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A National Headquarters Publication Legion Baseball World Series: Aug. 25-29 JULY 27, 1995 Membership growth is mutual in Omaha Bv CHRISTA SMITH The Legion will For the Dispatch be the title spon¬ OMAHA, Neb. - If a commu¬ sor of the tradi¬ nity is growing in population, tional Labor Day it’s possible for American “SkyConcert” Legion Posts to reap benefits, as during National well. Convention activ¬ That has been the key to suc¬ cess for Millard Post 374, which ities in now has about 2,335 members, Indianapolis, 200 more than last year. It is Sept. 2. The now the third largest Post in the event combines Department of Nebraska. Past fireworks and Post Commanders Ray Jack and BUILDING BLOCK: Ray Vail has been instru- Ray Vail say membership has mental in helping increase Post 374 membership, patriotic music been on the rise since it reached Photo courtesy of the Omaha world Herald broadcast on an all-time high in 1974. contacted city and realtor agencies and dis¬ Indianapolis’ They attribute part of the increase in cussed the growth areas of Omaha. Their WENS-FM radio membership to the construction of their master plan included putting themselves in station. For more $1.2 million Post home, which was com¬ a highly residential area with schools near¬ details about the pleted in February 1994. by. Plans to build a new Post home began upcoming con¬ “The secret to our success is that the in 1990, when Jack, Vail and other mem¬ vention, see community’s growing so much and we bers decided that since their community decided to grow with it,” says Jack. “We’re page 3. was growing, their membership could fol¬ community oriented and used it to our low suit. So they put into action a “master advantage.” plan” to build membership and a new The new Post home has a lounge, a building. large kitchen and a ballroom that accom¬ Neither Jack nor Vail had experience in Photo by John E. Simon modates 500. Jack says the new home has choosing a site for the new home, but they See OMAHA, page 6 U.S.-Vietnam Chronology □ May 4,1964-U.S. imposes trade embargo on North Next stop is Vietnam Vietnam following North’s attacks on South Vietnam did what many observers predicted would happen, when it □ March 1965-First U.S. combat troops arrive in South ■ White House normalizes relations „ announced it would normalize relations with Vietnam. The Vietnam decision was made despite the urging of groups such as □ Jan. 27,1973-U.S. and North Vietnam sign ceasefire with Vietnam; Legion says action The American Legion not to do so. agreements in Paris, ending U.S. participation in the ‘mistake,’ premature since Hanoi has *s- National Commander William M. Detweiler made the war Legion’s position clear on the heels of the White House □ March 29,1973-U.S. combat troops leave S. yet to give full accounting of MIAs annoucement. “The American Legion prays to God that Vietnam the president is right; however, we strongly believe that □ April 1,1973-Hanoi releases 591 acknowledged hen presidential candidate Bill Clinton appeared normalization of relations with Vietnam now is a mistake. U.S. POWs; more than 2,500 Americans are still report¬ W before American Legion delegates attending the Regretfully, a long-standing bond of trust between ed as MIA or POWs who have yet to be accounted for 1992 National Convention in Chicago, he pledged □ America’s military and their government has been broken.” April 30,1975-North Vietnamese troops take South not to establish diplomatic ties with Vietnam until Detweiler, a Vietnam-era Army officer, said the Legion Vietnam capital of Saigon; U.S. extends trade embargo the United States received the fullest possible accounting to all of Vietnam will continue to insist that the administration and the of servicemen who did not return from the war in □ April 1992-President Bush relaxes embargo and Congress achieve the collective goal for the fullest possible Southeast Asia. allows sales for humanitarian purposes accounting of missing servicemen. ‘ In July 1993, President Clinton sent a mes¬ □ Aug. 25,1992-Presidential candjdate Bill Clinton Detweiler met with Clinton and his senior sage to the Vietnamese government through an News Analysis promises Legionnaires he will not normalize relations aides at the White House shortly before the official U.S. delegation, making it clear normal¬ with Vietnam until the fullest possible accounting of president announced his decision. The com¬ ization would not occur until concrete progress was made POWs and MIAs is made mander told Clinton that progress was minimal in resolving in the repatriation of remains, live-sighting cases, field □ July 1993-President Clinton ends U.S. opposition to POW-MIA cases under investigation searches and Vietnam’s handing over of documents relat¬ settlement of Vietnam’s debt to the International ing to POWs and MIAs. “It cannot be purely coincidental that Hanoi’s govern¬ Monetary Fund; paves way for Vietnam to obtain loans ment officials only ‘discover’ vital reports on cases of And one month ago, senior White House officials testi¬ □ Feb. 3,1994-Clinton allows lifting of the trade missing American servicemen immediately prior to the fying under oath before a congressional panel said the embargo arrival in Hanoi of high-level American delegations,” Vietnamese government had yet to provide the United □ June 28,1995-White House officials tell congres¬ Detweiler says. “The continual dribbling out of select States with key war-time documents on American POWs sional panel Hanoi has yet to release key documents on reports to these delegations clearly shows Hanoi will only , in Vietnam and Laos, nor had they revealed other pertinent POWs who were held in North Vietnam and Laos release information when doing so suits its own purposes.” □ information that could rapidly resolve outstanding POW- July 11,1995-President Clinton announces the U.S. There’s little doubt what those purposes are. Vietnam is MIA cases. will normalize relations with Vietnam With these events in mind, the administration on July 11 See VIETNAM, page 7 The American Legion Dispatch 2 DISPATCH JULY 27, 1995 Command Post NATiONAl CoMMANdER William M. Detweiler Challenges still to unfurl in flag campaign motions flared and the war of words heated nation’s capital, especially on something as sensitive Lost in all the debate over First Amendment pro¬ E up when the House of Representatives met as the flag issue. tections are the free speech rights of mainstream to debate the proposed constitutional amend¬ But August is no time for The American Legion to America, 80 percent of whom have consistently said ment that, if adopted, would restore to the go on vacation. It’s of paramount importance that you in national polls that they want their flag protected by states and federal government the right to contact your senators and encourage them to help an amendment. It’s peculiar how some free-speech enact and enforce flag protection laws. And when the bring SJR 31 forward - then vote in favor of it. Most activists are all too willing to muzzle the words of smoke cleared, the amendment was approved with 22 of these lawmakers will be in their home states during others, isn’t it? more votes than is required for two-thirds passage in the recess. If your senators are in your area for a town Some say they oppose the amendment because the House. meeting, take the time to meet with them. A list of co¬ there is no definition as to what constitutes an The House vote signaled a crucial step on that sponsors appears on page 4. If your senators’ names American flag. They say each state will have come up long, difficult road of restoring legal protection of our appear on the list, contact them and thank them for with a different definition of what the flag is and have flag. We owe a debt of gratitude to lawmakers who signing on as a co-sponsor. varying degrees in the penalties they will mete out to stepped forward to support the amendment, both in If your senators’ names are not on the list, you those convicted of flag-desecration. words and votes. No doubt, some of those voting in know what to do. Also on that page is a list of how Most people recognize that an American flag is not favor of the measure grappled long and hard before your House representative voted on the amendment. one of those cheesy neckties you can buy on street reaching their decision - some were uncertain of how comers in downtown Washington, nor is it paper nap¬ they would vote even as they stepped into the House kins, underwear, earrings or matchbook covers. chamber. Common sense will prevail in the Common sense will prevail in the states as to what What makes this measure unique is that it is an constitutes a flag and what doesn’t. Federal laws and enabling amendment. It gives the states and the states as to what constitutes those on the books in 48 states and the District of Congress the power to pass flag-protection laws if Columbia worked well until they were nullified in they so choose. On the other hand, it compels neither a flag and what doesn’t. 1989, when the Supreme Court ruled that flag-burn¬ to pass anything. It does nothing without the people’s ing was protected as free speech. consent. It’s the same common sense that will surface when But this journey is far from over. We’re only half While the challenge we face in the Senate is some¬ the states decide what penalties will be proscribed for way finished with our work on Capitol Hill.

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