Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201

Ron Boyd - Department Adjutant - Public Relations Officer

Four County Commanders have earned an award for 2003 membership achieved by December 9^th, which was the cutoff date for all memberships to be in State Headquarters for the Pearl Harbor Day Membership Target Date.

The winners had the highest percentage of their assigned 2003 membership in each of the four goal-size groups by that date.

The winners are:

• 15-199 member goal-size group - Richard McGee of Onida, Sully County, 118 members vs. 123 goal, 95.93 percent.
• 200-349 member goal-size group - Larry Rounsevell of Nemo (member of the Lead American Legion Post), Lawrence County, 230 members vs. 243 goal, 94.65 percent.
• 350-549 member goal-size group - Mike Smith of Clear Lake, Deuel County, 443 members vs. 478 goal, 92.68 percent.
• 550 and larger member goal-size group - Dale Kopplin of Iroquois, Kingsbury County, 663 members vs. 723 goal, 91.70 percent.

Aurora County was in second place in the 15-199 member goal-size group with 88.95 percent and Haakon County was in third place with 88.25 percent.

In the 200-349 member goal-size group, Faulk County was in second place with 86.64 percent and Walworth County was in third place with 86.50 percent.

In the 350-549 member goal-size group, Bon Homme County was in second place with 88.4 percent and Gregory County was in third place with 87.76 percent.

Brown County was in second place in the 500 and larger member goal-size group with 88.13 percent and Charles Mix County was in third place with 86.96 percent.

The awards will be presented January 25, 2003 during the annual Midwinter Conference in Pierre.

Nominations for The American Legion National Law Enforcement Officer of the Year Award are due to State Headquarters by January 17, 2003. One nominee will be selected by the Department National Security Chairman and the members of the Administrative Committee at the Midwinter Conference as the Department Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. The Department Law Enforcement Officer of the Year will be recognized at the SD American Legion Department Convention in Spearfish in June, 2003. The nomination for that individual will be forwarded to National Headquarters as the Department's nominee for the National award.

The purpose of the award is to recognize a well-rounded Law Enforcement Officer who has exceeded, above and beyond, the duty requirements expected of the position held and who exemplifies the virtues of professionalism and dedication and has demonstrated a distinct pattern of service to the community, state or Nation; and also has proven personal dedication to societal security and protection.

The national award includes a trip to the National Convention; includes paid travel and hotel expenses. The award also includes the presentation of a suitable award and a letter of commendation signed by the National Commander.

Copies of the governing instruction and nomination forms are available from State Headquarters. Nominations should cover the calendar year from January 1 - December 31, 2002. Nominees do not have to be veterans or members of The American Legion. The law enforcement officer must be recommended by his/her commanding officer or supervisor.

Enclosed for all recipients is a copy of the Entry Form for the 2003 SD American Legion State Bowling Tournament. The tournament will be hosted by Hot Springs. Also on the reverse side of the form is a copy of the rules for the tournament.

Urban-Hanson Post #118 of Hartford, South Dakota has endorsed Robert "Bob" Bender as a candidate for District Commander for District One.

LEGISLATIVE TALK PICKING UP

The South Dakota Legislature will convene on Tuesday, January 14, 2003.

All Up To Now recipients should watch for the bi-weekly reports, "From Pierre", by Legislative Representatives Ron Boyd and John Dewell. They will team up to serve as the Department's Legislative Lobbyists to cover the 2003 legislative session in Pierre.

The main part of the 40-day session will end Saturday, March 1, 2003. Following a two-week recess, legislators will return to the Capital City on Monday, March 24, 2003, to consider any vetoes by the governor plus any unfinished business.

The Legion's Annual Legislative Reception will be held at 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, February 4, 2003 at the Pierre American Legion Post #8 Log Cabin.

National Commander Ron Conley of Pennsylvania will be the guest speaker at the 2003 Midwinter Conference which will be held in Pierre, January 24-26, 2003. The Conference will be held at the Ramkota Inn and Convention Center at 920 West Sioux Ave., Pierre, SD.

The event has been modified from the last couple of previous years when the State Oratory Contest Finals were held in conjunction with the conference. That final competition will be held later in 2003 in a separate event.

The schedule for the Midwinter Conference is as follows:

10:00 AM Administrative Committee

10:00 AM Athletic Commission

12:00 Noon Registration Desk Opens

1:00 PM Executive Committee

6:00 PM Go-Getters Reception

6:30 PM Go-Getters Smorgasbord

8:00 AM Registration Desk Opens

8:30 AM Joint Opening Session

VA&R and C&Y

10:30 AM National Commander - Legionnaires

Legion College Report

Video from National Convention

Legionnaires Insurance Trust

10:30 AM SAL

12:00 Noon Lunch

1:15 PM Breakout Sessions

Americanism

Membership

Post Service Officers

2:45 PM Breakout Sessions

Americanism

Membership

Post Historians

4:00 PM Leadership/Open Forum

6:00 PM Social Hour/No Host Cocktails

7:00 PM Joint Legion/Auxiliary Banquet

8:30 AM Memorial Service

The Headquarters Hotel for the South Dakota American Legion Midwinter Conference will be the Ramkota Inn, located on Sioux Ave. in Pierre. Due to the South Dakota Legislature being in session during the timeframe of the conference, rooms at the Ramkota are hard to come by unless you have already made your reservations.

Additional lodging facilities in Pierre which may be considered by those wishing to attend the Midwinter Conference who do not yet have reservations would include the following:

Holiday Inn Express Super 8

110 E. Stanley 320 W. Sioux Ave.

Ft. Pierre, SD 57532 Pierre, SD 57501

605-223-9045      605-224-1617

Kelly Inn Comfort Inn

713 W. Sioux Ave. 410 W. Sioux Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501 Pierre, SD 57501

605-224-4140      605-224-0377 

Governor's Inn King's Inn

700 W. Sioux Ave. 220 S. Pierre St.

Pierre, SD 57501 Pierre, SD 57501

605-224-4200      605-224-5951

Days Inn Capitol Inn

520 W. Sioux Ave. 815 Wells Ave.

Pierre, SD 57501 Pierre, SD 57501

605-224-411      605-224-6387

Ironhorse Inn of Pierre Budget Host State Motel

205 W. Pleasant Dr. 640 N. Euclid

Pierre, SD 57501 Pierre, SD 57501

 605-224-5981     605-224-5896

January 1, 2003 is the deadline for submitting applications for educational loans from The South Dakota American Legion Educational Loan Fund. The program has two deadlines each year for the submission of applications; January 1 and July 1.

Loans in the amount of $1,500 are available for qualified applicants. The interest rate on these loans is 3%. Applicants can obtain a maximum of $3,000 from the loan fund, $1,500 at a time. Only one application is allowed per applicant, per year.

Loan applications can be obtained from State Headquarters in Watertown. Completed applications must be signed by the local Post Commander or other Post official and be submitted to The American Legion at State Headquarters, PO Box 67, Watertown, SD 57201.

As a reminder to all local Post officials who process membership dues.

State Headquarters receives a lot of telephone calls from members who are upset about receiving dues renewal notices from National Headquarters after they have already paid their membership dues. 99% of the time this is because the Post has not forwarded the dues to State Headquarters. If the Post would have forwarded the dues to State Headquarters in a timely manner, the member would not have received the renewal notification. Timely forwarding of membership dues, no matter how few you have collected, is extremely important to our membership. IF YOU ARE HOLDING MEMBERSHIP DUES FROM YOUR POST, YOU ARE NOT TAKING CARE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. YOU NEED TO PROCESS THEM AND FORWARD THEM TO STATE HEADQUARTERS.

After December 31, if dues have not been forwarded to State and National Headquarters, the individual member is delinquent. This means that it could impact on the member's continuous years which is printed on the membership card each year.

Governor Bill Janklow has announced that the U.S. Hwy 14-83 bridge between Pierre and Fort Pierre will be named the LCDR John Waldron Memorial Bridge as a way to permanently honor the Fort Pierre native and remind future generations of the sacrifices made by Waldron and other veterans. The dedication will take place at the bridge at 12 noon on December 30.

LCDR Waldron was leader of a torpedo bomber squadron based on the USS Hornet. Knowing they had no fighter protection and couldn't carry enough fuel to return to their aircraft carrier, he led 15 planes on an attack on the Japanese fleet at the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. Only one of the 30 men survived the attack. Midway was the turning point of WWII in the Pacific theater.

Department 2003 membership stands at 22,672, or 81.51 percent of goal.

The next National Membership Target date is Jan. 8, 2003 when the Department should be at 85 percent of goal. The Department has an additional Target Date of Dec. 31 for End of the Year membership awards.