LEGISLATION Morin: PERA vote urgent National Commander Paul A. Morin is calling for a full mobilization of America’s veterans, and all Americans in general, to contact their U.S. senators to pass the Veterans’ Memorials, Boy Scouts, Public Seals, and Other Public Expres¬ sions of Religion Protection Act of 2006, S. 3696, before the 109th Congress adjourns. FALL MEETINGS “Pundits may call their return on Nov. 13 a lame-duck session, but senators are there to INDEPENDENT COMMISSION do the business of the people, and we expect them to pass this important piece of legislation in OPENS TWO-YEAR STUDY this Congress,” Morin said. “I am asking every member of The American Legion, American By Matt Grills Legion Auxiliary and Sons of Just five months after The The American Legion, indeed American Legion joined four all Americans, to contact their other veterans service organiza¬ senators, mobilize their com¬ tions in forming the Veterans munities to do the same, and Coalition, Inc., members of the activate all Americans who care National Executive Committee deeply about preserving the applauded its swiff creation of a religious heritage given to us by commission that will look our Founding Fathers.” decades into the future to The House passed a measure determine the best way to serve similar to S. 3696 before U.S. veterans. Congress adjourned for the “I am happy to report the election break. Passage of the project is moving along very Senate bill, introduced by Sen. briskly,” said National Com¬ Sam Brownback, R-Kan., will mander Paul A. Morin, who prevent organizations such as opened the annual Fall Meet¬ the ACLU from making ings in Indianapolis on Oct. 18. enormous profits by filing He announced that nine lawsuits under the establish¬ commissioners have been ment clause attacking the Boy appointed to the blue-chip Scouts, public displays of the panel, including Past National Ten Commandments, the Commander Ronald F. Conley. Pledge of Allegiance, and other National Adjutant Robert symbols of American religious Spanogle will serve on the history and heritage - including commission’s board. religious symbols at veterans At the helm of the Veterans memorials. Such cases frequent¬ Coalition is Harry Walters, a ly lead to exorbitant legal fees former VA administrator and Former VA administrator Harry Walters, now the president of the Veterans Coalition, Inc., ultimately covered by taxpayers. Army assistant secretary. independent of the federal tells the National Executive Committee that the coalition's Commission for the Future of Opponents of S. 3696 have Introduced by Morin as a “great government and funded outside America's Veterans will operate without a political agenda. James V. Carroll released statements suggesting American, a true patriot, a the federal government by the measure won’t go to a vote fellow Legionnaire and a people who can think and create vision currently eclipsed by troops prepare to enter an before the end of the 109th committed veterans advocate,” without having a political fractious budget and legislative already-strained VA system. Congress. “Pundits in 1944 also Walters explained why the agenda, or a fixed agenda, or a debates in Congress. A final “We need to find a future. wrote off The American Legion’s coalition’s commission to chart hidden agenda,” he told the report will be released by That’s no easy task. And this is advocacy in getting the GI Bill a new course for the Depart¬ NEC. Memorial Day 2008, offering not an unambitious project,” of Rights passed,” Morin said. ment of Veterans Affairs is On Nov. 9, commissioners recommendations on how to Walters said. “No one should sit “Thanks to a massive last- unlike any of its predecessors. met for the first time to begin keep quality high and costs low here thinking we’re going to minute effort by Legionnaires The Commission for the developing a long-term, sustain¬ in veterans health care even as come out in 2008 with every then, the Servicemen’s Readjust- Future of America’s Veterans is able strategy for veterans health hundreds of thousands of “an independent commission, care and benefits programs - a National Guard and reserve See Commission on Page 4 See PERA on Page 5 THE AMERICAN LEGION NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION P.O. BOX 1055 • INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46206 U.S. POSTAGE PAID COMMANDER’S <3 si! MEMBER BENEFITS PERMIT NO. 719 MESSAGE INDIANAPOLIS, IN 46206 Reasons to join, and stay in, Spread the word The American Legion PAGE 2 y 4^ PAGES 6-7 NATIONAL ADJUTANT’S COLUMN CHILDREN & YOUTH LEGISLATION Joy to GIs around CWF awards more Elections impact the world PAGE 3 than $400,000 key committees PAGE 8 PAGE 10 2 IDispatch I NOVEMBER 17,2006 COMMANDER’S MESSAGE PLANNER NOVEMBER Spread the word: Submit Consolidated Post Reports 20-26 National Family During the 1974 Fall Meetings, the National When The American Legion speaks as a Week Executive Committee passed Res. 7, which collective unit, it’s a much stronger voice than INCENTIVES ENCOURAGE POSTS established “a report form suitable for use by all that of 15,000 individual posts speaking on their TO FILE REPORTS 25-30 Holiday Donor American Legion Posts in reporting their major own. Blood Drive activities and that all Posts be urged to submit Unfortunately, we’re not hearing from 15,000 Adding incentives will increase the records on this form to National Headquarters posts. The Consolidated Post Reports collected number of Consolidated Post DECEMBER ...” Thus was born the this year represent just 46 percent of the posts Reports returned to National Headquarters each year. National 1-31 Holiday Donor Consolidated Post Report, a within The American Legion. Some departments form designed to allow posts return more than 75 percent of their reports. Commander Paul A. Morin has Blood Drive to sing their own praises Every department could do this by taking a few issued a challenge similar to the 7 Pearl Harbor Day regarding their work during steps to improve participation: National Emergency Fund the year. ■ Mention in all correspondences to post Commander's Challenge for the six 25 Christmas The Consolidated Post leadership the importance of the report categories of departments based on size, awarding the highest percent 26 Hanukkah Report is a checklist of and the submission date to department American Legion commis¬ headquarters. of completed forms in each 31 Deadline sions, programs and ■ Mention in department newsletters the category. for National activities - Legislative, importance of the Consolidated Post Report. Under the incentive program: Organization on Veterans Affairs & Rehabili¬ National Commander ■ Recognize at department conventions all those Disability Award tation, National Security, Paul A. Morin posts that turned in their completed forms. ■ Top performing department Public Relations, Economics ■ Department leadership at all levels should keep nominations commanders will receive a and Americanism/Children & Youth - alongside in constant contact, at least every other week, plaque at the National JANUARY spaces that allow posts to write out the ways in with district commanders updating them on Convention. which they excelled in each area. There are boxes which posts have and have not reported. 1 New Year's Day to indicate how many hours were donated at VA ■ Use competition between districts on the ■ Certificates will be given to 5-6 Memberships facilities, how many American Legion Baseball percentage of posts reporting. 98-percent to 100-percent Post Activities teams were sponsored, how many young men ■ Give awards and recognition to district district commanders. were sent to American Legion Boys State, how commanders who achieve 100-percent Planning Session in much blood was donated through The American reporting. ■ The national commander will Indianapolis Legion Blood Donor Program, and how many The Consolidated Post Report is your oppor¬ write a letter to departments citing the departments' success 15 Deadline for 2006 times the post was mentioned on local radio and tunity to tell the story of all the great accom¬ television stations and in the newspaper during plishments of your post. But just as important, stories. nominations the course of the year. It’s an opportunity to tell it’s a chance to tell our story to Congress and the ■ National vice commanders for Employer of the story of your post on an easy-to-fill-out form. rest of the nation. In a few months, when it emphasize the importance in Veterans Award & The Consolidated Post Report is more than a comes time to file your report, please take the their calls to district commanders template for your post’s achievements. The time to do it. It’s not just your story; it’s The Employment Service and during department visits. Award deadline for information gathered in these forms is placed in American Legion’s story. Homeless Veteran a report annually sent to Congress. When I testify in front of Congress and refer to all the Task Force reports work The American Legion is doing, much of 15 Martin Luther what I reference will come from Consolidated King Jr. Day Post Reports. FEBRUARY STILL SERVING AMERICA EDITOR 1 Department Correspondence and letters to the editor: The American Legion Dispatch Steve B. Brooks submissions due Does your post have a unique community P.0. Box 1055 program, an innovative recruiting method or a CONTRIBUTORS for National Law Dispatch Indianapolis, IN 46206 creative way of spreading the Legion message James V. Carroll Enforcement Officer Subscriptions or customer service: that could be implemented at posts across the Matt Grills Published monthly. (317)630-1298 country? Tell us how your post and its members Jeff Stoffer of the Year Award Printed by HNE Printers, Columbus, Ind. are Still Serving America. Annual subscription rate: $15 DESIGNER 4 Four Chaplains All American Legion publications are entitled and encouraged to Editorial office: (317) 630-1352 In submitting your information, include your Matthew Everett reproduce all staff-written stories within, but please credit Dispatch Sunday full name, address and telephone number.