FROM THE DESK OF COMMANDER

DAVID MAY

HAPPY NEW YEAR! DAV had many successes in 2010. I would like to thank each and everyone who has supported the DAV Mission. And, we know that each year DAV can not stand on our successes but need to work harder to face the challenges before us in serving our fellow veterans for 2011.

The New Year is here and for those who set chapter goals to achieve success in serving veterans may consider setting up a Forget-Me-Drive (FMN) Drive. No matter how big or small your chapter is an FMN Drive is a wonderful goal for our chapters and our DAV Mission of serving veterans in need of assistance. DAV’S small-blue FMN flower was started almost 85 years ago by our WWI veterans who wanted to raise funds on the chapter level to provide services for local disabled veterans and HONOR their comrades who were killed in combat. This idea of small-blue flowers was a memory of our WWI veterans coming home seeing spring flowers growing among the graves of their comrades. Today, if I knew a WWI member, I would thank him for adopting the FMN flower commemorating our veterans who served. The FMN flower is a special way to HONOR our members who are challenged every day with their scars of their war and remembering our fallen comrades who gave all. This small-blue flower says it all, “Please don’t forget me!” A Nation who forgets their veterans ceases to be a Great Nation! (I don’t know who was credited with this quote. I feel I have the point of the quote correct.)

We have many reasons why we need to continue our DAV FMN Drive traditions. Yes, we have many chapters who can organize their members to do an FMN Drive every year. I thank each and everyone who has worked an FMN Drive in the past. You have proven to the general public that DAV Mission is Service to Veterans. The public know and trust our DAV organization’s Mission. Our FMN Drive funds will solely be use in providing service to assist our veterans in need. Should you have any questions about FMN funds please do not hesitate to contact Department.

Tips on organizing a DAV FMN Drive

Tips that may be helpful but not limited to.... At your chapter meeting select a chairperson, a member with leadership qualifies and is enthusiastic about the FMN Drive, as well as, one who can work to inspire others to volunteer for the FMN Drive. If chapter volunteers are hard to come by, you may want to ask your auxiliary members to assist you. Setting the date for your FMN Drive early (more on this later) can be very helpful. Your chapter needs to contact Department Headquarters, in writing, to ask permission to conduct an FMN Drive. In your request, please list all of your date(s) and location(s) so Department can post this info to their website. When our State Adjutant approves the date then he will send you your FMN forms to be completed by the FMN Drive chairperson who will mail the form back to the adjutant. Ask your city mayor to provide an FMN Proclamation for your drive. Chapters should consider preparing a flyer listing the FMN Drive goals of your chapter when you are setting up your locations and partnering with the local businesses in your community, as well as, having them available for the public. Your members should be prepared when they are asked .... Why are you doing an FMN Drive? FMN volunteers should dress in DAV clothing. Chapters should only use DAV FMN supplies. You can order supplies, such as canisters, name tags and posters, from DAV National. Working an FMN Drive is a great opportunity to meet members of your chapter who are not active and potential new eligible members. Ask for their phone numbers so a chapter member can do a follow-up by inviting them to the next chapter meeting. You may want to work on an informational flyer about your chapter that provides information that may be helpful to fellow disabled veterans in your community. One of the most important things to do after your FMN Drive is to thank those who worked your drive and the local community businesses that supported your drive. A few chapters have prepared an FMN letter asking local businesses to support their drive. Mailing an FMN letter to local businesses will cost money; therefore, it may be more effective if one of your members would volunteer to deliver them in person. This may be a great opportunity to work up a relationship and network with them for future FMN Drives. Don’t forget to ask them if they’re veterans (One chapter asks their local businesses to support their monthly DAV chapter newsletter.)

As your commander, I will be asking our DAV State Executive Committee to approve in setting the weekend of May 7, 2011 as our Forget-Me-Not State Drive. Hopefully, we can make this a very special weekend for our veterans in need. I wish each chapter and their volunteers the very best. May your FMN Drive be very successful. When making your FMN donations please remember to send them first to Department Hospital Fund, c/o Frank Williams, State Adjutant, along with a letter saying who you wish to donate to. Our Adjutant will send a check back to you in the same amount. This way, we can thank the chapters that are providing service to our veterans. Or you can wait until our annual Sate Convention or Fall Conferences and have one of your chapter members present your donation during the “Parade of Checks.” Should you have any questions concerning a DAV FMN Drive please contact your District Commander, a DAV Ohio Executive Committee member, a Past Department Commander or our State Adjutant Frank Williams.

Golden Coral

A few thank yous to our DAV Team Ohio members who worked the Golden Coral Military Appreciation Night on November 15. At this time I don’t know how successful we were. I did receive an unofficial report from a chapter in the Columbus area. They were very successful because the Golden Coral management let them work more than the November 15 date. At this location the Golden Coral management was already thinking about next year. Those chapter members represented DAV very well with the Golden Coral management. Again, DAV Team Ohio thanks those members in the Columbus area and all the other Golden Coral locations in Ohio for volunteering to work November 15.

Sandusky Annual Christmas/Bingo Party

On December 5 DAV Department held their annual Christmas/Bingo Party at the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky. Many, many thanks for all the help our DAV Department’s Volunteer Representative, Stuart Heaberlin, and his Deputy-Representative, Dale Smith, for doing an outstanding job in getting the party up and running. Many DAV Ohio Chapters and DAV Auxiliary Units have been assisting Stuart and Dale for many years. I would like to thank each and everyone, who attended, worked, and provided cookies and bingo funds, to make that day a very special holiday event for our veterans at the Sandusky Home. Special thank you goes out to our members for bringing members attending for their first Sandusky veterans’ party. DAV Service in Action! You made DAV Team Ohio look good!

In closing, My 2011 wish for chapters: May we recruit new members who want to learn the DAV Mission and, chapter leaders who are knowledgeable and have experience in teaching our new members the DAV Mission. CORE VALUES of the Disabled American Veterans are: Service-Quality-Integrity-Leadership. God Bless the DAV.

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.

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 January: The greatest virtue is kindness. You cannot love everyone, but you can be kind to everyone!

It is with a heavy heart, tremendous regret and sadness that I inform you of the death of my good friend Robert L. Gushee, our former Inspector General.

Bob will always be remembered as a dedicated and fierce advocate for the DAV, who assisted Chapters and Departments to ensure they were in compliance with laws and regulations governing nonprofit organizations, and he zealously guarded the good name of the DAV. May he rest in peace! Goodbye, old buddy. I will never forget you!

Details of his services are: Funeral Service – Friday, January 7, 2011 – 2:00 PM M J “Dolly” Cooper Veterans Cemetery, 140 Inway Drive, Anderson, SC 29621

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the DAV National Service Foundation. Expressions of sympathy may be sent to:

Rhonda Gushee

20 Gladesworth Drive

Greenville, SC 29615

Or, by email to: gushee@yahoo.com

GOLDEN CORRAL RESTAURANTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY RAISE OVER $1 MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS:

On Monday, November 15, 2010, Golden Corral welcomed over 375,000 of our Nation’s Veterans and active duty troops into its restaurants and served a free “Thank You” meal in honor of their service and sacrifice for our country. This was the 10^th Annual Event when Golden Corral welcomed America’s Heroes to gather at its restaurants to share experiences with their fellow veterans, create new friendships, and enjoy a complimentary home cooked meal with their comrades. In addition, Golden Corral hosted local Disabled American Veterans Chapters across the country with their major fundraising event for the year.

Wally Tyson, National Commander of the DAV, said, “This is the largest fundraising event our local DAV Chapters participate in each year. I cannot thank the guests and Golden Corral staff enough for their generosity. These donations make a tremendous difference in improving the often challenging lives of those who live with disabilities as a result of their honorable service to our country”.

“It is gratifying to see the operators and employees of our system work together to serve those who served our country. This event each year allows us to demonstrate our respect,

gratitude and admiration for these impressive individuals”, said Ted Fowler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Corral. Giving back to those who gave so much: Our men and women of courage stand watch for us each day, in dangerous places across the globe. The world is blessed that in each generation, Americans of conviction and duty rise to defend our country and the cause of liberty. Far from the Generals in the Pentagon and Kabul, America’s front line troops entrust their lives to junior officers in their 20s and early 30s. These young officers do so much more than lead soldiers in combat. They must be coaches and therapists, diplomats and dignitaries, as they are asked to comprehend the machinations of Afghan allies, even as they fight off attacks by Taliban foes. It is only right that we should honor their sacrifice in personal and practical ways, especially at this time of the year. A way to do this is by supporting the DAV, who helps build better lives for our Disabled Veterans, as well as assists them and their families in obtaining proper health care and earned VA benefits.

I sincerely hope that everyone had a Very Merry Christmas. Let me also extend my wishes for a happy and prosperous New Year.

As always, keep our troops in 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!! 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!

Larry Queen, our HSC at Chillicothe VAMC, provided the following:

VA Processes First Claims for New Agent Orange Presumptives

New Program Speeds Approval for Vietnam Veterans

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has decided more than 28,000 claims in the first six weeks of processing disability compensation applications from Vietnam Veterans with diseases related to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange..

“With new technology and ongoing improvements, we are quickly removing roadblocks to processing benefits,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “We are also conducting significant outreach to Vietnam Veterans to encourage them to submit their completed application for this long-awaited benefit.”

VA published a final regulation on Aug. 31 that makes Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam and who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, ischemic heart disease, or a B-cell (or hairy-cell) leukemia eligible for health care and disability compensation benefits. With the expiration of the required 60-day congressional review on Oct. 30, VA is now able to process these claims.

Vietnam Veterans covered under the new policy are encouraged to file their claims through a new VA Web portal at www.fasttrack.va.gov. Vietnam Veterans are the first users of this convenient automated claims processing system.

If treated for these diseases outside of VA’s health system, it is important for Veterans o gather medical evidence from their non-VA physicians. VA has made it easy for physicians to supply the clinical findings needed to approve the claim through the new Web portal. These medical forms are also available at www.vba.va.gov/disabilityexams.

The portal guides Veterans through Web-based menus to capture information and medical evidence required for faster claims decisions. While the new system currently is limited to these three disabilities, usage will expand soon to include claims for other condition VA has begun collecting data that recaps its progress in processing claims for new Agent Orange benefits at www.vba.va.gov/VBA/agentorange/reportcard/index.html.

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT

New Program Speeds Approval for Vietnam Veterans

WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has decided more than 28,000 claims in the first six weeks of processing disability compensation applications from Vietnam Veterans with diseases related to exposure to the herbicide Agent Orange..