2020 4th Quarter Hoosier Legionnaire

Hoosier Hospitality

Department of Indiana Commander Allen Connelly shows Hoosier Hospitality to National Commander Bill Oxford. Commander

Connelly and Commander Oxford dedicated Highway 20 in Angola, then presented the Oustanding Employment Service Award to WorkOne in Auburn, and finally, presented the We Change Lives Award to WANE TV in Ft. Wayne, Indiana on Friday, October 9, 2020. The delegation was joined by Sons of The American Legion Department Commander Jimmy Martin, and Auxiliary President Jennie Maune.

Highway dedicated to country’s military heroes

By Mike Marturello (KPCMedia.com, The Herald Republican)

ANGOLA — The Medal of Honor came into existence with the Civil War in the United States, so perhaps it was fitting that the Steuben County Soldiers’ Monument that honors Civil War heroes from Steuben County served as the stage for Indiana’s dedication of U.S. 20 as the Medal of Honor Memorial Highway on a beautiful, sunny Friday afternoon.

Federal, state and local officials as well as Hoosier veterans’ groups took part, including the national commander of the American Legion.

State Rep. Denny Zent, R-Angola, who authored the legislation this year to designate the federal highway for Medal of Honor honorees, planned the event and presented a long list of people who helped along

with way. He thanked everyone from the police who protect the community to the men and women who serve in the armed services. Master of ceremony duties was Angola Mayor Dick Hickman.

“People are all understanding of what this means,” Zent said. “I think it went off very well.

Mayor Hickman did a great job as master of ceremonies.”

“Indiana is a state with a proud history of showing honor and respect to our nation’s veterans,” said Gov. Eric J. Holcomb in a prepared statement. “Naming U.S. 20 as the Medal of Honor Memorial Highway is a wonderful tribute to the men and women who protect our freedom and our country, and I’m so grateful to Rep. Zent and the veterans’ organizations that led this effort.”

Holcomb might not have been in town, but his right hand woman, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, was, providing

WWII veteran’s remains return to Indiana 76 years after his death in battle

remarks along with other dignitaries.

“A sense of duty runs through our Hoosier veins and whenever our nation has needed heroes, Hoosiers have answered the call,” Crouch said. “In fact, our state is one of the leading states per capita when it comes to sending men and women to defend our nation over our 200-year period.”

During the Civil War, Steuben County sent 1,278 men to the war, the highest per capita of any Indiana county.

Those from veterans organizations on hand were appreciative of the effort in Indiana to get the highway designated in honor of Medal of Honor recipients.

“Thank you all for taking this effort to rededicate this highway to America’s heroes,” said James W. “Bill” Oxford, Lenoir, North Carolina, national commander of the

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH)

— The remains of a World War II Marine on Thursday afternoon headed back home to Richmond, Indiana.

According to military officials, Pfc. Louis Wiesehan Jr. served on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands. Troops secured the island off Japan against Japanese resistance. Wiesehan died on Nov. 21, 1943. His remains were reportedly buried on the island. A board of review declared him nonrecoverable in 1949.

Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded while the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Wiesehan was killed on the second day of the battle.

Wiesehan wasn’t accounted for until September 2019, the Defense Department announced in January.

On Thursday afternoon, he received honors at the Indianapolis International Airport and then was escorted to a funeral home in Richmond. Along the route, Greenfield authorities saluted Wiesehan, complete with a garrison flag, as his remains passed east of the Hancock County Courthouse.

According to his obituary, survivors include his niece, Patricia Manlief Wisehart of Shirley; nephews, David See page 8

Leading Hoosier Legionnaire Letters

for us!

National Fall Meetings were also held virtually this year.

While these virtual meetings do succeed in taking care of business, I personally find them to be far less satisfying than the traditional way of meeting.

the money, as the Memorial Commission has to have the entire cost of the update in hand before they can begin construction of the addition.

Good morning fellow Legionnaires and American Legion Family Members. Fall Conference this year was carried out in a mostly virtual fashion, with only the DEC meeting being held partially in person. While it was extremely disappointing to be forced to cancel the traditional Fall Conference, it was encouraging to see that we do have the means and expertise to conduct necessary business via electronic means. Those committees that felt it necessary to meet did so successfully via teleconference, with the commission meetings doing likewise. The DEC meeting was held at Post 495, with some participants attending via teleconference and zoom. A big thank you goes out to Post 495, and their membership for opening your post for this meeting. Thanks also for the delicious meal you cooked up

Although we have been hampered by COVID-19, we have managed to move forward with some activities.

We were able to hold a new officer’s training and retreat this year at Belterra. It was very well attended and everyone seemed to appreciate and enjoy the outing.

September 11, (9/11) was Patriot Day. It was also the date of a program at the 9/11 Memorial which is currently a tribute to the first responders who lost their lives on that fateful day nineteen years ago.

Mark Gullion and I presented a $50,000 check to be used for the expansion of the memorial to honor and remember military personnel who lost their lives that day in the terrorist attack, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the years since. Mark had committed to this being his project for this year. The Department Finance Committee agreed to front

Bill Oxford is very clear on the position of The American Legion about the civil unrest gripping communities across the nation. Additionally, National Resolution No. 1 titled Reaffirmation for a Strong America passed at the 2017 Reno Convention.

The SAL and Auxiliary have committed to making sizeable donations to the project and a donation appeal letter has gone out to Legion members. I ask that you please consider a donation to this worthwhile project. I would also encourage Posts that have the resources to consider a donation. A permanent plaque at Department Headquarters will remember all donations of $250.00 or more.

The National Commander’s Tour scheduled for October 6-9 was also a casualty of the Pandemic. However we did have the pleasure of spending the day, October 9 with Commander Oxford and his aide, Larry Cline. The Commander was in Indianapolis for the Fall Meetings and accepted our invitation to accompany us to the US Highway 20 Medal of Honor Dedication Ceremony in Angola, where he spoke. We then went up the road to WorkOne in Auburn where we presented them the National Employer of the Year Award. Following that, we stopped at

WANE-TV where we presented the station a “We Change Lives” award. WANE-TV films area elementary classes reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and broadcasts one of them on a daily basis.

It is encouraging to see the districts moving forward with meetings and conducting business as usual, for the most part. I have been able to visit every district at least once this fall and am looking forward to seeing most of you again before the first of the year.

Things continue to look good on the membership front. The October 28 report shows us slightly ahead of last year’s total membership. Congratulations to the Second District for continuing to hold down first place. Please continue to conduct those Buddy Checks as we head into the holiday seasons. Thank you to Membership Chair Rich Brown for your outstanding leadership.

I have been extremely grateful for the donations to my project. When I established a goal of $100,000 for the Legacy Foundation in July, 2019, I knew it was an extremely lofty goal. With your generosity, I was able to conclude last year with

a total of $109,926. We were also able to transfer the McKale Trust into the Foundation which puts the Foundation balance at slightly over $200,000. Thank you all! The Legacy foundation will be my project again this year. Detachment Commander Jimmy Martin has made it his project as well. So, keep the Legacy Foundation in mind for another donation this year. It really is an investment in the future of the organization.

Looking ahead, we are moving forward with planning for Mid-Winter Conference. The housing form is up on our website. If we are forced to cancel the conference, your credit card will not be charged and department will cancel your room for you.

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 wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and a Joyous and Prosperous New Year…and always remember “We Change Lives.”

Another quarter has passed, and your Department Headquarters continues to evolve during these trying times. By the time of this publication, the United States will have elected its 46th President. The polarity and divisiveness are evident in the atmosphere in posts across the state. While we are divided on many important issues that affect our personal lives, one thing unites us across our organization – we served in the uniforms of our nation to protect the very right of our citizens to disagree. We must all understand that it is our unalienable right to have an opinion on the issues that affect us and our children. We are united as veterans, and as veterans, should set the standard for our fellow citizens.

The National Commander

The resolution resolves that

“The American Legion urges all Americans and freedomloving peoples everywhere to stand united in their respect for officials at all levels of government; for military troops and law enforcement officers who place themselves in harm’s way to protect our nation’s citizenry, values and way of life; for those symbols and customs serving as tangible images of the freedom and liberties of these great United States of America; and for each other as fellow Americans,” and concludes that “The American Legion use whatever means at its disposal to engage whatever means possible to promote a united nation and a united American people.”

Plainly put, The American Legion calls that the United

to keep everyone safe as we gather.

States remain united regardless of race, creed, gender or religion. Our organization was founded on these values and since the beginning allotted equal vote to all members of the organization regardless of our differences at a time in our nation’s history when several minority communities did not have that right to vote for our nation’s president. ***

The Department of Indiana held a virtual conference with eight committee and commission meetings and concluded with a meeting of the Department Executive Committee. The DEC convened at Indianapolis Post 495 and shared a meal prepared and served by the officers and SAL after conducting its business. While the meeting was in person, the option to meet virtually was afforded to the officers. This was the first ever broadcast meeting of the DEC. Led by Department Commander Allen Connelly, the officers that participated in these meetings proved that they have the will to adapt

and the dedication to learn new applications to conduct the business of The American Legion.

A note from said meetings, the Americanism & Government Testing youth scholarship program is now available digitally in addition to the traditional paper test. The program will indeed move forward during this membership year. There will be difficulties as many schools are practicing distance learning and are stricter than ever about allowing entry or access to classrooms. The online test will adhere to social distancing and allow Indiana youth to take advantage of this scholarship opportunity as so many opportunities are denied due to COVID. In this, the Indiana Legion has again proven itself adaptive and responsive to the changing needs of Indiana youth and educators during this global pandemic.

You will find the minutes of these meetings archived in this edition of the Hoosier Legionnaire.

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National Headquarters announced that it is launching another Buddy Check effort this holiday season as veteran suicide rates increase 20% this time of year. The Buddy Check program drives home the fact that a simple “How are you?” in the form of a phone call, or even text or email, can help a veteran wage the war against veteran suicide. With this effort, the National Commander of The American Legion encourages Congress to pass legislation creating awareness of Buddy Checks and to make the effort a program of Veterans Affairs. You can learn more about Buddy Checks, to include best practices and suggested scripts at the Department Website https://bit. ly/checkonyourbuddies.

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Several resolutions were passed by the National organization during the virtual Fall Meetings of the National Executive Committee that will affect our members and programs down to the post

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Greetings from the Department Auxiliary. Despite no Fall Conferences to get out our message, we are working hard to get on with business for the new year. District meetings are started again for reconnecting with our members. We have so much news and business to get out to everyone and will take much precaution

I had the privilege of traveling with Commander Connelly and SAL Commander Martin on a couple of excursions this fall. I attended the Auburn Post 100th year ceremony, the 9/11 re-dedication along the Indianapolis River Walk for Veterans, Firefighters, and EMS rescue. We just had the honor of meeting in Angola with National Commander Oxford, Legion Family members, and state dignitaries for the renaming of Hwy 20 as the National Medal of Honor Memorial Highway across the state of Indiana. What an honor

it was to be present. We are all stepping up in regards to membership. Everyone is involved and working diligently in each of our Districts. A little bragging on my part is that my 9th District Auxiliary is in first as of this writing. Thank you 9th District for working towards your goals. Along with the new membership year, female Auxiliary veterans, please remember that your veteran spouse can now belong to the Auxiliary. Sign them up and welcome them in. We really don’t have our membership set in stone, but Commander Connelly and I are both hoping

to beat Commander Martin of the Sons of the American Legion again this year.

Together we can make Indiana strong and supportive of our veterans and their families. Remember that even the smallest efforts can count in helping them. The public isn’t allowed in most VA Hospitals, VA homes, clinics, nursing homes, and homeless shelters, but we can supply items to help them. Donate gas cards, gift cards, take fruit in to distribute if allowed. Give the workers some goodies to make their day. Everyone needs a little pick-me-up during these crazy times. Don’t

forget our veterans have birthdays, holidays, and of course, Veterans Day. Cards are sold for every occasion, so send some and have your school kids make them and send them to the VA hospitals and nursing homes for distribution.

We realize it’s hard to get out “normal” right now, but there are still things we can do. Let us not forget our duty to help out our fellow man and woman during these desperate times for so many.

Thank you for being the wonderful Legion Family you are. We can do so much together by stepping up.

Greetings fellow Detachment of Indiana Sons of The American Legion and American Legion family members. Things have started

to look up for the Detachment. I made it to six District meetings in August, attended Post 97’s 100th year Birthday and capsule celebration, attended the Indiana American Legion Retreat (Belterra), the State Golf Outing in Kokomo, and even did a membership drive around for my 8th District SAL. September slowed down some. I attended three district meetings, and my own

district meeting. In October I accompanied Commander Connelly, President Maune, and headquarter staff to pick up National Commander Bill Oxford to help give out awards to several great organizations who have helped our Veterans in many special ways. Just a note: my 2019 Commanders Project (Indiana Veterans Home) is complete and I’m just waiting on before and after

pictures to share. Due to Covid we are unable to dedicate the room or even do our regular bingo for October. But I’m proud to say ZERO cases have been reported at the home. More Squadrons are using MySal. org to submit membership and we are working hard to get our members renewed. I am proud of my officers and members for all the hard work during these trying times. I do have a

new Commanders Project this year and I’m proud to say it is The Indiana American Legion Legacy Foundation. We are going to jump on board with Commander Connelly and help our veterans in Indiana. Please keep our men and women in harm’s way in your thoughts and prayers. Pray for our country.

“ALWAYS REMEMBER –NEVER FORGET”

Leading Hoosier Legionnaire Letters

about milk cans in the backyard. Following the election, we will… …who knows? The unions are laying off and where are we at with the unemployed?

We are really passing through times that will cause great paradigm shifts in our culture and society. POTUS and FLOTUS have tested positive for COVID-19. This will dramatically affect the campaign and leadership of the country. A nominee is before the Senate for the Supreme Court that could have long term effects. The first presidential debate is over and I feel like I was forced to watch an episode of “Bridezillas”!

I just met with our financial planner and did not come out with any smiles. I am thinking

I have two children who are school teachers, need I say more. With the Governor’s relaxation of restrictions what will happen next?

Our local post seems like a ghost town. I just went to a color guard training for funerals. With COVID, we are restricting service to only take care of our own members for now. What stores and restaurants will survive as the list of closures continues to grow? Add to this the bankrupt Boy Scouts and the Rockville Center diocese in N.Y. Both based on immorality amid the purveyors of morality?

Riots in our cities, countless demonstrations, and shootings reported and not reported. Black

lives matter, blue lives matter, and we’ve quit talking about LGBTQ… …anger and hurt are stoked to great unrest and distress. California is burning and the rains and mudslides will follow. With the other stories taking the majority of coverage, major hurricanes have become minor news outside of the areas hit.

As a nation we are hurt, frustrated, and angry. Our younger families are struggling financially, and our economy continues to churn downward. Perhaps another relief package will come, but can the “House” even come to an agreement on how to help the people who voted for them? After all this clears, how will the inflations of all the fresh printed government funding and money affect us? We don’t even want to touch taxes.

Twenty-five years ago, we could have at least turned on “Hee Haw” and heard, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all. Gloom, despair and agony on me.” However, those jokes and chuckles are long gone. At a time perhaps when churches are most needed, they were closed. Yet, for most Americans, they seem to be irrelevant anyway.

As veterans and families of veterans, we have endured struggles and hard times. We have faced death and disasters. We have worked side by side with others regardless of race, creed, or political affiliation. We worked for a common cause and called those next to us “Comrades”. We were family and we swore to die for one another. Perhaps 7.3% of the population is not much to speak of, but the small rudder of a

Hoosier veteran families.

large ship directs its path. As a nonpolitical agency and representational body of our country, we Legionnaires can use our influence and efforts to bring sense and stability back to our society. As a service organization, we participate in and fund many organizations that uplift and help local citizens to have a better life. Our commitment and cooperation can do a lot to change and influence the culture around us. May we set examples of cooperation and solidarity. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

As we approach the holiday season, I’d like to note how thankful I am for the time and efforts of our dedicated post commanders, adjutants, and membership chairs whom ensure the success of our membership program. The dedication and spirit of service exhibited by our volunteer leaders in all 11 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. In order to continue our success, we must leverage The

American Legion Department of Indiana’s competitive advantages—value that we, as an organization, uniquely provide to our members that which other Departments throughout the nation and other veteran service organizations throughout our own state simply do not possess. By effectively communicating our competitive advantages, we can demonstrate this value to prospective new members, expired members, and current members who have not yet renewed.

• Department 10 Year Membership Program

We provide our members the option to join or renew their membership for a multiyear period in addition to the annual and life membership options. To learn more, and sign up today for ten years at a cost of only $350.00, visit www.

indianalegion.org/jointen.

• District Headquarters Posts

In addition to our Department Headquarters Post 777, each district has their own Headquarters Post (Posts 701 –711) which provide members the option to remain an at-large member while still ensuring their dues are invested in their local area.

• Department Financial Assistance Programs (CEWF & IVETS)

We are committed to providing timely, efficient, and effective financial assistance to all Hoosier veterans experiencing financial hardship. Our CEWF & IVETS programs provide one-time cash grants to veterans experiencing financial hardship. Since their inception, these programs have prevented the eviction or utilities termination for hundreds of

• Indiana American Legion Legacy Foundation

The Indiana American Legion Legacy Foundation is a federally recognized 501(c) (3) charitable foundations for citizens and corporations to contribute tax deductible donations in order to ensure the continuation of our mission to positively change lives within our Hoosier veteran community. To learn more or contribute, visit www.indianalegion.org/ legacyfoundation.

• Premier Full-Time Service Officer Staff in the Nation

Our full-time service officers are the premier Veteran Service Organization (VSO) service officers in the State of Indiana, representing more than 53,000 of the 93,118 disabled veterans in Indiana. Our office has trained and credentialed the majority

of all county service officers in our state. Our members’ dues fund the full-time service office which changes Hoosier veterans’ lives positively on a daily basis throughout our state, these selfless professionals have earned our gratitude and admiration.

In closing, 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.

By the time you read this, we’ll be celebrating Veterans Day. While Veterans Day 2020 will necessarily be different than previous years, let’s not lose sight of the significance of this remembrance.

While World War I officially ended on June 28th, 1919, the fighting itself ended on the eleventh hour of the 11th day of November in 1918 when an

armistice or cease fire agreement was signed. In November 1919, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed November 11th as Armistice Day “filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…”

November 11th was made a legal holiday in 1938 and officially became Veterans’ Day to recognize the contributions of soldiers from World War II

and Korea in 1954. Later that same year, President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed, “In order to ensure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans’ organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.”

Throughout the years, there have been parades, speeches various gatherings and other ways celebrating the service of our nation’s veterans.

As we celebrate this Veterans Day, we might not have the parades, large events and other things that social distancing and health department mandates are limiting, but the veterans in

DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT

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level. First, a new program is established by the National Headquarters titled Mission Blue which makes $1,000 grants available to posts that are adversely affected by the global pandemic. There are several stipulations that posts must adhere to in order to be eligible for this grant program that include but are not limited to having filed a Consolidated Post Report. Indiana filed 100% reporting for this past membership year. Again, this is a program to provide relief to posts, not individual members.

The NEC also approved several changes to the national Direct Mail Solicitation

our Legion Family should still embrace the camaraderie of service and shared experience

of being in the military and receive the thanks of a grateful nation.

program that will affect membership operations in the departments, districts, and posts. These changes came after another department in another region decided to transfer 1,300 encumbered members from their department headquarters post without expressed written permission from the members.

Members that are recruited through DMS are held in the encumbered member status in the department headquarters posts for two membership years to recoup costs of the DMS program. At the end of the second year, these members become unencumbered and their per capita goes to the department. By transferring 1,300 encumbered members without adhering to membership operations standards, said

department effectively took the per capita of each member out of the DMS program for their own department. The resolution prohibits transferring encumbered members from the nationally recognized department headquarters posts to other headquarters posts within the department, i.e. district posts 701-711. When districts and posts hold revitalizations, they will have to transfer encumbered members into local posts with permanent charters.

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The Department Headquarters staff wish you and your loved ones happy and safe holidays this season. Thank you for your service and thank you for your membership in The American Legion.

Leading Hoosier Legionnaire Letters Progress is impossible without change

We all experience changes every day, especially in the days of computerization; not to mention changes associated with the COVID-19 virus. Changes within the veterans’ benefits claims and appeals system are no exception.

In the early and mid-80s, VA processed most everything using paper records and the old unforgettable paper claim files referenced by the oldtimers as “C-files.” These paper files could range in thickness anywhere between an inch or less to several feet. They were mostly stored at the VA regional office within the veteran’s state of residence. C-files were everywhere throughout the VA regional office: in hundreds of file cabinets, all over the desks of VA adjudicators, and in service organization offices. These files were also often physically transferred between different VA regional offices, the Board of Veterans Appeals Washington DC office, VA medical centers, and national service organization offices. Furthermore, VA adjudicators (decision makers) could hardly

take any action on claims without having physical access to the veteran’s claim file. C-files were often not available when needed because they were at other locations, temporarily mis-placed, or, worse yet, lost, causing the claims and appeal process to drag on for months and years.

Now, it’s highly unusual to find a C-file in a VA regional office. Most everything within those files has been converted to computerized electronic files called VBMS files. This changed most everything VA does. Almost all authorized VA employees and service organization representatives can access VBMS files almost instantly. VA is no longer restricted to working only claims of veterans residing in the state of the veteran’s residence; VA can now

Individual Benefits and Financial Support of the Department: The dual responsibilities of the Legionnaires Insurance Trust

By Hugh Dagley

Past Department Adjutant

Editor’s Note: Dagley is the Chairman of the Department Finance Committee and Vice Chairman of the Legionnaires Insurance Trust. He has been the Department’s representative on the board of the Trust since 2001.

As Vice Chairman of the Legionnaires Insurance Trust (LIT) and Indiana’s Trust Director, it is my privilege to represent the Trust and report the important contributions LIT has made to the Department over the years.

Since its inception, the LIT has paid out well over $1 billion in benefits to Legion family members while distributing over $89 million in fees and allocations to participating Departments. These allocations have become a significant source of Department revenue. In 2019 alone, the share of premiums returned to the Department of Indiana was nearly $80,000, and since Indiana became a member of the Trust in 1991, the share of premiums paid is nearly $3,500,000 – dollars that would have ended up in another insurance company’s coffers rather than in the service and programs that you provide through The American Legion.

The LIT serves two important functions. The first is to provide products and services that protect Legion family members and their loved ones. The second is to provide monetary allocations back to the state Departments in years of strong financial performance of the program.

The LIT was designed to allow participating Departments to join the LIT as equal members, by agreeing to allow

electronically transfer VBMS claim files to any regional office having the capacity and expertise for working those claims in the fastest and most efficient manner possible. Even different parts of the same claim: processing, development, decisions, and promulgating (calculating benefits and providing notice) are often done for the same claim at different VA regional offices. Accredited veterans service representatives can also now view their client’s electronic claim file at any time. This has greatly enhanced VA’s claims processing procedures, and representatives’ claims tracking ability. Other big changes include VA’s requirement for using standardized claim forms that started in March 2015, and the Appeals Modernization Act that began on February 19, 2019. Prior to those changes, veterans could file claims using just about any method including scribbling something on a scrap piece of paper and sending it to a VA regional office, and claims confusion and multiple appeals could cause veterans to wait

years for decisions.

Using standardized forms may seem a little more complicated but they allow VA to work claims much faster than before, when VA would need to make repeated contacts with veterans to clarify claims, or, worse, make decisions on something veterans did not intend to claim. Plus, accredited American Legion veterans service officers at either a local county office or our department veterans service office are available for guiding veterans through the process.

The Appeals Modernization Act (AMA) now allows veterans to receive decisions usually within 3 to 4 months after filing claims instead of 6 months or a year or more under the old legacy claims process. If the first decision fails to grant benefits, veterans may now file either a supplemental claim with new and relevant evidence or simply request a higher-level review and receive those decisions within three or four months after filing. The old legacy appeal process took 3 years or more for VA to answer

a Notice of Disagreement filed after VA denied a claim. Also, if the veteran wants to appeal directly to the Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA), the new AMA process will provide a decision usually within one year. Before, several years passed before an appeal was certified to the BVA and then often two years or more went by before BVA issued its decision.

Yes, changes are difficult. Once we start thinking we know what we are doing, change happens. Who knows, this might be one of God’s ways of keeping us humble. Without changes though, we could not advance and might still be driving to work in our horse and buggy while complaining about our boss wanting us to use that new-fangled typewriter thing. If you have difficulty keeping up with changes pertaining to your VA claim or appeal, you may contact an American Legion accredited service officer either at your local county veterans service office or by calling The American Legion Department of Indiana Veterans Service Office.

New Indiana Veterans Center will provide centralized services and resources for veterans at historic downtown site

the LIT’s broker/ administrator (Associated Group Insurance Administrators) to market supplemental accident and health insurance plans plus related products to its members under the LIT and/or Department banner.

The formal adoption is by executing the acceptance portion of the LIT’s trust instrument and acknowledgement by the LIT’s Chairman. A Department then becomes a full member of the LIT and is entitled to representation (voting membership) on the LIT’s Board of Directors. The Department is totally responsible for naming its representative to the board. The LIT’s Board of Directors is the singular governing body of the program.

The gateway to meaningful individual benefits and significant additional revenues for the Department of Indiana is the no-cost Accidental Death and Dismemberment policy.

Today, more than 7,200 Hoosier Legionnaires are covered under the AD&D Policy available to every member of The American Legion Family. The AD&D no cost policy provides for a payment of $1,000 for any covered death or accident – and $5,000 if death or covered accident occurs in the course of official Legion Family activities. No premium payment is required. As your Trust director, I receive confirmation from the LIT for each and every one of the benefits paid to one of our members, and I can assure you that rarely a day goes by that I don’t receive a copy of a benefit letter. The only losers in the no-cost AD&D program are those who don’t enroll in it.

Enrollment is simple

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by Kirsten Clark (in.gov)

INDIANAPOLIS – On March

15, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force convened in Paris to form the first American Legion caucus. This historic event marked the start of an organization dedicated to creating and fighting for veteran benefits, resources and programs. The new American Legion crafted the first pages of the G.I. Bill and established the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which would later become the Veterans Administration.

The group’s war-weary veterans held their first convention in November 1919 in Minneapolis. They adopted a constitution and preamble and voted to establish a permanent national headquarters, moving the newly named American Legion from Washington, D.C., to Indianapolis. With more than 170 trains in and out of the Circle City on a daily basis, Indianapolis provided the ideal location for 55 department heads to meet and create the programs that would change the lives of American veterans and their families forever.

“A special Indiana legislative session in 1920 actually designated two city blocks on state property and allocated $2.2 million to construct what is now the Memorial Mall,” said J. Stewart Goodwin, Indiana War Memorial executive director and retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. “They initially sought to use the property to honor the nearly 135,000 Hoosier veterans and 3,709 killed in action.”

The state moved to build the Legion’s home on this property, located at 777 N. Meridian St., and broke ground in 1924. Building 777 was the first property conceived on the state land. In 1927, General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, commander of American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front during World War I, laid the cornerstone of the Indiana War Memorial, launching the development of additional memorials standing in that space today. The American Legion Mall features a sunken garden with a cenotaph and four Art Deco columns topped with stylized golden eagles. Built in 1931, the cenotaph is a tribute to the Hoosiers who gave

their lives in World War I.

“The city of Indianapolis has more memorials and space dedicated to our service members and veterans than any other city in America, except Washington, D.C.,” Goodwin said. “Leaders back then understood the importance of honoring and caring for our nation’s veterans. It behooves us to do the same and consolidate services, programs and benefits for veterans in one location to ensure the highest quality care and recognition for their efforts defending freedom around the world.”

After the building’s construction was complete in 1925, the American Legion, the Red Cross and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) took up residence in the four-story, 40,000 square foot iconic structure. The American Legion Auxiliary also began serving women veterans from Building 777. The location was so successful that by 1950, the Legion had outgrown the building and moved to a new, larger location nearby at 700 N. Pennsylvania St. In 2014, then-IDVA director James Brown and Goodwin conceived the idea to centralize and secure veteran services in one prime location named the Indiana Veterans Center.

“We are now in a position to put this historic site back to work in a way that will provide tremendous benefit to veterans and eligible family members,” said Dennis Wimer, IDVA director. “The vision we have is to make Building 777 the nucleus of veteran activity, resources and strength in Indiana. Veterans will be able to access the help and resources they need in one location, one trip, one stop.”

The distinctive structure needed

a transforming renovation, while still preserving all the detail of its early 1920s charm and architecture. Then-Gov. Mike Pence appropriated funds from a 1923 state account that allocated monies for maintaining, building and recovering state properties but remained unused until labor to revive the site began. While the historic look of the building has been preserved, new features include updated ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and restrooms on each floor. Now that the renovation is complete, all divisions of IDVA will migrate to the building’s third floor, including the State Approving Agency (SAA) and the Military Family Relief Fund.

SAAs were created during the early days of the World War II GI Bill of Rights, from ideas conceived and developed in Building 777. The primary focus of the SAAs continues to be the review, evaluation and approval of quality programs of education and training under state and federal criteria. SAAs conduct on-site compliance visits to approved institutions and to those seeking approval and provide technical assistance to help them meet requirements. SAAs engage in outreach activities to encourage wider use of the GI Bill by veterans, schools and employers. Many also act as state liaisons, helping military installations provide base personnel with quality educational offerings and information about education benefits.

Additional agencies that will follow IDVA to the Indiana Veterans Center are the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation, INVets, representatives from the Disabled

See page 7

from the District Commanders

at the beginning of the new year. We should be looking for the grand opening in the spring of 2021.

Hello from the 1st District. Let me start with membership. We have been working hard to get our posts to use MyLegion.org to renew members. Some of our posts have resisted using MyLegion.org for renew. Once these posts (adjutants) have agreed to finally try the on-line renewal, well, to put in their own words, it’s so fast and easy. They liked it so much that they’re submitting renewals daily. Online renewal is a great tool and has increased our renewals over last year. Tim Conners, our Membership Chair, is the lead on pushing this program. Good job Tim.

Pat O’Donnell our Public Relation Officer tells me that the new 75unit homeless veterans’ home will start taking applications for residency

The American Legion’s Veterans Views radio, the longest running veterans radio program in the country, on WJOB, can be received anywhere in the country at 1230 AM or 104.7 FM. Please feel free to call and express your views or ask questions about the VA or what’s going on in Washington as per what matters to Veterans. To be on the radio call in Friday at 219845-1100 from 9:05 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CDT.

Lake County Community Corrections graduated 23 more veterans from its Lake County treatment Court. The program lasts 18 to 24 months and is intended for veterans who have a problem with alcohol or drugs. Mentors are assigned to these veterans on a one to one basis. Mentors must be a Veteran, some of these mentors are American

Legion members. The Veterans court is always looking for volunteers to be mentors. Lake Superior Judge Julie Cantrell runs the program, which provides an opportunity for charges to be dismissed if the veteran completes the program.

North Township trustees have just dedicated a new monument to our fallen heroes in Lake County. This monument is a solid black garnet with red, white and blue strips. It contains the names of fallen firefighters, police and EMT’s who have lost their lives in duty. It’s located at the intersection of Ridge Road and US 41 in Highland Indiana.

At this time, I would like to congratulate the Indiana Auxiliary for being number one in the Nation on membership. Congratulations to the Indiana Auxiliary for a job well done.

In closing be safe, be smart. Covid-19 is not something to be taken lightly.

Greetings from the Fourth District to one and all in the Department of Indiana. With the Fall Conference being canceled, the Fourth District is holding District meetings and working the programs of the American Legion. The District chairpersons are working hard to contact the schools in our district, but the schools don’t seem to see the importance of working with the Legion because of the virus and the extra work that it is causing them to do. The important thing to try to get across to the school official’s is the importance of what the Legion means in scholarships and award money to the students

and their families. Participation in Legion programs will help them with their classroom activities.

On October 9th, the Fourth District was honored to have National Commander Oxford visit our District. He helped dedicate the “Highway of Valor” in Indiana. The name changes U.S. 20 from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line as the “Highway of Valor”. It’s hoped that one day in the near future, the Highway of Valor will run from coast to coast across America to honor all Purple Heart recipients.

National Commander Oxford also helped Department Connelly give the National Award for Employment to Work One of Northeast Indiana for their efforts to employ Veterans. Work One helps Veterans with job training and placement in work

related jobs. National Commander Oxford and Department Commander Connelly also presented a “We Change Lives” plaque to WANE-15 TV for their “Pledge of Allegiance” time slot on the morning news with elementary students in the Fort Wayne schools. The Fourth District was very honored to have the National Commander visit us, our thanks goes out to Commander Oxford. With the virus still prevalent, having state wide conferences and meetings is not possible. My hope is that we can get back to a near normal soon. In the meantime, I hope everyone stays safe and healthy. I hope to see you all at Mid-Winter conference or sooner. May God Bless America and the American Legion

“We are forever indebted to those who have given their lives so that we might be free.”

Ronald Reagan

I want to acknowledge and thank our Department Commander, Allen Connelly for his guidance and direction during the shut down and re-opening of our Legion posts. I appreciate his continued support and guidance as we move forward to fully re-open our Legion posts.

I would also like to thank all my ViceCommanders who have consistently supported our American Legion family and who took time to help during our official functions and meetings. Simply, we wouldn’t be here without your support. As you know, the American Legion is a

multifaceted organization with the mission of mutual helpfulness and that is what we are striving to do in 2nd District. Our posts continue to provide a safe place for our veterans while also serving as advocates.

Many of our posts have been working diligently to find ways to open up our Posts while still adhering to the mandates set forth by the Governor and county health departments. We still have many hurdles to cross and it could be a slow road but I believe that our Legion posts can come out stronger than before.

We have faced adversity before and we will face it again. Our American Legion Family will get through this.

Morale is high within our Legion posts, and I am attributing that to the in person visits that are Vice-Commander’s are making to provide encouragement, guidance and direction. We are

encouraging our members to continue to participate and stay connected, inperson and virtually.

Second District was represented and gave a salute of proper respect to Medal of Honor recipient Sammy L Davis at an assembly at Warsaw Community High School where Davis was the keynote speaker.

Finally, the 2021 membership began on July 1st so you can renew online at mylegion.org, by mail, or in person at your local post. Membership is the backbone of our organization and we need to continue to keep that backbone strong in order to continue carrying the load for our veterans. Remember, MEMBERSHIP IS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY! If you know someone that is a veteran but isn’t an American Legion member, ask them to join.

Hello Everyone, Thank you for all the hard work you have done and plan to do. Just a few reminders: Tenyear membership is still available, $350 locks your membership cost in for 10 years, and the post will still receive $5 per year. There is going to be a drawing in July, there will be 10 different posts in the state winning $1000 each. Entry for the drawing is based on reaching the target percentage 60% on Early Bird, 82% MidWinter Conference, 96%

Spring Conference, and 105% at Close of Books. If you are having any event, the membership booth is available for free to any post in the district, please contact John Hawkins.

The Department Commander’s project is the Legacy Foundation which is a project put in place to help prevent our dues increasing from the Department, please donate to help get this established.

Junior Shooting Sport has been growing, the contest now has a southern and northern location for competition, the 5th District was able to secure a location to host the northern portion of the contest on March 14th, 2021, at Bass and Bucks

in Wabash, IN. Please get your teams ready and registered with a post in order to compete.

The Marion VA is trying to update and upgrade the miniature golf course. They are looking for donations, and are needing to raise about $115,000. The upgrades will make the course wheelchair accessible, expanding the number of veterans to be able to rehabilitate on the course.

The district is selling “Remember Everyone Deployed” shirts, sweatshirts, and hoodies. Please keep an eye out for information.

Please keep up the good work and look forward to seeing you all soon.

Greetings from the 3rd District and myself. It has been a very busy time since I last spoke to you. District meetings kicking off, cancellation of Fall Conference, various other duties that I can’t remember them all.

Many of the posts in the district are getting back into the swing of things with having dinners, fish frys, drawings and the like. Stop by your local post and see what is happening and see if they could use your help.

Recently, there was a

and remains in effect as long as your membership is current. No periodic

veterans outreach held at the South Bend Armory intending to reach out to the many vets in the area who may not be in the VA system along with getting them started on their claim process. A county service officer was there and she was busy from open to close along with the VA van. I was there and spoke to numerous veterans who weren’t members and passed out a lot of informational flyers. We hope to make this an annual event. I am asking all my fellow members to reach out to your fellow Legion members who you haven’t seen in a while and check up on them to make sure they are okay. This is part of the “Buddy

renewal, no five-year limit. Once you are in, and as long as your dues are paid, you are covered. How does a no-cost insurance plan generate

Check” program that the Department is running. Along these same lines, I am also asking the Post Adjutants to compile a list of those members who haven’t paid yet so when you are doing your “Buddy Check”, please also see if they are in need of assistance with their dues and if so, see what your post can do to help them.

In closing, I look forward to seeing a lot of you at the Mid-Winter conference along with at the posts when I visit. I am going to say this now because I am not sure when this is going to be coming out but: Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

funds for the Department of Indiana? It doesn’t. What it does do is open the door to opportunities for our members to purchase additional kinds

I would like to congratulate Post 224 Dugger for achieving a 104.35% membership goal for 2021, Keep up the outstanding work and don’t be satisfied. There are still more great people wanting to become Legion members. Also congratulations go out to Post 51 Owensville, Post 194 Haubstadt, Post 1919 Greenwood, Post 245 Elnora, Post 479 Lyons, Post 398 Carlisle, Post 462 Sommerville and Post 22 Linton for achieving this

of insurance – Cancer coverage, long-term care, injury in leisure activities –a wide range of insurance lines that are previewed, reviewed and approved by the Trust Directors from 50 departments of The American Legion. A percentage of your premium payment for this low-cost coverage is returned to the Department to help offset program expenses and operating costs. No percentage of your premium paid to another insurance provider is shared with anybody; and no premium is lower for a comparable product.

month’s Commander’s membership goal quota. All have received another entry in the chance to win $1,000.00 at the Department Convention. Franklin Post 205 is back open and good luck. My thoughts and prayers are for everyone during these troubling times but especially for two key people in the 7th District. Also I would like to thank Mooresville Post 103, Princeton Post 25, Lyons Post 25 and Worthington Post 106 for hosting the District meetings this year and our Next District meeting is November 7th at Post 172 Jasonville Special shout out to Southern Vice Commander Steven

Finally, the assurance our members most treasure is the promise that no one will ever show up on your doorstep, sit at your dining room table and pitch these products. Your participation is, purely and always, voluntary and contact is always by mail.

Of course, if you have questions or concerns, there is a toll-free phone number and a website for YOU to initiate direct contact with the LIT. And, you always have the Department and your Trust Director available to help with issues that may arise.

If you are going to

Barnett for his visit to the Fighting &th at the District Meeting in Lyons. Vice-Commander Ron Henry of Post 285 Spencer has just got out of Bloomington Hospital after a 40-day stay and has been transferred to Grand Valley Rehabilitation facility for another 30-days. Also past Department Commander and 7th District Membership Chair south James May, is dealing with some family health procedures. Keep doing those Buddy Checks and supporting all the Legion programs. Stay safe and hope to see you at the Mid Winter Conference.

buy insurance – and who among us is not going to buy some kind of coverage – you owe it to yourself to consider the coverage offered by your Legionnaires Insurance Trust. Your ticket to helpful, reliable information on a variety of insurance programs is free – just sign up for your free coverage. It just may bring some much-needed peace of mind into your life.

I encourage my fellow Hoosier Legionnaires to look into this opportunity. Visit the department website for enrollment information.

from the District Commanders

The American Legion’s programs are said to be the heartbeat of the Legion, whose programs’ diversity is amazing, ranging from our National Security to educating our youngest children. The charitable endeavors of The Legion and its members are unique among charities because 100% of the money donated goes directly to the recipients without any of the donated money diverted to administrative and other oversight costs and/or expenses.

Equally impressive is the thousands of hours donated by The Legion Family (Legion, Auxiliary, Sons of the Legion, and the Legion Riders), volunteers to assist all veterans, and service members who are in need. I cannot express enough gratitude to the 8th District Legion Family for all they have done.

Membership in the Legion is its lifeline. We all know that without members there would be no Legion. Every year our ranks grow thinner at a time when the urgent needs of our country continues to increase. It is one of the many aspects of this decline that I wish to address.

In the 8th District, we are keenly aware that the services of our Honor Guard/Funeral Details continue to increase. In some of

these cases, the need for these services could have been postponed. Having served in the Army’s mental health care profession, both in the field and on the mental health wards of a Veterans Administrative Hospital, I would like to offer my unquantified insight as to some of the causation factors in hope that some can be prevented.

Currently, the United States military is composed of less than one percent of our population. This fraction of one percent is carefully screened both physically, mentally, and even morally. They are then trained, tested, retrained, and again retested. This continues throughout their military career. This is essential to ensure that the service member is both able and willing to place their personal safety and life on the line, in defense of our Great Nation’s freedom and values. Individuals with the highest integrity and values tend to be harshest on themselves when conducting a self-evaluation because they hold themselves to the highest standards. The response to this pandemic’s isolation has reduced the opportunity for socialization/ comradeship thus collaboration between those with similar experiences has also been reduced.

Even in our general population the increase in isolation has caused an increase in depression, alcoholism, drug abuse, sleep deviation and domestic violence. Veterans face the same

American Legion. “It’s because of who we are and what we do that we want to continue to recognize these American heroes.”

There have been 3,473 Medals of Honor awarded since it started being awarded during the Civil War. Of that, 100 have gone to Hoosiers.

Zent had hoped that Hoosier Medal of Honor recipient Sammy Davis could attend, but he was unable.

“We send our warmest regards. We deeply appreciate you dedicating this highway to our Medal of Honor

stressors as the general population but they also have a feeling of guilt not only for what they may have done in contrast with their moral convictions but what they feel they failed to do. With an intense sense of pride, some veterans fear the stigma of being labeled as being weak and in need of help, they avoid help. In some cases, the word “disorder” as in “Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder” is interpreted as being labeled as having a mental disorder.

Years ago we conducted “Health and Safety Checks” on our fellow soldiers. Today it is referred to as “Buddy Checks.” These words are not meaningless slogans but a battle cry to help your fellow veterans. You would not leave an injured or wounded soldier on the battlefield, so why would we leave one alone in their home suffering from depression? To bring this point home, the rate of veteran suicides is almost double that of the general population.

I am asking all the 8th District Legionnaires and all members of the American Legion Family to reach out and help veterans in need, regardless of if they have an affiliation with The American Legion. The Veterans Administration Crisis Hot Line number is 1 – 800 273 8255 (press 1).

Remind them there is no shame in getting help.

God Bless our Country, our Veterans/ Service Members, and the American Legion.

recipients,” Davis said in a prepared statement, adding his famous catch phrase, “You don’t lose until you quit trying.”

Davis was honored for his heroism in battle Nov. 18, 1967, in Vietnam. Davis is perhaps best known for footage from the movie “Forrest Gump.”

The scene where Forrest receives the Medal of Honor is actual footage of Davis getting awarded his medal from President Lyndon B. Johnson, with actor Tom Hanks’ head superimposed over Davis.

Allen Connelly, Indiana American Legion commander, praised Zent and Sen. Sue Glick, R-LaGrange, for getting

Greeting from the “Terrific Tenth”! First I want to wish all those on sick call a speedy recovery and offer condolences to the families of those who have transferred to Post Everlasting.

These are definitely challenging times for our Legion Family. Posts are beginning to reopen and I have found things to be slow as we still have members hesitant to venture out. We will get through this and I believe we will be stronger as an organization.

As of this writing the District sits in ninth place at 58.07%. We had 11 posts who achieved the 67% goal, for October 3, and three posts were within one percentage point of 67%. The next target date is November 8, with a goal of 71%. An encouraging sign is we have twenty posts who are ahead from this same time last year, and as a district we are 56 cards ahead. My guess is the posts who are ahead of last year are doing their Buddy Checks and it’s paying off. Keep up the good work.

Thank you to all who were able to participate

the legislation designating the highway through the Legislature. Glick was the Senate sponsor of the bill.

“The entire American Legion family really appreciates the initiative that you took by introducing this legislation to the Legislature and shepherding this through and passing this unanimously, which really says a lot,” Connelly said.

By designating U.S. 20 as the Medal of Honor Memorial Highway, Indiana joins a national effort to name U.S. 20, which runs 3,365 miles from Boston to Newport, Oregon. Indiana is the sixth state to adopt the Medal of

in the October 17th drivearound, and thank you to the posts (Union City #158, Ridgeville #507, Farmland #353, Albany #167 and Gaston #387) for their hospitality. The American Legion Family was well represented. It was decided to spend additional time at each post to answer any questions or address concerns that post leadership or members might have. The extra time proved beneficial as there were concerns that got addressed. The time was also spent educating posts on MyLegion. org, National’s Training Tuesdays beginning October 27, and the importance of Buddy Checks and Legion Programs.

Union City provided a nice breakfast upon our arrival. Ridgeville had a flag retirement ceremony by their Honor Guard. There was good turn-out at all posts, considering the pandemic.

Since being installed I have been able to attend new officer training where I received some very good information. The material covered was educational and will be utilized during my year as Commander.

I also had the privilege of attending Knightstown Post 152’s 100-year celebration along with Commander Connelly. Vice-Commanders and

the Membership Chair have also been visiting posts in the district.

Two revitalizations are being planned for December 12th, and January 23. Our plan is to hold two revitalizations each day. December’s will be conducted at Morristown and Yorktown, and January at Fortville and Liberty Posts. I would like to see participation from all post in the area. This will be a great time to talk to our members who haven’t heard from us in a while and ask them if there’s anything the Legion can do for them.

I encourage posts to consider paying the dues of our Korean war veterans as well as those who may be suffering difficult times, especially those who have many continuous years of membership.

On last thing, if a post receives a request for assistance from a veteran or their family; please don’t deny them help because the post may be short on funds. Get their information and contact a District Officer. We may be able to find them the help they need by utilizing Legion Programs or from another post in the District, to those who qualify.

Again, thank you for all of your hard work. Please call me if you have questions or need help.

Honor name formally. Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Nebraska have named their sections, and efforts are underway in Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York and Massachusetts to name their portions. U.S. 20 runs 163 miles from Ohio to Illinois in northern Indiana.

Zent, himself a Vietnam veteran, said once this is done, he hopes Rep. Jim Banks, R-3rd, who was on hand Friday, will author federal legislation in Congress to secure national recognition for the highway.

There will be eight signs placed along the highway, including three in Steuben County. One will be for

westbound travelers entering the state from Ohio and the other two will be on the east and west sides of Interstate 69 for travelers exiting that highway.

“I’m proud that INDOT played a role in joining Wthis national effort to pay tribute to our heroes,” Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Joe McGuinness said. “The freedoms we cherish as Americans would not exist without the extraordinary bravery and selfless sacrifices of Medal of Honor recipients and all our veterans.”

New Law Extends VA Mental Health Counseling to More Guard and Reserve Members

by Arnab Mondal (Military.com)

President Donald Trump has signed into law a pair of bills that could be crucial in preventing suicides among veterans.

According to the Department of Veteran Affairs, more than 6,100 veterans died by suicide in 2017, the most recent year for which data is available. Veteran suicide rates have remained stable at 18 to 22 veteran suicides per day since the late 1990s despite significant increases in resources targeted towards mental health care in VA, according to Republican Reps. Phil Roe of Tennessee and Neal Dunn of Florida.

They sponsored the Vet Center Eligibility Expansion Act, which extends Vet Center

readjustment counseling and related mental health services to National Guard and Reserve troops who did not deploy to combat areas but instead participated in drug interdiction or fighting national disasters or emergencies.

Out of the approximately 20 veterans that take their lives on any given day, only six sought care from VA in the two years preceding their death. Of the remaining 14, analysis indicates as many as four of those suicides occur among those who served in the National Guard or Reserve but never deployed.

The VA already is authorized to provide counseling through Vet Centers to veterans and service members, including members of the National Guard and Reserve who have served on active military duty

in any combat theater or area of hostility, who experienced military sexual trauma, who provided direct emergent medical care or mortuary services to casualties of war, or who served as a member of an unmanned aerial vehicle crew that provided direct support to operations in a combat zone or area of hostility.

But members of the National Guard, Reserve or Coast Guard who participated in a drug interdiction, or who served in response to a national emergency or major disaster or civil disorder were not eligible to receive Vet Center even though, the Roe and Dunn said, such service can have serious mental health consequences. The new law extends that eligibility to these individuals.

“I am concerned that the stress and social isolation

caused by COVID-19 could raise that (suicide) number even higher, particularly for Guard members and Reservists who have been activated to deal not only with the pandemic but also with hurricanes, wildfires, and more these last several months,” Roe said in a statement.

The Veterans’ Care Quality Transparency Act, sponsored by Democratic Reps. Lauren Underwood of Illinois and Katie Porter of California, directs the Government Accountability Office to assess the effectiveness of VA and non-VA entities related to suicide prevention and mental health services for veterans.

The assessment would include a review of all suicide prevention programs, outreach and the provision and coordination of mental health

services during the five-years preceding the enactment of the bill. This would help ensure that the partnerships that VA is pursuing with outside entities are working properly to end suicides in military and veteran communities.

“Veterans have made incredible sacrifices for our country, and often face unique mental health challenges when they return from service —challenges that may be compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic. The best way to thank a veteran is to ensure they’re properly cared for when they return home,” Underwood said in a statement.

Highway from page 1

All Committee meetings of this Commission were by Teleconference Meetings

The American Legion Family Scholarship Committee

Meeting was held on October 22, 2020

The meeting was called to order by Chairman Wayne Zeman at 6:40 P.M. EST

Along with the Chairman there where 4 members and 1 guest on the call.

Districts 2, 3 and 10 gave reports on finding eligible high school students for scholarships.

It was reported that last year’s remote selection process went well.

The Committee requested that they have another teleconference and are given a week’s notice of said meeting.

The Committee will meet at Mid-Winter Conference. The Department Program Director will mail this year’s program materials to the members of the Committee.

No further business at this time meeting

adjourned at 6:55 P.M.

Americanism and Government Committee no meeting

Boys Scouts no meeting

Boys State Enrollment

Chairman Chuck Mason called the Teleconference meeting to order on October 21, 2020 at 6:05 P.M.

There were 6 members answering the call. Discussion on the 2021 program was held with 5 of the members in favor of in person HBS program.

There was a discussion of a virtual program with the assistance of the Trine staff but we would need to know what financial effects this would have on the program.

Some Members of the Committee will travel to Trine University on November 18, 2020

Enrollment for the 2021 HBS will start on January 1, 2021

Committee will need to meet at Mid-Winter Conference

No further business the meet adjourned at 6:35 P.M.

Children and Youth no meeting

Children’s Education and Welfare

Chairman Rich Brown reported that the Committee has been operating under an

emergency provisions which provides for a Sub Committee of 3 to approve/deny all financial assistance applications.

Turnaround time for claims has been less than 4 days of receipt of application.

Committee will meet at Mid-Winter Conference.

Flag Education / Etiquette No Meeting

Girl Scouts No Meeting

Junior Shooting Sport No Meeting

Oratorical and Schools Awards

Chairman James Grauvogl held a teleconference with 4 Committee members along with Department Commander Connelly and Adjutant Crosby.

Committee members discussed contacting students, schools and judges, setting up dates and location of contests.

Members would like another teleconference or meeting second week of December.

There were no request for funds, the meeting was adjourned.

There were no further meeting of this Commission.

Robert A, Oeth, Children and Youth Commission Chairman

The Internal Affairs Commission met virtually on Friday, October 23, 2020 at 11 a.m. The following members were present; Chairman Paul Smith, Commander Allen Connelly, Ken Hylton, Al Pulido, Bob Newman, Rich Brown, Ron Byrley and John Crosby.

Chairman Smith asked for updates from those members present.

Bob Newman stated that the National Executive Committee Meetings were held virtually. National Resolution 19 has produced some controversy as it references The American Legion Riders being restricted from open carrying weapons while wearing Legion related regalia. The intent is to protect the brand and the perception in carries. The opposing argument is that the resolution allegedly infringes on the Second Amendment right to bear arms. Newman highlighted additional push back in reference to Riders wearing inappropriate patches next the Legion brand.

took the per capita of each member out of the DMS program for their own department.

The resolution prohibits transferring encumbered members from the nationally recognized department headquarters posts to other headquarters posts within the department, i.e. district posts 701711. When districts and posts hold revitalizations, they will have to transfer encumbered members into local posts with permanent charters.

Additionally, a new program is established by the National Headquarters titled Mission Blue which makes $1,000 grants available to posts that are adversely affected by the global pandemic. There are several stipulations that posts must adhere in order to be eligible for this grant program that include but are not limited to having filed a Consolidated Post Report. Indiana filed 100% reporting for this past membership year.

represented except for the 5th & 9th Districts. District Commanders & Membership Chairpersons provided an update from their districts and shared best practices which included walking neighborhoods and leaving door hangers on veterans’ houses, planning to conduct revitalizations, conducting drive-arounds in districts, contacting posts that have not transmitted cards in over 30 days, and emphasizing the importance of buddy checks.

Vice Chair David Miller: On October 9th, National Vice Commander Oxford is touring northern Indiana with stops in Angola and Auburn. Let’s ensure Commander Oxford is greeted warmly.

The Rehabilitation Commission met virtually on Friday, October 23, 2020 at 9 a.m. The following members were present; Chairman Jim Daube, Commander Allen Connelly, John Hawkins and John Crosby. Nursing Home Committee Minutes

The Nursing Home Committee met virtually on Nursing Home meeting was held by teleconference on Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 7 p.m. 1st, 5th, 11th Districts were present. Also present were Cdr. Allen Connelly and Adjutant John Crosby.

VETERANS CENTER

from page 4

American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Furthermore, the location will assist veterans with their medical and health care enrollment and benefits, as well as with acquiring benefits and services offered from the federal regional office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“No other state that we know of will offer all of these services under

With all Nursing homes and hospitals, we were discussing was to continue our programs and support. Need to discuss with each location. Not all are accepting donations like comfort pacts and miscellaneous items (books, puzzles).

With Christmas and Veterans Day coming up- Discussed having Color Guard teams going by the building if that location can have veterans available. Funds are available to purchase items. No resolutions were presented, and no additional funds were requested. There was discussion to hold another teleconference or Teams meeting second week in December. *** Department and districts have publicly

thanked the Indiana Veterans Home and several VA’s across Indiana to include lawn signage to that effect.

A $5,000 OCW grant was presented to a grateful Marion County VA for their Veterans Greenhouse Project. This new endeavor has already proven itself effective as suicide numbers are down for PTSD veterans that participate in the programs of the Marion County VA.

Discussion ensued as to other ways to show support of our veterans in home across Indiana given that Veterans Day is cancelled. Gifts could be purchased and mailed, or hand delivered and left at the doorstep of these homes for our veterans.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:14 a.m.

Discussion ensued as to the current operations of the Indiana ALR. Crosby explained that the department commander has appointed an Ad hoc committee to address the areas of recent special meetings of the ALR, per capita and dues structure, delegate protocol, elections, etc. The committee has been charged to explore these areas and create recommended changes to match the guidelines and standards created and distributed to the departments by the National Headquarters.

one roof,” said Goodwin. “Since the Vietnam War, every veteran is a volunteer; they raised their hands and took an oath to protect and defend others.

It is our responsibility to take care of those who took care of us.”

Building 777 also has improved technology access and increased space for training, staff meetings and conferences. Veterans will be able to use computers and the internet to access any digital and electronic records with

assistance from staff.

“This will be a veteran’s last stop; this is the finest collection of veteran helpers in one location,” Goodwin said. “If you have a problem or an issue and you can’t get it solved elsewhere, you need to bring it here and get it resolved. We will work until it is truly fixed.”

Some information for this article obtained from https://www.legion.org/ history.

Newman stated several changes to the national Direct Mail Solicitation program that will affect membership operations in the departments, districts and posts. National Resolution 34 combines several previously passed national resolutions down into one final resolution. These changes came after another department in another region decided to transfer 1,300 encumbered members from their department headquarters post without expressed written permission from the members. Members that are recruited through DMS are held in the encumbered member status in the department headquarters posts for two membership years to recoup costs of the DMS program. At the end of the second year, these members become unencumbered and their per capita goes to the department. By transferring 1,300 encumbered members without adhering to membership operations standards, said department effectively

Pulido inquired if the department plans on moving forward with the Americanism & Government youth scholarship program. Crosby explained that he had recent communication with A&G Chairman Rees Morgan and the program will indeed move forward during this membership year. There will be difficulties as many schools are practicing distance learning and are stricter than ever about allowing entry or access to classrooms. The committee has created an online test which will adhere to social distancing and allow Indiana youth to take advantage of this scholarship opportunity as so many opportunities are denied due to COVID. In this, the Indiana Legion has proven itself adaptive and responsive to the changing needs of Indiana youth and educators during this global pandemic.

Rich Brown provided the following report:

Opening Remarks by Membership Chair: Thank you all for taking time to call in this afternoon as we mark our fourth Target Date of the 2020 – 2021 Membership

Year. Today’s Target Date report is available for download on the Membership Reports page of the Department website. Our next Target Date Teleconference will be on Sunday, November 8th for 71% and will occur just prior to our third national renewal mailing. The second national renewal mailing will be hitting mailboxes soon as it will go out for delivery on Friday, October 9th. I’m so grateful for all of the hard work everyone is doing and I am confident, that by working together we can achieve our 71% Target Date next month.

District Reports

– All Districts were

Closing Remarks by Membership Chair: Thank you all for your hard work as we continue our work this membership year. A reminder that the cutoff for the third national renewal mailing is October 15th, so ensure that those members who have paid their dues do not receive a unnecessary third renewal notice. While the target date report does not look great compared with a target of 67%, I’m optimistic for a few reasons…after only one renewal notice from national, we’re nearly 500 cards ahead of last year, we’ve already surpassed this month’s national target date, we’re on pace to surpass next month’s national target date, and our department target dates are set intentionally high this year in order to encourage posts to overdrive their goals as they look forward to the Mid-Winter Conference where posts that achieve 90% of their goal will receive two entries into the $1,000 Membership Excellence Cash Drawing at our Department Convention where ten different posts will win a check for $1,000.00.

Finally, in two months the 77% Target Date, which is a mail-in target date, on December 5th will determine which district’s commander & membership chair will earn a trip to the 2021 Lincoln Pilgrimage – the top finishing district will earn that trip. A second paid trip to the Lincoln Pilgrimage will be earned by the district commander & membership chair of the district that charters the most new posts by January 15th. Good luck to all districts as you compete to earn one of two fully paid invitations to the Lincoln Pilgrimage held in Springfield, Illinois during February 2021. As always, I remain confident that by working together we can achieve our membership goals.

Miscellaneous Details: Start Time: 3:00 pm (EDT); End Time: 3:41 pm (EDT); Time of Call: See page 8

Seventh Annual USO Indiana Five Star Gala to be Held on Veterans’ Day

MCR Foundation and American Legion Auxiliary Department of Indiana Lead Sponsors for First Ever Virtual Celebration

–

INDIANAPOLIS, IN

The seventh annual USO Indiana Five Star Gala and Silent Auction will be held November 11th on Veterans Day at 7:00 p.m. The Five Star Gala is an opportunity to recognize and honor members of the Armed Services in addition to our special honorees, the USO Indiana 2020 Five Star Medal honoree and 2020 Volunteer of the Year.

This year’s online event will be hosted by OneCause and everyone is invited to watch the online production on YouTube. Registration will be required to participate in the online auction and giving opportunities. The Virtual Five Star Gala will feature shout-outs from board members, local USO ambassadors, and special thank you’s for our nation’s service members and their families.

Gala Details:

• Kicks off at 7:00 p.m. November 11, 2020 / Registration is free.

• Musical performance by

the international USO Show Troupe and the Armed Forces Medley.

• USO of Indiana progress updates from 2020, special appearances from USO ambassa-

dors.

“The Five Star Gala is not only our premier event recognizing our great military members here in the state, but is also our largest fundraiser,” said

Michael Hanlon, USO Indiana

Executive Director. “Because of the pandemic, we have decided to hold this event virtually. Proceeds from the event will fund the many programs and op-

erations we offer at no cost that strengthen our military service members and keep them connected to the people and families that they love,” he added.

Several USO supporters have already made lead gifts. The MCR Charitable Foundation will match all donations up to $25,000 through Veterans Day. In addition, the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Indiana is proud to be a Four Star Sponsor of the event.

The USO was founded in 1941. Over 100,000 service members and their families use our Indiana centers or participate in our programs each year. All of this is made possible by the generous donations from the American people, our corporate sponsors and the support of our volunteers.

For more information, tickets or sponsorship opportunities, please contact the USO Indiana Corporate Office at 317-9911073 or visit the USO of Indiana website at https://indiana. uso.org/

$1,000 grants help posts affected by COVID

By The American Legion Public health mandates in response to COVID-19 included stay-at-home orders and business closures. Those mandates financially impacted American Legion posts nationwide as member and community outreach efforts were limited, resulting in a loss of revenue.

To provide some relief during these challenging times, financial grants are now available for eligible American Legion posts.

Resolution No. 36, Mission Blue Post Assistance Program, will provide $1,000 grants to posts that are in good standing with their respective department. These funds must be used exclusively to pay current or past due rent, mortgage, utilities and insurance.

INTERNAL AFFAIRS

from page 7

41 minutes; Members

Present: 15; Members

Absent: 3; Members

Excused: 9; Guests

Present:10 (includes

District Commanders & Staff Members);

Total Participants: 25;

Next Scheduled Call: 3:00pm (EDT); Sunday, November 8th – 71%

Target Date.

Byrley remarked that the New Post Development and Post Educations Committees operations have been halted due to COVID. However, there have been several successes in salvaging several key, historic posts to include Santa Claus Post 242 and

The American Legion National Executive Committee approved Resolution No. 36 Oct. 14, during its annual Fall Meetings. Funds for the approved grants will be provided through The American Legion National Emergency

Rockport Post 254. Post 242 has aligned with a new benefactor who plans to open a micro-brewery at the post to be another destination in the tourist town. Additionally, the Huntington post is moved to a local VFW. Crosby stated the charter request to update the address of said post has been signed and submitted to Matt Herndon at the National Headquarters Membership Division.

Commander Connelly provided some concluding remarks stating the 2021 MidWinter Conference has been planned and department will move forward as if the conference will be held in person at the

Fund (NEF). Eligibility for a Mission Blue Post Assistance Program grant requires posts to have:

- A Consolidated Post Report on file.

- Filed an IRS 990 within the prescribed due date.

Marriott East. This is subject to change as government restrictions could potentially restrict department from executing an inperson conference as has happened in the past year. Reservations are available online for the conference at www. indianalegion.org.

Connelly stated the department is exploring its own grant program for posts using dollars gained through the PPP Loan program. Once the department has filed and been approved for loan forgiveness, these dollars could be set aside for a grant program. The meeting was adjourned at 11:48 a.m.

- Filed all other required forms and reports as prescribed by the department.

- Actively participated in one or more American Legion programs in the last 18 months.

- A financial need.

- A certificate of insurance

WWII VETRAN’S REMAINS from page 1

(Mary) Manlief of Mesa, Arizona, and Malcolm “Mac” (Ramona) Manlief of Aurora, Ind.; many great-nieces and great-nephews; and many great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Family and friends of Wiesehan will gather to honor his return home and to celebrate his life

naming The American Legion doing business as American Legion National Headquarters as an additional insured (See Resolution 35 memo below)

- Documentation indicating that the post is properly incorporated.

The Mission Blue Post Assistance Program grant application is available on the web at www.legion.org/ coronavirus.

American Legion posts applying for a grant will be required to first submit the completed application to their respective department for approval before it can be sent to National Headquarters. This application procedure is the same as the NEF.

American Legion posts have until Dec. 31, 2021, to apply for an Mission Blue Post Assistance Program grant.

from 4-6 p.m. Friday at Doan & Mills Funeral Home, 790 National Road W., Richmond.

A short service will follow at 6 p.m. A public funeral procession from the funeral home across the Main Street Bridge and along Main Street to Ninth Street will begin at noon Saturday and conclude with a graveside service at 1 p.m. Saturday at Goshen

Cemetery, 3600 N. State Road 227, Richmond, with full Marine Corps funeral honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be given in memory of Pfc. Louis Wiesehan Jr. to History Flight Inc., 317 William St., Suite 1, Fredericksburg, VA 22401 or online at www.historyflight.com/ donate/.

LEGACY FOUNDATION: Caring for veterans and their families

During the current pandemic, American Legion facilities across the state closed their doors. Their ability to raise money to support community events and programs stopped, and now more than ever, the needs of veterans that existed before are still here.

This new norm confirms the need for the creation of the Legacy Foundation. We have played a vital role in enhancing the lives and quality of life for veterans and their families here in Indiana, and through the Legacy Foundation, we intend to continue just that.

The Legacy Foundation will provide an added source of financial security that we know will be there in times of need. The Legacy Foundation will provide a way for us to continue the programs of The American Legion, even through tough times. Through your contributions you can help secure the legacy that will help make a lasting difference in the lives of Hoosier veterans and ensure programs for our youth remain supported by The Department of Indiana American Legion.

Commander Connelly has made the Legacy Foundation his Commander’s project again this year because he knows its an investment into the future. We asked a couple of people who donated to the Foundation, why supporting this cause was important to them. Here’s what they said: “It just seemed like the right thing to do. I try to appreciate, what we all have been through or going to go through and anything we can do to do support those, uh,

patriotic citizens, I think is the right thing to do.” well, um, “veterans, uh, uh, need and deserve lots of, uh, support in various ways. And I don’t know which one of the, one of them is, uh, is a high priority. Um, but anything that benefits of veteran, uh, is, uh, would be a favorable outcome. “ “I hope there are a lot of us out here that feel the same way.”

John Castell, American Legion Post 11 in Lafayette, Indiana

Indiana Legion donates 15,000 masks to Indiana State Police

A donor who wished to remain anonymous notes that the real benefit of forming this foundation will be realized down the road, because it will “potentially give us the ability to increase grants for those in need. And seeing how the grants are able to change lives, for me, was one of the biggest motivators to give.”

They continued, “this is a huge competitive advantage for our department because the majority of our members

are card carrying members that they get the magazine subscription, but they don’t go into the post. They pay their dues each year because they want to be part of something bigger than themselves. But they’re members of our organization because they know what we do; and so this gives them an opportunity in addition to their membership to contribute financially. And say that in 10 or 15 years, no matter our size, these programs will not go by the wayside, and we can still serve the children and youth and, the veterans in our community. Knowing that “made it so appealing to me because, as a small business (owner) I have to really plan out my year financially, and each year I look for worthy causes to donate to.

It’s very impressive to me that the foundation is a 501c3, which is pretty rare for American Legion departments.”

Anonymous

Allen Connelly was joined by (left to right) Laurie Bowman, Sgt. Danielle Elwood Henderson, Leading Candidate for Department Commander Mark Guillion, and ITYS President Gregg Kuhn. Sgt. Henderson ap-

preciates the donation, saying “The American Legion has been a huge support for us with camps. They always come through in a time of need, and so we’re just really appreciative of what they’ve done here, thinking of us when they got this donation of masks and bringing them to us to help us get out into the community.”

Statement of Ownership, Management & Circulation

Combat Bikesaver has joined with The American Legion Department of Indiana to raise money for the Indiana 9/11 Memorial. Combat Bikesaver will rebuild a donated bike to be auctioned by the Department. If you are interested in donating an American made cruiser-type bike in reasonable condition with a good engine, please contact the Department at 317-630-1300. Your donation is tax-deductible.

The American Legion Department of Indiana recently donated 15,000 masks to the Indiana State Police. Commander

Richard Redell, member of American Legion Post 252 in Greenwood, Ind., demonstrates how to use the dog tag machine before donating it to the Department of Indiana American Legion. Redell retired as a military recruiter and used the machine to entice the public to join. The machine is now housed in the lobby at Department headquarters and used for fundraisers to support Legion programs. To show our appreciation, Redell was presented a 10 year membership from the Department.

The 2020 Legion Gift Guide

Indiana American Legion Face Masks

Please allow 10-14 days for shipping & handling. *Note: Quanity Limited. ONLINE ORDER ONLY. https://www.indianalegion.org/masks.html

The American Legion Department of Indiana wants to help you stay safe and show your support. Your donation of $16 receives a reward of one face mask, with your choice of available emblem.

This double-layer, triple pleated face mask has adjustable elastic attachments (one size fits most) and is made of Silverplus Fabric (polyester and silver ions). Silverplus is silver-ion-infused fabric that has antimicrobial properties.Mask may be machine or hand washed and dried.

Indiana American Legion Dog Tag

Please allow 10-14 days for shipping & handling. *Note: Quanity Limited. ONLINE ORDER ONLY. https://www.indianalegion.org/dogtag.html

The American Legion, Department of Indiana’s Commemorative Dog Tag is standard size, created using an original military dog tag press from the 1950’s. Dog Tags may have up to six lines of text, with 14-characters per line. The form below will help you stay within those terms. Please contact us for any questions or bulk pricing.

Indiana American Legion Three Coin Sets

Please allow 10-14 days for shipping & handling.

Indiana American Legion 9/11 Memorial Coin

Please allow 10-14 days for shipping & handling.

The American Legion Department of Indiana has committed to helping the Indiana War Memorials Foundation expand the Indiana 9/11 Memorial site to include those military personnel lost that day, as well as those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in the War on Terror since. With your support, Indiana’s 9/11 Memorial will be a respectable tribute to our citizens, first responders, and servicemembers during the ensuing war, who lost their life because of that fateful day.

The American Legion, Department of Indiana’s 9/11 Memorial Coin is a 2.5” piece that proudly displays the Twin Towers inside of the Pentagon, Flight 93’s last known words “Let’s Roll”, and the Emblem commemorating that fateful day.

Proudly show your support for our first responders and servicemembers with this coin, while contributing to the expansion of the 9/11 Memorial site.

Indiana Auxiliary Poppy Coin

Please allow 10-14 days for shipping & handling.

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