State Commander Wayne "Red" Vetter of Cresbard, State Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown and the Area Membership Chairmen, G.D. "Hoot" Gibson of Sioux Falls, Leon Josephsen of Arlington, Gene Schumacher of Aberdeen, Ron Millage of Philip, and Guy Virkula of Lead completed the final three 2003 Fall District Conferences on Sunday, September 28 with District 7 in Avon. The final four District Conferences were all held subsequent to the last issue of the Up To Now. Those conferences were District 3 in Raymond on Thursday, September 25, District 1 in Garretson on Friday, September 26, District 2 in Lake Preston on Saturday, September 27 and District 7 in Avon on Sunday, September 28.

With the completion of the Fall District Conference schedule, some Legionnaires are already looking ahead to the Spring District Conventions. Although the dates have not yet been set, the sites have been determined. The 2004 Spring District Conventions will be held in the following places for each District:

• District 1 – Centerville
• District 2 – Flandreau
• District 3 – Watertown
• District 4 – Waubay
• District 5 – Brentford
• District 6 – Mitchell
• District 7 – Tripp
• District 8 – Gregory
• District 9 – Martin
• District 10 – Gettysburg
• District 11 – Lemmon
• District 12 – Piedmont
• District 13 – Rapid City Post 22
• District 14 – Mobridge

Post Adjutant’s are reminded that certification for awarding of the State Commander’s Special Membership Award, which is tied to the Veteran’s Day target date, must be received in State Headquarters on or before November 12, 2003. The Commander’s Special Award requires an adjutant’s certification on the green-colored form in the 2003-2004 Post Adjutant’s Administrative and Awards Manual (located between pages 2 and 3). The award will be made to all membership workers who have enrolled the following number of members based on the five goal-sized groups according to the goals shown below:

Post Goal Award requirements

15-74 5 – 2004 members

75-124 6 – 2004 members

125-199 10 – 2004 members

200-299 12 – 2004 members

300 and up 15 – 2004 members

In addition to the State Commander’s Special Award outlined above, there are other membership awards tied to the Veterans Day membership target date of November 12.

District Membership Chairman’s Award - A Legion belt buckle will go to each District Membership Chairman who has no "goose egg" Posts and has enrolled at least 75 percent of his/her District’s 2004 goal by the above target date.

Post Award - This award will go to the Post in each of the five goal-size groups listed above that has met its assigned 2004 membership goal and has the largest percentage of that goal submitted to State Headquarters by the above target date.

Post Commander’s Award - A specially designed cap will be awarded to the Post Commander of each Post that achieves 100 percent of its assigned 2004 membership goal and has that membership into State Headquarters by the above target date.

Veterans Day is rapidly approaching. This year, Veterans Day will fall on a Tuesday. Make sure that your Post and community have plans for this significant day by coordinating a meaningful program and ceremony in your area. The American Legion should not be waiting to be asked to participate in Veterans Day activities. The American Legion should be leading the way. We are after all, Veterans – Still Serving America.

The American Legion National Headquarters prepares a suggested speech for Veterans Day each year. As soon as the speech is available it can be requested in hard-copy from State Headquarters in Watertown, or it can be downloaded from The American Legion National Webpage at www.legion.org

The national organization has reported that the 2003 suggested speech for Veterans Day 2003 should be available for downloading from the internet no later than three weeks prior to Veterans Day.

Enclosed with this edition of the Up To Now, for all Post Commanders, is the annual request for donations to support the Veterans Holidays and Special Projects Fund at the VA Medical Centers and the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home.

Like last year, Posts, Auxiliary Units, and SAL Squadrons are being encouraged to send their donations to any of the three VA Medical Centers in South Dakota or to the Michael J. Fitzmaurice State Veterans Home. Help The American Legion make sure that our hospitalized veterans have a happy holiday season.

Also enclosed with this edition of the Up To Now, for all Post Commanders, is a letter from Donn Grandpre, State Employment Committee Chairman, which explains the Employer of the Year for Hiring Veterans and a nomination form. There are three award levels for this award: 1) Small – 50 or fewer employees, 2) Medium – 51-200 employees, and 3) Large – over 200 employees. The deadline for submitting nominations is November 15, 2003.

Seven South Dakotans are currently in Indianapolis attending various conferences, committees and commissions. State Commander Wayne Vetter of Cresbard and State Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown are attending the Annual Commanders’ and Adjutants’ Conference. NEC Paul Evenson of Renner is serving on the National Subcommittee on Committees and will subsequently attend the Fall NEC Meeting. Alt. NEC Larry Price of Redfield is chairing the National Americanism Subcommittee on Baseball and will also attend the Fall NEC Meeting. Gene Schumacher of Aberdeen is attending the National Economic Commission’s Fall Meeting. Department Historian, Charemon Dunham of Iroquois is attending the Fall Meeting on the Department Historians.

State Commander Wayne "Red" Vetter has announced the following appointments:

• Ron Tolrud of White has been appointed as a representative from The American Legion Department of South Dakota to the South Dakota State Veterans Council.
• Zach Kern of Groton has been appointed to a two-year term as a member of the South Dakota American Legion Employment Committee.

The correct method to file a change of address for membership in The American Legion is by reporting it to State Headquarters on a Member Data Form. Member Data Forms are available from State Headquarters. If you need some, just ask and we will provide them to your Post Adjutant.

Membership cards are processed with a bar code scanner at State Headquarters. There is a very good chance that if you write an address change or correction on the membership card prior to sending the card to State Headquarters, that the correction or change will be missed.

CONGRATULATIONS to the following Posts who have already attained 100 percent or better on their 2004 membership goal:

Allen Post #317, Badger Post #260, Batesland Post #281, Claremont Post #262, Colman Post #278, Mellette Post #151, Pukwana Post #201, Ramona Post #216, Rockham Post #57, Rosholt Post #48, Virgil Post #268 and Witten Post #167.

During the current visit to our National Headquarters, Commander Vetter and Adjutant Boyd have been advised, by good authority, that the cost of PUFL memberships will be increasing as of January 1, 2004.

The dues rate is not being increased. I repeat, the dues rate is not being increased. However, the formula for calculating the amount that must be paid for a PUFL membership is scheduled to increase. This is based on new actuarial tables used in the calculation process. The new tables are to be provided to Department Adjutants approximately November 1. We will make every attempt to have this information available to print in the November issue of the SD Legion News.

All Post Commanders and Adjutants should use every means available to get this information to their members.

2004 membership stands at 17,510 or 65.79 percent of goal.