Upcoming Events!

2010 Spring Conference: March 19-21 - Virginia Beach Resort, Va Beach
$85

Memorial Day 2010 : Monday May 31

2010 State Convention: July 8-11 - Sheraton Richmond West, Richmond
$99

2010 Fall Conference: October 29-31 Holiday Inn, Hampton
$74

2011 State Convention July 14-17 Roanoke Plaza Hotel & Holiday Inn, Roanoke

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Team Registration Process to go Electronic Jan. 1

By Andy Romey | The American Legion - November 3, 2009

The registration process for American Legion Baseball teams will soon become a lot easier. Starting Jan. 1, coaches will be able to fill out team applications online, and the entire application process will be electronic, thanks to the Legion's new Web site that launched Nov. 9.

Click here to read the rest of this story on Legion.org

© 2009 The American Legion. All Rights Reserved.

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Americanism in December? You Bet Your Snow Boots!
John Kokernak
Department Americanism Chairman

While December is often thought about in terms of the end of the calendar year or maybe for Christmas, or even the start of winter. December is very much an Americanism month. I'm sure that there are those of America's Greatest Generation that will never forget December 7th, A Date in Infamy, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor and united the American people as Congress declared war. Or December 15th is Bill of Rights Day. A day that was signed into being by President Roosevelt on December 15, 1941 to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the signing of the Bill of Rights by our forefathers. And some of my generation that will not forget "Operation Just Cause" in Panama on December 20, 1989.

Now I'm sure that there are those of you out there that are involved in a lot more Americanism activities related to the holiday season. Don't forget that Hanukkah starts on December 12th and Christmas is December 25th. There are many activities going on during the month of December where we celebrate the holidays and assist those who may be less fortunate than us. I know my post is active like many others in providing food and gifts to help veterans and their families in our communities as well families that are having trouble making the miracle happen. It is a very rewarding time of the year!

While we are celebrating the holidays, please remember that December is also Holiday Blood Donor Drive month. If you can, please donate blood during the month of December since this is a time of year when blood supplies run very low.

If you have not already started your post planning, December is a good time to contact the schools about the Middle School Essay Contest, Oratorical Contest, Boys State Program and the Junior Law Cadet Program. These programs all kick off early in the 2010 so now is the time to make those contacts at the schools if you have not already done so.

Lastly, remember that 2010 is just around the corner and Boy Scouts will be holding their 100th National Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia. Our legionnaires will be having a booth at the Jamboree and we are trying to raise funds to purchase 10,000 patches and 10,000 pins to pass out to the scouts at the booth. Please ask you post to consider making a donation to the patch fund. Please contact me at jkokernak@aol.com for more details.

So please keep up doing what you are doing to support our veterans, children and communities. And while you're at, please remember to capture the information for your annual reports. Thank you for all you do!

John Kokernak
Department Americanism Chairman

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Virginia Department of Veterans Services Releases Progress Report on the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program

Commissioner Vincent M. Burgess and Executive Director of the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program Catherine A. Wilson have jointly released the 2009 Progress Report on the VWWP. Authorized and funded in 2008, the Departments of Veterans Services, Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, and Rehabilitative Services, and the Adjutant General of the Virginia National Guard have worked together to establish the program and expand its reach across Virginia. Commissioner Burgess said, "the VWWP Team, our state agency partners, veterans service organizations, including the Joint Leadership Council which sponsored this program, have made great strides in developing a structure to connect veterans and their families to services for combat stress and traumatic brain injury."

Since July 1, 2008, the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program has

• Established 3 Regional Offices that cover Northern, Western and Central and Southern Virginia
• Funded five regional consortia of community mental health, brain injury and rehabilitative services specialists as well as Veterans Administration and military resources to connect veterans and families with local services for assistance
• Initiated a statewide needs assessment to learn about the gaps in services for veterans and their families who struggle with combat stress or traumatic brain injury
• Established a powerful Executive Strategy Group to explore partnerships and resources that can assist Virginia veterans, and
• Initiated steps to reach out to veterans and their families to encourage them to seek help.

Commenting on the tremendous progress in just one year of operation, Executive Director Wilson said, "I am confident that we will continue this momentum and demonstrate a record of success that adds unprecedented value to the quality of the lives of Virginia's veterans, service members and their families in the years to come."

This report is being distributed electronically only and is available at http://www.VirginiaforVeterans.com, click Publications and Forms. To obtain a printed copy, contact the Virginia Wounded Warrior Program, 804-371-4675 or e-mail VWWP.ExecAsst@dvs.virginia.gov.

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Habitat For Humanity Launches New Alliance With The American Legion - Habitat unveils volunteer guide to engage civilians and service men and women

WASHINGTON (Nov. 11, 2009) - Habitat for Humanity has joined The American Legion to help Legion members become an important part of the effort to end substandard housing.

The Legionnaire's Guide to Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Opportunities gives veterans options to advocate, build, donate and organize in support of Habitat's mission. The toolkit will be sent to Legion posts and members today and also is available online at www.habitat.org.

"We are excited about this joint effort with the American Legion," said Liz Blake, senior vice president of Government Affairs, Advocacy and Legal. "This alliance is an opportunity for service men and women to volunteer with Habitat, join us to make simple, decent, affordable housing a reality in partnership with families around the nation and the world."

The launch of the yearlong alliance with the Legion will be highlighted during the ServiceNation Civilian-Military Initiative kick-off in Washington, D.C. Habitat supports ServiceNation's national campaign to elevate service as a core ideal and problem-solving strategy.

"The American Legion welcomes the opportunity to partner with Habitat for Humanity," said Clarence E. Hill, National Commander of The American Legion. "This joint volunteer 'toolkit' will bring American Legion volunteers to Habitat for Humanity build-sites as well as refer eligible service members and veterans for possible housing opportunities."

Across the country Habitat affiliates celebrated Veterans Day by participating in a number of events including:

• Habitat for Humanity in Orange County (Calif.) is building homes in partnership with 14 veterans.
• Bethany Church of Laporte (Ind.) has teamed up with the Laporte County Habitat for Humanity to build a home with a soldier. They are calling this effort, "Welcome Home Soldier."
• Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette (Ind.) built a home in partnership with a veteran that was completed in time for Veterans Day.
• Seminole Habitat for Humanity (Fla.) hosted a Blitz Build led by a contingent of veterans to help rebuild homes destroyed by the Hurricane Katrina storm surge.
  
  About Habitat for Humanity International
  Habitat for Humanity International is an ecumenical Christian ministry that welcomes to its work all people dedicated to the cause of eliminating poverty housing. Since its founding in 1976, Habitat has built nearly 300,000 houses worldwide, providing simple, decent and affordable shelter for 1.5 million people. For more information, visit www.habitat.org.
  
  About The American Legion
  With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime 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 14,000 posts across the nation. For more information, visit www.legion.org.

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Healthcare and Insurance Headaches?
...Get Relief NOW

The complex healthcare system can sometimes make it difficult to find and understand the right information necessary to make informed decisions, resolve thorny insurance coverage or billing issues, or to get a timely appointment with a specialist, for example. Health advocacy services have emerged as a bridge between the consumer, insurance company and health providers, offering help to address these and other complicated, time-consuming healthcare- and insurance-related issues.

The Department wants you to know about a special new program for you and your family. Health Proponent - a program brought to us through the Legionnaire Insurance Trust - offers expert, personalized help to solve a full range of healthcare and insurance problems and save you time, money and worry. Here are some of the many things the service does:

• Helps you resolve insurance claims and assist with negotiating billing and payment arrangements.
  
  
• Helps find the right doctors, hospitals, dentists and other leading healthcare providers anywhere in the country.
  
  
• Negotiates Medical Bills
  
  
• ...and much more

By calling 866-939-3435, you can find out more about this unique new program and how you can enroll to start getting the benefits.

We hope you will find this valuable program useful

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Veterans Honored at Woodstock Post's Veteran's Day Ceremony

American Legion Woodstock Post 199 Honored Veterans at a ceremony held at the post on veterans day with representatives from each branch of the military services.

Post members and guests were addressed by a number of speakers recognizing the contributions and sacrifices of service members throughout America's history.

Click here for the newspaper article with photos

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Junior Shooting Sports Regional Contests Announced

The 2010 Junior Shooting Sports regional contest will be held April 24, 2010

Northern will be at the Prince William Fairgrounds
Jimmie Gilbert (jimmie_gilbert@raytheon.com) Point of Contact

Eastern will be at Lafayette Gun Club
Kirk Jefferis (american_legion_post310@verizon.net) Point of Contact

Western will be at Chatham National Guard Armory Point of Contact
Rod Henderson (Echenderson4@aol.com)

This is open to all schools or Clubs sponsored by an American Legion Post, Unit or Squadron. Contact Bob Brady for affiliation details alvajssp@msn.com

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