FOR GOD AND COUNTRY JULY 2019 Newsletter American Legion Post 383 Old Town, FL 352-542-2021 Special Notice: Meeting Dates July 2019 Looking for Volunteers Post Closing – cleaning/repair to take over putting the monthly July 6 through July 20 newsletter together. Re-Opening Party July 21st12n We will do the August 2019 Finance Committee 3rd 10am newsletter, but will no longer be E-Board 3rd 11am st doing the newsletter after House Committee 1 5pm August 2019. Please contact Gary SAL 24th 6pm Ladies Auxiliary 10th 6pm or Connie Pruss if you wish to Legion Riders 13th 10am volunteer. 352-542-2774 home Planning Committee TBA Legionnaires TBA Honor Guard 5th 10am 4. American Legion Post Non-Profit Organization 383 US Postage Pd. Old Town, FL Old Town, FL 32680 Permit 2 Visit us in person at 1297NE 82ndAve. Address Service Requested Old Town, FL 32680 Drop us a line at P.O. Box 220 Old Town, FL 32680 Visit us online at WWW.AL383FL.org Follow us on Facebook @AmericnLegionPost383 ANMCGAF POST 383 OFFICERS AUXILIARY OFFICERS POST OFFICERS PRESIDENT – Jackie Phelps – 356-3137 (Area Code 352 unless otherwise indicated) 1st Vice – Kim Cromer - 213-8512 COMMANDER –Chris McKenzie 423-402-6245 2nd Vice – Connie Pruss - 542-2774 rd ADJUTANT- Thomas Flood 608-863-5510 3 Vice – Kathy Browne - 356-3161 1sr Vice – Mike Hutto 490-1756 SECRETARY – Dee Kelley - 356-2605 2nd Vice – Gary Pruss 386-249-9077 TREASURER- Dorothy Anderson 490-1568 3rd Vise - Chris Hubbert CHAPLAIN-Shirley Prater 491-5247 FINANCE OFFICER - VACANT HISTORIAN- Marie Hutto 493-5295 SCV. OFFICER – Thomas Flood 608-863-5510 SGT. AT ARMS- Sandy Hubbert 550-8132 CHAPLAIN – VACANT MEMBERSHIP – Abbey McKenzie 513-508-4136 SGT AT ARMS – Lee Strader JUDGE ADV. – VACANT HISTORIAN – VACANT PAST CMDR – MARY LUTZ RIDERS OFFICERS MEMBERS AT LARGE; DIRECTOR – Mike Hutto - 490-1756 Duane Henning, Kenneth Gruning, Kathy Bamberger ASSISTANT DIRECTOR – Steve“Bing”Bingaman Gary Glendening FINANCE OFFICER – Al Sawyer – 906-202-2319 SAL OFFICERS SECRETARY – Connie Pruss 542-2774 MEMBERSHIP & – Carl Rich 703-220-4989 COMMUNICATIONS Commander - John Glen 210-7482 SGT. AT ARMS – David Newman 1st Vice- Pat Cromer ROAD CAPTIAN – Lee Strader 2nd Vice- Jack Hubbert 514-1906 SAFTEY OFFICER- VACANT SGT. AT ARMS – Paul Gillis CHAPLAIN – VACANT Chaplain- Brian Ford HISTORIAN – VACANT Adjutant - Pat Cromer 281-2841 QUARTERMASTER – Connie Pruss 542-2774 Adjutant - Neil Lett Finance Officer Carl Rich 703-220-4989 FROM THE COMMANDER’S DESK I would like to thank everyone that showed up for the All Post Meeting on June 22. It was important to me to see and talk to that many people that want to take part in understanding where we are as a post. For the ones that didn’t make the meeting I would like to recap what was covered. New Officers for 2019 – 2020 January 2019 – June 20th 2019 Financial Report Reviewed things we have tried such as LCR card game and Bingo Things we would like to try going forward such as Bowling Leagues and Poker The need for volunteers for general maintenance around the post such as mowing etc. The big subject of the meeting was the Post Closure July 6th – 20th This closure is needed to address some health and safety issues. We will also use this closure to clean-up and do some much needed painting and cleaning. Volunteer sign-up sheets are located at the canteen. Full size copy is posted on the peg board right of the post front door. We had unanimous support by the Legionnaires attending the meeting on Saturday to close the post for two weeks and bring everything up to standards. We could use your help during this closure; we will have people working round the clock to get everything done before the big day. OUR GRAND REOPENING OF AL POST 383 JULY 21ST 1:00pm Doc Adams Band Cookout and much more FROM THE FIRST VICE DESK Well, Convention is over and the new membership cards are in. If you want to renew, contact me or talk to the bartender. I will get your new card ASAP, however, please indicate if you want to pick it up at the Post or if you want it mailed. Also, please help us communicate with you. We need an updated address, telephone, and email address. Please fill out the front of the renewal envelope completely and ADD your email address. This will help us get important information to you in a timely manner. You, the Post member are our most important asset. BASEBALL ANYONE?? How the American Legion World Series? It will be broadcast on ESPN 3 August 15 - 20 from Shelby, NC. Answer the trivia question below then watch your future Pro Baseball Stars. Which of these Hall of Fame players played American Legion Baseball? 1. Pee Wee Reese 2. Pudge Rodriguez 3. Yogi Berra 4. Bob Feller 5. Ted Williams 6. Stan Musial 7. Roy Campanella 8. Frank Robinson 9. Don Drysdale 10. Harmon Killebrew 11. ALL OF THE ABOVE Watch It live or DVR it and watch it later American Legion Uniform Protocol The only Uniform that the American Legion has is the Garrison Cap. Ball caps, berets, do rags, Etc. is not recognized as an official cover. When a male Legionnaire is eating, he must remove his cover. Women are allowed to leave Theirs on. The cover must be removed for a prayer and saying the Pledge of Allegiance and placed over the heart with the right hand. When laying the cover down the American Legion seal must remain up with nothing laid upon it. That side is considered Holy Ground. The other side may be decorated as the Legionnaire sees Fit (within good taste bounds). Hats have different colors: the most important color is Blue. This is what all Legionnaires go to after being initiated or upon leaving higher office. The next is Blue with a White Crown. This is a District (or county) office cap. After that is White. This is a Department Officer or Chairman. Next and finally is the Red Hat which is a National Officer or Chairman or Dept. National Committeemen. For God and Country, Mike Hutto From the Desk of the Service Officer June was Post Traumatic Stress Awareness month. The Vet Centers around the country offer counseling services to veterans and their families. The Vet Centers are part of the VA system but are independent of the VA Hospital System. If there is enough interest in having a group counseling session at Post 383 on a regular basis they will provide a counselor. These sessions will include veterans from surrounding area veteran’s organizations. If you’re interested fill out the form below and mail it or you can call or email me. If you wish to receive help immediately the Vet Center contact information is listed below. They recommend calling ahead but you can also just walk in. These services are free to qualified veterans. All Veterans are encouraged to seek Vet Center services. Any Veterans and active duty Service members, to include members of the National Guard and Reserve components, are eligible if any of the following applies: in any combat theater or area of hostility. duty, to the casualties of war, or vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat zone or area of hostility. Vet Center services are also provided to family members of Veterans and Service members for military- related issues when they aid in the readjustment of those who have served. This includes bereavement counseling for families who experience an active duty death. Vet Center 105 NW 75th Street Suite 2 Gainesville, FL 32607 Main Number: 352-331-1408 I am interested in group PTSD Group Counseling At Post 383 Name__________________________________ Phone#_________________________________ E-mail__________________________________ I would prefer day evening Mail to: Post Service Officer American Legion Post 383 Post Office Box 220 Old Town, FL 32680 All information submitted is strictly confidential, only the Post Service Officer has access to the information you submit. You can also email me at [email protected] or call me at 608-863-5510 For God and Country Tom Flood Post 383 Service Officer From the desk of the Post Adjutant A bill expanding membership eligibility for The American Legion passed on June 11 by unanimous consent in the Senate. The Let Everyone Get Involved in Opportunities for National Service Act — also known as the LEGION Act — is a bipartisan effort introduced by Sens. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. Because The American Legion’s membership periods are congressionally chartered, the organization is prevented from expanding membership eligibility without an act of Congress. The act expands membership eligibility to honorably discharged veterans who have served in unrecognized times of war since World War II. The LEGION Act was a focus of American Legion National Commander Brett Reistad’s Feb. 27 testimony before a joint hearing of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs. He called on Congress to take action amending the charter, thereby giving tens of thousands of veterans access to American Legion benefits and programs they are not currently eligible for. When the bill becomes law any veteran who served on active duty and honorably discharged from December 7, 1941 forward would be eligible to join the American Legion. The bill is expected to pass the House of Representatives and will be signed into law by the President. The Legion hopes to announce the passage of the bill National Convention. Please remember that membership renewal will start in July.