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Members Away from Home: Sean Digre
By Harold Rodenberger
Post member Sean and Auxiliary member Sarwat Digre are presently living in Newport, Ore, while Sean is on a two-year sea duty tour with the NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada.
Sean gained his VFW eligibility from service in Afghanistan. He spent eighteen years in the Army and then completed his schooling at the University of Washington, Divers Institute of Technology, and finally the Basic Officers Candidate Training Course at the Coast Guard Academy in
New London, Conn. He now is beginning a new career with The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Best wishes on your NOAA career, Sean. Keep in touch and send us an update when you can.
VFW Supports World War I Centennial Activities
By Brian Duffy, VFW Commander-in-Chief
April marks the 100th Anniversary of the United States’ entrance into World War I. This is a very solemn reminder of the more than 100,000 U.S. Troops who sacrificed so others might live in peace. The VFW has joined other veteran service organizations in supporting the World War One Centennial Commission’s efforts to honor the heroism of those Americans who served and to commemorate the centennial of this global event. The official launch of events by the Commission is scheduled for April 6 at the World War I Memorial in Kansas City, Mo., a little more than a mile from the VFW National Headquarters.
The public programs and events hosted by the Centennial Commission are scheduled throughout the year at venues across the country, culminating with the dedication of the National World War I Memorial in Washington D.C.’s Pershing Park. There also will be events planned overseas to honor U.S. veterans. I will have the opportunity to visit the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial located just outside Paris in Marnes-la-Coquette in April. The Memorial commemorates the courage and the sacrifice of the American pilots who came to France before April 1917 to fight with the French military, collectively called the “Lafayette Flying Corps.” It also honors the longstanding friendship between France and the United States, where each has come to the other’s assistance in defending liberty and freedom.
The VFW has a proud history of supporting veterans of every era, and those of WWI are no exception. Following the Great War, VFW played a significant role in ensuring WWI veterans received the benefits they earned. The support the VFW provided in pursuing legislation securing the WWI bonus was the turning point in its history.
In 1927, the VFW maintained a membership of only 60,000 and was described at the time as “an organization not sufficiently large enough to make it a vital factor in public sentiment” by members of the House Committee on World War Veteran Legislation. But by 1936, its membership soared to more than 300,000. This was attributed to its incredible efforts in proposing and continuing to push controversial legislation that demanded full and immediate payment in cash for the World War I bonus.
By Jan. 22, 1936, at the height of the depression and after numerous vetoes by several presidents, the bonus was granted. At 1.3 million-strong, we continue our WWI veteran support legacy by continuing to stand up for veterans and their benefits. VFW’s many programs and initiatives have made it one of the top veteran service organization in the U.S.
What is District 2 and What Does It Do?
By Harold Rodenberger
On February 18th I attended one of the quarterly meetings of Washington VFW District 2. This time we held the annual memorial service for departed members of our posts and auxiliaries in addition to our regular business meeting.
There are currently 13 districts in the State of Washington. Each district is composed of between five and twelve posts. In our district there are seven posts covering the Seattle and Vashon area.
There are no members of the district, as such. The officers and delegates who attend and conduct district meetings remain members of their individual posts. The district is an administrative level of command between post and department (state) headquarters. In addition, each district commander is a department officer.
In earlier years, the district officers were much more involved with the subordinate posts’ activities, helping with training and guidance of post officers. As with many chains of command, modern communications have reduced that role. Yet, even today they have responsibilities to inspect the books of the post quartermasters, choose district winners of the Youth Essay and Voice of Democracy contests, and select the district winners of the various community honorees such as Teacher of the Year, Firefighter of the Year, Scout of the Year, Policeman of the Year, and Veteran of the Year.
Good post officers often become district officers and promising officers at that level often work their way up to positions at the department level.
The next District 2 meeting will be held at our hall in Ballard on May 6, 2017, with lunch at 11:30 a.m. and the meeting at 1:00 p.m. It will be the annual District 2 Convention featuring election and installation of officers along with some other business. Please try to attend this meeting to give our post a good representation.
Quartermaster’s Update
By Harold Rodenberger
My update this month is about thanks.
Your post is alive and well, membership just hit one hundred percent with more to come and our activity list is growing longer with more people becoming involved. Our Facebook page, website and newsletter are thriving thanks to the managers of each and your support.
Our present officers are nearing the end of their terms of office. Thanks to them for going above and beyond to serve our post and the members of our community. New officers will be elected this Thursday and will be waiting in the wings to take over their new positions of authority. Thanks to them for accepting these new responsibilities.
Effective with this month’s meeting, our Auxiliary will be furnishing the food for meeting nights. Thank you, Auxiliary, for assuming this responsibility.
Yes, our post is doing well, but today I want to write about YOU, our members, family and guests.
Most people who read this paper are members of our post or family members of members, but since we post on our website, others also read these words. That doesn’t matter because today’s column applies to all of you. I want to tell each of you THANK YOU for what you do.
Thank you for being a friend to veterans. Whether you fly our flag, donate money to veterans’ causes or simply continue your membership in our VFW, you are helping veterans and their families. There is strength in numbers and your continued membership adds to the clout we have in the other Washington in support of veterans.
Thank you for being a good citizen and community supporter. Whether it’s cleaning the street in front of your place, volunteering at your school or library, visiting shut-in friends or just saying “Hi” to your neighbors it all helps to make our community a better place to live.
Many of you support the post and keep your membership current even though you can’t attend meetings. Some can’t drive at night, some have scheduling conflicts and some are care givers and can’t get away. Thanks to all of you for thinking of us and for your continued membership.
A special THANK YOU to those of you who live outside Seattle but still maintain your membership in our post. This month we are starting a newsletter column featuring members of our post who are living in areas away from our post. Some are temporary and some are permanent relocations but we value all of you.
Finally, THANK YOU for your support as I perform the duties of Quartermaster. Many of you post changes to your address, phone, etc., and pay your dues directly to the VFW National website thus saving me the time and effort. Members of the various committees share the financial decisions that are necessary to run the post. Many of you stop by the office just to say “Hi.” Your help and support make this job so much easier.
When I had the medical problem last month I was heartened and humbled by the many of you who asked after my health and kept me in your prayers. THANK YOU!
I would like to greet each of you personally but, since I can’t, let me say again, and again, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!