Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States General MacArthur Memorial Post 392 2408 Bowland Parkway Virginia Beach, Virginia 23454-5207 (757) 486-5875 www.vfw392.org 2012 Membership Goal: 1,714 Current Membership: 97.84% with 1,676 Members May 2012 - VOLUME 23, NUMBER 11 2012 - 2013 OFFICERS Post Commander………………...… Peter Gebelein Ladies Auxiliary President………. Suzie Forehand Sr. Vice Commander……….…..…....…Bill Sowers Ladies Aux. Sr. Vice President……… Judy Lupole Jr. Vice Commander….……………… John Brooks Ladies Aux. Jr. Vice President……… Sue Sowers Quartermaster…………….…….. Donald E. Brown Ladies Aux. Chaplain...……………..……. (TBA) Chaplain………………….….…..……. Bob Duvall Ladies Aux. Treasurer……… Elizabeth Moynihan House Committee Chairman…….... Ralph Stephens Seam Squirrel…………..….….….…... Bill Moran Service Officer……………...... Gunnar Gudjonsson M.O.C.A. President……..……....……. Pam Myers Surgeon……………...…….....… Merle W. Gootee Judge Advocate…………….....…..… Doug Keller placing of flags on Veteran’s grave 5/1 Pres. Bush announces that COMMANDER’S sites for Memorial Weekend. We “ m a j o r c o m b a t CORNER can always use the extra hands, not operations in Iraq have only with placing the flags, but also ended” in 2003 COMRADES AND SISTERS with retrieval, conditional 5/2 Osama bin Laden killed by inspection, and stowing of the flags. US Forces in 2011 We are getting close to the end 5/3 Battle of the Coral Sea of the VFW year. With that Both events rely heavily on begins in 1942 being said, I would like to volunteers, so please support our 5/7 German submarine sinks congratulate all the new Veterans and lend a hand! Lusitania in 1915 incoming Post Officers for the Membership: we are a little 5/8 V-E Day celebrated in 2012-2013 year! And I would laggard with recruiting new America / Britain in 1945 also like to extend a warm members and getting membership 5/10 General T.J. “Stonewall” hearted thank you to all the renewals. Our Post is close to the Jackson dies in 1863 volunteers that worked as hard as 100% mark! With a little more 5/13 Mother’s Day they did to make April such a effort from every member, I believe 5/19 Armed Forces Day successful month! My hat is off we can reach our goal and maybe (established August 1949) to you all! even exceed it! 5/20 101st Airborne captures In May, we have a couple of Please remember one more thing, “Hamburger Hill” (Ap Bia big projects that we will need Comrades and Sisters, this is Mountain, Vietnam) in 1969 everyone’s help on. The first big YOUR Post. So if you have any 5/21 American Red Cross one is Buddy Poppies. If we ideas or suggestions, please attend a founded in 1881 could get everyone to sign up to meeting and get involved! And 5/30 Operation Pile Driver, an volunteer just a few hours of please feel free to contact me or any offensive against the ’Iron their day and distribute Buddy of the post officers. Triangle’ begins (Korean Poppies, we could make this War) in 1951 event an astonishing success! DATES TO REMEMBER 5/30 House Committee The second big project is the 5/1 Post 392 Meeting Meeting Page 1 Continued Page 2 NEW MEMBERS next meeting is at 19:00 (7 pm) on many of you up there. See flyers at May 1st. I am looking forward to bar for more information. I extend a warm welcome to the seeing all of you at the meeting. th new members who were voted On the 14 we hosted over 50 into our Post at the last regular Post Commander vets from the VA hospital for meeting. Peter Gebelein lunch. The LAX did a fantastic job 757-641-6377 as usual, and the food was superb. New / Transfer Life [email protected] 28th of May we will meet at the Members: ------------------------------------------------------------- post at about 1030, and car pool to Ryan D. Bergstresser the Hampton VA hospital. There Paul V. Porrini SENIOR VICE COMMANDER we will show the vets a movie and Leonard J. Santivasci serve pizza and drinks. We need New / Transfer / Re-Instated all the help we can get for this We had quite a turn out for the Annual Members & Life event, so I hope to see some of you social hour at the ATRIA Social in Installment: there. Please lend a hand for a early April. We made some new good cause! Phillip B. Ballard friends and even some new Dustin S. Biri members! Thank you to all who CALENDAR PLANNING: James T. Blount were able to attend! VVA, FRA, USMC, AOA, John C. Carey Last month, I heard a member DRIVE SAFE, BSA, SALTY William D. Glenn III complaining about the Post Bylaws DAWGS Richard W. Halvorson and Standard Operating Procedures On May 6 at 1500 there will be a Joel R. Marquez at the bar. I want to remind all, that meeting of ALL organizations who Eric J. Medina the proper place for complaints is meet in our Post throughout the Wade A. Morrison AT THE MEETINGS!! Richard H. Poolos year . This is a planning meeting to George C. Thalassinos My understanding of the Bylaws set up the calendar for next fiscal is that they are approved, and no year post activities. PLEASE BE Thank you for your service and changes are to be made at this time. THERE TO PROVIDE INPUT welcome aboard. The SOP is awaiting final input FOR YOUR GROUP. IRTHDAYS followed by post approval. I will let B ONTINUOUS EMBERSHIP you know more as the information C M May I wish “Happy Birthday” becomes available on either AWARDS to James A. Roberson (Happy governing documentations. Keep in The following comrades have 93rd!), Dominick L. Garcia mind, if you attend the meetings, earned Continuous Membership (PPC), Marvel H. Loy (PPC), you will know just as soon as I Awards as indicated below. Richard A. Craig, Douglas R. do!!! Keller (PPC), Ronnie S. Kiger, Please attend the next General Amanda N. Awtry, Matthew P. A CORPORATE MEETING will Membership Meeting to receive Nowak, and 140 other fine be held in June to ascertain if any your lapel pin. If you are unable to comrades! NEW BY LAW CHANGES are attend the meeting, contact any recommended. If you have a Post Officer and your pin will be I also extend warmest complaint pertaining to our Bylaws, presented. If your name has not “Birthday Wishes” to Goldie that would be the time to air it! been listed and you believe that an Gibson (Happy 81st!), Patricia award is due, please contact the R. Leach, Barbara Herbert, Mary Sunday, 6 May at 1800, the 2012- 2013 calendar planning meeting Quartermaster. E. Stogsdill, Priscilla Ann Myers, Jaime L. Taylor, and 21 will commence. If you are not Forty (40) Years Of other fine sisters! present or have made inputs to the Continuous Service: Commander prior to the meeting, Jack J. Hilgers POST MEETINGS DO NOT COMPLAIN. Post meetings are held the first The State convention is 7-10 June Tuesday of each month. Our in Williamsburg. I hope to see Page 2 Continued Page 3 Twenty-Five (25) Years Of distributing them goes to worry again about your renewals! Continuous Service: maintaining state and national NEWSLETTER AVAILABLE Michael R. Lynch Veteran’s rehabilitation and service programs, and partially supports the ONLINE AND BY EMAIL Gerd W. Marker Jack L. Wilson, Jr. VFW National Home for orphans The newsletter is now available and widows of our Veterans. via email! To sign up, go to our Twenty (20) Years Of website at www.vfw392.org, select Continuous Service: As the VFW’s official memorial flower, the Poppy represents the NEWS, scroll down, and enter the Stanley Willner following: first name, last name, bloodshed by American service email address, and Membership ID Fifteen (15) Years Of members. And it reiterates that we Continuous Service: will not forget their sacrifices. Number. Check the ‘Yes’ box, and then just click ‘Submit’. Charles R. Alexander VOLUNTEERS is what we need Terrence W. Bobka to get the word out! CHANGE OF ADDRESS Robert Lee Godfrey VOLUNTEERS are how we We need to maintain a current Samuel P. Hamaker distribute the Buddy Poppies! address on our members, here at William S. Kaufman VOLUNTEERS are what make this the post and at national Eric L. Rigsby all happen! So please, contribute headquarters. So please, when Michael P. Yatsko your share of time for a great cause your mailing address changes, be and take pride in your efforts to Five (5) Years Of sure to fill out an address change benefit others! Continuous Service: form, and drop it off or mail it to David J. Bozak If you have any questions or need me at the post. me for any Post business, you can Quartermaster Thank you for your service and catch me at the Post or contact me Donald E. Brown congratulations! at the email address below. [email protected] SR. Vice Commander --------------------------------------- Bill Sowers Jr. Vice Commander [email protected] John Brooks CHAPLAIN’S --------------------------------------- [email protected] --------------------------------------- CORNER JUNIOR VICE COMMANDER QUARTERMASTER TEMPORARY SHORT TERM ILLNESS OR INJURIES Starting Wednesday the 23rd LISTING through Memorial Day we will A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Please read the Post Bulletin be distributing Buddy Poppies, MEMBERSHIP DUES and don’t forget the Buddy Board for most recent up-dates as Poppy spaghetti dinner is on Renew your 2012 Annual individuals on the Short Term May 17th! Membership today - dues are Listing become sick or recover. $30.00. You may bring your dues We are still looking for payment to Post 392, renew them Norm Phelps volunteers to “shake their cans” Home online at vfw.org, or mail them for Poppies.