cart for the POS system that is in the Banquet Room. He also purchased some items for our pizza making venture. You are welcome to make the check out to VFW Post 5864 and get it to our Quartermaster, Doree Boger. You are welcome to mail it to VFW Post 5864, 1842 Veterans Way, Greenwood, IN 46143. Thanks for all you do to help us out. Having the carts will help our “Clean-Up Crew” when they take the chairs down or move them from one point to another. ______
Displaying Military Service Symbols
Military service flags, insignias, etc., should be displayed in the following order above (left to right as you face the flags): Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and then Space Force.
Pow/Mia Flag -- Official Display Days
Public Law 105-85 (Nov. 16, 1997) indicates the days that federal agencies, military installations and U.S. Post Offices are required to display the POW/MIA flag. The days are: Armed Forces Day, May 15, 2021 (third Saturday in May); Memorial Day, May 31, 2021 (last Monday in May); Flag Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; National POW/MIA Day, Sept. 18, 2020 (third Friday in Sept.); and Veterans Day, Nov. 11. ______
DAV to celebrate 100 years of service Sept. 25
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) a nonprofit veterans service organization composed of more than 1 million wartime service-disabled veterans that is dedicated to a single purpose: empowering veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. This year, DAV will celebrate a major milestone in our history on Sept. 25, 2020, marking 100 years of service to the nation’s service- disabled veterans, their families, and survivors. In honor of this occasion, we are asking you to officially recognize Sept. 25, 2020, as Disabled American Veterans Day. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 3
A Message from the Commander . . .
Dear Members and Friends:
The Post is looking at purchasing two digital signs which will be back-to- back. The same message will be displayed on each side. The sign will be placed on top of the sign that is currently in the front yard. The signs will run 24 hours a day. Because our entrance is in the rear, sometimes people think we are not open and they may drive on. We can place our Bar Bingo and Regular Bingo, our kitchen, and other events on the sign weekly. We need $2,000. I have collected $500, $250, $200, $140, and three $100 checks totaling $1,390. I am hopeful the Post, the VFW Auxiliary and the American Legion and any individual who can throw in a few dollars can put in some money to get this purchased. There is no tax and delivery is free of charge. We put the last one up and I am sure we can put these up. Steve Milbourn They will deliver this in less than a week after we pay. Commander Thanks, and I apologize for asking you to help, but with the COVID-19 still in our faces, we are not where we would like to be, however things are moving quite well. If you just helped purchase the table carts, take a break. We thank you for that donation. And, if you can only give $10 or $20, that is fine too. All money is good. By chance if we have more money than we need, we will use it to purchase some 6 ft. tables for the Banquet Room. We need about 10 of those that costs around $65 per table.
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Just a reminder – Beginning September 1, I am cutting back on what I have been doing at the VFW. I will be 74 this month and I would like to begin “taking it easy” and attempt to lead a somewhat normal life. Someone else will have to begin doing some of the tasks that I have been doing. I will complete my term as Commander, but at a much slower pace. There are plenty of great veterans who could do some of the things that I regularly do. We will need someone to take over the position of Service Officer; the monthly newsletter; help Don with the entertainment, if he needs it; make the tickets up for the raffles; get the Bingo printing done; pick-up peppered fries at McFarling Foods; help with membership; help with the annual golf tournament; etc. I will continue to do those things that are related to my position as Commander and will do what- ever I can to help train anyone who wishes to take over one or more of the other tasks. Over the eight years I have been active here, I have met many individuals who are terrific, and I truly appreciate them. -- Steve Milbourn – VFW Post 5864 Commander
House Committee oversees employees
VFW employee work related issues are off limits
As a member or guest, if you have an issue with an employee or what the employee is doing, you should report it to the House Committee in writing. Under no circumstances should you discuss an issue with any employee unless you are a member of the House Committee. The House Committee will discuss the incident and determine what needs to be done, based on the facts. Keeping employees is at best difficult. Please do not attempt to intimidate the employee or question them about their job or what they are doing. Too many “bosses” is not a good idea. The five members of the House Committee are Don LaFountaine, G.K. Puckett, “Butch” Umphrey, Doree Boger and Steve Milbourn. 4 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
VFW Post 5864 landscaping has been completed
Seacat Landscaping has completed the landscaping for the VFW. Trees and shrubs were planted, a net of grass seed and straw was placed on the ground throughout the property. Now it needs to be watered on a regular basis for it to grow properly. Our horseshoe pit area has been leveled and grass planted also. Once the grass begins growing, the horseshoe pit area can be laid out. The landscaper flattened out the area. Next on the “to do list” is adding sound boards to the inside of the banquet room and bar room area. ◼ Continued to page 5 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 5
VFW landscaping . . .
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After that, we will be analyzing the cost of the new Shelter House, which will be built on the left (south side) of the horseshoe pits. We are hopeful that we can get Central-9 or the Carpenter’s Training Center in Greenwood or a combination of both groups to help with building the facility. Water, sewer, and electric was installed in the area prior to the asphalt parking lot being laid. It will take a little time and money to finish the project. 6 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
VFW recognizes National Purple Heart Day
National Purple Heart Day was observed on Aug. 7 each year. It is a time for Americans to pause to remember and honor the brave men and women who were either wounded on the battlefield or paid the ultimate sacrifice. The VFW honors all service men and women who have earned this medal with their sacrifice. ______
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
"I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."
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Resource meeting is Thursday, Sept. 3 at 6:30 p.m.
The next Resource meeting will be held on Thursday, September 3. The meeting will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. The Resource meeting is to determine what upcoming events we wish to host for the next three months. We have a month to come up with ideas that can be sent out to everyone ahead of time so that we can be thinking about the event and it will cut down on the discussion time at each meeting. In addition, we can discuss what type of raffles we wish to have. We have raffled off a basket with a bottle of liquor with lottery tickets and other items. We could also hold a silent raffle with pies and cakes. There are many things we can do. Someone just needs to step forward, pick-up the “ball” and run with it. Members from the VFW, VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Centennial Post 1919, and its Auxiliary, the 40 & 8 Voiture Locale 145 and anyone else interested in attending the meeting. ______
VFW now has two Banquet Rooms for rent
The size of the VFW’s Banquet Room has doubled since the new Post opened for business. Each Banquet Room, Room A and Room B will seat approximately 150 people. Each has separate bar areas, separate entrances and exits, and two adjoining restrooms for each room. There is plenty of parking and on-site management. The building is air conditioned and heated and is a non-smoking facility. Alcoholic, non-alcoholic beverages and soft drinks are available. The VFW can cater your event if you wish or you are currently welcome to cater the event yourself. The VFW will not hold a date for you without a deposit. Once you determine when your event will be, it is important that you place a deposit on that date to secure the date and time you want. We welcome you to call ahead and make an appointment to stop in and see our venue. To discuss a date and time, please call the Post at 317-888-2488 or Steve Milbourn at 317-525-7291. The VFW’s website is greenwoodvfw.com.
VA decreases mail processing time for claims
The U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) has improved procedures by incorporating an artificial intelligence (AI) solution to reduce the time it takes to process in-coming mail from 10 days to just one day. The software reads the mail document contents and automatically routes it to VA employees working the next step of the claims which means faster processing of the information Veterans send to VBA in support of their claims. “Moving past manual mail processes to automation puts the emphasis on Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This new capability allows VA to process claims quickly and efficiently.” On average VBA receives more than 550,000 pieces of mail per month related to benefits and services. The volume of mail comes from submissions by Veterans, surviving spouses, service agencies, attorneys, and claims agents. This mail is often the starting point to initiate a claim or provide supportive documentation for potential benefits and services they may be eligible for; in addition to general inquires. ______
Military family members and retirees to receive new ID cards
Active-duty military family members, retirees and their family members will get new ID cards as they renew or replace their IDs over the next five years. It will be similar to the common access card used by military personnel and DOD civilian personnel, without the chip. Unless your ID card is about to expire, there is no need to rush to get the new card, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. 8 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Military history over the years in September . . .
1752 – The Liberty Bell arrived in Philadelphia. 1857 – Unable to obtain trading privileges in Vietnam through diplomacy, the French begin their campaign to take Vietnam. They attack Danang and take the city in early 1858. This fails to foment the uprising of oppressed Christians that they had expected. Decimated by disease, they push south to take Saigon by 1861. Vietnam is divided by a strong popular rebellion in the north, and under the weak Emperor Tu Duc, regional risings against the French are never coordinated successfully. Hanoi falls in 1883. 1862 – A federal tax was levied on tobacco, especially that grown in Confederate states. 1877 – Oglala Sioux chief Crazy Horse is fatally bayoneted by a U.S. soldier after resisting confinement in a guardhouse at Fort Robinson, Nebraska. A year earlier, Crazy Horse was among the Sioux leaders who defeated George Armstrong Custer’s Seventh Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn in Montana Territory. The battle, in which 265 members of the Seventh Cavalry, including Custer, were killed, was the worst defeat of the U.S. Army in its long history of warfare with the Native Americans. After the victory at Little Bighorn, U.S. Army forces led by Colonel Nelson Miles pursued Crazy Horse and his followers. His tribe suffered from cold and starvation, and on May 6, 1877, Crazy Horse surrendered to General George Crook at the Red Cloud Indian Agency in Nebraska. He was sent to Fort Robinson, where he was killed in a scuffle with soldiers who were trying to imprison him in a cell. 1918 – U.S. troops landed in Vladivostok, Siberia, and stayed until 1920. 1942 – Establishment of Air Force, Pacific Fleet, Vice Admiral Aubrey W. Fitch, United States Navy. 1942 – First Seabee unit to serve in a combat area, 6th Naval Construction Battalion, arrives on Guadalcanal. 1942 – A federal judge in Sacramento, Calif., upheld the wartime detention of Japanese-Americans as well as Japanese nationals. 1942 – Joseph C. Jenkins was given a temporary promotion to warrant officer (Boatswain); becoming the first African-American warrant officer in the Coast Guard. 1943 – Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s 503rd Parachute Regiment land and occupy Nazdab, just east of Lae, a port city in northeastern Papua, New Guinea, situating them perfectly for future operations on the islands. New Guinea had been occupied by the Japanese since March 1942. Raids by Allied forces early on were met with tremendous ferocity, and they were often beaten back by the Japanese occupiers. Much of the Allied response was led by forces from Australia, as they were most threatened by the presence of the Japanese in that sphere. The tide began to turn in December 1942, as the Australians recaptured Buna-but despite numerical superiority, the Japanese continued to hang on, fighting to keep every square mile they had captured. Many Japanese committed suicide, swimming out to sea, rather than be taken prisoner. In January 1943, the Americans joined the Aussies in assaults on Sanananda, which resulted in huge losses for the Japanese–7,000 killed–and the first land defeat of the war. As Japanese reinforcements raced for the next Allied targets, Lae and Salamauam, in March, 137 American bombers destroyed the Japanese transport vessels, drowning 3,500 Japanese, as well as their much-needed fuel and spare parts. On September 8, almost 2,000 American and Australian Airborne Division parachutists landed and seized Nazdab, which held a valuable airfield. The Allies quickly established a functioning airstrip and prepared to take the port city of Lae, one more step in MacArthur’s strategy to recapture New Guinea and the Solomons, and eventually go back for the Philippines.
◼ Continued to page 9 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 9
Military history over the years in September . . .
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1945 – General MacArthur ends military rule, which has been in force since the American landings
on Leyte, because the Philippine government has been re-established and is functioning normally. Control of all areas reverts to the Philippine commonwealth. 1945 – U.S.S. Benevolence (AH-13) evacuates civilian internees from two internment camps near Tokyo, Japan. 1950 – U.S. Company C, 1st Battalion of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, was almost completely annihilated as North Korean divisions opened an assault on UN lines on the Naktong River. 1950 – U.S. Air Force Captain Iven C. Kincheloe, 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing, claimed his fifth air-to-air victory in his F-86 Sabre “Ivan” to become the 10th ace of the Korean War. Kincheloe accounted for four MiGs in six days. 1966 – In a speech before 100,000 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, President Charles de Gaulle of France denounces U.S. policy in Vietnam and urges the U.S. government to pull its troops out of Southeast Asia. De Gaulle said that negotiations toward a settlement of the war could begin as soon as the United States committed to withdrawing its troops by a certain date. He and Prince Norodom Sihanouk signed a declaration calling for noninterference in the Indochinese peninsula by foreign nations. Three days later, Assistant Secretary of State William Bundy on NBC-TV’s Meet The Press rejected de Gaulle’s proposal and said that the United States intended to withdraw its forces when “the North Vietnamese get out.” During the same speech, he also revealed that the United States now had 25,000 military people in Thailand, principally for air force operations. 1969 – A coup in Libya overthrew the monarchy of King Idris and brought Moammar Gadhafi to power. Gadhafi emerged as leader of the revolutionary government and ordered the closure of a U.S. Air Force base. 1969 – The 1st Marine Regiment was presented the Presidential Unit Citation for Operation Hue City (Vietnam). 1969 – The Idaho Guardsmen of the 116th Engineer Battalion (Combat) are released from active duty having just returned from their eleven-month tour of service in Vietnam. This marked the sixth time in 70 years that the battalion served on active duty. In fact, the 116th was the only Guard unit, Army or Air, to serve in theater during both the Korean and Vietnam wars. When the battalion was mobilized on May 13, 1968 it numbered 804 officers and men, almost all of whom deployed to Vietnam with the unit, making it the largest group of Guardsmen serving together in-country. While the unit was stationed at several bases northwest of Saigon, it built or upgraded nearly 600 miles of road, along with constructing barracks and other buildings on American bases. Company B was assigned to Phan Thiet on the coast and while there it constructed a heavy-beam wooden bridge strong enough to hold the weight of an M-48 American tank to replace a steel structure installed by the French but destroyed by the Viet Cong during the 1968 Tet Offensive. As of 1975 when the last Americans left Vietnam the span was still standing and being used by the local populace. The tour cost the battalion six of its men killed in action. Causes of death ranged from running vehicles over landmines to being shot by snipers. Two men were awarded the Silver Star for valor in combat and at least 100 received the Purple Heart for wounds suffered from enemy actions. The 116th Engineer Battalion remains an important part of the Army National Guard today. 2002 – 82nd Airborne Division launched another big operation, Champion Strike. Approximately one
◼ Continued to page 10 10 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
VFW meets 1st and 3rd Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The VFW holds their membership meetings on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. The VFW meets in the canteen.
Auxiliary meets 1st Tuesday at 7 p.m.
The VFW Auxiliary meets in the Banquet Room on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Members are encouraged to attend.
Military history over the years in September . . .
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thousand troops, including Schweitzer’s 3d Battalion; elements of the newly arrived 1st Battalion, 504th Infantry, led by Lt. Col. David T. Gerard; Special Forces teams; and Afghan militia conducted air assaults into the Bermail Valley of Paktika Province. They captured an al-Qaeda or Taliban financier along with other suspects and also uncovered weapons caches and Taliban documents. Female military police soldiers discovered that some Afghan females were concealing weapons and ammunition under their full-length garments (called burkas), probably because enemy fighters thought they would not be searched. 2010 – Operation Dragon Strike, to reclaim the strategic southern province of Kandahar, which was the birthplace of the Taliban movement. The area where the operation took place has been dubbed “The Heart of Darkness” by Coalition troops. The main force leading the operation were units from the 101st Airborne Division. Some of the heaviest of the fighting during the operation had been in the Zhari District, which is on the main highway to Kandahar and a major insurgent supply route into the city, the Arghandab District and the Panjwaye District. By the end of December 2010, the operation’s main objectives had been accomplished. ______
Postal delays may impact medication shipments
VA explained recently that approximately 90 percent of Consolidated Mail Outpatient Pharmacy (CMOP) packages are shipped to veterans by the USPS. CMOP has detected hot spots with delivery delays (Detroit, parts of New York and New Jersey) and proactively converted from USPS to United Parcel Service (UPS) 2nd Day Air for those areas until service levels can be returned to normal. The VFW is working with supporters in the House and Senate to monitor this situation to ensure the health and well-being of our veterans remains paramount, especially during the COVID-19.
Blood donations need are still very critical
The Red Cross strongly urges healthy, eligible individuals who are feeling well to give blood to help maintain a sufficient supply for those battling COVID-19, other infections, and trauma victims. Please schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1.800.RED.CROSS (1.800.733.2767).
Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 11
Join VFW Post 5864’s Auxiliary as they
host Bar Bingo throughout the year!
Monday Night Bar
at 6 p.m. -- Limited food is available
⬧ No tables reserved ⬧ Limited seating
Bar Bingo continues to be a success. Those working must be listed with the Indiana Gaming Commission as a registered “Operator” or “Worker”. A list of individuals who are eligible to work in Gaming is posted behind the bar in the Canteen area. The Annual Bingo License, Annual Raffle License and the Annual Charity Game Night License # is 002855. If you need help, please let Sherri Jones, 253-278-1980 or Steve Milbourn, 317-525-7291 know so they can get the information that is needed to place you on VFW Post 5864’s gaming license.
◼ Public Welcome -- ◼ Please sign the book at the door
◼ No outside food or drinks -- ◼ Bingo License # 002855
12 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Veteran’s Memorial Brick Order Form
To honor those who have served this great country in the U.S. military, Greenwood VFW Post 5864 will be building one or more walkways leading up to the flag-pole area at our new facility which will contain the bricks of veterans, current military men and women, deceased veterans, businessmen / women and residents throughout Greenwood and other parts of the United States. Order Instructions: Each brick will have either 3 or 5 lines on the brick. The Veteran’s name and any additional wording, i.e., name of the military branch, unit name, or name of the conflict they were in is at the discretion of the donor. All type will be centered on the brick. When filling out the order form below, make sure to write information exactly as you want it to be on the brick, paying special attention to punctuation, abbreviation, etc. Lettering will be in upper and lower case. Please complete and send this form along with a check for $100 or $175 payable to: VFW Post 5864 at 1842 Veterans Way, Greenwood, IN 46143. To assist us in processing your order, please write “Veteran’s Memorial Brick” on the memo line (left-hand corner) of the check.
❑ 4-in. x 8-in. Brick - $100 – 3 lines with 20 letters or spaces to each line
❑ 8-in. x 8-in. Brick - $175 – 5 lines with 20 letters or spaces to each line
Brick colors are -- ❑ Tumbleweed ❑ Wheatfield ❑ Admiral Red (Check one)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
When you order a brick (one name per form), please complete this form and then mail it to our address above. We can also accept credit cards via e-mail, U.S. mail (see address above), or you are welcome to stop in the Post and make your donation after 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
Name ______Date ______
Address ______Phone ______
City ______State ______Zip Code ______
All colors At right
Tumbleweed Wheatfield Admiral Red Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 13
The 40 & 8’s Voiture 145 Chef de Gare’s Corner . . .
I aim for this to be a monthly blog. Let me start by welcoming our newest member Brian Herbert into La Societe. Brian has already shown interest in our Youth Programs and MIA/POW program. Way to go Brian. Now, for a little 40 and 8 history, along with some personal impressions from my time in the organization (42 years). La Societe des Quarante Hommes et Huit Chevaux (The Society of Forty Men and Eight Horses) or more commonly referred to as the 40 and 8, was established in 1920 as an organization within The American Legion. In 1959 the Forty and Eight became a separate organization. In WW-I the French Boxcar was used to transport soldiers and their horses to the front lines. The Boxcar was stenciled with 40 men above 8 horses. Therefore, the founders of the 40 and 8 felt it appropriate to use the Boxcar as its symbol and the offices/titles and terminology are based on the organization of the French Railroad. A Boxcar in French is a Voiture; therefore, Voiture Locale 145 translates to: Local Box-Car #145. The Officers are similar to The American Legion: Chef de Gare compares to the Post Commander; the Chef de Train compares to the Post 1st Vice Commander; the Correspondent compares to the Post Adjutant; the Commissaire Intendant compares to the Post Finance Officer; etc. Our programs are also similar to those of The American Legion; however, the 40 and 8 added Nurses Training to which we provide scholarships each year. In 2019/2020 membership year our Voiture Locale 145 provided over $5,000 dollars in nurses scholarships. Another area unique to the 40 and 8 is support of research of Hanson’s disease (Leprosy). The tasks and obligations of our Voyageurs (members) are taken very seriously but accomplished in an enjoyable way. The Voiture Locale is usually county wide; however, Voiture Locale 145 includes both Marion and Johnson counties. Membership is open to all honorably discharged and / or active duty veterans. Membership is by nomination from a current member and voted on by the Voiture Locale. If you wish to join our Voiture please contact me at [email protected] or Mike Delaney at [email protected]. The 40 & 8 Voiture (Post) meeting is held on the last Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at their headquarters at 1842 Veterans Way, Greenwood, Indiana.
Jay A Collars Chef de Gare Voiture Locale 145
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Credit Cards accepted by VFW
The VFW’s bar and kitchen have been accepting credit cards for about four years. Since that time gross and net income has increased tremendously. Banquet rentals can also be paid by credit card as can VFW Post and Auxiliary membership and membership to American Legion Centennial Post 1919 and its’ Auxiliary and the 40 & 8 Locale #145.
______14 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Seated: Chef de Gare Jay Collars, V-145; front row, left to right: Grande Chef de Gare, Jim Maxwell, Joe Vidales, Darrell Dick, Dexter Albright, Gina Owens, Chef de Chemin de Fer Mike McGary; middle row, left to right: G.K. Puckett, Robert Pitts, John Dave Everett, Ed Dunham, Nat Ridge; and back row, left to right: Ralph Schuster, Jerry Logan, Roger Crum, Mike Tomes,
Don Lafountaine and Brian Herbert.
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15 PG’s were “wrecked” at 40 & 8 get-together
Voiture Locale 145 of Johnson/Marion County, formally "Wrecked" 15 Prisonnier de Gueers or Prisoner of War (PG's). Several National Officers, including Chef de Chemin de Fer Mike McGary and Correspondent Terry Sims and National Officers Passe as well as Grand Officers, including Grand Chef de Gare Jim Maxwell were present and participated in the "Wreck." Voiture Locale 145 appreciates and thanks Voiture Locale 967 located in Shelbyville, Indiana for hosting the Formal Wreck and arranging for a great luncheon afterwards. It is extremely pleasing to see such camaraderie between Voiture Locales. This was a good example of Forty and Eighters working together for the good of the Forty and Eight. Voiture Locale 145 is located at 1842 Veterans Way, Greenwood, Indiana 46143.
Survivors may not get benefits due to cause of manner of death Many Veterans have died, but not of COVID-19
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, more than 150,000 Americans have died, many of them veterans. It is feared that some of the survivors of these veterans will be denied benefits because of a death certificate that lists the cause of death as COVID-19 and does not mention the service- connected conditions that may have contributed to their cause of death. On July 2, 2020, Senators Kyrsten Sinema (AZ) and Senator Thom Tillis (NC) introduced S. 4166, the Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID-19 Act, which would address this issue by requiring the Department of Veterans Affairs seek a medical opinion in the case of any veteran who has a service-connected condition and who passes away due to the coronavirus. This medical opinion could be crucial in obtaining survivors’ benefits. The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) continues to support legislation that would ensure adequate compensation to the survivors of veterans whose deaths are held to be service connected. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 15
Progressive Bingo starts at $1,000
Wednesday Bingo getting ready to get exciting
Licensed charitable gaming activities commenced in accordance with Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s “Back on Track” plan on July 6 and July 8. Details can be found here: https://backontrack.in.gov/.IGC Health and Safety Reopening Guidelines for Charity Gaming Social Distancing and other guidelines for workers and participants is bring adhered to and will be posted throughout the Bingo room (Banquet Rooms), bathrooms and other areas in the Post. Masks will be available for sale at $1 each and hand sanitizer will be available in all four bathrooms, the bar area, and the Bingo area. In addition to social distancing being adhered to, those individuals who appear to be ill will be asked to go home until they are better. To be an operator of a qualified organization: an individual must be a member in good standing of the qualified organization for at least 60 days. A worker at an allowable event must be a member in good standing of the qualified organization that is conducting the allowable activity for at least 30 days before the allowable activity. Please direct questions or concerns to Steve Milbourn, Commander at 317-525-7291 or e-mail [email protected] or Sherri Jones, Bingo Chairperson at 253-278-1980 or e-mail her at [email protected].
To health care facilities VA prepares to welcome volunteers back
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced plans to reintroduce volunteers gradually and safely to its health care facilities. While volunteers are important to the operation of VA services and programs, most volunteer activities have been paused to prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. “Just as our facilities are gradually reinstating services, volunteers are slowly reintegrating into them,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “Volunteers are an integral part of our health care teams, offering fundamental services. We look forward to their return.” Some volunteer roles will be new, while others will stay the same, be modified, go virtual or remain paused as a precaution to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Individual VA facilities will tailor the reintegration of volunteers based on the facilities’ operational needs and the volunteers’ abilities. Volunteers can expect the following safety measures: • Phased reentry: Volunteers are being asked to return to duty on an as-needed basis while maintaining physical distancing. VA asks that volunteers do not return to the facility unless they have been approved to do so. • Retraining: Volunteers must complete an orientation and training on VA’s policies and procedures. This includes the proper use of personal protective equipment including face coverings. • Health screenings: Volunteers, like staff and patients, must consent to being screened for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms prior to entering facilities. These actions are being taken to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of Veterans, staff, and volunteers. Visit VA Voluntary Service for more information. ______
Have you paid your VFW, Auxiliary, American Legion or 40 & 8 dues for 2021? 16 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Greenwood V.F.W. Post 5864
Bingo Every Wednesday
Starting Sept. 2, 2020
$1000 Coverall Pot 50 Numbers or Less *
$500 Coverall Guaranteed Pot *
Earlybirds Start at 6:30 p.m.
GAMES END BY 10 p.m.
PUBLIC WELCOME!
BASIC STARTING PACKAGE $16
⧫ Large New Playing Room ⧫ Social Distancing Is Practiced
⧫ 2 Players Per 8 Foot Table!
Masks & Hand sanitizer available
Food and Beverages Available! -- Join the Fun!!!
Go east on Main St. in Greenwood past Interstate 65. Continue east past Road Ranger Truck Stop approximately 100 yards. Turn right on Commerce Parkway West Drive. If you go to the traffic light (Graham Rd.) you have gone too far. Follow the road to Veterans Way entrance (about 300 yards). Phone 317-888-2488
* ABOVE COVERALLS PAID WITH 40 OR MORE PLAYERS
Must Be 18 With ID to Play / Bingo License # 002855 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 17
This Day in History… August 3, 1900 -- by MysticStamp Birth of Indiana war correspondent Ernie Pyle
Journalist and war correspondent Ernest Taylor Pyle was born on August 3, 1900, in Dana, Indiana. Pyle grew up on his family’s farm but did not want to follow the family business – he wanted something more adventurous. After graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and served three months of active duty before the end of World War I. While attending Indiana University, Pyle discovered his knack for writing and pursued a career in journalism. The school did not offer a degree in journalism at the time, so he majored in economics. Despite this, he took all the journalism classes the school offered. He soon became editor of the school paper and worked on the yearbook, though he did not like working at a desk for long hours. In 1922, Pyle and a few friends left school for a semester to follow the university’s baseball team to Japan. This experience gave him a great love for traveling the world. Pyle returned to school but left again a semester short of graduating to take a job as a reporter in LaPorte, Indiana. After three months there, he moved to Washington, DC to work at The Washington Daily News. Pyle remained there for a few years but quit to travel the country with his wife. Pyle served as both an editor and reporter for various newspapers. Then, in 1928, he became America’s first aviation columnist, with Amelia Earhart claiming, “Any aviator who didn’t know Pyle was a nobody.” Pyle returned to The Washington Daily News in 1932 as managing editor. In late 1934, he took a trip to California to rest after a severe case of influenza. Asked to write a few articles about his trip, Pyle composed 11 columns with a “Mark Twain quality” that impressed his editor. He spent the next several years traveling the country and writing a national column about the unusual people and places he encountered. Titled “Hoosier Vagabond,” Pyle’s column gained him national fame and attention. In 1940, Pyle went to London to report on the bombing by the Nazis. He then joined the enlisted men in the foxholes in Africa, writing about the reality of war and the toll it was taking on the soldiers. Soon, about 300 U.S. papers ran Pyle’s column. Pyle quickly became regarded as “America’s most widely read correspondent.” Rather than focusing on military movements, he glorified the role of the everyday soldier – “the guys that wars can’t be won without.” Sensitive, insightful, and humorous, Pyle brought the common man’s war to millions of Americans. He told how the nation’s young men lived, and sometimes died, as soldiers. Pyle traveled with U.S. troops on nearly every front in Africa and Europe. After he wrote a column pushing for soldiers to get combat pay, Congress authorized “The Ernie Pyle bill,” granting ten dollars a month extra to combat infantrymen. He also won the Pulitzer Prize for journalism in 1944. In September 1944, Pyle returned home for a vacation, but felt the pull to go back to the front. This time, Pyle traveled with the Navy to the Pacific and reported on the invasion of Okinawa. On April 18, 1945, Ernie was on Lejima Island, northwest of Okinawa. He was traveling with four other men to observe the front-line action when the jeep was fired upon by Japanese machine guns. Pyle was shot in the temple and died instantly. Pyle was later awarded a Purple Heart, one of the few civilians to receive it. When the Navy secretary announced Pyle’s death, he said the war correspondent had “helped America understand the heroism and sacrifices of her fighting men.” President Harry Truman proclaimed, “No man in this war has so well told the story of the American fighting man as American fighting men wanted it told. He deserves the gratitude of all his countrymen.” 18 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
The Purple Heart: America’s Oldest Medal
BY CLAUDETTE ROULO
Did you know that the Purple Heart is America’s oldest military award? In 1782, although the Revolutionary War was basically over and peace talks were happening in Paris, Gen. George Washington needed a way to quell the talk of rebellion. Congress was running out of money after years of war against England. Troops were hungry and unpaid and there was talk of mutiny. He decided to create the Badge of Military Merit to recognize heroic acts by his troops. The requirements for earning the badge were a lot different from today’s Purple Heart. Soldiers had to do something unusually heroic or perform some act that was essential to the success of the Continental Army. While that sounds more like something, you would have to do to earn the Medal of Honor, the badge was a cloth purple heart with the word “merit” stitched across it in white. So, in a way, both the Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart came from the Badge of Military Merit. One thing that made the badge different was that it was the first award meant for enlisted troops. Before this, the only way to recognize heroism by an enlisted soldier was to promote him, or for a general to give him a battlefield commission. No one knows for sure how many soldiers ever received the Badge of Military Merit, though. It could be as few as three. And the book in which recipients’ names were recorded has been lost for more than 200 years. Washington’s order could lapse after the war ended and the Purple Heart was not revived until Feb. 22, 1932, on Washington’s 200th birthday. Designed by Elizabeth Will, an Army heraldic specialist, the modern medal features a profile image of Washington. Once again, the medal was awarded for meritorious service, but now soldiers could also receive it if they had been wounded by the enemy. The award was made retroactive -- World War I soldiers who had earned certain awards could apply for the Purple Heart. The first medal was presented to Gen. Douglas MacArthur, the Army chief of staff at the time. At first, the Purple Heart was only available to soldiers, but in 1942 Congress changed the rules for earning the award, authorizing it only for wounds, and made it available to all services, including some civilians. Civilians who worked with the military, like Red Cross workers or war reporters, remained eligible for the award until 1997. Civilian employees of the Defense Department who are killed or wounded by an enemy now receive the Defense of Freedom Medal. • Army Sgt. Stubby, a dog who was smuggled to Europe by members of the 102nd Infantry Regiment, earned the Purple Heart twice during World War I -- once for being wounded in a gas attack and once for being wounded by a grenade. However, as of April 25, 1962, when President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 11016 and formally established the rules for awarding the Purple Heart medal, military service animals are no longer able to receive the award. • About 1.07 million Purple Hearts were awarded during World War II, more than were awarded in all the other conflicts of the 20th century combined. • Chief Nurse Beatrice Mary MacDonald was assigned to a British Clearing Hospital in Belgium during World War I. In 1917, she lost her right eye when German aircraft bombed her hospital. She received the Purple Heart for her wounds in 1936, retroactively making her the first woman to earn the award. She was also the first woman to earn the Distinguished Service Cross. MacDonald served with the Army in Belgium and France for the rest of the war. ◼ Continued to page 19 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 19
The Purple Heart: America’s Oldest Medal
◼ Continued from page 18
• One of the most famous civilians to earn the Purple Heart was Ernie Pyle, a war correspondent who covered World War II from the trenches of Europe before being killed in the Battle of Okinawa. • Audie Murphy received the Purple Heart three times during World War II. He also received every combat award for valor available from the Army -- including the Medal of Honor -- as well as French and Belgian awards for heroism. • Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Reckless, a horse, received the Purple Heart twice for wounds she received in combat during the Korean War. • The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is in New Windsor, New York.
VA to award more than 425 grants, $279 million to help prevent and end Veteran homelessness
The U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it will award more than 425 grants to community organizations totaling approximately $279 million under the Grant Per Diem (GPD) program. The GPD program provides funding to community organizations that provide transitional housing and supportive services for homeless Veterans, with the goal of helping homeless Veterans achieve residential stability, increase their skill levels and income and obtain greater self-determination. “The GPD program is one component of VA’s multifaceted continuum of services and resources to help Veterans exit homelessness,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “No Veteran should ever have to worry whether they will have stable housing, and these grants put us one step closer to ensuring all Veterans are living in a safe and supportive environment.” The award period begins Oct. 1 to support three different types of grants to address the unique needs of Veterans who are homeless: • Per Diem only grants are used to provide transitional housing beds and operate service centers for Veterans experiencing homelessness. These grants provide funding in the form of per diem payments to reimburse grantees for the cost of care provided to Veterans during the award period. A total of 369 grants to organizations will be awarded to provide 12,138 beds and 18 service centers totaling approximately $221 million. • Special Need grants provide funding to organizations that incur additional operational costs to help Veterans with special needs who are experiencing homelessness, including women, individuals with chronic mental illnesses and Veterans who care for minor dependents. A total of 11 grants to organizations will be awarded totaling approximately $2.4 million. • Transition in Place grants provide funding to community agencies that place Veterans experiencing homelessness in transitional housing while providing them with supportive services. These services are designed to help Veterans become more stable and independent, with the ultimate goal of Veterans assuming full responsibility for the lease or other housing agreement. When that goal has been achieved, the transitional residence becomes the Veteran’s permanent residence, and supportive services come to an end. A total of 46 grants to organizations will be awarded to provide 723 beds totaling $55.3 million. The GPD program has provided Veterans who are homeless with community-based transitional housing and supportive services since 1994. 20 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Zachary Luther earns Scout of Year award
Eagle Scout Zachary S. Luther was named VFW Post 5864’s Scout of the Year for 2019-2020. He is a senior at Franklin Central High School and is a member of Boy Scout Troop 104. Previously he was a member of Cub Scout Pack 107 for five years. Zachary’s Eagle Project was to build picnic tables for the Marion County Police District offices and the SWAT team offices. He has earned numerous Boy Scout badges, awards, and certificates over the last six years. He has been involved in the Boy Scouts of America since February 2014. He earned his Eagle designation in June 2019. Zachary has been appointed to a head leadership role in the Robotics program at his high school to run the program for this academic year. He has Zachary S. Luther been involved in the Robotics program for all of his high school career. ______
ABLE accounts allow tax benefit for disabled Vets
As the result of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014, states are allowed to create a tax-advantaged savings program for eligible people with disabilities. The 529-A ABLE accounts can help designated beneficiaries pay for qualified disability expenses with the distributions being tax-free. In honoring the more than 4.7 million veterans with service- connected disabilities, the Internal Revenue Service encourages veterans to check the tax benefits of ABLE accounts. ______
Steak Dinners at the VFW are back! Friday, Sept. 4
$ 16
includes
Steak grilled as you want it, baked potato, salad, and a roll ______Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 21
To end homelessness
VA to award more than $400 million in grants
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced it will begin awarding more than $400 million in grants under the Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program (SSVF) to 266 non-profit organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Oct. 1 of this year. SSVF funding provides thousands of low-income Veteran families around the nation with access to case management and other assistance to rapidly re-house Veterans who become homeless or prevent Veterans from becoming homeless. “Helping Veterans exit homelessness and remain in stable housing is more important now than ever,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program remains a vital resource to ensure that every Veteran has a safe and stable place to call home, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.” In fiscal year (FY) 2019, SSVF served 105,156 individuals, including 70,524 Veterans and 20,608 children. As a result of these and other efforts, Veteran homelessness has been cut in half since 2010’s launch of the Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Since then, VA’s homelessness programs and targeted housing vouchers provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development have placed hundreds of thousands of Veterans and their family members into permanent housing or helped to prevent them from being homeless. This year’s grant recipients competed for funding under a Notice of Fund Availability published Dec. 5, 2019. The funding will support SSVF services in fiscal year 2021 which begins Oct. 1 and ends Sept. 30, 2021. Visit VA homeless SSVF to view the list of 2020 grantees and to learn more about the program. ______
VFW Auxiliary Patriotic Art Winner
Logan Mercuri, a 17-year old Junior at Roncalli High School was the VFW Post 5864 Auxiliary’s winner for the State of Indiana in the annual Patriotic Art contest. Logan entered his art via Greenwood VFW Post 5864’s Auxiliary. Linda Kessinger, in photo at right, a former Post and District Auxiliary President presents Logan with a certificate. He also was given a check for his efforts from the State Auxiliary. In the photo on the left is Logan’s mother and father, brought him in for the photo session.
22 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
To help Veterans at risk VA and America’s Adopt A Soldier partner The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced it is collecting laptop and mobile phone donations through an established partner non-profit organization, America’s Adopt A Soldier, to help Veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness stay connected to their health care providers, case managers and loved ones. Through these donations, Veterans can access treatment plans, medical support, social networks and more while also following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention safe distancing guidelines. “As VA continues to help provide secure, safe and stable housing for all Veterans, we’re also helping them stay connected to needed services, family and friends,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This partnership makes those valuable connections possible for Veterans who might not otherwise have access to mobile phones or computers.” Hundreds of smartphones and laptops have been collected through public and corporate donations. These donations have been shipped to Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 21, which includes VA Health Care Systems for San Francisco, Palo Alto, Northern California, and Southern Nevada. The laptops and smartphones will go to Veterans enrolled in one of three VA programs: Housing and Urban Development – VA Supportive Housing, Grant and Per Diem transitional housing and Health Care for Homeless Veterans Contract Residential Services. As additional donations arrive, the Adopt A Soldier will work with VA to identify additional VISNs in need. “While America’s Adopt A Soldier has had a long-standing partnership with VA to help Veterans at risk of homelessness in other ways, this project allows for the organizations to meet the urgent needs of Veterans at risk of or experiencing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Mary Keeser, founder and chair of America’s Adopt a Soldier and former U.S. Army Officer. “The success of this project will also ensure we are able to better plan for and respond to future or long-term requirements.”
Annual dues can be paid thru “Auto-Pay” at VFW
There is another way for continuous members to pay their annual dues. They are still able to mail their dues into National Headquarters or pay them directly to their Post Quartermaster. They now have “Auto-Pay”. With the VFW’s Auto-Pay, you can set up automatic payments of your annual dues to VFW from your bank account or credit card accounts. It is easy, fast and fully secure. Here’s how it works. For annual dues, the automatic charges date is Sept. 1 to pay dues for the upcoming year. Once set up, automatic payment will continue every year until you either cancel or change the status of your membership. With Auto-Pay, you provide your payment information at www.VFW.org and your membership is automatically renewed annually. To get started, just follow these few simple steps: -- Click “Login” at www.VFW.org (If you have not set up and account you can do that here) -- Click “Member Services” -- Click “Manage Account” and “Yes” under the Auto-Pay Option -- Enter Payment Information It’s just that easy. Best of all, you are in full control of your membership record. You can change your payment information or cancel at any time. Plus, you can make other changes to your account, such as updating contact information, requesting replacement membership card and more. We encourage you to sign up for Auto-Pay today. Your membership always stays current, you save time and postage and you have 24-hour access to your membership record. If you would like to take advantage of VFW’s Auto-Pay, and do not have internet access contact the Dues Processing Department at VFW National Headquarters at 1-800-963-3180. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 23
How staff and residents are thriving in a demanding age Indiana Veterans Home offers quality senior living
by Dennis A. Wimer, Director -- Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs
The end of the American Civil War left many Hoosier soldiers disabled and in need of housing and medical care. In 1895, Indiana established the Indiana State Soldiers Home on more than 187 acres in Tippecanoe County to care for these wounded heroes. Now, 125 years later the Indiana Veterans Home (IVH) provides quality care for more than 160 veterans, their spouses, and Gold Star parents. The Home’s legacy of caring and commitment to maintaining top staff and facilities begins with board-certified physicians, highly skilled nursing, independent living, and memory care staff. On-site medical care includes physical and ______occupational therapy, podiatry, dentistry, optometry, x-ray services, pharmacy, and transportation to Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis. Furthermore, the Home has two memory care units for the care of residents who have been diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer's. Residents are placed in the unit based on their level of functioning, high or low, with care and activities specifically tailored to their level of need. IVH is a large facility with nearly 300 beds available and more than 200 dedicated employees working tirelessly around the clock to ensure Indiana’s veterans receive the best care available during these challenging times. I have complete faith and confidence in all the staff, and I trust them to make the best decisions for Indiana’s finest. In addition to excellence in medical care, residents of IVH also enjoy a library and media center, a chapel and full-time chaplain, beauty salon and barber shop, fishing ponds, sprawling gardens, lounges, and game rooms. An activity that makes the Indiana Veterans Home so special is its connection with veteran communities across the state. Almost every week there is an organization that reaches out to the Home and connects with residents and the staff. All residents have the
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24 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Indiana Veterans Home . . . ◼ Continued from page 23 added benefit of participating in these veteran and patriotic events throughout the year. Recreation is very important and helps makes IVH a place to call home. Our residents love to play Bingo, so we have made sure they can continue playing while practicing social distancing. IVH prides itself on providing clean, comfortable rooms and furniture, appetizing and nutritious meals made by registered dietitians, and beautiful, scenic gardens throughout the sizable campus. The pride and excellence of the Veteran Home staff has been seen in the current pandemic. In early March, the leadership team took immediate action to prevent COVID-19 from entering the campus by implementing procedures to limit infection potential. Currently no residents have tested positive for COVID-19. It is incumbent upon us to make sure those who gave so much to our country can live and thrive in a healthy and caring environment, free from fear. This commitment is particularly important during a time when conflict lives on and battles continue, even after their military service has ended. It is our duty and our honor to keep the Indiana Veterans Home to the highest standards now and for future generations of veterans and their families. ______
VFW, Humana surpass original goal in the face of COVID-19 pandemic More than 1 Million meals raised for food pantries
The Veterans of Foreign Wars is proud to announce its 2020 “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign has raised more than 1 million meals for veterans and military families in need, transcending its original goal of 500,000. VFW Quartermaster General Debra Anderson and Ed Sandrick, director of Humana’s Strategic Alliances and Veteran Channel, made the special announcement live Monday during the VFW’s #StillServing Celebration, a virtual, weeklong event to bring awareness, respect and gratitude to veterans who remain committed to a life of service after their time in the military ends. Originally established in March of 2018, “Uniting to Combat Hunger” is a collaborative campaign from the VFW and Humana designed to help to raise awareness and fight food insecurity in the veteran and military communities. Defined as the lack of access to enough nutritionally adequate foods to live an active, healthy life, food insecurity contributes to poor health, lower productivity and higher medical costs. This societal issue impacts one in nine Americans, and 25% of Iraq and Afghanistan War veterans. Initially planned as a national food drive, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic forced this year’s “Uniting to Combat Hunger” campaign to drastically shift its focus to raising donations in support of local VA food pantries that were struggling to keep up with the increasing needs of the veteran and military families in their communities. “When we set our goal of 500,000 meals, we never could have anticipated the increased struggles the COVID-19 pandemic would bring,” said VFW National Commander William “Doc” Schmitz. “As more and more military and veteran families struggled to put food on the table, shifting our focus to supporting local VA food pantries just made sense. The efforts and dedication of VFW members, Humana representatives and VA employees across the country are perfect examples of how we are #StillServing.” “It’s an honor to support veteran and military families during this unprecedented time, as no one should be food insecure,” said Ed Sandrick, Humana Director of Strategic Alliances and Veteran Channel. “Through the ‘Uniting To Combat Hunger’ campaign, we’re proud to help feed those who have sacrificed so much for our country and we’re thrilled to more than double our goal in collaboration with dedicated partners like the VFW.” Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 25
From the Indiana VFW Department Surgeon
Comrades, I want to thank each and every one of you for electing me to the position of Surgeon for the Department of Indiana. This is an honor and a privilege. One of the duties of Surgeon is to look out for the health and welfare of our members. One issue that is very important to me is suicide prevention. During these turbulent times do not hesitate to reach out if you are having problems. It does not matter how strong you think you are we all need assistance once in a while. Please read the following article. TRAGIC END -- A Green Beret solider, 34, known as Captain America kills himself in front of horrified wife after six brutal Afghan tours. Credit: The U.S. Sun. Jon Lockett, July 12, 2020 A decorated special forces soldier known as 'Captain America' has tragically committed suicide in front of his wife. Green Beret Andrew Christian Marckesano, 34, served a dozen combat tours in danger zones, including six during the Afghan war. Green Beret Andrew Christian Marckesano was known as 'Captain America' He took his own life at his home in Alexandria, Virginia. His suicide was the 30th from the 2nd Battalion, 508th parachute infantry regiment – which had the highest casualty rates of any U.S. unit in Afghanistan. The warrior's friends have since revealed he never fully recovered from his tour with them in the deadly Arghandab Valley in 2009. At the time the battle-scarred region was considered the most dangerous place on earth. "That deployment was like being in the ring with Mike Tyson for a year," the battalion's former Command Sgt. Major Bert Puckett said. Master Sergeant Marckesano was revered by his fellow soldiers and known to all as 'Captain America.' In 2009, Marckesano patrolled Afghanistan's Arghandab Valley. He earned a Silver Star for bravery and recently started working for the Pentagon. Last Monday, after having dinner with his former commander, he returned to his home in Alexandria, Virginia, and took his own life. It is not yet clear how he killed himself. He was still on active duty and leaves behind three small children. In the days before he died, he sent this message to fellow soldiers: "Text me, I told you before my door is open . . . my phone is at hand. "We did things that people make movies about and in some cases, writers and producers wouldn't even try to write our story. The Arghandab Valley was the most dangerous place on Earth. "The rucksack is heavy, and when it gets heavy we [&$#*] help each other, but you have to reach out. Don't let the Valley win." Records show 2009 was America's third most deadly year of the war with 310 casualties. In December, the 508th Infantry Regiment were sent to the Arghandab Valley to support Operation Enduring Freedom. They were taking over from the 1-17th Infantry Regiment after they encountered heavy losses in battles with the Taliban and al-Qaeda. Around 20 combat veterans are now killing themselves every day in the country, according to military statistics. Last month, President Trump launched the PREVENTS Task Force to aid veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress. "My administration is marshaling every resource to stop the crisis of veteran suicide and protect our nation's most treasured heroes," Trump said. "They've been through so much, and it's such a deep-seated problem." If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741. The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans and Service members in crisis and their families and friends with qualified, caring VA responders through a confidential toll-free hotline, online chat, or text. Call 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, 24/ 7.
Thank you for everything you do. -- Sheila Corcoran, Surgeon -- [email protected] 26 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Did you know? Some facts about Veterans Day and Veterans
Here are a few interesting – and some little-known – facts about Veterans Day and veterans. How many did you already know? • According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, there are over 23 million war veterans living in the United States. • Veterans over the age of 65 number 9.2 million, while 1.9 million are under the age of 35. • Female veterans’ number 1.8 million. • Veterans who served during the Vietnam War era (1964-1975) number 7.8 million, which represents 33 percent of all living veterans. • Veterans who served during the Gulf War (representing service from Aug. 2, 1990, to present) number 5.2 million. • Veterans who served during World War II (1941-1945) number 2.6 million. • Veterans who served during the Korean War (1950-1953) number 2.8 million. • Six million veterans served in peacetime. • Five states have more than one million veterans in their population: California (2.1 million), Florida (1.7 million), Texas (1.7 million), New York (one million), Pennsylvania (one million). • Veterans are more likely to vote: 14.7 million veterans voted in the 2012 presidential election. That is 70 percent of all veterans. • Veterans Day was originally called “Armistice Day.” On November 11, 1919, it was the first anniversary of the end of World War I and was originally established to honor veterans of World War I, but now it extends to all veterans. Congress made it a national holiday in 1938 and renamed it Veterans Day in 1954. • In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed by Congress, which moved the celebration of Veterans Day to the fourth Monday in October. The law went into effect in 1971, but in 1975 President Ford returned Veterans Day to November 11, due to the important historical significance of the date. • The song “God Bless America” debuted on the radio for Veterans Day in 1938. Although Irving Berlin wrote it in 1918, it was another 20 years before he changed the lyrics and turned it into the patriotic ballad we now know. It debuted as part of an Armistice Day radio special on November 10, the day before Veterans Day, and was performed by “The First Lady of Radio,” Kate Smith. She became best known for her rendition of this song. • The motto of the Department of Veterans Affairs is a quote from Abraham Lincoln. “To care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow, and his orphan” is from the final paragraph of Lincoln’s second inaugural address. • Britain, France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate the veterans of World Wars I and II on or near November 11th: Canada has Remembrance Day, while Britain has Remembrance Sunday (the second Sunday or November). In Europe, Britain, and the Commonwealth countries, it is common to observe two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. every November 11. • Every year on Veterans Day, at exactly 11 a.m., a wreath-laying ceremony is held at the Tomb of the Unknowns in the Arlington National Cemetery. • The first Veterans Day parade was held in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1947.
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VFW Saturday bar hours changed to 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, August 15, the hours of the Post changed to 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. If there is a banquet room rental or another event scheduled, the front bar will stay open until the time that the banquet is over or as determined by the bartender on duty. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 27 ______
______28 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
This Day in History… August 13, 1918 -- MysticStamp First of 305 women enlist in the Marine Corps Reserve
On August 13, 1918, Opha May Johnson became the first woman to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. According to legend, the first American female Marine may have been Lucy Brewer. Stories claim she disguised herself as a man and snuck aboard the U.S.S. Constitution during the War of 1812. However, there is little evidence to support that claim. When the U.S. entered World War I in April 1917, thousands of young men volunteered to fight for their country, while many more became drafted into service. With thousands of men leaving the country to fight, this left open positions that some realized could be filled by women. In May 1917, the Navy began admitting women to serve in administrative positions. Months later, the secretary of the Navy remarked, “In my opinion, the importance of the part which our American women play in the successful prosecution of the war cannot be overestimated.” U.S. Postage Stamp No. 1013 was Soon, new organizations such as the National League issued to honor the role of women for Women’s Services and the Women’s Committee of the in the armed services. Council of National Defense were formed to help organize women’s activities all over the country. Much of this included volunteer work – making bandages, knitting clothes, planting victory gardens, and canning food. Women also began organizing book and clothing drives and selling Liberty Bonds. They started taking over jobs that were traditionally held by men – elevator operators, streetcar conductors, postal carriers, and industrial workers. As American involvement in the war continued, the need for additional workers hit the military especially hard. The Army sought to include women, but the law at the time specifically only permitted the enlistment of men. By July 1918, war demands reached an all-time high. In the Marines, there was a shortage of trained personnel and men were sent to Europe as soon as possible. It was U.S. Postage Stamp No. 3174 discovered that there was a large number of battle-ready honors the role of women in the Marines doing clerical work in the US, despite being badly military. needed at the front. The Marines then investigated the possibility of employing women for these clerical jobs. On August 2, the Marines requested authority to hire women for clerical duties. Six days later, they received authorization from the secretary of the Navy to do so. Word of this new policy spread quickly through newspaper and word of mouth. On August 13, 1918, thousands of women across the country marched into recruiting offices to join the Marines. Opha May Johnson was first in line at her local recruiting station and had the distinction of being the first woman enlisted into the U.S. Marines. Johnson was hired as a clerk Headquarters Marine Corps. By the time the war ended, she was a sergeant, the highest-ranking female Marine. The majority of female Marines (sometimes called Marinettes) worked as bookkeepers, accountants, and typists. Though thousands of women volunteered, the Marines had strict guidelines – the women needed to have specific experience and pass a physical examination. By war’s end, a total of 305 women had enrolled and served in the Marines. ◼ Continued to page 29 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 29
305 women enlist in the Marine Corps . . .
◼ Continued from page 28
When the war ended and the men returned home, most of the female Marines were discharged, while some opted to finish out their four years. The Marines were no longer recruiting women. However, women would be mobilized for the Marines once again in 1943. During World War II, over 22,000 women joined the Marines performing 200 different jobs. This time their work extended beyond clerical jobs to include parachute riggers, mechanics, radio operators, mapmakers, and welders. While most of these women were once again demobilized after the war, Congress passed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act in 1948. The act permitted the enlistment of women into the regular component of the Marines and other armed services.
Secretary Wilkie honors President Lincoln’s second inaugural address giving VA its mission and motto
Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Robert Wilkie dedicated a permanent memorial at the Camp Butler National Cemetery in Springfield, IL, celebrating President Lincoln’s second inaugural address which gave VA its mission and motto. The plaque rests at a VA-run cemetery in the city that became Lincoln’s home. Next to the plaque is an interpretive sign that explains how Lincoln’s words would come to serve as VA’s motto and that vision grew into the department we know today. March 4, 1865, Lincoln stood at the U.S. Capitol and sought to heal the nation in one of the most important speeches in American history. At the end of his remarks, Lincoln asked the nation to care for those Americans who take the oath and fight to defend us, a call that VA still answers today. “With malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation’s wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow, and his orphan – to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations,” Lincoln said. Under Secretary Wilkie’s direction, all 145 VA national cemeteries will display these interpretive signs, so all Americans understand the importance of VA’s mission. “Today’s VA welcomes all Veterans, including the 10% of all Veterans who are women. The words that brought us here should not be diluted, parsed or cancelled,” Wilkie said. “The words that brought us here ought to be preserved as they were spoken and displayed so every generation understands the origin of America’s progress in becoming the most tolerant nation on earth.”
Greenwood VFW Post 5864’s
The Annual Bingo License,
Annual Casino Game Night License,
and Annual Raffle License is # 002855
30 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
VFW Post and Auxiliary activities
Website, Facebook and e-mails keep us up-to-date
Greenwood VFW Post 5864’s new website has generated an average of just over 132.62 “hits” daily since the beginning of November 2015. The website is updated at the beginning of each month with the newest Newsletter and Calendar. Other changes are made throughout the month as needed. The website has garnered 230,756 people viewing it for the past 58 months, or a total of 3,979 views per month We are in the process of determining the best way to add the multitude of photos we have taken in the last several years. For those of you who have not been on our VFW website, please go to greenwoodvfw.com and look through it. Our Facebook is updated daily. Sherri Jones, Steve Milbourn and Cindy Reinert post various news stories and photos to this media. E-mails are sent out on an “as needed” basis and they are sent via Blind Carbon Copy. The reason for this is so no one will not use the e-mail addresses to benefit themselves or a business. If you think of something that needs added, e-mail it to Steve Milbourn, [email protected].
______
We need you to #MaskUpHoosiers
Indiana is slowly reopening for business, but the fight against COVID-19 is far from over. Wearing a face mask is one of the simplest, most effective ways to slow the spread of the virus, but we need everyone to do their part to keep our state safe. That is why we are asking all Hoosiers to mask up — and speak up about how wearing your mask can save lives. ______
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Call 317-888-2488 to order, pay for and then pick-up ______Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 31 Education VA survey to collect customer feedback on benefits
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced the launching of its Veterans Signals (VSignals) surveys to assess education benefits processes. VA’s Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) will email one of three surveys to randomly selected Veterans and beneficiaries who have recently interacted with VA’s education benefits program. The survey focuses on the experience at one of three critical touchpoints in the GI Bill journey: either applying for benefits, enrolling in school, or receiving education benefits offered through VBA. VA provides education benefits to more than 900,000 beneficiaries annually. “VA is using VSignals as part of a strategy to leverage customer experience data,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “The surveys give beneficiaries an opportunity to provide direct feedback on VA’s performance. We are constantly searching for ways to better serve the nation’s Veterans.” As part of its ongoing commitment to improve customer satisfaction, VBA worked with beneficiaries to design the surveys. The results will be used to identify trends in customer experience and design program improvements, as necessary. Education participants will have the opportunity to give direct feedback regarding education benefits and services. Direct feedback, from Veterans and other beneficiaries, is a key component of VBA’s three-part customer experience framework which is to: • Listen to our customers. • Improve processes, benefits and services based on what we hear. • Empower employees to act. VA’s Veterans Experience Office (VEO) built the VSignals platform based on industry best practices for use across VA to collect feedback and transform the experience Veterans have when they interact with VA. Since June 2017, VSignals has surveyed more than 28.8 million participants, receiving 5.2 million responses with an average return rate of 17.9%.
Video appointments provide Veterans safe access to care VA Video Connect visits increase by over 1000%
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced telehealth video appointments using VA Video Connect increased from approximately 10,000 to 120,000 appointments a week between February and May of 2020. This increase of 1000% is attributed to VA providers and Veterans taking precautions against COVID-19. “As we near the three-year anniversary of the launch of VA Video Connect, even during these challenging times, VA has and continues to maintain access to high-quality health care for Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “As the service becomes more popular, VA remains committed to providing a seamless user experience to ensure Veterans have access to care where and when they need it.” VA Video Connect allows Veterans and their caregivers to meet virtually with their VA care teams on any computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection. It is one of the largest and most successful digital health platforms in the nation and currently enables more than 25,000 virtual appointments, including mental health appointments each day. VA is also taking strides to bridge the digital divide for Veterans who lack the technology or broadband internet connectivity required to participate in VA telehealth services. More than 26,000 cellular-enabled tablets are currently distributed to Veterans across the country. Major wireless carriers T-Mobile, Sprint, now part of T-Mobile, SafeLink by Tracfone and Verizon are allowing Veterans to access VA telehealth services without incurring data charges. Due to increased demand during the COVID-19 pandemic, VA is rapidly expanding VA Video Connect, allowing more Veterans and VA care teams to connect by video. During this time, Veterans using VA Video Connect with limited data plans could temporarily experience data charges 32 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Congressional Gold Medal presented U.S.S. Indianapolis CA-35 crew receives medal
The Final Crew of the U.S.S. Indianapolis CA-35 received the Congressional Gold Medal for their historic contributions to our country. The Medal will be permanently displayed in the U.S.S. Indianapolis CA-35 Museum located inside the Indiana War Memorial (IWM) Museum at 55 E. Michigan St. Indianapolis, IN 46204. The Museum is currently closed due to the pandemic and will open as soon as conditions permit Wednesday-Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Gold Medal is breath-taking and the IWM was honored to host this most deserving national recognition. As always, there is no admission charge and we hope you will plan to visit the Medal when the health restrictions are lifted. Since the American Revolution, Congress has commissioned gold medals as its highest expression of national appreciation for distinguished achievements and contributions. Each medal honors a particular individual, institution, or event. Although the first recipients included citizens who participated in the American Revolution, the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, Congress broadened the scope of the medal to include actors, authors, entertainers, musicians, pioneers in aeronautics and space, explorers, lifesavers, notables in science and medicine, athletes, humanitarians, public servants, and foreign recipients. In addition to the requirement that all Congressional Gold Medal legislation must be co-sponsored by at least two-thirds (290) of the Members of the House, specific standards are set forth by Rule X, 2 (h) of the House Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on Domestic Policy and Technology when considering such legislation. Additionally, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee require that at least 67 Senators must cosponsor any Congress- ional Gold Medal legislation before the committee will consider it. J. Stewart Goodwin, Brig Gen, U.S.A.F. (Ret.) is the Executive Director of the Indiana War Memorials Commission. The 75th reunion (virtual) was held on July 30, July 31 and August 1. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 33
VFW breakfast begins Saturday, Sept. 12 at 8 a.m.
Breakfast at the VFW will begin on Saturday, Sept. 12 beginning at 8 a.m. and ending at 11 a.m. The Post’s cook, Leisa Folkening and VFW member Sherri Jones have both volunteered to work the Saturday morning breakfasts. Breakfast will be served through the fall, winter, and early Spring. Normally breakfast has been shut down in mid- April to early May, however depending on the weekly sales, the Post may decide to keep breakfast open on a year-round basis. Big Breakfast -- 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, 1 biscuit and sausage gravy, potatoes, white, wheat or rye toast or a biscuit, and coffee or soft drink -- $8.50 Regular Breakfast -- 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, 1 biscuit and sausage gravy, and potatoes -- $7.25 – add coffee or soft drink -- $7.75. Omelet Choices -- Western Omelet – contains ham or bacon, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cheese blend. Includes potatoes, white, wheat, rye toast and coffee or soft drink -- $9.00; Ham & Cheese Omelet – potatoes, white, wheat, rye toast and coffee or soft drink -- $8.50. Sides – extra egg -- $1.25; 2 eggs -- $2.25; coffee – 10 oz. -- .50; orange juice – 10 oz. -- $1.25; cranberry juice -- $1.25; tomato juice -- 1.25; toast – 2 Pieces -- $1.25; Milk – 10 oz. -- $1.25; 2 strips of bacon -- $2.75; 1 order of potatoes -- $2.25; 3 pieces of mush -- $2.25; 1 pancake -- $1.25; 2 pancakes -- $2.50; 1 biscuit and gravy -- $1.25; 2 biscuits and gravy -- $2.25.
Board of Veterans’ Appeals reaches goal early
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced the Board of Veterans’ Appeals (Board) has exceeded its annual goal of issuing 91,500 appeals decisions in fiscal year 2020. The Board reached this goal weeks ahead of schedule and is on track to issue more decisions. “This goal was reached ahead of schedule despite the challenges and difficulties of operating during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. This shows the Board’s agility, flexibility and most importantly its unwavering commitment to Veterans.” The Board was able to quickly pivot to a 99% telework environment at the onset of COVID-19, to ensure that appeals decisions on VA benefits and services to Veterans were not delayed. It has also provided Veterans the option to choose virtual tele-hearings, allowing them to continue to hold hearings before the Board in a safe, no-contact environment. Since March 23, the Board has held more than 3,000 virtual tele-hearings and continues to increase capacity for more Veterans to transition to a virtual hearing environment. ______
VFW Post 5864 is complying with COVID-19 rules
VFW Post 5864 has masks available; a thermometer to take anyone’s temperature; and hand sanitizer in all four bathrooms, in the bar room and in both banquet rooms as well as the kitchen. Employees are required to wear a mask, however patrons can wear one or they don’t have to wear one, it’s their choice. We are asking all Hoosiers to mask up — and speak up about how wearing your mask can save lives. ______34 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Services to Veterans with the push of a button VA partners with OnStar to bring suicide prevention
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced it is partnering with OnStar’s emergency services to improve access to suicide prevention resources for Veterans. This partnership will offer Veterans in crisis the opportunity to be transferred to around-the-clock, confidential support via VA’s Veterans Crisis Line (VCL) when they use the emergency services button in an OnStar-equipped vehicle or OnStar Guardian smartphone app. “The VA-OnStar partnership aims to promote suicide prevention and reduce deaths by suicide by providing additional resources to Veterans,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “This partnership will help Veterans access suicide prevention support services and assistance directly and immediately. More than 400 VA suicide prevention coordinators and their teams, located at every VA medical center, connect Veterans with care and educate the community about suicide prevention programs and resources daily.” An average of 20 Veterans die by suicide each day. Through this partnership, VA and OnStar, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors, will collaborate to provide education and training to VA clinicians and OnStar call center staff to facilitate suicide prevention efforts for Veterans. Additionally, VA will provide resources and education to OnStar about military culture and how to determine if a caller is a Veteran. “OnStar services are designed to help our customers go out into the world feeling safer, and we recognize that for many people, and in particular Veterans, a crisis can start from within,” said Catherine Bishop, senior global emergency services manager for OnStar. “This partnership with VA allows our emergency-certified advisors to better serve the heroes who have served us.” Suicide prevention is a top priority and VA has made great strides in Veteran suicide prevention.
No exceptions to this rule
Liquor, beer and wine must be purchased from Post
The Post was recently approached by an individual who wanted to rent our facility and purchase their own liquor, beer, wine, and any type of alcoholic beverage and bring it to our facility. A portion of the Post’s income is based on the sale of alcohol, food, and room rental. Because our prices are very low, we cannot allow anyone to bring these items to our property. Also, if an alcoholic drink is purchased at our VFW, the drink cannot be taken off our property. That would require us to have a “carry-out” license, which we do not have. If a renter is found to have any alcoholic beverages with them, they will be asked to leave immediately. It is ultimately the Post’s responsibility to make sure that no alcohol is brought into the Post. However, according to our rental agreement, we will also hold the renter of record responsible for this act. We may even ask the entire party to leave our premises if the incident is widespread and no monetary refunds will be provided. In addition, anyone who rents any part of our facility must sign an agreement with their correct contact information. ______
VFW thanks Taiwanese government for generous donation
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Washington Office Executive Director B.J. Lawrence met with Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s de facto ambassador to the United States. The two met at the VFW Washington Office where Lawrence thanked her for the wonderful and generous donation of 250,000 medical masks from the Taiwanese government. The masks are scheduled to be delivered over the next few days to VFW Departments and the veteran community around the world to help keep them healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 35
December deadline is Thursday, September 17 at 5 p.m.
News and photo submission policy is announced
Members of the VFW and the Auxiliary are encouraged to submit news articles and photos to be published in the Post’s monthly newsletter. Auxiliary members (formerly Ladies Auxiliary) should contact Freda Boutwell via e-mail at [email protected], or by dropping off the information at the Post addressed to her. All other news and photos can be e-mailed to Steve Milbourn. Information can also be dropped off at the VFW and given to the bartender on duty. It is important that you place your name and phone number on the item in case there are any questions. Please ensure that names are legible. Your article may be edited for clarity. All photos must have the following information with them: who, what, when, where, why and how the photo was taken, and who is in the photo. Please submit all articles by the deadline each month for the next month’s publication. The VFW’s Editor is Steve Milbourn, and his phone number is 317-525-7291 or [email protected]. The deadline for the October newsletter is Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5 p.m.
Especially to those who served in Vietnam
“Hanoi Jane” urinal targets an important reminder
Over the last 50 years there have been many “Hanoi Jane” urinal targets in bathrooms in VFW’s, American Legions and other military-type organizations throughout the United States. Recently there have been individuals who are either members or have visited our VFW who apparently do not understand the meaning of having her “targets” in our urinals. Jane Fonda disrespected veterans by going to Hanoi (which was illegal) and carrying on a war of her own against the American soldier and the American people during the Vietnam War. In my mind, what she did was unconscionable. I also understand the First Amendment to the Constitution – Freedom of Speech. But with that understanding, it is important to remember the 58,000 plus men and woman who died attempting to carry on the legacy of the United States of America. My point is that someone has been tearing out the stickers from the urinals. Please read up on “Hanoi Jane” and try to understand that as a Vietnam veteran we were doing what they asked us to do. We pledged our allegiance to the United States and our citizens to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies, both foreign and domestic. “Hanoi Jane” was not the veteran’s friend. I left South Vietnam on October 6, 1967 – 52 years ago. I still have as much disdain today for her and her actions as I did when she committed her sins. I will never be able to forgive her.
An Editorial . . . . -- This is the opinion of Steve Milbourn and not that of the VFW.
Any donation provided to Greenwood VFW Post 5864 is tax deductible! We appreciate your consideration and will provide you a receipt for a tax deduction.
36 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
Property Tax Deductions per Indiana Code 6-1.1-12
Section 13
Eligible veterans may be able to deduct $24,960 from the assessed value of their property if: 1. the individual served in the military or naval forces of the U.S. during any of its wars 2. the individual received an honorable discharge 3. the individual has a disability with a service-connected disability of 10% or more Wartime Service Dates: WW-II: December 7, 1941 - December 31, 1946 Korea: June 21, 1950 - January 31, 1955 Vietnam August 5, 1964 - May 7, 1975 Gulf War August 2, 1990 - Present (or a date to be determined by congress) The surviving spouse of the individual may receive this deduction if the veteran was eligible at the time of their death. The surviving spouse may also receive this deduction regardless of whether the property was owned by the deceased veteran or by the surviving spouse before the veteran's death.
Section 14
Eligible veterans may be able to deduct $12,480 from the assessed value of their property if: Note: this deduction will increase to $14,000.00 beginning in the 2020 assessment year. 1. the individual served in the military or naval forces of the U.S. for at least 90 days 2. the individual received an honorable discharge 3. the individual either: (A) has a total disability; or (B) is a least 62 years old AND has a disability of at least 10% To receive the $12,480 deduction the assessed value of the property may not exceed $175,000 Note: the assessed property value cap will increase to $200,000 beginning in the 2020 assessment year. The individual's disability is evidenced by: 1. a pension certificate or award of compensation issued by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs or a certificate of eligibility issued by the Indiana Dept. of Veterans Affairs after determination that the individual's disability and service dates qualify the individual to receive a deduction. The surviving spouse of an individual may receive this deduction if: 1. the individual was eligible for the deduction at the time of their death or 2. the individual was killed in action or died while serving on active duty in the military or naval forces of the U.S. or died while performing inactive duty training in the military or naval forces. Other requirements can be referenced in Indiana Code 6-1.1-12-14 regarding assessed value. If an individual is eligible for the above deductions but does not own property, a credit for vehicle excise tax may be taken. The amount of excise tax is the lesser of the following: 1. the amount of excise tax determined by the Bureau of Motor Vehicles or $70. The maximum number of vehicles an individual may claim is two (2). Individuals must request an affidavit from the county auditor and take it to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to receive the credit. If a property was conveyed to an individual without charge by a non-profit organization exempt from income taxation under the Federal Internal Revenue Code, the individual must: 1. have served in the military or naval forces of the U.S. for at least 90 days 2. have received an honorable discharge 3. must have a service-connected disability rating of at least 50% The individual's disability is evidenced by: 1. a pension certificate or award of compensation issued by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs or a certificate of eligibility issued by the Indiana Dept. of Veterans Affairs after determination that the
◼ Continued to page 37 Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 37
VFW currently not accepting clothing donations
VFW Post 5864 will not accept clothing or household donations until at least after Jan. 1, 2021. The Post is hopeful they can continue the monthly trips to the Domiciliary and donations to HVAF and other similar organizations. Storage space at the Post continues to be limited until the Shelter House is completed in early April 2021. We thank everyone for their help and patience with this matter.
Incidents at the Post must always be reported
A recent incident during the Auxiliary’s Bar Bingo led to the individual being escorted out of the Post. The safety and well-being of our members and guests are very important. First, the bartender on duty is in charge of the building and those people on our property. Please do not interfere with the bartender’s duties. If the bartender requests your help or it appears the threat of the individual is greater than anticipated, you can advise the bartender you would be willing to help. We do not want any issue to escalate. We have an Incident Report which can be completed by anyone witnessing the event. Please adhere to these rules and everything will work out. If an individual is causing or creating trouble, the bartender on duty has the right to ask the individual to leave the Post property for the balance of the day. If the incident is of a proportion that it needs immediate attention, the House Committee may review it the next morning. An Incident Report must be written up from everyone who saw the event and given to a member of the House Committee. The House Committee will either convene a meeting to discuss this one item or they may wait until their regularly scheduled meeting to discuss the item.
Indiana Property Tax Deductions . . . ◼ Continued from page 36
individual’s disability and service dates qualify the individual to receive a deduction. The amount of the deduction is equal to the service-connected disability of the individual deducted from the assessed value of the property. Example: If the individual is totally disabled 100% of the assessed value is deducted. If the individual is 90% disabled, 90% of the assessed value is deducted and so on down to a 50% rating. The complete Indiana Code for Property Tax deductions can be viewed by looking at Reference IC 6-1.1-12 Sections 13, 14, and 14.5. Surviving spouses may also be eligible if the veteran met the eligibility criteria at the time of their death. ______
TRICARE Select enrollment fee to start January 1
DOD announced that TRICARE Select Group A retirees will be required to pay an enrollment fee beginning on Jan. 1, 2021. Congress directed the Defense Health Agency in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 to implement TRICARE Select retiree enrollment fees, but delayed the implementation. Group A is comprised of retirees and their family members if the sponsor’s initial enlistment or appointment occurred before Jan. 1, 2018. The enrollment fee is waived for medically retired individuals and their family members, and for survivors of active-duty deaths. During TRICARE Open Season, which will run from Nov. 9 to Dec. 14, beneficiaries must set up an allotment with their regional contractors for the enrollment fee to begin on Jan. 1, 2021. Beneficiaries who do not set up their allotment by the deadline will be unenrolled due to nonpayment and will have 90 days from the termination date to request reinstatement. 38 – September 2020 Newsletter – Greenwood VFW Post 5864
13th annual VFW golf tournament was successful
Greenwood VFW’s annual golf tournament went off with very few issues. However, getting to the date of the event was a monumental task. The original date was in early June, but because of the COVID-19, the event was delayed about three months. All our literature was sent to sponsors in early March before anyone knew of the extent of the COVID-19. In fact, a few of us met and had briefly discussed canceling the event for 2020. The seven-member committee of Dennis Ellis, Kevin Branch, Darlene Robertson, G. K. Puckett, Roger Crum, Bobby Jennett and Steve Milbourn met monthly and slowly but surely pulled everything together. Although everyone had their part, Darlene Robertson and Kevin Branch stood out by doing and exceptional job. They both worked tirelessly over the last four weeks to pull everything together. The team grossed over $14,000 and netted around $8,500. The tournament was held at Valle Vista Golf Club. The winning team was Dennis Ellis, Marty Harris, Pat Alberico and Larry Buttery with a score of 53. Second place went to the team of Mike Lewis, David Harriger, Steve Hicks and Jim Arbuckle with a score of 57. Third place went to Brian Baker, Kelly Majors, Darrel Gibbs and Pete Kochor with a score of 59. The Longest Putt on hole 9 was Joel Groves; the Longest Drive (over 65 years old) on hole 1 was Larry Buttery; the Longest Drive for men on hole 2 was Ross Reid; the Longest Drive for women on hole 13 was Shannon Sexson; the Closest to the Pin on hole 3 was Dennis Ellis; and the Closest to the Pin on hole 11 was Kelly Majors. The Putting Contest was won by Chris Emberton with a hole in one. There were also several volunteers who worked at various holes at the golf course. They included: Michele Steinmetz, Carol Puckett, Bill Clark, Chris Vogel, Hernan Mendoza, and Dave Everett. In ______addition, Mike Delaney and Leisa Folkening, our cook, put together the meal the golfers ate when they returned from the golf match. The Post cooked a meal of hamburgers, bratwurst, potato salad, baked beans, and lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. Chips were also available as well as draft beer. Water and soft drinks were available at no charge to the golfers. ______
Poll worker shortage Healthy elections require poll workers, the majority of whom are over the age of 60. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, election officials are reporting an unprece- dented shortage. Without sufficient numbers of poll workers, it is possible that polling locations could have long lines, lack of staff to assist voters, and possible closures of polling locations. The VFW encourages any member, advocate, or supporter, who is healthy and willing, to consider becoming a poll worker for the general election in November. If you sign up through this special VFW link, you will be contacted by Power the Polls, a Mike Delaney shows a bratwurst that was partner organization, or your local election just cooked. Leisa is on the right side. administrators. Greenwood VFW Post 5864 – September 2020 Newsletter – 39
Silent auction held at VFW on Friday, August 29
A silent auction was held at the VFW on Friday, August 28. Fourteen cakes, pies and cookies were donated to the Post for the purpose of a fund-raising project. The items brought in $186.50. The various items included: apple cinnamon soft cookies, lemon cake, apple cinnamon pie, banana pudding, mixed donuts, two cinnamon pecan cakes, chocolate cake layered with mousse, carmel pecan bun, coconut cream pie, chocolate chip cookies, three loaves of cinnamon sugar bread, honey crisp apple streusel pie and double chocolate chip cookies. Eleven individuals purchased the items. The VFW appreciates the members and members of the VFW Auxiliary who participated in this event. The VFW, after being closed for two months is making a comeback. The last several weeks have been exceptional. Thanks for your participation.
The VFW’s flagpole area with the American flag and the five service flags.