Commander-In-Chief Independence Day Message
Friday, July 4, 2008 at 08:04 AM
by post891
As we celebrate the 232nd anniversary of our nation's independence, let us pause to remember the victories in battle and the blood that was shed to preserve our freedoms. Let us give thanks to our forefathers for their vision of liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness. Most importantly, let us pay tribute to our nation's greatest assets: our servicemen and servicewomen in uniform who so proudly serve our nation in peace and defend our freedoms in war. We salute you for your dedication to duty and service to country. Thank you from the 2.4 million members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and its Auxiliaries.
God bless America.
George Lisicki
VFW Commander-in-Chief
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President Signs New GI Bill Into Law
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 02:07 PM
by post891
KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 30, 2008 – President Bush’s signature today on a new GI Bill for the 21st Century is being hailed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. as a tremendous victory for a new generation of military servicemen and women who have been at war for almost seven years.
"This is a tremendous victory for America's veterans, military and their families," exclaimed VFW national commander George Lisicki, a Vietnam combat veteran from Carteret, N.J.
"I salute Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) for his determination to get this bill passed, the president for his strong support of our military, and the entire VFW membership for their untiring effort to get their congressional delegations to cosponsor S. 22 or its companion bill in the House, H.R. 5740.”
The new 21st Century GI Bill will pay the highest in-state public tuition rate, and provide for books, fees, and a living stipend. It eliminates the $1,200 enrollment fee, extends the use-or-lose benefit requirement from 10 to 15 years, and greatly enhances the amount paid to Guard and Reserve members. The new GI Bill automatically adjusts itself as tuitions increase, and provides a dollar-for-dollar tuition match for private colleges and universities who choose to participate in the program. A new provision added to the bill also allows reenlisting servicemembers to transfer their educational benefit to their spouse and/or children.
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Post 891 Officers for 2008-09 membership year :
Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 05:40 PM
by post891
Post Commander: Harold(Luther)Stines
Sr Vice Commander: Homer G. Edwards
Junior Vice Commander: Walter Glance
Quarter Master: Larry Fowler
Adjutant: Lawrence Owensby
Chaplain: Henry Boisverte
Judge Advocate: King Banks
Service Officer: Larry Fowler
Surgeon: Robert McFee
3 Year Trustee: Calvin Jones
2 Year Trustee: John Ward
1 Year Trustee: Calvin Davis
House Committee: Carl Cox, Robert Benson, Gerald Strickland
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Ladies Auxiliary News
Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 05:36 PM
by post891
2009 dues are $25 for new members (first year only) and $20 for annual and reinstated members.
2008 dues are $23 for new members (first year only) and $18 for annual and reinstated members.
NOTE: The Auxilliary's cut-off date for accepting dues for the current year is mid-December in order to allow the State and National ample time for processing them. The Auxiliary Treasurer mails the dues to the Department Treasurer where they are processed and then mailed to the National Treasurer to be processed there. This procedure takes time.
If you have not paid 2008 dues, you may complete a new membership application form and be reinstated for 2009 by paying $20. To remain a continuous member, you must pay your 2008 dues in the amount of $18 by mid-December of the current year. Advantages of remaining a continous member are to be recognized as a 20, 30 or 40+ year member, to be eligible to receive the Auxiliary's cancer insurance or a cancer grant from National, or for a child or grandchild to qualify for a scholarship under you membership status.
2008-2009 Ladies Auxiliary VFW 891 Officers
President--- Willie Glance
Senior Vice President--- Doris Edwards
Junior Vice President--- Helen Chandler
Secretary--- Judy Payne
Treasurer--- Karen Strickland
Chaplain--- Opal Embler
Conductress--- Stacie Owensby
3 Yr Trustee--- Nichole Wells
2 Yr Trustee--- Ruby Benson
1 Yr Trustee----Joyce Bonham
Guard--- Teresa McMahon
Musician--- Sara Bishop
NC Dept. Convention held June 13-15, 2008: Ladies Auxiliary 891 won the following 2008 awards at the Department Convention:
Americanism- 1st Place Group IV
Buddy Poppy- 1st Place Group IV
Voice of Democracy- 1st Place
Patriot's Pen- 1st Place
Publicity- 2nd Place Group IV
Young American Creative Patriotic Art - Certificate of outstanding performance.
Department President's Special Project-Victory Junction- Certificate of participation.
Auxiliary Member of the Year Award- Awarded to Joyce Bonham for outstanding participation in Ladies Auxiliary activities and programs, other community activites, church activities and service to the VFW Post.
75th Anniversary , Auxiliary 891 , 1933-2008- Certificate from Ladies Auxiliary to VFW 891. Auxiliary 891, 1931-2008, is a charter member of the North Carolina Department Ladies Auxiliary.
The above awards and recognition were earned by the Auxiliary , and not by any one or two members. Thanks to each Member for your part in making 2008 a great year !
Volunteers: Volunteers are needed to chair the programs listed below. Contact us to offer your help and support.
Americansim/Patriotic Instructor
National Citzenship Education Teacher Award
Buddy Poppy
Cancer Aid & Research
Community Service/Outstanding Community Volunteer of the Year
Historian
Hospital & VAVS Medical Center
Legislative & VFW PAC
Membership
NC Scholarships
Publicity
President's Special Project-Hospice
Veterans & Family Support
VFW National Home for Childern
Youth Activities & Patriotic Art
Voice of Democracy & Patriots Pen
These activities require the participation of all members in addition to the chair persons. We are fortunate to have committed officers. Please support them however you can. Even though you may think you have too little to contribute, you will be surprised that what you do will be multiplied when combined with the efforts of others.
Please notify us with any address changes, telephone numbers, or death of a member you know about. This information is necessary to keep ourt membership list current and to notify National for their records. Our Chaplain would like to be notified of any illness or celebrations you may wish to share.
Willie Glance, (828) 254-4755 walterglance@charter.net
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VFW Says 'Thank You!' for New GI Bill
Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 01:39 PM
by post891
WASHINGTON, June 26, 2008 – The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is saluting Congress for the overwhelming passage of a new GI Bill for the 21st Century. The bill, S. 22, the "Post 9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act," was attached to the war funding supplemental that the House passed June 19 and the Senate is predicted to approve this evening. President Bush is expected to quickly sign it into law.
"This is a tremendous victory for America's veterans, military, and their families," exclaimed VFW national commander George Lisicki, a Vietnam combat veteran from Carteret, N.J., "and we have Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia to thank for his rock-steady determination to get this bill passed."
S. 22 captured the VFW's immediate attention when Webb introduced it on his first day in office, Jan. 4, 2007. His bill – which increases college assistance for veterans – was overshadowed last year by increased calls to end the war in Iraq and the administration's sudden announcement to surge 30,000 additional troops into Iraq. But Webb, the former Secretary of the Navy under the Reagan Administration and a Marine Corps infantry officer who received the Navy Cross for heroism during the Vietnam War, pressed on, fortified by the challenge to get his bill heard.
He worked for more than a year to build a coalition of allies, not only within his own Democratic Party, but from across the aisle and within the House. These allies include 57 other Senate cosponsors, to include five fellow GI Bill beneficiaries: Vietnam veteran Chuck Hagel (R-NE), World War II and Korean War veteran John Warner (R-VA), and World War II veterans Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Daniel Akaka (D-HI) and Daniel Inouye (D-HI).
S. 22's companion bill in the House, H.R. 5740, was introduced by Harry Mitchell (D-AZ) and Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL), and it garnered 302 bipartisan cosponsors, to include Korean War veteran Charles Rangel (D-NY) and Sam Johnson (R-TX), a veteran of both the Korean and Vietnam Wars, who was held as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam for nearly seven years.
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VFW Demands Accountability Over Chantix Issue
Thursday, June 19, 2008 at 04:33 PM
by post891
WASHINGTON (June 19, 2008) - "Enough is enough," said George J. Lisicki, the national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., in response to today's Washington Times article that provides additional information about the potential lethal effect a prescribed drug is having on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder-diagnosed veterans who volunteered for a Department of Veterans Affairs smoking cessation program.
"Those in the VA who failed to properly serve America's veterans must resign their positions," said Lisicki, a Vietnam veteran from Carteret, N.J. "If not, then the VA secretary must take decisive action to terminate them."
The smoking cessation research program uses the drug Chantix, which Food and Drug Administration officials say helps people to stop smoking, but according to a Washington Times/ABC News investigative report on Tuesday, Chantix has also been linked to almost 40 suicides and more than 400 incidents of suicidal behavior. The drug's manufacturer and the FDA have recently cautioned healthcare providers about adverse side effects that could produce changes in behavior ranging from anxiety and depression to suicide.
All 940 veterans enrolled in the VA's smoking cessation program have PTSD. A test group of 143 of them were prescribed Chantix, which is also known as Varenicline.
Lisicki questions why VA clinicians who knew of Chantix's hazardous side effects would allow veterans suffering from PTSD to continue taking it, because "professional ethics and common sense just dictates that clinicians would stop their patients from taking the drug just to err on the side of safety for the veterans and their families," he said. As of May 21, the Federal Aviation Administration banned the use of Chantix by airline pilots and air traffic controllers.
The VFW national commander also questions the leadership ability of those who oversee these types of medical research programs, asks why it took the VA two more days before revealing additional details of those in the study; and wonders what other information has yet to be uncovered. Aside from Chantix, other drugs that are were reported to currently being used to treat veterans with PTSD are the anticonvulsant Divalproex, and the antidepressants Paroxetine, Mirtazapine and Citalopram, all of which carry warnings of potential suicidal side effects.
"The VA is known for quality healthcare that is delivered by highly trained and educated medical professionals and staff, but in recent weeks, the American public has read stories accusing the department of not properly taking care of veterans with mental health problems, to include veterans attempting suicide under VA care. These stories, to include the well-documented veterans' claims backlog, are having a negative cumulative effect on the overall image of the VA," said Lisicki.
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