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WASHINGTON (March 30, 2008) – The leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization will honor CNN anchor Lou Dobbs for his coverage of illegal immigration and his support for the U.S. military.

“Lou Dobbs is a true American patriot,” National Commander Marty Conatser said. “His compassion for America’s veterans and support for the U.S. military is clear to the viewers of Lou Dobbs Tonight. Lou has been a tireless and true leader in the fight against illegal immigration. America would be better off if lawmakers would heed his common sense solutions to serious problems that this nation faces.”

Dobbs is scheduled to receive the National Commander’s Public Relations Award at a luncheon held at the Renaissance Washington DC hotel Wednesday afternoon. The luncheon comes at the close of The American Legion’s 48th annual Washington Legislative Conference. Past recipients of the award include Meet the Press host Tim Russert, the Extreme Makeover television series, entertainer Wayne Newton, and former NBC News Anchor Tom Brokaw.

Founded in 1919, the 2.7 million-member American Legion is the nation’s preeminent service organization for veterans of the U.S. armed forces, including active duty, National Guard and Reserves, and their families. A powerful voice for veterans in Washington, The American Legion drafted the original GI Bill and was instrumental in establishing the agency that today is the federal Department of Veterans Affairs.

DoD Photo

BY NATIONAL COMMANDER MARTY CONATSER

In his book “Making the Corps,” former Wall Street Journal correspondent Thomas E. Ricks describes a night patrol he went on in Somalia led by a young Marine. “As we walked in single file, with red and green tracer fire arcing across the black sky over the city, I realized that I had placed my life in the hands of the young corporal leading the patrol, a 22-year-old Marine. In my office back in Washington, we wouldn’t let a 22-year-old run the copying machine without adult supervision. Here, after just two days on the ground in Africa, the corporal was leading his squad into unknown territory, with a confidence that was contagious.”

Ricks’ account is not the least bit surprising to those of us who have served in the U.S. military. The confidence and maturity of that Marine corporal is shared by the young soldier in Baghdad, the sailor directing traffic on an aircraft carrier, the Air Force medic in Afghanistan and the Coast Guard diver rescuing flood victims. What is surprising is that employers are not taking advantage of either the maturity or skills offered by these outstanding young men and women.

A report by the Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service finds that 11.3 percent of veterans ages 20 to 24 were unemployed in 2007, compared to only 8.1 percent of nonveterans in the same age group. Moreover, a separate report by the Department of Veterans Affairs shows a rise in the figure for those who stopped looking for work because they couldn’t find jobs or returned to school from just 10 percent of young veterans in 2000 to 23 percent in 2005.

Education is great. But how does a young father or mother attend school full-time in today’s economy of $4-per-gallon gas, soaring tuition and frequent foreclosures? It doesn’t take a Peter Drucker to realize that a 4-year-veteran of Fort Benning might offer some valuable skills and life lessons that the typical 4-year alum of Princeton doesn’t possess.

Business leaders shouldn’t just hire veterans simply out of gratitude. They should hire veterans because it is smart business. Most young veterans are highly disciplined, in good physical condition and have been stress tested in ways that would dwarf most workplace challenges. They served their country out of a sense of patriotism and duty – the same loyalty that they can bring to their civilian employers.

As leader of the nation’s largest military veterans organization, I am proud of the many employment programs and job fairs sponsored by The American Legion. But the problem is bigger than the assistance that we are currently providing. The war on terrorism is long, bloody and global. We don’t need a program – we need a transformation.

When The American Legion wrote the first draft of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, it changed the course of American history. A generation of heroes was able to join the middle class, achieve home ownership, earn higher education and live the American dream. More famously known as the GI Bill, it was hailed by many as the greatest legislation ever. Sadly, as the generations passed and memories dimmed, the GI Bill benefits were so drastically reduced that many veterans either declined or were denied even the opportunity to participate in the program. Few veterans today have the luxury of attending school without also holding a job, and many colleges are totally out of reach.

We need to change history again. Washington doesn’t need to give veterans another program. Washington needs to make an investment. Senators Jim Webb, D-Va., Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., John Warner, R-Va., and Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., have introduced the “Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act,” which is, in essence, a 21st Century GI Bill. Under the bill, servicemembers returning from Iraq or Afghanistan could earn up to 36 months of benefits, equivalent to four academic years. Benefits would cover charges for established programs, including the cost of the most expensive in-state public schools, monthly stipends equivalent to housing costs in their area, and a stipend for books. Incentives would be created to reduce the cost to attend private schools. The bill also provides equity among active-duty, National Guard and Reserve members by adjusting the benefit scale based on cumulative active service.

Like its World War II predecessor, this GI Bill would not be cheap. But the best investments rarely are. It’s the pay-off that counts and history proves that one can never go wrong by betting on America’s GIs. And employers rarely go wrong by hiring veterans.

Marty Conatser is national commander of the 2.7-million member American Legion. For more on veterans job fairs and other programs of The American Legion, visit www.legion.org.

Letter to Senator James Web

Letter to Senator Charles Hagel

Summary of GI Bill

Photo by Sarah Conard

WASHINGTON -- Veterans in seven additional states will have easier access to world-class health care under a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) plan to open 14 new outpatient clinics in 2008. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake today announced that VA will establish new clinics in Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Washington.

“VA is dedicated to providing the best in health care to the men and women who have served this nation in uniform,” Peake said. “These new clinics will bring that care closer to veterans who have earned it through their service.”

Locations for the new clinics are:

• Arkansas – Phillips County
• Illinois – Coles County
• Indiana – Scott County
• Kentucky – Carroll County, Christian County and Graves County
• Oklahoma – Stillwater
• Tennessee – Bolivar, Campbell County, Dyer County, Roane County, Sevier County and Warren County
• Washington – Lewis County

The new clinics are scheduled to activate in 2008. The exact locations of the new facilities, along with their opening dates and the health care services they will provide, have to be determined. VA has previously approved 50 additional clinics that will begin providing services in 2008 for a total of 64 new clinics throughout the country this year.

With 153 hospitals and more than 700 community-based clinics, VA has the nation’s largest integrated health care system. The Department’s health care budget of over $36 billion this year will provide care to about 5.5 million veterans.

“Community-based medicine is better medicine,” said Dr. Michael Kussman, VA’s Under Secretary for Health. “It makes preventive care easier for patients, helps doctors have closer relationships with their patients and permits easier follow-up for patients with chronic health problems.”

Many of the new clinics were designated as priorities under VA’s Capital Asset Realignment for Enhanced Services (CARES) plan. CARES, completed in 2004, was intended to ensure that VA uses its resources as effectively and efficiently as possible.

San Francisco Post 911 Commander Michael Gerold reflects on the sacrifices being made in Iraq by America’s heroes. Gerold reminds us that while 4,000 American servicemembers have paid the ultimate price in Iraq, America must not forget the wounded. Click here to view the report by San Francisco station KRON.

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Mar 21, 2008
BY Spc. Micah E. Clare
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (Army News Service, March 21, 2008) --The second female Soldier since World War II was awarded a Silver Star Thursday for her gallant actions during combat in Afghanistan last year.

Spc. Monica Brown, 19, a Lake Jackson, Texas, native was presented her Silver Star by Vice President Dick Cheney during a ceremony at Bagram Airfield.

It was dusk April 25, 2007, when Brown, a medic from the 782nd Brigade Support Battalion, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, was on a routine security patrol along the rolling, rocky plains of Paktika's isolated Jani Khail District when her convoy was attacked by insurgents.

"We'd been out on the mission for a couple of days," said Brown, who at the time was attached to the brigade's 4th Squadron, 73rd Cavalry Regiment's Troop C. "We had just turned into a wadi (empty river bed) when our gunner yelled at us that the vehicle behind us had hit an (improvised-explosive device)."

They all looked out of their windows in time to see one of the struck vehicle's tires flying through the field next to them. Brown had just opened her door to see what was going on when the attack began.

"I only saw the smoke from the vehicle when suddenly we started taking small-arms fire from all around us," she said. "Our gunner starting firing back and my platoon sergeant yelled, 'Doc! Let's go.'"

Brown and her platoon sergeant, Staff Sgt. Jose Santos, exited their vehicle, and while under fire, ran the few hundred meters to the site of the downed Humvee.

"Everyone was already out of the burning vehicle," she said. "But even before I got there, I could tell that two of them were injured very seriously."

In fact, all five of the passengers who had stumbled out were burned and cut.

Two Soldiers, Spc. Stanson Smith and Spc. Larry Spray, suffered life-threatening injuries.

With help from two less-injured vehicle crewmen, Army Sgt. Zachary Tellier and Spc. Jack Bodani, Brown moved the immobile Soldiers to a relatively safe distance from the burning Humvee.

"There was pretty heavy incoming fire at this point," she said.

"Rounds were literally missing her by inches," said Bodani, who provided suppressive fire as Brown aided the casualties while injured. "We needed to get away from there."

Attempting to provide proper medical care under the heavy fire became impossible, especially when the attackers stepped up efforts to kill the Soldiers.

"Another vehicle had just maneuvered to our position to shield us from the rounds now exploding in the fire from the Humvee behind us," Brown said. "Somewhere in the mix, we started taking mortar rounds. It became a huge commotion, but all I could let myself think about were my patients."

With the other vehicles spread out in a crescent formation, Brown and her casualties were stuck with no-where to go.

Suddenly, Santos arrived with one of the unit's vehicles backed it up to their position, and Brown began loading the wounded Soldiers inside.

"We took off to a more secure location several hundred meters away where we were able to call in the (medical evacuation mission)," Brown said.

She then directed other combat-life-saver-qualified Soldiers to help by holding intravenous bags and assisting her in prepping the casualties for evacuation.

After what seemed like an eternity, the attackers finally began retreating and Brown was able to perform more thorough aid procedures before the MEDEVAC helicopter finally arrived to transport the casualties to safety, Brown said.

Two hours after the initial attack, everything was over.

In the darkness, Brown recalled standing in a field, knee-deep in grass, her only source of light coming from her red head-light, trying to piece together the events which had just taken place.

"Looking back, it was just a blur of noise and movement," she said. "What just happened? Did I do everything right? It was a hard thing to think about."

Before joining the Army at the age of 17, the bright-eyed young woman said she never pictured herself being in a situation like this.

Originally wanting to be an X-ray technician, she changed her mind when she realized that by becoming a medic, she'd be in the best place to help people.

"At first, I didn't think I could do it," she said. "I was actually afraid of blood. When I saw my first airway-opening operation, I threw up."

She quickly adjusted to her job, and received additional training both before and during her deployment to Afghanistan.

"I realized that everything I had done during the attack was just rote memory," she said. "Kudos to my chain of command for that. I know with training, like I was given, any medic would have done the same in my position."

"To say she handled herself well would be an understatement," said Bodani, who quickly recovered from his injuries and immediately returned to work. "It was amazing to see her keep completely calm and take care of our guys with all that going on around her. Of all the medics we've had with us throughout the year, she was the one I trusted the most."

Earning trust with a combat unit is not something easily earned, said Army Capt. Todd Book, Troop C's commander at the time of the attack, but it was something Brown had taken upon herself to prove long before the Jani Khail ambush.

"Our regular medic was on leave at the time," Book said. "We had other medics to choose from, but Brown had shown us that she was more technically proficient than any of her peers."

Having people call her "Doc" means a lot to her because of the trust it engenders.

"When people I've treated come back to me later and tell me the difference I was able to make in their life is the best part of this job," Brown said.

During her rest and recuperation in May 2007, Brown visited Spray in the hospital and met his mother.

"I almost cried," Brown said. "Spray's mother was so thankful and she hugged me. That was the moment that made me feel the best about what I did."

Even though she felt proud when she was informed that she was going to receive a Silver Star, she considers her actions to be the result of effort put into her by everyone she's worked for.

"While I'm not scared to get my hands dirty, I have to say that I never fully became a medic until I came over here and did it first-hand," she said. "I just reacted when the time came."

Due to her quick and selfless actions, both Smith and Spray survived their injuries.

(Spc. Micah E. Clare serves with the 4th Brigade Combat Team Public Affairs Office.)

Spring is now officially here. It’s time to think of flowers, picnics, new swimwear and planning outdoor events for the post. Unfortunately, far too often springtime also means severe weather in the form of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, firestorms and other disasters that could strike anytime.

Even before the spring equinox of March 20, severe storms and tornadoes devastated parts of the southeast, killing several people and leaving hundreds homeless. As they say, "This is not a good omen".

Is your post ready to respond to a potential disaster in your community? It can be if it implements information found in The American Legion’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Guide for American Legion Posts (Stock #58-002). The booklet is available free on request from national headquarters. You might have even received your post disaster readiness certificate signed by the national commander.

If not, send an email request to pr@legion.org along with your name, address. You can also call the public relations office at (317) 630-1253 or download it here.

In 2005, The American Legion signed a Statement of Affiliation with the Department of Homeland Security. Since then, Resolutions 97 and 98, "The American Legion Role in Homeland Security" and "The Citizen Corps" directed Legionnaires to get involved in local disaster preparedness and response activities. After all, who better than military veterans know the value of survival skills and being prepared for anything? The booklet, prepared by the National Security and Public Relations Commissions, provides everything a post needs to get started.

So, if you’ve been looking for a way to revitalize your post, sign up new members, increase meeting attendance, get media attention, attract interesting speakers, energize young people and maybe even save lives – get your copy of Disaster Preparedness and Response for American Legion Posts today

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Veteran-friendly organizations will conduct one-on-one interviews with the job seekers--organizations that will include corporate employers, law-enforcement agencies and other government employers, educational institutions, veterans service agencies, and veterans associations. RecruitMilitary has a listing of upcoming job fairs.

RecruitMilitary produces the career fairs in cooperation with The American Legion; HireVetsFirst, a unit of the United States Department of Labor; and the Military Spouse Corporate Career Network (MSCCN).

More than 500 organizations attended 45 RecruitMilitary Career Fairs in 2007. At those events, an average of 30-plus organizations interviewed an average of over 350 job seekers. RecruitMilitary Career Fairs conducted in 2006 and 2007 generated television coverage by CNBC, ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN; radio coverage by ESPN and numerous regional stations; and articles in metropolitan and local newspapers.

The American Legion is an association of veterans who served during times of war. The Legion has 2.7 million members in nearly 15,000 posts throughout the world. The National Commander of The American Legion is Martin F. Conatser, an Army veteran, of Champaign, Illinois. Congress chartered The American Legion in 1919. HireVetsFirst was created by Congress in 2002 to develop awareness among employers of the outstanding attributes of men and women who are transitioning from active duty to civilian life. The Military Spouse Corporate Career Network was founded in 2004 to provide career opportunities and job portability for military spouses. The organization is made up of military spouses, caregivers to war wounded, and retired military personnel.

RecruitMilitary, based in Cincinnati, connects employers with job seekers who have military backgrounds. All of the company's owners, officers, account executives, and retained search consultants are either veterans or active or former reservists. In addition to participation in career fairs, RecruitMilitary offers subscriptions to its database of self-registered job seekers who have military backgrounds, currently numbering more than 185,000, at its Web site, www.recruitmilitary.com, advertising in online and print media, and retained hiring services. The company mails more than 54,000 copies of a quarterly, print newsletter called Incoming! to over 230 military bases throughout the world for distribution to transitioning personnel; employers advertise their job openings in Incoming! The President of RecruitMilitary is Drew Myers, formerly a Captain in the United States Marine Corps. The company was founded in 1998.

The American Legion launched a new electronic newsletter in February, The American Legion Online Update. Sent out each Thursday via the Internet, the Update currently reaches more than 91,000 subscribers. The Web-based, weekly newsletter is a more timely complement to the Legion’s two monthly publications, the Dispatch and The American Legion Magazine. News coverage in the Update ranges from Legion-related events and national issues to veterans benefits and human-interest stories.

For example, news coverage in the first issue ranged from the Berkeley City Council’s harassment of a local Marine Corps recruiting office, to explaining differences between CRSC (combat-related special compensation) and CRDP (concurrent receipt disability pay). Since then, the Update has included stories on the following topics:

• How country singer Michael Peterson’s “My Real Life” tour supports American Legion values.
• Latest developments in policies and laws related to illegal immigration.
• Extension of GI Bill benefits to members of the Reserve and National Guard.
• Congressional debate over passage of the Foreign Intelligence and Surveillance Act (FISA).
• VA’s opening of 23 new Veterans Centers nationwide.
• Details on events/activities that support the Legion’s Legacy Scholarship program.
• How veterans can get their tax rebates, help with small businesses, DD-214 forms online, etc.

The Update’s front page also features links to reunions, emblem sales, and advertisers who offer discounts and special offers to Legion members. Readers may also link to current issues of other Legion publications.

If you’d like to subscribe to the weekly Update, please click here

University of Idaho student Nicholas Bosse was recently presented a $500 check by Moscow, Idaho, American Legion Post 6 Commander Rose Sharp. The check was part of a $500,000 grant given to The American Legion by the Coalition to Salute America’s Heroes. The American Legion distributed 1,000 grants of $500 each to disabled veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

In addition to the check, Bosse, who was wounded in Iraq, received a 2008 American Legion membership card for Post 6.

“The grants are gone, but the need to care for those who have borne the cost of battle remains,” National Commander Marty Conatser said in December when the last application was awarded. “I am grateful to the Coalition for this generous gift. These vets certainly deserve it.”

By Steve Brooks

For those who do not believe in a higher power, Legionnaire Al Andres believes he has enough evidence to prove otherwise.

Andres was the central figure in a series of events that, in a span of just 11 weeks, led to 5,000 soccer balls being shipped from the United States to American soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The soldiers are now distributing the balls to children living there. The American Legion, the American Youth Soccer Organization, the Delaware USO, Creative Artists Agency in Los Angeles and DHL all came together to make possible what seemed like a difficult task – one that, without donations, could have cost more than $160,000 – in a short period of time.

“This was meant to happen. There’s no other way this could have happened in this short amount of time,” said Andres, commander of Post 431 in Parkesburg, Pa. “I don’t know if you believe in God or not, but there was some kind of godly intervention. It was the AYSO, The American Legion, the USO, the Creative Artists Agency and the military itself all coming together perfectly.”

Everything started with an e-mail sent to an employee at Cisco Systems, Inc., from Marine Corps Maj. David Sandvold a week before Christmas. The employees at Cisco – which has a large veteran contingent, including Andres – had previously joined together to send $6,000 worth of calling cards to U.S. servicemembers serving overseas. Sandvold sent a thank-you e-mail to the Cisco employees; included were his thoughts on the effort going on in Iraq. Sandvold said the people of Iraq had welcomed the soldiers with a “somewhat distant/reluctant acceptance,” but that the children “love us because we give them happiness wrapped in candy. From time to time we will throw them a soccer ball – or any kind of ball – if we get one in the mail. (Hint, hint!)”

The Cisco employees got the hint and, in late January, Andres began making phone calls to see about rounding up some soccer balls. Erin Murray of Mark’s Hope, an organization created in memory of an Army captain killed in Iraq in 2004, donated 300 balls and sent them to Sandvold. In the meantime, Andres also contacted Drew Deighan, the American Youth Soccer Association’s sales and marketing manager.

“When I talked to Drew initially, he told me he could get us 500 soccer balls. We could handle (shipping those),” Andres said. “Then he came back later and said he’d underestimated a bit. They were giving us 5,000 brand-new balls. Shipping those was going to be a bit of a problem for us because of the cost.”

Andres found out from DHL that the cost would run around $53,000, but the DHL employee Andres spoke to suggested he contact the company’s Atlanta office, that ships directly to Iraq. Andres was subsequently given a price quote of $14,105 to send the soccer balls.

Facing a substantial price tag, Andres contacted American Legion National Headquarters and was put in touch with Past National Commander Ronald F. Conley of Pittsburgh. Conley sought and received approval for a $14,105 donation from the department’s general fund to get the soccer balls sent to the troops and kids. Now, said Conley, the department is looking to its American Legion Baseball program to replenish the contribution.

“We put the money up front, and now we are trying to raise it back,” Conley said. “We felt it was a good match, giving American Legion Baseball players a service project that goes beyond baseball. Kids helping kids. Our national sport helps their national sport.”

Andres contacted Joan M. Cote, CEO and president of USO Delaware, to help set up delivery points for the balls in Balad, Iraq, and Bagram, Afghanistan. The soccer balls shipped out on Feb. 29, and the first 3,500 landed in Iraq March 4. Some of the balls already have been delivered to Balad-area hospitals.

Rick Davis, AYSO’s national executive director, said his organization was happy to be a part of the effort.

“AYSO pursues its mission of supplying world-class youth soccer programs, based on five simple philosophies,” he said. “The first of these philosophies is ‘Everyone plays,’ and we at AYSO take this very seriously. We believe it applies to all children, not just the ones in the U.S.

“In addition, many of our volunteers are both veterans and active-duty members of the military. We felt that donating these balls at this time would help not only bring some joy to the children of Iraq, but that it would also have a meaningful resonance with our active-duty and veteran members, and volunteers. We all know that the mission our military has in Iraq is not easy. Drew Deighan and the AYSO NSTC staff did a great job in helping to put this together with the other organizations, and if we can somehow, in some small way, help bring a little joy and understanding to that difficult part of the world, then we’re very happy to have done so.”

Andres is still shocked that things progressed as quickly and as successfully as they did.

“It’s amazing how this all came together the way it did,” Andres said. “Everyone really believed in what (Maj. Sandvold) and his fellow soldiers over there are trying to do with the Iraqi children. It could have been very complicated, but things went as smoothly as they could have gone. It was amazing to see.”

Latah Eagle (ID)

Commander Rose Sharp of Dudley Loomis Post #6 in Moscow presented a $500 check Tuesday, February 12, to Nicolas Bosse, a local veteran wounded while serving in Iraq.

Thanks to a half-million dollar grant from the Coalition to Salute America's Heroes to the national headquarters of The American Legion, the Moscow post was able to present this check to Bosse on behalf of his fellow veterans and a grateful nation.

In addition to the check, Bosse was presented with his 2008 American Legion membership card and welcomed as a new member of the American Legion and Post #6. Joining Bosse at the ceremony were his mother, Nancy, an uncle and aunt who live in Moscow, and members of the post.

Bosse is attending the University of Idaho during his recovery and rehabilitation. He has applied for a scholarship through the University's "Operation Education," the first and only all-encompassing scholarship program in the nation, providing financial, academic, and social support assistance to disabled veterans.

Members of the Moscow Post have been actively involved in the development of the "Operation Education" program, through financial contributions and volunteering various support services for veterans and their families while attending the University.

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By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2008 – Coalition and Iraqi military efforts directed against al Qaeda in Iraq and other insurgents over the past few months have achieved much success toward making the country a more stable and secure place for its people, a senior U.S. military officer in Iraq said today.

However, recent terrorist attacks against U.S. and Iraqi security forces highlight the fact that more work needs to be done, Army Maj. Gen. Kevin Bergner, a Multinational Force Iraq spokesman, told reporters at a Baghdad news conference.

“Even though violence is dramatically reduced from 2006 and 2007, this has unquestionably been a tough few days and reflects what we repeatedly have said: that al Qaeda in Iraq is a resilient and barbaric enemy,” Bergner said.

The recent spate of al Qaeda-committed attacks in Baghdad and elsewhere in the country “may be an effort to divert attention” from successes gained against al Qaeda in Mosul and other parts of northern Iraq, Bergner said.

“But, regardless, we have consistently said this is a tough fight, and although al Qaeda in Iraq has been damaged, it remains lethal,” he said.

Meanwhile, more and more Iraqi troops, police and local concerned citizens groups are contributing in the fight against the insurgents, Bergner said. “This fight continues every day as coalition forces train Iraqi forces to patrol with them and conduct combined operations with them,” the two-star general said.

Bergner cited an operation yesterday in Diyala province, where Iraqi soldiers acting on a local citizen’s tip seized a large cache of weapons and munitions. That cache contained hand grenades, rocket-propelled grenades, blasting caps, AK-47 rifles and numerous small-arms ammunition.

In another operation yesterday, Iraqi police on patrol northeast of Samarra seized 80 mortar rounds, seven mortar tubes, a dozen rockets, 100 boosters, and five improvised explosive devices, Bergner said. “All of these munitions were safely disposed of before they could be used in attacks,” he said.

In addition, Iraqi, coalition and Georgian army troops acted in concert during a March 7-8 cordon-and-search operation south of Baghdad, Bergner said. This operation cleared villages of insurgent hideouts, secured a local water-pumping station, and uncovered enemy weapons caches.

On March 7, Iraqi civilians residing southwest of Mosul turned in a weapons cache containing 90 mm mortars to Iraqi police and coalition forces, Bergner said.

“Every day, Iraqis reject violence, and every day, Iraqi and coalition forces cooperate to help these people,” the general said.

As Iraqi and coalition security forces continue to make military gains against al Qaeda and other insurgents, advances are being made on the economic and political fronts, as well, Bergner said.

For example, he said, contracts have been written up to build a new multimillion-dollar dairy plant in Abu Ghraib, near Baghdad. The dairy plant will take about 10 months to construct, he said, noting it’ll provide employment for 150 Iraqis.

Bergner was accompanied at the news conference by Michael Yost, a senior U.S. Department of Agriculture official in Iraq to evaluate the country’s agricultural potential. Yost also had just attended Iraq’s first agricultural ministry conference, featuring 300 Iraqi representatives and about 30 international advisors, Bergner noted.

Iraq’s long growing season and other favorable factors provide the potential for it to produce high-value crops, Yost told reporters at the news conference. “We need to finance (Iraqi) farmers,” Yost said. “This sector of the Iraqi economy has been in a state of neglect and mismanagement for a number of years.”

In addition, Iraq’s irrigation system must be revitalized, and projects need to be initiated to desalinize Iraqi farmland, Yost said.

The main goal is to put Iraqi farmers on the path so they can become the breadbasket for their fellow citizens, he said. “That’s what we came over here to do, and I think we have started the process,” Yost said.

Through Resolution 169, The American Legion supports the mission in Iraq as part of the Global War on Terrorism. Information about Resolution 169 can be found here .

By BETTY SMITH
Tahlequah Daily Press
Press special writer

Almost a century ago, young men from Cherokee County responded to their nation’s call during World War I.
When they returned, they founded American Legion Post 50. Today that post remains active to lend a hand to veterans of all wars, including the current conflict in the Middle East.

A chili and stew lunch Monday raised money to continue improvements on the Depression-era building, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places last year. Post Commander Becky Wolfe said the money will help fix up a back room so the American Legion and its Auxiliary can meet simultaneously, and make the building more attractive for use by more community groups.

“We had some members who stayed in it until they died, and who helped start the American Legion,” Wolfe said.

Two World War II veterans active in the post for more than 60 years, Bob Cunningham and Charles Smetana, recently died. Bill Hinds also has been active more than 60 years.

“We still have several World War II veterans. Most of them don’t come to the meetings anymore,” Wolfe said.

One World War II vet who did turn up was Joe Thornton, 91. Savoring his bowl of chili and slice of pecan pie, he said he’s been active in Post 50 since 1946.

“I was in the Army Signal Corps, at WAR, the War Department’s radio station in Washington, D.C.,” he said. “We got a presidential unit citation for it.”

Though he remained stateside, Thornton and his co-workers performed a vital duty for the war effort. They provided communication between the president, as commander in chief, and the chiefs of staff throughout the world.

Before the war broke out, Thornton was already in the service. He was a member of the field artillery for three years.

“It’s been here a long time, and it requires a lot of work,” he said of the stone building.

“When I was commander [years ago], a lot of the members were World War I veterans. We had a lot of money back then. We owned a ball park at the south end of town, and a pool hall. But those World War I vets were kind of tight. They didn’t want to spend too much money. But finally we got a commander from World War II, and he was willing to fix this building up.”

Recently, another phase of improvements was instituted. Three years ago, the post replaced the roof, and two years ago a new ceiling and fans were installed.

“This building is probably in better shape than many new buildings,” Wolfe said.

But the air conditioning and heating systems are aging, and eventually will need replacement. And electrical and plumbing problems are subject to pop up in any aged structure.

The building’s historic designation was achieved after extensive research by Sally Ross, long active in the American Legion Auxiliary, and Tahlequah historian Beth Herrington.
“You have to provide documentation of its age, its architecture, the historical aspect of the building,” Herrington said.

The post was established in 1919, shortly after “the war to end all wars.” The building was constructed by the Works Progress Administration in 1934. “A.E. Roberton, of Tahlequah, was in a series of meetings held in Paris in 1919,” Herrington said.

He came back, and with other local veterans, he decided to found the post. It was named the Rhodes-Pritchett Post 50 in memory of Jesse M. Rhodes and Tony Pritchett, who lost their lives in World War I.

“We had a lot of doughboys from Tahlequah,” Herrington said. “When our historic board began to work on things that needed to have National Register significance, the State Historic Preservation Office asked us to do that building because it was one of several posts built by the WPA during the Depression.”

Some of those buildings have been lost, but the Tahlequah structure remains in good condition and regular use. Other local buildings receiving the national distinction last year were the Rosamund House and the Castle.

Ross said it took a lot of work to get the historical designation, but it was a worthwhile task. She was proud that another World War II veteran, Ray Gross, was celebrating his 90th birthday by attending the chili lunch. Gross donated his Marine uniform to the post at Monday night’s meeting. It is one of the first items forming the nucleus for a military museum the post is establishing, Wolfe said.

She also praised Ross for her years of work with the post. She said Ross arrived early Monday to make sure everything was just right for the first diners who appeared.

“The auxiliary kept the post going for years when members were on the rolls, but were not active,” she said.

Four years ago, Wolfe’s sister, Nelda Littlejohn, became the first woman to command the organization. Wolfe assumed duties three years ago. Both women are Vietnam-era veterans, and active in the auxiliary as well.

Women have been full members of the post for a number of years. Two veterans who attended the lunch, Don and Lois Ross, met and married while in the Army.

Don’s military career spanned 20 years, taking him to serve in Korea and Vietnam, and around the United States between 1948 and 1968.

“I spent time in Germany and France, too,” he said.

After retirement, he returned to Tahlequah, where he grew up. “This is an old building. I remember it from when I was a kid. We need to keep it going. We’re going to have all the young troops coming back, and they need a place to go,” he said.

Lois Ross met her future husband when she joined the Army in 1952, at Fort Lee, Va. She originally came from Louisiana.

“I was living in California and I wanted to see my sister. She was a first lieutenant at the Women’s Training Center at Fort Lee,” she said. “I thought the best and cheapest way to see her was joining the service.”

She did so, and went to Fort Lee. She met Don there in May, married him in December, and they’ve been together ever since.

Wolfe said the post is ready to serve the veterans returning from today’s conflicts, as well as those from all previous wars.

“We are active members of the Veterans Council,” she said.

The post participates in the parades for Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Sept. 11. They send holiday cards to the veterans at the VA Medical Center in Muskogee, and members have volunteered there. Oklahoma has seven veterans homes, the nearest in Talihina and Claremore.

The post also sends young people to Boys State and Girls State. “We help veterans who are in need of assistance, whether they are members of our post or not,” Wolfe said.

View this video.

DoD Photo

“Leave no man behind” is a proud military tenet. It has a sacred meaning on the battlefield for the men and women of our armed forces. But it also has application in everyday life. Hundreds of thousands of veterans and their survivors are at risk of being left behind when it comes to the Economic Stimulus Payments that will be paid this summer.

Congress passed, and the President signed into law, a provision to pay so-called “rebates” to Americans who file tax returns. In so doing, they also extended the payments to include veterans and Social Security recipients who ordinarily do not have to even file a tax return. The minimum payment for those who qualify is $300 for individuals and $600 for married couples filing a joint income tax return.

The payments will be calculated by the IRS based on tax returns filed now through the end of 2008 reporting income received and taxes due for the 2007 tax year. But since some veterans and their survivors don’t make enough income to have to file a tax form there is great concern that they might miss the opportunity to receive money coming to them.

This year, veterans who do not otherwise have to file anything with the IRS will want to send in a tax form in order to receive a stimulus payment, according to the Internal Revenue Service. This applies to veterans and their survivors who receive certain pension and disability payments which are not taxable.

Veterans who have income other than veteran’s benefits and are required to file a tax return and pay taxes for 2007 have nothing more to do. They will automatically receive their economic stimulus payments after they file their tax forms, beginning this summer. This would include people who receive non-taxable pension or disability payments from the VA, but who also work and earn enough to have to file and pay taxes.

But veterans who receive VA pension or disability payments, sometimes in combination with Social Security or Railroad Retirement Tier I payments (generally none of which are taxable) will need to file an abbreviated tax form this year so the IRS can send them the stimulus payment they are entitled to receive.

Here is how it works.

Those who have no tax liability and are not required to file a tax return may qualify for a minimum payment of $300 ($600 if filing a joint return) if they send the IRS a simple tax return that reflects $3,000 or more in qualifying income. For the purpose of the stimulus payments, qualifying income includes veterans’ disability compensation, and pension or survivors’ benefits received from the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2007. Specifically, compensation or pension received under chapter 11, chapter 13, or chapter 15 of title 38, United States Code will qualify.

The compensation under those code sections includes:

• Monthly payments to veterans of the armed forces who are disabled as a result of injuries or diseases incurred or aggravated during active service, i.e., who have “service-connected disabilities.” Payments vary with degree of disability and numbers of dependents (spouse, children).
• Monthly payments to surviving spouses; children (if no qualified surviving spouse); and low-income parents of members who die in active service, or veterans whose deaths are “service connected” (the result of service-incurred or service-aggravated injuries or diseases).
• Monthly benefits paid to surviving spouses, or to children if there is no qualified surviving spouse, of veterans whose deaths are not service connected but who suffered from total, service-connected disability for specified periods immediately prior to their deaths.

Also included are those who receive a disability pension which is monthly need-based payments to certain wartime veterans who suffer from permanent and total, non-service-connected disability, or who are age 65 and older. Death pension payments are the final category which are monthly need-based payments to surviving spouses, or, if no qualified surviving spouse, children, of certain wartime veterans.

Here is what to do.

Those who are not required to file a 2007 return but whose total qualifying income (including earned income, Social Security, certain Railroad Retirement and any of the veterans’ benefits stated above) would equal or exceed $3,000, should file a simple tax return reporting the income and benefits to establish eligibility. You can use a Form 1040A and report the total of your benefits on Line 14a, or you can use a Form 1040 and report the total of your benefits on Line 20a. Please note that both of these lines refer only to Social Security, but you should enter the total of all your benefits received there, whether your only benefits were veterans’ benefits, or a combination of any of the three (Social Security, Railroad Retirement, or veterans’). If you have any earned income, it is reported on a separate line, Line 7, of either form.

Your name, Social Security number and signature (those entries for both you and your spouse if filing jointly), as well as your address, filing status and whether or not you’d like to receive your payment via Direct Deposit, are the only other items needed on the tax return. No other lines need be filled in. A sample 1040A showing the minimal information needed can be viewed on the IRS Website at irs.gov and used as a model for completing the form.

The IRS emphasized that people with no filing requirement who turn in a tax return to qualify for the economic stimulus payment will not get a tax bill. People in this category will not owe money because of the stimulus payment. The stimulus payments are not taxable.

More information on these economic stimulus payments is available on www.IRS.gov. Just click on “Rebate questions” link. IRS wants to make sure that no one who is qualified for a payment gets left behind.

By Rob Daniel
Iowa City Press-Citizen

Wally "Bleu" Galbreath's family has been one of service to the United States military stretching back generations.

The Coralville man served in the Navy from 1972 to 1975 during the waning days of the Vietnam War. Both his father and grandfather served in the Navy as well, he said.

Today, four of his eight children are serving their country, all in Iraq. John Anthony Owens is with the Army, while Blake, Breahna and Ashlee Galbreath are in the Navy.

Coralville American Legion Post 721 honored Galbreath on Monday night with the Blue Star Banner. The banner, introduced in 1917 during World War I, was designed to be a symbol of a child in the service, Post Commander Ken Krizan said.

Galbreath received the red banner with four blue stars on a white field. Each star represented each of Galbreath's children currently serving in the military, Krizan said.

"This is a physical symbol you have four children in (the service)," he said to Galbreath during the ceremony. "May God bless them."

Galbreath, whose family was among the founders of the American Legion in 1919, said he was deeply honored by being presented the banner.

"It's beyond special to me," he said. "This is everything I can imagine."

The banner is designed to hang in the home of the parent to show their pride until the children return home from overseas, according to the Legion. However, Galbreath said he wanted to donate the banner to the Coralville Legion Post.

"The kids want it here," he said. "May they all come home."

Krizan said the banner would be displayed in the Legion's meeting room, and each of the children could claim a star upon their return home.

White House Photo

By John Raughter

It’s been a busy week for Frank Buckles, the last living American World War I veteran.

First the 107-year-old’s picture is splashed on the front page of the Daytona Beach News Journal thanks to a recent visit by some persistent Legionnaires, then he meets the President of the United States and is honored at the Pentagon.

Last week American Legion Post 285 Commander Ken Terry, Vice Commander Thomas Coe, Post Service Officer Jim Baker and SAL Commander Charles Hoff drove 17 hours from their post in Edgewood, Florida to visit Buckles at his home in Charles Town, W.Va.

“We wanted to meet and thank the last American World War I veteran,” Coe said. “We spoke with him for about 90 minutes. He was very alert and it was a great visit.”

While Buckles recalled once driving for World War I General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing during the war, the Legionnaires hatched an ambitious plan while they drove back to Florida. Why not arrange a meeting between Buckles and the President of the United States?

“As commander-in-chief, I humbly request you take the time out of your busy schedule to visit and shake the hand of the last living American veteran of the Great War,” Coe wrote in a letter to President Bush. “Of all the letters, medals and handshakes this gentleman has received, he has never met a president of this great country.”

On March 6, Buckles was sitting next to President Bush in the Oval Office.

“Mr. Buckles’ mind is sharp, his memory is crisp, and he’s been sharing with me some interesting anecdotes,” Bush said. “I asked him where he lived and he said, that reminds me of what General Pershing asked me. And he told the general that he was raised on a farm in Missouri. And the general said, well, you know, as the crow flies, it’s 40 miles from where I was raised.

“And so Mr. Buckles has a vivid recollection of historic times,” Bush continued. “And one way for me to honor the service of those who wear the uniform in the past and those who wear it today is to herald you, sir, and to thank you very much for you patriotism and your love for America.”

That same day Buckles and his family were special guests at a Pentagon ceremony, in which officials unveiled photographer David DeJonge’s World War I Veterans Exhibit.

“Whoever views this display will, I am sure, feel a connection to Mr. Buckles and his comrades-in-arms,” Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said.

Buckles is a 77-year-member of American Legion Merchant Marine Post 945 in Jefferson Valley, N.Y. He was clearly moved by all of the attention.

“I feel honored to be here as a representative of the veterans of World War I and I thank you,” he said at the Pentagon ceremony. It was clear from his admirers in The American Legion, the Oval Office and the current military, that a great deal of Americans want to be thanking him.

Lewiston Sun-Journal (ME)

TURNER - Planners for the American Legion Legacy Run have announced the dates for the third annual motorcycle fundraising event from Indianapolis to the American Legion's national convention in Phoenix Aug. 17 to 21.

Many of the participants from both the 2006 and 2007 runs are expected to return for the nearly 1,800-mile run.

American Legion National Commander Marty Conatser will kick off Legacy Run, which will begin with a national gathering of Legion Riders in Indianapolis. The riders will depart on Sunday, Aug. 17, for Phoenix and the 90th American Legion national convention.

The riders, many of them members of the American Legion family, will journey for five days to make possible a college education for the children of comrades who died defending freedom since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The goal is to raise at least $350,000 for the Legacy Scholarship Fund.

The fund has distributed $74,000 in scholarship assistance to students enrolled in college-level courses since 2004.

"The ride is open to all who are interested in supporting these children. We will pause along the way for rest stops, meals and other events and services arranged by American Legion posts," Conatser said.

All who register for the ride receive the 2008 run patch set as well as a mapbook with information about routes, scheduled stops, timetables, daily maps and checkpoint locations.

"We encourage all interested Legionnaires and, indeed, all supporters to register in support of the run," said Department of Maine Commander Paul L'Heureux, "to help us help the children of our fallen heroes."

For more information, contact L'Heureux at afdpal@aol.com or call 754-6044.

Photo by Thomas Coe

By AUDREY PARENTE
Staff Writer
Daytona Beach News Journal

Freezing temperatures and a slip on thin ice didn't stop four local Legionnaires from their mission: a 17-hour road trip to see the last living American World War I veteran.

Four officers of Edgewater American Legion Post 285 recently trekked by sport utility vehicle -- off the hard road in 24-degree weather -- to a Charles Town, W. Va., farm.

The goal: Present a hero's plaque to Frank Woodrow Buckles, a lively 107-year-old -- who fibbed about his age to get into the U.S. Regular Army in 1917. Buckles drove motorcycles, cars, and ambulances in England and France during what has been called "The Great War."

He once drove General John J. Pershing, America's World War I commander in Europe.

The Edgewater post is trying to get President Bush to honor Buckles, who has been recognized only by U.S. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W. Va.) and French President Jacques Chirac with the French Legion of Honor.

Post Cmdr. Ken Terry first saw Buckles in early February on a CNN interview. He called the Charles Town American Legion about a meeting with the man confirmed by the Library of Congress as the last living American World War I veteran. Lynda Lancaster, past auxiliary president of the Charles Town post, answered.

"It was the first request we have gotten from another post," said Lancaster in a phone interview. She's friends with Buckles and set up the meeting.

Jim Baker of Edgewater, a local post officer and incoming commander of Florida's 17th District, was primary driver.

"I have the newest vehicle," Baker said. He programmed his GPS, picked up Terry and a third Legionnaire, Sgt.-at-Arms Tom Coe of the Edgewater post.

He said they drove nearly straight through in 17 hours, with only a few stops, and met Lancaster at the Charles Town American Legion Post, rested up at a nearby hotel and went to Buckles' farm the next day.

"When I got out of the car at the farmhouse, I took one step, one good slip and got one good picture of the bill of my hat as I fell," Baker said. He wasn't hurt, and the group went inside to greet a healthy, alert Buckles, whose daughter and son-in-law also live on the farm.

"He said when he was stationed with a shipping line in South America, between World War I and II, he knew a 115 year-old and a 125-year old and knows the secret of longevity," Baker said.

"I said, 'I believe you do,' " Baker added, but Buckles didn't give up the secret.

The old soldier did tell about three civilian years in Manila as a World War II prisoner of war.

"This was the highlight of my military and American Legion career -- meeting this last-of-a-kind American," said Coe. "He told us about his military career and that on his way home flags were all over the train station. He found himself in a receiving line for General Pershing who said: 'How would you just like to be my driver' "

Lancaster said Buckles "was very honored to have those gentlemen present a plaque and drive all that distance to meet him."

Buckle's daughter, Suzannah Flanagan, said in a phone interview her dad is in good health -- except for poor hearing -- and would especially remember the Edgewater men because they gave him an American Legion Post 285 license plate.

"He can't answer questions now," Flanagan said. "He's with his personal trainer."

Before the four men left the farm, they set another meeting.

"We indicated we would see him in 10 years," Baker said. "And he hoped we all could make it back."

By Tom Hintgen
Fergus Falls Daily Journal (MN)

Too often, according to Ashby American Legion Commander Mark Bratvold, personal military memorabilia is stored in a person’s chest of drawers, basement trunk or other location - not available for others to see these priceless items. The Ashby Legion post changed that in 1985 with the establishment of two displays at its Post 357 headquarters.

“We had just completed the first display area and quickly realized that local veterans also could fill a second display area,” said Bratvold, who served with the U.S. during the Vietnam War era. “It seemed that every veteran and/or family member had a little bit of something that was worth sharing with others.”

Today, he’s proud that those personal memories and military memorabilia are on display for others to see when they attend an event or visit Ashby American Legion Post 357.

“It’s wonderful to take a close look at the displays and see personal photos of Ashby area veterans who served their country, from the Civil War era to the present,” Bratvold said. “Uniforms, guns, and ammunition only tell part of the story. Artwork is marvelous as well, include the Iwo Jima flag raising from World War II that’s the centerpiece of one exhibit.”

Bratvold said it’s fitting that the 26 Ashby Legion Post charter members, from 1919, are prominently recognized. In addition, there’s also artwork on ships, submarines, planes and other military-related insignias.

“We as veterans, and as a Legion post, take special pride in hosting visitors who’ve heard about the displays and who come to see the exhibits here during the summer months and at other times during the year,” he said. “After people come here, we as an organization receive many positive comments.”

Also on display at Ashby American Legion Post 357 is a 42-star American flag from the era of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), prior to the final eight states joining the United States of America.

The GAR created the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War (SUVCW) in 1881 to ensure the preservation of their own mission. The GAR also generated several auxiliary organizations such as the National Woman's Relief Corps, Ladies of the GAR and Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War.

“It’s fitting that we preserve our military history,” Bratvold said. “The Ashby Legion post is happy to be part of this effort.”

White House Photo

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, March 3, 2008 – President Bush today presented the Medal of Honor to the family of the late Army Master Sgt. Woodrow Keeble, the first full-blooded Sioux Indian to receive the nation’s highest military award, for heroism during the Korean War

Keeble, a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War, was honored during the presentation ceremony at the White House for risking his life to save his fellow soldiers during the final allied offensive in Korea.

When war broke out in Korea, Keeble was a 34-year-old master sergeant serving with the 24th Division’s 1st Platoon, Company G, 19th Infantry Regiment. He’d joined the North Dakota National Guard in 1942 and already had earned the first of his four Purple Hearts and his first Bronze Star for actions on Guadalcanal.

Keeble volunteered to go to Korea, saying that “somebody had to teach those kids how to fight,” Bush said today. “And that’s what he did,” serving as a mentor, teacher and legend to his soldiers, he said.

The division was serving in central Korea in October 1951 when it was called to take a series of mountains protecting a major enemy supply in the town of Kumsong. Operation Nomad-Polar was the last major United Nations offensive of the war.

U.S. casualties mounted as enemy soldiers barraged them, fortified by three pillboxes containing machine guns during ferocious fighting over a six-day span. Keeble’s officers had all fallen, so he continued the assault with three platoons under his leadership.

Despite extensive injuries himself, with 83 grenade fragments in his body, Keeble defied the medics and took matters into his own hands. On Oct. 20, 1951, he charged the hill solo. Armed only with grenades and his Browning automatic rifle, he shimmied across the ridge, singlehandedly eliminating one pillbox after another as he dodged a barrage of enemy fire.

“As Woody first started off, someone saw him and remarked, ‘Either he’s the bravest soldier I have ever met, or he’s crazy,’” Bush said at today’s ceremony, eliciting laughter. “When Woody was through, all 16 enemy soldiers were dead, the hill was taken, and the Allies had won the day.”

Only after Keeble had taken out all three pillboxes and killed the machine gunners did he order his troops to advance and secure the hill.

“Woody Keeble’s act of heroism saved many American lives and earned him a permanent place in his fellow soldiers’ hearts,” the president said.

His actions set an example, not just for his own soldiers, but for the ages, Bush said. “If we honor his life and take lessons from his good and noble service, then Master Sergeant Woody Keeble will serve his country once again,&rdq