Photographer: INSIDE this NYSOVvfwny.com/uploads/July_Aug_Sept.pdfHHH confidence you placed in me by...

2017April/May/June

Official PublicationDept. of New York,Veterans of Foreign Warsof the United States

Photographer:

John Brunato Don Mackey

Editor:

Volume 37Issue 1

INSIDEthis

NYSOV

First, I would like to thank Post #53, Chautauqua County Council, District 6 and all the comrades for their support on my election as State Junior Vice Commander. I would

also like to congratulate William “Doc” Schmitz on being elected as National Junior Vice Commander, Bob Barnhart on his election as the National Council of Administration Representative from New York, Mike Burke who is our State

Tom TodaroJr. Vice Commander

—SR. VICE, continued on page 2

Pages 1-4 Officer’s Messages

Page 5 Message from TX

Past State Commander

Page 6 VFW Post 5350

Page 7 VFW Scholarship Awards

Page 8 Vice Commander Trip Report

Michael Burke State Commander

Gene RatiglianoSr. Vice Commander

—STATE COMMANDER, continued on page 2

Harold “Hal” Burke, Jr.State Adjutant

Comrades,This is going to be a very exciting year with our newly elected State

Commander Michael Burke.Congratulations to our State Commander Michael Burke, State Sr.

Vice Gene Ratigliano and Jr. Vice Commander Thomas Todaro, State Quartermaster Dennis Sullivan, State Surgeon Willie Burks, State Chaplain Father R.P. Kane and all the newly elected and appointed Department, District, County Council, and Post Officers on their election to office.

Congratulations to PSC William “Doc” Schmitz on his election as Jr. Vice Commander in Chief; we very excited that we have a Jr. Vice Commander–in-Chief. We all need to continue to work together to support the Department’s choice, William “Doc” Schmitz.

I would like to thank State Commander Michael Burke for appointing me as the State Adjutant this year. I will continue to do my best to support him, the Department Officers, and the membership of this great State.

Commander Burke is including many new initiatives for the membership this coming year. —STATE ADJUTANT, continued on page 3

Greetings Comrades. The State Conven-

tion is behind us for this year and I wish to congratulate all the newly elected and ap-pointed officers in the Department as well as the many Comrades at

the Post, District and Council level who have taken it upon themselves to step up and take a position of leadership in this great Depart-ment. As you move into your new positions take the time to review the duties and respon-sibilities of your office. Thank you for the

—JR. VICE, continued on page 3

Comrades,I would like to thank you all for my election to State Commander.

Now it is time for me to put my past three years’ leadership skills to work for our organization. I do ask you for your continued support so we can continue this journey together to better the VFW as well as the Department of New York.

This year in line with National we have now One Vision and One Voice. Our goals this year is nothing new, membership, membership, membership, recruit, recruit, recruit. While we made great strides

last year we must continue to work together as a team and individually when possible to accomplish this goal. Membership is at the top of National’s Agenda and at the top of our Agenda. Once we accomplish this, so many other issues will fall into place.

I would like to congratulate our elected officers and appointees this year and wish them the best. We all have a tough job/road ahead of us but together we can get the job done. I believe this year we have one of the best Administration in place to accomplish it all.

New York State Overseas Veteran April/May/June 2

New York State Overseas Veteran

The official publication of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of New York, 69 Sand Creek Road, Albany, NY 12205. ** PUBLICATIONS:Overseas Veteran is published four times annually by the Department of New York in July/August/Sept., Oct./Nov./Dec., Jan./Feb./Mar. and April/May/June. All publications are digital format online and avail-able on the VFWNY web site WWW.VFWNY.COM. Publications are 8.5” x 11” for individual printing capability. One dollar of each member’s annual dues, paid to a VFW Post in New York State, is used for a year’s subscription to the Overseas Veteran. Cost to non-members and widows of VFW members: $10.00; payable in advance to Department of New York, 69 Sand Creek Road, Albany, NY 12205.

** ARTICLES:Articles: Any and all articles involving and/or includ-ing the Veterans of Foreign Wars, its members, mem-ber communities, awards and activities are welcome. ** SUBMISSION & FORMAT:Please prepare all articles in Microsoft Word (version 2003 or newer) or plain text. JPG/JPEG is the only picture format accepted and captions are appropriate. E-mail all articles and pictures as attachments with the sender’s name, address and phone number in the base of the e-mail. Submissions from other sources must have complete credits such as publication name, address and dates published. ** EDITORIAL POLICY:Inappropriate, demeaning, unduly critical articles and/or statements will not be published. Article length, inac-curacies, composition and other miscellaneous errors and/or mistakes may be edited.

Although every effort is made to maintain an honorable and accurate publication, the Department of New York and/or its staff, editor and other publication participants are not responsible for the content, views and/or positions of any article(s)/submissions.

** ALL ARTICLES AND PICTURES MUST BE E-MAILED TO: [email protected]. They become the sole property of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of New York. ** DEADLINE:Deadline: Articles must be submitted by the 15th of each month…July, October, January and April.

If you are using regular mail, send the items to CITadmin, P.O. Box 116, Carlisle, NY 12031. ** GRAPHIC DESIGN

Jenny DeBack, [email protected]

© VFW Dept. of New York 2013.All Rights Reserved. H H H

confidence you placed in me by electing me as your Sr. Vice Commander. As I have in the past, I will do all I can to assist you and ensure we at the Department provide you the support to make you successful in all your endeavors.

We just returned from the National Convention which was held in New Orleans, LA and it was a whirlwind week. The general session and a number of meetings and workshops kept us hopping the whole week. A number of changes were approved for the Manual of Procedures and Ritual and will soon hit the streets in the fall. One major change will be the change for our Parliamentary Procedures with the approval of Robert’s Rules of Order replacing Demeter’s as the parliamentary guide we will now use in the future. Place your order early so you will have the latest edition to guide you in the new year.

Past Commander Dennis Sullivan finished last year on a superb high in membership and now is the time to start working on this year’s challenges. We are now in the height of the summer season with many fairs, car

shows and summer events being scheduled and is an opportune occasion to recruit new members. This is the time we should be working the hardest to secure new membership, not at the end of the year when the clock always seems to be running out. When you’re out in the public eye manning that booth or table, don’t be a static display; get in front of that table not behind it and wear that VFW cap not a ball cap. Be recognized for who you are, a member the greatest veterans organization in the world.

As I close I would like to just remind you to continue to support our strong veteran programs such as the Voice of Democracy, Patriot’s Pen, Emergency Relief, UNMET needs and the Buddy Poppy Program. These programs are the foundation of our organization in assisting our Veterans and bringing Americanism to our communities. Get involved and become part of effort that makes us able to do what we do - Serve Veterans.

Gene RatiglianoSr. Vice Commander

—SR. VICE COMMANDER, from page 1

COMMANDER, from page 1

Attendance at our Districts, County Coun-cils and Posts is better than ever so let’s keep it up. We need more participation at our con-ferences and conventions. Comrades, come out and see old comrades and meet new ones. Bring somebody new to our meetings and let them know what the VFW is all about.

And finally, the members now have the option to enroll in two beneficial programs. 1) VFW Autopay for life membership using a credit card which spreads your

payments out over 12 months and 2) annual membership which automatically deducts your yearly dues using a credit card as well.

In closing, I would like to say thank you all and all you do for our great organization.

NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS

Yours in Comradeship,Michael BurkeCommander

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who supported me in my Saratoga Racing Season Raffle by either purchasing tickets or assisting in selling them.

The Raffle Prize that was awarded was a two day stay at the Holiday Inn in Saratoga Springs, NY on a number of available days during the flat track racing season along

with breakfast for two and two tickets in the Clubhouse at the track.

The Raffle ticket was drawn by the Commander of Korean War Veterans Adirondack Chapter #60 at their monthly meeting in early July and the winner of the

Holiday Inn Racing package was Columbia County VFW Post 1314 in Hudson, New York.

Sr. Vice CommanderSaratoga Racing Season Raffle

New York State Overseas Veteran3 April/May/June

—JR. VICE COMMANDER, from page 1

Commander, and Gene Ratigliano our State Sr. Vice Commander.

As we start a new year, let’s keep the momentum going to recruit and retain members. We were within 700 members last year of attaining our 100% and that is the closest we’ve been in a long time. Let’s see if we can top that this year and attain 100%. I know we can do it! As I’ve said before: retention is the goal. After signing up new members we need to mentor them and keep them active. Use the installment life payment plan as this plan works and members do not have to worry about paying dues annually.

Our Commander has asked that we work with the Student Veterans of America groups

at the colleges and continue to bring them into the fold. If you have a college nearby find out if they have an SVU group. Try to meet with them and foster relations. Go in and make a presentation on what the VFW has to offer and find out if they need help. If they need to file claims get a service officer involved. The Senate recently passed the Forever GI Bill. That means the 15-year limit on using GI benefits has been lifted. Veterans can use their GI benefits during their entire lifetime. The VFW was instrumental in getting this passed. You can present information like this during your presentations to the SVU.

So, let’s all get out there and have a banner year!

We continue to work on our new website. The Login area is not completed yet. Please take the opportunity to look at the Website and use this resource. If you find areas that need to be improved or are not working please contact Don Mackey at [email protected].

Communications is vital to our State Commander and he plans to provide all the information necessary for you to be successful. Currently, as information is received I am forwarding it to those whom we have an e-mail addresses for. Please provide me with your e-mail address if we do not already have it so you can receive information as we get it at Headquarters.

State Commander Michael Burke has placed great emphasis on the importance of the Department of New York VFW to respond to all communications in a timely manner. Therefore, he is requesting that all correspondence regarding VFW matters be sent to the Department of New York Headquarters to assure that we are successful in our quest. Headquarters will confirm the correspondence is properly annotated, distributed and responded to with actions that may be necessary to bring the issue to closure.

As stated, Communications is very important and to assure that the Department of New York is not misquoted we Officers, Members of the Council of Administration, Past State Commanders, Chairman of Committee, Committee Members and Members of the Department of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars should not speak to the news media as an official or unofficial spokesperson of the Department of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars without prior clearance from the Department Commander or Department Adjutant. All inquiries from the media should be referred to the Department Adjutant.

Should you receive a media inquiry, you should respond: “I have no authority to respond to your request.” You should refer your question to the Department Adjutant.

Dale, Monica, Gene, Don, and I are excited about the New VFW Year and looking forward to assisting each of you this coming year.

On Behalf of the Staff and I, we offer our Best Wishes for a successful year. The staff and I pledge our support to the Officers and members of the Department of New York.

If we can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to contact us at 518-463-7427.

Sincerely,Harold “Hal” Burke Jr. PJAG/PSC/PSQMState Adjutant

STATE ADJUTANT, from page 1

Dennis SullivanPast State Commander

Comrades,My year as New

York State Command-er went by so quickly and what a great year it was! Thanks to each and every VFW Com-rade and Auxiliary member, you made my year a very memo-

rable year. I would like to thank everyone for all the hospitality and friendship you showed me over the past several years.

I attended as many events as possible and in my travels I visited many post and dis-tricts, spending time with great friends and making new friends. I learned a lot traveling throughout New York State finding out what is needed and also hearing good ideas to be shared. In my travels, I saw so many dedicat-ed and loyal VFW members that really care.

As everyone knows about me, membership was extremely important to me. I have said many times, membership is the life line of our organization. I have spoken to hundreds of comrades about membership. I shared ideas about bringing in new members. It is not difficult, it is COMMUNICATION. Ask everyone. I would like to thank my membership Chairman Art Scheuneman, and my membership co-chairman. William Hughes, James McGovern, Tom Howard, Les Crossett for their dedication. They worked so hard trying to help me achieve 100%. Our goal was to obtain 52,569 members. We obtained 51,868 which was 98.67% of goal. Unfortunately, we were short by 701 members in reaching our goal of 100%. No doubt It was disappointing, but we all worked very hard and we should be very proud of ourselves.

I also would like to thank my Special

Project Chairman Joel Vanik for his work in raising money for our Homeless Veterans. He designed special pins that were sold to raise money for my project. We worked together with the Auxiliary, sharing the same Special Project. To date we are still counting funds to be distributed to Homeless Shelters throughout the eight Districts to help our Homeless Veterans. The final count on funds collected will be announced at a later date.

I want to thank all my District Commanders and Chairman for all the hard work accomplished over the past year.

I attended many conferences and meetings with Auxiliary President Karen Dotson and her line officers. We worked together and they have helped us in so many ways. At one meeting, we came up with a plan to help each other obtain more members. We agreed to keep the VFW and Auxiliary membership forms together so when you are signing one member we get the spouse and family to join at the same time. President Karen and her staff were very instrumental in obtaining several new members.

I would like to congratulate all the new incoming officers. I pledge my allegiance to our incoming New York State Commander Michael Burke and his line officers, wishing all a very successful and productive year.

I will still be working in Albany as the New York State Quartermaster. I will continue to support our Department, to the best of my ability, and am available to all.

Also, wishing all my comrades and their families and the VFW Auxiliary and their families a happy, healthy coming year.

Yours in Comradeship,Dennis SullivanPast NY State Commander


VFW Supports Texans During Hurricane

Harvey

Location: Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 2813; 43-57 43rd Street, Woodside, NY 11377 (718) 335-0700Date and Time: September 4, 2017 2 PM

On September 4, 2017, John V. Daniels VFW Post No. 2813, Woodside, Queens, out of New York’s District 1, held a Labor Day Bar B Q. An ordinary holiday celebration was planned, but when the Post’s Officers heard about a Harvey Relief Program launched by Wal-Mart, in which the company announced that it would match by double any funds donated through them, they decided to make a collection during their party.

Commander Paul DuBois, Sr. Vice Commander Mike Smith and Quartermaster Daniel Harris conducted the collection, with District 1’s Commander, Marvin Jeffcoat, in attendance. The initial collection amounted to $500.00. The Post matched that sum, dollar for dollar. A Post check was drawn for $1,000.00.

The next day, Tuesday, September 5, 2017, Commander DuBois presented the check to the manager of the nearest Wal-Mart store, and his assistant manager, as shown in the photo attached.

When Wal-Mart adds double the funds raised at Daniels Post, $3,000.00 will go to the relief of the victims of Hurricane Harvey through the Red Cross.

God Bless America!

Mel Garrett, SJAState Judge Advocate

Commanders and Comrades; Congratulations for your election or

appointment to office and thanks for your support. The year of your term is well on the way. To be successful and in compliance with the VFW mandates, your election reports should have been submitted and your dues reserve fund should have transferred to the general fund. The majority of Quartermasters bonds have or will expire in the month of August. Fill all vacancies that exist since the last election and clear up all items in arrears. Many of these violations

could result in serious penalties. Review the provisions of the Congressional Charter pertaining to your office and remember the oath taken after your election. Purchase the newest copy of the Congressional Charter and Roberts Rules of Order when they are available later this year. The success of your year in office depends on the earliest start and a good organized plan. All the tools you need are available to you so use them when needed. “Good Luck and have a great year”.

Mel Garrett, SJA

Dennis Sullivan, PSCNY State Quartermaster

Comrades,I would like to

thank all my comrades for your confidence and support as you elected me to the high position of New York State Quartermaster at the June 2017 State

Convention in Albany. You can count on me to do the best job possible.

As we start the new year, I have a few reminders for you. This is the time to get your last trustee report in, complete your Post bond

before August 31, 2017 for the 2017-2018 year and support the Commander’s Special Program.

I suggest to start the year off on a positive note, go to Department’s website and look at the Commanders Membership program. It shows you the requirements needed to obtain a white hat and the end of year programs with deadlines. Plan ahead and don’t wait for the last minute lets all succeed and have a banner 2017-2018 year.

Yours in Comradeship,Dennis Sullivan, PSCNY State Quartermaster

The drawing for the raffle to support Past Department Commander William “Doc” Schmitz for National Jr. Vice Commander was held during the State Convention in Albany. The winners of the raffle are:

William “Doc” Schmitz Raffle Winners

Prize Place Who Address Ticket#5000 1st VFW 8440 Bridgeport, NY 0722000 2nd Robert Pokowitz Rosendale, NY 2601000 3rd VFW 8259 c/o Firth Turner Stittville, NY500 4th Mariene Roll 6th District 500 5th Mary Ann Czarnecki c/o Dave Czarnecki100 6th Antoni Sivero Bronx, NY 672100 7th Bruce Terwilliger Tillson, NY 046100 8th Grandkids c/o Karen Barnhart Tillson, NY 058100 9th Joanne Dalton High Falls, NY 043100 10th Brandon Walsh Rosendale, NY 096100 11th Mike Burke Poughkeepsie, NY 041100 12th George Trummer Franklinville, NY 076100 13th Jeannie Germain Rosendale, NY 092100 14th Gene Ratigliano Ballston Spa, NY 006100 15th Joe Turoo Rosendale, NY 213


With over 26,000+ VFW/Auxiliary members in the affected areas of Hurricane Harvey and dozens of VFW Posts being damaged, completely destroyed or flooded in an area covering over 500+ miles I and the rest of Department headquarters staff have been busy calling, emailing, texting and private messaging as many VFW/Auxiliary members as we can, and while we have heard from most we still have members we are trying to reach. We continue to coordinate resources with those affected and those who want to help.

I know that we have still have members stranded in their houses, many without power or potable water, we have members who have evacuated or who have been evacuated as the water continued to rise and they for the most part are living in shelters, having escaped with only the clothes on their backs.

We also have hundreds of our VFW

members who have been activated with the Texas National Guard and who are already on the ground helping. They are joined by the thousands of Texans who have come to assist their neighbors as best they can in this time of great need.

There are some estimates that in Houston alone over 40,000 homes have been damaged and are unlivable, meaning these families will need help for weeks if not months in the future. As each of your Posts not affected mobilize to provide funds and materials for our fellow Texans in need, please know that the Texas VFW and the Texas VFW Foundation have created and funded a very limited disaster assistance program of $100,000.00. The National VFW Council of Administration has also made a very generous offer of matching donated funds up to $50,000.00. Yet due to the sheer size of the affected area and the number of members and veterans involved more funds

will be needed. In talking with my campaign staff, we

have temporarily suspended my fundraising operations for my campaign and made a donation to the Texas VFW Foundation as there are members who will need the funds to survive, recover and rebuild and their needs are definitely more important.

I know many people I am sending this email out to, are in the affected area and they may or may not receive it as they may not have power or access to email if they do. Nevertheless, my thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this epic disaster of historic proportion.

Dan West All-American Triple Crown Past State Commander Candidate for Texas VFW National Council 2018-2022

Important Message from Texas Past State Commander Dan West

The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1 (re-designated the M116 in 1962) was an

artillery piece used by the United States. It was designed in the 1920s to meet a need

for a howitzer that could be moved across difficult terrain. The gun and carriage was designed so that it could be broken down into several pieces to be carried by pack animals. The gun saw combat in World War II with the United States Army (primarily used by airborne units), with US Marine Corps, and was

also supplied to foreign forces.In addition to the pack/air portable

configuration, the gun was mounted on a conventional carriage to serve as a field artillery piece. The M2 and M3 are derived vehicle mounted howitzers used in the 75mm HMC M8 and some LVT models. In addition, the M1 in its original version was mated to a number of other self-propelled carriages, though only one of those – 75mm HMC T30 – reached mass production.

Pack 75 in place at VFW Post 5350 referbished by VFW Post lifetime member John Berdinka.

The 75mm Pack Howitzer M1

Comrades,I want to thank Commander Michael

Burke for this appointment. Inspections are well underway, Thank you.

A few questions are the normal for inspections. First, By-Laws reviewed by the National Command in Chief - If there is not a date of approval on the copies a Post, County Council and or a District has, they need to contact National Headquarters for a copy of the approved by-laws, which has been dated. If there is none at Headquarters, the current Copies may not have been submitted for approval, Send a copy to Department Headquarters and they will take care of it.

With regards to incorporation documents

and approval, the same as for By-Laws above. Someone asked why is all this necessary? The Dept. of NY and National HQS want to make sure the documents are in the proper format, approved at a Post meeting and to protect the membership of the Post.

Another good question is: Why must the inspection be accepted by the department, when the national by-laws only requires the inspection be completed? while the national by-laws require the inspection to be completed, the Department Commander’s All State Requirements, require the inspection be completed and accepted for All State status.

For a Post to become an All American Post, the Post must be an ALL STATE POST.

Many Posts have indicated they have sent their 990’s, trustee’s reports and copy of their bond in and they are not in Department Headquarters. This required follow-up and delays the Posts inspection approval. Please make sure copies of these documents are available at the time of inspection for forwarding to Dept Headquarters.

One final note: Send your inspections directly to Department Headquarters, 69 Sand Creek Rd., Albany, NY 12205.

Yours in Comradeship,Dan [email protected]

Dan McMahonInspections


Best Market in Westhampton Beach, VFW Post 5350 Poppy Table set-up for three days prior to the July 4th Holiday. L-R: Don Cannet; Dominic Lodato; Tom Quinn; John McCaffery; MariAnn Smith Stahl; Bill Hughes; Bob Velez.

Post 5350As part of its Hometown

Heroes initiative, the Westhampton Free Library paid tribute to four veterans at a ceremony at VFW Post 5350 on May 25th. During the posthumous ceremony, the service and sacrifices of Arma “Ham” Andon, William “Bud” Kavan, Ben Larson and Frank Matthes were recognized. Their family members were pre-sented with an American flag that was flown over the

library during the month of May. From left, John Larson, Ben Larson’s son; Westhampton Free Library director Danielle Waskiewicz; Sally Kavan, William “Bud” Kavan’s daughter; Westhampton Free Library head of reference Jay Janowski; Holly Hubard, daughter of Ben Larson; Westhampton Free Library trustee Mary Anne Yutes;Benita Matthes wife of Frank Matthes; William Hughes, VFW Post 5350 Commander; and Sundy Schermeyer, grand-daughter of Arma “Ham” Andon.

Comrades,It has probably been

said over a million times, Membership is the life blood of our beloved VFW, without replenishment we will become a relic of days gone by. We personally

can make a difference now, by engaging Veterans, but we each must personally take on this responsibility in order for the VFW to be successful. Please take advantage of the warmer weather now and setup a membership/poppy table in your favorite location or try a new location. Below is an example that I have used to introduce myself to a location that we have not tried in the past. We are helping an eligible Veteran by bringing that Comrade into our beloved VFW, please do your part and help another Veteran.

In Comradeship,Bill

I am the Commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5350 and the Chair of Membership for the VFW Department of NY and the Senior Vice Commander of Suffolk Co. Council of the VFW. My request is not too complicated, on a regular basis we accept donations for Poppies that are made by disabled veterans, we then take the donations and use this relief/assistance fund to help other Veterans in need. The VFW has been doing this program for decades with great success. We also use the opportunity to disseminate information about our organization which represents the largest number of combat veterans in the world and recruit veterans who are eligible to join us. We would set-up a small table with some literature and have a few VFW members who would have proper credentials and wear our distinctive overseas cap. We have done this all over the world and this exposure always reflects well on the venue that we use. Thank you for your consideration.

William M. Hughes Jr.Commander “ALL AMERICAN” Post 5350Post # 631 653 9898

WE SUPPORT

OUR TROOPS


Voice of DemocracyHello Comrades, Sisters & Friends,

School opening day is in a few weeks and it’s time to think about our Department’s Voice of Democracy Program.

Again, my goal is to advance a student to Washington, DC and return with the first place award a $30,000 scholarship. I know I can reach that goal with your help.

The 2017/18 VOD theme is:American History

Our Hope for the FutureI hope to meet all our Department District

Commanders & VOD Chairmen at our Fall Conference.

Yours in Comradeship,Wally Zincio Dept. Youth Development & Scholarship Chairman

Left to right: Paul Podmijersky, Commander; Rip Van Winkle, Counties Council; James Hass, Commander District 3; Wally Zincio, Dept/ VOD Chairman; Michael Burke, Commander Dept. of New York; Gene Ratigliano, Sr., Vice Commander Dept. of New York; Carmen Esposita, Commander Post 9593; Michael Hoag Past District 3 Commander.

Daniels Post No. 2813 member Marvin R. Jeffcoat of Woodside was elected VFW District No. 1 Commander this Sunday in Lynbrook, NY. As District Commander Marvin will preside over Community and Veterans Service Programs in Kings (Brooklyn), Nassau, Queens, and Suffolk Counties. District No.1’s newly elected officers will begin their term on June 10, 2017 once they are installed at the Department Convention. One of the District’s goals this year is a 30% increase in Scouting throughout the District. Cub Scout Packs and Boy and Girl Scout Troops in need of sponsorship should contact the VFW Post in their neighborhood. If you served overseas in combat join Marvin and the other members of District No. 1, in service to veterans and the community.

District No. 1 Department of New York VFW Assumption of Command

Lynbrook, NY - May 7, 2017

VFW Awards Scholarships

Pictured Left to right: District Jr Vice Commander Elect Ryan Graham (Queens), District Commander Elect Marvin R. Jeffcoat (Queens), District Senior Vice Commander Elect Pat Iallucci (Nassau), District Judge Advocate Elect Gary Wasserman (Brooklyn), District Surgeon Elect Paul Vista (Nassau). Taken: By Andres Vega (Suffolk); Sunday May 7, 2017; 3 PM at Lynbrook VFW Post No. 3207; 235 Merrick Rd Lynbrook, NY.

Felton-Burns Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5260 Springville recently awarded $5,000 in college scholarships to eligible Springville-Griffith Institute and Pioneer Central high school seniors. Five (5) awards for $1,000 each were presented to the recipients towards their college expenses.

The awards this year were presented to:

• Aliya Duchnick majoring in Liberal Arts at Erie Community College

• Isobel Hooker majoring in Chemistry & Theater at Colgate University

• Miranda Richert majoring in Spanish Education at Houghton College

• Nathan Schiener majoring in Biomedical Engineering at University at Buffalo

• Nolan West majoring in Electrical Engineering at SUNY New Paltz

Post Commander Tom Schalberg presented the awards at a ceremony held at Felton-BurnsVFW Post 5260 on July 17. He noted that the Post has been awarding scholarships for over twenty years and he is very proud to represent the Veteran and Auxiliary membership of the Post in presenting the well-earned awards.

(L-R) Nathan Schiener, Miranda Richert, Isobel Hooker, Aliya Duchnick.

HHHHHHH


OVERVIEW My first overseas fact-finding trip as

Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief was to Europe from Aug. 1-11, 2017. The purpose was to gain familiarity with the missions, organizations, challenges, opportunities and concerns of U.S. forces stationed in Europe. In Belgium, I met with senior leaders at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe and NATO, and in Germany with U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and subordinate Army and Air Force commands. I also had the opportunity to meet with troops, as well as many VFW comrades and their families.

I was accompanied by Bob Wallace, Assistant Adjutant General and Executive Director of the VFW Washington Office, and Sarah Maples, VFW Director of National Security and Foreign Affairs. In Belgium, I was also assisted by Carl Hale, Deputy Director, Operations, Programs and Security (Management) at NATO, and in Germany by James Joyce, Inspector, VFW Department of Europe, Junior Vice, District 3, and Tower Post 10692 All-American Commander.

BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT

The troops and their leaders remain concerned about a variety of issues. The size and composition of the force, the short and long term impacts of insufficient and unpredictable funding, Russia’s malign influence in the region and the threat it poses to U.S. forces and our NATO allies and partner nations, and an increasing operations tempo top their list.

The impacts of sequestration, compounded by repeated continuing resolutions, have resulted in a force that is stretched thin, operating with outdated equipment, and in facilities dearly in need of maintenance. Years of reducing the footprint of U.S. forces in Europe is also making it challenging for the remaining installations and units to meet the needs of the increasing personnel entering the theater and to meet the threat posed by Russia and violent extremist organizations.

Availability of quality on-base housing, access to medical care – specifically after hours and in urgent and emergency situations, childcare staffing and availability, and the implementation of the new Blended Retirement System were key areas of

concern for the troops and their families. Despite these concerns, they are focused; their morale is high.

They were very interested in learning more about VFW’s many troop and family support programs, to include Unmet Needs, our scholarships, our sponsorships of on-base awards recognition programs, and the expert claims assistance we provide to separating or retiring personnel. We took every opportunity to tell the VFW story, and assured the service members that we are their voice in Washington. They were particularly appreciative of VFW’s efforts in securing the passage of the “Forever GI Bill” legislation.

I was very pleased to learn a number of them were already VFW members, and I urged those who were not to consider joining. I was very pleased to see that our VFW Posts in Germany were very active in their communities. BELGIUM

Shortly after arriving in Brussels, we trav-eled about an hour away to present a wreath at the Flanders Field American Cemetery and Memorial. We were greeted by cemetery su-perintendent Chris Arsenault, and were joined by Carl Hale, deputy director for Opera-tions and Programs at USNATO, and Chuck Steiner, both life members of VFW Post 605 in Paris, France. The ceremony was accom-

panied by an honor guard comprised of U.S. service members.

Flanders Field is one of 25 overseas Amer-ican cemeteries maintained by the American Battle Monuments Commission, and the only American World War I cemetery in Bel-gium. Situated on a former battlefield where the U.S. 91st Division suffered extensive ca-sualties, the cemetery holds 368 American military dead and honors another 43 missing.

Additional information about the Flanders Field Cemetery and others can be found on the ABMC website at http://www.abmc.gov/cemeteries-memorials#.Vo6SuU03NMw.

The following day we visited Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), which is about an hour southwest of Brussels. We met a number of U.S. military personnel and received briefings from Army Col. Kurt Connell, the U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Benelux Commander, Air Force Col. Max Weems, the U.S. National Military Representative to SHAPE, Army Lt. Col. Steven Williams, Deputy U.S. National Military Representative to SHAPE, and Military Partnership Directorate Liaison Jim Hoover. Our discussions focused on military cooperation and partnership agreements with NATO and non-NATO nations, operational challenges, and quality of life issues.

SHAPE commands NATO’s military forces. It also develops military policy, operational plans and training between NATO partners to forge better understanding and interoperability. We discussed the current world situation and how their mission was influenced by recent developments with Russia and the increased demands on NATO.

While we were heartened to hear that some of the quality of life issues from previous years, such as screening of

Trip Report: SHAPE – USNATO – GermanyWilliam J. “Doc” Schmitz, Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief

Presenting an award to USAG Benelux.

Ready for an interview with Armed Forces Network.


Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP) participants, had improved, other quality of life issues remained. Availability and condition of on-base family housing was a particular concern, as off-base housing can be isolating and expensive, as well as presents force protection concerns.

We hosted a lunch for service members, where we listened to their concerns about the new Blended Retirement System, as well as issues specific to being stationed in Belgium. On behalf of VFW Post 605 in Paris, I presented an award to USAG Benelux for their unit’s continued support of VFW memorial events and ceremonies throughout Europe.

Our final stop was at Armed Forces Network Benelux for an interview, where I had a chance to discuss what VFW does for Active Duty, Guard and Reserve Component service members, veterans, and their families. For more information about SHAPE, go to www.shape.nato.int.

The next day we received current issues briefings at NATO Headquarters in Brussels. We met with Ms. Julie Fischer, Charge D’Affairs; James Hursch, Acting Defense Advisor to the U.S. Mission to NATO; Vice Admiral John Christenson, U.S. Military Representative to NATO; Ms. Barbara Sisson, SES, Commander, Headquarters Army Element, Air Force Col. Dirk Driggers, Deputy Commander, Headquarters Army Element, and Master Sgt. Kelli Thompson, Senior

Enlisted Advisor, Headquarters Army Element. We also received a Defense Plans briefing from Eva Shinagel, Deputy Director of Defense Policy and Plans, an operations briefing from Cdr. Stephen Johnson, and an update on communications strategy from Amanda Johnson, acting Public Affairs Advisor.

NATO, a political and military alliance of 29 sovereign states, is a key deterrent against Russia and violent extremist organizations. During our visit to their headquarters, we discussed NATO’s role in Europe and the world, the U.S. contribution to NATO missions, how recent events have increased demands on NATO, and the current focus on burden-sharing and counterterrorism.

Other big issues include the regeneration of old skillsets, such as moving heavy armor across borders, the maintenance of long-standing missions, including Afghanistan and Kosovo, and the importance of America retaining its leadership role, and the need to provide a consistent strategy and messaging.

As part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, the U.S. has an Armored Brigade Combat Team on six to nine-month rotations in Poland, and as a further deterrent to potential Russian aggression, the U.K., Canada and Germany each have thousand-man battalions stationed in the three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia

and Lithuania, as part of the Enhanced Forward Presence. American fighter aircraft also provide air policing over the Baltic States. In addition, the U.S. has Aegis Ashore missile defense units deployed in Romania, and is installing additional units in Poland to deter and defeat an ICBM launch.

We hosted a lunch for enlisted service members, headed by Senior Enlisted Advisor Master Sgt. Kelli Thompson, to discuss issues and concerns. Housing was once again raised as an issue. Learn more about the U.S. Mission to NATO at https://nato.usmission.gov/.

GERMANY

The next day we traveled to Nuremberg, where we were met by James Joyce, Inspector, VFW Department of Europe, Junior Vice, District 3, and Tower Post 10692 All-American Commander, who was our escort for the remainder of the stay. We stayed overnight before moving on to

begin our tour of German-based units. Our first stop was with U.S. Army Garrison

Bavaria in Grafenwoehr, where we learned of the great work VFW Post 10692 does for the assigned military community in the 7th Army Training Command, and attended the 59th Annual German-American Volksfest. Started in 1957, the festival has been held every year except 2013, when it was canceled due to sequestration. A large carnival-like event, it drew more than 105,000 German and American visitors for fun and friendship. Featuring entertainment, rides, food, and German and U.S. static displays, the event is key to maintaining strong ties between the host-nation and U.S. communities.

U.S. Army Garrison Grafenwoehr, redesignated as U.S. Army Garrison Bavaria in 2013, overseas Army installations in Grafenwoehr, Vilseck, Hohenfels and Garmisch. Among the units housed at USAG Bavaria is 7th Army Training Command, which prepares forces to execute Unified Land Operations and contingencies in support of the Combatant Commands, NATO, and other national requirements. In FY18 alone, they will conduct 57 exercises. A fully expeditionary training team, it includes the Joint Multinational Simulation Center, which trains command and control using cost-effective virtual, gaming and constructive training, and the Gunfighter Gym, which allows soldiers to shoot and engage targets in a 220-degree virtual environment.

Key exercises include SABER GUARDIAN, an umbrella of seven national exercises, which take place in Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria. Involving more than 25,000 service members from more than 20 ally and partner nations, it is a premier opportunity to improve operability and build readiness to support the security and stability

Visiting with service members is key to understand-ing their concerns.

Hearing details of the 59th Annual Volksfest from the MWR Director.


of the Black Sea Region. They also oversee Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine (JMTG-U), the U.S. training mission being conducted in support of Ukrainian forces. As with a number of U.S. missions in Europe, the JMTG-U is staffed primarily by National Guard forces.

In January, Grafenwoehr began welcoming Regionally Aligned Forces (RAF). RAF are designed to provide Combatant Commanders with tailored, responsive, and consistently available Army Forces. Assigned to Graf for nine months at a time, their arrival has challenged available installation resources. Assigned the Spartan facilities with limited WiFi, their situation has caused consternation among military families, who have become used to continuous and almost immediate contact with their soldiers.

We hosted several soldiers to lunch and learned that they are facing some of the same concerns expressed previously in Belgium, with regards to access to urgent and after-hours care. Another point of discussion was the new military retirement plan, which starts in January 2018, and the feeling that the training DOD is providing is not effectively preparing current soldiers with less than 12 years of service to choose between the new

system and the legacy system. Our lunch discussion with the soldiers was very open and very beneficial. Learn more information about 7th ATC at http://www.eur.army.mil/7ATC/.

We then departed for Stuttgart, where we were hosted to a dinner by John

Leffler, Department of Europe Commander, and members of VFW Post 10810. The interaction with fellow comrades was very positive and always appreciated.

The next day we visited U.S. Africa Command at Kelley Barracks and U.S. European Command at Patch Barracks. At Kelley Barracks we met with the AFRICOM Chief of Staff, Army Maj. Gen. Roger Cloutier. AFRICOM is an operational command that faces unique challenges in its Area of Responsibility. Africa is the world’s second largest continent. Requiring almost nine hours to fly from one side of the continent to the other, it provides a number of logistical challenges for U.S. forces, particularly with medical evacuations. AFRICOM’s mission, which is to conduct joint military training with partner nations to promote cooperation and understanding, as well as to combat violent extremist organizations and illegal human and drug trafficking, has become more kinetic in the last year, with the air campaign in Libya and strikes in Somalia. Additional

challenges include potential cuts to State Department funding, as USAID and non-government organizations provide crucial assistance to U.S. forces on the continent, and the increased presence of Russian and Chinese forces, including the opening of China’s first overseas base just miles from where U.S. forces are stationed on a rotational basis in Djibouti, in the Horn of Africa.

Regarding quality of life issues, lack of space and aging facilities are an ongoing issue. Limited parking, outdated facilities that are expensive to upgrade, a shortage of almost 175,000 square feet of office space, as well as power, heating, water, and sewer issues, distract from the mission, and are a further demonstration of the damage that sequestration and Congressional unwillingness to pass a comprehensive and sufficient budget have caused.

Lack of weekend and urgent care medical services was once again mentioned here, as was insufficient behavioral health care. The command did praise the use of virtual healthcare, stating that it had reduced some of the burden by allowing initial appointments to be conducted via teleconference.

For those individuals who are transitioning or retiring, there is no onsite assistance for filing disability claims, and all related medical appointments must be conducted at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, more than two hours away, which requires multiple trips away from duty station, all of which have to be funded by the command.

For those soldiers being forward-deployed to the African continent, there are additional challenges for them and their families, such as host nation and embassy culture adjustments. As a solution, AFRICOM has developed the “AFRICOM Families Forward” program. Previously, soldiers would report to AFRICOM HQ in Stuttgart for orientation before meeting their families in Africa. Under the new program, families accompany their soldiers to AFRICOM HQ and receive a similar orientation before departing for the continent together.

We had a wonderful lunch at AFRICOM with Active Duty and Reserve Component service members and veterans. Learn more about AFRICOM at www.africom.mil.

We then departed for EUCOM, where we were briefed by Chief of Staff Rear Adm. John Smith. The conversation once again turned to Russia’s malign influence and its impact on U.S. forces and strategy. Follow-ing the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union, EUCOM’s near two-decade posture of peace and assurance has been forced into a deterrence posture. Ad-miral Smith echoed what we had heard at NATO about the importance of stability in U.S. strategy and messaging. Learn more about EUCOM at http://www.eucom.mil/.

We then departed for Ramstein Air Base in Kaiserslautern, which is home to U.S. Air Forces Europe (USAFE)/Air Forces Africa (AFAFRICA).

Trying out the Gunfighter Gym.

A piece of the Berlin Wall reminds us of the importance of EUCOM’s mission.


The next day we visited with Air Force Maj. Gen. Timothy Fay, who’s dual-hatted as the vice commander of USAFE-AFFRICA, and Senior Enlisted Advisor Chief Master Sgt. George Anderson. We were given a mission briefing by Col. Dave Pollmiller, Chief of Staff, a quality of life and MWR briefing by Mr. Mark Maxfield, and a budget update by Col. George Tombe.

At USAFE/AFAFRICA the combined impact of sequestration and continuing resolutions were once again brought home, with the additional mention of how “catastrophic” the return of sequestration would be for a force that is already too small for the missions it is tasked to accomplish. A 75% reduction since 1991 in available aircraft, with a corresponding increase in the age of the aircraft, combined with a 57% reduction of available personnel, has stressed the limits of the “less with less” concept. The critical pilot shortage, as well as the lack of the right mix of skillsets in the maintenance, analyst, and linguist career fields, were also discussed.

MWR funding continues to be a challenge, with funding being cut to even lower levels than last year. While USAFE/AFAFRICA has not had to cut any program in full, every program has felt some pinch. Childcare, as mentioned at other installations, continues to be a concern. Although Air Force fully funds Child Development Centers (CDCs) through central funding mechanisms, waiting lists--comprised of up to as many as one hundred people, such as at RAF Lakenheath--continue due staffing difficulties. This is primarily due to the delay in completing new employee background checks, which can take up to six months.

Here, too, we hosted a luncheon with airmen to listen to their concerns, and to discuss what the VFW does for all service members, veterans and their families, as well as the importance of filing a VA claim before they separate or retire from the military. They were very engaged in the discussion and expressed the same gratitude as General Fay with regards to the new GI Bill legislation. Learn more at http://www.usafe.af.mil/.

Next we traveled to Landstuhl to tour one of Landstuhl’s Fisher Houses, where we were met by assistant manager Lisa Britton and Col. Eric Newland, Deputy Commander for Administration Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Since 2001, Fisher House has provided a complimentary place to stay to more than 18,550 family members of injured servicemen and women, including 1,100 already this year. Families served come

from the U.S. European Command, U.S. Central Command, U.S. Special Operations Command, U.S. Africa Command and the 72 Embassies in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, to include our NATO allies. At the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Fisher House tended to a number of families visiting individuals wounded on the battlefields. Now that the flow of wounded has slowed, families at Fisher House often include those with infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. I was very impressed with the work the Fisher House performs for the families of our service members.

We then walked over to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center for a meeting with its commander, Col. Timothy Hudson, and Command Sgt. Maj. Clark Charpentier, followed by a tour of the facility. Landstuhl is the only bedded facility in Europe and has capabilities in 56 medical specialties, serving 205,000 beneficiaries and approximately 46,000 outpatient visits each month, Primary Care Managers are in high demand. We also discussed plans for the new $1.3 billion Landstuhl Medical Center, which is scheduled to be fully operational by 2023 adjacent to Ramstein AB. Because all new construction projects require host nation approval, the new Landstuhl does not yet come with parking, a Child Development Center or a Fisher House, which all exist at the current location.

Many injured service members from Iraq and Afghanistan are alive today because of the excellent care Landstuhl provides, which is why the VFW honored it with our 2012 Armed Forces Award. In fact, American and coalition forces had a 99.4-percent survival rate once they arrived at Landstuhl. Learn more at http://ermc.amedd.army.mil/landstuhl/index.cfm.

Our last stop of the day was with the new Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency’s European Detachment at nearby Miesau Army Depot. There we met with director Niall Brannigan, his deputy, Air Force Lt. Col. Chris Moeller, and staff member, Rengert Elburg. This DPAA unit is tasked with the fullest possible accounting of some 27,500 missing Americans in the World War II European and Mediterranean theaters. Only an estimated 8,000 might be recoverable.

The U.S. had stopped searching for MIAs in Europe in 1951, but restarted in 2009 after Congress inserted a requirement of 200 identifications per year on what is now DPAA. This detachment averages about 10 recovery operations and 10 investigation missions per year in its April-October weather window. Recent recoveries have included B-24 sites from Croatia and Slovenia. The detachment is also looking at disinterring unknowns from a cemetery in Tunisia, where there are more than 200 buried. We also discussed the current situation with Russia and how the POW/MIA mission has historically been a place where our two countries could collaborate, regardless of tensions.

We then traveled to Wiesbaden, home of the U.S. Army Europe, where we were briefed on the command’s mission and current operations, as well as visited USAREUR’s mission, command and control center.

We discussed quality of life issues with Alan Belyea, deputy chief of the Readiness and Resiliency Division, who discussed the command’s suicide and sexual assault prevention efforts. He mentioned that he had recently attended the joint DOD/VA Suicide Prevention Conference in Denver and found it to be very helpful and that they would be incorporating several tools from the conference into their suicide prevention efforts going forward.

We had lunch with a number of soldiers, where we discussed topics such as the

Learning about Fisher House.


limited healthy eating choices available on the installation.

We ended our visit with Mr. Doug Earle, USAG Wiesbaden Deputy Commander. He discussed the housing situation on the installation, as well as the difficulty in meeting the Transition Assistance Program, or TAP, mandate under the current contract. Learn more about U.S. Army Europe at http://www.eur.army.mil/default.asp.

That evening the comrades of VFW Post 27 hosted us for dinner, where we had the opportunity to talk military issues with them as well as answer any questions they had. We departed the next morning to Frankfurt, where we caught our flight home the next day.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS My sincere thanks and appreciation to

Departments of Defense and State staff who made this trip possible, as well as all

the service members and civilian personnel we had the opportunity to meet to discuss the challenges that they face in Europe.

In Belgium, to Flanders Field cemetery caretaker Chris Arsenault, and fellow VFW Post 605 life members Carl Hale, who welcomed us to the political-military world that is NATO, and to Chuck Steiner.

In Germany, to VFW Post 10692 in Grafenwoehr, VFW Post 10810 in Stuttgart, VFW Post 27 in Wiesbaden, and to all their members and families for the hospitality and comradery. And most especially to VFW Department of Europe Inspector James Joyce for an outstanding escort job.

The United States of America has the most professional military in the world because of the high-quality of the people who raise their right hands and swear an oath of allegiance

few have or will ever take. Our job as VFW members is to ensure they have the proper equipment, are properly resourced, that their quality of life programs remain first-class. And, perhaps most of all, that they continue to have the full support of the American people.

Touring Landstuhl Regional Medical Center.

I want to thank Department Commander Burke for the re-assignment as this year’s Department Chairman of Patriot’s Pen Youth Essay Contest. I encourage all Post and District chairman to please co-ordinate your efforts with your Auxiliary counterpart.

All information that is needed for chairman to conduct the 2017-2018 Patriot’s Pen Program is online. Visit the VFW website, www.vfw.org. Under the Community heading, click on Youth and Educations, where you will find “Scholarship Program” that covers Patriot’s, VOD and Youth Activities programs. Listed below, you will find additional brochures, along with other materials and resources. Anyone (including chairman, student entrants and teachers) can download and print the student entry forms for Patriot’s Pen Contest.

Post chairman need to copy and provide each student with a Patriot’s Pen brochure/entry form directly, or through the teacher or youth leader. To participate in the Patriot’s Pen contest. a student needs

to submit a completed entry form and their essay of 300 to 400 words in length (essays of too many or too few words are eliminated). Students must have ready a clear, close up, head and shoulder picture, to be sent in only if they become a Distrtict Winner. This year’s 2017-2018 Patriot’s Pen theme is: “America’s Gift to My Generation.”

All student entries are due at the Post level by midnight October 31. 2017. Your Post judging should be done by November 15, 2017. You need to pass your winners on to your District Chairman right away. I am asking all District Chairman to have their judging completed by December 8, 2017, after which time the winning District entry (with the picture of student) will be submitted to the Department chairman. The Department Judging will be held at the Malsan-jones VFW Post #7393 on Monday, December 18, 2017.

To the District Chairman; Your District winner’s entry materials that should be

forwarded to the Department chairman are; District winner’s completed official entry form. District winner’s typed essay. District winner’s photograph (clear, close up, head and shoulder picture). Please send your District winner’s information and the District Report Form to Michael Spellman, 18 Seventh St., Yorkville, New York, 13495. I would greatlt appreciate having them in my mail box by Friday, December 15, 2017.

If you have any questions in regards to this contest, please feel free to call me at 315-736-2556 at any time.

Thank you for your support and your participation in this contest. Good Luck to all our Post Auxiliaries.

To the District Commanders; Please send me the names, addresses and phone numbers of your District Patriot’s Pen Program Chairman.

Michael SpellmanDepartment NY Patriot’s Pen Program Chairman

Department NY Patriot’s Pen Program 2017-2018 - “America’s Gift to My Generation”

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