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. baseball 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 Major League Baseball 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. Bud Selig, owner of the Milwaukee 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 Ted Williams. 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 Vietnam War. 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.