📝 August Meeting Minutes
National Airborne Day | DAV 5K | Bluebird Run Walk | Special Events
COMMANDER’S COALITION MEETING – August 14, 2024, 10 A.M.
American Legion Post 13
Minutes/Notes
Attendees: Ed Hood, John Folsom, Paul Rogerson, Chuck Howell, Dennis Hall, Eric Smith, Dan Hendrickson, Frank Roycraft, Gail Ernst, Fred Ingley, Dan Paasch, Cindy Laskowski, Doyle Combs, Marc Dickieson, Charles LeCroy, Roxann Dressel, Mary LaBatt, Tony Minichello, Melissa Sheridan, Grant Kimball, Rodney Keener, Craig Benner, Ben Ringvelski, Kent Watson, Washington Sanchez, Tom Carney, Liz Crawford, Nicole Dempsey, Amanda Daughtry, Tom Napier, Andy Janecek, Akin Akinyemi, John Dailey, and Marianne Trussell.
Ed Hood, Adjutant, American Legion Post 13 led attendees in a salute to the American Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag to open the meeting and a salute to the Flag to close the meeting. He asked Eric Smith to deliver a prayer. Ed welcomed everyone, reminded everyone to speak up, identify themselves and their organization, and keep it veteran business only, no personal business. He then handed the microphone to Paul Rogerson to begin.
Paul Rogerson, AmVets. No report.
Tom Carney, Air & Space Force Association. No report.
Frank Roycraft, Commander, VFW Post 3308. The Post is doing well. Thank you to Chuck Howell and the Big Bend Honor Guard for their excellent send-off last week for Duane Pickel.
Craig Benner, Veteran Advocate, Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. On September 20 is POW/MIA Day; there will be a short ceremony and reading of the Governor’s Proclamation at the flag pole.
Dennis Hall, Army National Guard, Big Bend Honor Guard. There is a luncheon at 1225 Easterwood Drive every second Tuesday at 11:30; the next luncheon will be September 10. Lunch begins at noon and ends about 1:00. Yesterday there were approximately 95 attendees. All are welcome. A small donation is requested, but even if you can’t donate you can still join in the luncheon.
Chuck Howell, Big Bend Honor Guard. The Big Bend Honor Guard (BBHG) performed 13 interments during the month of July which amounted to 279 volunteer hours. The BBHG has performed a total of 1,230 interments since the Cemetery opened in 2016.
Eric Smith, Big Bend Honor Guard, Chaplain American Legion Post 13. No report or additional prayers.
Dan Paasch, Capital Regional Director, Marco Rubio’s Office. Time is running out for Service Academy applications; the deadline is only one month away.
Gail Ernst, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 13, Air Force Association, MOAA. No report.
Fred Ingley, MOAA. No report.
Dan Hendrickson, President, Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaboration. Like Post 13 and the Commanders Coalition, the legal collaborative was postponed last week. They are “down” two attorneys for tomorrow afternoon. Veterans Court is still doing food distribution on Wednesdays. See him if you can help and/or have a truck. There will be a graduation for Veterans Court and the precise date will be given to Ed Hood.
Tony Minichiello, American Legion Post 49, Monticello. The Post is selling bricks for $50 a brick, $57 with a logo, and two for $75. Look at the sample he brought.
Kent Watson, VFW Post 251, Jefferson County. There is an opportunity for Attorney General. See him for details.
Cindy Laskowski, Incoming Commander, American Legion Post l3. Thank you, Mayor Dailey, for your comments thanking American Legion Post l3.
Mary LaBatt, DAR, Caroline Brevard Chapter. No report.
Roxann Dressel, Commander, American Legion Post 114, Crawfordville. No report.
Washington Sanchez, Vice President, Tallahassee Veteran Outreach. The Stand Down this year was held three weeks ago; report and pictures are on the website. There were 288 veterans, 118 volunteers, and 50 participants at the Lawson center. Purple Heart Day is August 7. The second showing of the film featuring Purple Heart Recipient Washington Sanchez will be shown on Saturday, November 23 in conjunction with Judge Aikens’ retirement (of the Veterans Treatment Court). Suggests that veterans and everyone to pay close attention to the side effects of all medicines you are taking. website: tallahasseeveteranorganization.org
John Dailey, Mayor, City of Tallahassee. Thanks to American Legion Post 13 because whenever there is a disaster or impending disaster the Post is the first to reach out to him. This is the City’s 200-year bicentennial and Habitat for Humanity will be building a recreation of the original state capitol with volunteer help. There will be a First Florida Capitol Festival on November 10 at Cascades Park. The Governor, the Cabinet, and the mayor, all think it is going to be a great festival and opportunity to get organizations involved. Website has details: firstfloridacapitol.org.
Tom Napier, Vice Chairman, Honor Flight Tallahassee. Honor Flight will be in the Veterans Day Parade on November 11. Saturday, December 7 will be the Honor Flight Reunion at the National Guard Armory. Saturday, April 26, 2025, will be the next Honor Flight (Number 11).
Doyle Combs, Commander, American Legion District 2. The District 2 meeting will be held at American Legion Post 13 on Saturday, September 7 at 10 am Eastern and 9 am Central.
Andy Janacek, Akin Akinyemi, Leon County Property Appraiser’s Office. Akin Akinyemi is handling other business and apologizes for his absence. This coming weekly “TRIM” notices will go out to everyone. These are the estimate of property tax bills so that everyone is able to review and make necessary changes if any. The office will be at the legal collaborative.
Akin Akinyemi, Leon County Property Appraiser. No report.
Amanda Daughtry, Congressman Neal Dunn’s Office. No report.
Charles LeCroy, American Legion Post l3. Thank you all for all you do for veterans. If you are not involved – get involved – there are a lot of veterans who need help.
Rodney Keener, American Legion Post 13. He is the lead on the “Be the One” campaign and is now the District Chairman for the program. Thanks to Maddie Ward, suicide prevention classes will be presented at American Legion Post 13 on Saturday, August 24 and Sunday, August 25. It is expected they will be held in two-hour increments with Saturday being the main day and Sunday being the backup date. Be aware of the warning signs; they are critical to preventing veteran suicide.
Nicole Dempsey, Department of Veterans Affairs, Communication Engagement and Partnership Coordinator. September is Suicide Prevention Month. Training can be done virtually or in person – contact her. Thank you to whomever placed the “tools” on the tables to help prevent suicide such as gun locks and bags with the phone number to call (or simply dial 988 and prompt 1). Thank you to all. The North Florida and South Georgia Governors Coalition to Prevent Suicide will meet at American Legion Post 13 at 11:30 (following this meeting).
Melissa Sheridan, Administrative Officer, Tallahassee National Cemetery. There are two dates which everyone should be aware. Friday, September 20 at 8:00 pm there will be held at the Tallahassee National Cemetery (TNC) a POW/MIA Ceremony at the Administrative Building. On Wednesday, September 25 at 3 pm at the TNC there will be held at committal shelter number 1 a Final Salute for those interred without military honors. Everyone is welcome to attend both events. It’s early but Wreaths Across America will be here before we know it – Saturday, December 14 at noon there will be a short ceremony with wreath placement immediately after.
Grant Kimball, Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home. Veteran. Apologized for being late. No Report.
Marc Dickieson, Commandant, Marine Corps League Chapter 472. Tomorrow is the next Marine Corps League at Chow Time. A fundraiser is held every month at the Ace Hardware in Killearn where Krispy Kreme donuts will be sold.
Liz Crawford, Sport Clips. Sport Clips helped with the VFW food drive.
Ben Ringvelski, Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit FAMU and professor of naval science. Saturday, November 2, 2024 will be FSU Veteran Appreciation Day at the FSU football game; FAMU also has a game that day. Monday, August 19 classes begin at Tallahassee State College; FSU and FAMU classes begin on Monday, August 26.
John Folsom, American Legion Post 13, Chaplain for AL District 2. No report.
Ed Hood, Adjutant, American Legion Post 13. Please take everything on the tables.
Marianne Trussell, Chair, Support Committee for the Tallahassee National Cemetery, Inc. Marianne thanked Melissa Sheridan for mentioning the dates and times of the POW/MIA Ceremony at the Tallahassee National Cemetery (TNC) (Friday, September 20 at 8 pm) and Final Salute for all veterans not receiving military honors (Wednesday, September 25 at 3 pm at Committal Shelter #1). She also thanked Dan Paasch and Marc Dickieson for always being at Final Salute and pressed everyone to get the word out and to attend Final Salute. Two additional dates of note are Saturday, October 12, 2024, from 9-11 am will be the next workday at the TNC (donuts and water will be provided and children must be accompanied by a parent or responsible adult) and October 15, 2024, at 5 pm the next Support Committee Meeting will be held in the Administration Building at the TNC, election of the Vice Chair and Treasurer will be held (two-year term beginning at the January meeting). All are welcome to attend. The meeting usually lasts no more than one hour. Everyone is welcome whether a member or not. There are no dues.
The next Commander’s Coalition Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at 10 am at the American Legion Post 13 at Lake Ella.
END OF MINUTES
The annual DAV 5K is here and you can participate. Please click the link below or scan the image with your cellphone.
Disabled American Veterans 5K- Team Commanders Coalition
Homeless vets set to receive more help
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has announced policy changes that will expand homeless veterans’ access to housing.
Going forward, the joint HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program will no longer consider a veteran’s service-connected disability benefits when determining income for the purposes of housing eligibility, according to a Thursday announcement.
The policy change makes it so that a veteran’s VA benefits for their service-connected disability do not count as income when they are applying for housing through the Supportive Housing program.
“The days of a Veteran having to choose between getting the VA benefits they deserve and the housing support they need are finally over,” VA Secretary Denis McDonough said in a statement.
The collaborative program between HUD and the VA seeks to help homeless veterans and their families find permanent housing, as well as access to health care and mental health resources.
~Source Hud.gov
AMERICAN FLAGS SHOULD BE BORN IN THE USA NOW TOO, CONGRESS SAYS
Congress has passed a proposal to require the federal government to purchase only American flags that have been completely manufactured in the U.S. The U.S. imports millions of American flags from overseas, mostly from China, and the sponsors of the proposal said it's time for American flags to originate in the country they represent.
Supporters of the proposal, led by Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine and Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, said the change is more than just symbolic — they believe it will support American jobs and manufacturers while preserving the nation's most recognized banner.
“The American flag serves as a symbol of our identity, resolve, and values as one people. To honor its significance, the federal government should only use flags entirely manufactured in the United States,” Collins said.
Supporters of the proposal said Monday that they expect the measure to be signed into law soon. It was sent to President Joe Biden on Thursday.
Federal rules currently require the government to buy flags that contain half U.S.-made materials, supporters of the proposal said. The rule change, called the “All American Flag Act,” requires government-purchased flags to be produced entirely with American-made materials as well as manufactured in the U.S.
The value of U.S. flag imports in 2015 was well over $4 million, according to federal data. The vast majority of those imports came from China, supporters of the rule change said.
In 2017, the U.S. imported some 10 million American flags, and 99.5% of them came from China, supporters of the proposal said. Those figures include all American flags imported into the country and not just those purchased by the federal government. Collins and Brown have been pushing for American flags to be manufactured in the U.S. for several years. Previous efforts to change the rules to require U.S.-made flags found success in the U.S. Senate but stalled when they reached the House of Representatives.
~Source American Legion
This day celebrates the anniversary of the first official Army parachute jump, which occurred in 1940. It honors the accomplishments and sacrifices of airborne troops. It was created in 2001 by President George W. Bush. The day holds additional importance for Fort Benning, which, because of the test platoon, counts itself proudly as "the birthplace" of America's Airborne. Moreover, it's also home of the U.S. Army Airborne School, which trains paratroopers for the Army and for the other armed services.
Join Us for a Special Weekend with Anthony Montes: A Workshop for Veterans
When: Saturday & Sunday, 10 AM - 4 PM August 24th and 25th
Where: American Legion, Tallahassee
Cost: FREE
Who’s Invited: Military Veterans
Sponsored by: Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative
Hosted By: The American Legion
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Free Legal Services help for Veterans