Issued By-Weekly from State Headquarters in Watertown, SD 57201

Ron Boyd, Department Adjutant, Public Relations Officer

Enclosed, to Post Adjutants, are the minutes of the State Legion Administrative and Executive Committee meetings held during the Midwinter Conference in Pierre. Copies of the minutes are also being sent to members of those committees.

As more and more members of the state's National Guard and Reserves are activated and deployed in support of this nation's war on terrorism and possibly in support of a war with Iraq, it is important that we get information concerning two very important American Legion programs out to these Guardsmen and women, Reservists and their families.

The two programs are The American Legion Family Support Network and the Temporary Financial Assistance program. Both of these programs are in place and operational to support our troops, active duty Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, as well as Guard and Reserve.

Enclosed everyone who receives this Up To Now, will find a copy of the brochures that outline these programs. Commander Lindemann strongly encourages each of us to make sure that the Guard and Reserves from our areas are aware of these programs. The Department has already met with some local Family Support Networks and passed out this information. You should do likewise in your communities. Call the local unit and ask to speak with the Family Support Coordinator. Explain who you are and what The American Legion can do for the families they leave behind. You may take membership recruiting materials with you to leave with the Unit, but remember, THIS IS NOT A RECRUITING MISSION.

If you need more copies of either, or both, brochures, call State Headquarters or you can duplicate them locally. If you would like assistance from the Department to conduct a briefing on the programs in your area, we're just a phone call away. If requesting additional copies of the brochures or assistance with a presentation, please allow as much lead time as possible. If you or your Post conduct a briefing for a Unit, please inform State Headquarters of the date, place and unit that was briefed so that we can keep records of which units we have provided briefings for.

We need your help to spread the word on these two programs as well as the Blue Star Banner program. GET INVOLVED!

SD American Legion District High School Oratory Contests are completed. The next phase of the competition will be the East River/West River or Semi-Finals section of the competition.

The winners from Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 14 will meet in Chamberlain on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at the Chamberlain High School for the East River contest. The contest will begin at 1:00 p.m. Contestants will be: District 1 Amanda Melham of Sioux Falls, District 2 Joshua Uecker of Madison, District 4 Kerry Konda of New Effington, District 5 Blain Lakner of Wessington, District 6 Victoria Janish of Kimball, District 7 Varsha Ramakrishnan of Burbank, and District 10 Kim Wager of Gettysburg.

The winners from Districts 8, 9, 11, 12, and 13 will meet in Rapid City on Sunday February 16, 2003 at Rapid City Post #22 starting at 1:00 p.m. for the West River contest. State Headquarters has been notified that the participants at this contest will represent Districts 8 and 12. The District 8 contestant will be Heather Haley of Colome. The District 12 contestant will be Chris Meyer of Sturgis.

The finals for the South Dakota American Legion High School Oratory Contest will be held in Pierre on Saturday, February 22, 2003. The site for the contest will be the Congregational Church at 123 N. Highland at 1:00 p.m.. The State Finals will feature the winner from East River against the winner from West River.

Those Districts that do not have a contestant listed above either reported that they did not have a contestant or have not reported a contestant to State Headquarters.

All Posts are reminded that the deadline for nominations to reach State Headquarters in Watertown is March 1, 2003.

Nomination forms for each Post Legionnaire of the Year in competition for District Legionnaire of the Year are to be submitted to the respective District Commander at least 15 days prior to the District's Spring Convention meeting.

Posts are reminded to select their Post Legionnaire of the Year at the regular February or March meeting if they have not yet been selected. With conventions beginning in early April, nominations should be on their way very soon.

Nomination forms can be found in the 2002-2003 Post Adjutant's Administrative and Awards Manual, between pages 6 and 7. (Three sheets of white paper contain the instructions, report form and a suggested worksheet/form to use for scoring the candidates during the selection process.

All Posts must pay particular attention to the eligibility criteria for this award. We have had too many instances lately of Posts nominating ineligible candidates for this award.

The 14^th Annual SD Vietnam Veterans Reunion will be held in Mitchell, Friday February 14th, and Sunday February16th at the Mitchell Holiday Inn, 1525 W. Havens, Mitchell, SD.

Registration cost is $40.00. Cost for Friday evening and Saturday only is $15.00, this reduced price does not include the Saturday banquet.

Special speakers are Ray Rauenhorst and James Talbot Lawrence.

The deadline for registration at a contract rate with the Mitchell Holiday Inn has already passed. For additional information, contact Lance Carson at (605) 996-8299 or (605) 996-3662 or mail to PO Box 355, Mitchell, SD 57301.

Tuesday, February 4^th was the final day for the introduction of new bills in the 78th Session of the South Dakota State Legislature. Legion lobbyists John Dewell of Pierre and Ron Boyd of Watertown continue to monitor those bills of interest to veterans and veteran's organizations. The bills consist of:

HB 1020: would allow certain mobility-impaired hunters and disabled hunters to hunt from a stationary motor vehicle. This bill has passed the House of Representatives and is currently waiting for hearings in the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.

HB 1024: will revise the dates of service which qualify an individual to be classified as a veteran under SD law. The law currently reflects an ending date of March 31, 1991 for the Gulf War. This bill will establish a new ending date of June 30, 2004. (Under SD law the ending date cannot be left open) - This bill has passed the House of Representatives (66-0) and is currently waiting for hearings in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

HB 1025: will provide additional protection for military discharge documents (DD 214) which are filed with the county register of deeds. These documents are currently public documents once filed, this bill will limit the person to whom those documents can be released. This bill has passed the House of Representatives (66-0) and is currently waiting for hearings in the Senate State Affairs Committee.

HB 1094: this bill requests an appropriation of $1,000,000 to fund real property tax refunds and relief for the low income elderly and disabled. This bill has passed the House of Representatives and received a Do Pass (8-0) from the Senate Appropriations Committee.

HB 1096: this bill would establish the South Dakota Volunteer Reserve (SDVR). The SDVR would be a group of civilian volunteers who would be available to respond to emergency situations in South Dakota. Preference will be given to veterans of military service who wish to serve in the voluntary reserve. This bill was deferred until the 41^st Legislative Day in the House State Affairs Committee  by a vote of 10-3 on February 3rd. Concern related to training and the cost of the program were cited as the primary reasons for the demise of this bill.

HB 1122: this bill would authorize no-cost hunting licenses for active duty service men and women in South Dakota. This bill was tabled in the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee and was then recalled by a vote of 53-17 on the House floor on February 5. On February 6, the committee removed it from the table and it received a vote of 44-22 on the House floor to strike the word not from the committee recommendation. The bill has new life now on the House floor.

HCR 1004: this concurrent resolution recognizes and honors the service and achievement of the South Dakota National Guard. Adopted by both the House and the Senate.

SB 57: provides for the temporary replacement of certain elected officials called for active duty in the armed forces. This bill enables counties and towns to temporarily replace members of many councils, boards and commissions with other citizens of the community during the absence of elected members due to activations. This bill passed the Senate 33-2 and is currently waiting hearings in the House Local Government Committee.

SB 66: establishes a homeless veterans initiative program within the Department of Veterans Affairs. This bill passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives, unanimously.

SCR 4: This concurrent resolution urges the President, the US Congress and the Secretary of Defense to provide the best medical care for servicemen, servicewomen, veterans and their families. This resolution was just introduced, the prime sponsor of the resolution has been contacted and reminded that since veterans, medical care is provided by the VA that the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs should also be listed in the resolution as one of the persons being urged to provide the best medical care.

SC 7: This Legislative Commemoration recognizes Krista Jankowski of Sioux Falls and Dan English of Sioux Falls on their achievements in being elected as Governors for the 2002 sessions of Girls State and Boys State and pays tribute to The American Legion and The American Legion Auxiliary for their sponsorship of the Boys State and Girls State programs.

The American Legion Legislative Reception for Legislators, Constitutional Officers and Legionnaires was held Tuesday, February 4th , starting at 5:30 p.m. at the Pierre Post #8 Log Cabin. Commander Lindemann declared the even a success and extends his personal thanks and the sincere thanks of Legionnaires from across the state of South Dakota to the Pierre Post for their continued support and efforts in making our Legislative Reception a success each year.

Clay Kiser Post #92 in Redfield has endorsed Larry Price for re-election to the office of Alternate National Executive Committeeman.

Harris-Dennis Post #151 in Mellette has endorsed Paul Norton for the office of District 5 Commander.

Membership for 2003 stands at 24,866, or 93.05 percent of goal. Thank you to all the Posts who worked so diligently to help Commander Lindemann surpass his pledge of 92.65 percent by the February 12 Big Twelve competition. With your hard work we are guaranteed $1,000 towards the purchase of technology equipment. If the one Department that outbid us, South Carolina, does not make its pledge, we would receive the 1^st place prize of $2,000.