Along with four other delegates from our post, I attended this year’s Mid-Winter Conference held in Spokane Jan. 19-20, 2018.
Friday morning Gail Engler, the Post 3063 Service Officer, Joe Fitzgerald, the Post 3063 Junior Vice Commander, and I attended the Service Officer’s training presented by our new Department of Washington VSO, Bill Brown. Bill gave a comprehensive class covering forms, procedures and available resources.
Next on the agenda was the Quartermaster’s Class presented by our new Department Quartermaster, Paul Manley. Paul covered some of the finer points of quartermaster’s duties and answered lots of questions for post quartermasters and other interested people in attendance.
The VFW National Representative, Bob Wallace, addresses the conference attendees.
To wrap up the day, I attended Nadine Warren’s very informative and motivating Recruiting Class. Nadine is a great speaker. She showed slides and gave examples of the various techniques to get those all-important younger veterans to join our ranks.
Saturday, we attended the business session. It was a busy day with remarks by the VFW National Representative, Bob Wallace, and reports from the state line officers. In the afternoon, committee chairpersons reported on the mid-year progress of their committees.
Voice of Democracy district winners seated in front of the head table.
Saturday evening was the big event of the conference. Earlier in the day, Patriot’s Pen and Youth Essay
winners were announced and presented with their awards but at the banquet Saturday night, the Voice of Democracy winners were announced and we listened to their stirring essays on the theme: “What does a veteran mean to me?”. Teacher of the Year Awards also were presented at the banquet.
As in past years, at this year’s Mid-Winter Conference our delegates learned some new information about our VFW, the status of our state organization, and returned to our post more enthusiastic, motivated and knowledgeable.
As Ballard Eagleson Post 3063 Service Officer I am here to educate and inform veterans and their family members about their benefits, assist them in requesting military records, and submitting applications for benefits such as for disability, compensation and burial benefits. I can also provide a resource or referral for additional needs. Since I am not an accredited service officer, I cannot sign off on the forms as a veteran service organization (VSO) representative or submit the claim.
I can, however, help you request military records and obtain and complete the correct forms for submission to the VA. Claims are submitted by accredited VSOs located on the 10th floor of the Jackson Federal building at 915 2nd Avenue, Seattle. Any of the VSOs at the VFW, DAV, VVA and American Legion can submit a claim to the VA. An accredited VSO will review and submit the claim, and make sure it is well documented and that you have a fully developed claim. This ensures that your packet is not returned for minor things such as missing or incomplete form or missing documents. They can also track your claim once it is submitted to the VA.
An important part of submitting a claim, especially for a service connected disability claim, is having all the required documentation prior to meeting with the service officer. Do you have a copy of your discharge papers from the service (DD 214 or equivalent) and your medical records from military service (which may document a service connected injury)? Do you have civilian medical records from your physician or other civilian medical professionals that further supports a service connected injury or illness?
Military discharge papers, personnel and medical records can be requested online by going to the VA website (http://www.va.gov) and completing an SF 180. Depending on your branch of service and when you served will determine where you send the request. If you do not have your discharge papers, do not procrastinate in getting a copy of it because it provides proof of eligibility for your veteran’s benefits. Your spouse and/or family members or Power of Attorney should also know where you keep this important document.
Another important thing for veterans to keep in mind is making sure their loved ones are taken care of and that they know what benefits they are eligible for when the veteran passes away. For instance, if a veteran has filed a disability claim with the VA and passes away before the claim has been approved or disapproved, a “substitution of claimant” can be submitted that allows the VA to process the claim that was filed before the veteran’s death.
Also, the veteran’s widow is not automatically entitled to the veteran’s disability check. They must apply for a survivor’s pension, which is based on the veteran’s wartime service and must meet the income threshold of $80,000 in assets. The primary residence is not included but checking/savings accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and real property are included. Some expenses, such as unreimbursed medical expenses, may reduce your countable income. The VA will determine if there are any accrued benefits are paid to the surviving spouse.
If a veteran is age 85 or older, or if the veteran has a terminal diagnosis, a request for the claim to be expedited will be included. A surviving spouse may also be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) if the veteran died from service connected disability (SCD) or the SCD contributed to their death. The SCD must be listed on the death certificate.
It may seem overwhelming to file a claim or you may think you are not eligible for any benefits but it is important to discuss this with a service officer and get their assistance in filing a fully developed claim. The VA must then do their due diligence to determine the eligibility of the claim. The claim process can take months but it may be worth your time.
I can be reached at [email protected] to set up an appointment to meet with you.
Hello, my name is Donna Limric and I’m the newly elected VFW Post 3063 Auxiliary President. Thank you to the members of the auxiliary for your votes of confidence. I would also like to introduce our newly elected Sr. Vice President Margo Clutter and our newly elected Treasurer Elizabeth Guncay. I would like to express our gratitude to the past officers for their service and hard work.
Last summer I became a member of the auxiliary to support my husband, Norman Limric. I took the position of president to support the post, which has become such an important role in his life.
There is a great deal of work to be done to make this a functional auxiliary that fulfills its mission to support our veterans and our community.
We need to attract new members. With that goal in mind I have started to build a Facebook page. My next idea is to have a presence at many community events this year.
We are currently working on a project to serve our community. We are collecting prepackaged snacks for social services agencies who outreach to homeless mentally ill people in our community; many who are veterans. We will be handing out a flyer with more information at the next business meeting and social. The collection box is on the table across from the front entrance of the hall.
If you have a family or friend who is interested in joining the auxiliary, please email me at [email protected].
Seven members of the Post 3063 Honor Guard participated in the Wreaths Across America (WAA) Memorial Service at Lakeview Cemetery on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 9 a.m. WAA is conducted on National Wreaths Across America Day every December at 1,400 locations throughout the U.S., at sea, and abroad.
It has been sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) at that Lakeview Cemetery the past several years. The service starts at Arlington National Cemetery at noon (eastern) and is conducted simultaneously at every national cemetery across the country in addition to any other cemetery that has servicemen and women buried or interned and wants to participate. Various volunteers from “service type” organizations typically organize this ceremony at the various cemeteries throughout the country with participation of current or past members of the military.
From left to right: Anthony Rose, Dan Stokke, Norm Limric, Joe Fitzgerald, Harold Rodenberger, and Bill Griffith participate in the Dec. 16 Wreaths Across America Memorial Service at Lakeview Cemetery in Seattle.
Our connection to this cemetery has been through Comrade Bill Griffith who is a of the local SAR chapter. He asked us to participate last year, which was Post 3063 Honor Guard’s very first event. We did a three gun salute at a very cold, quick, and simple ceremony.
This year we had enough advanced notice (and more honor guard members) to conduct a larger ceremony.
It started with a salute to the Colors and the Pledge of Allegiance by the Honor Guard, followed by opening remarks by SAR, and then the Laying of the Wreaths.
A remembrance wreath was laid for members of each branch of the Armed forces, the Merchant Marines, and POW/MIA – a total of seven wreaths.
As each wreath was brought forward and the branch represented was announced, the bearer stepped between two Honor Guards (Bill Griffith and Harold Rodenberger), who then rendered a hand salute as the wreath was laid at the base of the pole flying the American Flag. Each of the seven wreaths was presented in the same way except for a special moment for the POW/MIA.
At the conclusion of the wreath laying, the Honor Guard rifle detail (Anthony Rose, Dan Stokke and Norm Limric) conducted a three-volley rifle salute.
Taps was then played by Barry Roberts who is a member of Buglers Across America.
Closing remarks by SAR concluded the ceremony.
Color Guard Captain Joe Fitzgerald assisted SAR President Dan Keen with developing the program and called out the various commands throughout the ceremony. Comrade Tiffany Cavin was the honor guard’s photographer.
Shortly after our move from Seattle to Butte, Montana, I began to understand why Montanans cherish the phrase “The Last Best Place” to describe their state. Montana is the fourth largest state in the nation, but the 2017 estimated population is only 1.05 million. Butte’s density is 74 people per square mile. By comparison, Seattle’s density in 2016 was 7,962 persons per square mile. The spaciousness and size of the wilderness areas is part of Montana’s charm, but there is so much more we find attractive about life here.
The hunting, fishing and hiking culture is so widespread in Montana that it may be one explanation for the reason so many businesses are closed on Fridays year-round. This includes contractors, electricians, plumbers, painters, furnace/AC installers, roofers, and even many medical and dental practices. Consequently, skilled workers are in high demand and heavily scheduled. Things we planned to have done this year are now on the list for Spring 2018.
Montana has the highest per capita number of veterans of any state in the U.S., and the degree of patriotism here reflects this. From the crowds at various memorial functions, both national and local, it is clear many residents honor and support veterans. Many houses display the flag on holidays and a fair number are visible on homes and businesses year-round. There are monuments in cemeteries for the Korean War and the Vietnam War and many VA grave markers in special veteran’s sections. If you can prove veteran status, you can get license plates including the word “Veteran” and your choice of service branch emblem. Your driver’s license can read “Veteran” as well, helping get discounts in many stores offering veteran discounts. I see multiple ball caps with various veteran logos on them. The American Legion and the Marine League are the big things in Butte; the VFW has a much smaller profile.
Parking is a pleasure in Butte. The streets are wide and parking lanes have probably four feet or more clearance by the street lane if you park against the curb. There are very few places, even in the center of town, with paid parking spots, although there are some two-hour limits at places like the Court House. There is no parking garage, although one is under construction in the central business district. So far, parking has never been a problem. Even in residential areas we find the same very wide streets with wide parking lanes.
Median income in Butte is about 54% lower than in Seattle. This impacts things such as home prices, where it is possible to find homes on the Flat with three times more space and one-third the cost of similar houses in Seattle. Real estate taxes are significantly lower than Seattle. With the exception of utilities, all the other cost-of-living indices are lower than in Seattle. There is no sales tax, but there is a state income tax.
On the down side, Butte can have some brutal winters. The average temperature in December 2016 was 12 degrees with a mean minimum of -22 degrees. This is somewhat mitigated by lower humidity so you feel less cold at 12 degrees than you would in Seattle at the same temperature. And when you walk out in the morning to fetch the local newspaper, there is a wonderfully clear and clean smell to the air. Although there is a fair amount of snow, because of the lower humidity frequently it is a drier snow which often blows away or melts in between heavier days of snow. So far, it has not been a serious problem for us.
We had a bad weather period this summer due to an unusually heavy period of forest fires, making it the most expensive forest fire-fighting period in history. Even though the burns never approached Butte, the air quality from the drifting smoke fell into the unhealthy level a number of times. I hear Seattle had some similar times from fires in British Columbia. We spent a good part of those weeks indoors. Still, the air didn’t seem to bother most Butte residents. It didn’t prevent them from going to various outdoor festivals.
There are little things that required adjustment. For example, we’ve nearly given up on hard boiling eggs. At this altitude, this is a very random event. You’re never sure what you will get. Other cooking often needs some adjustment in times/temperatures because of the altitude. Primary care doctors are limited and many do not accept new patients. Most specialties are represented in Butte with at least one physician. Some people drive to Bozeman or Helena for more specialist options. Quite a few residents use the “doc-in-a-box” approach at places like ExpressCare.
There are no “big box” stores like Costco or Sam’s Club in Butte. For those you need to drive to Helena, Missoula, or other larger cities. There is a Walmart’s and a fascinating store called Three Bears Alaska. The latter is a combination of small big box, hunting (including guns and ammo), fishing, grocery, wine and beer shop plus pharmacy. So far it fills close to all of our needs and is about five minutes from our house.
Cheeseburger
Eating out in Butte is a real experience. Probably because of its Western history, meals are gargantuan. My first cheeseburger in a Butte restaurant nearly covered a dinner plate.
This Mac & Cheese is a single serving.
Order sausage for breakfast at Gamer’s Café and you get a pancake sized sausage—home grown—definitely not Jimmy Dean. Many main dishes are enough to serve two “foreigners” like us. But the prices tend to be much less than in most Seattle restaurants.
The friendliness of the people struck us almost immediately. It is not uncommon at all for strangers, men mostly, to say something like, “How you doing?”, “Hey there” or something similar when you pass them on the street or in a store. The pharmacist at Three Bears on my second visit not only recognized me but had pulled my prescription from the shelf when he saw me walking up.
Before our move, I was a bit concerned about the change from sea level to the mountains. Butte is surrounded by mountains and our house sits at 5, 516 feet. On my one visit before the move I definitely felt the difference. However, within one day of our move, I had acclimated to the altitude.
Our Lady of the Rockies
This photo is the view from our back deck looking towards the East Ridge on the Continental Divide. The white object is Our Lady of the Rockies, a 90-foot statue dedicated to the Virgin Mary, built by volunteers, lit at night and standing at 8,510 feet above sea level.
There is a wealth of social opportunities—clubs of all sorts, festivals galore, including Evel Knievel Days—and a restored 1923 theatre which gets Broadway traveling stage productions.
Best of all, Butte has a true small-town character, which reminds me in many ways of the small town I grew up in in Missouri. The move was a very good decision for us, and we are having a great time here.
