VFW POST 10804

111 Hwy 57 N. Little River SC 29566 843-399-0877 www.vfwpost10804.org Find us on Facebook NEWSLETTER – MAY 2020 HAVING PROBLEMS? NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE?...The “VETERANS CRISIS LINE” is open 24/7. Just call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. It takes an average of 8 seconds for your call to be answered. You are NOT alone! HOT!! – The FCC has approved a new, 3 digit (988) crisis line (acts in the same principal as 911). It will connect with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Communications carriers have 18 months to implement the system. It is NOT operational right now!

VA WOMEN VETERAN HELP LINES…1-855-829-6636 or www.womenshealth.va.gov Want to stay current with VA & VFW issues? Go to vfwac@vfw.org and sign-up for “Action CORPS Weekly”.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS – Again, this month, YOUR Post was unable to meet and vote on

new member applications. Hopefully, in the near future, things will get back to normal and the

Post can welcome members back. New and old!

COMMANDER’S CALL I want to thank the Comrades who cast votes in our recent electronic

election. Our House Committee is diligently working to upgrade behind the bar area. In preparation for this the walk-in cooler floor was cleaned, tiled, and the old storage rack removed to give us additional keg space. In addition, you will see a very clean Post when you return. All floors cleaned and stripped, bathrooms, fan and smoke eaters, soda lines, coolers, condensers, and filters have been cleaned or changed. In addition to this we began working on the bar itself by opening up the portion of the bar by the side exit door. This will provide better safety for our members and employees. I can’t say thank you enough! There are too many folks who made this happen to list here, but you know who you are. For those who have not heard, the National Convention Scheduled in July has been cancelled. Hopefully we can reopen by May 15th.

Kevin Rorer, Commander

Thanks to the efforts of Lew Ogonowski, the Monday VFW Golf League and members of the Post and Auxiliary. Post 10804 was able to collect (in one hour’s time) almost 400 pounds of food for needy veteran families. The foods were collected at the Post and then taken to The Veterans Resource Center (Hutton House) where they will be made into food baskets and distributed, by the Resource Center, to veteran families in need. Nice job Lew!!

Veteran Nursing Homes in S.C. – There are currently three ‘veteran homes’ in S.C. and two more are

being built (one in Florence and one in Horry County). Once all five homes are in operation. They will

have 738 beds. The cost of residing at one of these locations will be about $1,200 per month (compared

to the average $3,300 per month in private facilities). The two new facilities are expected to be receiving

residents around July of 2021.

To check for eligibility to reside at one of the current facilities or those under construction. You need to

check with your servicing VA facility.

MUSC, VAMC to offer drive-up testing for COVID-19

VA patients and employees will have access to drive-through COVID-19 testing at the MUSC Health drive-through test site beginning Wednesday, April 15. The MUSC Health test site is located in the parking lot of the Citadel Mall campus, outside the MUSC Health West Ashley Medical Pavilion.

Veteran patients experiencing symptoms consistent with COVID-19 should call the VA Telephone Advice Program at (843) 789-6400 for medical evaluation. VA employees with symptoms or exposure concerns should notify their supervisor and VA Employee Health.

VA patients or employees who need to be tested will be referred to MUSC Health, who will then contact the Veteran or VA employee with an appointment time for testing at the MUSC drive-through test site. VA patients and employees must present their VA ID at their MUSC Health testing appointment. MUSC will provide test results to VA within 24 hours of the specimen arriving in the lab, and the VA provider will contact the Veteran patient or employee with the results and medical guidance.

It is important to note this is not a self-select drive-through or walk-up service for anyone in the community who has a health concern; individuals who report to the site for specimen collection, but do not have a testing order through the MUSC Health Virtual Urgent Care platform or the VAMC, will not be allowed to enter the secure site.

VA Extends financial Benefits and Claims Relief to Veterans

- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced, April 3, a number of actions to provide Veterans with financial, benefits and claims help amid VA's COVID-19 response. “As all Americans come together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we want Veterans to be focused on their health and safety,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “That’s why we’re taking action to give those with pending debts, claims and appeals greater flexibility during these challenging times.” The financial relief actions include the following until further notice: Suspending all actions on Veteran debts under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department. Suspending collection action or extending repayment terms on preexisting VA debts, as the Veteran prefers. For benefit debts, Veterans can contact the VA Debt Management Center at 1-800-827-0648 to make arrangements. For health care debts, Veterans can contact the Health Resource Center at 1-888-827-4817 to make arrangements. The benefits and claims relief actions include giving Veterans the option to submit their paperwork late for the following actions: perfecting claims challenging adverse decisions submitting Notices of Disagreement submitting Substantive Appeals responding to Supplemental Statements of the Case Veterans requesting claim extensions can simply submit them with any late-filed paperwork and Veterans do not have to proactively request an extension in advance. For added convenience, VA will also accept typed/digital signatures instead of wet signatures on its forms. Those with questions can call 1-800-827-1000. For Veterans who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and need immediate action on their appeals, as opposed to a filing extension, the Board of Veterans' Appeals will Advance their appeal on Docket (AOD). Click here to find out how to file for AOD and what documentation is required.

VA to Rescind Decades-Long Claims Review Policy: The VA announced, in a

memorandum, that it will rescind its policy of permitting accredited service officers to review

claim decisions within 48-hours prior to formal promulgation of ratings. VA stated that this policy

change is due to a lawsuit it faces from an attorney who was denied access to the 48-hour

review process. Unlike veteran service officers (VSOs), attorneys are not permitted to review

claims decisions within the 48-hours preceding promulgation. VA also stated that 48-hour

review policy is no longer necessary due to the efficient system of filing and appealing claims

made possible by the Appeals Modernization Act. During the 48-hour review period, VSOs

inspect claims for accuracy to ensure that all claims were properly evaluated and are free from

error prior to a veteran receiving notification of a ratings decision. The VFW strongly opposes

this policy change as this decision will invariably cause harm to veterans who file claims

for disability benefits.

Do you think you have the grounds to file a claim for compensation or pension from the

VA because of your veteran service?

The VERY FIRST thing you should do is file a VA Form 21-0966 (Can be found on either the VFW.gov or

VA Forms web sites.) which is a notice to the VA that you intend to file a claim. Why is this important to

you? Because once it is received by the VA, it becomes your VA Eligibility Date should you be granted VA

benefits. You have one (1) year to file a claim before this form becomes null-in-void.

After the VA Form 21-0966 is filed, you next have to decide if you are going to use any veteran service

organization, or lawyer to help you with filing your claim. Or, you are going to do the paperwork yourself

(not recommended by the VA). If you intend to use a VSO? You next need to get and complete the VA

Form 21-22 which officially authorizes them to act as your advocate.

YOUR Post Elected and Appointed Officers and House Committee for 2020-2021

Commander Kevin Rorer

Sr. Vice Commander Mike Mishoe

Jr. Vice Commander Mike Mallory

Quartermaster Dan Farley

Chaplain Bob Wasden

1 Year Trustee Walt Duncan

2 Year Trustee Nick Camera

3 Year Trustee Scott Deibler

The following positions are appointed:

Adjutant and Judge Advocate– Lon Pike

Surgeon & Service Officer – Al Stahl

Officer of the Day – Leo Cyr

Guard – Bobby O’Shea

Committee Chairpersons will be appointed by the Commander at a later date.

House Committee Members (by election):

Carolyn Mishoe

Jim Stuparitz

Ken Broadhurst

Derek Seals

Jim Stemmerman

Allen Rundall

NOTE: When the newly elected House Committee gets a chance to meet. Their first order of

business is to elect the House Committee Chairperson

Meet Your Commander – Kevin Rorer ( for those of you who did not see this last year) I was born in Lynchburg, Virginia, but consider Roanoke my hometown since I graduated high school there. I graduated from East Tennessee State with a BS in Geography and a minor in History and Military Science. I was commissioned in 1982 and served two years with a Transportation Company in the Reserves at Kingsport, Tennessee. Assigned to Fort Huachuca, Arizona in 1984 for Officer’s Basic Military Intelligence training. After training, I was assigned to a year in Korea with the 2nd Infantry Division and 20th Support Group in Taegu as a platoon leader and assistant S-2/S-3. This is where I earned my VFW eligibility. I finished active duty at Fort Meade, Maryland as the S-4 for the 902d MI Brigade INSCOM, then did six months in the Reserves with the 3rd Infantry BN in Culpepper, Virginia. This ended in December 1987. After the military, I was a Program Manager for EG&G in Washington, DC and Cincinnati, Ohio. These positions were in support of an Asset Management contract for the Environmental Protection Agency that lasted until 1992. I next landed government employment in 1992 as a Property Management Specialist at the Department of Energy in Cincinnati and Miamisburg Ohio until 1999. I was next employed by the National Science Foundation in Washington, DC until 2005. I accepted a promotion to go back with the Department of Energy in 2006. I next took a hiatus to South Carolina until called back to the Department of Energy in Aiken, South Carolina as the site Property Management Officer from 2008 until 2018 when I retired. I have been a member of the VFW since 2008. I became active when I joined Post 10804 in 2012. I have served on the House Committee for three years, including one year as Secretary. I served as the Sr. Vice-Commander and Membership Chairperson for 2018-2019. Since joining the post, I have participated in most projects and events that the post has been involved with. This includes a considerable amount of time with building maintenance and upkeep (inside and outside). I have attended meetings and conventions at the District and Department (state) levels. I have been married to Alissa Rorer since 2012 and together we have four grown children (Alexis, Shane, Erika and Britany) and five grandchildren. Erika joined the Army in 2012 and was promoted to Staff Sergeant last year. She has been selected for the Warrant Officer Training Program in January 2020. She is currently serving overseas. She is a member of our post. Alissa and I enjoy the country farm-life on our 10 acre farm that consists of growing Virginia Pine trees and raising goats. When I have the time, I swing a golf club now and then.

YOUR Post Auxiliary Elected and Appointed Officers for 2020-2021

President - Deborah Hartleroad Senior Vice President - Ramona Seals Junior Vice President - Mary Lou Griggs Treasurer - Jacqui Williams Chaplain - June Rundall Conductress - Carrie Jo Miller Guard - Dennis Benson Secretary - Helen Walker Patriotic Instructor - Savannah Seals

Facebook - Ramona Seals First Year Trustee - Charlene Broadhurst Second Year Trustee - Alissa Rorer Third Year Trustee - Cynthia Walters

PROGRAMS Veterans and Family Support - Carrie Jo Miller Americanism - Savannah Seals

National Home and Buddy Poppy (working on a person)

Health and Wellness - Mary Lou Griggs Historian/Media - Ramona Seals Hospital/VAVS - Catherine Steel

Legislative (working on a person)

Scholarship - Lena Risser Youth - Tina Bast Membership/Recruitment - Jacqui Williams Web Page - Dennis Benson

Meet YOUR Post Auxiliary President – Debbie Hartleroad

Deborah Kay Hartleroad is a Life Member of Post 10804 Auxiliary. She previously served as YOUR Post Auxiliary President in 2015-2016. Debbie was born and raised in Saint Mary’s West Virginia. She is currently a longtime resident of Longs, SC. She still has family in the Morgantown, WV area. Debbie joined the VFW Auxiliary in Marietta Ohio under her husband Harold Hartleroad who was a US Navy Veteran. Deborah was active in the Marietta Ohio Post by helping serve dinners every week, among other activities. After moving to S.C. and transferring her membership to Post 10804. Debbie became very active in this Auxiliary. She has held several Auxiliary offices that include Conductress, Jr. & Sr. Vice-President and S.C. VFW District 7 President. She earned National recognition by being named the Outstanding National Home Fund Raiser in 2018 and Department level recognition as the Outstanding District (7) President that same year. Besides her VFW Auxiliary affiliations. Debbie is also a Member of American Legion Auxiliary Post 186. She has belonged to and served the Little River Elks as a Past Exalted Ruler, Ladies of the Moose, Past Worthy Matron at Loris Eastern Star, Past High Priest of White Shrine, Past High Priest of Oriental Shrine of North America. Past President of Grotto, Amaranth, and Daughter of the Nile. She is a member of Little River United Methodist Church. My 2020-2021 vision for the Post 10804 Auxiliary is to improve our membership. Especially recruiting the younger eligible persons in the area. This includes all you eligible men out there! The more people we have, the more things we can do to help YOUR Post. I am a fund-raiser! I plan on YOUR Auxiliary hosting numerous events that will benefit YOUR Post. Keep an eye out for announcements on dinners, dances, auctions and anything anyone else can think of to support Post 10804. I look forward to serving with YOU! Debbie

I WILL INTRODUCE YOU TO YOUR DISTRICT OFFICERS NEXT MONTH ! Small Businesses America is the life-blood of the American work-force and economy. Unfortunately; they have suffered the most over the last few months. Many have been forced to close their doors because they could not weather the corona virus storm without customers and income. Many are in serious financial trouble. I ask that, if you can afford it, (I also know many of our veteran friends and neighbors are having financial difficulties), please make an effort to spend some money buying food or goods from the small businesses around your neighborhood. While you’re at it. Check on your veteran and elderly neighbor and see if they are having problems and see if there is anything you, or a group of us, can do to help them.

Just as important is that when YOUR VFW Post opens again. You make the time and effort to come to the Post and enjoy a good meal, make use of the Canteen or just drop a donation in the ‘donation jar’. YOUR Post CANNOT survive without YOUR support. If you were ever thinking of making a financial gift to YOUR Post. Now just might be the right time to do it. Its going to take many months for YOUR Post to recover from the financial loss it has incurred. ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP WILL BE/IS APPRECIATED! Bill La Monte Writer/Editor 4william6@gmail.com

A LITTLE SOMETHING TO TAKE AWAY A VERY LITTLE BIT OF YOUR BOREDOM