AMVETS is one of the nation’s foremost veteran’s service organizations (VSO’s). It stands as a strong and influential advocate for America’s veterans on important issues such as employment and training, mandatory funding for government-provided health care and other benefits to which they are entitled.

March came and went so quickly, it’s hard for some of us keep up. Let me highlight some of the fun down at the Post during the past month.

The Paul Hill Scholarship pool tournament was a great success with the most players in years. Congratulations to Todd Barnett who came out of the loser’s bracket to win (I was hoping it was going to me).

Eloise’s corned beef (50 lbs.) and cabbage sold out again this year.

The first of eight Texas Hold’em tournaments was held at the Post.

On Saturday, March 27, everybody danced the night away to the tunes provided by Dennis Rodriquez.

April is starting slowly but will be busier by the end of the month.

Several Wednesday night pool players will be at the State tournament in Battle Creek from April 15-18.

On April 24 there will be a group “A,” low-handicap pool tournament for the players who don’t feel they can compete in the Friday night tournaments.

Sam Faz and some others are helping put together a team tournament open to AMVET Posts throughout District 1.

Adrian College is accepting applications for its program named “Operation Education” for the fall 2010 semester. A full-ride scholarship will be offered to a disabled American veteran injured during combat in Afghanistan or Iraq after 2001. It stays with the student through graduation. Applications are available on-line at www.adrian.edu I believe the college already has four students enrolled from previous years.

The original Persian Gulf War officially came to an end on April 11, 1991. If you were a veteran on active duty during that time, come down and receive a free thank you drink from the Post.

Nominations for officers for 2011 will be held Monday, April 12, at the 7:00 p.m. membership meeting.

Think spring, and remember why we have all this wonderful freedom. GOD BLESS THE VETERANS.

Rob Hosken

Commander

My question for you. Do you feel like you belong at the AMVETS? Are you really a part of our greater family? I ask these questions not to question your membership, but to solidify your reasons for being a member of our post.

Over the last four years I have seen a great amount of change at our post. We have grown from 250 members to over 500 members. Obviously we are doing a large amount of things correctly, however we continue to fail as a whole on a few. I really believe that we have an amazing post and that we have our members and leadership to thank for our success. I want to focus on one aspect of our group today, communication.

As a whole, we take a sense of pride and ownership in our post. Every time I walk into our post I look around at the collection of friends that I have made and feel as if I just walked into an episode of Cheers. Everyone knows my name, and I feel as if I belong. That is an amazing feeling to experience. I hope you feel the same when you walk through the door. We have an amazingly diverse group of members that bring many different points of view and ideas to our post. I believe that we care so much about our post that we lose sight of the greater picture.

Many times I have taken ideas and criticism poorly and I am not proud of that. I am sure that at sometime all of our members have also done the same. The question is, how do we continue to grow and discuss ideas that we think will better our post without hurting each other’s feelings?

I think that if we realize our post is an ever changing group of people, we will begin to know how to communicate effectively. Our collective feeling of ownership for our post can divide us or bond us. I truly believe that communication and realization that we all want what is best for the post will get us past any problem that we face.

The next time that you walk through our door look around you and say hello to your family. Be proud that you are a member of a great Veterans club and do everything you can to remember why you decided to renew your membership. If we all remember why we are here, we can make sure we will want to continue to call the AMVETS our home for a long time to come.

Josh Feltman, AMVETS Riders President

Our 2^nd stop was back in Michigan, in Pittsford to be exact, at D & S Lounge- owned by Dave Dow. It’s a friendly little tavern frequented by locals, some of whom were a little shocked to see 50+ people walk through the door on a Saturday afternoon. But there was plenty of room for us and after an hour of listening to some jams on the jukebox (I think they still call it that even though it has CD’s instead of 45’s) we got back on the bus and headed for our 3^rd stop.

The Hillsdale American Legion has a beautiful view as it sits on Baw Beese Lake. If you’re a Legion Member it really is worth the drive to Hillsdale just to take in the scenery. By now the sun was shining and even though it was cold outside, everybody was having fun. I mean who can resist a swing set even if it’s only 17 degrees out?

Our last stop was at the Highland Inn at Manitou Beach, MI next to Round Lake. After some good food, people couldn’t resist moving to the music on the dance floor. I think everyone had a great time and there were requests for having more than one Booze Cruise per year. If I were you I’d sign up early for the next one!

Thanks to the AMVETS Riders and everyone who participated to make this another great event from Randy P. Hill AMVETS Post 1957.

Our first moneymaking event was a gas grill give away. As the year went by we sponsored Billy Brown’s racecar, a youth hardball team, a trip to Oakshade Raceway, the Post Pool team’s jackets and a bowling team in the Associated Charities “Rock for Tot’s”.

We made a contribution to the family of a deceased life member, a contribution to the Associated Charities “A Knight at the Round Table”, one for the rebuilding of the Vietnam Memorial in monument park, and one to the Rider’s Christmas basket program.

And don’t forget our second annual “Not quite the end of summer “golf scramble in October. We finished the year with a cash lottery; and of course the first annual (?) New Years Eve Party.

Did I mention that we got an award for the largest increase in membership in the state? We are now the second largest Squadron in Michigan.

Traditionally, members of the nation’s veteran’s service organizations have rendered the hand-salute during the national anthem and at events involving the national flag only while wearing their organization’s official headgear.

The National Defense Authorization Act of 2008 contained an amendment to allow un-uniformed service members, military retirees, and veterans to render a hand salute during the hoisting, lowering, or passing of the U.S. flag.

A later amendment further authorized hand-salutes during the national anthem by veterans and out-of-uniform military personnel. This was included in the Defense Authorization Act of 2009, which President Bush signed on October 14, 2008.

Life membership dues, effective January 1, 2010, shall be $180. On January 1, 2011, this amount will increase to $200, and on January 1, 2012, this amount will increase to $250.

To beat the price increase, AMVETS Post 1957 is offering life memberships for $125 if you are an AMVETS member in good standing; $150 to all NEW members; and if you have paid your 2010 dues, you can purchase a life membership for $95!

Think seriously about taking this step to secure your membership for life at these low prices. You must pay by December 15, 2009, to get the discounted rate. Stop by the Post, or send a check to AMVETS Post 1957. 122 N. Main St. DON”T DELAY!

I asked myself ‘Why did we have an Iraqi flag framed and hanging on the wall of the post?’ Roy Busse was one of the names on the flag so I had a hunch he might know something about it (I used to watch Columbo so I know about hunches). A few days later, I ran into Roy at the AMVETS and I asked him to tell me the story behind the Iraqi flag. Roy agreed to tell me the story but said he needed something to keep his throat from going dry which might prevent him from finishing the story. I wholeheartedly agreed and immediately ordered 2 beverages (I was also afraid my throat would get dry while questioning him) and a few sips later, Roy told me about the flag, and more importantly, the meaning behind it.

In 2003-2004, Roy Busse and Craig Rotarius from Signal Battalion 156 of Adrian, MI, were serving in Iraq with the 234 Signal Battalion out of Iowa. During OIF (Operation Iraqi Freedom), they participated in setting up the largest communication network the U.S. Army had ever put together in a combat environment. While serving overseas, Roy and Craig received numerous care packages, cards and other thank you gifts for their military service from members of AMVETS Post 1957. The Post’s kindness really meant a lot to Roy and Craig and they wanted to show their appreciation to everyone back home in Adrian. Back then, near Saddam’s Palace in Baghdad, there were lots of vendors selling their wares and one of these vendors was selling Iraqi flags. Roy and Craig made a deal with the vendor to embroider the flag and decided to donate it to Post 1957 when they returned home as a way to say thanks for all the AMVETS had done for them. Roy and Craig weren’t even members of the Post at that time.

Pictured are: Roy Busse, Aaron Ricketts and Craig Rotarius

Upon returning home, Craig and Roy were further honored with a parade and both were given a free year’s membership at AMVETS Post 1957. Craig no longer lives in Adrian and Roy is a Life Member, and Secretary for the AMVETS Riders Chapter at the Post. Roy currently serves in the Air National Guard with the 127th Wing at Selfridge A.N.G. Base.

Next time you are at AMVETS Post 1957 in Adrian, MI, take a look at the flag on the wall and see if you see what I see- a Symbol of Thanks and Appreciation for Veterans and those who support them!

The AMVETS Post 1957  Color Guard and other Veteran Service Organizations marched in the 2009 Veteran’s Day Parade in Adrian Michigan. The Parade ended at Memorial Park and Veterans from all the branches of military service were honored.

World War 2 Memorial Monument Visit

I would like to thank our Auxiliary for making it possible to send two WWII veterans, Paul Hover and Don Mitchell, to Washington D.C., on October 17 to visit the WWII Monument at no cost to the veterans. I had the honor of serving as their Guardian during this one-day trip. We flew our of Detroit at 8:00a.m. to Baltimore and returned that night around 8:00p.m. There were approximately 35 WWII veterans in our group, including eight who were in wheelchairs. Unfortunately, the vast majority of that war’s veterans are already dead or physically or medically unable to make such a trip today.

As a reminder, WWII ended in 1945, 64 years ago. I had the privilege  of listening to a vet explain his experience as a Navy corpsman who was ordered off his ship during the D-Day landing in France on June 6, 1944. This army did not have enough medics. He showed me his scrapbook that he kept all these years. When we landed in Detroit that evening, the events of the day had taken a physical toll on the gentleman, and he could not remember his name.

Rob Hosken