MICHIGAN OV• ReportingER yourSE positiveAS impact onVE the MichiganTE communityRA • N January/February/March 2016 Volume 83 Number 3 SENIOR VICE COMMANDER JUNIOR VICE COMMANDER I just returned from our Mid- It’s hard to believe that the year Winter Conference 2016 at the is half way over and by the time Lansing Causeway Bay Hotel in Jerry you read this we will be in the Matt Lansing, Michigan, where we home stretch. Just because the honored our (12) District Voice Gorski year is almost over doesn’t mean David of Democracy & (12) District Senior it’s time to sit back and relax. Junior Patriot Pen Winners at our 37th There is still much to do so don’t Vice Commander Annual Veterans of Foreign Wars Vice Commander stop working yet. Department of Michigan Voice of District juniors, I hope you Democracy Banquet. We had a are thinking about your year, increasing your membership. Your post Great Mid-Winter Conference and we also I would like to talk next about which is going to be here sooner than quartermaster has access to membership had a great time honoring our Students MEMBERSHIP because it is so you think. You should be thinking now lists for unpaid, relocated (moved from from our (12) Districts throughout the important, it is the Life Blood of our about who you are going to appoint as another area to yours), and members at State of Michigan at our banquet on great organization. I got our membership your chairmen. Do not just put a name large in the state. Make some phone calls; Saturday evening, January 23, 2016. We figures for January 30, 2016 from our in a position because you have to fill it. go knock on some doors. I know it’s not got to see and hear the speeches from our VFW National Website and Michigan is You need to fill your chairmanships with easy but we just have to do it. If you 1st Place Winners selected in the Voice at 91.59%. WE are #16 in the Nation. comrades that will work for you and the don’t know how, check out the National of Democracy & Patriot’s Pen Contests. WE need 3,914 NEW, REINSTATED and VFW. It is not possible for you to do it website. There are a lot of membership Both speeches brought tears to a lot CONTINUOUS Members to reach 100% all. No one can. We must work together tools available, including videos. of people including me. The 1st Place or 46,564 Members by June 30, 2016. as a team. We just finished the Departments Mid- Voice of Democracy Winner is Elisabeth WE CAN DO IT! WE CAN REACH It’s the beginning of February and the Winter Conference in Lansing. As always Barnett, a “Home” Schooled 11th Grader 100% by June 30, 2016! Congratulations Department is sitting at 91.64%. Not it was a lot of fun but a lot of work. We sponsored by VFW Post 7581 Wayland in goes out to District 9 for being the 1st bad but we still have a long way to go. honored the district winners of the Voice District 8. Elisabeth received a $6,000.00 Place District at 92.95%. District 7 is in We need to go after the unpaid members, of Democracy and Patriots Pen essay Ralph J. Seabold Scholarship and Plaque, 2nd Place at 92.21%. District 5 is in 3rd specifically the members that signed up competition at the banquet on Sat. night. an ALL Expense Paid Trip to Washington Place at 92.18%. Who will be the 1st last year and are still in good standing Great kids, all of them. D.C. and an ALL Expense Paid Trip to Place District by State Convention on but are listed as unpaid. Give them and As I said comrades, there is still much the Freedom Foundation in Valley Forge, June 4, 2016? Who will be the 1st Place call and ask them to pay their dues early. to do. Keep working and moving forward. Pennsylvania. The 1st Place Patriot’s District on June 30, 2016? While they are still in good standing, they If I can ever be of assistance to you, Pen Winner is Larissa Hollingsworth, Please ask a Veteran, if you see one at a do not count for this year’s membership. please do contact me. I am a phone call an 8th Grader from Chatfield School, restaurant, on the street, in a grocery store There are a lot of opportunities for or email away. sponsored by VFW Post 4139 Lapeer in or at a community function. You know, District 10. Larissa received a $1,000.00 who they are. They will be wearing some State Convention is just around Wes Longenbach Memorial Award & type of Veteran Hat, a Veteran License the corner and approaching Plaque and an ALL Expense Paid Trip Plate on their vehicle or flying a U.S. Flag quickly. We have lots to get done Lynn to Washington D.C. Both Elisabeth and at their home. Don’t be afraid to ask a before then. Elections and the Patterson Larissa will compete in the VFW National Veteran if he/she would like to become a All-State program have both Member of the Greatest Combat Veteran Competition. There are a total of 54 come to an end for another year. Department Contestants in each category competing. Organization in the World, the “Veterans Remember that you need to I want to wish both Elisabeth and Larissa of Foreign Wars”. Tell them about the have your election reports in to Quartermaster the Best of Luck. I know both of them VFW Benefits. Tell them about the National and Department by 1 will do well and also have a great time Best Service Officers in the Nation, who June 2016. Please get these in elections on Saturday afternoon. Bonds meeting and spending time with the other will help them apply for VA Benefits. to Department as soon as you can. We for the New Year will be coming due State Winners. Both Post 7581 Wayland Don’t forget to contact our Department need this information to complete many shortly. When you are trying to figure & Post 4139 Lapeer also received the Membership Director Colon Laney and reports and the Dept. Roster. Department out your bond, please use the highest “Traveling Trophies”, which they will his Assistants for help when your Post and National delegate fees are going to be amount of money that the Post has for keep for (1) year. What a great honor! or District is having a Recruiting Event. due soon. Also the form needs to be filled the year. This is for the Post’s protection. out completely and the post needs to vote SENIOR VICE COMMANDER, continued on page 3 If you are under bonded and something on who they want to be a delegate for happens, you will only be covered for the the post. If your name isn’t on the form amount that the Post has a bond for; the then you will not be able to register and rest would be a loss for the Post. MOV MAILING CLARIFICATION: vote for your post at State Convention. It has been a great year! Thank you A MAILED HARD COPY OF THE MOV Registration will close on Saturday, June for all the assistance and support that IS FREE TO VFW MEMBERS. 4, 2016 at NOON! Installation and the you have given to me. Any questions or first C of A meeting with follow the concerns do not hesitate to contact me. God Bless Our Troops Michigan Overseas Veteran January/February/March 2016 2 DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT Advocating For Others Comrades, I’d like to address prior to submitting a claim. We have I would like to congratulate Brian a couple of issues, the training and experience to determine all the Voice of Democracy and both of which have if more evidence is needed or if the Patriot’s Pen students for their great Coats been mentioned in existing evidence is enough. Once the accomplishments for this year. previous articles. claim has been submitted please do not March is around the corner Department The need to revisit submit more evidence without having a and you should be thinking these issues is due to discussion with your service officer first! about Elections and the incoming Adjutant some trends we are The next issue is clothing allowance. Commander should be getting Paul Pirlot seeing at the service The VA processes clothing allowance their committee and appointments at the Doubletree Hotel in Bay City. office. requests once a year. This is done in ready before April. Make sure you get Check the web site for tickets and hotel The first topic of discussion is the August. If you submit your request your election report in to National and information. Fully Developed Claim (FDC) program. in September or later you will not be to Department as soon as you can. Thank you, This program came about to address considered for this allowance until the Make sure you remember that the Joint the issue of the tremendous backlog of next year. Please get your request in Testimonial for Commander McIvor and Brian Coats claims. As some of you may remember before August 1 to be safe. President Hanes is April 15-16, 2016 State Adjutant it was the norm for claims to take a year So, who is eligible for a clothing or more before a decision was reached.