Issued Bi-Weekly from State Headquarters at Watertown, SD 57201
Ron Boyd – Department Adjutant – Public Relations Officer
www.sdlegion.org Email sdlegion@dailypost.com
No. 2910 November 16, 2005
ENCLOSED FOR ADJUTANTS
Enclosed for all Adjutants is a copy of the Proceedings for the 87th Annual South Dakota American Legion Department Convention. Copies of the Proceedings are also enclosed for all members of the Department Administrative and Executive Committees.
TOWN HALL MEETING WITH SD CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
A large delegation of legionnaires and other veterans assembled in Sioux Falls on Saturday, November 12, 2005 at the DAV headquarters to witness a veteran’s town hall meeting with the members of the South Dakota Congressional Delegation.
Department Commander Phil Anderson and Department Adjutant Ron Boyd were members of the panel that directed questions relating to veterans issues to the Congressional Delegation.
U.S. Senator Tim Johnson, U.S. Senator John Thune and Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth were on hand to answer the questions concerning some of the very important issues that face our veterans.
VA CHRISTMAS PARTY SCHEDULE
Department Commander Anderson has announced the schedule for this year’s VA Christmas Party tour. The Christmas Party tour will start off on Saturday, December 3, 2005 at the SD State Veterans Home in the morning and in the early afternoon on the same day at the Hot Springs VA Medical Center. The next day, Sunday, December 4, 2005, the Christmas Party will be at the Domiciliary on the Hot Springs VA campus. On Monday, December 5, 2005, the Ft. Meade VA Medical Center will have their party. On Wednesday, December 7, 2005, the party will be at the Health and Human Services Agency in Yankton, SD. The Christmas Party tour will conclude with a party at the Sioux Falls VA Medical Center on Thursday, December 8, 2005.
VAVS COMMITTEE MEETS IN PIERRE, SD
The VAVS committee met for its annual meeting at Pierre Post #8 on Thursday, November 3, 2005. In attendance were VAVS Committee Chairman Clarence Blunck of Platte, Department Commander Phil Anderson of Piedmont, committee members LaVaun Holan of Chamberlain, Kenneth VanKekerix of Witten, Don Smith of Clear Lake, Ollie Redden of Pierre, Kerwin P. Douthit of Hot Springs, and VAVS Hospital Representatives Darwin Wahlert of Sioux Falls and Larry Rounsevell of Nemo (Ft. Meade VA). Also present were Department Adjutant Ron Boyd of Watertown and Department Service Officer Warren Aas of Watertown.
Chairman Blunck led a discussion covering several items of concern that included the annual funding for the holiday parties at the various facilities, special needs for each facility and also getting the recognition The American Legion deserves for their volunteer work.
Enclosed for all recipients of the Up To Now is a letter from Chairman Blunck as well as a letter from your American Legion VAVS Hospital Representatives.
HATS IN THE RING
Schmidt-Barnes American Legion Post #268 in Virgil has endorsed Gunner D. Baatrup for the office of Department Commander for the years of 2006-2007.
Bensley-Rounds American Legion Post #280 of Iroquois has endorsed David Owens Sr. for the office of Department Vice Commander for the Area comprised of Districts 2, 5 and 6.
PIERRE HOSTS THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING
The South Dakota American Legion Department Legislative Committee met for its annual meeting at Pierre Post #8 on Wednesday, November 2, 2005.
In attendance were Legislative Committee Chairman Gerald Goetzinger of Martin; Department Commander Phil Anderson of Piedmont, committee members Don Clarke of Wessington, Robert Miller of Kimball, Larry Madsen of Gettysburg and Curt Halverson of Rapid City (member of the Custer American Legion Post); Department Adjutant and Legislative Lobbyist Ron Boyd of Watertown, Department Judge Advocate and Legislative Lobbyist John Dewell of Pierre and Department Service Officer and Legislative Lobbyist Warren Aas of Watertown. Also in attendance were National Executive Committeeman Paul Evenson of Sioux Falls, PDC Earl Wilmarth of Kadoka, PDC Glenn Green of Pierre, PDC and President of the SD Association of T/CVSOs Wayne “Red” Vetter of Cresbard, Director of the SD Division of Veterans Affairs Dennis Foell of Pierre and Superintendent of the SD State Veterans Home Larry Wilcox of Hot Springs.
Deb Helmer, Director of the SD Department of Motor Vehicles, discussed a true veterans license plate for veterans in South Dakota that could be introduced into the legislature during this upcoming session. Director Helmer showed the committee a graphic of the design of the license plate which will have the word “VETERAN” at the bottom center of the plate (replacing the “Great Faces – Great Places” that is on the normal license plate). Department Adjutant Boyd stated that The American Legion had adopted a resolution at its 87th Annual Department Convention calling for a SD Veterans License Plate with The American Legion emblem on it. This continues to be an ongoing issue with more to follow in the future.
Dennis Foell, Director of the SD Division of Veterans Affairs, provided the members of the committee with an overview of the highlights within the Division of Veterans Affairs. Director Foell reported that the proposed budget for the Division has been submitted to the Governor’s office and that it was pretty much a flat line budget with proposed increases for travel to support service officer training, demobilization briefings and participation in The American Legion sponsored Veterans’ Benefits Forums. Director Foell also reported that to date they have processed 3,810 applications for the Veterans Bonus; the Sioux Falls Claims Office continues to see a 35-40% increase in VA claims and applications for VA educational benefits has seen an increase, specifically the OJT and Apprenticeship programs.
The committee decided that Adjutant Boyd, Judge Advocate Dewell and DSO Aas will be registered as lobbyists for the upcoming 2006 legislative session.
THANK YOU FROM NATIONAL VICE PRESIDENT KATHRYN YOUNG
Northwest Division National Vice President Kathryn Young of Herrick wishes to thank everyone in The American Legion Family for attending her Homecoming reception on Saturday, October 29, 2005 and making it a huge success.
ORATORICAL CONTEST OFFERS $18,000
The South Dakota American Legion will be sponsoring The American Legion High School Oratorical Contest again this year.
Competition commences at the local Post level, proceeds through District and Area levels of competition and culminates at the State level. The top contestant from each Area will compete in the State Finals which will be held in Chamberlain/Oacoma in February 2006. The specific date and time for the State Finals will be announced at a later date. Competition is open to all high school students in South Dakota.
Local Post contests are scheduled by the individual Posts and must be completed by January 8, 2006. District contests must be completed by January 22, 2006, and the Area contests must be completed by February 5, 2006.
Trophies and awards at the Post and District levels are the responsibility of the Post and District. Area winners will receive a $100 scholarship. The winners at the State level will receive a $1,000 scholarship for 1st place, $500 scholarship for 2nd place, $300 scholarship for 3rd place, and a $100 scholarship for 4th and 5th places.
The 1st place winner at the State level will move on to the National Finals in Indianapolis, IN, April 22-23, 2006. The 1st place winner at the National Finals will be awarded an $18,000 scholarship, 2nd place $16,000, and 3rd place $14,000.
For additional information, please contact State Headquarters at (605)886-3604.
MIDWINTER CONFERENCE
Mitchell American Legion Post #18 will be the host for the 2006 South Dakota American Legion MidWinter Conference which will be held at the Mitchell Holiday Inn, Friday – Sunday, January 20-22, 2006.
Department Commander Phil Anderson of Piedmont has announced that the format for this year’s conference will change back to the format used prior to 2005. The 2006 MidWinter Breakout Sessions will include some very interesting training and we encourage all Legionnaires to attend and participate.
The scheduled breakout sessions include a Post Service Officer Training Session, Historian Session, Resolution Session, Adjutant’s Session, Americanism Session and a Membership Session.
Saturday evening will feature the traditional Joint Legion/Auxiliary/SAL Banquet at 7:00 p.m. This year’s keynote speaker is national Vice Commander Sebastian “Seb” Roll from North Dakota.
Rooms are available at the Holiday Inn and reservations can be made by calling the Mitchell Holiday Inn at (605)996-6501 or (800)888-4702. The deadline for making reservations under the group block is January 4, 2006.
VETERANS DAY TARGET DATE
The cut-off date to be eligible for one of the service swords that will be given away on the Veterans Day Membership Target Date was Wednesday, November 16, 2005.
To qualify for these awards you must have done one of the following:
Paid your own dues for 2006.
Recruited a new or reinstated a member for 2006.
“Every Legionnaire who has paid his/her 2006 dues and those dues are in the hands of the Department Adjutant by November 16th” and “Every Legionnaire who has recruited a new member for 2006 or reinstated an old member who was not a member in 2005” will be entered into two separate drawings for a service sword.
The drawing for the service swords will be held sometime shortly after December 1, 2005. Please keep in mind that the lucky winner will have his/her branch of service on the sword and this process may delay the actual delivery date.
STATE HEADQUARTERS THANKSGIVING HOURS
The South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 24 and 25, 2005 because of the Thanksgiving Holiday.
This schedule follows the schedules of National Headquarters of The American Legion and the Codington County Courthouse, the latter facility being where the South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters is located. Everyone at the South Dakota American Legion State Headquarters wishes you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving.
MEMBERSHIP UPDATE
2006 membership stands at 20,001 or 76.89 percent of the Department’s 2006 National membership goal.