Mask wearing (when indoors) district officers traveled to the Department of Indiana for Close of Books this year, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Department Commander Allen Connelly was on hand to distribute new cards and greet visitors. It might not have been the Close of Books we’d hoped for, but it’s the Close of Books we got, and everyone made the best of it. Thank you, and here’s to a great 2020-2021 membership year!
The Legionnaires Insurance Trust was founded in 1965 with the purpose of providing programs and products that serve Legionnaire’s specific needs. The trust is comprised of fifty departments from The American Legion and represents some 1.5 million members. Over the years, LIT has returned $100 million dollars back to Legion Departments. These allocations have helped pay for things like renovations to American Legion Baseball fields and salaries for service officers at the VA to assist members with claims.
Money from the LIT has also helped fund Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, and with about 23 million U.S. veterans who are alive today, LIT provides support to those who served – and continue to
serve – our country.
In April 2019 LIT announced the Wigle Membership Innovation Initiative to provide financial recognition to those state departments that have shown success in developing and executing innovative practices in pursuing membership growth.
This year, the program presented a total of $25,000 in awards to the top three submissions as selected by a panel of judges and are as follows;
First Place: Wisconsin, Second Place: Maine, Third Place: Indiana.
Department of Indiana Membership Chairman Rich Brown says the Membership Committee is very proud to have won the award. “This was a team effort of the entire department membership com-
mittee and I am grateful for the support of The Legionnaire Insurance Trust to our organization. I am grateful to the LIT for recognizing our Department Membership Committee. Our partnership with LIT provides our membership with access to great insurance products and an essential revenue stream which enables the Department of Indiana to increase its membership engagement efforts.”
The department of Indiana became a participating member of the LIT in 1991, and since it’s affiliation with the trust, the Department’s Legion families have enjoyed access to a widerange of products and services designed around the needs of veterans and their families. The LIT has made it possible for thousands of Legion families to collect millions of dollars
in benefits by enrolling in the program.
The Membership Committee says that the award money received will be put to good use. “This prize money was invested into our direct mail campaign which encouraged our Post 777 members to transfer into their local posts which greatly enhances the likelihood that they will renew their membership. Historically, Post 777 members renew at a rate of less than 50% while traditional local post members renew their membership at a rate of at least 88%. By leveraging this prize money to invite Post 777 members to transfer into their local posts, our organization has made a critical investment in the future membership strength of the Department of Indiana,” says Brown.
The committee worked hard to create the best plan they could for membership year 2019-2020. So when it came time to submit their plan to LIT to be judged, the process was fairly easy. “Our submission to the LIT contest was essentially a summary of the Department Membership Committee’s strategy and incentives program. Our plan was the result of a collaborative effort which included all of our district commanders, all members of the committee, and several staff members. I am humbled and honored to lead the Department Membership Committee and I look forward to next year’s LIT contest as Commander Connelly and I finish our second year in office,” says Brown.
“It is the Department’s sad duty to report that the following Comrades have been called from our midst, and have gone to report to the Great Commander of all. We honor the memory of those who offered their lives in the service of country and who have now enrolled in that Great Spirit Army, whose footfalls cause no sound, but in the memory of mankind, their souls go marching on, sustained by the pride of service in time of war. Because of them our lives are free; because of them our nation lives; because of them the world is blessed. We give thanks to God for these men and women. Their lives were dear to us; their names are precious in our memories. Their lives, their brave acts, their innocence and their courage touch our hearts. We remember them in this moment and honor and give thanks for their presence on earth. May their souls rest in Peace.” See pages 8-11.
capable hands of the man who holds the title of Leading Candidate for the second consecutive year, Mark Gullion.
Good morning American Legion Family! Another Legion year is in the books.
With no National or Department Convention, this year certainly did not conclude in the same manner as the first one-hundred. In a “normal“ year the duty of penning this column would have been in the
I would like to begin this column by thanking Mark, as well as all of the department, district and post officers who have stepped up and made the commitment to serve another year in your current position. I have to single out the commission chairs, Jim Daube, Bob Oeth, Rick Hudson, and Paul Smith for the commitment they have made to serve in their current capacity for an extra year. I know how long four years is - but five?
I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank District Commanders Ron Patterson, Ken Pridemore and Mark Gourley for their years of dedicated service.
On the membership front, a big thank you to Chairman Rich Brown for his outstanding leadership. Congratulations to the tenth, first, fifth, and ninth districts for achieving over 100% of their goal this year. Congratulations also to the more than 200 posts that surpassed 100%.
As you know, we are still in the throes of COVID-19. However, we are moving for-
ward with planning for both Fall Conference -October 2nd, 3rd, and 4th- and the National Commander’s visit October 6th-9th. We are also making plans for officer training and are hopeful all these events will take place, but they are subject to cancellation if the pandemic worsens.
Schools around the state are preparing to open in the coming weeks. I have seen all sorts of different plans as to how they are going to accomplish this.
I am sure this year is going to present challenges to us in regard to getting into the schools and selling our Flag Education,
Americanism and Government and Oratorical Programs, etc. I remain confident you will do whatever is necessary to make this happen. Our Children and Youth programs really are part of the fabric that binds us to our communities.
To keep up to date with all that is happening, remember to go to the department website at www.indianalegion.org .
I will close this column by once again telling you how proud and humbled I am to be leading this great organization forward into a new year…and always remember “We Change Lives.”
Hoosier Legionnaires, your Department Headquarters continues to identify and adapt to what the “new normal” will look like for our organization moving forward as we continue to fight this global pandemic together. Regardless of the gamut of opinions about this virus, one thing can be certain; all of our lives have been affected.
However, our organization was built on a foundation of mutual helpfulness. We are an organization that thrives on personal contact. To come
together as a community, identify areas that we can improve, and simply visit with one another. We must continue to support each other by every means available to us, whether that be simply a phone call, text message, email, a card in the mail, or ideally face-toface if safety permits.
This effort can truly save and change a life. If you wish to check up on the veterans of your post or district, there is more information available, to include best practices and scripts, at www.legion.org/ membership/buddycheck.
Department Headquarters has submitted a permit application to the Marion County Department of Health to hold a Fall Conference. Whether or not Department will proceed with Fall Conference is contingent on this permit de-
a year ago, and move on to this new year of challenges.
cision. Should the application be approved, this conference will look very different from the usual with several safety precautions in place to include taking temperatures at the door, health history questionnaires at the door and mandatory mask wearing for all. This is Marriott East Hotel policy and Department Headquarters will adhere accordingly.
Additionally, National Cmdr. Bill Oxford is currently scheduled to tour the Department of Indiana from October 6 – 9 this fall. Department Headquarters is continuing to plan for this as if it will occur but remains ready to adapt if any future changes should be executed by Governor Eric Holcomb.
Regardless the fact that the Indiana Legion has not met collectively since Mid-Winter
Conference last January, we continue to remain busy giving financial aid grants, scholarships, holding sweepstakes fundraisers, visiting VA’s across the state to commend them for keeping our veterans healthy, etc. Stay tuned to www.indianalegion.org for more information on this as well as veterans news and future announcements.
On another current affair, we are fast approaching the 20th year since the cowardly attacks on our nation on September 11, 2001. Indiana was affected strongly that day in several ways. First, we lost 3-Star General Timothy Maude, an Indianapolis native who was killed when American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon. He is now interred at Arlington Cemetery. Second, Flight 77 was moni-
tored by the Indianapolis Air Traffic Control Center which identified that it was hijacked. Indianapolis Center worked with the Air Force and National Guard which vectored a C-130 to track the plane until the end. Third, Indiana limestone is used to build the Pentagon. The fresh stone that replaced the rubble of the aftermath is visible on the west face of the Pentagon. Lastly, the Indiana 9/11 Memorial is currently under an expansion project. The American Legion, Department of Indiana is currently working with the Indiana War Memorials Foundation in support of this effort. Stay tuned for further announcements.
Thank you all for your service, your continued service to help others, and for your membership in The American Legion.
I’m not quite sure where to begin. Every time we plan something, it gets cancelled. We are hoping and praying that we can hold our Auxiliary Fall Conference at the end of September because our members want to get together and complete our unfinished business we started
I want to thank everyone for their generous donations to my IVH and USO projects and our Auxiliary programs this year. I was amazed at the final numbers. I’ll let you know about them at a later date with the ALA news. We will help out some very worthwhile causes.
My project for IVH has become an on-going challenge for next year. They decided they didn’t need the chairs as much as a new item being especially engineered for each patient room. This program is being designed
exclusively for IVH by Purdue University. More on that will follow at a later date, also. Lots of great news coming! Sorry to keep you in suspense, but it will be worth it.
Commander Connelly, SAL Squadron Commander Martin and I certainly haven’t had much communication lately, but hopefully we can start moving on together this fall. I think communication is the much needed part of our organizations in order to function at the highest level. Some of our posts and units are struggling and we need to open back up and get on with
their programs. We don’t want to lose those members that help keep everyone motivated.
We are celebrating September as poppy month this year. With everyone being quarantined, not many members wanted to go out and pass out poppies in May during the virus outbreak. Our Poppy Chairman, Sharon, decided to recognize the poppy distribution along with the Patriot Day month. This is a very worthwhile program to help our veterans and their families.
We are working on creating a new and more informative web-
site for the Auxiliary events, and news. Please visit it for updates. Also visit the National website for upcoming news, stories, and trainings open to everyone. It is a difficult time for all of us trying to decide if we should stay home in our own little world or venture out and help the rest of it. We all know what we can do - play it safe - but keep the organization in mind as well. Make plans for the future and hopefully we can pursue them soon. There are many in need and we’ve always been there to help.
Greetings fellow Detachment of Indiana Sons of The American Legion and the American Legion Family members. It has been an interesting few months. January thru March our membership was on a course to pos-
sibly make a new all-time high and so were our retentions. Then came COVID-19. As we all know it has hit and hurt a lot of our Legion families everywhere, but we are strong and will bounce back even stronger. We ended up about 92% for the year and I lost my bets to Commander Connelly and President Mauve on membership. I will be buying them steak dinners, but they better watch out in 2019-2021. My Commander’s project was the auditorium at the In-
diana Veteran’s Home. The auditorium was used for many things, such as feeding of meals, church services, movie nights, bingo, and many special occasions. It’s also where the Detachment holds Bingo three times a year. The equipment was old, broken, and out dated. I took it as my project with a goal of $37,000.00. I had a Commanders Club where anyone who donated $500.00 or more to my Detachment Commander’s project would receive a plaque, which were made by our own
Richard “Doc” Pfeiffer, National Central Vice Commander. We had 42 plaques made and many other donations. We raised about $40,000.00 total. The goal was to replace all audio, microphones, speakers, movie projector and drop down screen. Also to connect TV and speakers in the lobby. Walls and lighting all new also. As of last month they were about three-quarters of the way finished.
Plans were to dedicate the new auditorium at close of books, but due to COVID-19 we
will setup a new special day and will announce it in the future. I am very proud and honored to serve as your Detachment Commander for 2020-2021. We are looking forward to getting out and visiting Squadrons, and Districts and seeing our Legion Family, but of course this all depends on COVID-19. Please keep our men and women in harm’s way in our thoughts and prayers. Pray for our country.
“ALWAYS
One of the results of this pandemic is a shortage of
blood donors to the various blood banks throughout the state.
Blood banks themselves are indebted to The American Legion. Started in 1942, the American Legion blood donor program has been a part of our community relations program, and by 1943, the program was
active in several other states and communities. The program not only provides blood to local communities, but also to American military personnel at war.
The American Legion blood donor Program is designed to encourage blood donations and recognize those efforts based
on participating posts and individual Legion Family members. Statistics are gathered through the annual Consolidated Post Reports.
While awards are nice, the important thing is the lifesaving potential of each blood donation. There is a dire current need for blood donors with
current restrictions on social activities in place. A Post blood drive would be a good way to get together and support our communities in need so please consider scheduling a blood drive at your post or donating blood at a local blood donation center. Our communities need our help.
This is a most unusual summer. I have been enjoying a rendition of “staycations” in the daily Baby Blues cartoon. We have heard the Governor’s order to mask up and the Attorney General’s comment that it is unenforceable. The fight continues between health concerns and conspiracy theories. Facebook friends fill my page and messenger with hosts of conflicting evidences.
Japan, being a courteous and respectful nation, has continued to wear masks since the Spanish Flu of 1918-19 where
individuals who are sick out of concern for others readily don them. So gearing up for “all wear” is more natural. My Great-Uncle Ward almost died as a victim in England of the Spanish Flu and never made it to the Somme, Aisne-Marne or other battles in WWI. I remember him telling how bad it was and about the massive deaths, and stretcher bearers.
As Americans we seem to embrace, “No one is going to tell me what to do!” Shopping with my mask on in Sam’s yesterday, I saw their “masks to enter policy” thwarted by those who pulled them under their neck after entrance. Perhaps this is why Japan and Korea are having greater success than we are in maintaining the virus.
We have feathered out graduation throughout the summer.
lence this past year.
A local school had a graduate participate who tested positive for Covid the very next day. Getting a diploma in a formal ceremony was more important than exposing fellow classmates. Having two children who are teachers keeps me up on the dilemma of education as we begin the new school year. My son’s classes will all be virtual as they start and he will have his young daughters in virtual classes at home. My daughter will be doing a mixture of virtual and adjusted scheduling to reduce the number in the building. Still the number infected grows daily as does the tally of deaths. Reports of our nursing homes are now coming forth, while high risk people remain isolated. No vaccine exists, yet we are tantalized with small hopes here and there. Devel-
oping one will be better than winning the lottery for the victorious pharmaceutical. When discovered, manufacturing and distribution will be another nightmare.
Economically we ride a wild rollercoaster. While many try working from home, others just try to stay afloat. We know the massive amounts of money that the feds have printed will need payment at the end of the ride. Who can predict those ramifications? Organizations and religious institutions struggle to get on top of the wave, but many may never fully recover.
Who would have ever thought the American Legion would opt out of conventions and conferences and put vast programs on hold? It all seems surreal doesn’t it? It’s as if any time now we will wake
up from a bad dream. Life as we have known it has changed and will continue to change as we morph through the biggest paradigm shift of our lives.
Uncertainty always forces us to cling to what is fixed, reliable and permanent. We seek that which we can trust and in which we can place our hope. For over three thousand years people have turned to holy scriptures for this anchor in times of vast uncertainty. Perhaps, this is why the American Legion, born from the horror and total destruction of war, holds as her preamble’s first subject, “For God…” Thus we cling to this mooring which births our faith, trust and hope!
God is our refuge and strength, a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
Ps. 46: CSB
I would first like to thank Department Commander Allen Connelly for this opportunity to continue serving as your department membership chair. This first year has been a truly rewarding experience and I greatly look forward to being able to safely travel throughout the Department of Indiana in the near future. The dedication and spirit of service exhibited by our volunteer leaders in all eleven districts during this unique time in our history has been truly impressive. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside each and every one of you, my fellow veterans.
Now that the 2019 – 2020 membership year has ended, I’d like to start by thanking each and every one of you for all of your hard work in what proved to be an extraordinarily successful year. We had four 100% districts -the 5th, 9th, 10th, & 11th Districts- along with 204 posts achieve 100% membership. Even more impressively, the 10th District and 108 posts actually grew their membership from their final 2019 Close of Books membership count. Congratulations to all of these posts and district leadership teams whom achieved membership excel-
I believe that we have a unique opportunity to build on the successes of this past year and I am excited as we begin, what I believe will be an even more successful new membership year. Our slogan and main focus remains “Recruiting & Retention through Engagement, Action, & Revitalization” while our retention goal for district’s and posts remains at 95% of 2020 membership. The retention rate formula is included in the membership guide but can be simply expressed as 2021 renewals divided by 2020 Close of Books final membership.
New features of our 20202021 Membership Strategy guide include a focus on recruiting new members by leveraging our competitive advantages which include our Department 10-Year Membership Program, our district headquarters posts, our department financial assistance programs (CEWF & IVETS), the Indiana American Legion Legacy Foundation, and our full-time service officer staff which in my opinion is the premier cadre of service officers in the nation. We will utilize direct mail to raise awareness, recruit new members, and reinstate lapsed members. We will effectively engage our members to increase our department’s retention rate through The American Legion’s Buddy Check program (a comprehensive Buddy Check guide is also included in this year’s Mem-
bership Guide), as well as conducting Operation Full Court Press in the Spring of 2021. We will welcome currently serving military reservists to increase membership. Finally, we will charter new posts and revitalize struggling posts.
New features of our 2020–2021 membership incentives program include ten posts winning a $1,000 check at our July 2021 Department Convention, opportunities for district commanders and district membership chairs to earn trips to the 2021 Lincoln Pilgrimage and Washington Conference, opportunities for post leaders to earn a distinctive early bird pin for their caps, and a revised criteria for new member recruiters to earn their very own, individually numbered, challenge coin – our department’s recruiting excellence award. We will be successful in our shared mission of increasing our membership strength if we engage our current members to increase retention, act to increase The American Legion’s visibility in our communities, and revitalize our struggling posts with help from the department and national organizations.
Department Commander Allen Connelly’s slogan for this year is “We Change Lives”; how much of a difference in the lives of citizens in your community could your American Legion post make with an additional $1,000 in cash from the department? On the stage of the department
convention next July, ten different American Legion posts will win a cash prize of $1,000 for excellence in membership; each American Legion post may win only one of the ten announced cash prizes in the Department of Indiana’s membership excellence cash drawing competition (no repeat winners) and posts will be automatically entered following the Close of Books in June. For full details on how your post could win a $1,000 cash prize at our July 2021 department convention, please refer to our 2020–2021 Department of Indiana Membership Guide on the membership reports section of our department website.
The first opportunity for your post to earn recognition for their membership efforts is our early bird target date on Sunday, September 6th. All posts that achieve 60% of their membership goal by this target date will receive three early bird pins for their post membership team and two entries into our membership excellence cash drawing competition. Please encourage all of your members to become early birds and let’s all set a solid pace for membership attainment right out of the gate for the 2020–2021 membership year.
I ask all Hoosier Legionnaires to share the positive impacts our organization has on our fellow veterans and citizens – truly, “We Change Lives”; whether it is through a Child Education & Welfare
(CEWF) or Indiana Veterans Emergency Transition System (iVETS) grant to a financially struggling veteran and their family, through the impact our numerous Children & Youth programs have on the lives of our community’s children, the adoption of legislation which impacts the lives of our veterans, or the approval of a veteran’s disability pension application with the assistance of one of our full-time department service officers to name just a few of the ways our organization makes our community better. Together we can spread the word about how our organization positively impacts the lives of Hoosiers and increase the membership strength of the Department of Indiana by focusing on “recruiting and retention through engagement, action, and revitalization”.
Thank you for being a member of The American Legion Department of Indiana. If you are a volunteer in our organization, thank you for the gift of your time and efforts which make such a difference in the lives of our fellow veterans and children within our communities. If you have not yet volunteered, please consider doing so – it is a truly rewarding experience with many benefits including comradery with your fellow veterans. Together, we’ll succeed in these trying and uncertain times.
STOCKTON, Calif.
(WHTM) — Retired Maj. Bill White, the oldest living Marine, has seen a few things throughout his years — all 105 of them.
Family and friends celebrated his 105th birthday Friday with a drive-by birthday salute. The centenarian said celebrating another year “feels just as good as it did at 104.”
White spent 30 years in the Marine Corps and was awarded a Purple Heart for the injury that took him out of the Battle of Iwo Jima.
“It’s very heartwarming,” said his daughter, Mary Huston. “It does get to you that there are so many people that love him and appreciate him for his service.”
In February, White went viral on social media when he wished for people to send him Valentine’s Day cards. He received over 300,000 of them.
While celebrating his 105th birthday this year, he said he had one goal in mind: “Right now, I’m trying for 106.”
So, you want to file a VA disability compensation claim, or you already receive serviceconnected disability compensation and want to file for additional compensation benefits. Be careful! What you don’t know about VA’s claims processing system can cost thousands of dollars in lost benefits.
Consider these possible but fictional examples:
(1) Example veteran number 1, let’s call him Joe, received his active duty discharge on June 24, 2019. He waits, however, until June 25, 2020 to file his VA claim. VA grants his claim and assigns a 50% compensation rating payable at a monthly rate of $893.43. Because VA regulations require filing claims within one year of active duty discharge to receive benefits from the day following service discharge, Joe lost approximately $10,716 in benefits.
(2) Example veteran number 2, let’s name him Larry. Larry did not make the same mistake as Joe. He made a different one. He received his honorable active duty discharge in 2015
and filed his claim for service connection for a knee condition immediately following his service discharge. VA granted a 20% compensation rating and paid Larry effective from the day after his discharge from active duty. Larry, however, failed to file for service connection for his hypertension. He knew his hypertension was diagnosed during service, but a “friend” told Larry he could not file a claim for hypertension because it was not causing him a problem when discharged. Two years after service though, Larry suffered a major heart attack, totally disabling him. Not until Larry talked with a qualified, accredited American Legion veterans’ service officer in 2020, did he learn to file for service connection for the hypertension and secondary service connection for the heart
condition. VA then granted service connection for both conditions but, by law, only from the date of claim in 2020. This mistake cost Larry approximately $111,816 in lost VA compensation benefits.
(3) Another veteran, we will call him Mike, hurt his back in service and has been in receipt of a 30% compensation for the last 10 years. One year after service, however, he married a nice lady with 8 minor children. Mike did not understand that VA can pay dependency allowance even for stepchildren, so he did not apply. This mistake cost Mike, approximately $23,000 in lost benefit.
(4) Veterans are not the only ones who can lose benefits. A surviving spouse, we will name her Jennifer, was married to a veteran who died after suffering a major heart attack 6 years ago. Jennifer’s husband had been receiving a 40% compensation rating for an above the knee amputation caused by a booby trap explosion while serving in Vietnam, and, of course, that compensation benefit stopped after the veteran’s death. Jen-
nifer knew about a monthly VA service-connected death benefit called Dependency and Indemnity compensation (DIC) worth approximately $1,300 a month, but she was sure she could not receive DIC benefits because her husband did not die from a service-connected disability. Not until she talked with an accredited American Legion veterans service officer in 2020 did she learn that VA regulations require VA to grant service connection and service connected death benefits when a veteran’s death is caused by certain types of heart conditions and the veteran had been service connected for an above knee amputation. [This evidently has something to do with the amputation interfering with blood circulation causing strain on the heart.] The 6-year delayed filing of Jennifer’s DIC claim cost her approximately $93,000 in lost benefits.
(5) Let’s do one last possible situation: Richard was service connected for his back condition with a 40% rating assign. He filed for a higher compensation rating. He did not know
compensation ratings are protected from reduction by law, but only after they have been rated at the same rate or higher for 20 years. VA received Richard’s claim, called him in for a compensation reevaluation examination, found Richard’s back condition had improved, and subsequently reduced his compensation rating to 20%. This reduction cost Richard lost benefits of $346 per month possibly for the remainder of his life unless his back condition worsens sometime in the future. If he lives 40 more years without his back-problem worsening, this claim filing error could cost him more than $116,000.
American Legion accredited service officers are not simply middlemen between you and VA. We help maximize benefits for veterans who have appointed The American Legion as their VA representative. The best way to avoid VA claim filing pitfalls as shown above, and many, many more, is to contact a qualified accredited American Legion service officer before taking any action on your VA claim.
KOKOMO – Just a few months ago, Army veteran Nick Ooley was in a medically induced coma on a respirator.
Doctors had given him a 12-percent chance of surviving COVID-19.
“Never did I figure I’d catch it,” Ooley said. “Let alone be the first person to catch it in Rush County.”
Ooley’s situation was complicated due to the fact that he has Restrictive Lung Syndrome, believed to have been caused by the harsh conditions he endured during his deployment to Iraq.
Ooley spent more than 20 days in the same hospital where his wife worked, one floor above him but unable to visit. More than half his time in the hospital was spent on a respirator, so he wasn’t always aware of all the support he and his family were receiving.
“My wife’s posts on Facebook were shared 16-17-hundred times,” Ooley said. “I was receiving messages as far as
Sacramento California, Dallas, Texas.”
That support, even from people he didn’t know, became a key factor in Ooley’s eventual recovery.
“The messages, the food. I have a ten-year-old son, letting him know that Daddy was going to be alright,” Ooley continued.
A few months later, when Ooley heard of an Air Force veteran who needed a new roof but was unable to pay for it, he saw an opportunity to pass on the kindness he and his family had received.
“I’m still in shock over it,” said Kokomo resident and Air Force veteran, Dave Young. “It’s not something that happens every day.”
Ooley learned that Young had called the roofing company he works for, Bloomington-based Cornerstone Roofing to inquire about financing a new roof. That’s when Ooley got permission from Cornerstone Roof-
ing’s owner, Matthew Hunsucker, to do something special.
“We decided that we weren’t going to do the in-house financing, that we would just donate the roof to them and help them out,” Ooley said.
On Tuesday, Ooley and his Cornerstone Roofing crew went to Young’s Kokomo home and installed the new roof at
no charge. Normally, the job would cost between $7,000 and $8,000.
Getting the new roof will mean Young should be able to get the homeowner’s insurance he’s been trying for 9 years to get on his house.
“It filled me with so much happiness knowing that I was about ready to pretty much
change their life that they don’t have to worry about this expense,” Ooley said.
“Still blows me away, I’m just in shock,” Young said. “And that’s what I want to be able to do eventually, is pay it forward since he’s paid it forward. And I think that’s what it’s all about.”
(Lafayette, Indiana) Farmer
Tim Fitzgerald has designed a corn maze titled “United We Stand” that features the iconic photograph Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima, taken by photographer Joe Rosenthal. The corn maze is spread out over 18 Acres and contains nine miles of pathways within the maze.
Emblems for the U.S. military branches surround the image to honor all those who have served our country. The emblem for healthcare organizations and medical practice is also included to pay tribute to our healthcare professionals on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The image depicts 6 U.S.
Marines raising the Stars and Stripes on Mount Suribachi on February 23, 1945 near the end of World War II. It was later used for the construction of the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington County, Virginia, which is dedicated to all U.S. Marines who have died in service since 1775. Emblems for the U.S. Armed Forces—The Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard—surround the iconic image. The decision was made to also include the emblem for healthcare organizations and medical practice in the final design. Fitzgerald says, “This maze is a salute to all those who have bravely served our country in uniform.
We also wanted to honor our healthcare professionals, who are on the frontlines here at home treating COVID-19 patients during the pandemic.”
The maze is open September 18, 2020, thru October 25, 2020 and is located at 6042 Newcastle Road Lafayette, IN 47905.
We offer military discounts and plan to have a special weekend with discounts for military families this fall. For more information about admissions, activities, and hours of operation, visit www.explorationacres.com.
Exploration Acres will be open from September 18th through October 25th.
recruited new members. The 2021 membership began on July 1st so you can renew online at mylegion.org, by mail, or in person at your local post.
Colin Powell stated, “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”
The 2020 membership year has ended and unfortunately, we did not meet our goal. I want to thank everyone who renewed their membership, and
Membership is the backbone of our organization and we need to keep that backbone strong to continue to carry the load for our veterans.
Remember, MEMBERSHIP IS EVERYONES’ RESPONSIBILITY! If you know someone that is a veteran but isn’t an American Legion member, ask them
to join. Remember, the Legion Act has passed through Congress and has been signed into law. As a result, if someone has served federal active duty for one day in the United States Armed Forces since December, 1941 and has been honorably discharged or are still serving—they are eligible for membership in the American Legion. For National Guard or Reserve members, remember that boot camp is Federal active duty.
Hello fellow 6th District Legionnaires, here’s a quick update for our district. We recently had our first district meeting of the year since Covid-19 hit. It was held at Wayne Newton Post 346
in Terre Haute, and, all in all we had a pretty good turn out. We discussed all the normal business and talked about the upcoming fall conference in Indianapolis.
The close of books for last year has come and gone and I have pretty much delivered everyone’s cards out to them, and would like to thank each and every post who got their paperwork on time. For those who
didn’t, I would like to thank them for asking for assistance to get it done. As always membership is the key to allowing our organization to help veterans, their families, and communities. So in closing I would like to say everyone stay safe, stay healthy and follow the rules. Here is hoping to see you all at our next district meeting to be held at Cicero.
It seems not that long ago that I was writing my first article and now here I am doing it again for my second year as 3rd District Commander. First off, I would like to thank my extraordinary team of officers that I had last year, and I am very glad that almost all of them are sticking around for the second year. I would also like to take the time to congratulate all the posts in the third district that met or exceeded the 100% mem-
bership goal for card year 2019-2020. Without the hard work of the blue hat Legion members, that goal would not have been met. I salute you. We have a long road ahead of us this upcoming year. With the shutdown of many posts, word is slowly filtering out about who and what the Legion is. I urge every Legionnaire to get out and, where practicable, talk to people. I am consistently surprised at how many fellow veterans are out there and most of them are glad to be able to talk to someone with similar experiences. One thing that will help is doing the “buddy check”. Do that and someone might surprise you.
important that we work harder to bring in membership and do Buddy Checks on our members during this time.
One thing that I do is when I am talking to someone who is doing something for me, i.e. satellite dish install, fence install, or anything really, one of the things I ask them is if they are a veteran, if the answer is no, I as them about a family member and bring up the SAL. Do that and it might surprise you.
A lot of our Posts in the District are holding drive through fish fries and almost all of them are successful. Congratulations to you, especially if you are one of the posts that does not serve food on a regular basis. Keep it up.
I look forward to serving as your 3rd District Commander again.
A warm welcome from the fabulous 4th District.
I hope this letter finds my Legion Family in good Health. With this virus that we’re living with, it’s a hard question to answer. The one thing
I’ve seen in my district is that when some of our posts closed, the officers of the post stopped doing the work of the Legion, while the need for work didn’t stop. In fact, it became more
With phone calls and personal contacts, the officers and active members can show their concern for our fellow veterans. You are letting them know you are thinking of them and that they’re not just a number on the membership rolls.
That being said, now is the time to get your membership involved in post activities, such as a dinner to get them back in the post. A picnic outside might help them feel safer with social distancing.
Try to think of something that will assure them that their safety is at the top of your concerns. As your post is reopening, clean everything frequently and as soon as possible. Keeping tables clean and sanitized should be first in the bartenders and and post officers mind.
Let’s hope this next year doesn’t have any more hiccups in it to keep us apart. Everyone stay safe and keep our fellow veterans who are on active or who have served in our prayers.
God Bless America And the American Legion
This is a heartbreaking and destructive period for America. Organized factions are attempting to create, then capitalize on a rift between my brothers and sisters. The American Flag has been desecrated, veterans’ grave markers have been vandalized and some destroyed. Businesses and stores have been vandalized and looted. During these last few months our national monuments have been damaged or destroyed. Citizens have been assaulted and their livelihood threatened. Law enforcement officers have been vilified for the conduct of a few. This at a time when shootings and murders continue to spike in many of our cities.
The coronavirus is likely to have originated in Wuhan, China. Also originating in China was the Asian flu, SARS, H7N9 and others. This is at a time when China is taking aggressive action in the South China Sea, at the border with India, and in Hong Kong. It should be noted that two United States aircraft carriers
have been deployed to the area. There has been over 135,000 deaths related to the convid-19 in the United States and it has been devastating to our economy. The opportunists who want to use this pandemic in conjunction with radical subversive groups to destroy America will fail.
Over the last several months, American Legion Posts within the 8th District has been hit hard. The resilience of our posts have been admirable. All posts are starting to reopen and will be following CDC’s recommendations for safeguards. The socialization that American Legion posts provides to many of our veterans is paramount to reducing unhealthy stressors in their lives. With the government’s restriction of occupancy capacities, and the precautions some still follow about leaving their homes, it will continue to place financial hardships on our posts. Many posts will need the assistance of volunteers more than ever before. All members are encouraged to help out at their post.
During the worse of the pandemic, many veterans were laid to rest without military honors from our honor guards/funeral de-
tails. Some of our posts are rectifying this by providing retroactive honors with the veterans’ family at their gravesites. We are still unable to visit nursing home veterans’ residents. We are hopeful that this will also soon change.
I want to express my appreciation to all 8th District officers and members as well as all post officers/members for all they have done for our veterans and their communities over the past year. We missed our 100% membership goal over the past year by 1.03%. That is pretty close. Maybe we can squeeze out a little bit more this next year.
With the chaos in the world, let us remember that all Legionnaires are equal, regardless of branch of service and rank they held or even their position in the Legion. This also includes any other demographics that some will use in an attempt to divide us from our brothers and sisters.
Legionnaires within the 8th District continue to be the vanguard of patriotism and pride in one’s country. Wear with pride any symbol of your service and association with the American Legion.
HELLO! I have missed my Legion family and I’m looking forward to seeing everyone as our state opens back up from Corona virus.
Fifth District finished in 3rd place for the 2020 membership year. I want to thank you all for the great work - you are appreciated. There is a 10year membership program, for $350 you can get your membership locked in for the next 10
years without worrying about a dues increase and is affordable compared to paid up for life. We have a membership booth to help you recruit new members, and it’s very nice, set-up with information about the various American Legion programs, free for any post to use, please take advantage of this when you are having your next event.
The COVID-19 has made things challenging for every post. During these difficult times please remember we will have veterans and members struggling to keep afloat too. We need to be checking on them,
and Buddy Checks are more important than before COVID-19 because we are not seeing each other as much. Please use the iVets (veterans without children) and CEFW (veterans with children) programs to assist those in need. Since the pandemic started, these applications have been reviewed for reimbursement to the post in an accelerated manner. For those in greater need, use TFA, this money comes from National, and is a great program to use.
I hope that I see you all as we move forward. May God bless you and keep you safe.
Greetings Legionnaires and Legion Family members. I want to thank everyone, for your hard work this year. As we start our new year, I humbly ask for your help and support of the American Legion, and our veterans and programs once again. We start the new year with the Coronavirus, [covid-19} pandemic, still plaguing us from last year’s operations. The “Buddy Check” program is perhaps, more important now than ever before. The idea is to connect with our veterans who may need assistance, especially our elderly members, and in general, just to make sure they are alright. We need to practice social distancing guidelines, so, do this by phone, e-mail, text message or plain old snail mail.
We want to thank all the post’s, for the many ways they have been supporting our members and their community members, during this difficult time. We have been impressed by the many activities our post families have taken
part in. Just goes to show, we are all valuable members, and together we can do great things. We would love to list the many things we’ve heard about or taken part of, but don’t want to forget anyone. But, it has certainly been noted and appreciated.
All membership cards have been delivered, to posts. So, we are processing membership dues now! Hope our membership officers are taking advantage of the online payment option. It’s a great tool to expedite payments, and less paper handling. Please remind your members of our 10-year membership option. This is a great way to lock in your dues for ten years, and also, no renewal notices! So let’s get busy and encourage our members to pay at the post, or pay on-line, by going to www. legion.org/renewal. Click on “renew your membership” and follow the instructions for renewal.
Keep informed, about changes and important updates, go to www.indianalegion.org, then click news and stay in touch. Also check with your local posts for updates. We can’t support our local posts, if we don’t know about the events! Just
posting, in-house notices isn’t enough. We all have, or should have public relations officers for our Legion Families. Use social media, pass out fliers in the community, or go to the surrounding posts and make them aware of what’s going on! See what they have going on. Now more than ever, we need to support our local posts and the many needs of our members and our communities.
We want to welcome, Ronnie Baker, on board from Post 41 in Salem, as a new Vice Commander for our district, and thank him, and also Roger Hilligoss for assuming the position of public relations officer. We also want to thank Tina Wallace, Post 173 in Versailles for stepping up to be chairperson for children’s education and welfare. I also appreciate and want to thank my district chairpersons and officers for retaining their positions. You all make my job easier, with your hard work and support it is a pleasure to share this journey with you all! Together, as a department, we can do great things. Please be careful and stay safe.
I want to begin by thanking all members in the 10th District for trusting me to be your commander. I truly consider serving the American Legion and all veterans, as an honor. I also want to recognize Commander Patterson for
his leadership and his accomplishments during the past year. Most notably, achieving 100% membership for the district. We need to also recognize the hard work of all posts and post officers as well as district adjutant, vice commanders and committee chairs for their hard work and dedication to membership and Legion programs.
My goals for the next year will be simple: continue on the path that previous commanders have
laid out for our vision as a disctrict. This will include more emphasis on buddy checks, encouraging all post to support Legion programs, and as always membership - both retention and new members.
We will continue to support Commander Connelly’s Legacy Foundation project, and I look forward to working with SAL Commander Brown and Auxiliary President Maune.
Together we will have another terrific year.
Hello from the 11th district. In spite of Covid-19, we now embark on a new American Legion year. It ended up being one of the years we, as a district, can be very proud of.
I would like to thank all of our posts, their officers, and of course their members for putting our membership over the goal of 100% for the first time in eons. The top three were Post 711 at over 150%, Post 26 at
Space Force members are now eligible to join The American Legion. If one goes online to join at www.legion.org, there is a Space Force option to select under the branch of
service. Posts using myLegion to process dues can also select Space Force. Currently we have six Legionnaires who are serving in the Space Force.
The current membership
application, Why You Should Belong, The American Legion Family Brochure, and the member data do not have Space Force on them. As Legionnaires and posts continue
126%, and Post 360 at 112%, and I might add, Post 186 at 110%. Well
Done! Let’s do it again!
I also thank Clifton Morland for his efforts as a District Vice Commander these past few years. He has also been his post’s commander during this time. While being commander of Post 360 he runs a program called “COFFEE WITH A VETERAN”. He uses a ZOOM program that allows you to go face to face with other veterans and talk about issues concerning you. Hopefully, other post will initiate similar programs this year while Covid-19 is affecting our lives.
to recruit new members and run into someone who is currently serving in the Space Force, they can handwrite the information on to the application. Same with the member
Taking Clifton’s place as a District Vice Commander this year is Harold Daniels. He will be liaison officer for Posts 64, 186, 276, and 522. Please welcome him aboard and give him your support.
We have a new membership chair for our district. His name is Bill Schreiner. Please get to know him as well. I’m looking forward to working with him.
It looks as though we will have a Fall Conference beginning Saturday the 3rd of August through Sunday the 4th.
Finally, be safe and wear your masks, as we are not out of the woods with covid-19.
data form. Just handwrite that onto the member data form until we can get these updated and new ones printed.
Per Title 36 of the US Code, Chapter 217, Section 21703,
An individual is eligible for membership in the corporation [The American Legion] only if the individual—
(1) has served in the Armed Forces of—
(A) the United States at any time during—
(i) the period from April 6, 1917, through November 11, 1918; or
(ii) any time after December
7, 1941; or
(B) a government associated with the United States during a period or time referred to in subclause (A) of this clause and was a citizen of the United States when the individual entered that service; and
(2) was honorably discharged or separated from that service or continues to serve honorably during or after that period or time.
The United States Space
Force was created by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2020, signed by the President on December 20, 2019. It became Public Law No: 116-92,
‘‘§9081. The United States Space Force
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—
There is established a United States Space Force as an armed force within the Department of the Air Force….
(c) SPACE FORCE AS AN
ARMED FORCE.—Section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code, is amended by inserting ‘‘Space Force,’’ after ‘‘Marine Corps,’’.
Thus, as amended, Section 101(a)(4) of title 10, United States Code reads:
(4) The term “armed forces” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Space Force, and Coast Guard.
Therefore, as title 10 of the United States Code now includes Space Force as an “Armed Force” and our federally chartered membership criteria uses the same wording [“has served in the Armed Forces….any time after December 7, 1941”] there are no necessary acts required to extend membership to all who have served or continue to serve in the United States Space Force.
The American Legion JUL 29, 2020
In the small city of Jasonville, Ind., there isn’t an obvious homeless veteran population. But as far as American Legion Auxiliary Unit 172 President LuAnn McDonald is concerned, any homeless veterans in the city – and in the surrounding area – are cause for concern and deserve assistance.
That was the thinking behind McDonald’s recent effort at raising both awareness about and funding for homeless veterans. She and other members of Unit 172 set up what she called a “box city” outside of Post 172 and used the boxes as beds over the course of the night.
The idea “just kind of popped up in my head,” said McDonald, who serves as the Indiana Auxiliary 7th District president and is the wife of American Legion Post 172 Commander Dale McDonald. “I brought it up at one of our unit meetings … and they all
just kind of looked at me like, ‘Really, you’re wanting to sleep on the sidewalk?’ I said ‘Well, I’m not so crazy about sleeping by myself, but if I can get some of you girls to go along with it, it’d be a good way to help our homeless veterans.’
“Jasonville is a small town, so we don’t see a lot of them. We don’t know them by name, we don’t know exactly where they are, but we do know they exist.”
With the full support of Post 172, McDonald and other Auxiliary members were able to get the boxes donated and advertise their plans through word of mouth, local media outlets and social media. Channel WTHITV out of nearby Terre Haute did an advance on the event and then came by to interview McDonald and do a segment on the effort.
For McDonald, the message behind the effort was simple. “Many homeless don’t have as much as a piece of cardboard, or a scruffy piece of blanket
to cover up with as they lay down on the sidewalk, or under an overpass, to try to get some rest,” she said. “They don’t know what nightfall will bring their way, what morning will bring for them. Perhaps just another lonely, hungry and tired day. And many just pray that they will see the morning light.”
Through its effort, Unit 172
was able to share that message with the community, which McDonald said was very supportive of the effort. Area residents drove by the post to donate money, while others called by phone to inquire how they could assist the effort.
When it was over, Unit 172 was able to raise close to $2,500 that it will donate to an area organization that works solely to
assist homeless veterans. “We were thrilled that we raised as much as we did,” McDonald said. “But when we have something big going on and it’s a real worthy cause … we have a lot of community support. We even had kids hanging out of their parents’ car windows handing us money. That was pretty cool.”
Robby General Muncie Star Press
MUNCIE, Ind. — During the first practice in late-May, Ken Zvokel, coach of Muncie’s American Legion Post 19 Chiefs baseball team, could see the excitement among his players.
High school rivals playfully chirped back and forth as they knocked off the rust from nearly three months of inactivity. During their last practice before their season-opener on June 14, that kind of nonchalant attitude was still there. Guys joked around as they loosened up their arms and Zvokel teased one player who strolled into practice a few minutes late.
Some players on this year’s legion team are fresh off their freshman year of college while others are using this summer to get a few reps in before they head off the school in the fall.
But, for most of the players, this will be the last time they’ll get to play baseball.
“That’s the big thing and I think they all appreciate it,” Zvokel said. “The first day we had practice out there, you could just feel the energy, everybody was out there and ready to go on the field and stuff. You have to keep reminding these guys that, ‘Hey, you need to spread apart,’ but they’ve been playing baseball since they were five, so it makes a big difference when all of a sudden they’re out there.”
Muncie American Legion baseball coach Ken Zvokel hits a ball during the Muncie Chiefs practice at the American Legion Baseball diamond in McCulloch Park Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
Zvokel’s in his third season coaching Muncie’s legion team. There was doubt on whether or not the team would be able to play when The American Legion canceled its state and national tournaments and shut down its national involvement in baseball for the 2020 season.
And although some regional teams like Cicero and Kokomo decided not to field a team, Zvokel decided to call around. First, he contacted the players, who Zvokel said were all interested in playing in some capacity. Then, he started calling teams around the state and,
before long, the Chiefs had an 18-game schedule lined up.
Normally a mix of a few underclassmen along with graduated seniors, this year’s team is made up almost entirely of players from the Class of 2020, including: Cowan’s Noah Collins, Daleville’s Jimmy Bowen and Ayden Wilson, Delta’s Austin Selvey and Kade Oliver, WesDel’s Jared May along with Yorktown’s Gabe Phipps and Gehrig Smalstig. There’s 2019 graduates, as well, in Daleville’s Josh Price (Anderson University) and Peyton Smith (Goshen College), Delta’s Tyler Gilland, Wes-Del’s Mason Whitted and Yorktown’s Graham Reedy (Anderson University).
It’s a talented squad made up of area players who have won sectional, regional, semistate and state championships in high school. It’s a team that can win a number of games but that’s not the main focus.
Local athletes playing for the Muncie Chiefs practice at the American Legion Baseball diamond in McCulloch Park Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
When asked about his goals this season, Delta’s Austin Selvey shrugged his shoulders with a smile and said, “I don’t really have any.” Selvey doesn’t plan on playing baseball in college but said he’s excited to have one “last hoorah” before hanging up his cleats.
“I wanted to play baseball for the last time since I didn’t have my senior year,” Selvey said. “I haven’t played with some of them for a while, like since 12U baseball, so seeing them out here again is a fun time. It brings back memories.”
Selvey’s attitude seems to be the demeanor this entire 2020 Chiefs team has. With most guys having their senior season canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, a little fun seems to be exactly what they need right now.
When the spring season was canceled, Cowan’s Noah Collins said it hit him hard. For the past few months he’s been working out in his basement and actually tried getting onto Cowan’s diamond before getting kicked off. But now that the Earlham College commit is back out on a diamond, he’s all smiles.
“Just being out here with them or just being on the field in general was just a good time,” Collins said. “... Being able to have some reps, make sure I’m not rusty over the summer, at least I’m getting something in before I go to college.”
Local athletes playing for the Muncie Chiefs practice at the American Legion Baseball diamond in McCulloch Park Wednesday, June 10, 2020.
Like Collins, Wes-Del’s Jared May originally planned to play baseball at Trine University. It was a life-long goal of his to play in college but, due to lingering arm issues, he decided to change his mind before the spring season was canceled.
“When the season got can-
celed I was pretty bummed because I was like, ‘Man, I had the chance to go play some more and I gave it up,’” May said. “I was thinking maybe we won’t get to play anymore. But luckily Ken kept pushing strong for this and got us some games and I think put together a really good squad.”
Muncie begins its season Sunday with a double-header against Marion (12 p.m.) and Franklin (4:30 p.m.). The Chiefs’ home slate, which includes games against Bloomington (June 20, 28), Greenville, Ohio (June 25), Franklin (June 28) Lake Station (July 4), Kokomo (July 7) and Marion (July 14), will be played on Francis Lafferty Field at McCulloch
Park.
Zvokel said that he and other legion coaches are still trying to put together a tournament in late-July, but that’s to be determined.
With a 17-man roster largely made up of graduating seniors and college freshmen, Zvokel knows next year’s team might be a little light. But he’ll worry about that when the time comes. For now, he’s just happy to give these seniors one last chance to play.
“It worked out pretty good and I think we ended up with a pretty good group of guys,” Zvokel said moments before he went out for fielding practice. “... It’ll be an interesting season.”
STEPHEN STEWART
POST 342
WILLIAM KNAPP
POST 343
EUGENE BALSMEYER
JERRY BLOUNT
HARVEY GRAY
MAURICE HAGEMEYER
LONNIE HILSMEYER
BRETT HILSMEYER
JAMES RING
ROBERT WERTMAN
POST 346
FRANK COVERSTONE
GENE GOODWIN
LEW VANREED
POST 350
LEO BERGERON
ARTHUR CLAWSON
ROBERT MARTIN
JAMES YOUNG
POST 351
KENNETH BULLOCK
TED FULLING
POST 353
REED CHEESMAN
WAYNE FISHER
POST 354
JAMES OWSLEY
ROBERT ROBERTS
DARREL WESTBROOK
POST 355
EARL LEWIS
WILLIAM PHILLIPPE
POST 356
LESTER MEADOWS
POST 357
JAMES BOARDMAN
JOHN BOTKA
FORTUNATO CALIGIURI
HENRY CRAFT
IRVIN CYGIRT
ALOYSIUS KOLACZ
ERVIN KUSPA
FRANK ORISICH
CASMIER STACKOWIAK
JOSEPH THOMAS
PAUL VANDERHEYDEN
POST 363
CARL NIXON
ROBERT REED
POST 365
ROBERT BALSLEY
JERAL HOLMES
WILLIAM SCHMITT
POST 366
CLAUDE BOEHM
SYLVESTER LINDAUER
LEO MULLIS
POST 368
GEORGE WILSON
JOHN WIMMER
POST 369
JOE BAC
BARBARA DOBAK
GEORGE EARL
ROBERT FRYE
DEAN HOVEY
JAMES JANIGAN
DONALD KASPER
EMIL KNEZEVICH
JOSEPH MAGLIOCCA
ALLAN MORGAN
WAYNE SANDEFUR
NICHOLAS SOLIS
JOHN WERNER
POST 375
HARRY KLISIAK
LEONARD POPLAWSKI
POST 379
WILLIAM BARTLEY
GERALD FAITH
POST 381
LEON BALDWIN
TERRY BUESCHING
MARY CANTWELL
DALE COMBS
JACK EDMONDS
GARY MASTERS
ROBERT NICHOLAS
JAMES SHIPLEY
OSCAR SLONE
POST 384
JAMES BOND
POST 385
EDGAR REESE
POST 387
THOMAS DORTON
JERRY GARDNER
POST 390
CLARENCE MCFALL
POST 391
RONALD ROCKHILL
CHUCK THEOBALD
POST 399
KENNETH HAMMAN
POST 400
WILLIAM HARBER
LOUIS LEJA
FRANCES MANGUS
POST 402
DARRELL BRADLEY
PENNY JOY
POST 403
MERRILL DEARDORFF
JOHN PETRONE
EUGENE SHURTE
POST 404
FRANK WATSON
POST 406
JOHN HENDRIX
LAWRENCE HITTLE
CLARENCE LEWIS
SHANNON RISNER
POST 408
GILBERT COX CARL SMITH
POST 409
DENNIS REITER
HERBERT STUELPE
DEAN WEILBAKER
POST 410
GEORGE HINE
POST 414
JOHN BARBER
GILBERT GRAY
WILLIAM TOEPFER
POST 415
CLAY WHALEY
POST 416
EARL ROBBINS
POST 418
FRANK CARRIER
PAUL CARVER
RICHARD MAUGHMER
POST 420
BERNARD JOHNSTON
MERLE MERRIMAN
NORMAN REUILLE
POST 423
HOWARD BAUER
JAMES BERGSTROM
PAUL BEUCHEL
LEON BIDWELL
CHARLES CHAMPION
BYRON HARVEY
DONALD HERSHBERGER
MANFRED MELCHI
RICHARD SHANK
ROBERT STAFFORD
POST 424
LOWELL ZENTZ
POST 428
CHESTER CONWAY
PAUL HORNAK
POST 430
ROBERT KLEN
WARREN SCOTT
JAMES WILSON
POST 434
FREDDIE ELKINS
POST 437
VON BENEDICT
HARBERT DAVIS
DAVE EPPERHART
HARRY HOOVER
POST 438
MARGARET BURRIS
PATRICIA KIDD-JORDAN
VIVIAN PETTY
POST 440
ALVIN SEKEMA
DONALD SYTSMA
POST 444
DONALD BURKAM
POST 446
PAUL MCNUTT
POST 450
LARRY BLACKMORE
ROBERT CROWE
LOYD FITCH
POST 451
CHARLES DARR
DAVID KOLODZIEJSKI
JEANETTE LEONARD
NICHOLAS VENICE
CLYDE ZEEK
POST 455
WILLIAM EILERS
ALLEN HARDEBECK
POST 463
LAVERNE MCDANIELS
POST 464
LESTER BECKMAN
IVAN CHALK
DOUGLAS FRY
DONALD METZ
RAY MOHR
PETER SQUIBB
POST 467
JOSEPH RUSSELL
CARL SWIFT
POST 468
DONALD BRANDT
JERRY FRAUHIGER
R HALL
THOMAS REYNOLDS
POST 469
MERRITT GARWOOD
JOHN LEHMAN
POST 470
ROBERT BROSCHART
DONALD LAWLESS
WILL TURNER
GEORGE WEBB
POST 485
BENNIE CARPENTER
ALFRED GONZALEZ
JORDAN MCCANN
LEE MOELLERING
POST 492
EDD BLOYD
ROBERT BORN
JUSTIN BUSHONG
PHILIP DECK
LAWRENCE DONAHUE
NORMAN FERRIER
CHARLES GATES
RICHARD GRADY
HERBERT HUETTE
THOMAS LAWS
CHARLES SIENER
CLINT SLINKER
DENNIS WILSON
POST 493
ALBERT KNIES
POST 495
MARSHALL BRADBURN
JAMES CUTSHAW
PATRICK DEVINE
JOSEPH MCCORMICK
RAYMOND STONE
EDWIN WADE
POST 497
DANNY BERRY
PAUL BREEDLOVE
PAUL MAIDEN
HARLEY WALTON
POST 499
RICHARD OBLENIS
POST 500
HILERY AUSTIN
RANDALL BUNTING
RICHARD FAULK
RONALD FOREMAN
WILLIAM HEADLEY
GEORGE HOLT
DONALD
KATZENBERGER
SIDNEY LAMBERT
GEORGE LEONARD
HORACE NEWMAN
LAWRENCE SIEGEL
RICHARD SMALL
HERBERT STUGART
FRANCIS WELLS
JERRY WOLFE
POST 502
RODNEY BASIAK
RICHARD BILLINGS
JOHN ELLES
WILBUR EVANS
RICHARD GODFREY
TERRY HUGILL
STEVE KOBITZ
THOMAS ROSPIERSKI
EDDIE SMART
WILLIAM SPICER
JOHN TOMAN
VERNON WEIS
RALPH WHITE
POST 505
MICHAEL RIDENOUR
ARTHUR WILLIAMSON
POST 507
HERBERT HUFFMAN
RAYMOND POOLE
POST 508
ROMEO GARNETT
POST 510
GEORGE BUSKIRK
CLIFFORD CLINE
OTIS JEFFERS
WYETTE KRAUCUNAS
JOHN LEE
POST 702
CONRAD FUNK
DENNIS GATES
ROBERT WALTERS
POST 703
EDWARD PITROWSKI
POST 704
GORDON PEABODY STEVEN VAUGHAN
POST 706
ROBERT AKERS
ROBERT DOAN
ALVIN PING
POST 707
JAMES FIELD
KEN JANOSKI
POST 710
EUGENE GRITTON
POST 777
CLAUDE ADAMS
JOHN BONIFANT
GAYLORD CONRAD
ALFRED EDWARDS
RICHARD ELMORE
JAMES FLICKINGER
JUAN GAITAN
HARRY GOINS
JOHN GRAYSON
ELWOOD GROOMER
DAVID HAGAN
CLYDE HANDSHOE
JOHN HARRIS
DANNY HINER
RANDY JAMES
BURTON JONES
CHARLES KORTHUIS
STEVEN LANE
DONALD LASKOWSKI
DON RUFF
STEVE SPARKS
ANTHONY SZUMIESZ
JAMES WOPART
POST 1919
JAMES COX
POST 64
LYLE PELKIN
POST 70
RONALD MEEKS
Hoosier Legionnaires can now pre-pay their membership dues for 10 years for a one-time payment of only $350.00 or just $35.00 per year.
This innovative membership program will protect Legionnaires from future dues increases while providing convenience and peace of mind that they won’t see renewal notice for the next decade. Posts will receive a $5.00 credit per participating member annually in their department membership account.
Eligibility Information
If you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces since December 7, 1941, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving - you are eligible for membership in The American Legion!
*Because eligibility dates remain open, all active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to join The American Legion at this time, until the date of the end of hostilities as determined by the government of the United States.
**U.S. Merchant Marine eligible only from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946 (WWII).
10-Year Membership Plan
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Why was the 10-Year Membership program created?
A1: A 10-year membership option allows members to “set it and forget it” by locking in their membership at a discounted rate without the need to renew for a decade.
Q2: Am I eligible for the 10-Year Membership program?
A2: All American Legion
members in good standing are eligible for the program. SAL and Auxiliary are not currently eligible for this program.
Q3: How much does the 10-Year Membership program cost?
A3: The program offers a discounted membership rate of $35 per year for 10 years totaling $350. The average rate for membership in Indiana is $45 per year, making this program a competitive option for members to lock in discounted rates.
Q4: How the 10-Year Membership program different from paid up for life?
A4: Paid-up-for-Life, or PUFL, basis payment by the age of the member. Gulf War and Post 9/11 veterans sometimes pay more than $1,000 for their life membership. While this option makes sense for some, a discounted rate of $350 for 10-years makes sense for others.
Q5: What are the advantages in participating in the 10-Year Membership program over traditional annual membership?
A5:Advantages of the program include locking in the discounted rate of $35 per year for 10 years; “Set it and forget it” no need to renew membership for a decade as your membership will be automatically renewed by the Department of Indiana and your Post; Protect yourself from future dues increases, your $35 per year rate is paid up front and will not be effected by potential Department and National per capita dues increases.
Q6: What if there is a dues increase during my 10-Year Membership plan?
A6: The 10-Year Membership plan offers a reduced rate,
Membership Target Dates
$35.00 per year for 10 years in the amount of $350. This offer is backed by the Department Finance Committee to insulate members and Posts from feeling the effects of future dues increases. The $350 rate is locked in, regardless of potential National and Department per capita dues increases.
Q7: Can I transfer my membership while participat-
All posts and districts achieving the 60% Target will receive three “Early Bird” custom designed pins and posts will receive two entries into the $1,000 Membership Excellence Cash Drawing at the Department Convention.
Date #4 Fall Conference - 67% Marriott East
November 8th
Target Date #6 Christmas Party-77% Mail-In (No Call) Saturday, December 5th
The District Commander & District Membership Chair with the highest percentage of membership at the Christmas Party Target Date will earn an invitation to attend the Lincoln Pilgrimage in February 2021.
Target Date #7 Mid-Winter Conference - 82% Marriott East Saturday, January 16th
All posts achieving 90% membership by the Mid-Winter Conference Target Date will receive two additional entries into the $1,000 Membership Excellence Cash Drawing at the Department Convention.
Target Date #8 President’s Day - 87% Teleconference 3pm EST Sunday, February 7th
The District Commander & District Membership Chair with the highest percentage of membership at the President’s Day Target Date will earn an invitation to attend the Washington Conference in March 2021.
Target Date #9 Legion Birthday - 92% Teleconference 3pm EST Sunday, March 7th
Target Date #10 Spring Conference - 96% Marriott East Saturday, April 3rd
All posts achieving 100% membership by the Spring Conference Target Date will receive two additional entries into the $1,000 Membership Excellence Cash Drawing at the Department Convention.
Target Date #11 Armed Forces Day-100% Teleconference 3pm EDT Sunday, May 9th
Target Date #12 Close of Books - 105% Indiana Veterans Home Sunday, June 6th
All posts achieving at least a 95% retention rate by Close of Books will receive four additional entries into the $1,000 Membership Excellence Cash Drawing at the Department Convention.
Reminder - membership transmittals submitted via MyLegion. org will count for all Target Date Tum-In competitions. All membership transmittals must be received by noon on the Target Date to count for the report.
ing in the 10-Year Membership program?
A7: As long as your transfer is within the state of Indiana, your 10-Year Membership plan will stay active. 10-Year Membership is only valid to Hoosier Legionnaires. Department Headquarters WILL NOT offer a refund if you choose to move out of the state within the duration of your plan.
Q8: What if my Post closes while I participate in the 10Year Membership program?
A8: If a Post closes during your 10-year Membership plan, contact The American Legion, Department of Indiana at 317630-1300. The Department will work with you to transfer you into another participating Post to include Headquarters Post 777.
EARLY BIRD/NEF KICKOFF SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 50%
FALL MEETINGS OCTOBER 15, 2020 55%
VETERANS DAY NOVEMBER 12, 2020 65%
PEARL HARBOR DAY DECEMBER 9, 2020 75%
MID-WINTER JANUARY 21, 2021 80%
PRESIDENT’S DAY FEBRUARY 10, 2021 85%
LEGION BIRTHDAY MARCH 10, 2021 90%
CHILDREN & YOUTH APRIL 14, 2021 95%
ARMED FORCES DAY MAY 12, 2021 100%
DELEGATE STRENGTH 30 DAYS PRIOR TO
NATIONAL CONVENTION
Target dates fall on the second Wednesday of the month unless there is a holiday on that day or at the beginning of that week.
Since Labor Day and Columbus Day fal) on a Monday, the September and October target dates will be on a Thursday.
Since Veterans Day falls on a Wednesday, the November target date falls on a Thursday.
To maximize the December renewal notice, the January target date will be on the third Thursday of the month because of Martin Luther King, Jr.
CUTOFF DATES RENEWAL DATES
MAY 13,2020 WLY 1, 2020
SEPTEMBER 10, 2020 OCTOBER 9, 2020
OCTOBER 15, 2020 NOVEMBER 13, 2020
DECEMBER 9, 2020
FEBRUARY 10, 2021
APRIL 14, 2021
JANUARY 6, 2021
FEBRUARY 24, 2021
APRIL 30, 2021
Transmittals not received by the cutoff date may not prevent a subsequent renewal notice from being delivered at or around the renewal date. Please note, renewals transmitted and received by the cutoff (which is also a National Target Date) will be updated prior to printing renewal notices, assuming they can be successfully scanned. Membership that must be hand-keyed (new members and renewals that cannot be scanned) will take longer to process.
Please transmit as early and as often as possible in advance of the Target Dates to help avoid delays in processing. All online membership processing transmittals submitted through myLegion by the end business on the cutoff date, will suppress printing of renewal notices.