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FROM THE DESK OF COMMANDER DAVID MAY

DAV CAN - - - I invite you to join the DAV CAN mailing list. DAV CAN … Commander’s Action Network. Joining the DAV CAN is an opportunity to partner up with Joseph A. Violante, National Legislative Director, and his staff in Washington, D.C. to build better lives for disabled veterans and their families. Know the issues and pending legislation for disabled veterans by letting DAV CAN alert you so you, as a member of DAV CAN, can take action on important issues. DAV CAN makes it easy to contact your congressional leaders. We, as veterans, must stick together and educate our members on Capitol Hill. Also, it is very important to contact and know their legislative aides who work in their local offices. If you are already on the DAV CAN mailing list, thank you. Now, I would like to ask you to take a challenge to coordinate and encourage members at your next chapter meeting to sign-up for DAV CAN.

To become a part of DAV CAN go to, http://www.dav.org/ and click on LEGISLATION. Then click on Join Commander’s Action Network. Complete the “User Verification,” your contact information and submit.

Also, while you are on the DAV webpage, checkout the Legislation pull-down menu: 1) Take Action 2) Legislative process and you 3) DAV Resolutions 4) DAV Testimony 5) Legislative Correspondence 6) Independent Budget 7) Publications. It is all about NETWORKING! Share www.dav.org/ with your fellow disabled veterans and your family members so our elected officials will hear and act in our best interests.

STAND UP FOR VETERANS

THEY STOOD UP FOR US!

http://standup4vets.org/

DAV National Convention FYI:

As you may know, for the first time, the Service and Legislative Seminar at the 2010 National Convention will be webcast live on Monday, August 2, 2010. Because President Obama will be speaking to the Convention at 11:00, the time has been changed to 1:30-3:30 p.m. on that day.

Thank you for your interest. The response to Washington Headquarters Executive Director David Gorman's June 23, 2010 memo requesting questions has been overwhelming. We will be including many of the questions for the panelists to answer on August 2. (Source: Email from Joseph A. Violante, National Legislative Director)

In closing: Director David W. Gorman said. "By your active participation in DAV CAN, you will become an integral part of the DAV's grassroots legislative team.

David May, State Commander

Old friends meet again during Dept. Convention. (L-R) DAV National Sr. Vice Commander Wally Tyson and PDC Sam Lanza (Trumbull County Chapter 11.

State Commander David May (R) presents DAV 75 year Anniversary Plaque to Massillon Chapter 38 Commander Frank Haring (L) and Adjutant Terry Roam (C).

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Nat’l. Hdqrs., DAV (877) 426-2838

NSO Office, Cleveland (216) 522-3507

NSO Office, Cincinnati (513) 684-2676

Washington Office, DAV (202) 554-3501

Cincinnati HSC,

Charles Russell (513) 475-6443

Dayton HSC, (937) 268-6511

Gene McCorkle Ext. 2962

Wade Park HSC, (216) 791-3800

Walter Dryja Ext. 3395

Chillicothe HSC (740) 773-1141

Larry Queen Ext. 7916

Columbus Clinic, (614) 257-5487

Henry Snodgrass

Brecksville HSC, (440) 526-3030

Don Branford Ext. 7353

DATES TO REMEMBER

August 5-6-7, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Madison County Chapter #93, Huntington Bank & Wal-Mart, London, Ohio.

August 6-7-8, 2010 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Salem Chapter #122, Salem, Ohio.

August 6-7, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Darke County Chapter #57, Darke County area (Arcanum, New Madison, Versailles, Union City), Ohio.

August 7, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Thorold Heinlen Chapter #100, Galion, Ohio.

August 13-14, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Darke County Chapter #57, Wal-Mart, Kroger, Roger’s Service Station, Greenville, Ohio.

August 14, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Thorold Heinlen Chapter #100, Crestline, Ohio.

August 19-20-21, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Madison County Chapter #93, Huntington Bank West Jefferson, Ohio and IGA Store & Ben & Joys, Mt. Sterling, Ohio.

August 21-22, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Lancaster Chapter #40, Numerous Locations, Lancaster, Ohio.

August 28, 2010 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Auglaize County Chapter #73, Wal-Mart Parking Lot, Wapakoneta, Ohio.

September 9-10, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Barnesville Chapter #121, Barnesville Riesbeck’s Store, Barnesville, Ohio.

September 10-11, 2010 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Willie Marcum Chapter #72, Medina Buehler’s Grocery, Medina, Ohio.

Sept. 6-17-18-19, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Adams County Chapter #71, Peebles, Ohio.

September 18, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Grove Harley-Davidson, 1501 E. Ash St., Piqua, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

September 19, 2010 6^th District Meeting, Summit County Chapter #35, lunch at 2 p.m., meeting to begin at 3 p.m., VSC, 1060 E. Waterloo Road, Akron, Ohio.

September 20, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Conrath-Bean Chapter #37, 335 E. State St., Athens, Ohio 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

September 21, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Lancaster Chapter #40, VFW 1380, 1131 Sugar Grove Road, Lancaster, Ohio 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

September 22, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Fayette County Chapter #89, 133 W. Main St., Washington C.H., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

September 23, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Vandalia Chapter #140, 4100 W. 3^rd St., Bldg. 305, Dayton, Ohio 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

September 24, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Clermont County Chapter 363, 4600 Beechwood Rd., Cincinnati, Ohio 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

September 25, 2010 Mobile Service Office, South-East Harley Davidson, 23105 Aurora Rd., Bedford Heights, Ohio 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

September 28, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Lakewood Chapter #108, VFW 387, 3580 W. 140^th St., Cleveland 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

September 30, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Western Reserve Harley Davidson, 8567 Tyler Blvd., Mentor, Ohio 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 1, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Walter J. Klekota Chapter #49, VFW 1079, 500 S. Abbe Rd., Elyria, Ohio 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

October 2, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Century Harley-Davidson, 3053 Eastpoint Drive, Medina, Ohio 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 2, 2010 Forget-Me-Not Drive, John W. Covert Chapter #47, East Liverpool, Ohio.

October 4, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Ashland County Chapter #81, American Legion #88, 1338 Claremont Ave., Ashland, Ohio 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 5, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Mansfield Chapter #21, CBOC, 1456 Park Ave West., Mansfield, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 8, 2010 Mobile Service Office, Trumbull County Chapter #11, 2044 Youngstown Road, SE, Warren, Ohio 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 8-10, 2010 DAV Department Fall Conference, The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

October 30, 2010 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Lloyd C. Ludwick Chapter #123, Various locations, Hillsboro, Ohio.

October 30-31, 2010 Forget-Me-Not, Putnam County Chapter #77, Ottawa, Ohio.

Feb. 28-March 3, 2011 C&A Midwinter Conference, Washington, DC

June 16-19, 2011 90^th Annual Convention, Doubletree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Worthington, Ohio

Aug. 6-9, 2011 National Convention, Hilton New Orleans Riverfront, New Orleans, LA

Oct. 7-9, 2011 Fall Conference, Doubletree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Worthington, Ohio.

Feb. 26-29, 2012 C&A Midwinter Conference, Washington, DC

June 21-24, 2012 91^st Department Convention, Doubletree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson, Worthington, Ohio.

Aug. 4-7, 2012 National Convention, Bally’s Las Vegas Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Oct. 12-14, 2012 Fall Conference, Doubletree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Worthington, Ohio.

Feb. 24-27, 2013 C&A Midwinter Conference, Washington, DC

June 20-23, 2013 92^nd Department Convention, Doubletree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Worthington, Ohio.

Aug. 10-13, 2013 National Convention, Hilton Orlando, Orlando, FL

Oct. 4-6, 2013 Fall Conference, Double Tree Columbus Worthington, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Worthington, Ohio.

CORRECTION TO JULY 2010 NEWSLETTER

Please note the following correction to the July 2010 newsletter. Mr. Phillip Alexander of Hamilton-Fairfield Chapter #15 was appointed as the First District Commander for the 2010-2011 membership year. Please accept our apologies for the error.

THANK YOU LETTER

The Don Evans family and myself would like to thank everyone for the cards, phone calls, thoughts and prayers for the passing of Don. He was well liked and loved by all DAV & DAVA members. Just remember one thing, at the time of his passing he was doing something he loved and was with a member of his family and his DAV family. Donald D. Evans you will be missed. R.I.P.

s/Michael Moulton, 2^nd Jr. Vice Commander

A FEW WORDS ABOUT HELPING OUR FELLOW DISABLED VETERANS

Capital City Chapter #3 in Columbus, recently learned of a Disabled American Veteran, Bruce Brule, who has to use a wheelchair for mobility, had applied for a Assistance Dog. Even though the cost of the Assistance Dog, including extensive training, is well over $15,000, the only cost to Bruce came to $2,500, mostly for transportation to and from Swanton, Ohio, hotel/motel charges and food for a week. Bruce received notification that his application had been approved, pending his reporting for and completing the weeklong training in Swanton, near Toledo. However, Bruce did not have $2,500 and attempts to get donations proved unsuccessful. Faced with losing the Assistance Dog, he contacted DAV State Adjutant Frank Williams, asking for help.

Frank asked Bruce to attend the upcoming monthly meeting of Capital City Chapter #3. Bruce was able to make it to the meeting, where his situation was explained to members of Chapter #3. Frank reminded everyone that DAV’s mandate is to help make better lives for Disabled American Veterans and their families. What a great way to use part of the excess funds of Capital City Chapter #3 – helping a fellow Disabled Veteran in need! A motion was made, seconded and passed unanimously to provide $3,000 to Bruce Brule to cover the needed $2,500 plus any additional expenses he might incur.

FROM THE DESK OF STATE ADJUTANT FRANK WILLIAMS

Thought for August:

“If you have nothing to eat; if your house is on fire; if you break your neck, then you’ve got a problem! Everything else is just inconvenience!”

OWD State Veterans Program Job Posting: There are a number of postings within the ODJFS State Veterans Program, two of which are Veteran Program Manager positions in Cuyahoga and Hamilton Counties. Job descriptions and qualifications are listed on State of Ohio jobs site: http://agency.governmentjobs.com/ohio/default.cfm

Cincinnati “Recruit Military Veteran” Opportunity Expo: Get the word out to all Veterans, especially those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan and any Veteran who needs a job. This is your chance to meet Employers at the Great American Ballpark, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202, on Thursday, August 26, 2010 from 11am to 3pm. This event is sponsored by the Xavier University Veterans Affairs Office.

Past State and National Commander Joe Andry passed away Saturday, July 10, 2010. A DAV service was held July 16^th followed by a Memorial Service at the Moreland Funeral Home in Westerville, Ohio.

Joe was our State Commander for 1984-85; elected National Commander for 1990-91 and was also our State Adjutant from 1988-1994. He was a Vietnam Veteran, having lost his left leg and right eye from a Viet Cong booby trap. Joe battled various ailments over the past few years including pancreatic cancer. “Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for awhile and leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same.”

VA Women Vet Programs:

The VA opened registration July 8, 2010 for a Women Veterans Forum that will address the quality of VA health care, the provision of benefits for women, and ways for the VA to continue improving access the care and benefits for Women Veterans. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki said “The forum will give Veterans’ advocates the tools they need to help build Women Veterans networks and communities throughout the VA”. Shinseki and VA Department heads attended the forum on July 28, 2010 at the Women’s Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. Presentations from this event will be available online. The VA has undertaken major initiatives to transform the VA to meet the unique health care needs of Women Veterans and provide the best quality care at every VA Medical Center. There are about 1.8 million Women Veterans among the Nation’s total of 23 million living Veterans.

American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial: For the 1^st time in our nation’s history, a monument will be built to honor and offer tribute to those who are among America’s most courageous and sometimes forgotten heroes. The American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial is still a bit short of the funding needed to start the construction process. Your help is needed now, more than ever! And, our DAV National Headquarters recently announced they will triple the amount of donations made by DAV Chapters. This means that a Chapter donation of $300 would amount to $900! Please consider this at your next Chapter meeting and give what you can towards this noble and worthy cause. For more information call me at my office in Columbus (614-221-3582) or visit: www.avdlm.org

As always, keep our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers as they fight, like we have fought, to keep America, the land of the free, because of the brave. Never shall we forget that Freedom is not Free!!

VA LAUNCHES DEVELOPMENT OF NEW ONLINE CLAIMS SYSTEM

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki announced July 2 plans to develop what the VA says is a fully automated, online system for handling Veterans’ disability compensation claims.

According to a VA press release, this plan calls for “more than a simple digitization of existing paper-based claims.” The new system is part of VA’s modernization of the end-to-end processing workflow. Automation will substantially reduced processing time and increase accuracy while simplifying the way that Veterans interact with the claims process.

Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving in the Republic of Vietnam who today have B-cell leukemia (hairy-cell leukemia), Parkinson’s disease, or ischemic heart disease are slated to be the first users of the automated system. The final regulation implementing the presumption of service connection for these three diseases is poised to become effective later this year. While the first use of the new system will be limited to this pending subset of disabilities, usage will expand over time to include claims for other conditions.

The new system will guide veterans through automated, program-assisted menus to capture the information and medical evidence that will drive faster claims decisions. In the initial configuration, VA estimates the new system may assist as many as 100,000 veterans.

Information Bulletin

State Commander David May (R) presents DAV 75 year Anniversary Plaque to Massillon Chapter 38 Commander Frank Haring (L) and Adjutant Terry Roam (C).

IMPORTANT NUMBERS