May 2016
SAHIB REPORTER
Page 21
Kentucky Colonels by Col. James D. (Jim) Fleming, jdf53118@msn.com
K
entucky Colonels is a Sahib Shrine unit helping our temple. Like all groups, we are competing for our members’ time. The quid pro quo here, is what we have to offer, worthy of our members’ time to participate. What we offer is fine dining at a reasonable cost and good fellowship. Give us a look. Until further notice, we will continue to meet at Tara Country Club, September through June, on the 4th Tuesday of each month. Gather at 5:45 p.m., dinner at 6:15 p.m. RSVP at (414) 350-6061 for menu. See you there.
Legion of Honor by Malcolm Van Dyke II, sahibloh@comcast.net
S
ahib Legion of Honor Unit saves the day at the March 12 Arcadia Parade. Having sent several emails to our LOH Unit about available golf cart sitting spaces for this great parade, and having received no responses, the LOH Commander and the LOH Adjutant were in their assigned step off parking space in the Potentate’s golf cart when the female parade marshal approached the adjutant with a sad but true, bad news bears’ story. Seems she had contacted the local JROTC High School Unit, VFW, American Legion, Police and Fire units but nobody could/would provide an American Flag to lead off the 2016 Arcadia Rodeo Parade. Do I need to go further here readers? Guess who was number one person and led the whole Arcadia Rodeo Parade in military uniform and Fez? You got it! Sahib Shrine’s current LOH Commander Bill Summerfield, walking by himself, led the whole parade. Should the LOH pat itself on the back? Yep! U betchem Red Ryder! With the spring about to pop open with much needed warm weather, and the spring cycle of parades being over, the LOH continues to accept your flags to be retired due to fading, rips, tears, etc. Just place your old friend in a paper or plastic bag and drop off in the front office or Aide’s Office. Your old friend will live on forever, together with and mixed in, with the ashes of a military male or female veteran in the warmth and security of a burial urn someplace in the world. You all do know how your old friend, the American Flag and all retirement flags the Sahib LOH Unit handles,
have an extremely different and highly honorable way of being retired don’t you? Seems the Army is at it again. Several years ago now (1985), the Army retired the tried and true .45 caliber pistol as their everyday sidearm due to being too heavy and not holding enough rounds. They adopted a sidearm of questionable reliability (M9, 9mm) for several years but now the Army COS is fighting to bring in the Glock 19’s, 15-17 rounds, $500$600 retail; $320 military bulk buy price, as standard issue. Stand by for further updates. The Army COS is trying to keep the following ultra-low-key and out of the newspapers: seems he has reversed the policy of burial at Arlington National Cemetery for a group of pioneering female WWII military pilots (WASP - Women’s Airforce Service Pilots) last year to deny them above-the-ground urn space. In 1977, Congress passed a law authorizing their burial at veterans’ cemeteries but does not provide them space at Arlington. However, there are currently some WASP’s buried at Arlington prior to 1977. Movement is underway in both Houses of Congress to change this law. Your LOH is still in dire need of a noble (LOH or not) with a car that has a 2-inch ball to tow a trailer and golf cart to parades. You must have car insurance that would cover an accident while towing this combo. Contact Commander Summerfield if you can help. Keep in touch.
We can’t grow, if they don’t know!