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Message from New Dept. Commander, Don Daft |
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Tuesday, 30 June 2009 |
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 Greetings fellow Legionnaires and family. I am most honored to have been selected as your new Department Commander 2009-2010. First and foremost I want to thank the Good Lord above, my Savior, who has made this great honor possible. Also, I thank all of you for your prayers, visits, letters, talks, and thoughts. It is impossible to express what these thoughtful deeds do for the healing process. I believe my faith was manifested through the efforts of my mother and my drive to produce results comes from my father. My ability to persevere could not survive without the encouragement I receive each and every day from my lovely wife, Pam. And my character will live on through my children David, Brian, and Geri.
I am truly humbled to receive the trust reposed in me through this election. I realize that I have been entrusted with a "canvas" and a "work in progress". A canvas we call "the Department of Texas". It has received through the decades strokes of genius. It portrays the "Four Pillars" of this great organization in many hues and techniques struck by Legionnaires from all walks of life. It is what defines us as a strong force that challenges the "people" to protect veterans benefits and rights, offer opportunity and welfare for the children throughout the world, provide security for our country and its citizens and promote citizenship for all. The newly elected Commander should strive to have the pulse of the "soldiers on the front lines", the "blue cappers", as the cusp of the decisions made throughout the short year allotted to "strike the canvas". The most important ingredient to accomplish any endeavor is to receive "RESPONSE". Without this action, there can be no improvement. And that is what we need as a Department, no matter how small or large. Then we need to put vehicles in place to maintain those successes. Then through the ensuing years we will most certainly gravitate to the "Head of the Class". I plan to assemble a team that will "STAY ON TARGET" and look forward to the challenge. I can think of nothing more despairing than to have an opportunity to "make a mark", whether it be on a company, organization, community, your church, or even on a small child, and to not be bold enough, or even motivated enough, to pick up the brush and give it your best shot. And maybe, just maybe, with the Lord's and Y'all's help, we can greatly improve that "work-in-progress" during my year as your Commander as we add our own brush strokes to that canvas we call: The American Legion Department of Texas. Once again, thank you for this great opportunity, and we will see ya around the bend... ""NOTICE THE NEW PHONE/FAX NOS., PLEASE RECORD TO YOUR FILES"" Don Daft
TII Logistics
979-478-7800
fx 979-478-7809 |
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2009 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival |
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Tuesday, 09 June 2009 |
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The 2009 National Veterans Creative Arts Festival, which is sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, American Legion Auxiliary and Help Hospitalized Veterans, will be hosted by the South Texas Veterans Health Care System and the City of San Antonio on October 5-11, 2009. DOWNLOAD FLYER (pdf) Nationwide, VA medical facilities use the creative arts as one form of rehabilitative treatment to help veterans recover from and cope with physical and emotional disabilities. Across the country each year, nearly 3,000 veterans representing over 100 VA medical centers enter the competition. Once a veteran earns first place at their VA Medical Center, VA Outpatient Clinic or state veterans’ home, their entry is then submitted to the national level for competition. Approximately 130 medal-winning veterans earn an invitation to participate in the Festival. The Festival, which spotlights the five creative arts therapies of art, music, dance, drama and creative writing, is a week long annual event that highlights the talents of the national medal-winning veterans. The Festival is a week of learning, exploring, fellowship and celebration of the healing power of the arts. Because the gold, silver or bronze medal winners are already selected to participate in the Festival, there is no competition at the event itself; rather, it serves as a showcase for the top national winners. During the week of the event, participants attend classes in woodcarving, leatherwork, spherical creations, and craft art, all taught by local artists. As part of the Festival, veterans will dine at restaurants on the famous San Antonio River Walk and visit a variety of local sites. The San Antonio Municipal Auditorium and the Sheraton Gunter Hotel will be the host facilities for rehearsals, workshops, banquets and other events. The Festival event will culminate on Sunday, October 11, 2009, at the San Antonio Municipal Auditorium, with an art exhibit featuring all first-place art entries, from 12:15 - 1:45 p.m., followed by a gala stage show performance at 2:00 p.m. The stage show will be professionally directed with live orchestral accompaniment. Tickets are free and actively distributed to assure a full house for the veterans’ performances. The American Legion Auxiliary will be responsible for staffing a hospitality room at the Sheraton Gunter Hotel for veterans to meet and mingle and to provide veterans, volunteers and VA employees with light food, beverages, and a place to socialize. Volunteers will be recruited to work the hospitality room. All monetary donations should be sent to Department earmarked Creative Arts Texas 2009. If you wish to volunteer in the hospitality room, please contact Barbara Kundert at (214) 668-0496 /
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or Diana King at (832) 651-1576 /
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Congressman boosts American Legion-endorsed Project |
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Wednesday, 27 May 2009 |
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Congressman boosts American Legion-endorsed project to properly lay to rest the remains of unknown soldiers. WASHINGTON, DC (May 26, 2009) -- An Ohio Congressman has introduced legislation designed to bolster an effort backed by The American Legion to respectfully and reverently inter the unidentified or abandoned remains of military veterans.
U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) introduced a bill entitled the “Veterans Missing in America Act.” The proposed legislation was inspired by a two-year old program endorsed by The American Legion which is designed to assure the remains of unknown military veterans are no longer left neglected and abandoned in funeral homes.
“It’s easy for the remains of veterans to slip through the cracks,” Tiberi said. “If there is no next of kin identified, these former military service members’ remains are often kept indefinitely at funeral homes, literally sitting on a shelf. This bill would help veterans service organizations (with the assistance of the Department of Veterans Affairs) identify these remains, and if proven to be qualifying veterans, ensure a proper burial in a National Cemetery,” said the Ohio Republican.
“We encourage adoption of this bill,” said David K. Rehbein, National Commander of The American Legion. “Those who have served our country in uniform deserve special recognition and respect in death as well as in life.” In May, 2007, The American Legion formally endorsed the Missing in America Project (MIAP) – the genesis of Rep. Tiberi’s bill. MIAP volunteers, many of them members of The American Legion, request records from mortuaries with the aim of taking custody of abandoned veterans' cremains (cremated remains) and interring them with military honors. "Some (funeral homes) are appreciative and open their doors wide," says Fred Salanti, MIAP's national executive director and founder. "Others, especially the big chains, absolutely forbid their people to help us. That's where The American Legion is a tremendous asset. As a veterans service organization authorized by Congress and the nation, it commands a different level of respect.”
Media contacts: Craig Roberts,(202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-0887 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. |
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Operation Comfort Warriors: The Need Continues |
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Friday, 06 February 2009 |
By National Commander David K. Rehbein
Last December, American Legion Auxiliary National President Desiree´ Stoy, Sons of the American Legion National Commander Tommie Cisna and I issued you a challenge. We asked that you donate $50,000 so we could purchase comfort items by the holidays for our wounded heroes recovering in places like Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., and the many other U.S. military hospitals around the globe.
This challenge was no small feat considering Christmas was a mere three weeks away. The American Legion family and its friends responded big time. By Christmas, more than $80,000 was raised. By New Years, it was $100,000 – double our goal.
I am proud of our American Legion family, but the war goes on. Operation Comfort Warriors has now received more than $115,000 and we have already spent more than 70 percent of it on our wounded heroes. Don’t worry about the other 30 percent – it will be spent shortly. In fact, not a single penny of donated funds is spent on administrative costs or fundraising. Those expenses are paid from our headquarters budget.
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VA Assisting Veterans with Health Care Costs |
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Monday, 12 January 2009 |
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WASHINGTON -- For veterans struggling financially due to a job loss or decreased income, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers an assortment of programs that can relieve the costs of health care or provide care at no cost. “With the downturn in the economy, VA recognizes that many veterans will feel the effects,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “Therefore, it is important that eligible veterans learn of the many ways VA has to help them afford the health care they have earned.” Veterans whose previous income was ruled too high for VA health care may be able to enter the VA system based upon a hardship if their current year’s income is projected to fall below federal income thresholds due to a job loss, separation from service or some other financial setback. Veterans determined eligible due to hardship can avoid copays applied to higher-income veterans. Qualifying veterans may be eligible for enrollment and receive health care at no cost.
Also eligible for no-cost VA care are most veterans who recently returned from a combat zone. They are entitled to five years of free VA care. The five-year “clock” begins with their discharge from the military, not their departure from the combat zone. Each VA medical center across the country has an enrollment coordinator available to provide veterans information about these programs. Veterans may also contact VA’s Health Benefits Service Center at 1-877-222 VETS (8387) or visit the VA health eligibility website at www.va.gov/healtheligibility . |
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© 2009 The American Legion - Department of Texas
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