POST and DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
(Best Practices)

•   Did it provide a service to our veterans/active military or meet a   community need?
•   Did it involve more than just a few members?
•   Did it lead to positive exposure for AMVETS?
•   Did it identify and facilitate new members joining your post?
•   Can you reproduce the good results again?
•   Did you put the plan on paper and archive it for use again?

Submit a brief outline, and if available, an “action” photo of the activity in progress. Send to the National Programs Department. Strive to include in your photographs; banners, flags and/or clothing that identifies the activity as being sponsored or conducted by AMVETS.

Texas Boy Scout Troop 911 Color Guard provides services on Veterans Day 2009 at the VA Medical Center in Bonham Texas.
The Perrin Field Honor Guard Corp, a Boy Scout Troop, which provides patriotic and ceremonial services. Since they were established in August, 2006 they have participated in 40 plus events, never charging fees to cover expenses incurred while planning and preparing for an event.
Their mission is to represent the Boy Scouts of America by providing an Honor Guard style flag presentation at civic functions, parades and military ceremonies. They particularly like providing services for our Nation’s Heroes, the American Veterans. They work diligently to maintain precision, professionalism and pride, while demonstrating the highest level of commitment to our country.
For more information about this outstanding Scout Troop contact Beryl Love, AMVETS National Programs Director.

Post 77 New Jersey
Annual meeting and scholarship presentation held October 24, 2009 in Sewell, Mantua Township NJ. This was their 32nd annual meeting and their 8th scholarship presentation. The Post especially thanks Sidney & Anna Bomze for their generousity. In the photo, taken by Lou Ginefra, standing (L to R) is Commander Don Feldman, Don’s granddaughter Fallon Leah Milligan, a scholarship recipient, Dr. William Feldman, Leah’s great uncle, John & Regina Palastro, the proud grandparents of scholarship recipient Nicholas John Palastro who was unable to attend. Next are the proud grandparents of Laura Kim DiBiase, Ida & Joseph DiBiase. Laura was also unable to attend. Over $20,000 of scholarships have been awarded since the post started its scholarship program. Invited guests included Gloucester County Freeholder Joseph Chila, AMVETS Department of New Jersey Commander Jack Wolf, Department Memebrship Chairman Ed Baldinger, and Community Clean Streets coordinator Jeff Hamilton. The Colors were presented by the local Cub Scout & Boy Scout Units.

Welcome Home Ceremony for the 261st Signal Brigade, Delaware Army National Guard – AMVETS in Action!
We were there to send them off last year. We handed out small flags to all the families.  Many families took pictures of their children with our Care Bear.  I was honored to have my picture taken with Capt. Beau Biden and his son.  Vice President Biden spoke not only as Vice President but as a Blue Star Father.  It was a very wonderful and exciting day to welcome home everyone we sent off a year ago, with no unit casualties. 

Dawn Premock
Commander
Dept. of DE

Organizing a County Fair Veterans Day Event
Check out this great Program Idea/Best Practice from:
Corl-Gaynier AMVETS Post 1942
Monroe, MI
David L. Eby, Commander

After downloading our PDF you will find an excellent success story from Commander David Eby. He is encouraging you to seize this simple but effective program to enhance the AMVETS Brand, recognize our veterans and just possibly attract some new members. As David suggests, there are hundreds of counties across America where we have posts located that do indeed conduct an annual County Fairs. Contact him at (daveeby@yahoo.com) or 734.242.3445

Download County Fair PDF

8th Grader Receives White Clover Honor:
Its an English teacher's dream to hear a student has won an honor for demonstrating writing and speaking skills. ORCO 8th grader Shante McTimmonds recently won such an honor when she was crowned White Clover Princess by the Department of Oregon AMVETS. Shante, who is a junior member of AMVETS Post 10, began her adventure by writing a 150-word essay on why she wanted to be the White Clover Princess. Her Grandmother, Viresa Perkins who serves as the local president of the ladies auxiliary and coordinator of the Junior AMVETS program, and her grandfather, Brad Perkins who served in the United States Marine Corp., encouraged her to enter the competition. After her essay was selected, she traveled to Willamina and read it aloud to an audience of Oregon AMVETS post representatives.

While Shante expressed that this was a nerveracking experience for her, it also was a confidence builder. She is delighted and excited to be chosen as White Clover Princess, and is looking forward to representing the state of Oregon AMVETS. She began her reign with an acceptance speech on May 16th at the local Eagles Club. She was crowned by Gene Melton and Brad Perkins. Her duties include participating in Memorial Day ceremonies and parades, being invoved in the Lebanon Strawberry Festival, and visiting the Grand Ronde Pow Wow... Upon invitation, she will visit other posts to promote and encourage AMVETS membership.

Patriotic Festival, Virginia Beach, VA:
Department of VA, Posts 30 & 69 supported AMVETS National presence at the Patriotic Festival, “A Military Celebration,” at Virginia Beach, VA. Beryl Love, AMVETS National Programs Director thanks John Cooper, PDC of VA and member of Post 69 for coordinating the local support. Larry Nicks, CMDR of Post 69 said; “This is the best public awareness event for AMVETS that I have ever seen.” Also contributing much to the very successful face time with hundreds of military families and veterans were two of AMVETS National Service Officers, Gwen Young and David Pietri who volunteered their time. Young and Pietri are members of Posts 30 and 69 respectively. Love said; “For three days there was seldom five minutes without two or more of our team engaged in conversation, telling the AMVETS story and offering assistance.” Organizers for the event; City of Virginia Beach, USO of Hampton Roads, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce and Whisper Concerts indicated a conservative estimate of attendance for the weekend was 20 to 25 thousand people.

(Pictured working the booth; (L) David Pietri, NSO (R) John Cooper, VA/PDC)

JROTC Award Presented:
On behalf of the AMVETS Dept of GA, COL (Ret) U.S. Army, G.T. Myers, Senior Army Instructor for the JROTC program at Hart County High School, Hartwell GA, awards the AMVETS JROTC Medal to Cadet Major, Travis Todd. The Award was presented following the “Bulldog Battalion’s” pass in review on 30 April 2009

Memorial Day Ceremony 2008
AMVETS Delaware Post 4 conducts Ceremony at the Delaware Veterans Memorial. Below left to right, Roslyn Rieth, President Ladies Auxiliary Post 4 and Post 4 Commander and Delaware’s Second VC of Programs, Dawn Premock placing wreath.

AADAA (AMVETS Against Drugs and Alcohol Abuse) The purpose of this program is to help keep youth drug free. Every child in America is at risk of using drugs, regardless of race, ethnicity or economic status. The program features an annual National Essay/Poem and Poster Contest. Each state (Department) may conduct their own competition and then submit their winners for competition at the National level. Featured below are the winner of the 2004 AMVETS Department of Pennsylvania competition. All students are from the Ben Franklin School in Uniontown, Pa. The theme for this year’s contest was “There is No Use for Drug Abuse.”

Below left: (front row, left to right) second place essay winner Michael Tony, first place essay winner Zachary Kodric, third place essay winner Elizabeth Lane; (back row, left to right) teacher Pat Thomas (S.A.A.D cosponsor), AMVETS AADAA State Chair Earl Roberts, teacher Jacqueline Lukachik (S.A.A.D. cosponsor).
Below right: (front row, left to right) second place poster winner Samantha Johnson, third place poster winner Jacob Cahn, first place poster winner Emily Thompson; (back row, left to right) Pat Thomas, Earl Roberts, Jacqueline Lukachik.

ROTC Medal Program
As ROTC is now recognized as a primary source for recruiting the nation’s military officers, both high school and college-level U.S. Air Force ROTC detachments continue to make good use of the AMVETS ROTC medal program. The program offers attractive medals and certificates that are authorized by Army and Air Force regulations, and while the same regulations don’t exist for Navy or Marine Corps ROTC units, both may still participate in the program. Consisting of a medal pendant, ribbon bar and certificate (may be ordered from the National Quartermaster), the awards are presented annually to the outstanding cadet at each participating ROTC and JROTC unit. Congratulations to all young people who participate in this program and to the AMVETS members who sponsor the program. In the words of Col. Michael J. Dreadla, commander of Air Force ROTC Detachment 695 at the University of Portland (Ore.), “It means a great deal to our cadets to not only win these prestigious awards, but to have them presented by members of the programs that the awards are associated with.”

Clockwise:
Below left: M.Sgt. Johnnie Wiley, USAF (Ret.) and Tiffany Dettor of South Panola High School in Batesville, Mich.
Below right: Carl Lambert of Oregon Post 2000 (Willamina) and Elizabeth Corbin of the University of Portland in Portland, Ore.
Bottom right: Lt. Col. Kraig Evenson and Luke Bischoff of Montana State University in Bozeman, Mont.
Bottom left: Sean M. Phinney of Highland Park High School in Topeka, Kan., and Col. David K. Burke, USAF (Ret.).

Americanism Program

Honored with the AMVETS National Commander's Certificate of Excellence, Pennsylvania Post 19's (Lancaster) Americanism program involves more than 500 students from seven different schools. The program has grown over the past two decades to become a part of the local fabric of the local community.

Below Left: Auxiliary Post 19 Americanism Officer Paula Flory and AMVETS Post 19 Commander William Davis present well-deserved awards to two students.

Below Right: AMVETS National Programs Director Beryl Love (left) presents the certificate of Excellence to Davis, Flory and PNC Vaughn Brown, Sr., co-chair of Post 19's Americanism program.

Above: Lancaster Mayor Charlie Smithgall, a strong supporter of Post 19’s Americanism program, congratulates two young winners of the contest.
Right: A student from Lancaster Catholic High School participates in the 11th grade essay contest.

National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans

National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans (Portland, Oregon)

Right: Making the rounds in the Portland, Ore., VAMC, Cub Scout John Chubinsky hands World War II veteran Ed Clark a valentine. John and his fellow scouts from Pack 198, Den 1, Billy Buffum (left) and Carson Hoffmaster, accompanied AMVETS NSO James E. Chubinsky (far left) on the visit during the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans in February. The boys went from room to room, giving in-patient veterans valentines and thanking them for their service.

National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans (Washington, D.C.)

The Washington, D.C. Veterans Affairs Medical Center was one of hundreds of VAMCs across the country to conduct a special program as part of the National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans. Left: Paula Gorman, chief of volunteer services at the D.C. Medical Center, organized participation from local businesses, active military personnel and several veterans service organizations, including AMVETS. Department of D.C. AMVETS member Tommy Morse, Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services (VAVS) representative for the D.C. VAMC, is shown here with Gorman.

Below: Highlights included a USO entertainment troupe performance (bottom left), casino games for hospitalized veterans (bottom right) and a VIP visit to many wards where flowers, phone cards and Valentine’s Day cards (made by local schoolchildren) were presented to the veterans.