DISPATCH

Orlando National Convention TUESDAY, SEPT. 2, 1997 'Good Guy' Kuhn is a hit

■ Past Department cheon. Bowie Kuhn, who served as com¬ NBA—lack discipline in their conduct on Commanders honor retired missioner from 1969 to 1984, was hon¬ and off the field and often don’t respect ored by the club with the 1997 James V. their fans as they did in years past. commissioner Day “Good Guy” Award. But not all players fit that description, “American Legion Baseball is dedicat¬ Kuhn says. “Players like Ken Griffey Jr. ajor League Baseball players ed to values I have always believed in,” and Cal Ripken Jr. understand they are M Kuhn said. “Legion Baseball stands for and club owners can take role models for kids and conduct them¬ lessons on how to conduct Americanism and love of country, virtues, selves as such,” the former commissioner themselves professionally from the discipline, honest play—the kind of val¬ said. Kuhn also chided Major League nation’s best amateur sports program— ues should repre¬ Baseball for not having a “leader,” allud¬ American Legion Baseball. sent but often doesn’t.” ing to the lack of a full-time commission¬ That’s the message a former Major Kuhn, who currently serves on the er. , owner of the League Baseball commissioner pitched to board of directors of the Baseball Hall of Brewers, has served as baseball’s acting those attending Monday’s Past Fame and Museum, said many pro play¬ Department Commanders’ Club lun¬ ers—not only in baseball but the NFL and See ‘GOOD GUY’, page 4

Frank, and his wife, Barbara, will Curtain ready lead delegates in the singing of the Star-Spangled Banner. Among the speakers scheduled: to rise on 79th Orlando Mayor Glenda Hood, Florida Department Commander Ray gathering Weaver, Past National Commander Daniel Ludwig and National It’s time for American Legion business. Auxiliary President Phyllis Bachman. And when the doors at Hall El open this Speaker of the House Newt morning for the plenary sessions of the Gingrich, R-GA, will address dele¬ 79th National Convention, delegates will gates at 10:30 a.m., followed by get down to business and also hear from Acting VA Secretary Hershel Gober several keynote speakers. and Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-NE. Rep. the afternoon sessions, followed by brief National Commander Joseph J. Frank, Charles Canady, R-FL, who led the House remarks from several American Legion whose year-long term as the Legion’s floor debate last June for passage of the youth champions whom delegates will chief spokesman comes to an end later this flag-protection amendment, will speak greet. Greetings also will be delivered by week, will call the convention to order at 9 later this morning. representatives of veterans’ organizations a.m. After the color guard advances the The National Americanism and Finance in Canada, Great Britain, Republic of colors, Mary Kay Grantham, daughter of commissions will file their reports during China and South Korea. □ 1997 National Convention Page 2 Design changes won’t halt march to complete World War II Memorial It may be back to the drawing board Memorial and what emerged was the ry, it’s appropriate that we leave for the this fall in designing the proposed national treasure millions of visitors to generations that follow a clear reminder of World War II Memorial, but it still Washington, D.C., enjoy each year. the contributions made during World War will occupy the monumental place it Kelley’s boss, retired Maj. Gen. John II by our parents and grandparents,” Frank deserves in our nation’s capital. P. Herrling, is scheduled to address con¬ told the panel. “They were giants, and we Members of the National Internal vention delegates Wednesday afternoon. stand on their shoulders. For all they’ve Affairs Commission heard that message Herrling, ABMC secretary, is expected to done, the World War II generation has last weekend from Col. Kevin C. Kelley, thank Legionnaires for their stalwart sup¬ earned a spot smack-dab in the hearts of project officer with the American Battle port for the memorial’s design and site. all Americans. Monuments Commission (ABMC), the “Their memorial needs to be smack- dab in the heart of our nation’s capital,” federal agency Congress mandated to han¬ “For all they’ve done, the WW dle the memorial’s construction, care and Frank told members of the panel. maintenance. Kelley updated commission II generation has earned a spot On a related issue, Frank asked members on the furor over the memorial’s smack-dab in the hearts of all Legionnaires to encourage churches in design, which opponents claim blocks the their communities nationwide to com¬ vista-like view down the Mall between the Americans. Their memorial memorate the moment that World War II Lincoln Memorial and U.S. Capitol. needs to be smack-dab in the drew to a close. He said the commission’s decision to heart of our nation’s capital.” It ended on V-J Day at 9:04 a.m. Sept. modify the monument’s design in no way 2, 1945, aboard the battleship USS diminishes the nation’s commitment to Missouri when Japanese officials formally build a memorial in tribute to World War — National Commander Joseph J. Frank signed the instrument of surrender to end II veterans. Kelley urged Legionnaires to history’s most destructive war. encourage their governors and legislative In July, National Commander Joseph J. In accordance with Res. 154 (1995 members to approve special resolutions Frank testified in support of the memorial National Convention, Minneapolis), Frank supporting the World War II Memorial, before the Commission on Fine Arts, one encourages the nation’s clergy to ring emphasizing its importance to future gen¬ of the panels in charge of approving the their bells at 9:04 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2, erations of Americans as a legacy and les¬ design. He mentioned action by the 1997, to commemorate this event, son. Legion’s National Executive Committee embodying the idea expressed in the He said it’s not unusual for major last May in support of the memorial, and Preamble to The American Legion memorials to undergo changes in the explained why it should matter to genera¬ Constitution, “to preserve the memories design phase. Planners rejected Henry tions to come. and incidents of our associations in the Bacon’s original design for the Lincoln “As we approach the end of this centu¬ great wars.” □

this year’s winner is a company with such low turnover that Ted’s Western Ap¬ they hired only one new employee—a vet¬ Well-deserved honors pliance Service of eran—last year. Livingston, MT. The D & H Transport was nominated for accorded friends of vets company employs this award by Bill Padgett, a Local only a dozen people, Veterans Employment Representative While commission members debated but seven are veter¬ (LVER) in the nearby Marysville, CA, job the merits of changing requirements for ans. Two of last year’s five new hires are service office. future Employer of the Year awards, this veterans, says owner . The winner in the large-size employer year’s winners received praise from grate¬ Williams’s company was nominated for category, with more than 2,000 of its ful Legionnaires. The commission this award by Polly La Tray Halmes, 5,000 employees being veterans, was announced its list of recipients at last Montana’s director of Veterans’ Comcar Industries of Auburndale, FL. weekend’s meeting. Presentation of Employment and Training. Vice President David Kuehl, himself a awards will be conducted on the conven¬ Accepting the award in the medium- veteran, will accept the award. tion stage Wednesday. size employer category, for companies of Comcar Industries was nominated for The awards, administered by the 51 to 200 employees, was Cecil R. Don, the award by Ron Kelley, Local Veterans National Economic Commission, com¬ one of the founders of D & H Transport of Employment Representative, and Ann prise three size-based categories. For busi¬ Yuba City, CA. More than three-quarters Bennett, marketing representative, from nesses employing 50 or fewer workers, of this company’s 52 employees are veter¬ the job service office in Winter Haven, ans. There must be something right about FL. □ 1997 National Convention Page 3 Vietnam marking time on POW-MIA issue The government in Vietnam could administration rhetoric.. .and reality,” be taking far more unilateral action Lambertson said. He believes actions to resolve the fates of missing ser- taken by the Clinton administration to the vicemembers in Southeast Asia. Hanoi government send a message that That was the sentiment expressed by the U.S. is satisfied, even if high-level Past National Commander Robert S. officials like Ambassador Madeleine Turner of Georgia and shared by the audi¬ Albright say differently. Lambertson ence at the POW-MIA Forum yesterday made clear that Americans should not at the Orange County Convention Center. begrudge the Vietnamese people normal¬ Legionnaires met to hear three speak¬ ized relations, and that it remains in the ers discuss the past, present and future of best interests of all that we move forward. full accounting of all missing and prison¬ He added, however, that a road map ers of war, particularly those from the should be followed and the U.S. should . insist Hanoitake more steps on its own to David Lambertson, a former ambas¬ account for missing U.S. servicemen sador to Thailand who served as a liaison before the relationship can advance. A view of the past followed that look BITTER MEMORY: The Empty Chair into the future, as author George J. Veith ceremony is a solemn reminder of “I remain discussed his academic paper and forth¬ missing American servicemen who coming book, Code-Name Brightlight, skeptical of the are absent from our midst. Past which recounts some of the stories of National Commander Robert Turner, U.S. POW rescue efforts during the Clinton left, conducts the ceremony with Vietnam War. Curtis O. Twete, South Dakota, for¬ administration’s Veith said he believes little progress mer chairman of the Foreign will be made on the issue of full account¬ arguments that their Relations Commission, at last year’s ing for Vietnam War POW-MIAs until the convention in Salt Lake City. way is the best focus switches from military file searches way.” to Communist Party file examinations. “Any first-year political science stu¬ dent knows that under a communist sys¬ obtaining a research permit. David Lambertson, former U.S. tem the party controls all,” Veith said, An index of many documents also can ambassador to Thailand “including this particular issue.” be found on the Internet. Most Vietnam- The Clinton administration is indiffer¬ era documents are on microfilm, but officer at the Paris Peace Talks, painted a ent to the families of missing service- Korean- and Cold War-era files exist only picture of future relations between the members, and the Hanoi government is, at in their original form. Photocopies can be United States and Vietnam that angered, best, “selectively cooperative” in its made at the archives, but at a rather steep but certainly didn’t surprise, many efforts, Veith added. price of 50 cents per page. Legionnaires. “I remain skeptical of the Present efforts to declassify documents While informative, the forum was Clinton administration’s arguments that related to POW-MIA issues were dis¬ sparsely attended, with only 50-60 present their way is the best way,” said cussed by Harold E. Sprague, chief of the by the conclusion of the two-hour update. Lambertson. Declassification Division at the Turner said another update will take place Vietnam needs normalized relations Department of Defense POW-MIA office. at the Washington Conference in March, with America far more than the United “The Department of Defense has but that the one in New Orleans remains States needs Vietnam, yet Lambertson released all documents in our possession,” tentative. said he’s convinced the administration Sprague said, “that we are allowed by law If Legionnaires don’t seem to be inter¬ doesn’t see this. Or worse yet, it doesn’t to release.” Citizens can review many of ested, future updates will come only via care. these documents by going to the National American Legion publications and special “There is a noticeable gap between Archives Records Administration and mailings, he said. □ 1997 National Convention Page 4 FODPAL honors Judicial Review Act of 1988 driving adjudication process E. Roy Stone Jr. South Carolina’s E. Roy Stone Jr., long¬ The head of VA’s Board of Veterans ability compensation cases; 6 percent, death time dean of the Legion’s National Appeals (BVA) thinks the Judicial Review benefits; and 3 percent, pension. Innovations Executive Committee, was in the spotlight Act of 1988 has had a “good news/bad news” in technology and staff training are improv¬ when members of the Foreign Departments impact on how veterans’ claims are handled. ing processing time, he said. He praised of The American Legion (FODPAL), gath¬ The good news is that rulings by the U.S. American Legion service officers and staff ered for their annual meeting Monday. Court of Veterans Appeals (COVA) have for helping cut the processing time of their Stone was presented with FODPAL’s forced VA adjudicators to stay sharp on the client veterans. Legion-represented cases that 1997 Recognition Award for his support of court’s decisions. The bad news is that until formerly took up to a year are being that organization’s work over the years. recently the new set up slowed the whole processed in as little as 52 days, Bauer said. FODPAL’s members belong to Posts out¬ process to a crawl. This year, BVA will render 41,200 deci¬ side the United States. “The Judicial Review Act of 1988 radical¬ sions, he said, more than twice the number Past National Commander William ly altered VA’s entire adjudication system, accomplished in 1990 when the board was Detweiler made the presentation to Stone and BVA has been in a continuous state of reeling from the impact of the Judicial during the program, and master of cere¬ transition. Each decision of the court is a Review Act of 1988. monies was PNC John Geiger. Outgoing potential change in the law,” said Roger K. Still, for many veterans, the arduous adju¬ president of FODPAL is Ernesto Golez, Bauer, the BVA’s acting chairman, speaking dication process is like a maze with no exit. NECman of the Philippines. last weekend at the National VA&R Part of the problem is that many claims FODPAL also elected new officers for Commission’s convention meeting. denied at the regional office level and go on 1998, and they were installed by PNC Erie Bauer said the court’s decisions have to the board are remanded to the regional Cocke Jr. New officers: Andres Rosario made the adjudication process more precise, offices for further development because hear¬ Bordonada (Puerto Rico), president; but more complex, a situation not always ing boards haven’t kept up on the latest Douglas C. Haggan (France), 1st vice presi¬ advantageous to veterans. He claimed that COVA decisions. Many hearing officers still dent; Jimmie Foster (Alaska), 2nd vice pres¬ before the court’s creation, the board was don’t get it: The decisions that the U.S. Court ident; Alfred Platt (China Post 1), 3rd vice more “paternalistic,” but now the predomi¬ of Veterans Appeals hands down are the law. president; Mike Beavers (France), judge nance of binding legal precedents have made Bauer said the board is working to reach advocate; Florentino Frias (Philippines), his¬ the system more adversarial, a claim some the goal set by Congress to quicken the turn¬ torian; Sally Bennett (Mexico), chaplain; veterans might dispute. around time for claims, and reduce the Lloyd Little (Alaska), sergeant-at-arms; The board’s workload is broken down appeals process from the estimated 350 days Robert Conrad (Hawaii), secretary; Amie thus: 84.9 percent of its decisions involve dis¬ to 180 days. Matanky (France), treasurer. □

today,” added Kuhn. • GOOD GUY’ A Navy veteran of World War II, Kuhn Sons elect Matoska continued from page 1 said one of his first assignments in that to lead S.A.L. In ’97-’98 branch was to serve as an ensign firefight¬ er in Norfolk, VA, in 1946. “I didn’t know it then, but that training prepared me for The Sons of The American Legion commissioner of Major League Baseball putting out fires 23 years later when I (S.A.L.) are ready to take on new chal¬ the last five years. became .” He lenges under the leadership of newly Kuhn, who was the recipient of the was alluding to the painful 'transition to elected National Commander William E. Matoska, a member of Parkville, Legion’s prestigious Distinguished the free-agency system that evolved early MD, Squadron 183. Service Medal in 1978, said he hopes in his career as commissioner. Over Matoska, 33, is a U.S. Air Force vet¬ that professional baseball will return to the decades, Kuhn described the “sweet¬ eran who served from 1977-83. He the values that made it great earlier this est” part of his commissioner job was his comes from an American Legion fami¬ century. association with American Legion ly, and has one of his own. His wife, “We had heroes back about the time of Baseball. Beverly, and daughter, Rosemarie, my birth in 1926 (the year the Legion “I never felt more welcome anywhere belong to Essex Auxiliary Unit 148. Baseball program first stepped up to the than when I attended Legion Baseball His son, Adam, currently is on active plate),” he said. “Lindbergh would cross games and its tournament.” duty with the U.S. Navy and a member the Atlantic the following year, Babe National Chaplain Dr. Charles H. of Parkvile Squadron 183. Ruth would hit 60 home runs, and Bobby Richmond of Oklahoma conducted a Before his election, National Jones would win the Grand Slam of pro¬ memorial service and offered a benedic¬ Commander Matoska served several fessional golf. We need people like this tion at the luncheon. □ years as Detachment adjutant.