The 2016 Midwinter Conference will feature Color Guard training conducted by a team of Drill In-structors from the Wisconsin Army National Guard Recruiting & Re-tention Battalion. Post members are encouraged to attend and receive hands-on training. All equipment will be available on site so there is no need to bring anything. The training will take place on Satur-day, January 16th as part of the an-nual Midwinter Conference which will be held at the Ho-Chunk Ho-tel, Casino and Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells January 14th - 17th. There’s something for everyone at this year’s Conference. The 2016 Midwinter will feature new training and exhibits along with special guests.

The banquet on Saturday eve-ning, January 16th, will be the 1st American Legion Family Joint Testimonial Dinner and will hon-or Department Commander Dale Oatman, Auxiliary Department President Laura Calteux, SAL De-

tachment Commander Mike Koll-mansberger and Wisconsin Ameri-can Legion Riders Association President Ray McSherry. Tickets are $32 and go on sale November 1st on a fi rst come fi rst serve basis.

The Americanism Programs Resource Center will help you learn how to promote traditional American values in your commu-nity through the programs of The American Legion. National Ameri-can Legion staff will be on hand to answer questions and provide de-tails on how you and your post can become involved.

The Midwinter Conference will also feature a demonstration Shoot-ing Sports range where attendees can use the rifl es on a competition range. Department Shooting Sports Chairman Steve Shanks will be on hand to answer questions and pro-vide details on how your post can become involved in American Le-gion Junior Shooting Sports.

In addition the Midwinter Con-ference will also feature several

exciting training sessions for Legionnaires at all levels of the organization. Graduates of the National American Legion Col-lege will be conducting courses of the Wisconsin American Legion College. Leadership training and Membership training are being of-fered. Other briefi ngs will include Direct Marketing Programs for Membership Retention and Ac-quisition, Care and Maintenance of the M1-Garand rifl e along with Funeral Honors training, member-ship recruiting and retention tips, sessions on Post Operations, get-ting Americanism and Children & Youth programs active in your community and the American Le-gion Extension Institute Course. There will also be a Historians Workshop and a Chaplains Work-shop. The schedule is subject to change depending on demand.

Legion members who sign up a new member, or renew any for-mer member who has not paid

12th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

11th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

10th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

9th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

8th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

7th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

6th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

5th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

4th PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

3rd PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

2nd PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

1st PLACE

P.R.I.D.E.2015-2016

P.R.I.D.E.

District 5

65.73%

District 4

66.21%

District 7

67.71%

District 10

68.80%

District 1

69.37%

District 2

69.87%

District 12

71.52%

District 3

71.57%

District 8

71.73%

District 11

71.94%

District 6

72.50%

District 9

74.05%

2016 Midwinter Conference ApproachesWin Big in the “Get One” Bounty Drawing

Badger

&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin” Official Publications of TheWisconsin American Legion Family

“For God & Country”

www.wilegion.org

October 29, 2015Vol. 92, No. 9aire

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

The Grand Prize is your choice of $20,000 cash OR a new vehicle*. Second Prize is a $10,000.00 allowance toward any vehicle in the Boucher Auto-motive Group inventory*. Third Prize is $5,000.00 cash or Ha-waiian Vacation thru Luxe Trav-el of Milwaukee*. Fourth Prize is $2,500.00 cash or a Hunting Rifl e and equipment from Gan-der Mountain*. Fifth Prize is $1,000.00 or a Big Screen TV*.

The drawing is set to take place

CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!

Commanders Attend Fall Meetings

National Commander Dale Barnett of Georgia met with Department Commander Dale Oatman during the National Fall meetings on Saturday, October 10th in Indianapolis, Indiana.

A team of Drill Instructors from the Wisconsin Army National Guard Recruiting & Retention Battalion will provide Color Guard training on Saturday, Jan-uary 16th. All post Color Guards are encouraged to attend and receive professional, hands-on instruction in the proper posting and presentation of the National Colors. Training will include the basic positioning of the Colors, Posting and Retrieving the Col-

National Guard Mobilizes for Color Guard Training at 2016 Midwinter

ors and Movement of the Color Guard to the Rear. The National Guard team will demonstrate the proper procedures followed by hands on training. Training will take place in an open learning environment. All attendees will have the opportunity to break out into small groups and perform all the necessary Color Guard movements with the direct over-sight of Wisconsin Army Na-tional Guard Drill Instructors.

Excitement over the 2016 Midwinter Sweepstakes continues to be big news!

at 7PM on Saturday, January 16, 2016 at the Midwinter Con-ference which will be held at the Ho-Chunk Ho-tel, Casino & Convention Cen-ter, S3214 County Road BD, Baraboo, WI. Plan on attending the Midwinter Conference and be part of the excitement.

*All prizes subject to Fed-eral Tax withholding require-ments. See Offi cial Rules at; www.wilegion.org.

Remember that our Re-habilitation Fund, which makes the programs at Camp American Legion and our Department Ser-vice Offi ce possible, receives all funds raised through the Sweep-stakes.

Please be generous in your do-nation and support the important work of The American Legion.

(continued on page 3)

PAGE 2 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE OCTOBER 29, 2015

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 010-135ISSN: 2154-2627

Post 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.org

David A. Kurtz, Executive Editor

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

Jim Young, DEC LiaisonBernard Olson

Harold RihnRory BurnsDan Osero

George Buchanan, HistorianLoretta Shellman, Auxiliary LiaisonBonnie Dorniak, Auxiliary Liaison

2015-16 Department Offi cers

CommanderDale H. Oatman

Vice Commanders Dan Seehafer

Jeff PuddyEd Cooper

Jerome Krofta

AdjutantDavid A. Kurtz

Sergeant-at ArmsJeremy NordieDave Wischer

Service Offi cerJames Fialkowski

NECmanSteve Krueger

Alternate NECmanKen 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 53901

Bonnie Dorniak, EditorLaura Calteux, Department President

Bonnie Dorniak, Exec. Secretary/Treasurer

To change your address: Notify Unit SecretaryUnit Secretary: Notify Department

Headquarters on a Member Data Form

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

DEPARTMENT COMMANDERDEPARTMENT COMMANDERWhat a beauti-

ful fall day to be inside writing an article for the Badger Legion-naire with yard work to accom-plish but that is

the way it goes sometimes.We had our Fall Conference at

Department headquarters this past weekend and our National Vice Commander David Gough, Membership Chair Darla Porter and I explained to the Executive Committee that while Wisconsin has been in fi rst place the past three weeks, we are still around 1,000 members behind what we were 1-year ago with our mem-bership renewals. The fi rst week

With Veterans Day and the hol-idays approach-ing, the Depart-ment staff is busy preparing

for a successful 2016. Member-ship recruiting and revitalization efforts and preparations for the Midwinter Conference at the Ho-Chunk Hotel, Casino and Con-vention Center are at the forefront of our daily activities. And as al-ways, Department staff is always ready to assist in every way pos-sible to help posts, counties and districts to accomplish all of our goals, in membership as well as programs.

Your Department headquar-ters receives phone calls, letters and e-mails every day from Le-gionnaires seeking help on any number of issues. In most cases, we are able to take care of the problem or, at least, can refer the

that we were in fi rst place, I re-ceived a call from National Com-mander Dale Barnett thanking us for being in fi rst place in the nation. The next week at the Na-tional Fall Conference in India-napolis, the National Command-er called a special meeting with the Department Commanders and National Vice Commanders to explain that National member-ship renewals were 60,000 mem-bers behind last year’s fi gures at this time. He explained that we all need to get going and renew/recruit at a much faster pace or our numbers will be disastrously low by July 2016. I call upon all Legionnaires to kick it in high gear with your renewal and re-cruitment efforts. Remember

questioner to the proper parties who can help. But problems can arise when questions are brought to us on matters which headquar-ters has no jurisdiction. As a ba-sic “rule of thumb,” Department can most readily help with issues related to membership, American Legion programs, Legionnaire Insurance programs and veterans’ benefi ts questions. Headquarters cannot help with post elections, problems with operating a post business (bar or restaurant) or concerns of a personal or civil nature. These matters can best be resolved at the post, county and district levels, or in some cases, with help from civil authorities.

A second “rule of thumb” to bear in mind is that questions can often be most easily answered by using the “chain of command” – just like in the military. Effective use of the chain of command in-creases effi ciency at all levels of

that Legionnaires who wait to renew until next year will pay a minimum of $5 more because of the $5 increase in National dues. If your local Post increases their dues, than you pay even more upon renewal. Save yourself some money and renew now.

The District Fall Conferences are behind us and I hope they were a success. We are also completing some revitalizations. With Post involvement, they too can be successful – just ask Brown or Outagamie Counties who became 100% counties fol-lowing their revitalizations this past membership year. It truly works if you decide to put a little effort into helping out.

As I visit posts around the

the organization. The post’s fi rst resource for answers is always your County offi cers. They often have the answer readily available on issues like post elections and the conduct of meetings. By di-recting a problem to the county organization, county offi cers will be better equipped to assist other posts with similar questions. The same applies for county offi cers seeking guidance. Their best re-source is the District organiza-tion. Using the chain of command allows each level of the organiza-tion to become better informed as to the activities within the dis-tricts across the state. All levels become better equipped to handle challenges.

Questions should not be posed directly to the National Head-quarters. Directing questions to the National Headquarters will only delay receiving a direct an-swer. Staff at our National head-

state, I am continually pleased with what posts are doing in their communities. I met Legion members at fairs, fund raising events, funeral honors, sporting events, volunteers at hospitals, induction and fl ag disposal cer-emonies and the list goes on.

Thank you for what you do in your local areas. Events like these bode well for post ex-posure, recruitment, renewals and self-gratification because an active post is a strong and growing post. We already have many posts at 100% and I am sure that they are some of the more active posts. Well wishes for many more posts reaching their goals even if it isn’t a goal of 100%.

quarters in Indianapolis simply refers questions back to Depart-ment headquarters, where we, in turn, contact the appropriate District offi cers who then provide guidance to the post. This is all in the interest of promoting effi cient operations and maintaining the chain of command. So, whenever possible, use the chain of com-mand and the Department Direc-tory. The directory is available on our website at www.wilegion.org. Just click on “Members”, then “Resources” and “Department Directory.”

The Department staff is always ready, willing and able to assist in every way we can. We urge you to use the website, www.wilegion.org. It is a tremendous resource and has numerous guides and manuals specifi cally designed to answer most questions about membership, American Legion programs and post activities.

November in the Veterans community is a special month. On the 11th, we recognize Veteran’s Day

– a day to honor all those who honorably served as a Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine or Coast Guardsman.

At the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month of 1918, World War I, the “Great War” concluded. It was a war that engulfed Europe from 1914 to 1918 and in which America lost 116,000 of its own. A year after the conclusion of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson set aside November 11 as a day of annual remembrance for those Americans who had fought in

the war. It became known at the time as “Armistice Day.”

After World War II and the Korean War, Armistice Day was renamed to Veteran’s Day – to honor the service and sacrifi ce of those who fought so hard in those two confl icts.

Wisconsin service members have served in all the major con-fl icts of the past century, from the World Wars to Korea, Viet-nam, the 1991 Gulf War, Af-ghanistan, and again in Iraq. It is our duty not only to care for them when they return home, but also to honor their service.

This year on November 11 at the State Capitol as we pay trib-ute to all our veterans, we will specially recognize our Vietnam veterans as part of the Com-memoration of the 50th Anni-

versary of the Vietnam War.The Vietnam War sharply di-

vided America, split communi-ties and families and accompa-nied a time of massive social upheaval. Veterans themselves paid the price for much of soci-ety’s negative feelings about the war. On top of high death and ca-sualty rates and unbearable fi ght-ing conditions, many soldiers returned home only to be dishon-ored and disrespected by the very nation for which they fought.

The fi ghting in Vietnam was intense. The combat death rate was as high as in World War II, even considering the tremen-dous advances in fi eld medicine and evacuation of the wounded. With the advanced mobility of helicopters transporting troops directly to the fi ght, the average

soldier saw 240 days of combat a year – six times more than the average soldier faced in the Pa-cifi c in World War II.

58,000 Americans were killed in that war. Wisconsin lost 1,239 young people to that war – and 11 percent of our Vietnam vets alive today are disabled.

Those who served in Vietnam are our largest group of veterans. According to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, we have more than 140,000 vet-erans in Wisconsin today who served during the Vietnam era.

On this Veterans Day, it is our honor to recognize our Vietnam veterans who served and sacri-fi ced so bravely. Please join us November 11 at 11AM in the State Capitol as we recognize our great Wisconsin veterans.

WDVA SECRETARYWDVA SECRETARY

John A. ScocosWDVA Secretary

DEPARTMENT ADJUTANTDEPARTMENT ADJUTANT

Dale OatmanDepartment Commander

Utilize the Chain of Command

Veterans Day 2015

David KurtzDepartment Adjutant

PAGE 3THE BADGER LEGIONNAIREOCTOBER 29, 2015

Dedicated to the state’s citi-zen-soldiers, the Wisconsin Vet-erans Museum (WVM) affi rms, commemorates, and acknowl-edges the achievements and sacrifi ces of Wisconsin veterans. The WVM is an educational ac-tivity of the Wisconsin Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs. The WVM Oral History Program seeks to record the fi rst-hand narratives of these men and women in order to create pri-mary sources concerning what it truly meant to serve. With over 2,000 interviews in the collec-tion WVM encourages atten-tion not only to the creation of these interviews, but also to the preservation and accessibility of the information for researchers, visitors and future generations.

Below we feature one of our recent narrators and a segment of her compelling interview.

Julie Powers served with the Air National Guard 115 Fighter Wing as an armament specialist from 2003 to 2009. She deployed twice, fi rst to Qatar in 2003 as a part of Operation Enduring Free-dom, and then again in 2005 to Balad Air Force Base in Iraq for Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Powers experienced a danger-ous welcome into Iraq. In her

oral history interview, Powers described her landing at Balad Air Force Base in 2005.

…when we were arriving in Balad we were actually being fi red on. And so we had to land very quickly. Um, and it was just sheer panic because I don’t think anybody anticipated that. Like, they know we were going to a more hostile environment, but not the welcoming, I guess that we expected. Um, and so you know, you could hear panic kind of in the pilot’s voice, that you know, that we’re being fi red on. And nobody knew what that meant…You know you just, there was all these questions and, you know everybody was in their full fl edge gear… And so we ended up having to land very, very quickly and we ended up getting hot brakes, which means that the tires actually started on fi re. So then at that time, you know they’re, they’re pulling the back um bridge of the plane down be-fore it’s even landing and telling us to get the F___ off the plane! And mind you, it’s pitch dark out, you’re on a fl ight line, so all that you see are these little lights and everybody’s is like, “Well, where do we, you know, where do we go? What do we do?”

She continues, describing how it felt to land under fi re, at night in a hostile country.

And it was sheer chaos. I mean, that’s the only way that I can de-scribe it and, I mean, it makes me sweat even now thinking about it. But, I just remember a guy and I remember seeing his refl ector belt, so I knew that he was, you know, was there and he was a sol-dier that was already there. And I remember him grabbing me and basically dragging me over to a T Wall… Red is happening and um, I was terrifi ed. I was absolutely terrifi ed and did not know what was going on…it was ah, ah a situation that I’ll never forget.

Powers faced other threats dur-ing her deployment in Iraq but safely fi nished her tour of duty, and later retired from the Air National Guard in 2009. She is one of four sisters who have all served in the armed forces.

To learn more about Powers’ story, or any of the over 2,000 interviews in our Oral History Collection, or to learn how you can participate in our Oral His-tory Program please contact the WVM Oral Historian at oralhis-tory@dva.wisconsin.gov or (608) 261-0537. You can also visit our website: www.wisvetsmuseum.com/veterans/oral_history/

Oral History Program: Featured Interviews

Camp Director Kevin Moshea and the Department of Wisconsin extend heart-felt thanks to all the Riders and others who contributed to this success. The Riders are shown here posing for a group photo at Camp on September 19th. They persuaded the Camp Director to at least pose on a bike.

RIDERS RAISE A JAW-DROPPING $27,000The amount raised in the 2015 Fall Ride for Camp exceeds the past two years com-bined. When the total was announced to the Riders at the event there was an initial moment of stunned silence. More than 100 Legion Riders took part in the Ride.

Communicating for Eff ect

“What’s the scuttlebutt (Navy slang for rumor or gossip)?” Effective communication should not be predicated on hearsay but we all have a desire for more information. In our Legion Family, we can pass information internally within The American Legion, up and down the chain of command or externally to news media, gov-ernment agencies, and the pub-lic at large. In all instances, the information has to be accurate.

Here’s an example of effective internal communication: Com-manders, have you passed the $5.00 National dues increase to your members in a factual and positive manner? Did you mention that a $5.00 annual dues increase amounts to only forty-two cents a month? Not quite the doom and gloom that was initially felt when a “dues increase” was fi rst mentioned.

For another illustration, what

about that 50 year Continuous Membership Certifi cate that you received in the mail for one of your members? Have you con-tacted the local media and told them about the accomplishment of this Legionnaire and worthy veteran? This may seem like a small story, perhaps not worth mentioning at fi rst glance. But won’t the family feel proud when they see Grandpa or Grandma at an award presenta-tion ceremony? Why not men-tion what this vet did many years ago to serve our country and highlight their individual accomplishments? By passing the word externally, it puts your Post in a good light within the community and brings a feeling of gratifi cation to the individual.

Spread the word within and outside of the Legion Fam-ily and it will improve your retention and new membership rates!

Department Sergeant at Arms Candidate Mark Toll is a Paid Up for Life member of Post No. 38 in Appleton and the Ninth District. Mark’s eligibility in The American Le-gion is a result of his service in the United States Army as a programmer/analyst at NSA during the Vietnam Era.

Mark has been married to his wife Deb for 24 years. Deb is a member of the American Legion Auxiliary. His son Mi-chael is a member of the Sons of The American Legion.

Mark has held several posi-tions at Post No. 38, including two years as Sergeant at Arms, three years at the Vice Com-mander levels and was the Post Commander in 2012-2013. He is a graduate of The American Legion Extension Institute,

Candidate for Department

Sergeant at Arms

Mark Toll

has completed Funeral Honors training and is a former mem-ber of the Scarlet Guard. At the District level, he is in his sec-ond two year term as Sergeant at Arms. He is a regular at De-partment Conventions and has served many times as Assistant Department Sergeant at Arms. He has served on Post No. 38’s Convention Corporation three different years, and was the 2015 Convention Corporation President. These Department level experiences have allowed him to establish an excellent working relationship with the Department staff.

He is endorsed by his Post, the Outagamie County Council and the Ninth District. Mark Toll seeks your support in electing him to the high offi ce of Depart-ment Sergeant at Arms.

since 2013 can qualify to win a prize of $1,000 at the Conference. Simply sign up a new member, or renew any former member and en-

ter your name. The drawing will take place on January 16, 2016 at the Ho-Chunk Hotel, Casino and Convention Center in the Wiscon-

sin Dells. There is no limit to the number of times an individual can qualify – recruiters get one chance for every new member they recruit.

MIDWINTER (continued from page 1)

Kendel D. Feilen — Chairman, Dept. Communications Committee

PAGE 4 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE OCTOBER 29, 2015

Hello to the mem-bers of The Amer i can L e g i o n F a m i l y

from the Sons of The American Legion (S.A.L.) Detachment Commander, Mike Kollmans-berger. As we move forward into this year I know that the key suc-cess in any organization is con-tinuous communication. With that communication we have the chance to grow and better ourselves within The American Legion Family, whether it be at your own post, district or state level. One prime example is the Legion Riders. When they pool their resources (Legion, Auxil-iary and S.A.L) they put together outstanding numbers for the Leg-acy Scholarship Fund, raising $125,000, another $50,000 for Camp American Legion and so much more. Now that’s Legion Family strong!

The best way to keep it strong is to share what is going on lo-cally. One easy way to do this is to sign up for the S.A.L. e-news-letter. Of our 3,600 members

only 700 are currently signed up. This is a great opportunity to learn about the events going on in your neighboring commu-nities along with sharing your own success and events. To sub-scribe to the newsletter please go to: http://www.wisal.org/newsletters/?p=subscribe

Our Detachment has had a num-ber of successes and we will con-tinue to grow on them. We have distributed more than 600 GI Josh Dogs to children of Wiscon-sin service men and women who have been deployed overseas. We are a major supporter of the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation, having raised near-ly $7 million nationally for this worthy cause. We currently have 107 Squadrons throughout Wis-consin. We have a goal to estab-lish a Squadron in every county. There are only 21 counties to go. Of the 12 American Legion Dis-tricts, three have formed District level S.A.L. programs and four more are underway.

Locally, we help Legion Posts with fi sh fries, steak fries, pa-rades, cookouts, Memorial Day and Veterans Day activities,

2015 POSTAL STATEMENTOF OWNERSHIP

SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

Detachment Commander

Mike Kollmansberger

1. Publication Title 2. Publication Number 3. Filing Date

4. Issue Frequency 5. Number of Issues Published Annually 6. Annual Subscription Price

8. Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not printer)

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11. Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities. If none, check box

PS Form 3526, July 2014 [Page 1 of 4 (see instructions page 4)] PSN: 7530-01-000-9931 PRIVACY NOTICE: See our privacy policy on www.usps.com.

None

7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not printer) (Street, city, county, state, and ZIP+4®)

_

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The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes:

Badger Legionnaire & Wisconsin 0 1 0 1 3 5 10/05/15

Every 5 Weeks 10 $1 from Membership $5 Non-Member

PO Box 388 David A. Kurtz2930 American Legion DrivePortage, WI 53901-0388 608-745-1090

PO Box 3882930 American Legion DrivePortage, WI 53901-0388

David Kurtz, PO Box 388, Portage, WI 53901-0388

David Kurtz, PO Box 388, Portage, WI 53901-0388

David Kurtz, PO Box 388, Portage, WI 53901-0388

Wisconsin American Legion PO Box 388, 2930 American Legion Drive Portage, WI 53901-0388

X

X

Extent and Nature of Circulation Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

13. Publication Title

15.

14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail)

d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail)

a. Total Number of Copies (Net press run)

Mailed In-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies)

Mailed Outside-County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541 (Include paid distribution above nominal rate, advertiser’s proof copies, and exchange copies)

(1)

(2)

(4) Paid Distribution by Other Classes of Mail Through the USPS (e.g., First-Class Mail®)

Paid Distribution Outside the Mails Including Sales Through Dealers and Carriers, Street Vendors, Counter Sales, and Other Paid Distribution Outside USPS®(3)

Free or Nominal Rate In-County Copies Included on PS Form 3541

Free or Nominal Rate Outside-County Copies included on PS Form 3541(1)

(2)

(4) Free or Nominal Rate Distribution Outside the Mail (Carriers or other means)

Free or Nominal Rate Copies Mailed at Other Classes Through the USPS (e.g., First-Class Mail)(3)

[Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)]

Total Distribution (Sum of 15c and 15e)f.

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i.

* If you are claiming electronic copies, go to line 16 on page 3. If you are not claiming electronic copies, skip to line 17 on page 3.

Badger Legionnaire & Wisconsin September 24, 2015

Veterans Newspaper

73,710 73,577

73,589 73,457

73,589 73,457

589 589

0 0

589 589

74,178 74,046

100 100

74,278 74,146

99.20% 99.20%

Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation(All Periodicals Publications Except Requester Publications)

Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months

No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date

16. Electronic Copy Circulation

a. Paid Electronic Copies

I certify that 50% of all my distributed copies (electronic and print) are paid above a nominal price.

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or misleading information on this form or who omits material or information requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner Date

If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed

in the ________________________ issue of this publication.

17. Publication of Statement of Ownership

Publication not required.

b. Total Paid Print Copies (Line 15c) + Paid Electronic Copies (Line 16a)

d. Percent Paid (Both Print & Electronic Copies) (16b divided by 16c 100)

3696 3696

77,285 77,153

77,874 77,742

99.24% 99.24%

10/29/15

along with town celebrations and events. We participate in Honor Guard and Color Guard activi-ties. We help with Oratorical contests, and several members are counselors at Badger Boys State. We support Junior Shoot-ing Sports, A&G Testing, and Scouting. S.A.L. members are players, coaches, and administra-tors in American Legion Base-ball. Members of the Sons of The American Legion are active in visits to our veterans at area VA Hospitals and helping out veterans in need in their com-munities. Our S.A.L. National Commander Kevin Collier asks us to stay ROCKED - Remem-bering Our Commitment and Keeping it Every Day. As Sons of The American Legion members we are proud to be a part of The American Legion Family, and ap-preciate the legacy gifted to us by our forefather’s service.

9-30-15

PAGE 5THE BADGER LEGIONNAIREOCTOBER 29, 2015

The cry of “Timber” fi lled the air as members of the Wiscon-sin Arborist Association visited Camp American Legion for a “Day of Service”. A crew of some 15 professional arborists with all the heavy equipment needed did a Camp wide tree cut. Camp had many dead and problem trees

On Saturday, January 16, 2016 beginning at 10:00 AM, students from the 2nd District will be competing for the District Ora-torical title. If you have never witnessed high school students participate in the Oratorical con-test, don’t miss this opportunity. The contest will be held in Upper Dells-C at the Ho-Chunk Con-vention Center.

Each contestant will appear two times. The fi rst time students must deliver prepared remarks for 8-10 minutes on some aspect of the U.S. Constitution, with emphasis on the duties and ob-ligations of citizens to our gov-ernment. Next, an assigned topic

Wisconsin Arborist Association Day at Camp

Fall Meetings Held at Headquarters

2nd District Oratorical Contest Returns to Midwinter

Department Commander Dale Oatman of the Anderson – Sather Post No. 524 addresses the Department Executive Committee during the meeting held on Saturday, October 17th at headquarters in Portage.

that needed to be taken down or pruned. Some twenty trees were impacted and the service was provided free of charge by the Wisconsin Arborist Association. The arborists enjoyed working here. They understood Camp’s healing mission of serving dis-abled veterans, service members

shall be drawn by the contest offi cial in full view of the audi-ence immediately before the last speaker begins delivery of his/her prepared remarks. The as-signed topic will be made known to the audience and each contes-tant approximately fi ve minutes prior to their second appearance. During their second appearance, each contestant is allowed 3-5 minutes for delivering remarks on the assigned topic.

The Regional and State Final contests will be held at Ripon Col-lege on February 13, 2016 with the Regional contest beginning at 10:00 AM and the State Final con-test beginning at 2:00 PM.

and families. They were hon-ored to give of their time and tal-ents to Camp. It was an exciting day of chain saws humming and wood chips fl ying. Camp looks so much better and is now safer, too. A special thank you goes out to the Wisconsin Arborist Association.

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Online Survey for Veterans Now Available

MADISON – The Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce a new online survey for veterans and their family members to provide feedback to the agency con-cerning their state and federal veteran benefi ts. We encourage veterans and family of veterans to take the survey, which only takes a few minutes to com-plete. The survey can be found at www.WisVets.com.

“Our department is focused on improving our quality of service to veterans and their families, and we need their feedback to help us ensure we are supporting veterans in the most current and effective way possible,” WDVA

Secretary John A. Scocos said. “Please take the time to help us improve our service to you, your family and our state’s veterans by completing this short ques-tionnaire. You proudly served our great nation during a time of war, and we owe you the high-est level of service, support and gratitude.”

The questions asked are to help the WDVA direct programs, ben-efi ts and services. All responses will be kept strictly confi dential. The survey is only available on-line.

Veterans and their family mem-bers have until Veterans Day, November 11, 2015 to complete the survey.

The WDVA Urges Veterans, Family Members to Provide Feedback about Benefi ts, Services

PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE OCTOBER 29, 2015

The 6th District Legion Riders presented Fond du Lac County Veterans Service Offi cer Rick Patton with a check for over $7,000 to help purchase a new transport van. The van takes veterans to medical appointments at the Veterans Administration hospitals and clinics. The money was raised from a Walleye Weekend Ride and Brat Fry at the Harley Davidson dealership in Fond du Lac along with generous donations from the community.

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8 WaukeshaKenneth Friedholdt II 9 Wisconsin RapidsDonald Vanderhei II 10/03/15Ralph Schillinger K 04/03/15Donald Vanert K 05/31/15William Clussman II 04/13/1510 WausauGeorge Ostrowski K 07/25/15Walter Kowalski II 08/18/1511 Green BayEdward Bowden K 06/26/15George McGowan K 08/28/15Henry Jacobson K 10/02/15Dale Rammel II 09/07/1512 SpoonerWilliam Lindenberger II 09/29/1513 Richland CenterFred Nelson V 10/01/1526 BarabooEdward Hamburg II 08/02/1535 EvansvilleRichard Trunkhill V 10/14/1536 West BendRoy Warner II 11/24/14Jerome Boehnlein K 09/04/15Jerome Vanderheyden K 08/29/1542 PlattevilleJoseph Jones K 09/17/15Jeff Butson V 09/28/1544 WabenoRobert Thornton K 10/10/15Eberhart Steinbuck K 10/09/1547 PortageRobert Swanson II 09/22/15Earl Weyh K/V 10/13/1548 BeloitEdwin Greene II 10/07/1555 HortonvilleHarold Schroeder V 10/04/1558 HurleyJoseph Traczyk II 09/13/15George Wallis V 09/13/1564 LadysmithDennis Rosolowski V 07/19/1566 Athelstane-Silver CliffRonald Paulson K 09/19/1569 MayvilleMark Rach V 09/28/1573 NeillsvilleDonald Lipscy II 09/06/1575 Fond du LacRoland Pfeifer II 09/13/1577 Chippewa FallsRobert Gannon II 09/16/15Joseph Kramer II 09/12/1583 Sheboygan Albert Sommerfeldt V 07/10/15Joel Conrad II 09/20/1584 MonroeEnoch Huston K 05/28/15Bernard Gibbons II 09/12/15Paul Chapman II 08/05/1585 MuscodaRudy Schamberger K 10/04/1588 ManitowocMilan Fischer K 08/09/1589 MinocquaStanley Yaucher V 09/15/15Clark Henry V 10/08/1593 TomahawkDuane Alberg II 10/12/1597 DodgevilleDavid Johanning V 08/30/15

105 ShullsburgDelvon Tregloan K 10/11/15Harlo Webster K 09/04/15Gary Jeffery V 10/13/15108 Clear LakeEdward Yelle II 09/15/15109 LancasterBerreth Ward K 10/02/15110 New LisbonJoseph Malin II 09/21/15Arnold Reuter V 09/21/15121 River FallsKenneth Hinz K 08/05/15Edward Sveen K 08/10/15Robert Moody II 10/10/15123 OwenEdward Potocnik II 09/19/15131 ColfaxCharles Hertel V 09/13/15Wallace Knutson II 06/18/15136 NiagaraPeter Tarenski K 04/27/15142 BlanchardvilleElmo Holt II 08/26/15Eldon Hird II 09/28/15148 BloomingtonAlfred Bohnenkamp II 10/08/15149 Sheboygan FallsRichard Gotchy K 10/15/15151 MadisonWilliam McCaw K 09/20/15153 PittsvilleRobert Krueger II 09/13/15155 WestbyJoseph Bakkum II 06/26/15164 JeffersonRonald Rieck K 09/29/15166 Fort AtkinsonWilliam McDonald V 10/19/15173 WhitewaterJohn Frawley II 09/20/15175 LoyalRalph Pescinski K 10/07/15Herb Langfeldt V 10/15/15180 MilwaukeeBert Sjostrom II 09/27/15181 DurandStanley Hutter V 10/10/15Thomas Prissel K 09/15/15188 East TroyRobert MacArthur II 10/01/15191 WhitehallBernard Matchey K 09/14/15192 FranklinClarence Niewolny II 10/10/15205 JanesvilleFred Blum K 09/22/15210 WaupunBarnard Oppermann V 10/08/15218 HaywardDavid Swatek K 09/02/15Rick Wampole V 09/17/15219 MilwaukeeJames Albrecht II 08/22/15224 AlmaJerome Benson K 238 GreenwoodRichard Standiford K 10/01/15243 PlymouthMelvin Lulow K 10/03/15John Grothe K 10/09/15245 Cross PlainsHarold Bergum II 12/08/14John Foye K 02/07/15Steven Starczynski V 02/15/15John Adams II 02/28/15Bernard Schroeder II 03/08/15Steve Gulesserian V 03/08/15Roland DiRienzo 03/11/15Uno Rentmeister 05/19/15Michael Esser V 08/06/15Phillip Zander K 09/28/15262 LuxemburgLeonard Yanda II 09/11/15George Stodola II 09/16/15263 New LondonDonald Stern II 09/14/15280 ColemanLloyd Vroman V 10/16/15

288 CedarburgKenneth Rappold II 08/15/15Paul Brehm V 10/10/15296 Brookfi eldAloysius Bojack II 08/06/15301 WoodvilleAlbert Hillstead II 09/08/15Daniel Vance V 10/04/15302 Oconto FallsLyle Wolf II 09/08/15Robert Shellman II 09/10/15Greg Martens II 04/05/15305 Johnson CreekJoseph Doubek G/L 09/12/15308 Gays MillsMichael Spurr V 10/17/15312 PeshtigoRobert Pottratz II 07/15/15Loren Pesola K 05/27/15317 WautomaMartin Czarnecki PG 09/13/15330 WilsonGerald Snyder V 09/13/15333 Sun PrairieGerald McGovern II 09/24/15Leslie Vernig K 10/15/15335 AvocaLeland Baxter II 08/27/15337 PulaskiRoger Senft V 10/13/15352 CassvilleAmbrose Mumm K 09/25/15Edward Wentz 10/09/15358 UnityHarlan Prestien II 10/11/15366 PrincetonVernon Jackson II 10/12/15

371 SaxonCyril Sorrels II 10/08/15382 Menomonee FallsRaymond Guarascio V 09/11/15Jeffery Kunda V 09/22/15Robert Milbrath II 10/15/15393 EdgarJerome Greisch K 09/10/15Ervin Karlen K 09/17/15396 Indian CreekElmer Knechtel II 09/25/15402 Washington IslandArleigh Overly II 03/27/12406 MilwaukeeJoseph Tronick 05/23/15Lawrence Pagel K 09/05/15Earl Buffi ngton K 07/02/15415 MilwaukeeJohn Sliga V 08/03/15Vincent Nosbisch II 05/09/15Thomas Hacker V 08/05/15William Spencer II 08/23/15Nicholas Patsis V 09/15/15431 Three LakesJames Kumbera K 09/06/15Arden Bierman II 09/16/15Ralph Mueller II 09/08/15434 Oak CreekRobert Emmer K 09/16/15436 WrightstownWilliam Moser V 09/20/15Raphael Rozmarenowski V 09/21/15442 Wisconsin RapidsEugene Topping V 09/26/15456 CarolineLarry Lohrentz V 09/16/15

457 MequonJohn McGourthy V 01/31/14458 WauzekaFay McCullick II 01/10/15William Christianson II 12/07/14Harold Trehey 04/16/15Donald Trehey K 10/08/14Orlyn Chunat II 07/31/15468 MilladoreLeRoy Wanta II 07/29/15469 MarathonDavid Seubert K 09/24/15482 BagleyRoger Helgerson K 08/26/15488 New BerlinDale Price V 03/05/15492 RothschildStephen Folwarski II 09/16/15501 MadisonWilliam Quinn K 08/09/15James Watson K 09/30/15506 Iron RiverIsadore Sznaider II 08/15/15519 StetsonvilleJulius Griesbach II 05/04/15Kenneth McRoberts II 09/24/15534 McFarlandJames Leyda V 09/10/15Ida Norton II 09/26/15540 HaugenCharles Walker V 09/27/15546 RacineThomas Mason V 09/06/15547 LublinFrank Zuber II 09/02/15Ronald Osowski V 11/19/13

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

Riders Raise Funds for VA Transportation

The LastBugle

Post No. 401 Commander Charles Dykstra recently presented a 70 Year Continuous Membership Award to Legionnaire William Trotz of Cambria.

PAGE 7October 29, 2015 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE

Team Wisconsin hosted its fi rst hospitality room on behalf of our Candidate for National Command-er, Denise Rohan, in Indianapolis on October 11, 12 and 13. The room featured many Wisconsin products to include: Johnsonville Brats, Bodi’s Bake Shop, Usinger Sausage, Shullsburg Creamery Cheeses, Zimmerman Cheese, Klondike Cheese, Silver Springs Brat Mustard, O & H Bakery Kringle, Cedar Creek Wines, and Miller products.

As people left the hospitality room, each guest was given a Wis-consin Pin, Pen and a brochure about our candidate. They were also given a 9-Volt Rayovac Bat-tery with a reminder from Team Wisconsin to keep their family safe and change the battery in their smoke detector. The batteries and many of the food items were do-nated or purchased at a signifi cant-ly reduced rate.

Prior to the event, a call went out for donations of specifi c needed items and the response for in-kind donations was overwhelming.

and a number of individual projects.

Post Adjutant Chad La Lor was contacted this summer by Bayfi eld County Veterans Service Offi cer Kevin John-son, who was aware of a Vet-eran outside of Brule with a dire need for a ramp on his house. The Iron River Lions Club committed to contrib-ute the design and labor to build the deck, but was seek-ing a funding source. Post members quickly approved $1,500 towards construction of the ramp, with the remain-ing amount being donated by Iron River Building Supplies who supplied lumber for the project.

Legionnaires and Lions are grateful for the assistance they’ve received from local supporters on this project.

Over the 3-day period we served over 600 people. The leftover food items were donated to a local homeless shelter. The liquid left-overs were packed up and returned to Wisconsin for use in future hos-pitality rooms.

The hospitality room was deco-rated with a “Family First” theme and looked like it had been profes-sionally catered. The team did an excellent job of showing off Wis-consin. As our guests got off the elevator on the 16th fl oor every one greeted them with “Welcome to Wisconsin!” We received an overwhelming response about how great everything was. You can all

be very proud of what was accom-plished on behalf of Wisconsin’s American Legion Family.

You can view pictures of the 3 day event on the campaign website at www.deniserohan.org. While on the site you can also see Can-didate Rohan’s travel schedule and upcoming events. Over the next year and a half she will be expected to visit all of the conti-nental US Departments and Team Wisconsin has 5 more hospitality events. Of course this site can also be used to make donations toward the campaign, which is more than welcome.

Fund raising events continue to be planned for Midwinter and don’t forget about Christmas in July which is being held during Convention in Madison next sum-mer. Men’s Hair House (http://www.menshairhouse.com/) con-tinues to offer a donation opportu-nity for those of you who live in a location with one of their stores.

We thank you for your continued support of Wisconsin’s next Na-tional Commander.

On September 23rd Sheboygan County Commander DuWayne Wieck presented a Certifi cate of Recognition to Steve R. Rortvedt, a 42 year member and Post Adjutant of the Walter P. Gilles Post No. 484. On August 7th while serving as a Squad Leader at a Military Honors Funeral, Steve performed the Heimlich maneuver on a gentleman that began choking on a piece of gum. Steve’s quick action saved this man’s life. This was not the fi rst time Steve has done this. A few years ago Steve performed the Heimlich at a local restaurant when a gentleman began choking on a piece of steak. Steve was honored by the post for his unselfi sh actions and quick thinking.

Marvin (Stormy) Soerens of the Vander Jagt-DeBruine Post No. 338 in Cedar Grove was re-cently presented with a 70 year continuous membership cer-tifi cate by Post Adjutant Herb Inselman.

Stormy joined the U.S. Army in 1943 and served in Italy. He re-ceived a Purple Heart for wounds received in action. Upon return-

The Fohl-Martin Post No. 483 in Allenton recently hosted a din-ner in honor of members with 50 or more continuous years of membership. Department of Wisconsin Vice Commander Dan Seehafer and 2nd District Commander James Lee were in attendance to congratulate the honorees. Five out of the nine Post No. 483 members with 50 or more continuous years in The American Legion were able to at-tend the event.

Member Fred Zimmel has 71 continuous years and is the last living Charter member of the Post. He served in the Army dur-ing WWII and currently resides in Deerbrook. Willard Derge, who served in the Navy during WWII was on hand to mark 70 continu-

OF MEM BERSHIP

O

P

70 YEARS

AMERICAN LEGI0N

LEGIONNAIRE RECOGNIZED FOR SAVING LIFE

POPLAR POST

ing to America, Marvin joined The American Legion in 1946 and is actively serving as the post Service Offi cer.

Stormy still has shrapnel in his neck area close to his spine. Like many other combat vet-erans who were wounded, Stormy still carries the remind-ers of his wartime experience with him to this day.

ous years. Joseph Reinders, an Army veteran of WWII with 70 continuous years was also able to attend along with fellow WWII Army veteran Roy (Rex) Weyer of West Bend.

Other members recognized for long time membership in the post were Donald Jonas with 61 continuous years, Har-old Reindl with 61 continuous years, Francis Nennig with 60 years, Joseph Spaeth with 60 years and Norman Doll with 50 continuous years.

Pictured from left to right standing are 2nd District Commander James Lee, Joe Reinders, Willard Derge, Rex Weyerhaeuser and Post Com-mander Tony Montag. Seated from left to right are Joe Spaeth and Francis Nennig.

Pictured left to right are; Post Commander Ron Biskobing, Steve Rortvedt and Barry Feldmann, the gentleman who was saved from choking.

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