NEWSLETTER November 2020.pdf - Thurman

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Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 1 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY American Legion Post 637 November 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. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 2 AMERICAN LEGION POST 637 City Hall, 6360 Fountain Square Dr. in Citrus Heights www.Facebook.com/AmericanLegionPost637 NEWSLETTER FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY COMMANDERS CORNER Sylvia Thweatt - Commander to see the County Supervisor Sue Frost, City coun- cilwoman Jeannie Bruins and Chief Ron Lawrence. I sincerely hope I did not forget anyone. I also want to thank all the people that showed up early that morn- ing to put up the American flags as well as take them down in the afternoon. We were done in no time. An email was sent out last week announcing general Post meeting via “Go ToMeeting” platform. I en- courage you to download the application on your I hope everyone is doing well. The cooler weather is computer or smart phone so you can join in. You definitely upon us and it seems like we skipped the can also call in at the beginning of the meeting and fall and dove directly into the wintertime. Unfortu- listen via your phone. I know some don’t feel com- nately like every year during this change, the driving fortable with the audio/video exposure, but you can takes a turn to worse. I had the misfortune to have to turn off your camera and your microphone and just drive on Friday during the first actual rain. I feel I listen. If you have a comment or a question, you can aged several years dealing with some incompetent use the chat option and type it in. So please join us and very distracted drivers. So many folks out there at the meeting on Tuesday, November 17, at 6 pm. just did not pay enough attention. The number of cars without their lights on was astounding. It is not Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, stay healthy and only the law in California to have your headlights on safe and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need any- when your wipers are on but it’s just common sense thing. to turn the lights on if there is low visibility. Be safe out there. Sylvia Thweatt We had a really nice turnout for the Veterans Day Celebration at the Sylvan Cemetery. Even though only 5 of us ended up marching, we still had the CHPD motorcycle escort and the Honor Guard lead- ing us. Jim Monteton took a break from being the Master of Ceremony this year, so Paul Reyes stepped up and did a great job. We were fortunate to have some distinguished guests to attend. It was nice Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 3 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Stephan Gall 1st Vice Commander 916-215-0685 Stand Up for Heroes Stand Up for Heroes (SUFH), New York’s highly anticipated night of hope, healing and laughter honoring our nation’s veterans and their families, is going virtual for the first time in its 14 year history, and will aired on ABC News Live, TikTok, Facebook, Cheddar, Twitch and Armed Forces Network on Wednesday, November 18th at 9:00 p.m. EST. The event will raise awareness and funds for the Bob Woodruff Foundation, whose mission to help veterans and military families thrive is especially vital as veterans face increased chal- lenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Stand Up for Heroes is presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival and is brought to you by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Veterans on Wall Street, led by Citi, HSBC Bank, and Wells Fargo, and supported by Vehicles for Veterans. Hosted by Jon Stewart, SUFH will feature performances by comedians and musicians includ- ing Nate Bargatze, Ronny Chieng, Sheryl Crow, Mickey Guyton, Tiffany Haddish, Brad Pais- ley, Patti Scialfa, Iliza Shlesinger, and Bruce Springsteen, with special guests including Jeannie Gaffigan, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, Ray Romano, and more. The event will also highlight inspiring moments, memorable surprises, and stories of resilience while recog- nizing the men and women who have served in our nation’s military. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 4 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY “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- ica has a future, and all mankind has reason to hope.” Remarks at the Annual Washington Conference of the American Legion, 1983 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 5 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Happy Veterans Day 1918 - 2020 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 6 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY David Page Finance Officer 916-801-8554 Why I / we serve Why have I served, and why do I continue to serve? Why have and who do Veterans place them- selves in harm’s way? I have been given the greatest gift that I believe a man can give to himself; I wake up in the morning (sometimes earlier than I would like), and I get to look in the mirror and respect the man that I see. Because I do something I believe in. It is not because I get to go to wars. No. A veteran is someone who has gone to war because his Nation tells him or her to. “The soldier above all others prays for peace, for it is the soldier who must suffer and bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” – Douglas MacArthur Why have Soldiers gone to Vietnam? Desert Storm? Operation ENDURING FREEDOM? Iraqi Free- dom? Because their Nation has ordered them to go. It is ingrained in every service member that we must follow orders, as long as they are legally, ethically, or morally correct. We are likewise ordered to NOT follow any orders that do not meet those criteria. We are all races, creeds, colors and faiths. Racism, sexism, homophobia and hate speech are all punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Also, we are apolitical. You may have noticed that there was recently an election. I do not serve one particular party or affiliation. When an officer is commissioned or promoted, they raise their right hand and swear an oath. They solemnly swear to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same. And what does the Constitution say? “We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are creat- ed equal…” THAT is what we are sworn to uphold and defend. Answering the call of Service to the Nation. Character formed by the experiences, and how we respond to them, and Dedication to a code of con- duct, standing for something greater than yourself. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 7 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Fees at national parks waived for veterans, Interior officials did not provide cost estimates for the move, but said that the policy change will affect about Gold Star families starting next month 2,000 public locations across the country. Fees for the sites can range from a few dollars per person to nearly Starting next month, veterans and Gold Star families $100 for some weekly and annual passes. will be able to visit National Parks and other public lands for free, under a new initiative from the Department of For free access to the sites, veterans will have to pre- the Interior announced on Wednesday, November 11. sent a Department of Defense Identification Card, a Active-duty service members and their families are al- Veteran Health Identification Card, a government-issued ready granted free access to those sites under existing Veteran ID Card or a state-issued U.S. driver’s license department rules. The new announcement broadens or identification card confirming an individual’s status as that benefit to more than 20 million more individuals in a veteran. recognition of their service and sacrifice on behalf of the country. Gold Star family members can use similar Defense De- partment identification cards to verify their status. In a statement, Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said National parks officials already run promotions through- the move gives all veterans “free access to the iconic out the year to offer free admission to all visitors on cer- and treasured lands they fought to protect.” The policy tain holidays, including Veterans Day. goes into effect starting on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. Bernhardt and other federal officials made the an- While most national parks sites have remained open or nouncement during a ceremony at the Iowa Gold Star re-opened in recent months amid the ongoing corona- Museum, which focuses on the history of the state ’s vet- virus pandemic, some programs and facilities still have erans and their families. limited access. Parks officials encourage all visitors to check with local parks administrators before traveling to “Our veterans and Gold Star Families have made in- the sites to ensure safe visits. credible sacrifices to defend our freedoms and our Bernhardt also announced Wednesday plans to waives homeland,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said in a entrance fees to national parks, wildlife refuges and oth- statement. “Ensuring that they are able to enjoy all of er public lands for all 5th grade students and their fami- the natural wonders of the country that they’ve served is lies from now until Aug. 31, 2021. The move was made one small way of saying thank you.” because many families may not have been able to take advantage of the department’s Every Kid Outdoors An- The policy includes admittance to well-known sites like nual 4th Grade Pass program because of pandemic pre- Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Mount Rush- cautions earlier this year. more in South Dakota, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 8 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY The GI Bill 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. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 9 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Patriots All I would like to share with you my presentation from the Veterans Day Celebration at the Sylvan Cemetery. I always look for a story to share about the bravery and patriotism of the veterans of the past and present. I find it hard to pick one or two stories because there are so many to choose from. I have been intrigued with two specific eras of American history. I am truly in awe of the con- viction, the sense of patriotism, the endurance and the willingness to sacrifice everything by these ordinary Americans. These are their stories. Did you know there were thousands of women and children present in military camps during the Revolutionary War? Most of the families were very poor and if left behind, they would never survive. So they packed up their kids and followed their husbands into the war. Many assumed that some of these women were of the looser kind but actually General Washington had strict rules against consorting with ‘bad’ women in contrast to the British, who hired women to ‘service’ the troops. The women become a vital part of the army which couldn’t fully function without them. They searched for and cooked food, sewed and laundered clothes, and nursed the wounded. They were also assigned battle chores like wiping down the cannons. Recognizing that the women were indispensable, the army paid them for their work and issued them rations, of course just a fraction of what the men received. Through the decades people passed on dramatic stories of women riding their horses through the night, wading through dangerous waters, skirting enemy lines and braving almost certain death in order to pass along crucial information to the Continental Army. And then there were the women who disguised themselves as men and fought right alongside their male brothers. It’s impossible to know how many there were, only few names are preserved in the military records, but their stories are lost. The most famous of the women who fought as men was Deborah Sampson. She secretly sewed a suit of men’s clothes, snuck into the woods to change out of her dress, and for all intents and purposes became a man. She enlisted in the army as Robert Shurtliff and went off to war. In her three years’ service, Deborah, or ‘Robert,’ was twice wounded but continued to volunteer for hazardous duty. Apparently tall and strong, the other soldiers called their beardless brother ‘Molly,’ but it never occurred to them that he could be a girl. Years later George Washington invited her to Congress, which then voted her a pension and some land in recognition of her military service. The battlefield was not the only place where the women were active. They fought in the cities as well. Worth mentioning was a Philadel- phia native Lydia Darragh, a local mortician. She used a vantage point from a window in her house to record British troop activities, then wrote them up in coded messages and hid them behind her son’s coat buttons. He would bring the messages to his big brother who was serving in Washington’s army. When the British officers took over Lydia’s house, she persuaded them to let her stay. One night she heard the enemy generals plotting a surprise attack on Washington’s camp, so Lydia tricked them into getting a pass out of the city, traveled on foot and delivered the information to the American army in time to prevent a disaster. During the Civil War, Union soldier known as Franklin Flint Thompson, was a woman by the name Sarah Emma Edmonds. She was one of the few females known to have served during the Civil War. Edmonds was born in Canada but escaped to Flint Michigan to get away from her abusive father and upcoming arranged marriage. It was there were she discovered that life was easier when she dressed as a man. Out of sense of duty to her new country, she enlisted in the 2nd Michigan Infantry as a male field nurse. As "Franklin Flint Thompson" Edmonds participated in several battles including Battles of Manassas and Antietam. As a field nurse she was dealing with mass casualties, especially at Antietam which is known as one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Allegedly, she also served as a Union spy and infiltrated the Confederate army several times, although except her memoires, there is no official record of it. But the story goes that her aliases included Southern sympathizer named Charles Mayberry, a black man named Cuff, for which she disguised herself using wigs and silver nitrate to dye her skin and Bridget O'Shea, an Irish peddler selling soap and apples. Unfortunately, Sarah contracted Malaria and knowing she would be discovered if she went to the hospital, she gave up her military career. She was classified as a deserter which prevented her from returning to the military when she got better. Nevertheless, she continued serv- ing her new country, now as a female nurse at a hospital for soldiers in Washington, D.C. Sarah Edmonds published her experiences in the bestselling "Nurse and Spy in the Union Army," and went on to marry and have three children. She was awarded an honorable discharge from the military and a government pension. At age 56, Edmonds was admitted into the Grand Army of the Republic, as its only female member. She died one year later at her home in La Porte, Texas. In 1901, she was re- buried with military honors at the Washington Cemetery in Houston. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 10 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 11 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Every year, Sylvan Cemetery in Citrus Heights hon- ors those that served in the defense of their coun- ty. We take time to salute the over 35 million men and women that have served in military service de- fending our country since 1775. The Veterans Day service was held on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, at Sylvan Cemetery, 7401 Au- burn Blvd., Citrus Heights at 11:00 am. We went for- ward with our Veterans Day ceremony at Sylvan Cemetery. We did a march through the cemetery, stopping to salute and say a prayer for the 1,400 Veterans that are buried here and doing a 1 HOUR ceremony in the gazebo. Tom Galovich, presented all the patriotic songs. The CHPD was there to serve as an honor guard. Salute to all of our Veterans today. I’m Honored to spend time with Veter- ans from the City of Citrus Heights and American Legion Post 637 with Post Commander Sylvia Thweatt at Sylvan Cemetery, today November 11, 2020. Citrus Heights PD was well represented with our Honor Guard and Motor Of- ficers escorting and posting the Colors. Thank you to our Veterans for pre- serving our Nation! Ron Lawrence, Police Chief – Citrus Heights Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 12 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY American Legion –100 years old and 2.5 million strong 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. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 13 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY 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 [email protected]. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 14 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Happy Birthday Marines History of the United States Marine and traditions took shape. During the Spanish– American War (1898), Marines would lead American Corps forces ashore in the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico, demonstrating their readiness for deployment. Between The history of the United States Marine Corps (USMC) 1900 and 1916, the Marine Corps continued its record begins with the founding of the Continental Marines on of participation in foreign expeditions, especially in the 10 November 1775 to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, Caribbean and Central and South America, which in- provide shipboard security and discipline enforcement, cluded Panama, Cuba, Veracruz, Haiti, Santo Domingo, and assist in landing forces. Its mission evolved with and Nicaragua. changing military doctrine and foreign policy of the United States. Owing to the availability of Marine forc- In World War I, battle-tested, veteran Marines served a es at sea, the United States Marine Corps has served in central role in the United States' entry into the conflict. nearly every conflict in United States history. It attained Between the world wars, the Marine Corps was headed prominence when its theories and practice of amphibi- by Major General John A. Lejeune, another popular ous warfare proved prescient, and ultimately formed a commandant. In World War II, the Marines played a cornerstone of the Pacific Theater of World War II. By central role in the Pacific War, participating in nearly the early 20th century, the Marine Corps would become every significant battle. The Corps also saw its peak one of the dominant theorists and practitioners of am- growth as it expanded from two brigades to two corps with six divisions, and five air wings with 132 squad- phibious warfare. Its ability to rapidly respond on short rons. During the battle for Iwo Jima, photographer Joe notice to expeditionary crises has made and continues to Rosenthal took the famous photo Raising of the Flag on make it an important tool for American foreign policy. Iwo Jima of five Marines and one Navy corpsman rais- In February 1776, the Continental Marines embarked on ing the American flag on Mount Suribachi. The Korean their maiden expedition. The Continental Marines were War (1950–1953) saw the 1st Provisional Marine Bri- gade holding the line at the Battle of Pusan Perimeter, disbanded at the end of the war, along with the Conti- where Marine helicopters (VMO-6 flying the HO3S1 nental Navy. In preparation for the Quasi-War with helicopter) made their combat debut. The Marines also France, Congress created the United States Navy and played an important role in the Vietnam War at battles the Marine Corps. The Marines' most famous action of such as Da Nang, Huế, and Khe Sanh. The Marines op- this period occurred in the First Barbary War (1801– erated in the northern I Corps regions of South Vietnam 1805) against the Barbary pirates. In the Mexican– and fought both a constant guerilla war against the Viet American War (1846–1848), the Marines made their Cong and an off and on conventional war against North famed assault on Chapultepec Palace, which overlooked Vietnamese Army regulars. Marines went to Beirut dur- Mexico City, their first major expeditionary venture. In ing the 1982 Lebanon War on 24 August. On 23 Octo- the 1850s, the Marines would see service in Panama, ber 1983, the Marine barracks in Beirut was bombed, and in Asia. The Marine Corps played only a minor role causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its during the Civil War (1861–1865); their most important history. Marines were also responsible for liberating task was blockade duty and other ship-board battles, but Kuwait during the Gulf War (1990–1991), as the Army were mobilized for a handful of operations as the war made an attack to the west directly into Iraq. The I Ma- progressed. The remainder of the 19th century would be rine Expeditionary Force had a strength of 92,990 mak- ing Operation Desert Storm the largest Marine Corps a period of declining strength and introspection about operation in history. the mission of the Marine Corps. Under Commandant Jacob Zeilin’s term (1864–1876), many Marine customs Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 15 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY The Tomb of Harding gave a speech and bestowed the Med- al of Honor and Distinguished Service Cross the Unknowns on the Unknown Soldier; other nations also bestowed their highest honors. On November 11, 1921, President Har- ding presided over the dedication of the Tomb The casket was then moved to the tomb, of the Unknowns, also commonly called the where a funeral service was read, and then of- Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which original- ficials and dignitaries laid wreaths and other ly honored fallen American servicemen from tributes. The funeral ended with the playing of World War I whose remains had not been iden- Taps and a 21-gun salute. tified. Congress approved the creation of the At the time of the burial, the tomb had memorial in March 1921. To ensure that the yet to be completed. The marble structure that identity of the American really was unknown, now stands was installed in 1932 and bears the the bodies of four unidentified WWI service- inscription “Here Rests in Honored Glory an men were disinterred from various French American Soldier Known but to God.” Un- cemeteries. They were placed in identical cas- known soldiers representing the fallen of kets and brought to Chalons-sur-Marne, World War II and the Korean War were laid to France, where Sgt. Edward F. Younger, a war rest at the monument in 1958. A soldier from hero, selected one of the four caskets at ran- the Vietnam War was interred at the monument dom during a ceremony at the city hall on Oc- in 1984, but through DNA testing the body tober 24. was positively identified in 1998 and returned to his family. The selected casket was placed on board the USS Olympia during another ceremony and sent to the United States, where it arrived on November 9. The casket was brought with Jim Monteton much dignity to the Capitol, where the casket Judge Advocate was put on public display on the 10th. An esti- mated 90,000 people came to pay their re- spects to the Unknown Soldier—so many that the rotunda was kept open until midnight to accommodate them all. On the morning of November 11, the newly declared Armistice Day holiday, the enormous funeral procession for the Unknown Solider proceeded from the Capitol to Arling- ton National Cemetery. During the funeral at Arlington’s Memorial Amphitheater, President Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 16 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY 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: [email protected] ( Information thanks to County Supervisor Sue Frost) Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 17 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Lowe’s Expands Military Discount National home improvement retailer Lowe’s has expanded its everyday military dis- count program to include all honorably discharged veterans, as of May. The chain also has expanded the 10 percent discount to Lowe's online shopping, 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, although 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 member signs up for the dis- count 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 dec- ade. Previously, the 10 percent discount at Lowe’s was available every day to active-duty ser- vice members, retired military and other veterans receiving VA benefits who showed their identification. For other honorably discharged veterans, 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.” Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 18 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Veteran Owned Business in our area Fritz & Company “Your Platinum Kohler Dealer” 5730 B Roseville Road Sacramento, CA 95842 Ph 916-344-0288 www.fritzgopower.com Email: [email protected] At Fritz & Company we believe quality KOHLER products, properly installed and applied in usage properly and maintained on a timely basis, will pay for themselves in peace of mind and reliable operation. Our Business is: About serving you. Your emergency power need IS our business. Our technicians are factory trained and certified. The technical aspects of generators and transfer switches are con- stantly evolving. It is important that we stay as current as possible with the new products that are unveiled several times each year! Who Are WE? Our co-owner, Bill Lane, also lead technician and sales manager, has been it the power generation industry for over 5 decades. A former Detroit Diesel Industrial Instructor and Field Service Engineer, Bill has been involved in the design stage, installation and maintenance phases of many of the emergency power systems that exist in Northern California, there are few systems that he is unknown to him. Owner and General Manager, Carol Lane heads up the parts and accounting departments, as well as being a factory certified technician. In August of 1994, we stepped into the world of being self-employed. Over the years we have developed a customer base of homeowners, radio and communication sites, businesses, ranches, special event centers, medical facilities, community service districts and county agencies across North-Eastern California, from Sacramento to the Sierra’s. We enjoy what we do, and most of that is helping educate people about the emergency generator systems that would be best suited to their needs. We provide onsite review of clients needs and work to stay within budgets. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 19 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Veterans Day The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month 1918 – an armistice, or tem- porary cessation of hostilities, was declared be- tween the Allied nations and Germany in the First World War. Since no one knew that there would be a sequel in 20 years, it was known as "the Great War" or the war to end all wars but didn’t have a number. Commemorated as Armistice Day begin- ning the following year, November 11th became a legal federal holiday in the United States in 1938. In the aftermath of World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day became Veterans Day, a holiday dedicated to American veterans. Unlike Memorial Day, it was not intended to just remember those that fell in battle. Instead it was a day to recognize all those men and women that have served over the course of 239 years of this nation’s existence. Whether the service was in war time or peace time or in foreign countries or at home, the Veteran would be recognized on this day. The veteran knows not what the situation will be when they sign the bottom line and raise their right hand and promise to support and defend the constitution. Peace time quickly can become war time. “The quality of a person's life is in di- rect proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their cho- sen field of endeavor.” Vincent Lombardi Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 20 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY In Memory of the fallen Post 637, Police Officer’s On the 21st day of each month, we ask that all of you That died take a moment to show your support by remembering those who were in the line of duty prisoners of war (POW) and those who are still miss- ing in action (MIA), as well as their families. The Chaplain’s Corner Barry Fitzgerald still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Chaplain Every time Jesus fed the hungry, He was 916-692-5140 saying, "I am the bread of life." Every time He healed a suffering person, He was saying, "It hurts Me to see you in pain." Every move He made, every miracle He performed, every word He spoke was for the purpose of reconciling a lost world to the OUR LOVING, COMPASSIONATE GOD loving, compassionate God. "I am the bread of life." John 6:35 HOPE FOR TODAY Jesus came to the world so we could God's Word is powerful; by it He spoke into know, once and for all, that God is con- existence all that was created. Yet, with cerned about the way we live, the way we be- our eternal destination at stake, He cared lieve, and the way we die. enough to come to earth, lay down His life, and conquer death so that we can have eter- God could have told us in other ways, nal life with Him. of course-and He had, throughout the pages of the Old Testament and in the lives of His John 1:12 "But to all who believed Him and people. By His written Word He declared His accepted Him, He gave the right to become love for us. children of God." But Jesus was the Living Word. By His Taken from the Billy Graham life, death, and resurrection, Jesus demon- book "Hope for each Day" strated God's love in a way we could never deny. Paul wrote, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 21 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY POST 637 POST OFFICER’S Sylvia Thweatt Commander David Paige Ron Myers 916-792-9669 Finance Officer Adjutant 916-801-8554 916-723-7324 Stephan Gall Maynard Johnson Alex Candela 1st Vice 2nd Vice 3rd Vice Commander Commander Commander 916-215-0685 916-824-2085 916-990-4895 Barry Fitzgerald Jim Monteton James Miranda Chaplain Historian Service Officer 916-692-5140 916-726-9390 530-919-5255 Vacant Stephany Sward Vacant Assist. Chaplain Sgt. at Arms Assist. 916-967-7266 Service Officer Richard Tkach Jim Monteton Vacant Assist. Sgt. at Arms JAG Officer Photographer 916-723-1932 916-726-9390 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 22 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY This month in History November 15, 1942 Battle of Guadalcanal was won by U.S. Fleet November 19, 1969 Apollo 12 lands on the Moon November 22, 1963 President John F. Kennedy, the youngest person to become a U.S. president, is assassinated in Dallas, Texas as his motorcade travelled through the city. November 26, 1941 Thanksgiving Day Established November 10, 1775 The United States Marine Corps was created. November 13, 1942 The minimum draft age was lowered from 21 to 18 November 19, 1863 Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address. November 30, 1782 The United Stated and Great Britain sign a peace treaty in Paris, formally ending the Revolutionary War. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 23 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY I am very proud to announce that earlier this week, Sacramento County approved an ordinance that provides FREE business licenses to Veterans. This was an effort that I have been pushing for since I took office last year, because I believe we should do whatever we can as a county to support and honor our local veterans. Our veterans have made enormous sacrifices, and this is a small way we can acknowledge their service. To be eligible for this fee waiver, an individual must be a Veteran of the armed services, who has been honorably discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions from any branch of the United States military. The Tax and License Collector may require documentation as proof of military service and honorable discharge or release status to verify applicant eligibility. For more information about business licensing, click the link below: http://www.finance.saccounty.net/Tax/Pages/BusLicFAQ.aspx Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 24 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP NEWS Ron Myers Adjutant 916-723-7324 Post Membership 637 As of November 12th, we have 186 members that have renewed. The 2021 year membership numbers are as follows: Source Goal 2021 Paid % as of Post 637 274** 186* 67.88% 11-12-2020 * This include New Member’s & Transfers ** Increase Change from 260 Dues for the new year 2021 is $45.00 which covered July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Dues for the year 2021, still $45 Mail checks to: David Paige - American Legion Post 637, P O Box 1, Citrus Heights, CA 95611 NEXT MEETING Tuesday November 17, 2020 6:00 pm This will be an ‘On-Line’ meeting https://www.gotomeet.me/maminka1/post-637-general-meeting You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (669) 224-3412 Access Code: 460-879-893 Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 25 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Advertising ……………………………. Guns N Stuff 5060 Roseville Rd North Highlands, CA 95660 916-334-3209 Veteran Owned DAVID PAIGE OWNER NOR CAL KITCHENS & BATH CABINETRY 11367 TRADE CENTER DR. #105 RANCHO CORDOVA, CA 95742 916-575-9777 www.norcalkb.com Did you know that our post is on Facebook? AmericanLegionpost637.com/ Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 26 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Advertising ……………………………. Reichert’s Funeral And Cremation Services Dignity Michael Moesch Community Outreach Memorial 7320 Auburn Blvd. Mesothelioma Guide: 1-888-572-9011 121 S. Orange Avenue | Suite 1450 | Orlando , FL Citrus Heights, CA 95610 32801 www.MesotheliomaGuide.com www.reichertsfuneral.com 916-729-2229 Fax: 916-722-9485 Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 27 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY 10/13 Navy Day 5/15 Armed Forces Day 11/10 USMC Day 5/22 National Maritime Day 11/11 Veterans Day/Tomb of the Unknowns 5/31 Memorial Day 12/7 Pearl Harbor Remembrance 6/6 D-Day 12/13 National Guard 6/14 Army Day/Flag Day 2/3 Four Chaplains Day 7/4 Independence Day 2/4 USO Birthday 8/4 Coast Guard Day 3/15 American Legion Birthday 8/7 Purple Heart Day 3/25 Medal of Honor Day 9/11 Patriot Day 3/29 National Vietnam War Veterans Day 9/17 POW May National Military Appreciation Month 9/18 Air Force Day 5/15 Peace Officers Memorial Day Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 28 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY A Little Navy Humor Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 29 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion For God and Country We associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and goodwill on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness. POST MEETING LOCATION Community Room, City Hall 6360 Fountain Square Dr. in Citrus Heights Meeting time is 6:30PM The following diagram may help you locate the exact location If you have information or an article you would like to add to the newsletter please send information to [email protected] Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion Volume 9 Issue 11 - November 2020 Page 30 FOR GOD - FOR COUNTRY - AND COMMUNITY Welcome Home Published Monthly By Post 637 Of The American Legion