FROM THE DESK OF COMMANDER

DAVID MAY

February is a very important month for DAV National and Department of Ohio. 2011 Commanders/Adjutant MID-WINTER CONFERENCE (starting on Feb. 27 thru Mar.1) in Arlington, VA to discuss current legislative issues for disabled veterans and their families, as well as, our military men and women who are serving now. We need your efforts to educate new members of Congress, as well as, returning members about the DAV and our DAV Mission. We need DAV members and Auxiliary members to inform them what we do on the local level to support our fellow disabled veterans.

Monday, February 28, 2011, our DAV members and Auxiliary members are encouraged to contact or visit their congressional members’ local offices and talk with their veteran liaison to reinforce DAV National legislative priorities. Learn more about the 2011 DAV legislative priorities.

On March 1 DAV National Commander Wally Tyson from North Carolina will testify before a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee at 2:00 p.m.. Remember. A personal visit to the office of your elected officials is one of the most effective forms of lobbying. Joseph A. Violante, DAV National Legislative Director, and his staff work all year round with congressional leaders and they do an outstanding job for us.

Please visit the DAV web page at www.dav.org and sign up for the Commanders Action Network (CAN) list to receive updates on legislative issues and how to contact your elected officials. Once you’re on the DAV Home Page, click on Legislation and then click on Join the Commander’s Action Network. "By becoming a valued member of DAV CAN, you demonstrate your dedication and commitment to improving the lives of our nation's service-connected disabled veterans and their families," DAV Washington Headquarters Executive 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." Join DAV CAN and make a critical difference on important veteran issues.

Have You Heard? VA "PRESS RELEASE" on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 VA PUBLISHES Final Regulation to Aid Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange in Korea. Veterans exposed to herbicides while serving along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea will have an easier path to access quality health care and benefits under a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) final regulation that will expand the dates when illnesses caused by herbicide exposure can be presumed to be related to Agent Orange.

In practical terms, eligible Veterans who have specific illnesses VA presumes to be associated with herbicide exposure do not have to prove an association between their illness and their military service. This "presumption" simplifies and speeds up the application process for benefits and ensures that Veterans receive the benefits they deserve.

Under the final regulation published, January 25, 2011, in the Federal Register, VA will presume herbicide exposure for any Veteran who served between April 1, 1968, and August 31, 1971, in a unit determined by VA and the Department of Defense (DoD) to have operated in an area in or near the Korean DMZ in which herbicides were applied.

Click on Links below to learn more about Veterans’ diseases associated with Agent Orange exposure.

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/PUBLICHEALTH/exposures/agentorange/diseases.asp and

http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/diseases.asp

(Source: "VA Media Relations")

For assistance in the VA Claims process contact your DAV National Service Office and talk with a National Service Officer.

CHAPTER COMMANDERS and ADJUTANTS - March and April meetings you should be electing your 2011-12 Chapter Officers. Encourage members who attend your chapter meetings regularly to take an active role by serving as a chapter officer. To make your chapter stronger, as a Chapter Commander or Adjutant, please assist and teach your newly elected officers the DAV Mission. 1^st Nominations in March and 2^nd Nominations and Election of Chapter Officers in April. Should you have any questions or concerns about Chapter elections please contact Department of Ohio. Encourage your chapter officers and chapter members to attend District Meetings, Department conventions and Department Fall Conferences. When you have installed your newly elected chapter officers in May, you have 10 days to send in your Chapter Officer Report to National, Department, and your nearest DAV Service Office. Please double-check your officers’ membership code numbers to make sure the member is a member of your chapter.

FINAL THOUGHT:

How important is the DAV CAN? Take a moment and see how fast some elected officials can change. <http://www.dav.org/news/News.aspx> Click on January 28, 2011 News Alert.

David May, State Commander

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 (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

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

April 3, 2011 8^th District Meeting, Lunch at 1 p.m. with meeting to following at 2 p.m., Pioneer City Chapter #52, Marietta, Ohio.

April 9, 2011 5^th District Meeting, Huron County Chapter #62, at 1 p.m., Norwalk, Ohio.

April 17, 2011 6^th District Meeting, Willie Marcum Chapter #72 at 2 p.m., Medina, Ohio.

April 30, 2011 Commander David May and DAVA Commander Debby Hall Testimonial Dinner, Canton, Ohio.

May 6-7, 2011 Forget-Me-Not, Northern Hills Chaper #115, various locations, Cincinnati, Ohio.

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.

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT

Frank Williams

Thought for February: Don’t allow yourself to be bothered by those who complain and criticize. The moon would not go on shining if it paid attention to all the little dogs who barked at it!

Most of our State Officers will be going to Washington, DC to attend our C&A Midwinter Conference, and the presentation by National Commander Wally Tyson before the Joint Session of House and Senate on Veterans Affairs. Although you are always encouraged to visit Ohio offices of your Representatives and Senators, please feel free to contact Department Headquarters if you have a specific request/subject you would like us to cover during our DC visit from 2/27/2011 through 3/2/2011.

A couple of news notes since our “biased” media seldom reports “all news”:

Pakistan’s failure to hit Militant Sanctuary has positive side for US. Since Pakistan has refused to attack militants in a notorious sanctuary on its border with Afghanistan, they have created a magnet there for hundreds of Islamic fighters seeking a safe haven where they can train and organize attacks against US & NATO forces. But, they are now in the cross hairs of our unmanned drones that operate along the border areas.

New deficit reduction plan eyes Federal workforce. Plans are to extend Obama’s pay freeze on federal employees from 2 to 5 years, cut the Civil Service by 15 percent and prohibit federal workers from serving as Union Officials on government time.

JP Morgan (Chase Bank) Acknowledges Wrongful Military Foreclosures. They admitted wrongly foreclosuring on 14 active duty military families, and overcharged thousands more on their mortgages, a continuing internal bank review has found.

Recent VA inspection gives excellent rating to Georgetown Vets Home. Also, Hospice Announcement previews an open house at Georgetown Home on a new Hospice Wing that is a Public/Private Partnership. http://dvs.ohio.gov/Portals/0/library/odvs/news/Hospice_Press_Release.pdf

VA Publishes Final Regulation to Aid Korean War Veterans Exposed to Agent Orange. Will provide easier path to Health Care & Benefits. Under the final regulation published in the Federal Register, VA will presume herbicide exposure for any Veteran who served between April 1, 1968 and Aug 31, 1971 in a unit determined by VA and Dept of Defense (DOD) to have operated in an area in or near the Korean DMZ in which herbicides were applied. Note: This establishes new dates, a change from previous dates of April 1, 1968 and July 31, 1969. Details available for those Veterans who may qualify at: http://www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/AO/claimherbicide.htm All Veterans with covered service in Korea should contact the DAV Service Rep at the nearest VA Medical Center or Columbus VA Clinic for assistance in submitting their applications for access to VA health care and compensation, or their County Veterans Service Office.

How many DAV Members have you signed up this month??? Convince each qualified veteran that joining the DAV helps them and their fellow Disabled Veteran as we strive to make better lives for disabled veterans and their families. And, each time you sign up a new DAV Member, don’t forget to sign up their spouse and other extended family members.

As always, keep our troops in Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers as they fight, like we have fought, to keep America free. Never shall we forget that Freedom is not Free!! May God bless all of you. God bless our troops, God bless the DAV, and may God Bless America, home of the Free, because of the Brave!

NSO CLEVELAND OFFICE

David Bilinovich, Supervisor

The Mobile Service Office (MSO) schedule is now available for both Spring and Fall. The MSO will be available this spring, for Chapters in Columbus and north from May 28 to June 4 and for the Chapters south of Columbus from June 5 to June 12. Again, in the Fall, the north run will be October 1-7 and the south from October 8-16. I would encourage all Chapters interested in hosting the MSO to contact the National Service Office to make the appropriate arrangements. Our schedules need to be finalized as soon as possible.

Hosting the MSO is a great way for your Chapter to gain local publicity, to enhance membership recruitment and to assist the veterans in your community. The Chapter’s expense is minimal in cost and labor, but can be very rewarding. I look forward to hearing from your Chapter. I also want to thank those Chapters that hosted the MSO last year. Help us to help our veterans and their families by supporting the MSO.

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT