News

Past Commander Oscar Borchelt Turns 100

By Harold Rodenberger


Our post helped Past Commander Borchelt celebrate his 100th birthday on Nov. 19, 2020. Because of the pandemic, we were unable to visit Oscar to celebrate in person, but we sent a red, white and blue flower arrangement and wished him well.

Oscar said to thank everyone in the post for remembering his big birthday. His grandson, who took the photo, said Oscar was ecstatic that we remembered him and to receive the flowers.

Comrade Borchelt was our post commander for seven years, from 1991-1998, and was active in our post until the past few years when advancing age and retreating eyesight restricted his driving. He lives at his home in Maple Valley where he sometimes (during warm weather) still works in his yard.

Congratulations, Oscar, on your 100th birthday and may you celebrate many more! 

Oscar on his 100th birthday, Nov. 19, 2020.

Service Officer: Overview of VA Appeals

By Joseph Mesa


Supplemental Claim appeal must add evidence that is new (or not provided to VA previously) and relevant to your case.  It is recommended that this appeal should be file within one year from the date on the decision letter.  Note:  This appeal will not allow a fiduciary claim or a contested claim.


Higher-level reviews (HLRs) consist of de novo reviews of the issue(s) identified by requesters.  De novo review means the adjudicator re-examines and re-adjudicates the claim in question without deference to the prior decision, except for proper favorable findings.


Board of Veterans’ Appeals is appealing to a Veterans Law Judge in Washington, D.C.  A judge who’s an expert in Veterans law will review the case.  This appeal provides the claimant 3 options.


Option 1:  Request a Direct Review – A Veterans Law Judge will review the appeal based on evidence already submitted.  The claimant is not allowed to submit evidence and can’t have a hearing.  This review will take about 1 year for the Board to complete.


Option 2:  Submit more evidence – A claimant is allowed to submit more evidence but must submit this evidence within 90 days of the date VA receive the Decision Review Request.  The evidence submission option will take more than 1 year for the Board to complete


Option 3:  Request a hearing – Claimant request a hearing with a Veterans Law Judge.  Claimant can choose to add new and relevant evidence, either at the hearing or within 90 days after the hearing.  Adding evidence is optional.  The hearing will be transcribed and added to the claimant’s appeal file.  Claimant can choose from 3 different ways to speak with the Veterans Law Judge:  Virtual hearing from claimant’s home; Videoconference hearing at a VA location near claimant; or In-person hearing the Board in Washington, D.C.  The hearing request option will take more than one year for the Board to complete.


If you have any questions about appeals, contact Joseph at [email protected].

Our Post Assembles Buddy Poppies Part 2

By Harold Rodenberger

During pre-pandemic times, veterans in soldiers’ homes and VA hospitals would assemble the Buddy Poppies© that we distribute on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and throughout the year.  Donations from recipients of these poppies go to our Relief Fund, where the money is used to support our mission of caring for comrades in distress and other charitable works.


Because of the virus, this year the normal Old Soldiers’ assembly lines became impossible, so our VFW National Commander in Chief asked local post members to assemble poppies.  Our post was one of many who stepped up. We requested 100,000 sets of poppy parts and our volunteers got busy assembling those beautiful poppies.


We’ve worked hard for a little over a month on those poppies and finished about 86,000 of them. Completed poppies will be boxed up and shipped back to our National HQ ready to be shipped out to even more volunteers who will distribute them nationwide when it is safe to do so. 


Many thanks to our members and friends who spent many hours diligently assembling poppies. A special shout out goes to Sue and Jack Westman who assembled over 22,000 sets. It was a tedious, time-consuming job, and we are so grateful for all you hard working volunteers who did your part. 


As for me, I know I’ll never look at a Buddy Poppy© in the same way again.