Badger&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin” Official Publications of The

Wisconsin American Legion Family

“For God & Country”

www.wilegion.org

April 21, 2016Vol. 93, No. 4

Badger&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin”

aireThe mission of The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin is to provide service to veterans, their families and their communities.

The Madison Marriott West Hotel in Middleton is slated to host the 98th Annual Depart-ment Convention July 14-17. The Madison Marriott West has hosted a number of American Legion events, the most recent being the 2012 Convention. The hotel and surrounding area is a

popular destination with ample parking and features a number of popular restaurants including Sprecher’s. The Donald C. Sev-erson Post No. 501 of Madison and many Dane County Legion Family volunteers are proud to sponsor the convention and have planned a number of special ac-

(continued on Page 3)

Madison to Host 98th Annual Department ConventionNational Commander Dale Barnett and Walk for Veterans Headline Event

First Name__________________ Last Name _____________________________

Member ID Number __________________ District _________________________

AL Post # ________ Auxiliary Unit # ______ SAL Squadron # _________

Street Address _____________________________________________________

City ___________________________State_____________Zip _______________

Email _____________________________________________________________

Home Phone (__________ ) __________________________________________

Cell Phone (__________ ) ____________________________________________

ITEM QTY. AMOUNT TOTAL

Registration Fee ___________ $25.00 __________

Reg. Fee after July 11, 2016 ___________ $30.00 __________

Total Enclosed __________ Make check payable to The American Legion, Dept. of Wisconsin or enter credit card information below.

Cash Check Credit Card

Card Type__________________Card # __________________________________

Expiration Date ______________ Security Code _____________ Return to: The American Legion, Dept. of Wisconsin

Attn: Chris Schmidt • P.O. Box 388 • Portage, WI 53901

The American Legion Department of Wisconsin

REGISTRATION FORM

98th AnnualDepartment Convention

This is your registration form only, NOT your delegate form. Delegate forms are mailed to the post 30 days prior to Convention June 15, 2016 per the Constitution and Bylaws. It is advised however, to register and book your rooms prior to this date. Remember all Legionnaires are encouraged to attend the Department Convention, not just Delegates and Alternates. You can also register online at www.wilegion.org.

For Hotel accommodations at the Madison Marriott West call 888-745-2032 and ask for the WI American Legion Conference block. All reservations are on a fi rst come fi rst serve basis, the cost is $115.00, plus applicable tax, for a double occupancy. A list of alternate hotels is attached. This information can also be found at www.wilegion.org. The cutoff date for rooms is June 22, 2016 provided there are rooms still available.

Fairfi eld Inn & Suites-Middleton8212 Greenway Blvd. Middleton, WI 53562 • (608) 831-1400$99.00-King • $119.00-DoubleCut off 6/14/16Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites1109 Fourier Drive, Madison, WI 53719(608) 826-0500 • $124.95

2016 DEPARTMENT CONVENTION HOUSING Homewood Suites by Hilton479 Commerce Dr.Madison, WI 53719 • (608) 271-0600$119.00 Studio Suite$129.00 1 bedroom SuiteCut off 6/14/16Courtyard by Marriott2266 Deming WayMiddleton, WI 53562 (608) 203-0100$99.00-King w/sofa sleeperCut off 6/14/16Hampton Inn & Suites483 Commerce Dr.Madison, WI 53719 • (608) 271-0200$114.00 King room • $134.00 2 QueenCut off 6/14/16

Hilton Garden Inn1801 Deming Way Middleton, WI 53562 • (608) 831-2220$149.00 King • $149.00 2 QueensRoadstar Inn6900 Seybold Rd., Madison, WI 53719(608) 274-6900$70.00 King • $75.00 2 QueensResidence Inn by Marriott8400 Market St., Middleton, WI 53562(608) 662-1100$109.00 King Suite$119.00 1 Bdrm. QueenCountry Inn & Suites2212 Deming WayMiddleton, WI 53562 • (608) 831-6970$149.00

tivities to entertain visitors. One of this year’s most excit-

ing events will be the Walk for Veterans. Leading the Walk will be American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett of Georgia and Department Com-mander Dale Oatman of Antigo. “The purpose of this Walk is to raise public awareness about the crucial issues facing America’s veterans and their families,” said Commander Oatman. “An esti-mated 22 veterans a day commit suicide. Traumatic brain injuries have become a signature wound of the Global War on Terrorism and up to 20 percent of the men and women who served in Iraq or Afghanistan are believed to experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Veterans still have dif-fi culty receiving health care in a timely manner and many have been waiting years to have their disability claims resolved. We owe it to those who served our country to never forget their sac-

rifi ce and devotion. We are walk-ing for those who marched for us.”

The Walk will begin at 8:00AM on Saturday, July 16th. The length of the walk is approximately 1.3 miles and will start and end at the Madison Marriott West. The reg-istration fee is $ 20 and will in-clude a t-shirt. For more informa-tion about The American Legion Walk for Veterans or to register, please visit: www.wilegion.org or call (608) 745-1090.

Department Headquarters will establish a presence at the con-vention site on Wednesday, July 13th. Initial meetings that day will include the Wisconsin Amer-ican Legion Foundation Board of Directors. The various standing Department Committees will be-gin meetings at 7AM on Thurs-day, July 14th. The early starting times are necessary in order for the business of the sub-commit-tees to be completed in advance of the Department Executive

Committee meeting scheduled for 4 PM that same day.

The convention will begin in earnest on Friday, July 15th with District Caucuses at 7:30 AM and Opening Ceremonies at 9:00 AM. First time attendees will have a great opportunity to so-cialize and learn about the busi-ness of The American Legion fi rst-hand. Convention Commit-tee Meetings will take place at 2:00 PM and consider a number of Resolutions related to Legion business and veterans issues at the state and national levels. The ever popular “GNUTS” meeting will take place at 4:30 PM with a “TET” party to follow. Candi-dates for Department offi ces will be hosting Hospitality Suites at the Madison Marriott West later in the evening.

Saturday will be a busy day at convention with the election of Department offi cers beginning at 8:30 AM. The convention will

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District 5

89.84%

District 4

91.39%

District 8

91.89%

District 3

92.00%

District 2

92.29%

District 10

92.43%

District 7

92.68%

District 12

92.94%

District 6

93.19%

District 9

95.06%

District 1

95.41%

District 11

96.16%

2016 Membership Goal: 59,000 • April 14th Total: 55,422 – 93.94%

PAGE 2 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE APRIL 21, 2016

Publication ScheduleAll articles due to the Editor four weeks before publication date. Send all copy to

info@wilegion.org

“Badger Legionnaire”& “Wisconsin”

The Badger Legionnaire & Wisconsin are the offi cial publications of the Wisconsin

American Legion Family and are published ten times annually, once every fi ve weeks,

by The American Legion, Dept. of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 388, Portage, WI 53901.Periodicals Postage Paid at Portage, WI

and additional mailing offi ces.USPS ID Number 010-135

ISSN: 2154-2627Post Master: Send address changes to

Badger Legionnaire and Wisconsin,P.O. Box 388, Portage, WI 53901

“Badger Legionnaire”The American Legion,

Department of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 388 • Portage, WI 53901Phone: (608) 745-1090

E-mail: info@wilegion.orgDavid A. Kurtz, Executive Editor

2015-2016 Communications CommitteeKendel D. Feilen, ChairmanPhil Ingwell, Vice Chairman

Jim Young, DEC LiaisonGeoff ShieldsHarold RihnRory BurnsDan Osero

Gerald Brown, HistorianLoretta Shellman, Auxiliary LiaisonBonnie Dorniak, Auxiliary Liaison

2015-16 Department Offi cers

CommanderDale H. Oatman

Vice Commanders Dan Seehafer

Jeff PuddyEd Cooper

Jerome KroftaAdjutant

David A. KurtzSergeant-at ArmsJeremy NordieDave WischerService Offi cer

James FialkowskiNECman

Steve KruegerAlternate NECman

Ken Rynes

District Commanders 1st – Tom Strey 2nd – Jim Lee 3rd – Mary Lloyd 4th – Mark Sandow 5th – Ensley Brown 6th – Todd Braun 7th – Mark Lesko 8th – Jim Young 9th – Laurel Clewell 10th – John Miller 11th – Frank Kostka 12th – Chris Sower

Change of Address & Other Information:Subscribers: To report any upcoming changes of address, please ask your Post Adjutant to fi ll out a Membership Data Form and forward it to Wisconsin American Legion Headquarters. The change of address form that will be completed by the Post Adjutant should not be confused with the change of address card fi lled out at the Post Offi ce. Department fi nancial statements are available to Legionnaires in good standing upon written request through their District Commanders.

“Wisconsin”American Legion AuxiliaryDepartment of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 140 • Portage, WI 53901Bonnie Dorniak, Editor

Laura Calteux, Department PresidentBonnie Dorniak, Exec. Secretary/TreasurerTo change your address: Notify Unit Secretary

Unit Secretary: Notify DepartmentHeadquarters on a Member Data Form

The “Wisconsin” deadline for copy is 4 weeks before publication date.

DEPARTMENT COMMANDERFor most of

you, spring has sprung but the snow continues to fl y for the up-per half of Wis-consin. However, warmer weather is coming and

the white stuff will be history as we turn the page with longer days and more sunshine.

District Spring Conferences are in full swing and this is your op-portunity to adopt resolutions for Department consideration. Also, the odd numbered Districts will hold offi cer elections so get in-volved, energized and excited for our newly elected leaders.

Governor Walker will soon sign a law which protects funeral homes from liability for releasing abandoned veterans’ cremains to WDVA so proper burial with mili-tary rites can fi nally take place. At least 45 cremains have been found abandoned at funeral homes throughout the state, some of which have been in limbo for over

30 years. Among the Wisconsin Legion members who have helped make this possible are Steve Conto of Post No. 38 in Appleton, current Department Vice Commander Ed Cooper and Past Department Ser-vice Offi cer Tom Ludka. The sign-ing is tentatively scheduled to take place at Post No. 10 in Wausau at 1 PM on April 25th.

The rest of my article will be devoted to membership since we have fallen behind by over 2,000 Legionnaires from what we had last year at this time. Maybe we need to do something different with our recruiting so I am sharing some ideas from a fellow veteran in order to better respond to new membership prospects. We are all aware of the types of responses we get from prospective members. Statements like; I am too busy to join; I don’t have the money; too many arguments at the meetings and the meetings take too long; I don’t get anything out of it; I don’t need any VA help.

One of the best ways to respond is to let them know that they do

not need to attend the meetings or volunteer their assistance to play an important part. Let them know that their dues help maintain the many Legion programs that help veterans in need. Tell them that by becoming a part of The American Legion, they add to our impor-tance in the eyes of Congress be-cause the larger our membership numbers, the bigger our voice. You could also say that Legion mem-bership is an extension of your call to service and we can help our fel-low veterans with their extended service. You could mention the bond that is felt by joining other veterans and the fun and camara-derie of knowing members of the same branch of service or kid-ding others about their branch of service. I challenge you to keep it positive and remind prospec-tive members of the challenges all veterans had in maintaining our Democratic way of life.

The Department continues to work hard and encourages those currently serving in uniform to join our organization. I recently

took part in a Community Partner meeting with Wisconsin Adjutant General Donald Dunbar’s senior staff and Family Assistance Co-ordinators to make sure that Na-tional Guard soldiers and airmen know about all the services and programs we have to offer. De-partment Vice Commander Jerry Krofta will lead a recruiting team at a 2-day conference with the Wis-consin National Guard Association in Wisconsin Dells this month. In other important efforts, Past Department Commander Robert Shappell is organizing an Armed Forces Week event at Ft. McCoy on Saturday, May 21st and Past Department Commander Wayne Jensen is organizing the Legion’s support of the 3rd annual 128th Air Refueling Wing “Wingman Weekend Vendor Fair” at Mitch-ell International in Milwaukee on Saturday, June 4th. A big thank you goes out to those Legionnaires supporting these events. Remem-ber to keep supporting our Legion Family members campaigning for National Offi ces.

The State of Wisconsin has a proud tradi-tion of caring for our military veterans since after the Civil War. For the past more than

70 years, the Wisconsin Depart-ment of Veterans has taken the lead on providing the best pro-grams, benefi ts and services to our nation’s heroes.

All our work on the behalf of veterans is supported and greatly

enhanced by the efforts of the communities in which we work. Individuals, organizations, busi-nesses all contribute greatly to the mission of serving our veterans.

In April, all three Wisconsin Veterans Homes will recognize volunteers at their annual volun-teer recognition events.

As they do every year, a great many people have generously given thousands of hours of their personal time to be a part of the lives of our veterans, and for that I sincerely thank them.

For as long as there have been

veterans, there have been those in the community who support them. There are numerous indi-viduals and organizations that give of their time and resources to care for our veterans. Every single donation made by these people goes to a combined effort to provide the very best for our veterans and their families.

Our Veterans Homes are shin-ing examples of how our veter-ans benefi t from not only fi rst class healthcare, but also from the fruits of collaboration be-tween our agency and those who

volunteer to assist our veterans. Partnerships in other areas also

enhance our mission. Homeless-ness, joblessness and other needs are greatly impacted when we work together with our valuable partners.

I want to thank all those who have helped us in the past year in our mission of caring for our state’s veterans. Volunteers am-plify our ability to care for our heroes. Their caring and concern go a long way in supporting our veterans and the recognition for that is greatly deserved.

WDVA SECRETARY

John A. ScocosWDVA Secretary

Dale OatmanDepartment Commander

The 2016 Camp Ameri-can Legion season has of-fi cial begun. It is time for us to punch the clock and get to work. Many visitors to

Camp ask about the size of our operation and I always say that staff numbers nearly 100,000 strong. When they have a puz-zled look on their face I tell them we have our entire Wiscon-sin American Legion Family of Legionnaires, Auxiliary mem-bers and Sons of The American Legion supporting the “Help to Heal” Mission. While they take it with a smile, the fact is that it is true. The support of the entire

Legion Family is critical to our success this coming season.

It’s hard to believe but Korea & Vietnam Veterans Week, sched-uled for June 20-24 is only a few short months away. We have added Korean War Veterans who served in-county to this week of camaraderie and healing. Fol-lowing the success of the Viet-nam Veterans week the past two years, many Korean War veter-ans came forward and request an opportunity to participate. We are now making a special effort to reach out and invite them to attend this special week.

Korea & Vietnam Veterans Week is just one of the special veteran’s events at Camp this year. All totaled we will be conducting twenty-two special

“Help to Heal” programs in ad-dition to the general Camp sea-son. For a list of all the special activities, check out the January issue of the Badger Legionnaire or visit the Camp American Le-gion page at wilegion.org.

For all of us, supporting Camp is a labor of love and the volun-teers that come to here to Lake Tomahawk each year are truly special people. Camp American Legion volunteers are our most important and treasured as-set. Camp would not be able to function at the very high level of activity that we do without our volunteers dedicated service. For all of you Camp volunteers who read this – Thank you! I truly ap-preciate what you do. If you have never been to Camp, I invite you

to come and experience it. I also want to ask each of you, if you know of any vets - especially our younger veterans who might be looking for something to en-gage in, invite them to Camp. Volunteering could be it. I see and meet many younger veterans looking for something meaning-ful and fulfi lling to get involved in. Being a Camp American Legion volunteer could be that something. Do you know of any? If so, tell them about volunteer-ing at Camp.

So now it’s “go time”. It’s time to get to work and make the 2016 Camp season a success. Our job is to make a positive difference in the lives of so many of our fellow our veterans and their families.

CAMP DIRECTOR

Kevin MosheaCamp Director

2016 MILWAUKEE AMERICAN LEGION BAND CONCERTS AND PERFORMANCES Spring Concert

Sunday, May 22, 20163:00 PM

site to be announced milwaukeeamericanlegionband.com

Memorial Day ServicesSun., May 29, 2016 11:00 AM

Southern Wisconsin Veteran’sCemetery21731 Spring Street

Union Grove, WI 53182

Memorial Day ServicesMon., May 30, 2016 • 9:00 AM

Wood National Cemetery at the Milwaukee VA

5000 W National AvenueMilwaukee, WI 53295

Armed Forces’ Day ServicesSat., May 14, 2016

11:30 AMHarley-Davidson Museum

400 West Canal StreetMilwaukee, WI 53201

Americana ConcertWed., May 18, 2016

7:30 PMLuther Haven

8949 N 97th StMilwaukee, WI 53224

PAGE 3THE BADGER LEGIONNAIREAPRIL 21, 2016

ORATORICAL LETTER

Post Honors Milwaukee Police LieutenantOn March 15, 2015, four past

and present Commanders of Milwaukee Police Post No. 415 joined forces to present Milwaukee Police Lieutenant Charles Berard with a plaque to recognize his leadership of the Milwaukee Police Department Honor Guard for 32 years. Pic-tured are Fred Haas, Wayne Jen-sen, LT Charles Berard, Chuck Roessler and Kendel D. Feilen.

Since its inception in 1939, Milwaukee Police Post No. 415 was the offi cial honor guard for all City of Milwaukee civ-ic events. In 1984, Milwaukee Police Department Lieutenants Wayne Jensen and Charles Be-rard founded the Milwaukee Po-

lice Department Honor Guard. After that time, the two honor guards worked cooperatively and seamlessly giving tribute

2016 NATIONAL AMERICAN LEGION COLLEGE APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE

The National American Le-gion College is a combination of lectures, small group work-shops and practical exercises. Students will receive training in leadership, sales and market-ing, communication and fund-raising. Focus is on self-taught small group sessions under the supervision of graduate facili-tators, national staff members and national offi cers. Major emphasis is placed on core pro-grams, management techniques and the development of leader-ship skills necessary to increase visibility of programs, growth in membership and public awareness of The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion.

Selection RequirementsThe national organization is

looking for Legionnaires with

military service during the Lebanon/Grenada or subse-quent eligibility periods. How-ever, they will attempt to fi ll any unfi lled school seats with students from earlier eligibility periods.

The deadline for submitting applications is Wednesday, July 13, 2016. Contact Depart-ment Adjutant David A. Kurtz at (608) 745-1090 or adjutant@wilegion.org for an application and further information. The National American Legion College Selection Committee will review the applications and select the 50 best-qualifi ed attendees. Once the students are selected, the Internal Af-fairs staff will contact them di-rectly several weeks before the class begins regarding housing, transportation and all the mate-rials they will need.

at civic events such as Law En-forcement Memorial Day and at funerals where the fallen offi cer was also a military veteran.

Madison to Host 98th Annual Convention

reconvene at 9:00 AM and many prominent speakers are expected. Department award winners will also be recognized for their ac-complishments. The Past Com-manders Club of Wisconsin will hold a party in the evening.

The 98th Annual Department Convention will wind up on Sunday. The Memorial Service will begin at 8:00 AM in the convention hall. Following the installation of the newly-elected offi cers and the closing ceremo-nies, the Grand Prize winner of the Convention Sweepstakes

will be drawn. The grand prize is the winner’s choice of either $20,000 in cash or a new Ford from the Boucher Automotive Group. All in all it is anticipated to be a busy and exciting week-end in Madison.

More details and a comprehen-sive schedule will appear in the next edition of the Badger Le-gionnaire. Register for the event by using the Registration Form in this edition of the Badger Le-gionnaire or log on to www.wile-gion.org. Registration on-line is fast and easy.

(Continued from Page 1)

Rio American Legion Post No. 208 is very proud of Rio High School student Ashley Hagenow for her participation and success in The American Legion Oratorical Contest. Ashley placed fi rst in the Columbia County level and the 2nd District levels of Oratorical competition before moving to Regionals this past February. Ashley is pictured with Rio’s Post Commander Paul Bernander.

Rio Student Represents Post in Regional Oratorical

Competition

Dear Mr. Kurtz,

On a cold winter day back in January 2005, we took our oldest daughter Saamia to our lo-cal Post 42 to compete in the American Legion Oratorical Contest. That was the beginning of a journey, not just for Saamia but for our entire family, including our two younger daughters, Sumaia and Saafi a as well. Eleven years later this February, we made our last contest trip to Ripon with Saafi a, our youngest. Between the three, we have made a total of nine trips to Ripon with four state wins (Saafi a won twice).

All three of our daughters had the honor of representing Wisconsin at the Nationals in Indianapolis. What an amazing experience and journey this has been for our family! Our daughters have been involved in many other activities in their high school careers but for all three, they say that this has been their most notable and most rewarding experience. They have learned and grown so much! They grew up to be strong writers, confi dent and poised speakers and cultivated their love of the constitution and country. Not to forget, they also earned a lot of college scholarship money along the way.

Our family has made many friendships and connections and our children have received an unbelievable amount of support and encouragement over the years – all the way from post, county, and district to state and even national levels. Our local post, county and district friends have traveled hundreds of miles in cold winter weather to come and support our chil-dren at every level of contest. Jim and Germaine Hying have even traveled to Indianapolis every single time our daughters have competed at Nationals. Terry and Dee Woolf made sure that every detail was taken care of every time. There are so many people we have to thank and can think of but most of all, we thank you, the people who continue to make the Ameri-can Legion the strong organization it is. You have served the country in its time of need but didn’t stop there – you have continued to serve by building a better future for the country by investing in its youth.

Please share this with any and all you see fi t in the American Legion Department of Wis-consin family. Our daughters have been invited several times to deliver their speeches at the summer convention in July but since our family usually travels at that time, we have never managed to attend and thank everyone in person. Please thank everyone on behalf of our family and wish Saafi a good luck in Indianapolis in April.

Sincerely,Abulkhair and Fahmida Masoom

GULF WAR STUDY PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

The University of Wisconsin and the Middleton VAMC in Madison are conducting a Gulf Veterans Exercise Study on Pain. This is a US Department of Veter-ans Affairs funded research study. The research study group is cur-rently recruiting Veterans from the First Gulf War (1990-91).

Gulf Veterans with chronic mus-culoskeletal pain are encouraged to take part. MRI scans are per-formed as part of the study to as-sess brain function during a pain-ful heat stimulus. In addition to the MRI scans, participants may be asked to complete a 16-week weight training exercise pro-gram. Recruitment for the study will continue for the next year. This project has been approved by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Health Science Institu-tional Review Board and also the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital Research and

Development Committee. They are asking for patient vol-

unteers to participate in a 16-week exercise study, with follow-ups at 6 and 12 months, conducted at the Madison VA Medical Center and the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Volunteers for this study may be asked to take part in a 16-week weight-training program with a personal trainer.

Volunteers who successfully complete the study will receive up to $525 for their time and ef-fort and will be awarded a $300 membership to a gym in their lo-cal area. Volunteers will also be eligible for various fi tness equip-ment prizes.

Interested Gulf War veterans who wish to participate are en-couraged to call (608) 262-2457 and leave their name, phone num-ber and mention “Veteran’s Exer-cise Study on Pain”.

PAGE 4 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE APRIL 21, 2016

Department Sergeant at Arms Jeremy Nordie is a member of Post No. 354 in Ettrick in the 10th District. Jeremy’s eligibil-ity in The American Legion is a result of his service in the Unit-ed States Marine Corps during the Persian Gulf confl icts.

Jeremy has been married to his wife Laura for 25 years. Laura is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, as is his grown daughter Kath-leen. He also has a grown son, Michael. He and his family are active members of their church. Jeremy works for the US Postal Service as a rural mail carrier. One can easily say Jeremy lives by the principles and values of a “good American Citizen.”

Jeremy is an active member at his post and has been the

Candidate for Department

Sergeant at Arms

Jeremy Nordie

Trempealeau County Adjutant for fi ve years. He has been the 10th District Sergeant at Arms the past four years as well. He is also a charter member of the 10th District American Legion Riders. Jeremy is a regular face at all Department Conventions and Midwinter Conferences. He is also proud to have served on the Depart-ment Communications com-mittee for two years. He cur-rently serves as a Department Sergeant at Arms.

Having received endorse-ments by unanimous vote at his Post, Trempealeau County and the 10th District this “young” Legionnaire, Jeremy Nordie, seeks your support in being re-elected to the high offi ce of De-partment Sergeant at Arms.

Post No. 26 in Baraboo recently contributed $10,000 to help con-struct a memorial to recognize 21 Baraboo soldiers who survived a German U-Boat attack off the coast of Ireland in 1918. The sol-diers who survived the sinking of their ship, the USS Tuscania, are known as the “Baraboo 21.”

The ship left Hoboken, New Jer-sey on January 24, 1918 for Le Havre with nearly 2,400 Ameri-can troops and crewmembers on board. Shortly before 6PM on February 5th the ship was torpe-doed by a German U-boat. By 7PM all the lifeboats were low-ered but approximately 1,350 men remained on board. Ships escort-ing the convoy managed to assist in removing those who remained, despite the continued presence of U-boats. The ship fi nally sank at 10PM with 230 lives lost.

The “Baraboo 21” were part of the 32nd Red Arrow Division, which was being transported to the French front line. The Tus-cania was the fi rst ship carrying

American troops to be sunk and public opinion regarded it as an outrage.

Bill Crowley of Post No. 26 said it made sense to support the project because many post mem-bers knew the survivors. “We just decided we would make a major contribution to kick off the proj-

ect,” he said. “We feel pretty good about it.” Crowley said a memo-rial will provide a reminder of a tragedy that mustn’t be lost to history. “I think it will serve as an inspiration to the community,” he said.

The project’s cost is estimated at $70,000.

Post Supports Memorial to Honor “Baraboo 21”

61st Annual American Legion King Pilgrimage

Pictured here at the presentation are from left to right is; Legion member Roger Schluter; Baraboo High School teacher Lilly Hinz; Post Commander Sam Howard; Post Service Offi cer Jason Lane; Post No. 26 Building Corpo-ration President Bill Crowley

The 61st Annual American Le-gion King Day Pilgrimage, spon-sored by the 8th District, will be held on Sunday, June 19th at the Wisconsin Veterans Home in King, Wisconsin. American Le-gion, Legion Riders, Auxiliary and Sons of The American Legion members from across the state, as well as their guests, will visit King and participate in a picnic with members of the Veterans Home. The general public is also invited and encouraged to attend.

Musical entertainment will be provided from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM. A delicious charcoal broiled chicken dinner will be served by American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 161 with service to begin at 10:30 AM and continuing until sold out. Cost per meal is $8.00 for adults and $4.00 per child 12

and under. Meal tickets can be purchased on the day of the event. Immediately following lunch will be the traditional King Day pa-rade consisting of Legion Riders, District and Department offi cers, 40 et 8 Voiture Locomotives, the Marathon High School Drum & Bugle Corps, Color Guards, Hon-or Guards and Drill Teams. Fol-lowing the parade will be a formal program featuring Department Commander Dale Oatman.

“We hope you can join us and help make this a wonderful day for the members of the Wisconsin Veterans Home,” said Committee Chairman and 8th District Com-mander, James Young. “I’m hop-ing American Legion members will make a special effort to repre-sent their posts at the 61st Annual King Day and I encourage all Le-

gion Family and community mem-bers to join us for this spectacular day.” he added.

A table will be set up in the park where volunteers can receive as-signments to assist members of the Veterans Home to join the out-side festivities. “This is an excel-lent way to make a new friend and meet new people.” said Young. If you have any questions about the 61st annual American Legion Pil-grimage on Sunday, June 19th, please call James Young at (920) 450-5287.

If you wish to help sponsor the broiled chicken dinner please send a check made out to:

American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 161Attention Nancy NeurothN2710 Lind LaneWaupaca, WI 54981

WISCONSIN HOMEKINGAT

2016 OPEN HOUSESunday, May 15, 2016 | 10am - 3pm

N2665 County Road QQ | King, WI715.258.5586 | 888.458.5586

Open House will feature our magnifi cent location, facilities, physical resources and numerous activities to entertain all ages

Entertainment By the Charlie Justmann Band - 10am - 3pmKing Singers - 12pm

Free Rides On Clear Water Harbor’s “Chief Waupaca”10am, 11am, 12pm, 1pm and 2pm

Gift & Craft Shop Beautiful handmade items by members of the Veterans Home

Bake Sale, Food Stands, Veterans Cafe, Alley 5 BarOld Car Show and Vintage Military & Vehicle Display Mini Golf, Face Painting, Children’s Infl atable, Dizzy D. Clown, 4H, Uncle SamLots of games for kids

Tours Bus, Admissions, Dementia Unit in Ainsworth Hall and Medical Bureau

Veterans Service Organizations, Waupaca Area Chamber of Commerce, Alzheimer’s Assn., WDVA Outreach and many more organizations Learn about burial benefi ts

Ticket Booth for food and boat rides

To learn more about Wisconsin Verterans Home at King, please visit us at www.WisVets.com

PAGE 5THE BADGER LEGIONNAIREAPRIL 21, 2016

Keith Harville (left) and William Martin (right) recently received certifi cates as members in good standing with the Hanley-Ariss-Millin Post No. 5 in Patch Grove. Keith celebrates his 70th year and William his 50th.

Legionnaire Leon Braun was recognized for 71 years of membership in Post No. 26 in Baraboo. The ceremony was held on Leon’s 97th birthday party, March 14th. Leon has served Post Commander, Sauk County Commander as well as Post Service Offi cer. Congratulating Leon is Commander Sam Howard.

Vincent Duren was recently presented his 70 Year Membership Certifi cate from Post No. 491 Commander Leo Johnson and Past Commander Edward Hanko.

Also honored by Post No. 491 was Peter Milfred who received his 70 Year Membership Certifi cate from Post Commander Leo Johnson, Past Commander John Deitelhoff and Adjutant James Deitelhoff.

celebrates his 70th year and William his 50th.March 14th. Leon has served Post Commander, Sauk County Commander as well as Post Service Offi cer. Congratulating Leon is Commander Sam Howard.

OF MEM BERSHIP

O

P

70 YEARS

AMERICAN LEGI0N

By John A. ScocosThe Wisconsin Department of

Veterans Affairs has served our veterans with the best programs, benefi ts and services in the nation for the last more than 70 years. With the March 20 anniversary of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the de-partment is reminded of the ser-vice and sacrifi ce of a new gen-eration of veterans, many who use the same benefi ts of previous generations delivered in a mod-ern way. Veteran’s benefi ts come primarily from the federal and state governments and the best place to get information about these benefi ts is direct from the source, which is why the WDVA places a great emphasis on vet-eran engagement - reaching out to veterans and at the same time being accessible to them.

Much has changed in 70 years. Since World War II, we have transitioned from paper to digits; from copiers to faxes to digital scanners. In fact, the fi rst genera-tion to use their G.I. Bill of rights is nearly gone. Vietnam veterans make up the majority of the vet-erans population now, to be fol-lowed by yet another generation of warriors as time passes. While we look back at those eras with great respect and admiration for accomplishment, with younger generations come new ideas, new benefi ts and new ways to com-municate.

Veterans of the Global War on Terror are different than some previous generations. They think more globally. They are not al-ways returning to the same small town, city or farm from which they left for the military. They are more connected, however. They use technology to fi nd answers. Today’s veterans are the most educated, technologically savvy generation, in large part due to the way the military trains and prepares its members.

Recent veterans possess tre-mendous initiative. They prefer direct action, especially in regard to the programs they have earned through their service. They are more adept than ever before at navigating the system on their own behalf. Benefi ts are only a mouse click, phone call or email away in most cases. Going di-rectly to a source, whether state or federal, is now more possible than ever before.

We are actively engaging the community and at the same time receiving a high volume of inqui-ries from veterans and their fami-lies. For the fi scal year of 2015, our Veterans Benefi t Resource Center handled nearly 25,000 calls and fi elded more than 10,000 online chats - answering veterans’ inquiries on our entire range of benefi ts, federal benefi ts and referring in some cases to lo-cal services.

In fi scal year 2015, the United States Department of Veterans Af-fairs completed 43,670 Wiscon-sin claims for veterans. Of those, WDVA represented veterans in 22,143 claims. Of the groups that handle claims, WDVA, by far, handled the majority, having a great economic impact on our state. The impact of those benefi ts to veterans represented by WDVA was $33.2 million in 2015.

WDVA also runs three veter-ans cemeteries, one of which, the Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery is the 5th busiest veterans cemetery in the nation. As a department, to date in fi scal year 2016, we have already interred 1,024 veterans and their spouses and our Military Funeral Honors Team has coordinated 4,666 funerals.

We strive to ensure we reach every eligible veteran to ensure he or she has the tools they need to accomplish their post-military goals. We are both visible in the veteran community and acces-sible to those who reach out to us. That is why every veteran who calls us with question about what we can do for them gets through to someone who immediately starts working for them.

John Scocos is a Life Member of Post No. 501 in Madison and Secretary of the Wisconsin De-partment of Veterans Affairs.

WDVA and Veteran Engagement for the 21st Century

70 YEARS OF MEMBERSHIP

Veterans can now work di-rectly with VA to resolve debt collection issues resulting from inappropriate or delayed Choice Program billing. In step with MyVA’s efforts to modernize VA’s customer-focused, Veteran-centered services capabilities, a Community Care Call Center has been set up for Veterans experi-encing adverse credit reporting or debt collection resulting from inappropriately billed Choice Program claims. Veterans expe-riencing these problems can call 1-877-881-7618 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. ET for assistance.

“As a result of the Veterans Choice Program, community providers have seen thousands of Veterans. We continue to work to make the program more Veteran-friendly,” said Dr. David Shulkin, Under Secretary for Health. “There should be no bureaucratic burden that stands in the way of Veterans getting care.”

The new call center will work to resolve instances of improper Veteran billing and assist com-munity care medical providers with delayed payments. VA staff

Several veterans attending the local university have joined and are actively participating in ac-tivities of Post No. 121 in River Falls.

“These student veterans from UW-River Falls are an espe-cially welcome addition to our growing Legion membership,” says Post No. 121 Commander Jim Miller. “Their input and par-ticipation provides valuable in-sight into how we can help meet the needs of those who are cur-rently transitioning from mili-tary to civilian life. Plus, their values and love for our country

are also trained and ready to work with the medical providers to ex-punge adverse credit reporting on Veterans resulting from delayed payments to providers.

VA is urging Veterans to contin-ue working with their VA prima-ry care team to obtain necessary health care services regardless of adverse credit reporting or debt collection activity.

VA acknowledges that delayed payments and inappropriately billed claims are unacceptable and have caused stress for Veter-ans and providers alike. The new call center is the fi rst step in ad-dressing these issues. VA present-ed The Plan to Consolidate Com-munity Care in October of 2015 that outlines additional solutions to streamline processes and im-prove timely provider payment.

For more details about the Vet-erans Choice Program and VA’s progress, visit www.va.gov/opa/choiceact Veterans seeking to use the Veterans Choice Program can call1-866-606-8198 to fi nd out more about the program, confi rm their eligibility and schedule an appointment.

VA Working to Resolve “Veterans Choice” Debt Collection Issues

UW-River Falls student veterans attending a recent Post No. 121 meeting. Pictured here from left to right are; Austin Glad, Adam Sislo, Brooke Nelson, Eunice Hanratty, Kelsey Gilkison, Nicole Milkent, Todd Heichel and Alexander Huttner.

Student Veterans Embrace Post No. 121 in River Falls

are consistent with those of all other American Legion mem-bers.” In appreciation for the student veterans’ involvement and recognizing their limited fi nancial resources as students, the Post offers to pay for any student’s fi rst year’s dues.

Thanks to community-fo-cused activities and outreach, Post No. 121’s membership has now surpassed the 450 mark. Member enthusiasm and involvement allowed the Post to donate more than $26,000 to needy veterans and youth programs during 2015 alone.

PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE APRIL 21, 2016

The LastBugleBugle

4 AthensEdward Jannusch V 03/17/166 Stevens PointJack Cychosz K 09/05/15James Kiefer K 02/28/168 WaukeshaEugene Arrowood K 03/27/169 Wisconsin RapidsWarren Grove II 04/01/14Clifford Starr II 02/29/16Charles Wosick K 03/06/16F F Freiseis II 03/14/1611 Green BayDonald Bukoski II 02/14/16Robert Wilson K 03/28/16Clifford Corby II 04/05/16Russ Klimek II 03/30/1615 JuneauWalter Hart II 03/23/16Ron Kohrt V 04/01/1523 MilwaukeeCarroll Peterson II 03/18/1626 BarabooJohn Christian K 03/09/16Gustav Tessmer II 12/31/1528 ValdersKenton Busse II 04/03/1632 MenomonieDonald Goodrich K 03/18/1638 AppletonEarl Christensen II 03/11/16Clarence Wallace II 03/17/16Gerald Wahl K 03/22/16Leonard Spreeman K 03/30/16Orrin Erickson II 04/04/1641 KaukaunaFrank Giordana II 03/08/16Willard Keil II 03/18/1642 PlattevilleCraig Lee V 07/10/1544 WabenoRoger Oehlke V 03/17/1647 PortageDonald Henrich II 03/15/1653 Eau ClaireWilliam Blum 03/25/1654 Marshfi eldRoland Westerveld II 03/27/16Herbert Sorensen K 03/22/16Victor Reigel II 03/06/16Roy Hodsdon II 03/10/1655 HortonvilleRoyce Riedl K 03/11/1659 StoughtonKenneth Stelzer K 03/01/16Dale Haried K 03/06/16Donald Heiliger K 03/23/1663 ClintonvilleDavid Schroeder II 03/03/1667 Lake MillsRoy Metzker II 03/08/16William Dierksmeier II 03/25/1673 NeillsvilleWilburn Lowry V 03/12/16Frederick Kieser II 02/13/16Larry Genteman V 03/30/1674 OcontoGerald Morrell K 03/10/1675 Fond du LacHenry Mertes K 02/02/16Carl Lilge K 03/23/16John Hauer K 03/23/16Terry Morris V 03/25/16

77 Chippewa FallsMary Winchell II 02/28/16Alvin Buchberger II 03/05/16Clyde Pederson II 04/01/16Robert Pfi ffner II 03/30/1679 BurlingtonMarvin Dunham II 03/21/1680 New RichmondLuis Sanchez V 01/11/1684 MonroeEdward Hughes II 03/16/16Roy Zentner II 02/12/1687 Rice LakeHarold Riggs II 01/29/1691 OconomowocJames Schuster K 02/22/16William Stone K 01/15/1695 DelavanArthur Lazzeroni K 03/21/16109 LancasterMerrill Fritz K 03/21/16111 SomersetVernon Teske K 02/23/16118 ThorpAnton Penk K 04/05/16121 River FallsWayne Baird II 03/12/16Eugene Mulhollam K 03/21/16Carl Finstad K 03/22/16Douglas Johnson K 04/06/16124 New HolsteinWilliam Kestell V 12/06/15Charles Polster K 06/01/15Gordon Polster II 03/23/16Joseph Nennig K 03/21/16Lawrence Balthazor V 03/18/16Orville Greuel II 03/03/16Charles Burg II 01/23/16Jerome Wink K 12/08/15Bruce Miller K 02/01/16125 ChiltonArthur Pohland II 03/10/16130 SharonJay Johnson K 01/20/16142 BlanchardvilleOscar Vamstad K 02/29/16149 Sheboygan FallsMerrill Loose II 03/09/16153 PittsvilleTony Jaromin II 02/23/16Dean Emanuel II 02/28/16154 MondoviAndrew Yealey K 03/24/16Donald Schultz II 03/26/16161 KingGary Dumas V 169 AmeryGeorge Griffen II 03/15/16170 Mineral PointWilliam Dyke K 03/10/16171 Union GroveKenneth Maki V 03/23/16Vermont Hansen V 03/26/16180 MilwaukeeDennis Stachura V 03/02/16August Ostrowski K 03/21/16181 DurandJames Miles II 03/11/16Duane Meixner K 03/13/16184 FennimoreJohn Crowley V 04/07/16Ivan Johnson K 03/03/16Robert Moon II 01/26/16187 Wisconsin DellsCharles Brandt K 03/13/14Harlan Cone V 03/13/14Audrey Fisher K 09/08/15Joseph Kleifgen II 02/17/14Richard Preissel K 09/22/15Robert Ragan K 10/03/15Kenton Roberts II John Shanks K 10/30/15Donald Vandersande II 12/13/15188 East TroyJames Hough K 03/05/16James Voss K 03/26/16192 FranklinCarl Hanson II 03/20/15

200 Black River FallsGary Anderson 03/14/16201 TomahJerry Keene K 03/21/16205 JanesvilleJames LeMay K 03/31/16207 ElmwoodRobert Bemis K 02/27/16Richard Baier K 03/04/16210 WaupunLaurel Kramer II 03/20/16212 BarronMerlin Molberg II 02/19/16216 LodiLarry Hillestad V 03/22/16220 Soldiers GroveRobert Torgerson K 04/06/16227 Spring ValleyElmer Miller II 07/16/15253 Spring GreenKenneth Smith II 03/14/16258 Little ChuteRobert McCrory II 03/21/16Darwin Daniels II 04/07/16261 GreenbushJames Gaffney K 02/28/16263 New LondonDonald Dey K 04/05/16271 PoynetteWaldo Ohnesorge II 03/14/16274 Rib LakeJohn Klimeck II 03/04/16277 NecedahDonald Swinehart K 01/12/16278 Balsam LakeCarl Holmgren V 03/06/16280 ColemanKenneth Boehmke II 04/02/16288 CedarburgJohn Paulin II 03/07/16294 HartlandBruce Pfeiffer II 02/27/16301 WoodvilleRichard Torgerson V 03/06/16306 Green LakeFrancis Ptacek II 03/22/16309 KendallDavid Gammon K 10/11/15317 WautomaCharles Teske V 03/05/16William Lapp V 03/07/16324 OsseoElwood Forde K 03/29/16Ralph Oftedahl II 04/05/16337 PulaskiRobert Banasznski K 04/01/16350 ReedsburgDavid Klitzke V 03/12/16351 MontelloGlenn Scott V 03/27/16Lloyd Rueb K 03/24/16Thomas Schwenn V 03/25/16360 WaunakeeEverett Hamre K 02/27/16367 MiltonPatrick O’Connor K 03/08/16377 ElchoWarren Johnson II 03/14/16386 CascadeRoger Madden II 03/03/16392 CecilKeith Nelson V 03/17/16399 OkaucheeLionel Dufenhorst P 03/07/16Raymond Miner K 12/21/15Ralph Nelson K 01/26/16Michael Brooks K 11/11/15Ferdinand Meyer II 11/16/15Leslie Lemberger II 09/25/15John Susek K 10/31/15401 CambriaGordon Evans K 03/05/16406 MilwaukeeWilliam Polley II 02/04/16Robert Pittelkow II 03/26/16413 CrivitzArthur Pett K 12/20/14Del Engles V 03/19/16

416 GreendaleFrank Scanlon II 02/04/16Leonard Glowacki K 03/11/16Ronald Kerlin V 03/28/16417 LaCrosseJohn Revels K 03/05/16423 NeshkoroWilmar Gohlke K 02/29/16431 Three LakesEinar Syvertsen K 03/14/16Richard Malensek K 03/24/16432 HammondMichael Mikla V 02/05/16433 BarneveldRaymond Lease II 03/14/16434 Oak CreekJames Roach II 03/10/16436 WrightstownAloysious Decleene K 03/10/16Dennis Borg V 03/12/16437 MazomanieMichael Borman II 03/19/16Lowell Holcomb V 01/09/16442 Wisconsin RapidsWayne Molitor K 02/09/16449 Brookfi eldEugene Cave II 02/28/16Charles Deisinger II 03/04/16George Lawrence V 12/16/15454 Mt CalvaryDaniel Kraus V 03/14/16Jerome Diederichs K 03/09/16Wilfred Abler K 03/30/16455 MilwaukeeRudolph Martin K 03/16/16

Aladdin Harvey II 03/24/16457 MequonPaul Emmons II 09/18/15473 PotosiRoger Cammack K 04/03/16483 AllentonFrancis Nenning II 03/07/16501 MadisonChuck Blucher V 03/03/16William Cronkrite K 11/18/15Willard Sprague K 04/04/16517 DorchesterBob Surman K 02/04/13518 Green BayDolores Clover K 03/20/16519 StetsonvilleJack Patterson G/L 03/14/16Jerry Hoffman K 09/29/15521 Fox LakeElsmer Zimmerman K 03/17/16532 Fifi eldDean Edwardson V 03/15/16534 McFarlandFrederick Amlie II 03/28/16John Goddard V 03/28/16537 MilwaukeeAdam Popp PG 03/05/16Norman Dye II 03/05/16543 PloverPeter Lutz V 01/21/16547 LublinGilbert Cardinal K 03/15/162930 PortageDonald Hall 12/12/14

A WORD ABOUT LEGIONNAIRE INSURANCE TRUST

The Legionnaire Insurance Trust (LIT) was formed in 1966 with two primary goals: to provide Legion families with low-cost insurance protection, and to provide a source of revenue to participating Legion Departments.

The Trust has been so successful in its over forty-five years that today over 500,000 Legionnaires in 49 participating Departments are enrolled in this unique program.

Also, in the same period of time, almost $1 billion dollars in claim benefits have been paid to Legionnaires and their families through the LIT; and over $71 million in allocations have been paid to participating Legion Departments.

The first Trust insurance plan to be offered was the Hospital Income Protection plan, a program designed to pay fixed dollar amounts for periods of hospital confinement. Over the years, other insurance coverage offered included: Cancer, Accidental Death, Travel Accident, Critical Illness, Disability Income, Emergency Assistance, Long Term Care, Medicare Supplement, Discount Cards, Dental, Whole Life, Auto, Homeowners, Identity Theft, and Home Health Care.

Since its creation, AGIA has worked closely with the Trust to develop insurance programs especially designed for Department members and their families. We are proud to serve you through the Trust and invite your inquiries and suggestions on any aspect of our activities.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 37454 ©2015

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The Legionnaire Insurance Trust (LIT) was form

ed in 1966 with tw

o prim

ary goals: to provide Legion families w

ith low-cost insurance

protection, and to provide a source of revenue to participating Legion D

epartments.

The Trust has been so successful in its over forty-five years that today over 500,000 Legionnaires in 49 participating D

epartments are enrolled in this

unique program.

Also, in the sam

e period of time, alm

ost $1 billion dollars in claim benefits

have been paid to Legionnaires and their families through the LIT; and

over $71 million in allocations have been paid to participating Legion

Departm

ents.

The first Trust insurance plan to be offered was the H

ospital Income

Protection plan, a program designed to pay fixed dollar am

ounts for periods of hospital confinem

ent. Over the years, other insurance coverage

offered included: Cancer, A

ccidental Death, Travel A

ccident, Critical

Illness, Disability Incom

e, Emergency A

ssistance, Long Term C

are, M

edicare Supplement, D

iscount Cards, D

ental, Whole Life, A

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are.

Since its creation, AG

IA has w

orked closely with the Trust to develop

insurance programs especially designed for D

epartment m

embers and their

families. W

e are proud to serve you through the Trust and invite your inquiries and suggestions on any aspect of our activities.

                         37454©2015

PAGE 7THE BADGER LEGIONNAIREAPRIL 21, 2016

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We hope you enjoyed the in-sert in last month’s Badger Le-gionnaire. That special addition prompted a few questions regard-ing the campaign. Team Wiscon-sin is happy to answer any ques-tions that may come up along this journey. Hopefully the following information will help further ex-plain the process.

The way someone gets to be a candidate for National Com-mander of The American Legion starts with the Department (state) in which they are members. It requires a resolution nominat-ing a member of a Department as “our” candidate for National Commander. That resolution is brought before the delegates at Department Convention for a vote. The resolution basically says that the Department has endorsed a certain Legionnaire to be a candidate for National Commander from Wisconsin. If approved by the delegates at a Department Convention, the res-olution is then forwarded to Na-tional Headquarters and received

for the record. Each year, the National Commanders Advisory Team reviews the resolutions and recommends that the candidates endorsed by the various Depart-ments be appointed to leadership roles to see how they perform. Generally, these Legionnaires will serve in different capacities at the National level for a 5 to 10-year period as their abilities to lead the organization are ob-served. When the National Com-manders Advisory Team, which is made up of Legionnaires from approximately 30 states, believes that a Legionnaire is ready they will support them and promote them as a National Candidate.

Once supported by the National Commanders Advisory Team, a National Candidate will begin to travel the country and campaign for two years. The fi rst year they are referred to as the Following Candidate and the second year they are known as the Leading Candidate. Each candidate is ad-vised to travel to all Departments to visit with the Legion Family to

get to know the leadership in each state and to observe the many differences in how The Ameri-can Legion functions around the world. The costs of this travel is the responsibility of the candi-date and their own Department. To assist in the campaign, each candidate has a Team of people that helps with fundraising and hospitality rooms at the regular meetings held in Indianapolis and Washington DC.

Wisconsin’s endorsed candi-date, PDC Denise Rohan of Ve-rona Post No. 385, was selected as a National Candidate last May 2015 in Indianapolis, making her the fi rst female veteran to be for-mally supported by the National Commanders Advisory Team as a candidate for National Com-mander. Since that time Denise and Team Wisconsin have hosted a hospitality room in Indianapo-lis and Washington, DC. Denise has traveled to 10 states so far and has been invited to 13 more so far this year.

She is the only candidate for-

TEAM WISCONSIN

Legion Membership Dinner in Delavan

Post No. 95 in Delavan recently held a dinner to celebrate members with signifi cant membership anniversaries. The group is pictured here. 1st row: Van Brown - 35 years, Eugene Gallup - 70 years, Mary Woods - 45 years, John Leitzke - 30 years, Donald Roeker - 30 years, Roger Davis - 60 years, William Schenk - 35 years, Jerry Rowland - 40 years and Thomas Yardley - 30 years 2nd row: George Ballman - 25 years, Ralph Moehrke - 30 years, Larry Malsch - 50 years, Raymond Woods - 60 years, Robert Webster, Sr. - 65 years, Commander Ronald Grair - 35 years, William Carlson - 40 years and John Reiff - 35 years.

mally supported by the National Commanders Advisory Team for election as the National Com-mander at the 2017 Convention in Reno, Nevada. The election will take place on Thursday, August 24, 2017. Assuming that every-thing goes as planned, she will be the fi rst female veteran to hold the offi ce of National Commander of The American Legion and will serve through the 100th National Convention in Minneapolis, MN in August 2018.

The National Commander travels to Departments across the United States and the world, as well as meeting with the Congress and the President of the United States. Their travel keeps them on the road for approximately 335 days going

from Department to Department, only going home for 30 days or less at various times depending on travel schedules.

At this point in her run for Na-tional Commander Denise is do-ing very well. Fundraising will always be a concern until the day of election and we continue to pursue new avenues daily. She is proud to have been placed on this journey by the delegates from Wisconsin.

For more information on Denise’s campaign go to www.deniserohan.org. We keep this site updated on a regular basis with events, pictures and travel. We also have Campaign items that can be purchased and on-line donations are accepted as well.