Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 1 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y American Legion Post 637 June News Letter Dedicated to the men and woman that served in the United States Military. Their sacrifice maintained our nations safety and security. God bless all Veterans - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and may God continue to Bless the United States of America. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 2 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion NEWSLETTER AMERICAN LEGION POST 637 City Hall, 6360 Fountain Square Dr. in Citrus Heights www.Facebook.com/AmericanLegionPost637 F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Sylvia Thweatt - Commander COMMANDERS CORNER It ’ s hard to believe that we are about half- way thru the year already. Where did the time go? We had quite a crowd at the Sylvan Cemetery on Memorial Day. We were also very fortunate to have lots of community members along with the Boy Scouts and Post members to come and help to put up and take down the crosses and the small and large flags. I am one of those people that run “ what if ” scenarios in my head all the time. I am not happy, it takes me sometimes to darker places, but I am stuck with it. Well, surprisingly, this scenario never occurred to me. When you have an emer- gency, you call 911. As far as I know, the center that receives your call is the closest one to you. But what if someone else that doesn ’ t live in the same area as you is having an emergency. It could be a family member or a friend and in their state of panic or inability to think clearly, they called you instead. They are unable to follow simple commands so now it ’ s up to you to get help fast. You think Fire Department, but it ’ s a rec- orded message stating the office hours and to call 911 in case of emergency. Really? The first num- ber listed for the Sheriff ’ s Department, or the PD is the same useless recording. What about an ER of the local hospital? They cannot and will not call 911 for you. But they may give you a number for LE dispatcher. All this calling and explaining just took time that the person in distress may not have. If there is someone in your life that fits that description, prepare yourself now. Find out which law enforcement agency covers the area your per- son is living in. They will list non - emergency number and an emergency non 911 number. That is the number you need, because you will be talk- ing to a live person, not a recording. I would also suggest you start a conversation about purchasing a medical alert device. There are many different ones available. I hope this information was helpful. Stay safe and please reach out if you need ANY- THING. Sylvia Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 3 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y 2021 California Boys State with a Twist The 83 rd session of Boys State is almost upon us. Starting on June 19 th, all delegates will start their training, not at Sac State, but at their homes, virtually. The Delegates I chose were two very bright young men. First to be chosen was Elijah Jackson. A very well - spoken young Man with a GPA 3.6. After school, he wants to study law at Stanford University and eventually become a Judge. He plays soccer and volleyball. What really impressed me the most about him, was his Com- munity Service Projects: working with a veterinarian and helping to feed the homeless at a lo- cal soup kitchen, Gabriel Delucio has a GPA of 3.9 He is a good student and has taken Honors Calculus, science classes, honors physical Science and he loves math and science. He plays soccer and in his spare time, he plays the French Horn. When he goes to college (does not know which one he ’ ll choose in the future) he wants to study computer science and political history. Oh, did I tell you he works at ‘ In & Out ’ burgers part time? He is an ambitious young man. Damien Grey is another good student who was picked as our Alternate. His GPA 3.86. He has belonged to several sports clubs, P E, computer science and art are his interests, In the future, he wants to finish college with straight A ’ s, His job is to wait until the session starting time to see if anyone drops out so he can be elevated to Delegate level. The session ends on the evening of the 25 th of June, when the parents can celebrate with their Delegate sons how ever seems appreciate. Alex Candela 3rd Vice Commander Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 4 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Stephan Gall 1st Vice Commander 916 - 215 - 0685 F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Sick Call But doing well Back at the helm soon Go Navy! Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 5 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y “ The American dream lives — not only in the hearts and minds of our own countrymen but in the hearts and minds of millions of the world's peo- ple in both free and oppressed societies who look to us for leadership. As long as that dream lives, as long as we continue to defend it, Amer- i c a h a s a f u t u r e , a n d a l l m a n k i n d h a s r e a s o n t o h o p e ” Remarks at the Annual Washington Conference of the American Legion, 1983 Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 6 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Fees at national parks waived for veterans, Gold Star families have started. Starting in 2020, veterans and Gold Star families will be able to visit National Parks and other public lands for free, under a new initiative from the Department of the Interior announced on Wednesday, November 11. Active - duty service members and their families are al- ready granted free access to those sites under existing department rules. The new announcement broadens that benefit to more than 20 million more individuals in recognition of their service and sacrifice on behalf of the country. In a statement, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said the move gives all veterans “ free access to the iconic and treasured lands they fought to protect. ” The policy goes into effect starting on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Bernhardt and other federal officials made the an- nouncement during a ceremony at the Iowa Gold Star Museum, which focuses on the history of the state ’ s vet- erans and their families. “ Our veterans and Gold Star Families have made in- credible sacrifices to defend our freedoms and our homeland, ” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R - Iowa, said in a statement. “ Ensuring that they are able to enjoy all of the natural wonders of the country that they ’ ve served is one small way of saying thank you. ” The policy includes admittance to well - known sites like Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Mount Rush- more in South Dakota, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Interior officials did not provide cost estimates for the move, but said that the policy change will affect about 2,000 public locations across the country. Fees for the sites can range from a few dollars per person to nearly $100 for some weekly and annual passes. For free access to the sites, veterans will have to pre- sent a Department of Defense Identification Card, a Veteran Health Identification Card, a government - issued Veteran ID Card or a state - issued U.S. driver ’ s license or identification card confirming an individual ’ s status as a veteran. Gold Star family members can use similar Defense De- partment identification cards to verify their status. National parks officials already run promotions through- out the year to offer free admission to all visitors on cer- tain holidays, including Veterans Day. While most national parks sites have remained open or re - opened in recent months amid the ongoing corona- virus pandemic, some programs and facilities still have limited access. Parks officials encourage all visitors to check with local parks administrators before traveling to the sites to ensure safe visits. Bernhardt also announced Wednesday plans to waives entrance fees to national parks, wildlife refuges and oth- er public lands for all 5th grade students and their fami- lies from now until Aug. 31, 2021. The move was made because many families may not have been able to take advantage of the department ’ s Every Kid Outdoors An- nual 4th Grade Pass program because of pandemic pre- cautions earlier this year. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 7 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y The Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 (commonly known as the GI Bill) almost did- n ’ t happen. The battle came down to a deadlocked conference committee in June 1944 that was broken by one of history ’ s most dramatic efforts to get a bill signed into law. Former Illinois Gov. John Stelle, was appointed to lead the committee to distill all of The American Legion ’ s preferred benefits — including free college tuition, vocational training and $20 a week in unemployment pay for a maximum of 52 weeks — into a comprehensive bill containing 10 provisions. Past National Commander Harry W. Colmery of Kansas, in December of 1943, drafted the legislation by hand in a room of the Mayflower Hotel. Several modifications would be made before it reached Congress, but the Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 did not deviate from its 10 key provisions: college education, vocational training, readjustment pay, home and business loans, discharge review, adequate hospitalization, prompt settlement of disability claims, mustering - out pay, employment services and concentration of all these provisions under the Veterans Administration. On March 17, 1944, the measure unanimously passed in the Senate, but the House re- mained stalled until May 18. A conference committee was assembled to marry the Senate and House versions. The House conferees were deadlocked 3 - 3 with the tie - breaking vote, that of Rep. John Gibson, who was in rural Georgia recovering from an illness. The Legion got through to an operator in Atlanta who called Gibson ’ s home every five minutes until he answered at 11 p.m. The Legion, assisted by military and police escorts, then took Gibson on a 90 - mile high - speed trip through a rainstorm to the Jacksonville, Fla., airport where he was flown to Washington, arriving shortly after 6 a.m. He cast the vote to send the bill to the president ’ s desk and promised to make public the name of anyone who would vote against it, along with their reasons. The conference committee tie suddenly became unanimous in favor. On June 22, 1944, flanked by lawmakers and members of The American Legion special committee, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Servicemen ’ s Readjustment Act of 1944 into law. The GI Bill Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 8 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y There was an army of people. Young, old, kids and families - placing over 1,400 Cross ’ and Flags on the Veterans graves at Sylvan Ceme- tery. MANY HANDS MAKED LIGHT WORK. Normally we only have about 12 individuals. Today we had over 20! GREAT TURNOUT. Thank you to all those who came out and helping! Memorial Day 2021 Thanks to the Citrus Heights Police Department for once again helping to make Memorial Day the special day that it should be - Remembering all those that gave their lives defending and supporting our country. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 9 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 10 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y The Invasion of Normandy was the invasion by and establishment of Western Allied forces in Normandy, during Operation Overlord in 1944 during World War II. It was and is the largest amphibious invasion to ever take place. D - Day, the day of the initial assaults, was Tuesday 6 June 1944. Allied land forces that saw combat in Normandy on that day came from Canada, the Free French forces, the United King- dom, and the United States. In the weeks following the invasion, Polish forces also participated, as well as contingents from Belgium, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and the Netherlands. Most of the above countries also provided air and naval support, as did the Royal Australi- an Air Force, the Royal New Zealand Air Force, and the Royal Norwegian Navy. The Normandy invasion began with overnight parachute and glider landings, massive air attacks and naval bom- bardments. In the early morning, amphibious landings on five beaches codenamed Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword began and during the evening the remaining elements of the parachute divisions landed. Land forces used on D - Day deployed from bases along the south coast of Eng- land, the most important of these being Portsmouth. Invasion of Normandy June 6, 1944 Operation Overlord took months of planning and involved 1,527,000 soldiers in 47 Allied divisions along with 4,400 ships and landing craft, and 11,000 aircraft. The Germans had about 60 divisions spread along France and the Low Countries. American forces landed on two western beaches. By the end of the day 150,000 Allied soldiers and their accompanying vehicles had landed with 15,000 killed and wounded. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 11 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Dear Legionnaire, The United States has the most comprehensive system of assistance for Veterans of any nation in the world. As the U.S. entered World War I in 1917, Congress established a new system of Vet- eran ’ s benefits, including programs for disability compensation, insurance for service personnel and veterans, and vocational rehabilitation for the disabled. By the 1920s, three different federal agencies administered the various benefits: The Veterans Bu- reau, the Bureau of Pensions of the Interior Department, and the National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers. In 1921, the Legion ’ s efforts resulted in creation of the federal Veterans Bureau (which is now the Veterans Administration) as part of a legislative victory to consoli- date these three agencies. After persistent pressure from The American Legion, the Veterans Administration was created in 1930, solidifying the relationship between the Veteran ’ s organization, rep- resenting the stakeholders, and the federal agency whose responsibility is to ensure efficiency, quality, and timeliness of services for veterans. Over the decades, the VA ’ s role expanded beyond disability benefits and health care. It will take up many of the GI Bill ’ s provisions after June 1944, including education, home and business loans. In 1989, the Veterans Administration was elevated to Cabinet - level status as the De- partment of Veterans Affairs (VA) after supportive lobbying by The American Legion. The Legion fought hard for the change, arguing that veterans deserve representation at the highest levels of government. Today, the Legion continues to lobby for adequate funding to cover medical, disabil- ity, education and other benefits for veterans. These efforts are possible thanks to the commitment of our Legionnaires. As a member of The American Legion, you are helping to advocate for veterans and their families. Some of our legislative priorities include supporting the VA ’ s suicide prevention efforts, creating lifetime electronic health records, reclassifying cannabis for medical research, instituting gender - specific health care for women veterans, and funding programs to end veteran homelessness. American Legion – 100 years old and 2.5 million strong Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 12 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Vet Death Preps Update 01 ► What DoD Will Provide Upon Death Burial in a VA national cemetery -- Every eligible veteran who is entitled to burial in a national cemetery as long as space is available and the following conditions are met: Veter- an was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. Veteran was not subsequently convicted for offenses involving prohibited weapons of mass destruction, genocide and inter- national terrorism. With certain exceptions, service beginning after Sept. 7, 1980, as an en- listed person and service after Oct. 16, 1981, as an officer must have served for a mini - mum of 24 months or the full period for which the person was called to active duty. For a description of requirements refer to www.cem.va.gov Burial benefits in a VA national cemetery include the following: gravesite, headstone, marker or medallion, opening and closing of the grave, and perpetual care of the grave site. Many national cemeteries have columbaria or gravesites for cremated remains. Gravesites in national cemeteries cannot be reserved. Many national cemeteries are closed to new casket in- terments. Funeral directors or others making burial arrangements must apply at the time of death. Spouses and minor children of eligible veterans and of servicemembers may also be buried in a national cemetery. If a surviving spouse of an eligible veteran marries a nonveteran, and remarriage was terminated by death or divorce of the non - veteran, the spouse is subsequently eligible for burial in a national cemetery. Visit the National Cemetery Administration website at www.cem.va.gov for a listing of all national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries. Send questions on benefits eligibility to VA at public.inquiry@mail.va.gov. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 13 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Some June History June 6, 1944 - D - Day , the largest amphibious landing in history, began in the early - morning hours as Allied forces landed in Nor- mandy on the northern coast of France. Operation Overlord took months of planning and involved 1,527,000 soldiers in 47 Allied divisions along with 4,400 ships and landing craft, and 11,000 aircraft. The Germans had about 60 divisions spread along France and the Low Countries. American forces landed on two western beaches, Utah and Omaha, while British and Canadian troops landed farther east on Gold, Juno and Sword beaches. By the end of the day 150,000 Allied soldiers and their accompanying vehi- cles had landed with 15,000 killed and wounded. Birthday - American patriot Nathan Hale (1755 - 1776) was born in Coventry, Connecticut. During the American Revolution , he volunteered for a dangerous spy mission in Long Island and was captured by the British on the night of September 21, 1776. Brought before British General William Howe, Hale admitted he was an American officer. Howe ordered him to be hanged the fol- lowing morning. As Hale mounted the gallows he uttered, “ I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country." June 10, 1942 - In one of the most infamous single acts of World War II in Europe , all 172 men and boys over age 16 in the Czech village of Lidice were shot by Nazis in reprisal for the assassina- tion of SS leader Reinhard Heydrich. The women were deported to Ravensbrück concentration camp where most died. Ninety young children were sent to the concentration camp at Gneisenau, with some later taken to Nazi orphanages if they were German looking. The village was then completely leveled until not a trace re- mained. June 15, 1215 - King John set his seal to Magna Carta , the first charter of British liberties, guaranteeing basic rights that have since become the foundation of modern democracies around the world - and the foundation of the Constitution. June 18, 1983 - Dr. Sally Ride , a 32 - year - old physicist and pilot, became the first American woman in space, beginning a six - day mission aboard the space shuttle Challenger, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. June 20, 1782 - The U.S. Congress officially adopted the Great Seal of the United States of America. Birthday - American military hero and actor Audie Murphy (1924 - 1971) was born in Kingston, Texas. He was the most decorated American soldier of World War II, awarded 37 medals and decora- tions, including the Medal of Honor for single - handedly turning back a German infantry company by climbing on a burning U.S. tank destroyer and firing its .50 - cal. machine gun, killing 50 Ger- mans. He later became an actor in western and war movies and made 45 films including; The Red Badge of Cour- age (1951), Destry (1954), and To Hell and Back (1955), based on his autobiography. He died May 28, 1971, in a plane crash near Roanoke, Virginia. June 25, 1876 - General George A. Custer , leading 250 men, at- tacked an encampment of Sioux Indians near Little Bighorn River in Montana. Custer and his men were then attacked by 2000 - 4000 Indian braves. Only one scout and a single horse survived 'Custer's Last Stand' on the Little Bighorn Battlefield . News of the humiliat- ing defeat infuriated Americans and led to all out war. Within a year, the Sioux Indians were a broken and defeated nation. June 25, 1950 - The Korean War began as North Korean troops, led by Russian - built tanks, crossed the 38th parallel and launched a full scale invasion of South Korea. Five days later, U.S. ground forces entered the conflict, which lasted until July 27, 1953, when an armistice was signed at Panmunjom, formally dividing the country at the 38th parallel into North and South Korea. Birthday - British satirist George Orwell (1903 - 1950) was born at Montihari in Bengal (as Eric Arthur Blair). He is best known for two works of fiction Animal Farm (1944), and 1984 (1949). A good book to start reading. June 28, 1914 - Archduke Francis Ferdinand, Crown Prince of Austria and his wife were assassinated at Sarajevo, touching off a conflict between the Austro - Hungarian government and Serbia that escalated into World War I June 30, 1971 - The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was enacted, granting the right to vote in all federal, state and local elections to American citizens 18 years or older. The U.S. thus gained an additional 11 million voters. The minimum voting age in most states had been 21. Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 14 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Sacramento County Veterans Services Established in 1946 by the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors, Veterans Services is respon- sible for providing benefit entitlement determinations, claim development, claim filing, advocacy, and case management services to the veterans population of Sacramento County. DHA Veterans Services can assist you with the following: Service - Connected Disability Compensation Benefits Non Service - Connected Disability Pension Benefits Dependency Indemnity Compensation (DIC) Benefits Death Pension Benefits Aid & Attendance Entitlement VA Medical Care Eligibility & Access Vocational Rehabilitation Benefits California College Fee Waiver Program VA Life Insurance State Veterans Homes Requests for Military Records Discharge Upgrade Information Burial Benefits Other Ancillary Benefits & Programs - The office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. In Person: 2007 19th Street Sacramento CA 95818 Phone: 916 - 874 - 6811 or E - mail: DHA - VET@saccounty.net ( Information thanks to County Supervisor Sue Frost) Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 15 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y National home improvement retailer Lowe ’ s has expanded its everyday mili- tary discount program to include all honorably discharged veterans, as of May. The chain also has expanded the 10 percent discount to Lowe's online shop- ping, which will include free parcel shipping. It will provide for faster checkout and add the ability to use the discount at self - checkout in stores, said Lowe's spokeswoman Karen Cobb. But the procedure for getting the discount has changed: Active - duty service members, retirees and veterans must sign up online for the Lowe ’ s personal shopping card to qualify for the discount. This is not a credit card. Spouses and dependent children up to age 18 can also get the discount, alt- hough the online signup process doesn ’ t include an option for “ spouses ” or "children." "The discount is linked to a MyLowes account, which can be shared by a household, ” said Megan Lewis, a Lowe ’ s spokeswoman. “ Once the service mem- ber signs up for the discount program, it will be linked to a MyLowes card that can also be used by their spouse. ” Lowe ’ s has offered discounts to military members and veterans for more than a decade. Previously, the 10 percent discount at Lowe ’ s was available every day to active - duty service members, retired military and other veterans receiving VA benefits who showed their identification. For other honorably discharged vet- erans, the discount was limited to three days – Memorial Day, July 4 and Veterans Day. “ The verification process is designed to be a simplified one - time signup, ” Lewis said. “ Military and veteran customers can simply present their MyLowes card at checkout rather than show military credentials each time. ” Lowe ’ s Expands Military Discount Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 16 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y June 14 officially is the day we call Flag Day and celebrate our Grand Old Flag. June 1777 it first went up the flag pole to see how many would salute it. It was different then and it is still different today. Not to disparage flags from other countries but ..... our flag is unique while beautiful. When it fly ’ s it speaks. It say ’ s who we are and what we are about. You may mistakenly think that flag of Ireland might be Italy or maybe even Mexico. You might get confused about which way the Red, White and Blue goes on the French flag vs. the Russian flag or maybe your not sure which flag repre- sents Colombia and which is Venezuela. But I Believe that there isn ’ t a person in the world that doesn ’ t recognize the Red, White and the Blue of Old Glory. And more importantly what it stands for. When countries are being over run by the enemy – it ’ s the flag that they want to see coming over the hill and on the shoulder of a military force. When countries are hit by national disasters – ty- phoons, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis – that flag tells them that they have a chance. It ’ s the Ameri- can Military behind Our Flag that comes to the rescue. For our help we do not take land or natural resources. Unlike many other countries, we do not loot and plunder those that we are helping. Our flag says that and much, much more. On Memorial Day, I reminded everyone in attendance at our ceremony that “ heroes don ’ t wear a cape – they wear dog tags ”. Dog tags and they fly a very unique and beautiful flag. If you don ’ t own one – go out and buy one and fly it on June 14. And if it feels good – fly it every day. Jim Monteton Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 17 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Page 1 Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 18 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y Page 2 Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 19 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y “ The quality of a person's life is in direct propor- tion to their commitment to excellence, regard- less of their chosen field of endeavor. ” Vincent Lombardi Volume 10 Issue 6 - June 2021 Page 20 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion F O R G O D - F O R C O U N T R Y - A N D C O M M U N I T Y June Birthdays LOIS ASH LOUIS FONTAINE CARL FOULK MICHAEL GOMEZ LEE HALLSTROM ROBERT HAMER ROBERT HARRIS GREGORY HAWKINS DANIEL HOLLIS DENNIS KOHLMANN JASON LIEUALLEN PARIS MANNION LAWRENCE MARINE JOHN MICHEL ROBERT PENTINMAKI ROBERT PHILIP WILBUR ROPER SR JIMMY THENNIS RALPH THIEL MICHAEL TRAVIS ROBERT WOODGATE DENNIS WYATT