General meetings:

                        December 11, 2011                 9:00 am                        Post 149

                        February 12, 2012                   9:00 am                        Post 282

                        April 15, 2012                         9:00 am                        Post 149

                        June 3, 2012                            9:00 am                        Post 282

E-Board meetings: 

                        January 14, 2012                     10:00 am                      Post 365

                        March 17, 2012                       10:00 am                      Post 416

                        May 12, 2012                          10:00 am                      Post 460

PCC meetings:             

                        December 31, 2011                 DARK

                        March 31, 2012                       9:00 am                        Post 365

                        June 30, 2012                          9:00 am                        Post 552

                        September 29, 2012                9:00 am                        Post 416                     

Area 5 meetings:         

                        January 27 – 29, 2012              Post 60                        Brawley

                        March 30 – April 1, 2012         Post 149                      Escondido       

                        June 8 - 10, 2012                     Post 112                      Ontario

SPRING DEC:  March 10-11, 2012, at Lakewood Post 496

DEPARTMENT CONVENTION:  June 22-24, 2012 in Redding

IMPORTANT DATES ON THE HORIZON:

December 11, 2011 9 a.m. – District 22 Meeting at J.B. Clark Post 149 in Escondido

January 14, 2012  10 a.m. – District E Board Meeting at Alvin Myo Dunn Post 365 in Vista

January 27 - 29, 2012 – Area 5 Meeting at Post 60 Brawley

Visit the Department of California website:    http://www.calegion.org/

COMMANDER’S CORNER

            As the first half of the Legion year nears its close I want to thank all of our officers and appointees for their hard work.  I appreciate your enthusiasm and dedication in all that you do.  Sometimes these positions seem to be thankless jobs, but believe me, your efforts are recognized.

            I commend Posts too for their activities.  My visitations are well underway and I am impressed with your Post activities and your involvement in American Legion programs sometimes in unique ways.  For example, Post 434 prepared and served luncheon to Wounded Warriors at Liberty Center, Naval Medical Center; Ramona Post 332 organized and along with the Ramona VFW Post hosted a Veterans Benefit event ; Borrego Springs Post 853 made a generous cash donation to Honor Flight of San Diego so that WWII Veterans may have the opportunity to visit the memorial in DC.  Post 853 hosted its annual Pearl Harbor Day golf tournament with proceeds to VA&R.  These are just a few of the many things Posts do.

            Our Veterans Day Parade was superb.  Thanks to Rod Van Orden for coordinating the event, to all who provided vehicles or floats and to all who came out to join the parade.

            As we approach the second half of our year we make begin to make plans for our Oratorical and Boys State programs.   Remember too, to come out for VA bingo on the second Saturday of each month.  Legion Day next year is on February 11 – always a big day at VA bingo.

            Finally, to everyone – Have a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

            --Bob Juers

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ADJUTANT’S NOTES

            I still have some 2011-2012 District Rosters available, if anyone needs one, please see me and I’ll be happy to fish one out of my trunk for you.  Further reminder: if there are changes in the nature of typo’s or bad addresses or phone numbers in the Roster, email the change to me so I can make the change with the Roster in front of me so the same typo won’t be in the next Roster. 

            My email, besides the one in the Roster, is: post460@sbcglobal.net.

            As always, I welcome newsletter input from any post on matters of general interest, anything appropriate under “good of the legion.”

            --Ben Hyde, District 22 Adjutant

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WAYS & MEANS NOTES:

            The hospitality cup competition is coming along great with some Posts coming on strong. All three membership classes are in play. For those Posts who have yet to make a contribution I hope to seem something from you soon. Any Post can contribute to their overall contribution as many times as they wish up until April. I strongly urge those Posts who have Auxiliaries, SAL Squadrons or Legion Riders Chapters to include their participation with the Post. The hospitality suite is enjoyed by all. I have been to many Posts now with Jim and I will continue to those I have left.

            Anyone who plans on going to convention and staying at the District headquarters hotel must go through the chair to reserve a room. The hotel will not sidestep the District. Our District website has all the information and forms for this for your convenience. If anyone plans to stay somewhere else please let me know so that I can at least get credit for the convention corp.

            As always, I extend my gratitude to all who bring a raffle prize to our meeting. I ask all to try and bring something with you each time. The truth is we make some good income on this raffle. I know everyone who brings something and still buys tickets also. I do the same also as you because it's simply what we do. You gotta admit, we sure do have fun rasping each other over those raffle prizes and it makes us laugh.

            I have some other great fundraising ideas coming up for the District after the New Year. Lauree and I owe a big thank you to Post 731 for allowing us their facility to host our wedding reception. Thank you Jerry and thanks to all our Legion friends who attended. Lauree and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a most Happy New Year.

                        --Chuck Camarato, 2^nd Vice-commander

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NATIONAL COMMANDER VISIT

            Reminder: the National Commander will be heading down to San Diego on December 15^th to Post 310 for lunch with a meet and greet and then traveling on to Vista to Post 365 for dinner.  Contact Ed Grimsley or Launue Carter for lunch details at Launue’s email carterlc64@yahoo.com  and for dinner, Ed Landis at his email edward9906@sbcglobal.net.

            --Ed Grimsley

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FOR OUR WWII VETS…

            American Legion Post 853, Borrego Springs sent $1,000.00 to Honor Flight San Diego.  This group is trying to get enough to charter a plane to Washington, D.C. for WWII veterans from San Diego.  This will make it possible for more to be sent to see the WWII memorial . 

            Up to now they got as many as possible 100% free for the Veterans—including Plane ticket, overnight stay in a local hotel, food and the return flight.   There are still many thousands from here that haven’t been there to finally see their memorial and hundreds are dying daily. 

            If you can send any amount for the spring trip the address is Honor Flight San Diego,  Attn: Donations,  9423 Keck Court, San Diego, California 92129.  If you have questions, please call Marian Landis, 760-767-1164.

            Thanks,  --Marian

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NEWS FROM CHULA VISTA VETERANS HOME POST 867

            We were privileged to have two speakers at our last general meeting: Our main speaker, 30-year Marine veteran and 2010 San Diego Veteran of the Year, Captain Virgil Whitehead, spoke earnestly about Marine history and the values of the Corps.  Another great Marine and WW II Pacific combat veteran, Danny Chesny, also graced our meeting with his original poetry about what it means to be a Marine, plus, his reading of the famous WW I poem, “In Flanders Field”, by Canadian Army Lt. Colonel John McCrae (1872-1918).

            On Veterans Day, Chaplain Eldon Maret, and myself were happy to represent the Post at the Chula Vista Memorial Bowl ceremonies. Attending were Commanders and Chaplain’s from VFW 2111, FRA 61 and American Legion 434. The Chaplains read the names of each Chula Vista Veteran who had died in or since the wars of WW II, Korea, Vietnam and Iraq /Afganistan. Also attending was 91y/o Lt. Commander John Willett, who was a force in choosing the Home site, as a veteran’s community, in 1998-99.

                        --Hank Schanstra

                        Commander - Charles W. Turner Post 867

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THE VOW TO HIRE HEROES ACT OF 2011

            Approximately 160,000 active duty servicemembers and 110,000 National Guardsmen and reservists transition to civilian life each year. This has led to an unacceptably high unemployment rate among veterans, without regard to their period of service. A recent Department of Labor report states that in 2010, the average unemployment rate among returning veterans was 11.5%.      

            The Vow to Hire Heroes Act of 2011 was signed into law on November 21st, seeking to attack veterans’ unemployment by:

            Improving the Transition Assistance Program (TAP):

            The VOW to Hire Heroes Act will make TAP mandatory for most servicemembers transitioning to civilian status, upgrade career counseling options, and resume writing skills, as well as ensuring the program is tailored for the 21st Century job market.

            Facilitating Seamless Transition:

            This bill would allow service members to begin the federal employment process prior to separation in order to facilitate a truly seamless transition from the military to jobs at VA, Homeland Security, or the many other federal agencies in need of our veterans.

            Expanding Education & Training:

            The VOW to Hire Heroes Act provides nearly 100,000 unemployed veterans of past eras and wars with up to 1-year of additional Montgomery GI Bill benefits to qualify for jobs in high-demand sectors, from trucking to technology. It also provides disabled veterans up to 1-year of additional Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment Benefits.

            Translating Military Skills and Training:

            This bill will also require the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian sector, and will work to make it easier to get the licenses and certification our veterans need.

            Veterans Tax Credits:

            The VOW to Hire Heroes Act provides tax incentives of up to $5,600 for hiring veterans, and up to $9,600 for hiring disabled veterans, if the veteran has been looking for work for six months or longer.

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