Congratulations to all that won!  The Rehab Raffle Winners were picked at a live drawing at Department Headquarters on December 17, 2011. And the winners are …

Jemes McMillen, Pittsburgh PA — $200

Herman G Siever Jr., Pottstown PA — $200

George R Winkler, Gettysburg PA — $200

Fred D. Hormel, Oakdale PA — $200

David A Priebe, West Grove PA — $200

Willard W Phoenix, Souderton PA — $200

Wallace Frenchak, Butler PA — $200

Larry M Heinly, Albrightsville PA — $200

George Coan, Scranton PA — $200

Harry C Miller Jr., Summit Hill PA — $200

Raymond L Carl, Cleveland GA — $250

William N Gibboney, Tyrone PA – $250

Barry L Schleig, Coal Township PA — $250

Nancy L Stockley, Dillsburg PA – $250

George Novotny Jr., Perkiomenville PA — $500

Bruce V Gardner, Little Genesee NY — $1000

Raymond A Robinson, Butler PA — $2500

Walter W David, Frankenmuth MI — $10,000

Click Here for a printer friendly version of the winners and the winning tickets

Looking for ways to support and honor U.S. military servicemembers and veterans who protect our security and freedom? You may have a Legion member who is currently serving overseas that you can send care packages to but, if you don’t have a specific name of someone to send to then please use the following information.

In years past, you could wrap up a care package and mail it to “Any Service Member” for the holidays, but with increased mail restrictions, the Pentagon is asking people to help through financial contributions, letter-writing and e-mail, purchasing authorized pre-made care packages, or volunteering time through non-profits.

Below are links to programs that offer aid to our military — everything from care packages to emergency services to military family support. Show your pride in our armed forces today, either by purchasing a gift or card for a servicemember, or donating to programs that support our military.

Cards, Letters, Gifts, and Care Packages

In addition, the U.S. Postal Service is no longer accepting “Any Service Member” or “Any Wounded Service Member” letters or packages. Mail to “Any Service Member” that is deposited into a collection box will not be delivered. The following charitable organizations help send gifts, cards, and care packages to our troops:

The Billy Blanks Foundation - The Billy Blanks Foundation was founded by the creator of Tae Bo. One of the foundations many projects is sending care packages to U.S. Servicemembers in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Adopt a Platoon - Support the troops through gifts and sponsored mail.
Any Soldier - Sponsor care packages to servicemembers in Iraq.
Army and Air Force Exchange Services - Purchase gift certificates for active and hospitalized servicemembers.
Blue Star Mothers - Organizes postcards to troops and care packages, and is currently petitioning Congress for reduced air fares for servicemembers.
Books for Soldiers - Donate books, movies, and more.
Cell Phones for Soldiers - Donate your old cell phones, which pay for calling cards for our troops.
Commissary Gift Certificates - Give the gift of groceries — buy or donate gift certificates.
DefendAmerica - Send a virtual thank-you card.
A Million Thanks - Collects emails and letters of appreciation for our armed forces.
Operation Air Conditioner - Help pay for air conditioners and heaters for the troops.
Operaton Dear Abbey - Send greetings and messages of support.
Operation Give - Donate toys to be given to the children of Iraq.
Operation Gratitude - Contribute to care packages sent to our servicemembers.
Operation Homefront Hugs - Contribute to care packages, or adopt a servicemember.
Operation Troop Aid - Provide care packages for our deployed U.S. Servicemembers.
Operation Uplink - Donate a calling card to help keep servicemembers in touch with their families.
Operation USO Care Package - Sponsor a care package for $25.
Treats for Troops - Purchase care packages for Soldiers.

Help with Mailing Packages
Instructions on Sending Mail to Servicemembers - Straight from the U.S. Postal Service, instructions and recommendations on sending individual mail to servicemembers.

Click here for some ideas of things to send in your care packages

USMC Day celebrates the birth of the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Corps were created during the Revolutionary War.

The Continental Congress of the newly created United States of America authorized the creation of the Continental Marines on November 10, 1775. It was later renamed the U.S. Marine Corps. It is often abbreviated as USMC.

The Marine Corps has proudly participated in every war that has involved the United States.

If you see a Marine today, thank them for their contributions to protecting our country. Active or retired, they deserve our thanks and appreciation.

Colleges across the nation are seeing increases in demand from returning veterans; the majority of them attend local community colleges first. And most schools are expecting that demand to grow.

The GI Bill, which pays veterans’ in-state public school tuition plus allowances for books and living expenses, used to cap what it would pay toward private school tuition at the maximum in-state public number.

As the cost for higher education rises, the new program — with additional funds from the government and the participating school — can get veterans closer to the total annual tuition and fees of universities.

It is also important for the college to have a dedicated veteran’s center on their campuses; it helps the veteran achieve success with their education.

“Because it’s only fair,” said the government recruiter. “They have served their country so they deserve a job when they get home.”

 

It wasn’t the usual answer to the query “Why should an employer hire a veteran?”. It was the forceful response of one human resources professional at an American Legion-supported women veterans job fair in Arlington, Va., on Oct. 26. More typical, and equally valid, was the answer offered by a recruiter from a regional bank whose manager, a female veteran herself, had briefed him well. “Veterans are hard workers, well organized, and are team players,” he said. “We want veterans because they’re the best candidates we can find.”

The unemployment rate among young women veterans is nearly 15 percent, says the Bureau of Labor Statistics; the rate for male veterans is that is several percentage points lower.

The bank was among nearly two dozen employers, including several federal agencies, interviewing more than 60 job seekers at the Female Veteran Internship and Career Fair. The event was hosted by two D.C. area-based non-profit advocacy and networking organizations. One, The WAVE (Women as Veteran Entrepreneurs), provides information and training for self-employed women veterans wishing to do business with the federal government. The other, Final Salute Inc., supports homeless women vets.

WAVE co-founder Harvetta Spann pronounced the first-of-its-kind fair a “great success” with “every slot filled.” Spann, a member of American Legion Post 1 in Washington, is on the Legion’s Small Business Task Force. She also conducts small business workshops for women veterans. Equally enthusiastic was WAVE supporter and retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier Gen. Wilma Vaught. One of the most decorated women in military history, Vaught deemed the job fair “very successful” and expressed delight that “they got so many employers here.” She is board president of the Women In Military Service For America Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.

Among the job seekers present were former Army Blackhawk combat helicopter pilot Lee Ann Hayley and her sister, Mara Boggs. An Army major, Boggs will soon return to civilian life from her position as military liaison to the U.S. Senate. Meanwhile, Hayley, already a civilian again, is marketing herself as a “leadership and management professional.” She was recently laid off from a defense consulting firm, but was upbeat as she talked about the employment opportunities presented at the women’s career fair.

The American Legion was a key presence at the fair, represented by the D.C. office’s human resources generalist Diane Price, assistant director for Health Policy Denise Williams and assistant director for Women Veterans Outreach Amanda Leigh, as well as Economic Division Director Joe Sharpe. The Legion also hosted an information booth the previous day at a D.C. career fair, attended by nearly 70 veteran-friendly employers.

More Iraq and Afghanistan veterans are receiving mental health care from the Veterans Affairs Department, but officials in a recent report still cited barriers that may be preventing some from getting the care they need.

According to a recent report from the Government Accountability Office, only a little more than 8 percent of those who served in those wars sought help from VA from 2006 to 2010.

The number of veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan getting treatment increased from about 34,500 in 2006, or 4 percent of the total, to just more than 139,000 in 2010, the GAO reported. That means 12 percent of the 1.2 million veterans who sought mental health care last year are veterans from the latest wars.

The report states that some veterans are hindered to receive care because they’re concerned about their privacy, they may not know the services exist, or they simply cannot get to a treatment center if they live somewhere rural, the report stated. VA officials also believe younger veterans may have a perception that the system caters to older veterans, the report said. Plus, veterans just starting out in their civilian lives are often balancing priorities such as school, family and work, and seeking help doesn’t always make the list.

There are an estimated 2.6 million living veterans from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, and 23 million total veterans dating back to World War II, according to the GAO.

But the two most recent conflicts are different when it comes to diagnosis and treatment for mental health issues, the report states. Since the VA has changed how it screens for mental disease, more troops may have their conditions recognized, the report said.

Now, troops are screened for PTSD, depression, substance abuse disorders and sexual trauma when they visit a primary care clinic, the report said.

Veterans were most commonly diagnosed with adjustment reaction, depressive disorder, episodic mood disorder, neurotic disorder and substance abuse disorder.

Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were most likely to be diagnosed with adjustment reaction, which includes post-traumatic stress disorder. In those five years, 96,916 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans were diagnosed with PTSD.

But VA is making changes to accommodate more patients, the report said.

Is it enough?

From 2008 to 2011, the VA opened 60 Vet Centers to offer free counseling, bringing the total of these outlets to 292, and it plans to open eight more by the end of this year. It has also increased the number of mental health workers by nearly 7,000 to 21,000 this year, the GAO reported.

The VA redesigned its websites for the Office of Mental Health Services and the National Center for PTSD and uses sites such as Twitter and Facebook to get the word out about mental health help.

View the highlighted page from the GAO or View the entire report from the GAO

The assistance in mental health is crucial as suicide among our military has been increasing each year.  Nearly a decade after the United States went to war in Afghanistan and Iraq, the suicide rate among soldiers and veterans – though lower than the civilian rate – is rising sharply, leading to criticism that the military leaders aren’t doing enough to help service members.  President Obama acknowledged the severity of the problem this year when he finally began sending condolence letters to families.

One suicide is too many and one soldier suffering from PTSD or depression is also too many.

Soldiers and families in need of crisis assistance can contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or by visiting the organization’s website at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.

 

As it stands now, students returning home after completing their freshman year in college are eligible to play Legion Baseball. But come 2015, that will all change - American Legion Baseball will become a junior-high and high-school age program.

Participants in all other American Legion youth programs, such as Boys State/Boys Nation, Shooting Sports and the Oratorical Contest, are limited to those attending high school. Thus, in effort to create uniformity amongst Legion youth programs, the National Executive Committee of The American Legion passed Resolution 46, restricting Legion Baseball player eligibility to junior high and high school students.

As foreseen by the NEC, the restriction will allow more high school athletes the opportunity to play Legion ball, because it will free up the limited number of places on team rosters, which are currently held by college-eligible players. The restriction to high school students will also help increase college coaches and scouts attendance at games and interest in players, allowing the young men a chance to display their skills and talents.

It’s that time of year again when kids (and adults) get to dress up, eat candy and have a good time on Halloween. With all the excitement and last-minute rushing around, children and parents sometimes forget basic safety precautions that can help avoid a Halloween horror. 

 

Here’s a quick list of easy tips to follow, recommended by the Center for Disease Control:

 

·         Choose a costume that is well-fitting and doesn’t block vision in any way. Long dresses and masks can lead to trips and falls. Limit props with costumes to those that are short, soft, and flexible. Even a plastic sword can cause an injury when fallen on.

 

·         Trick-or-treat in groups where parents can supervise younger children. Stick to the community’s hours and go to well lit residential areas. It is preferable that you stay in your neighborhood where you know most of the people.

 

·         Bring a flashlight or make sure all kids’ costumes have a reflector on them so they can be seen. Discount stores sell flashing lights and glow sticks that are perfect for this, and may even enhance their costume.

 

·         It is important for the children to follow normal safety and traffic rules such as looking both ways when they cross the street, using crosswalks and sidewalks, and remind your children not to go into anyone’s house they don’t know.

 

·         Watch out for open flames in pumpkins, candles and luminaries. Long costumes and sleeves can catch fire quickly. Invest in some LED candles this year, or if you choose flame candles, keep them out of the way of traffic.

 

·         Remind the children to inspect all candy and don’t let your children eat anything that’s unwrapped, or looks like it has been tampered with. Make sure you know the person well before eating anything homemade.

 

·         Minimize stress for your pets. Don’t feed them candy and make sure that they can’t get to wrappers they may choke on. Be wary that while they look cute in a costume, they may be agitated by the costume and extra excitement and not behave as normal.

 

·         While pranks may seem a fun part of Halloween, remind your kids that any kind of vandalism such as throwing eggs, spray painting, etc., is not acceptable and can be dangerous.  

 

Have a safe and spooktacular Halloween and remind the children to say “thank you” for each treat—or they may be the ones to get a trick!

Indianapolis has served as the starting point for all six Legacy Runs. But with Indianapolis slated to host the 2012 American Legion National Convention, obviously a different approach needed to be taken. And now, plans are being made to finalize the 2012 Run.

The American Legion Riders Ad-Hoc Committee has devised a plan that will incorporate a three-day ride with a three-day expo in Indianapolis, and then culminate with the Riders leading off the annual national convention parade.

The American Legion Legacy Run Home begins Aug. 21 with the National Commander’s Ride, which will start in upstate New York in the home department of National Commander Fang Wong. The riders will escort Wong along the 850-mile Run that will traverse Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. A highlight of the planned Run is a special visit to Garden City, Mich., to pay tribute to the founding chapter of The American Legion Riders at Garden City American Legion Post 396. From there the Ride will travel across Michigan and Indiana before approaching Indianapolis from the west, arriving at Speedway Post 500 on the afternoon of Aug. 23.

The American Legion Riders Expo will run from Aug. 23-25 and will feature a planned series of American Legion Rider social events, such as range and classroom training, Rider program development courses, skills training and Motorcycle Safety Foundation exhibitions. Stout Army Air Field and the Joint Forces Headquarters of the Indiana National Guard will provide two hangers, parking, range areas and classrooms to host the events. Dinners, concerts and other activities will be held at area American Legion posts, and the expo will end with a candlelight night ride in downtown Indianapolis and a special ceremony for Legacy Scholarship recipients and their families at the Indiana War Memorial.

The expo has been designed to be family-friendly. Busses will provide transportation for Legion family members to Stout Field for the expo, and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation is setting up a bonding course that riders of all ages can experience, as well as providing virtual motorcycles to ride. National Guardsmen and active-duty servicemembers will ride the provided courses and participate in the night ride and Legacy ceremony.

The three goals of the expo are to develop skills through a lifelong learning model, to share ideas and to facilitate meetings to share best practices. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police drill team will be doing rider demonstrations, and the setting up of poker runs benefitting Roudebush VA Medical Center and Riley Hospital for Children is in the works.

The American Legion National Convention Parade will take place on Aug. 26 and lead off with American Legion Riders. All American Legion Riders are invited, and there is no registration fee.

Registration for the 2012 event will open in early January on www.legion.org. Expo registration is free to all Commander’s Ride participants. Riders who choose not to participate in the Ride but wish to attend the American Legion Rider Expo may register separately.

Dates for all 2012 American Legion Legacy Run Home activities are:

• Aug. 20 - Assembly for The American Legion Legacy Run Home near Buffalo/Niagara Falls, N.Y.
• Aug. 21-23 - The National Commander’s Ride.
• Aug. 23-25 - The American Legion Riders Expo, Indianapolis
• Aug. 26 - The 94th Annual National Convention Parade

The 2011 Legacy Run raised $668,738.39 for the Legacy Fund. To date, six Legacy Runs have netted more than $2.6 million for the fund, which provides college scholarships for the children of U.S. servicemembers killed on active duty on or after Sept. 11, 2001.

Recently, American Legion Post 764, located in Springdale, PA hosted our 15th annual event.  Sunday, June 12th, we will held our annual Flag Retirement ceremony for the citizenry in our community with the assistance of the Boy Scouts and the Cub Scouts.  Soon will be the Independence Day Parade.  Much to share.  Here is some info if you need it.

On Sunday, May 15th, American Legion Post 764 of Springdale met to hold their 15th annual Harry C. Leftwich Bike/Helmet Safety Day.  Attending were over 50 children, police officers, paramedics, Legion officers, local businessmen, the Mayor and other individuals.  Each child was presented a free, new helmet and  the helmets were professionally fitted.  6 bicycles were raffled off to boys and girls alike.  Gift bags were given to each child attending.  The rain held and it was a great day for all.