1 post script · jack moar director alr 176 american legion riders director jack moar on january 10...
TRANSCRIPT
1
COMMANDER’S CORNER
The Post is looking for two volunteers to join the Membership Committee under the guid-
ance of the 1st Vice. One position will focus on New Member recruiting which requires lots
of face to face interaction. The other recruiter will focus on Post 141 Transfers, (existing Le-
gion members not part of our Post) which involves managing a database to distribute
emails, invitation letters and some phone calls, most of which can be done from home.
Please consider joining our Outstanding Membership Team!
Post Script American Legion Springfield Post 176 6520 Amherst Avenue, Springfield, VA 22150
703-440-0336 Mar/Apr 2017
IMPORTANT DATES American Legion Va Spring Conference Virginia Beach Mar 10-12
Daylight Savings Time Mar 12 American Legion Birthday Mar 15—17
US Entry into WWI Apr 6 American Legion Auxiliary Birthday Apr 10
Easter Sunday Apr 16 TAX/Patriot Day Apr 17 St Patrick Day Mar 17
FROM THE DESK OF THE COMMANDER
As many of you are aware I have instituted a new section in the E-News pro-
duced by Theron Patrick, called, “Commander’s Call”. Well it is one of the most
successful endeavors of my tenure as your Commander. Each ‘Call” that has gone
out for volunteers has been answered with eagerness, promptness and clearly reflect some of
our finest volunteers in our Membership. On behalf of the entire Post, I would like to thank
all of you who have stepped up and answered a Commanders Call!
With regards to Post improvement, I thought it prudent to begin to tackle a very controver-
sial and much debated topic of smoking at the Post. I can proudly inform you that we have
established a Committee led by our very astute JAG, Geoff Phelps to tackle the smoke odor
issue within the Post.
A motion was passed during the Jan EXCOM mtg. to spend up to $30K on some abatement
equipment, cleaning or capital improvements. We are now in the process of getting esti-
mates for the initial work recommended by the Committee. I expect that there may be more
recommendations as we move to properly, and finally abate the smoke odor in the Post.
I know many of you are passionate on both sides of this debate. I proudly announce that
your EXCOM and leadership have embarked on properly abating the smoke and removing
years of odor and residue. We have begun the process to improve the air quality for all.
For God, Country and Family, Ed Amoros, Post 176 Commander
Boys State Interviews Mar 4 Page 5 /Boys State Jun 18—24 Page 5
Mothers Day/Car Show May 14 Pg. 7
POST & HANDICAPPED VETERANS NEED YOUR HELP PG 4
2
First Vice’s “Sight Picture” Dennis Madtes
This time of the year brings us to a slow time in Membership. Everyone should have re-
newed by January 31, 2017 for the 2017 membership year. Here is where we stand as of
mid-January. There were more than 300 online renewals this year. We have about 70 new mem-
bers to our Post. And about 650 existing members have renewed. That brings our current mem-
bership to about 1210, which does not include transfers. When I look online at the database which
includes transfer, as of this writing, Post 0176 has about 1460 members. About 100 Post 0176
members still need to renew. Renew online today at www.legion.org/renew and get your new card.
Your 2017 membership card will be valid until December 31, 2017.
Now we need to focus a bit on completing our annual report, the consolidated post report, Pillar 1
Veteran Affairs. This includes: Access to VA Care, Better Funding Formula, Support for Veterans
with Special Needs, Career Opportunities, A GI Bill for a New Century, Employment and Busi-
ness, Heroes to Hometowns, Volunteering Final Respects. If you have something you would like to
add to this report, please let me know.
God and Country Dennis W. Nadtes [email protected]
SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION (SAL) Commander Bryan Steele
I would like to thank the Post Manager Bob Eidsvoog and the House Committee, Stu, Mary ,Paul,
George and others for allowing us to host Tailgates and all the members of the Legion Family that at-
tend them which helps us raise money to help veterans and the community.
Spring is around the corner and the Riders will have plenty of events to choose from to support and
attend. There is the Washington Parade February 20th , the Honor flights start again in March and
Poker Runs and Charity Runs start in April . The busiest month is May with all the Memorial Day
related events.
If you ride a motorcycle and are looking for a great group of people, guys and gals, to ride with come
join us. We meet the first Monday of each month in the game room at 6PM at Post 176.
Check out our Facebook page American Legion Riders Post 176 Springfield VA.
Jack Moar Director ALR 176
AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS Director Jack Moar
On January 10 we held our January meeting. Gary Wotring, Squadron Adjutant, provided an update
that we are close to our 2017 membership goal, but to make it we will need your help. We need to
encourage current SAL members to renew and anyone who is eligible to join.
SAL hosted the January 15 tailgate party during the playoff game. This was a huge success and re-
sulted in the biggest sales to date for the social quarters also over $400 was raised for SAL. A good
time was had by all. Thanks to everyone who participated to make this event successful.
The annual Mother’s Day Car Show is scheduled for May 14, 2017. Please volunteer to help make
this another notable event for Post 176.
Upcoming Events:
March 14, 2017 — SAL meeting 7:30
April 11, 2017 — SAL meeting 7:30
May 9, 2017 —- SAL meeting 7:30
May 14, 2017 —- Mother’s Day Car Show
3
ADJUTANT’S CORNER Jon Taylor
Chaplain’s Thoughts and Prayers Michael Kempton
Chaplain Mike’s Corner
Spring is almost here and we honored the Four Chaplains of the USAT Dorchester in WWII in February. Easter is 16
April as we celebrate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus. We encourage families to attend an Easter Service.
On the cross… John 19:30 “It is finished.”
Appearing to the disciples… John 20:21 “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me I am sending you.”
The 4 Chaplains: Who Were They
The first Sunday in February is Four Chaplains Sunday ...on evening of February 2, 1943 the USAT
Dorchester was crowded to capacity carrying 902 US troops. The Dorchester was in a three ship
convoy moving across the waters from Newfoundland to Greenland. On February 3 at 12:55 AM a
periscope broke the chilly Atlantic waters and three torpedoes were fired one hit amidships, the
Dorchester sank in 20 minutes During those 20 minutes pandemonium broke out on the Dorches-
ter four chaplains brought hope in the middle of despair Lt. George Fox a Methodist minister Lt.
Alexander Goode a Jewish rabbi, and Lt John Washington Roman Catholic priest and Lt Clark Pol-
ing a Dutch reformed minister spread out to calm the frightened and wounded, they distributed
life jackets and when the life jackets were all gone they took off their own jackets and gave them to
the men. As the ship went down survivors nearby saw the four chaplains braced against the slant-
ing deck arm in arm praying and singing hymns until they were heard and seen no more. That day
672 men from the Dorchester died.
In 1944 the Distinguished Service Cross and Purple Heart were awarded posthumously to the chaplains next of kin and in 1961 Pres. Eisenhower awarded a Special Medal for Heroes.
Memorial Service
The Four Chaplains Memorial Service was held at American Legion Post 177, 3939 Oak Street, Fairfax VA 22030 at 10:30 AM February 5, 2016.
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY
Looking for a dose of daily hope read a chapter in Proverbs, read one chapter of every morning, it only takes 5 minutes!
Finally – New Front Doors In my column in the previous issue, I reiterated the door contractor’s promise to have the new front
doors installed by Christmas. The doors have to be fabricated since they are not standard size. The
contractor sub-contracted this step to another firm. That company gave all its employees two weeks
off for the holidays and closed their doors until January. I apologize for making you a promise that
was not kept. At this writing, we were told the doors will be delivered to the contractor this week.
Given their track record, I will not make any more promises, except to say I will keep pressing the
contractor until the job is done.
We want to thank our members who have been answering the call and donating toward
the cost of the doors. Your generosity has helped make this project a reality.
The smoking issue is being addressed by the Executive Committee. Their recommendations are be-
ing pursued by the General Manager, Bob Eidsvoog. Our building has three large separate HVAC
units on the roof, all of which are running on borrowed time. Bob is getting bids to repair or replace
all three units, with the specific purpose of getting the latest most effective air handling process that
draws the smoke up and out of the building. In concert with new and better air handling, glass doors
will be installed at the entrance to the lounge, which will be kept closed at all times. We will report
the progress on this project in the weekly News Blast and on our website.
See you at the post. Jon Taylor, Adjutant
4
Red Cross Blood Drives in Honor of Comrade Joe Finch
The next drive is on April 11 2017 (SECOND TUESDAY) 1:30-7:00pm.
Go to www.redcrossblood.org and in the search box put
Sponsor Code “AMERICANLEGION176VA”
Or call 1 800 RED CROSS (option 3) to speak with a real live person. Tell the person that you want
to donate at the American Legion in Springfield (sponsor code above) on the 9th. If you can’t make
an appointment please come anyway. We always have open spots because of cancellations. Post
Contact: Theron Patrick ([email protected]). American Legion Post 176 holds a blood drive
every two months as we have for more than 20 years. The schedule for 2017 year is:
June 13 August 8 October 10 December 12
TIMES: 1:30 PM to 7:00 PM
The front doors (FOUR DOORS) of Post 176 are currently not hand-
icapped accessible. Post 176 does have comrades who are handicapped and
when Post 176 hosts the Paralyzed Veterans of America (wheelchair ath-
letics) event in October the handicapped personnel need available access
to what Post 176 has available for them. Cost for adequate compliant
handicapped accessible doors is about $40,000.00. We have a matching con-
tribution up to $20,000.00 to match any monies donated. If you would
please send $50.00 or $1000.00 or whatever you can please help and your
monies will be matched and make the Post more readily accessible for all
personnel. Mark on your check ‘FOR HANDICAPPED ACCESSI-
BLE DOORS” and your contribution would be greatly appreciated.
Our handicapped veterans will thank you.
POST 176 NEEDS YOUR HELP
The Young Marines is a 501(c)3 non-profit youth education and service program for boys and girls, ag-
es 8 through completion of high school. The Young Marines strengthens the lives of America’s youth
by teaching the importance of self-confidence, academic achievement, honoring our veterans, good citi-
zenship, community service, and living a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. The Young Marines promotes the
mental, moral, and physical development of its members. The program focuses on character building
and leadership and promotes a lifestyle that is conducive to being productive members of society. The
Fairfax County Young Marines unit was started at the Springfield American Legion Post 176 in 2015.
Interest in the unit has grown and the unit finds itself in need of dedicated adult volunteers to help
run the unit.
Young Marines units are community-based programs lead by dedicated adult volunteers. Many of
these volunteers are former, retired, active duty, or reserve Marines who believe passionately that the
values they learned as Marines had a positive effect on them. Though many of our volunteers have pri-
or military experience, it is not required to become a volunteer with the Young Marines
Contact Santori Scott, [email protected] for more information about volunteering for this very im-
portant leadership. WE NEED YOU AND THE BOYS ALSO.
Volunteer Support Needed for Young Marines
JOE FINCH
BLOOD DRIVE ORIGINATOR
5
SECOND VICE HAPPENINGS - Robert Borka
BOYS STATE
The interviews for BOYS STATE are happening and we are excited to once again
sponsor high school Juniors for this worthy program. The trip happens in June, but
Marty Pfeifer is hard at work ensuring we assist the most youth possible. His efforts
in chairing this program are appreciated by the membership of our Post. In 2016,
the Post registered 16 boys and we hope to have at least that many in 2017.
It is hard to believe that baseball is coming. As football season winds down, the avid
baseball players are getting ready for another awesome year of American Legion
Baseball! In May, the team will meet and begin practices. We hope that Coach Vax
is able to have a championship year in 2017. We appreciate all of his efforts. The
American Legion Post 176 strongly supports American Legion Baseball and are hon-
ored to have Coach (and Post Member) Al Vaxmonsky as our coach.
Semper Fidelis, Robert Borka
Legion Auxiliary 176 - Stephanie Dabbe
I hope everyone had wonderful Christmas and New Year celebrations. Our February
regular meeting was held on February 7rdh at 7:30 PM in the Warriors Café. Our
March meeting will be held on March 7th at the same time and same place. The April
Meeting will be held on April 4, 2017.
Our dear friend Mable Sanderson passed away on December 22, 201+. I would like to
thank Maudie Price for conducting the Poppy Service for her. Also please keep
Marge Haralson and Hazel Babler in your prayers. Marge had surgery and is at
home recovering and Hazel had an accident and is on the mend,
If any member of Post 176 would like to suggest a qualified charity that our Auxiliary
should consider donating to, please let us know.
We would like to thank the Post for everything that they do to support our endeavors.
Stephanie Martin Dabbe President American Legion Auxiliary Unit 176
6
2016-2017 Post Officers
Commander: Edward Amoros
1st Vice: Dennis Madtes
2nd Vice: Robert “Bob” Borka
3rd Vice: Stu Bailey
Adjutant: Jon Taylor
Finance Officer: Ray Jechorek,
Chaplain: Michael Kempton
Sergeant-at-Arms: Dennis “Flap”
Fowler, [email protected]
Service Officer: Ali Nikolai
Judge Advocate: Geoffrey Phelps
Historian: Bob Loach, bob-
Members-at-Large: Floyd Kline,
Laura Wages, Joseph ‘Hoss” Byrnes
Young Marines: Santori Scott,
Sons of the American Legion
(SAL),Bryan Steele, bryanrid-
Auxiliary Unit 176: Stephanie
Dabbe [email protected]
American Legion Riders: Jack
Moar, [email protected],
General Manager: Bob Eidsvoog
Legion Shooting Sports: Robert Kam-
merzell, [email protected]
Membership Chairman: Steve
Miller, [email protected],
Bridge Club: Bonnie Norem,
703-750-2228 or 703 477-4496
POST 176
AMERICAN LEGION PILLER IV MEETING
18 MARCH 2018
CHILDREN AND YOUTH — PILLAR IV
A meeting will be held to formulate Post 176 support of the American legion objec-
tives on American Legion Pillar IV
The American Legion’s Children & Youth pillar includes positions on:
Child Pornography. The Legion opposes any attempts to weaken
U.S. laws governing production, sale and distribution of pornographic
materials.
Catastrophic Illness. The American Legion supports enacting legis-
lation to financially assist families facing catastrophic illness of a
child.
Intellectual Disabilities. The American Legion supports continuing
research, and early intervention efforts, to prevent intellectual disa-
bilities, including research on the development and function of the
nervous system, fetal treatments and gene therapy to correct abnor-
malities produced by defective genes, and early intervention pro-
grams with high-risk infants and children.
Immunization for Needy Children. The Legion urges federal
funding for state and local health agencies to ensure that indigent
children are afforded the opportunity to receive needed vaccines and
treatments.
Family Integrity. The Legion promotes the family as the corner-
stone of society and supports National Family Week in November.
The Legion further recognizes that the natural family is the funda-
mental unit, inscribed in human nature and centered on the volun-
tary union of a man and woman in a lifelong covenant of marriage.
Media Violence. The American Legion supports appropriate state
and federal legislation to restrict the excessive use of violence, vul-
garity and immoral expressions in movies, television programs, news,
video games and the Internet.
Drug Abuse. The American Legion fully supports adequate funding
for all border, state, federal and military drug-trafficking prevention
programs to keep illegal substances from reaching our nation’s young peo-
ple.
Child Sexual Exploitation. The American Legion supports appropriate
legislation aimed at the prevention, investigation and prosecution of child
sexual exploitation, and seeks to empower the public to take immediate and
direct action to enforce a zero-tolerance policy on the problem.
Anyone having experience is the above subjects are encouraged to attend.
This will be a presentation with open discussion meeting.
Concentration of the meeting will be on how better Post 176 can provide
services within Pillar IV through youth programs.
Presentation & Working Group — Info Paul 703-924-7115
7
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS POST 176
CIGAR NIGHTS ARE MONDAY AND THURSDAY
MAR 1 7:00 PM BRIDGE CLUB
2 6:30 –8:00 PM LEGION SHOOTING SPORTS
3 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES/
6 6:00 PM LEGION RIDERS
7 7:30 PM GENERAL MAMBERSHIP /AUXILIARY MEETINGS
10 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
10/12 ALL DAY AMERICAN LEGION SPRING CONFERENCE VIRGINIA BEACH
14 7:30 PM SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
15 7:00 PM BRIDGE CLUB
15—17 ALL DAY THE AMERICAN LEGION BIRTHDAY
17 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
18 1:00 PM PURPLE HEART CHAPTER 353
18 10:00 AM POST 176 AMERICAN LEGION PILLAR IV MEETING
21 7:30 PM EXCOM
24 6:30—8:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
31 6:30—8:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
APR 3 6:00 PM LEGION RIDERS
4 7:30 PM GENERAL MEMBERSHIP/AUXILIARY MEETINGS
5 7:00 PM BRIDGE CLUB
6 6:30—8:00 PM LEGIN SHOORING SPORTS — US ENTRY INTO WW I
7 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
10 ALL DAY AMERICAN LEGINO AUXILIARY BIRTHDAY 1919
11 1:30—7:00 PM BLOOD DRIVE
11 7:30 PM SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
14 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
15 1:00 PM PURPLE HEART CHAPTER 353
17 ALL DAY PATRIOT DAY/ TAX DAY/ ST PATRICK’S DAY SEE E-NEWS FOR FURTHER INFO
18 7:30 PM EXCOM
19 7:00 [M BRIDGE CLUB
20 6:30—8:00 PM LEGION SHOOTING SPORTS
21 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
28 6:00 PM YOUNG MARINES
MAY 14 10 AM—4 PM CRUSING COMPANY CAR SHOW AT POST 176 COOHIE DOWNS 703-608-2488
WARRIOR CAFÉ: MONDAY-SATURDAY 7:30 AM TO 2:30 PM SUNDAY 0800 AM - 2:30 PM
FRIDAY NIGHT DINNER 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
SOCIAL QUARTERS: MONDAY—THURSDAY 11:30 AM— 10:00 PM FRIDAY - SATURDAY 11:00 AM— 1:00 AM
SUNDAY 12:00 PM—9:00 PM
8
Post 176 Springfield
P.O. Box 689
Springfield, VA 22150
We ’ re on the Web!
www.post176.org
Social Quarters
Hours of Operation
Monday—Thursday
11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Friday - Saturday 11:30 am - 1:00 am
Sunday 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Warrior Cafe
Hours of Operation
Breakfast and Lunch
Monday - Saturday
0730am - 2:30 pm
Sunday
0800am - 2:30pm
Friday Night Dinner
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
For God and Country
CHANGE SERVICE
REQUESTED
MAR/APR 2017 POST SCRIPT
Publisher: Comrade Paul Kaeppel—Public Relations Committee Chairman, [email protected]
Editors: Comrades Edward Amoros, Jon Taylor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/legionpost176?ref=hl
Story ideas, suggestions or comments to improve our Post Scripts email us at [email protected]
NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
SPRINGFIELD, VA
PERMIT NO. 20
VE
TE
RA
NS
AF
FA
IRS
& R
EH
AB
ILIT
AT
ION
NA
TIO
NA
L S
EC
LU
RIT
Y
AM
ER
ICA
NIS
M
CH
ILD
RE
N &
YO
UT
H
FOUR PILLARS AMERICAN LEGION