QMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 K St., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 0 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 AMERICAN LEGION NEWS BRIEFS FOR WEEK ENDING 7-1-77 National Commander William J. Rogers has sent a telegram to all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to vote against the three-year phase out of the military commissary subsidy. * * * Dr. Howard A. Rusk, professor and chairman of the Department of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at New York University's College of Medicine and president of the World Rehabilitation Fund, will receive The American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal for 1977. ■k it * WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—The American Legion has expressed to President Carter its deep concern over the Presidential scrapping of the B-l Bomber program, which the Legion considers an essential element of the overall military preparedness program of the United States for the protection of this nation and its freedoms, and the fulfilling of our commitments to our allies. American Legion National Commander William J. Rogers has sent the following message to the President: "On behalf of The American Legion, I want to convey to you our deep shock and concern over your decision to scrap the B-l Bomber. "We believe that in so doing you have seriously compromised our strategic deterrent capabilities in the face of continuing Soviet unwillingness to agree to reasonable terms in the SALT negotiations and the extensive Soviet buildup in offensive weapons. "In our opinion, loss of the B-l is a serious threat to the balance of power, and a severe setback for all of the free world. We urge that you re-examine the facts and reconsider your decision." On Monday of this week National Commander Rogers had expressed The American Legion's concern for the future of the B-l, and in a letter to President Carter had asked for his support of the program. The earlier letter to the President follows: "On August 26, 19 76, over three-thousand elected delegates, representing the 2.7-million members of The American Legion, voted unanimously to support the procurement of the B-l Bomber. The aging fleet of B-52s currently carries half of our nuclear megatonnage. We believe if our strategic nuclear force is to remain a credible deterrent, it must be modernized. Since the U.S. bomber force is the most flexible instrument of our strategic power, we urge that priority be given to its upgrading. "With the Soviet Union demonstrating continuing intransigence at the SALT bargaining table, it is even more imperative that the B-l be placed in full production as soon as possible. Thank you for your consideration of this very important matter." -alns- 0MERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 KSt., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 0 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 7-1-77 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—National Convention Director William H. Miller urges everyone who plans to participate in the National Convention golf tourney in Denver to get his application in to the Convention Corporation office as early as possible. "The facilities for this year's tourney are excellent, and we know all golfers will enjoy the event, but we would encourage everyone who plans to play to make his reservation just as soon as possible so we will be able to accommodate him," Miller said. Entries are limited to 160 players. Play will be at the Green Gables Country Club, on Monday, Aug. 22, with a "shotgun start" commencing at 9 a.m. There will be a reception for participants immediately following the tourney, at approximately 2:30 p.m., at which time prizes will be awarded. Entries should be forwarded to: The American Legion National Convention Corpora- tion of Colorado, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Room 332, 1780 Broadway, Denver, CO 80202. Entry fee is thirty dollars ($30.00) and checks should be made payable to The American Legion National Convention Corporation. -alns- INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—For the thirty-first consecutive year, Seagram Posts 658 of California, 807 of Illnois, and 1283 of New York are donating two new Fords ,'Granadas) to The American Legion 1977 National Convention Corporation of Colorado, Inc. The official entry coupon appears in the centerfold of the July issue of The American Legion Magazine. Entries must be received no later than midnight, Aug. 19, 1977. Drawings will be held Saturday, Aug. 20, 1977, at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colo., during the National Convention Musical Spectacular. Conventioneers also may become eligible for the drawing by obtaining entry coupons at the Seagrams Booths in the Convention city and placing them in the collection boxes there. -alns- WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—American Legion National Commander William J. Rogers will be the honored guest of the United States Marine Corps at a Sunset Parade in Wash- ington, D.C., on July 5, 1977, at the Marine War Memorial. Maj. Gen. Paul X. Kelly, director, Education Center, Marine Corps Development and Education Command, will be the host for the event. Accompanying the National Commander will be Mrs. Rogers, Legion National Adju- tant William F. Hauck and Mrs. Hauck, and the chairman of the Legion's Foreign Rela- tions Commission, Dr. Robert P. Foster and Mrs. Foster. -alns- /SO QMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 KSt., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 7-1-77 INDIANAPOLIS—(ALNS)—Dr. Howard A. Rusk, professor and chairman of the Depart- ment of Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine at New York University's College of Medicine and president of the World Rehabilitation Fund, will receive The American Legion's Distinguished Service Medal for 1977. Legion National Commander William J. Rogers announced the selection of Dr. Rusk for the award which was unanimously approved by the National Executive Committee and which will be presented from the platform of the Legion's 1977 National Convention in Denver, Colo., Aug. 19-25. The presentation to Dr. Rusk is scheduled for approxi- mately 11:30 a.m., Tues., Aug. 23, at Denver's Convention Complex. Dr. Rusk, who helped develop a voice-controlled wheel chair for the severely handicapped, will demonstrate the device during his appearance on the Convention platform. His crusade to alleviate the suffering of the handicapped throughout the world has won him worldwide acclaim. Dr. Rusk is a three-time winner of the Distinguished Service Medal, U.S.A., and among his numerous awards and citations are three Lasker Awards for international rehabilitation, medical journalism and public health. He holds sixteen honorary degrees both in this country and abroad. He has authored four books and co-authored a fifth, and since 1945 he has been a contributing editor to the New York Times. Dr. Rusk was a consultant to the Baruch Committee on Physical Medicine to the Veterans Administration, and has served in a similar capacity with the United Nations and as a rehabilitation consultant to the New York City Department of Hospitals. In World War II he served as a colonel in the Marine Corps as chief of convales- cent training division, office Air Surgeon. Also, for many years, he was a member of The American Legion Medical Advisory Board. -alns- CRIME RESISTANCE A CONTINUING SERIES IN COOPERATION WITH THE FBI's CRIME RESISTANCE PROGRAM Door chains do not provide security; if anything, they give a false sense of security. An intruder desirous of entering your chain-guarded door can either kick it open, slip the chain with his fingers or cut it with cutters. NEVER RELY OR PLACE THE WELL BEING OF LOVED ONES ON "GIMMICKS." At best, chains are child and infant retainers. -alns- /^7 HMERICAN LEGION NEWS SERVICE NATIONAL PUBLIC RELATIONS DIVISION—THE AMERICAN LEGION C. D. DeLoach, Chairman James C. Watkins, Director HEADQUARTERS P. O. Box 1055 1608 KSt., N. W. Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Washington, D. C. 20006 (317) 635-8411 (202) 393-4811 For release 7-1-77 WASHINGTON—(ALNS)—In testimony before the Subcommittee on Compensation and Pensions, Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, Robert E. Lyngh, deputy director of The American Legion's Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division, has presented the Legion position on a number of bills of interest to Legionnaires. Lyngh offered favorable Legion comment on the pending bills which encompass changes, liberalizations, and expanded benefits for disabled veterans, widows, and dependents of veterans. Legislation covered by the testimony is as follows: S. 13: to amend chapter 13 of title 38, United States Code, to make eligible for dependency and indemnity compensation, widows of veterans who die of non-service connected causes, but who were at time of death, totally disabled as the result of one or more service connected disability (ties). S. 379: to amend 38 USC 360, to provide increased awards of service connected compensation to certain veterans who have suffered the loss or loss of use of paired extremities. S. 1141: to amend title 38 USC, to assist veterans with a permanent and total service connected disability due to the loss or loss of use of one upper and one lower extremity to acquire specially adapted housing. S. 1642: to amend title 38 USC, to increase rates of disability compensation and to increase the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for parents, and for other purposes.