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FROM THE DESK OF

COMMANDER WILL DAVIS

The National Convention was held in New Orleans, Big Easy, and was a great success. Donald Samuels was unanimously elected National Commander. He is a Vietnam veteran and promises to carry out the great tradition of the DAV. Congratulations to “our own” Joe Johnston, for becoming 2^nd Jr. Vice! Also, PDC Joe Lenhart for being appointed to the Board of Directors, congratulations! All of the Ohio delegates were looking sharp and represented to Department of Ohio DAV in an outstanding manner. A couple of major points of interest at the convention were: the need to eliminate lengthy delays encountered when submitting claims; and to improve mental health care for not just the veteran but family members. I was impressed with the information on “My Health e Vet”. Go to www.myhealthva.gov and register as soon as possible. There is a great information for refills on VA prescriptions and ability to view your VA appointments. I attended a training seminar on POW/MIA. It was very informative and worthwhile.

Once again, a big “Thank You” goes out to the Ford Motor Company. The company donated $200,000 to purchase eight new vehicles. It also provided $25,000 to the DAV’s youth volunteer scholarship program.

On the lighter side of the convention, Gary Sinise and the Lt. Dan Band performed. What an evening of entertainment.

Back on the home front, I had the honor to throw out the first pitch at the Cleveland Indians game on August 14. It was a little wide and outside but I made it over the plate. I was definitely worried. A big “Thanks” to the Van Wert Chapter #54 Color Guard for the excellent job. Hospital Chairman Ray Hutchinson, Ladies Auxiliary State Commander Denise Profitt, and myself had a tour

of the Georgetown Ohio Veterans Home. Thanks to the staff and Mr. Andrew Vogel for an informative and interesting tour. On August 18, I toured the Columbus Clinic. Mr. Edward Sacks, Assistant to the Chief of Staff, had a presentation of upcoming changes. Tracy Washington indicated there is a need for volunteers at the Stelzer Road facility. Volunteer: a person who performs a service willing and without pay. So if you have a few hours and would like to answer the call to become more involved, please call her at 614-257-5469. Mention you are a DAV/DAVA member and start racking up those volunteer hours. Remember the DAV is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation’s disabled veterans and their families.

Hope to see you at the Fall Conference, Doubletree Hotel, Worthington, Ohio on October 7-9, 2011.

“One Team One Goal”

Will Davis, 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

William Warren

Dayton HSC, (937) 268-6511

Kevin M. Reilly 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

September 2-4, 2011 Forget-Me-Not, Louis Paul Proy Chapter #20, Wal-Mart, Avon and Lorain; Fligners Grocery store, Lorain; Drug Mart, Amherst, Ohio.

September 9-10, 2011 Forget-Me-Not, Willie Marcum Chapter #72, Buehler’s Grocery Store, Medina, Ohio.

September 15-18, 2011 Forget-Me-Not, Adams County Chapter #71, Main Street, Peebles, Ohio.

September 18, 2011 6^th District Meeting, Brooklyn-Parma Chapter #116, 1 p.m., Memorial Hall Building.

September 24, 2011 5^th District Meeting, 1 p.m., American Legion Post #41 on State Route 61, Norwalk, Ohio.

September 25, 2011 4^th District Meeting, Defiance Chapter #36, Defiance, Ohio.

Oct. 2, 2011 8^th District Meeting, Dinner at

1 p.m., Meeting at 2 p.m., Clint Kramer Chapter #12, Zanesville, Ohio.

Oct. 6-7, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Doubletree Hotel, 175 Hutchinson Ave., Columbus, 8

8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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

October 8, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Powder Keg Harley-Davidson, 2382 Kings Center Ct., Mason, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 10, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Jackson County Chapter #45, 170 Pearl St., Jackson, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 11, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Conrath-Bean Chapter #37, 355 E. State St., Athens, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 12, 2011 Mobile Service Office, American Legion Post #11, Lancaster Chapter #40, 279 Canal St., Lancaster, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 13, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Cambridge Chapter #28, 2090 North Ave., Cambridge, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 14, 2011 Mobile Service Office, Clint Kramer Chapter #12, 428 Moxahala Ave., Zanesville, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

October 15, 2011 1^st District Meeting, St. Timothy’s Church, 8101 Beechmont Ave., at 1 p.m., Cincinnati, Ohio.

October 15, 2011 Mobile Service Ofice, C&A Harley Davidson, 7610 Commerce Place, Plain City, Ohio, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

October 23, 2011 7^th District Meting, Alliance Chapter #50, 2 p.m., Alliance, Ohio.

October 30 10^th District Meeting, 1416 W. Broad Street, 1 p.m., Columbus, Ohio.

November 5 2^nd District Meeting, 2 p.m., Dayton VA Bldg., Room 305, Dayton, Ohio.

November 14, 2011 Golden Corral Military Appreciation Dinner, Various restaurants, Ohio.

November 19, 2011 9^th District Meeting, Victory Chapter #134, Lunch at noon, Wheelersburg, 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.

REFLECTIONS ON THE 90^TH DAV NATIONAL CONVENTION

William Caine

When the story of the DAV National Convention is written, the Department of Ohio’s leading role will establish 2011 as a watershed year. Under the leadership of Commander Will Davis, the delegation consisted of seven Past Department Commanders, Two District Commanders and several other chapter officers. PDC’s present for duty included Joe Johnston, Ray Hutchinson, Frank Williams, Bob Bertschy, David May, Joe Lenhart, and David Uetterling. District Commanders Ed Savel and John Parker supported the team.

PDC “Ranger” Joe Johnston achieved his goal of higher national office by being unanimously elected to the office of 2^nd Vice President, by the 1,127 delegated from 46 states. Special mention goes to PDC Ray Hutchinson who ran the campaign for “Ranger” Joe. But the Ohio delegation was in for a second and greater honor. Even the National officers have to report to higher authority, the National Board of Directors, most of whom are business leaders but two of the seats are reserved for DAV leaders who have distinguished themselves over the years. PDC Joe Lenhart was elected by his delegate peers to this most prestigious seat. National Adjutant Arthur Wilson immediately following his own reappointment installed PDC Lenhart. Congratulations to Joe and Joe.

Department Officers were called upon to serve on standing committees as well as convention committees. Everyone attended the seminars held in the afternoons keeping the Ohio leadership up to date on the work and successes of the National Staffs based both in Washington, D.C. and in Cold Springs, Kentucky. Interaction with the NSO leadership and the legislative staffs served to assure the delegates that our interests are well represented day in and day out.

Ohio’s hospitality evening featured both “Ranger” Joe Johnston and his lovely wife Vicky in a receiving line anchored by the PDC’s. Department Officers mingle through the three hundred guests from the 46 states comprising the leadership of the DAV. The quiet tone and refreshments were a welcome contrast to the hustle and bustle of the convention business and the teeming streets of New Orleans just outside the doors. Again Ray Hutchinson had put in a winning effort to pull off a successful event.

Now that the sights and sounds of New Orleans are becoming a dim memory, the Ohio leadership has been reenergized to kick off another year of service to Ohio’s Veterans and their survivors under the Proud Umbrella of Ohio DAV.

William Caine, Executive Committee

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT

Frank Williams

Thought for SEPTEMBER: It is not the amount of knowledge we have, but the amount we use that determines its worth.

Your Tax $ at Work: Pentagon pays $720 Million in late fees on shipping Containers: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2011-08-28/Pentagon-pays-720M-in-late-fees-for-storage-containers/50168840/1

Ohio Teams Honor 37^th Div: Over 300 Ohio high school football teams are wearing helmet decals or shoulder patches to honor Ohio Army National Guard’s 37^th Infantry Brigade Combat Team deploying to Afghanistan.

Air Show: The Cleveland Air Show on Labor Day weekend will feature performance by the Air Force Thunderbirds.

Deficit Cuts Look At Military Retirement: The new Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta acknowledges a new military retirement plan is being considered, but he emphatically states that benefits for those currently serving or already retired will not be affected.

DAV National Convention: New National Officers elected at our National Convention are Don Samuels from Tennessee as our National Commander; Larry Polzin from California, Sr. Vice Commander; Mary Bencivenga from New Jersey, 1^st Jr. Vice Commander; Joe Johnston from OHIO, 2^nd Jr. Vice Commander; Ronald Voegeli from South Carolina, 3^rd Jr. Vice Commander.

Additionally, Joe Lenhart from Wapakoneta is our new 11^th District National Executive Committeeman, with Herman Morton from Cincinnati, as Alternate NEC. Joe Lenhart was also elected to the National Board of Directors.

Congratulations to all!

VA Secretary Keynote Speaker: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, Keynote Speaker at our National Convention, outlined new steps to offset the high unemployment rate among veterans. A new tax incentive program allows companies a $2400 credit for hiring an unemployed veteran; a $4800 credit for hiring a veteran who is jobless for 6 months or longer; and $9600 credit for hiring a veteran with a service-connected disability who has been without a job for 6 months or longer. This new program has set a goal of hiring 100,000 veterans or spouses in the private sector by 2013.

Bethesda National Naval Medical Center: A new, state of the art barracks for wounded warriors is “Ready For Business” at the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland. The barracks will accommodate 306 recovering service members in 153 two-bedroom suites, each featuring private bathrooms, a shared living room, wheelchair accessible kitchen and amenities such as flat screen TVs, dishwashers and comfortable furnishings.

Get Involved: To help ensure successful enactment of veteran legislation that we support, DAV and Auxiliary members must become active in DAV’s grassroots efforts– DAV Commander’s Action Network (CAN) – and all of us must do our part to let our elected officials know of our concerns regarding legislation that builds better lives for our nation’s service-disabled veterans, their families and their survivors. Please make a pledge to redouble your efforts to communicate our concerns to your elected officials. This is a key to our success.

How many DAV Members have you signed up this month? How about Last month?? Remember: After you have recruited a new DAV member, sign up all eligible members in their family also. Our Auxiliary needs new members too.

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!

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS