VFW NH District 7

VA To Survey Veteran Households

Posted at 11:12 AM on Friday, December 4, 2009 by post11557

WASHINGTON (Dec. 3, 2009) - Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a national survey of Veterans, active duty service members, activated National Guard and reserve members, and family members and survivors to learn if they are aware of VA services.

"By hearing directly from Veterans and their family members, we gain valuable information to help us serve them better. We hope those who receive the survey will respond to it," Secretary Shinseki said.

In addition to assessing awareness levels, the National Survey of Veterans will collect important health care, benefits, employment, and demographic information that VA will use to inform policy decisions and improve benefits. Recognizing a broader client base than just Veterans, this is the first time VA has included others, such as Veteran family members, in its survey population.

VA is mailing out survey "screeners" to more than 130,000 households to identify potential survey participants. The screener asks if anyone in the household is a member of one of the identified survey groups - Veterans, family members and survivors, active duty, Guard or Reserve members. Eligible survey participants then may be requested to participate in a full-length survey.

Participants will be able to select a preferred survey method: through U.S. mail, telephone or a password-protected Internet address. VA expects approximately 10,000 Veterans to complete the full-length survey.

This is the sixth VA National Survey of Veterans since 1978. The information collected will help VA in its efforts to design and conduct outreach to Veterans. In addition, it will provide a clearer picture of the Veteran population's characteristics to help evaluate existing programs and policies and measure their impact.

The data collection is expected to be finished by the end of February and the final report released by December 2010.

VFW Strongly Supports New Afghan Strategy

Posted at 11:09 AM on Friday, December 4, 2009 by post11557

WASHINGTON, December 2, 2009 — The national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is strongly supporting the president's new strategy to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies.

"President Obama set the conditions for success in Afghanistan, and he did it without lowering any bars" said Thomas J. Tradewell Sr., a combat wounded Vietnam veteran from Sussex, Wis. "What we now need is for Congress and the American people to get behind him and destroy this global threat to world peace once and for all."

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Department of New Hampshire General Orders December 2009

Posted at 04:15 PM on Wednesday, December 2, 2009 by post11557

DEPARTMENT OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS

GENERAL ORDERS # 6 December 2009
General Orders are to be read at each Post Meeting and placed on file

1)COUNCIL OF ADMINISTRATION MEETING: The next Council of Administration Meeting will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2010 at the Marriott Court Yard, Nashua, N.H. beginning immediately following the Mid-Winter Conference. All members are welcome to attend.
Finance and Veterans Service Committee meetings will follow the Mid-Winter also.

2)MID-WINTER CONFERENCE: The Mid-Winter Conference will be on Saturday January 16, 2010 at the Marriott Court Yard, Nashua, N.H. beginning at 9:00 am starting with registration at 8:30 am.
Commander- in - Chief Thomas J. Tradewell, Sr. has designated Past Commander-in-Chief Paul A. Spera to represent the National Organization.

3) EMT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIREFIGHTER AWARDS: The time is quickly approaching for these award applications to be submitted to the Department office. It is easier than you think to get an applicant. Instead of searching on your own for a suitable applicant copy the application out of your Program Book and drop it off at your local Police Department, Fire Department or Ambulance Service. Ask them to submit an individual that meets the qualifications described on the application. REMEMBER, applications must be in to the Department Chairman, James Clemons by December 15, 2009 for judging and presentation at the Loyalty Day program in Concord May, 2010.

4) HOSPITAL CHRISTMAS PARTIES: The up coming Christmas Parties are as follows: VAVS White River Junction, Vermont – December, 6, 2009, New Hampshire Veterans Home, December 13, 2009 and VAVS Manchester, December 20, 2009. Arrival time for each Christmas Party is 12:30 PM.

5) CELEBRATE THE SEASON: Demonstrate your support of veterans, as well as your holiday spirit, by using your VFW Holiday Labels, and festive and patriotic 2009 VFW Holiday Cards. Your support of this important program helps assist needy veterans throughout the year.
6) BUDDY POPPIES: Poppy sales are still way down for the State. Every Post is encouraged to stock up on Poppies not only for your annual Buddy Poppy Drives but for distribution through-out the year - for special displays or center pieces – for decorations and presentations – to be passed out at parades or gatherings or in the class rooms ....... there are hundreds of uses! And then don't forget to REPORT all that you do .... from purchase to hand out. Where applicable, you are urged to encourage your Ladies Auxiliary and your Men's Auxiliary to also purchase Poppies ...... what better way to support the Post!

7) REQUEST FOR STATE OFFICERS: Invitations to State Officers must be forwarded through channels to State Adjutant Dana Hussey. For the record, verbal invitations extended to State Officers must also be backed up by a written request. Unless formally requested through channels, invitations will not be considered. As a matter of courtesy, please give the State Headquarters a minimum of two weeks to make the requested assignments.

8) RELIEF FUND: During these difficult economic times many members are having to make choices what to pay and not to pay right now. Unfortunately dues are usually last on the list. If a post has members that fall into this category it is permissible to pay the dues out of the relief fund. Section 704 of the bylaws and manual of procedure explain in detail the expanded uses of the post relief fund.

GENERAL ORDERS #6 PAGE TWO

9) MORE WWII VETERANS RECOGNIZED FOR LEADING VFW POSTS: If you have an active post officer that is a World War II veteran please send his or her name to me so I can forward it to National to be listed in the next issue of Check Point. They want to know who the active WWII veterans are and recognize them for their years of service.

10) DISTRICT MEETING ASSIGNMENTS:

DECEMBER:
05: District #6 Xmas Party Derry 6:00pm
State Commander, Ron Miller

JANUARY:
10: District #3 Rochester 11:00am
State Commander, Ron Miller

24: District #5 Jaffrey 10:00am State Commander, Ron Miller

24: District #6 Manchester 8214 10:00am
State Sr. Vice Commander, Dave Ouellette

24: District #7 Salem 10:00am
State Jr. Vice Commander, Paul Lloyd

11) TEACHER OF THE YEAR: Judging should start by November 2nd and winners should be forwarded to the District Chairperson by November 15th, 2009. District winners must be forwarded to Department Chairman, Bruce Carbone by December 15th, 2009. Department winners will be forwarded to National Headquarters by January 15th, 2010. Nominees will be from the following grade levels: K- 5,
6-8, and 9-12. Let’s recognize our teachers for promoting Citizenship Programs throughout their respective grade levels. Send entrys to: Bruce Carbone, Chairman, NHVFW Americanism, 27B So Winchester St.
Swanzey, NH 03446.

12) CHANGES: Albany Post 11557 will be holding their December meeting on December 6, 2009 at the Eagle Mountain House on Carter Notch Rd. in Jackson. Page 24: Change Commander Milton Post 8393 to Peter Hayward, 4 Gold St. Milton, NH 03851, Phone: 755-2901, Change Milton meeting time to 7pm, Page 31: Change Commander Hinsdale Post 4234 to Richard Whittemore, PoBox 475, West Swanzey, NH 03468-0475 Phone: 603-355-0984.

13) DEADLINE: The deadline for information going into the General Orders is the 20th of each month. Send all requests to State AdjutHant - Dana Hussey, PO Box 6025, Rochester, NH 03868-6025. Adjutant contact info is: Phone: 603-335-5923, Fax: 603-335-5936 and Cell: 603-557-6452.

Dana E. Hussey Roland E. Miller
State Adjutant State Commander

VFW Commander Refutes M.T. Columnist

Posted at 03:30 PM on Monday, November 30, 2009 by post11557

By Thomas J. Tradewell Sr.

Columnist Robert F. Dorr has once again missed the mark regarding the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. ["Some vets still more equal than others," Nov. 16]. His insinuation that we regard Cold War veterans as "second-class citizens" is disingenuous, and the facts reveal a different story altogether.

The VFW is a membership organization that is open to all who currently serve or have served, provided they meet eligibility requirements as established by Congress through public laws. Founded in 1899, the VFW is America's oldest major veterans' organization, and with more than 1.5 million members, we are also her largest organization of combat veterans, an all encompassing category that includes those who went to war as well as those who deployed in support of contingency operations.

All who have deployed into the unknown are forever bound by a common experience — regardless of service, conflict or MOS — and so, too, are our families. It is a "One Team, One Mission" concept that only we who have been there can understand. It is unfortunate that Mr. Dorr continuously refuses to understand this concept and its critical distinction.

He used the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall to say we "betrayed" Cold War veterans because our membership requirements are more exclusive than inclusive, and he cites Korea in trying to validate his point. Had he checked VFW eligibility requirements, he would have discovered that those who served in Korea from the end of World War II forward are eligible. So, too, are those who flew clandestine reconnaissance flights over the former Soviet Union or its satellite states, provided hostile fire or imminent danger pay or an expeditionary medal was awarded.

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The American Veteran - November Edition

Posted at 03:26 PM on Monday, November 30, 2009 by post11557

(via The Pentagon Channel)

Happy Thanksgiving

Posted at 09:36 AM on Thursday, November 26, 2009 by post11557

VFW Washington Weekly - November 13, 2009

Posted at 08:54 PM on Sunday, November 15, 2009 by post11557

In This Issue:
1. VFW / VA Members Among Fort Hood Victims
2. VFW Legislative Priority Goals for 2010
3. No Tricare For Life Changes
4. White House Employment Initiative Good for Veterans:

1. VFW / VA Members Among Fort Hood Victims: Last week's tragic shooting
at Fort Hood