THOMAS F. WELCH
VETERANS of FOREIGN WARS
POST 706
COMMANDER’S CORNER
This is the month where we take time to say thank you for your support during this year - 2009. Several members donated their time, money, goods and services to make us successful for which I owe each and every one of you a debt of gratitude. Thank you.
With this holiday season, please remember our military members both here and abroad in harms way. Many of you remember your holidays spent away from home. Support your deployed military and let us remember our family members who remain vigilant while waiting for the return of their loved ones.
You can make a difference, it is not too late! Send a free Christmas card to a soldier, Marine, airman, or sailor by emailing Xerox at
www.letssaythanks.com. You pick the card and the note inside; Xerox sends it to the troops. How great is that?A reminder to those who pay their annual membership; please pay your dues before 31 December. We are currently at 86.45%, but need to re-sign 100 members by 31 December to become a 100% All-American Post. So, if you are one of the 100, please remit your dues to National or send it to the Post, and we can handle the rest. Support your Post and send your dues in today!
New door access cards will be issued beginning the second week in January. If you currently hold a red door access card, you will need to present your 2010 membership card, and your 2009 door access card to receive the 2010 door access card. Another reason to pay those dues before 31 December.
The Post website is continuously updated with the current calendars of the new VFW fiscal year, 2010. Log on to www.vfw706.org for updated information.
Richard Mullen
Commander
SENIOR VICE’S CORNER
Happy post Thanksgiving, and I hope everyone is ready for the Christmas Holidays and New Years.
Thanks to all who helped with the Post’s Thanksgiving Day food programs and special Thanksgiving meal for our troops who could not make it to their homes.
The Post had a wonderful band (Riverbank Band) perform on the 28th of November. My bride and I danced the night away. We are looking forward many more great nights of music and dancing. If you were in town, you missed a wonderful evening.
Just a reminder that the Enterprise Division of the Navy Sea Cadet program sponsored by PNAS still needs adult volunteers. Give some of your military experience to aid our young people.
It is that much dreaded time of New Year’s Resolutions. May I suggest a couple of resolutions that are relatively easy to keep and will give you some really warm and fuzzy feelings.
1. Be active in at least one VFW program such as Patriot’s Pen, Voice of Democracy, Public Servants of the Year Award, Eagle Scout of the Year and etc. just to name a few.
2. Recruit one new member or encourage a member to renew their membership. The Post needs everyone’s help to retain our members and gain new ones.
3. Support one Post event a month.
VOICE OF DEMOCRACY/PATRIOT’S PEN
Congratulations to our Voice of Democracy winner Seth M. Leonard, Northview High and our Patriot’s Pen winner Taylor N. Mikulla, Jim Bailey Middle School. They were advanced to the District I level, and we will have to wait and see if they go to State.
We had only two entries for the Voice of Democracy, but 58 entries for Patriot’s Pen. Hooah!
Victor Looney
Sr. Vice Commander
ADJUTANT’S CORNER
MEMBERS IN NEED:
Comrade Chaplain Benny Casalina is continuing his treatment in Biloxi. He is in good spirits and his prognosis is good. Last treatment is scheduled for this month!
Comrade Skip Bennett’s wife, Roni, is undergoing chemo and radiation treatments at Baptist Hospital.
Comrade Karl Jordan has been receiving radiation treatments for the past few months. He will continue receiving treatments for the coming months.
Gwen Childers had knee surgery on Tuesday. She should be out of the hospital by the time you get this.
Men’s Auxiliary member, Keith is having back surgery on Friday.
Please keep Comrades Ben and Karl, Sisters Roni and Gwen, and Brother Keith in your thoughts and prayers.
If you have knowledge of a comrade in distress or the passing of a Post 706 member or affiliate member contact the Post at (850)455-0026. We should send our encouragements to those in need as soon as we learn of their situation or loss.
Clint Hughes, Adjutant
COOTIES CORNER
From the Seam Squirrel PT 66
Listen Cooties and Sisters:
Here's hoping you had a nice Thanksgiving; that you have been enjoying the varied activities around the Post Home and the Pensacola area this past month.
There are many more things planned for December (see the schedule contained in this newsletter). The regularly scheduled MOC dinner is still a go for 5 December at 1800 (6 PM). Come out and enjoy a delicious steak, cooked to order, with all the fixin's.
Also, the December Scratch will be held at the Post Home at 1101 (1101 AM), 12 December 2009.
On behalf of all the Officers and Member of Sea Oats Pup Tent 66, MOC and MOCA I wish to extend a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all with a reminder to drive sober, safe and buckled up.
Yours in L.O.T.C.S.
Oscar C. Bergman
SS PT 66
LADIES AUXILIARY
Hello Sisters! I would like to say thank you to all who helped on our last dinner. It was a great mean and everyone really enjoyed our "Pot Luck." On Tuesday, 8 December, the Ladies Auxiliary is going to meet at 5 PM so we can take care of all reports required by State. Any Ladies who want to come and help, please be here as we need to get this done.
We are having our Children’s Christmas Party on 12 December. Please make sure you sign your kids names to the list.
Our general meeting will be on 18 December. This will be a very important meeting, so I would like to see as many of you there as possible. Don’t forget to bring a Christmas gift to exchange. Bring one and you get one.
Since this is the last newletter of the year, I would like to take this opportunity to wish evedryone a very merry Chirstmas and a Happy New Year.
"Remember the reason why we celebrate the season".
CeeCee Goodwin
Madam President
MEN’S AUXILIARY
We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who supported us on the smoked turkeys for Thanksgiving. We would also like to remind everyone that we will not have our dinner this month; however, if you anyone would care for a smoked ham for Christmas, please talk to Brian Chadwick or me on or before 16f December.
Our monthly meeting will be held at 6:00pm on Thursday, December 10th. We would appreciate all members participation if possible.
Thanks for your support in November. We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Be safe and God bless!!!
John Forte, President
VFW RIDERS CORNER
Comrades,
Our monthly meeting is always the first Thursday of the month at 1800. So all you Riders make sure you are there.
Clint Hughes, President
VFW Riders
POST CANTEEN CORNER
This is the time to join us at the VFW Canteen for friends and fellowship. We have several events coming up in December, so come on out and join us.
On 5 December, we have "DURANGO," a live performance ~ Country and Soft Rock ~ starting at 7:00 PM.
On 12 December, we have the Children’s Christmas Party from 2 - 4 PM. Sign up no later than 7 December. Please; children up to 10 years of age and younger only.
On 12 December, we have a private Christmas party for the men and women of the Belleview Fire Department. Please make them feel welcome as you have always done in the past.
On 16 December, we will have our Christmas Party immediately following our monthly meeting.
On 19 December, we have a wedding reception scheduled for Steve and Jennifer Taylor’s sister, Jessica, and her new husband of course. All are welcome to attend this event.
Start getting your New Year’s Eve Party tickets now! We have Jerry LaVerge coming to perform your favorite hits. Jerry sings and dresses the part for the artists he portrays. He will make this an evening to remember. Tickets are $10 per person or $15 per couple. Along with the live entertainment, we will have champagne and party favors to help bring in the New Year! The party starts at 7:00 PM and gets over when it is over….probably about 1:00 AM on 1 January 2010! HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE!
CeeCee Goodwin Canteen Manager
AMERICANISM
MEMBERS WANTED!
No Post experience needed; We will train. Do your part and make us all proud of our Post.
We have another Flag Disposal Drop Box located at Sham Poochies, 2106 Creighton Rd. Know anyone who has an old, deteriated Flag? Remind them of the locations of our drop boxes for proper disposal of those Ragged Old Flags.
Ebbie Jermyn
Americanism Chairman
POST SERVICE OFFICER
TO: ALL Veterans
Medical evidence can be in the form of doctor or hospital treatment records, hospital summaries, including emergency room treatment, admission notes or discharge notes. A letter from a licensed nurse, psychologist, or other physician (even a chiropractor) is also helpful. Medical treatise information (such as that found on the internet) is only helpful if you have a medical professional discuss its applicability to you personally. All medical evidence should be clearly legible and dated. It should also involve the condition for which you seek compensation. In other words, don’t send the VA hospital treatment records for a tonsillectomy if you want service connection for a back disability.
Most importantly, if you obtain a letter from a health professional, make certain the letter indicates the condition for which you were evaluated and how that condition is related to your military service. Additionally, the doctor’s letter should address your symptoms and how your disability impacts your life. Keep in mind, the law requires three things:
Evidence of a current disability;
Medical or (in some instances) lay testimony of an incurrence of a disease, injury or condition in service; and Medical evidence providing a link between the current disability and the disease, injury or condition noted in service stated in conclusive terms.
The Best Medical Evidence
Quite simply, the best medical evidence is obtained from private physicians. If at all possible seek treatment on a regular basis and make sure that treatment is well-documented. Obtain copies of your treatment records as soon as possible and keep them in a safe place. It often takes years to resolve a claim with the VA and records may be destroyed in the meantime. Keep in mind what your service medical records may or may not show. If you injured your back in service but never sought treatment, explain to your physician why treatment wasn’t sought. Inform your doctor of ongoing, continuous problems. If you ask the doctor for a letter explain to him what the letter must show (3 elements listed above – current disability, incident in service, medical link to service).
Explain that the doctor must state the reasoning for his or her opinion. The doctor should explain the nature and extent the examination, what objective evidence such as X-rays were reviewed and why any current disability is connected to your military service. Above all, the doctor’s opinion must be in clear and precise terms. Where a doctor states that a certain condition "may" or "could be" linked to service, VA is very quick to dismiss the opinion as "too speculative" to be given much probative weight. Rather your doctor should state that your disability is more likely than not related to the event in service.
Hopefully with these tips, you can obtain quality medical evidence in support of your claim that can then be submitted to VA for a more timely resolution of your case. Contact us at Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC to see if we can help you.__._,_.___
If you have any questions about this information see PSO on Tues. 1330 - 1700 and Thur 1330 - 1700. All other time is by appointment.
Nathaniel "Nate" Bass
Post Service Officer
VFW Post 706
GOOD OF THE ORDER
The District I meeting is coming to Post 706 on Saturday, 13 February 2010, starting at 1000. Plan on attending to show your support for our Post.
If you were not here for the dance on 28 November, you not only missed a dance, but you missed one of the best entertainment groups in the area. The Riverbank Band played great music and did much more in their performance of good country and rock ‘n roll.
Come support our dances and entertainment and enjoy yourself at the Post. We could sure use your help and you could sure use some real fun and entertainment for a change!
Check the calendar mark an event and plan a night out with us. We’d sure like to see you here.
Supporting the Post is not just attending a monthly meeting on occasion; it is contributing by volunteering when needed so we can spread the workload around and not let just a few do all the work. Check with me or any Post officer to see where you can be best utilized. We have several areas that need involvement from our membership. One day per member would result in working once every two or three years. Think about it. Do your part, get involved.
I appreciate all those who go above and beyond the calling to make us successful.
Don’t forget: www.letssaythanks.com; send a holiday card to the troops for
free!!!Richard Mullen
Commander
