Department Commander John Shanahan
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BELGIUM - DENMARK - FRANCE - GERMANY - GREECE - THAILAND - NETHERLANDS - IRELAND - ITALY - SPAIN - PORTUGAL - CHINA - 01- ENGLAND Volume 15 / Issue 06 -- June 2017 Department Commander John Shanahan COMMANDER ADJUTANT NECMAN ALT. NECMAN John Shanahan IR01 Maxwell Rice GR79 Nola Maloney GR03 James Settle GR42 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] VCAL VICE COMMANDER VICE COMMANDER VICE COMMANDER Joesph Schram BE02 Laura Buckner BE02 Carl Hale FR01 Christopher Buchanan [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] GR1982 [email protected] VICE COMMANDER CHAPLAIN HISTORIAN FINANCE OFFICER Marcus Briscoe GR06 Casby Logan GR07 Tyler Johnson Gary Miller GR06 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] SERVICE OFFICER JUDGE ADVOCATE SERGEANT-AT-ARMS Paul Claybough GR1982 Keith Abernathy GR79 Percival Tumbaga [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] ASSISTANT ADJUTANT ASSISTANT ADJUTANT ASSISTANT ADJUTANT James Settle GR42 Robert Fuelling FR01 (Membership/Records) [email protected] [email protected] John Fleming CH01 [email protected] 1 The American Legion, Department of France website http://www.amerlegiondeptfrance.org Also Visit The Department of France Facebook page WANTED TODAY…pictures and stories of your posts, your members. Share your experiences, let everyone know what you are doing and contributing to your “American Legion Family” DEPARTMENT VICE COMMANDER AT LARGE Joesph Schram Post Everlasting My deepest condolences go out to the families of our departed comrades. Our prayers go with our comrades as they enter Post Everlasting (PEL) • Comrade Orlando Dunn & Comrade Robert “Bob” Hale, members of Post GR79 • Post GR14 Commander Comrade Anthony Giordano • Post GR42 Commander Comrade Charles “Chuck” Vaughan Convention We are about 2 weeks away from our annual conventional Ludwigshafen, Germany. The registration form can be found in this newsletter, the Department’s website, the Department’s Facebook page or by contacting me at [email protected]. Remember, the deadline for registration was 15 May but I still have several rooms available. Questions have been asked about the €25 registration fee. This fee is to pay for the conference room, the convention coin and printed material. It does not matter if you are staying one day or the full 4 days, the registration fee is the same. Consolidated Post Report At the time of this writing, there were only 4 Posts that have completed their annual Consolidated Post Report. When completed, your report is then consolidated into a Department Report which is then sent to National. And National uses the information to present to congress on what we are doing as a whole. Please, go to your myLegion account and complete your report. If you don’t have a myLegion account, contact the Department Adjutant or myself. Membership We now over 97% of our goal for membership and are second in National compared to the other Departments. We still have another month to reach our goal of 100% and would like to ask the Posts to reach out to those members that have yet to renew. National Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Visit I attended the first of six seminars in Wiesbaden on Tuesday, 30 May. Both Louis Celli and Verna Jones presented an informative briefing to group of veterans regarding their VA benefits. This has been an excellent opportunity for veterans in our communities to learn about their VA benefits and how the American Legion can assist them. Centennial Coins I will have centennial coins available for sale during the convention. The coins are $5/€5 each 2 3 4 DEPARTMENT VICE COMMANDER Marcus W. Briscoe Attended the funeral for Charles Vaughan, Post Commander of GR42, on 24 May 2017. During World War II (1939-1945), the Battle of Normandy, which lasted from June 1944 to August 1944, resulted in the Allied liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. Codenamed Operation Overlord, the battle began on June 6, 1944, also known as D-Day, when some 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the heavily fortified coast of France’s Normandy region. The invasion was one of the largest amphibious military assaults in history and required extensive planning. Prior to D-Day, the Allies conducted a large-scale deception campaign designed to mislead the Germans about the intended invasion target. By late August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and by the following spring the Allies had defeated the Germans. The Normandy landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe. DEPARTMENT FINANCE OFFICER Gary Miller ALL, Due to my tax situation here in Germany, I must resign from the Department Finance officer position effective 17 June 2017 at the 1st DEC of 2018. I should be available to assist the newly appointed finance officer to ensure A smooth transition. Some of the qualifications you might want to consider when appointing a new Finance Officer. 1. SOFA status, or access to an American post office, for receiving and sending mail. 2. Has enough spare time to dedicate to the position ( retired). 3. Knowledge of financial transactions and budgeting processes. 4. Be able to be bonded. I served the last 18 years as the Department Finance Officer, I think it is time to take a break and become just a Legionnaire again. v/r Gary 5 Margraten Post NL01 Post NL01 participating in the Memorial Day ceremony at Margraten American Cemetery 6 Elections: Saturday, 06 May Flanders Field Post BE02 conducted their annual election. Congratulation goes out to the new officers: • Commander: Joseph Schram • 1st Vice Commander: Paul Haney • Chaplain: Tom Buckner • Finance Officer: Laura Buckner • Service Officer: Kevin Jordan US Wereth Memorial – Saturday, 13 May On September 11, 1994, a small stone cross to remember the eleven black G.I.s of the 333rd Field Artillery Battalion who were murdered by German SS after they had surrendered during the second day of the Battle of the Bulge. This new memorial, dedicated on May 23, 2004, honors their memory and all black G.I.s and segregated units who fought in Europe during WW II. Memorial Weekend: 25-30 May Isolated Graves: There are 11 graves of US Service members who died during WWI & WWII who are buried in Belgium but outside of the American Cemeteries. Post BE02 commemorated each of these graves with a bouquet of flowers. Commonwealth War Graves: Before the United States entered WWI & WWII, hundreds of Americans crossed the border and entered into the service of the British Commonwealth. Over 500 of these Americans died and are buried in Commonwealths graves throughout Belgium. This year, Post BE02 members placed US flags at these graves to remember their sacrifice these soldiers gave to fight for the freedom of the Belgian people. 7 Menin Gate: During the Last Post at the Menin Gate in Ieper, Belgium, we laid a wreath commemorating the Americans who fought with the British Commonwealth. On the Menin Gate their names of 169 Americans who never found during the battles. American Cemeteries: 27/28 May Members of Post BE02 participated laying a wreath during the ceremonies at Henri- Chappell American Cemetery, Ardennes American Cemetery and the Flanders Filed American Cemetery. On Sunday, we laid a wreath SHAPE JROTC Awards Ceremony: Monday, 29 May On Monday evening, 29 May, 1st Vice Commander Paul Haney awarded two very deserving SHAPE JROTC Spartan Cadets with a couple of American Legion scholastic medals at their awards ceremony. What a group of very sharpe young men and women. They conspicuously display their leadership today and will make great leaders for tomorrow. Sunday, June 18, 2017 The nation’s first Father’s Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in the state of Washington. However, it was not until 1972–58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official–that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States. 8 RILEY LEROY PITTS POST GR07 HIGHLIGHTS Photo: Post GR07 Commander John Odom Sr, American Legion National Commander Charles Schmidt, Post GR07 2nd Vice Commander Francis Vaugh, American Legion National SAL Commander Jeff Frain, American Legion National Auxiliary President Mary Davis, Post GR07 1st Vice Commander Jimmie Dale, and Post GR07 Adjutant Jerry Deaver attend dinner on 30 May 17 in Wiesbaden. National Commander Visits Wiesbaden and Post GR07 The American Legion National Commander, Charles Schmidt, visited Post GR07 and the US Army Garrison Wiesbaden on 29-30 May 2017. The Sons of American Legion (SAL) Commander, Jeffrey Frain, and American Legion Auxiliary President, Mary Davis also visited. On 30 May 17 National American Legion Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation (VA&R) Officers Verna Jones and Lou Celli conducted a Town Hall Meeting for Active Duty Service Members and Veterans, and they provided information regarding the Veterans disability claims process, explained some challenges related to veterans living abroad, and discussed current legislation impacting veterans programs and benefits. Photo: Department of France Vice Commander at Large (VCAL) Joe Schram, Post GR07 1st Vice Commander Jimmie Dale, Post GR07 2nd Vice Commander Francis Vaughn, Past Department Commander and Legion Riders President Ron Moore and China Post 01 Member John Fleming attend the VA&R Town Hall in Wiesbaden, Germany. US Army Garrison Wiesbaden Military Policemen provided security for the event. 9 Post GR07 Visits Lorraine American Cemetery for Memorial Day 2017 Events Photo: Post GR07 1st Vice Commander Jimmie Dale and Post GR07 Membership Chairman and Dept. of France Chaplain Casby Logan lay wreaths at Lorraine American Cemetery during a Memorial Day Commemoration on 28 May 17. Post GR07 laid a wreath at the Lorraine American Cemetery during a Memorial Day Commemoration on 28 May 17.