News – Page 112 – Ballard Eagleson Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3063

The Auxiliary Corner: April Update

By Margaret Philips, Post 3063 Auxiliary President

We – the members of the Auxiliary – are pleading with all current and past members both male and female to step forward and get our membership up…we need YOUR help. This is a great organization that needs everyone’s help. We wish to continue our great work helping all vets. In the past they helped us now it’s our turn to help them!

Come to a meeting or a Social and get to know your members. Our meetings are on the first Thursday of the month from 5:30 to 6:00 p.m. The social is on the third Thursday of the month and dinners are served at 6:30 p.m. The meeting hall is located at 2812 NW Market Street, Seattle 98107.

For more information or help please contact me at 206-412-7384.

Post Offers Weekly Yoga Class

Yoga class offered — Give your body and mind a treat by participating in a weekly yoga session at the post hall. The group meets on Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Bring a yoga mat, blanket to cushion knees, a yoga block if you have one, and wear loose fitting clothing. Yoga sessions are free.

Members Away from Home: Sean Digre

By Harold Rodenberger

Auxiliary member Sarwat Digre and post member Sean Digre.

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 receives award from NOAA administrator — Sean receiving his BOCT diploma from Dr. Kathryn Sullivan, former Astronaut and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and NOAA Administrator.

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.

District 2 2017 Leadership — Left to right, District 2 officers Surgeon (& WA State Jr. Vice Cdr.) Linda Fairbank, Officer of the Day Thom Fermstad, Sr. Vice Cdr Michelle Love, Cdr. Tiffany Bothell, Chaplain Theresa Faulconer, Jr. Vice Cdr. Ray Fairbank, Adjutant Harold Rodenberger, and Quartermaster Richard Moore.

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.