LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
Weekly Report – November 12, 2020
Weekly Report – November 5, 2020
Weekly Report – October 29, 2020
The American Legion activates national Buddy Checks to save veteran lives amid rising suicide rates, urges Congress to pass bill to help
Posts across the country step up veteran-to-veteran outreach to support those at high risk around Veterans Day
INDIANAPOLIS (October 29, 2020) — As COVID-19 cases rise and the holidays approach, The American Legion is activating its Buddy Check program to save veteran lives through peer support check-in calls. The nation’s largest veterans organization is also urging Congress to pass the Buddy Check Bill which will make wellness checks a national priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs. With military suicides up 20% over this time last year, Legionnaires will make thousands of check-in calls to at-risk veterans across the nation, to offer support and access to health and wellness programs in the week surrounding Veterans Day and into the weeks ahead.
The American Legion warns that veterans can be at particular risk for depression and suicide around the holidays and into the winter months. Many veterans are disproportionately hard-hit by the pandemic due to age, chronic health issues, post-traumatic stress disorder and isolation. The Buddy Check program is designed to give Legionnaires the tools to make contact, engage in conversation, assess risks and direct veterans in need to the appropriate services.
“The American Legion knows from 100 years of experience that it’s veteran-to-veteran contact that can make the difference for someone in a crisis situation,” says James W. “Bill” Oxford, national commander of The American Legion. “So, we’re putting some muscle behind this effort and giving our members the tools they need to reach out to fellow veterans in their hometowns who may be hard hit by the triple whammy of the pandemic, isolation and the holidays.”
The American Legion is also urging Congress to unanimously pass the Buddy Check Bill introduced with bi-partisan support from Sens. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; Doug Jones, D-Ala.; and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. The legislation will require VA to establish a “Buddy Check Week,” as well as provide educational opportunities, materials and references for veterans to learn how to conduct personal wellness checks. The bill also compels VA to expand resources for the Veterans Crisis Line to handle any potential increased volume during the designated week.
“Veterans are in crisis, and we need Congress’ help to take this program to the next level and stem the tide of suicide among our nation’s veterans,” Oxford said. “We need all hands on deck and all boots on the ground to fight for our nation’s veterans, just like they fought for us.”
The Buddy Check program encourages Legionnaires to make contact, lend a listening ear, and direct their peers to critical services. For Buddy Check information, visit legion.org/buddycheck. For urgent help, contact the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255.
USA by Carlos Solis
Carlos Solis is a friend of The American Legion, Department of Florida, and we are proud to introduce you to his new single written and sung by Solis. We hope that you enjoy and will share with other Patriots.
From:
Clermont, FL
Genre:
Jazz, Big Band, Swing, Bossanova, Pop,, Latin Jazz
Members:
Carlos Solis – Acoustic Guitar/Singer Songwriter, Richard Bravo – Drums, Jackson King – Keyboard/Vocals, Charlie Santiago – Percussion, Michael Levine – Piano, Pedro Navarro – Electric Guitar, Camilo Valencia – Saxophone/Ewi, Jorge Dobal – Horns/Trombone, Julio Diaz – Horns/Trumpet
About Carlos Solis
Born in Havana Cuba, Carlos Solis arrived in Miami with his family in 1961 at the age of 6 fleeing the Communist regime in his home country. He grew up in the Little Havana area of Miami, in a very rough neighborhood and went to five different schools. Things changed for him through music and the influence of several police officers. He started writing playing and recorded at several studios in Miami and also appeared on several TV Shows. In 1977 he married and decided to put down the guitar, go to work and try to start his own business. They wound up owning several successful businesses. In 2007 his wife Sandy was diagnosed with breast cancer. They sold their business and he stayed with her 24/7. They purchased an RV and did some traveling to keep her in good spirits as she was going through surgery, chemo and radiation. This inspired him to start writing again and he reunited with some old friends, most Grammy and Emmy winners. The main song on the first CD he wrote for her is called “You’re Not Alone”. The second CD Sailing was released and Pandora gave him his own station the Solisbravo band radio.
His new single USA was written for the love and appreciation he has for this country.
May God Bless America
Weekly Report – October 22, 2020
Dave Miller Recognized for Neighborhood Watch
David C Miller | USMC | Disabled Vietnam | Combat Veteran | American Legion Hospital Representative Bay Pines VAMC | National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Council for Florida
Congratulations to Dave Miller on his special recognition from the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office on October 3, 2020. Sheriff Bob Gualtieri presented Miller with a certificate in recognition of outstanding service and dedication to his Neighborhood Watch Community.
Miller was very concerned about the youth and elderly in his community, especially with recent storms, the COVID pandemic and rising crime rates. Being a man of action, Miller enlisted a few veterans to start patrolling the neighborhood, exchanging contact information among them, and partnering with the local Sheriff’s Department to perform safety checks during the night.
Miller went a step further by also setting up protocols for those who may need medical assistance or help obtaining food and supplies or even getting to stores. Miller says, “it’s almost like our buddy system in the military when I served in the United States Marine Corps.”
Miller and residents of his neighborhood can now relax with more confidence that they are prepared for any disastrous events, emergencies, or social injustices.
Miller has been helping veterans at the VA and in his community for more than thirty years. “I took an OATH in the military to protect my Country from ALL ENEMIES both FOREIGN and DOMESTIC as long as I live. God Bless our Country and ALL Americans”, states Miller.
Congratulations, Dave Miller, we thank you for your continued service and dedication. You are a shining example among us.
Weekly Report – October 15, 2020
Dept Historian Wins 1st in 2020 Contest of The American Legion Media Alliance
Edward Lewis, Historian
Congratulations to Department Historian, Edward Lewis, for winning first place in the 2020 contest of The American Media Alliance, in the “Visual Media Campaign-Department” category.
Lewis was selected out of nearly 100 entries in this year’s contest. Judging was initially set to take place at the National Spring Meetings, National Convention or Fall Meetings, but with the current pandemic, National Headquarters staff served as judges, approved by a three-member TALMA task force and by the full commission at the last virtual commission meet.
Again, Congratulations on a job well done!
Ernie A. Florig
Ernie Florig
June 2, 1953 – October 4, 2020
It is with great sadness as we mourn the loss of our brother and friend, Ernie Florig. Ernie played a vital role in The America Legion, Department of Florida 5th District for many years and for that we are forever grateful and will never forget his faithful service and sacrifice.
VIEWING:
October 13, 2020 – 6-8pm at Quinn-Shalz Family Funeral Home, 3600 3rd St S Jacksonville Beach, FL (904) 249-1100
FUNERAL MASS:
October 14, 2020 – 11am at St. Paul’s Catholic Church located at 435 1st Ave N Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250 (904) 249-2600
INTERMENT:
Interment Ceremony 1:30pm at Jacksonville National Cemetery – 4083 Lannie Rd, Jacksonville, FL (904) 766-5222
Weekly Report – October 8, 2020
Weekly Report – October 1, 2020
Post Service Officer School Webinar
The American Legion, Department of Florida is please to offer an online Post Service Officer course on Friday, October 30, 2020, from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. The class is a one (1) day course, to be held through Zoom, led by qualified instructors from The American Legion and Florida Department of Veterans Affairs.
To attend, you must pre-register, no later than Tuesday, October 20, 2020. The course has limited availability, and attendance is free of charge, to those interested in becoming a Post Service Officer.
This is one in a series of virtual courses being held by the Department of Florida, please follow us at facebook.com/floridalegion and visit our website at floridalegion.org to stay informed.
Schedule
| Registration Deadline | 10/20/2020 | 12:00 AM |
| Webinar Begins | 10/30/2020 | 8:00 AM |
| Lunch Break/Exam Part I | 10/30/2020 | 11:00 AM |
| Webinar Resumes | 10/30/2020 | 12:00PM |
| Webinar Ends/Exam Part II | 10/30/2020 | 4:00PM |
| Exam Closes | 10/30/2020 | 5:00PM |
*Schedule is tentative and could change without notice.
OPERATION: Warp Speed
Dept of Human & Health Services Dept of Veteran Affairs Dept of Defense Convalescent Plasma / HiG Group
Today we are announcing the launch of a nationwide effort to help those who are currently suffering from COVID-19 by collecting convalescent plasma from Americans who have recovered from the virus.
What is plasma? Plasma is a liquid component of blood. When it is collected from patients who have recovered from COVID-19, it is known as COVID-19 convalescent plasma.
A group of investigators from several institutions have shown that convalescent plasma is safe for use in patients, and they are collecting and analyzing data to determine how effective it is.
Plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients has antibodies that can fight the disease in patients who are currently sick.
Donating your plasma will not weaken your body’s ability to fight off the virus that causes COVID-19.
To reach every possible donor, we are joining forces with The Fight Is In Us an existing national plasma collection effort. We are also working with the OneBlood, Red Cross, America’s Blood Centers, and multiple federal agencies and state, local, community officials in cities and counties across the country to help donors find a collection site near them.
We are encouraging anyone who has fully recovered from COVID-19 for at least two weeks to donate their plasma. The good news for those who need treatment is that recovered individuals can donate their plasma more than once, because your body replenishes the plasma in your blood.
Donating is easy and safe and takes between 90 minutes and 3 hours. The collection process uses sterile tubing and supplies for each donation which are discarded after each collection and are never reused.
There are hundreds of FDA licensed donor centers and hospitals across the country where plasma can be donated.
If you are willing to step up to help other Americans, you can find your nearest donor centers on the website The Fight Is In Us. We hope you can contribute to our country in this time of need.
American Legion service officer’s words help save a veteran from suicide
The American Legion – SEP 23, 2020
Photo courtesy of David Lydon
A phone call routed to a non-crisis line helped save the life of a veteran sitting in a parking lot contemplating suicide.
“I was the right person at the right time for him to reach,” said Dave Lydon, a 16-year Legionnaire and a four-year service officer at Flagler County Veterans Services in Bunnell, Fla. “My life experiences helped me that day. Because if you get that call, it can be shocking. It’s a lot of responsibility to make sure he doesn’t take that firearm and end it there.”
The Vietnam veteran making the distress call was unfortunately on the phone for 15 minutes being transferred several times, “which could mean life or death,” Lydon said, before the final transfer to veterans service office – Lydon’s phone. “It may be divine intervention that I was the right person on that day to pick up. I feel blessed that I was able to help him that day. He needed somebody to listen to him.”
The veteran in distress served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He shared that hearing the numbers of those deceased from COVID-19 over the radio and news reminded him of hearing the body counts of American servicemembers from the war. That, along with having to quarantine because of the virus and other life issues became too much for him.
“He didn’t feel like he was of use to anybody anymore,” Lydon said. “That’s what I hear a lot of people who are suicidal is that they don’t feel like they’re valued anymore, and I think he was feeling that way. Part of our discussion was letting him know that there’s people who need you in their life. He had a jovial attitude once we started talking, he was a funny guy. I said you know, you’ve got a good sense of humor and how do you know you’re not still on this earth – even if it’s just somebody at the gas pump that you say a kind word to who may be having a bad day thinking they have no value – but because you say a kind word it changes their whole trajectory. How do you know that’s not what you’re still here to do? Or to tell your grandkids how to live a good life.
“Fortunately, I got him past that point of what he was contemplating.”
Lydon knew the caller was in distress. “I didn’t want to scare him off the phone so I let him keep talking and little by little I would ask him, ‘Where are you?’” That’s when Lydon learned they were in the same county. The caller thought he had reached a call center in another state.
Lydon invited the caller to his office to talk. About 20 minutes later, the two were sitting together and talking about family, life, their military service and more for nearly three hours.
“He left here in much better spirits, with a different outlook,” Lydon said. “I checked with him by text that evening. He wrote back saying he was doing OK.”
The veteran made another visit recently to Lydon’s office to file a VA claim.
Lydon used life experiences when speaking with the veteran in distress – he’s a retired New York state police officer, entering his 36th year in the Air Force Reserve, and returned home earlier this year from a deployment to the Middle East where he visited 21 U.S. bases to meet the troops and check on their morale.
Lydon said the caller appreciated that he was speaking to another veteran, “that I understood. I understood the military and what veterans experience.”
Lydon shared a few reminders when you receive a call from a veteran in distress.
- Be positive and be a good listener.
- Keep them talking until you know you have them past that period of time where they are thinking about doing it.
- Give them your time.
“Are you ready? Are you ready to get that call?” Lydon asks. “In today’s climate we talk about what are you going to do for a distressed veteran to prevent suicide. But do you really give it some thought about how are you are going to react. What are you going to say. What are you going to do if you get that call. I just feel fortunate that I have enough experience in life that I was able to handle it the way I did.
“In cases like this, they are looking for someone to convince them why not to.”
VA’s Crisis Line
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and veterans, servicemembers and their loved ones can connect in confidence with VA responders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here’s how:
- Call toll-free at (800) 273-8255 and then press 1;
- Text the number 838255; or
- Chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net/chat.
Jacksonville Navy veteran sleeping soundly after home gets new roof
Mary Baer, 5, 6 & 10 p.m. anchor | News4JAX | Published: September 22, 2020
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A retired Navy veteran in Jacksonville should sleep easier now that a new roof has been put over his head at his home on the Westside. You can find more about the roofing companies here.
Alton Cook’s roof was leaking, so much so that he had buckets set up around his house to catch rainwater. American Legion Post 137 coordinated the effort to fix the roof, securing supplies from The Home Depot and enlisting Golden Hammer Roofing to help put it all together. Get help from commercial roof contractors for better services.
“He was dumping out buckets,” said Sher Arbogast, a neighbor. “An 87-year-old man does not deserve to empty buckets.”
“We’ve had holes in the ceiling, tarps on the roof, trying to get everything done for a couple of years now,” said Cook’s daughter-in-law, Jeanie.
The neighbor and two fellow veterans, both members of American Legion 137, got the ball rolling with the help of Rainier Roofing LLC serving all of Tampa and nearby areas.
“I had a couple of tarps in the garage. I thought maybe we would just try to get the leaking to stop,” said Rita Robbs with American Legion 137. “I put a Facebook notice out, nine people showed up. It was amazing.”
But that was just a bandage. Robbs called The Home Depot, knowing the company supports veterans.
“They met me right where I was at,” Robbs said. “They covered all the OSB boards. They covered all the shingles. They covered all the felt paper.”
Then she called Golden Hammer Roofing. The local company, owned by veterans, was eager to help. There is also roof replacement services one can count on in case of roof problems.
“Our mission statement is to give back to the communities in which we work and live,” said Dania Fadeley with Golden Hammer Roofing. “And we are very happy to be able to do that.”
And they did it all — in one day!
Weekly Report – September 24, 2020
Consolidated Post Reporting: ‘Every post has a story to share’
The American Legion – SEP 17, 2020 | The American Legion’s federal charter requires the submission of an annual report to Congress on activities for the year. More than 8,840 of the 12,637 American Legion posts submitted a Consolidated Post Report (CPR) for the 2019-2020 membership year by its deadline of July 1. That’s an average completion rate of 70 percent. American Legion National Commander Bill Oxford challenged and encouraged departments to hit 100 percent reporting. One hundred percent reporting is one of four requirements to achieve the Post Excellence Award.
Nine departments answered Oxford’s challenge and achieved 100 percent reporting – Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Oregon. A few department leaders share how they did it.
Department of North Carolina. “Every post has a story to share,” said Department Adjutant Randy Cash. “The American Legion Department of North Carolina had a special incentive to reach 100 percent Consolidated Post Reporting for 2019-2020. National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford hails from the ‘Tarheel’ state. Having served at the post, district, division and department level, as well as on committees and commissions at the national level, Commander Oxford understands the critical importance of these reports. Through his encouragement and leadership, the Department of North Carolina mapped out a plan to achieve 100 percent post participation.
“Soon after the 2019 National Convention in Indianapolis, department leadership began sending out information to posts emphasizing the importance of the CPR. Electronic newsletters, emails, bulletins, the NC Legion newspaper, and district, division and department meetings were all utilized to help emphasize the role the CPR plays in shaping The American Legion at the local and national level.
“The CPR is a barometer to measure the impact and effectiveness of the Legion, and a checklist for the individual post to determine if they are fulfilling the vision of our founders. We emphasized that the CPR is more than a ‘paper drill.’ It is a significant tool to use in support of our nation’s veterans.
“Administratively, district commanders are required to visit a post at least once a year and record all programs and community support. The department designed a new district commander form to better capture post activity and to make it more compatible with the CPR. The form helps facilitate a more seamless transfer of information to the CPR and better highlight the significant accomplishments of the individual post.
“In addition, department staff and the Membership, Post Activity, Post Organization and Revitalization Committee, and district commanders worked together as a team to collect information, confirm activity or events, and assist posts in capturing relevant data. Other tools such as department-level Buddy Checks, post websites and Facebook pages were additional resources in telling the Legion story in North Carolina. District commanders, the Membership Committee and department staff directly supported the 30 to 40 percent of posts needing assistance with the process.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presents many challenges. At the same time, it presents many opportunities. Even though we are having to adjust some of our day-to-day operating procedures, it reinforces the need for communication, teamwork and creativity.”
Department of Florida. “The Department of Florida recognized that while the unprecedented event of a world pandemic brought months of uncertainty as posts closed their doors and members remained in lockdown, it is in moments like these that Legionnaires may need a reminder of the great work they had done for their communities,” said Department of Florida Commander William “Rick” Johnson. “It is also in moments like these that Florida’s membership continues to rise to the occasion, by not only contacting fellow members via Buddy Checks, but collecting food and goods to distribute to the children and families also hit hard by COVID. And while we knew that large-scale events were out of the question, it is small actions like these that can and should be reflected on the Consolidated Post Reports and needs to be celebrated.
“The department also knew that nine months’ worth of dedication and support of the Legion’s Four Pillars should not be wiped away just because a post had to shut its doors. We decided to make it a priority to collect the Consolidated Post Reports from all Legion posts in the state so that each and every member could view the final statistics and feel pride in knowing that they had a hand in reaching those goals. The CPR is one small puzzle piece that when put together shows the greater picture of a year’s worth of work and dedication the men and women of The American Legion have done without expecting a word of thanks or recognition.
“We accomplished 100 percent reporting through sending weekly updates reminding post, district and area officers of the deadline date and the importance of what the statistics mean not only to Florida veterans and the communities they serve, but to veterans across the nation. District commanders were also instrumental in collecting the CPRs, prompting post adjutants and commanders to complete their end of year reports and submit it to state headquarters.
“Finally, in the weeks leading up to national’s July 1 deadline, Department of Florida personnel called posts that had not yet reported to offer assistance and guidance to complete and turn in their Consolidated Post Report.”
Department of Indiana. “Achieving 100 percent reporting took a concerted effort between our department headquarters staff and leadership in the field,” said John Crosby, Department of Indiana adjutant. “First, the department commander and leadership stressed the importance of the Consolidated Post Report, explaining that this document is our report card to Congress, statehouse, and local officials detailing who we are and how we change lives in our communities across the Hoosier state. Incentivized programs, to include the U.S. Minted American Legion centennial coins for district commanders that reported 100 percent by deadline, were communicated as early as October of last membership year. Constant communication between department down through districts and posts continued throughout the year using every tool necessary to us including our department publication “Hoosier Legionnaire”, digital newsletter, social media, internal email, and word of mouth from conferences, district and post meetings. Without the hard work of our blue cap Legionnaires in the field, this success would not have been possible.”
Department of Maryland. Department Commander Philip Dorsey gave Second Vice Commander Ronald Holcombe the role of calling all post commanders and adjutants to remind them that June 30 was the cutoff date to have CPRs in to the department. “Thanks to my second vice commander, he stayed on top of it. He didn’t let it rest (until all CPRs were in),” Dorsey said. For the 2020-2021 membership year, completing a CPR is one of three requirements for posts in Maryland to receive membership awards.
Weekly Report – September 17, 2020
Hurricane Sally
Bill Hoppner
Disaster Preparedness
Hurricane Sally made landfall near Gulf Shores, Alabama early Wednesday morning. Sally is continuing to crawl north-northeast at 3 mph, and the storm’s center will move across southeastern Alabama and the Florida Panhandle through early Thursday. The National Hurricane Center says “Catastrophic and life-threatening flooding occurring over portions of the Florida Panhandle and Southern Alabama”. Department of Florida will be assessing the damage when it is safe to do so, and will keep our Legionnaires informed. Our thoughts and prayers are with our members and their families affected by Hurricane Sally.
After Hurricane Sally rainfall and flooding begins to subside, most of our members will begin to return to their communities and homes to access damages and start the recovery process. We want you to be aware of The American Legion programs that are available to assist you during this time of recovery. If members are in need of continuing housing after a disaster because of damages sustained to their homes and the home is not available to be occupied, they should go to
https://www.disasterassistance.gov or the local FEMA Disaster Center for FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance. If member is unable to get FEMA or other government provided temporary housing, members may apply for an individual NEF grant or TFA within the restrictions established for each fund.
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Other Helpful resources: http://floridadisaster.org/getaplan/
State Assistance Information Line (SAIL): 1-800-342-3557
Please stay tuned to your local officials and/or log on to the www.floridadisaster.org
For God and Country,
William “Bill” Hoppner
Department Disaster Preparedness Chairman