As we prepare to give Thanks this week, I would like to say, “Thanks for your Giving”. You have given of yourself, sacrificed, and pushed forward to leave a legacy of a safer and greater America. Even in these troubled and uncertain times, your hard work, determination, and dedication have helped us to navigate these unchartered territories.
Despite the difficulties that lie ahead, we have so much to be thankful for. However, The American Legion, Department of Florida is most thankful for YOU. We want you to know how much you are appreciated as a member of our American Legion, Department of Florida Family and how much we value YOU. Without your support, your countless volunteer hours, and your donations, thousands of veterans and their families across the state would continue to suffer. Through your selflessness, you have made an impact! But we still have a long journey ahead and promise you that we will continue to charge forward.
A few things to think about these next couple of weeks:
The week of November 22-28, 2020 is National Family Week, a week meant to promote, encourage, and celebrate healthy families and communities.
Florida Flag & Emblem Salesis having a large sale with up to 80% off through the month of December and offering free shipping November 24-30, 2020. All profits earned stay with the Department of Florida, in support of our Florida Veterans and programs.
Our Holiday Blood Drive begins November 26 – December 31, 2020. Take this time to give a gift that will save a life. Posts, remember to schedule your own blood drives and encourage others to participate.
Tuesday, December 1, 2020, is also known as #GivingTuesday. The Department of Florida will be running an online fundraising campaign. Please consider donating and sharing the page with your friends and families.
Again, “Thanks for your Giving”. My wife and I would like to wish you a wonderful, safe, and bountiful holiday with your family and loved ones. Happy Thanksgiving!
With Gratitude,
William “Rick” Johnson Department of Florida Commander
INDIANAPOLIS (November 24, 2020) — National Commander of The American Legion James W. “Bill” Oxford issued the following statement regarding the 2020 elections:
“The American people have spoken and their wishes should be honored and respected. The American Legion congratulates President-elect Joe Biden. We look forward to working with our nation’s commander in chief in providing a high quality of life for veterans and their families, maintaining a strong military and promoting patriotic programs to benefit future generations. It has been a tough campaign for both major presidential candidates and they are to be commended for their service. The coronavirus pandemic and its related economic consequences have caused great pain throughout the United States and the world. The American Legion offers our assistance and support to help the incoming administration defeat this deadly virus. We also congratulate the recently elected members of Congress and public office holders at every level. When it comes to advancing America’s interests, the 117th Congress will always find an informed and eager partner in The American Legion. We offer our same support to President Trump, who remains our president until January 20, 2021.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected how the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) fulfills its mission of “providing benefits and services to Veterans, their families, and survivors in a responsive, timely, and compassionate manner in recognition of their service to the Nation.”
Due to the pandemic, VBA discontinued all in-person disability exams on April 3, 2020. The exams allow VBA to determine the severity of veterans’ service-related illnesses or injuries, which in turn determines the monthly benefits VBA pays disabled veterans. To continue
providing some exams, VBA relied on telemental health and reviews of acceptable clinical evidence (ACE).
ACE exams are based on a review of medical records and history without an in-person clinical exam or testing but may include a telephone or video interview.
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) conducted this review to assess
How VBA scheduled and conducted exams during the COVID-19 pandemic to limit veterans’ exposure, minimize claims-processing delays, and ensure claims are not prematurely denied due to missed or canceled in-person exams; and
VBA’s strategy for addressing the inventory of disability exams delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Nov. 17 via a virtual streaming ceremony, The American Legion will present its Patriot Award to Dr. Mike Haynie and Syracuse University’s Institute for Veterans and Military Families. To view the ceremony at 10 a.m. ET Nov. 17, click here.
The Patriot Award is given by The American Legion to recognize great deeds and exemplary acts of service; previous recipients include former Indiana Gov. and Purdue University President Mitch Daniels, former Secretary of Defense Dr. Robert M. Gates, Vietnam War U.S. Army combat nurse Diane Carlson Evans and South Korean multinational electronics leader Samsung.
Following the presentation of the award, American Legion Past National Commander Fang Wong and Dr. Haynie, IVMF’s founder and Syracuse University’s Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives & Innovation, are scheduled to discuss topics including higher education for veterans, training for transitioning veterans and the challenges associated with being newly disenfranchised from service. To submit a question in advance for the discussion, click here
Alexander Hamilton understood. “Justice and humanity forbid the abandoning to want and misery men who have spent their best years in the military service of a country or who in service had contracted infirmities which disqualify them to earn bread in other modes,” the architect of America’s financial system said.
The men and women who have earned the title “veteran” during modern times are a much more diverse group than the continental troops that Hamilton led during the Revolutionary war. But nonetheless, the sentiment is still valid.
The organization that I lead, The American Legion, believes no veteran should be abandoned. We believe veterans have earned the opportunity to thrive. To succeed. To live the American dream. In short, veterans are our nation’s greatest asset.
Veterans Day, November 11, can be traced back to the 1918 armistice which ended World War I. That great moment which was intended to usher in a new era of world peace, also occurred in the middle of a global pandemic.
The veterans of a century ago did not have a state-of-the art health care system to respond to their wounds and ailments. They did not have a GI Bill to help them obtain higher education or home loans. They did not have veterans’ preference laws to help ensure meaningful job opportunities. But they did have a brand new organization of wartime veterans known as The American Legion. It was the advocacy of this group that would help veterans achieve all of these things and much more.
Today’s veterans are hurting once again. Military suicides have increased 20 percent this year. Veteran-owned businesses have closed or struggled immensely during the pandemic-related shutdowns. Instead of returning to the warm embrace of an appreciative nation, veterans feel even more isolated as they come home to a society changed by social distancing and a healthcare system that is at times overwhelmed by the coronavirus.
Patriotic citizens often ask The American Legion about the appropriate way to honor a veteran. The simplest way is to thank one. Flying the American Flag on Veterans Day or donating to a veterans charity are also appreciated gestures. Those in a position to do so should consider hiring veterans, which not only benefits the job-seeker but is often a smart business move.
The American Legion has developed an extensive Buddy Check program, in which we encourage our members to regularly communicate with their fellow veterans. We are simply telling our brothers and sisters-in-arms that we appreciate them and that we are there for them. We offer to help those in need. We listen to their concerns as comrades with a common bond.
Our Buddy Checks have resonated. Both houses of Congress are now considering bipartisan legislation which would raise awareness about suicide prevention among veterans by promoting these peer wellness checks. It would establish a Buddy Check week and direct the secretary of Veterans Affairs to consult with nonprofit organizations, mental health experts and members of the Armed Forces to develop and implement education opportunities on conducting effective and appropriate checks.
So, if you’re looking for another way to honor veterans this Veterans Day, you might want to contact your representative and senators. Ask them to support S. 4657 and H.R. 4290 to enact a federally-backed Buddy Check program.
“Someone in your life needs to hear that they matter. That they are loved. That they have a future. Be the one to tell them.” an Army veteran said this year. Unfortunately the words were the final ones shared by Ronnie McNutt, who live-steamed his suicide on social media.
Did you catch his final plea? “Be the one to tell them.”
That, more than anything else, is the best way to honor a veteran.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
INDIANAPOLIS (October 2, 2020) – American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford issued the following statement regarding the announcement that President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19:
“The American Legion extends its heartfelt prayers that President Trump and the first lady have a full and speedy recovery from COVID-19. Our nation has accomplished remarkable feats in its history. We have prevailed against powerful enemies. We can, we must and we WILL defeat this dread disease that has caused so much pain and damage worldwide.”
With a current membership of nearly two million veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 12,000 posts across the nation.
