Meeting Minutes 📝
February 2025
COMMANDER’S COALITION MEETING
February 5, 2025, 10 A.M.
American Legion Post 13
Minutes/Notes
Attendees: Ed Hood, Chuck Howell, Dennis Hall, Eric Smith, Dan Hendrickson, Frank Roycraft, Fred Ingley, Cindy Laskowski, Marc Dickieson, Tony Minichello, Eugenia Simmons, Grant Kimball, Craig Benner, Ben Ringvelski, Alex (Butch) Topicz, Ernest Reed, Tom Carney, Amanda Daughtry, Kaitlyn Grimes, Steve Stably, Gordon Lightfoot, Berline Belizaire, Tom Napier, Andy Janecek, Paula Hubert, Pia Woodley, Courtney Thomas, Juan Gonzalez, Tina Spears, Rob Winchester, Nell Hewitt, Tom McCluskey, Michael Mann, Debra Mann, David Wilson, Joseph (Jay) Monismith, Eric Evans, Eddie McMillian, and Marianne Trussell.
Ed Hood, Communications Coordinator, Commanders Coalition, 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 Post 13 Chaplain 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, and no politics. He also noted the absence of John Folsom, who is ill; please keep him in your prayers. He then handed the microphone to Frank Roycraft to begin.
Frank Roycraft, Commander, VFW Post 3308. The Post is doing well. Everything is
great, blessed to work with such great and dedicated people. VFW had two entries in the Chili Cook Off at the Elks Lodge.
Tom McCluskey, American Legion Post 13. The old flags under the Post 13 building have been removed and retired.
Tom Carney, Air & Space Force Association. On February 15 from 9-12 there will be a zoom telephone call of the state winter meeting. On February 26 from 11 am - 1 pm there will be a meeting of the Bud West Chapter of the Air & Space Force Association – a new venue is needed!
David Wilson, AmVets, Vet Events Tally, Air & Space Force Association. On Sunday, February 23 at 4 pm there will be a visit to the Southside Cemetery where four KIA veterans will be honored. See the flyer provided for details. Everyone is welcome.
Juan Gonzalez, American Legion Post 13. No Report. Here to listen and learn.
Grant Kimball, Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home. No report.
Jay (Joseph B.) Monismith, Operations Officer, Tallahassee VA Outpatient Clinic. No report.
Rob Winchester, Camp Gordon Johnston Museum, Carrabelle, Fl. Doing a fundraiser. Everyone please give to keep the museum going and up to date.
Amanda Daughtry, Congressman Neal Dunn’s Office. Call if help is needed.
Dan Hendrickson, President, Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaboration. The TVLC will be here at Post 13 tomorrow from 3-5 pm. Be at the Leon County Courthouse next Monday at 3:00 pm to become a mentor or to see what it takes to become a mentor. It’s easy. Farm Share will be delivered today. Today at 3 pm there will also be a committee hearing on the Senate side on state funding for drug treatment and the drug treatment court. If you have been involved, please show up ready to be heard.
Tom Napier, Honor Flight Tallahassee. Saturday, September 15 from 3-4 pm there will be a Chili Cook Off at the National Guard Armory. Admission is $15 today or $20 at the gate. Saturday, April 26, 2025, will be the next Honor Flight (Number 11). There are ten seats left.
Steve Stably, Tallahassee Police Department, Public Relations Unit. Kaitlyn Grimes introduced the Unit to this group. Our goal is to partner with groups like yours. Contact him or Kaitlyn Grimes for further information.
Kaitlyn Grimes, now with Tallahassee Police Department (previously with Mission BBQ). No report. Missed all of you.
Gordon Lightfoot, Commander, AmVets Post 1776. No report, except AmVets will hold its 15th Annual Golf Tournament on April 28. Thursday, March 27 at 3 pm will be the Vietnam Ceremony at the Tallahassee National Cemetery. AmVets meets on the 1st Thursday of every month at 6:30 at Glory Days.
Tony Minichiello, American Legion Post 49, Monticello. On February 23 at 2 pm the “Boots” Thomas Veterans Memorial Park, 930 W Washington St, Monticello, Fl, the Post will host the 80th Anniversary of the raising of the first US Flag on Iwo Jima, Japan by Sargent Ernest I. “Boots” Thomas, USMC. See flyer and letter on all tables for more details. They had two winners for Boys State,
Ben Ringvelski, Commanding Officer, NROTC Unit FAMU and professor of naval science. The Navy/Marine Corps Birthday Ball will be held Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Berline Belizaire, VA Suicide Prevention Coordinator. No report.
Andy Janacek, Akin Akinyemi, Leon County Property Appraiser’s Office. If you claimed an exemption on your taxes, you should have received a white card reviewing your exemptions. Please review and if nothing has changed you need to do nothing. March 1 is the deadline for exemptions if there have been any changes in your life. On February 8 from 10-12 noon the office will host a Property Tax Exemption Filing Opportunity for veterans with a disability and deployed service members on the third floor of the Leon County Courthouse. See email sent from the Commander’s Coalition for further information.
Eddie McMillan, Veteran Coordinator, 211 Big Bend. No report.
Tina Spears, Quality Care Manager, Right at Home. Offers two hours a week to total care.
Marc Dickieson, Commandant, Marine Corps League Chapter 472. The Marine Corps League meets on the third Thursday of the month at Chow Time. A monthly fundraiser is held at the Ace Hardware in Killearn where Krispy Kreme donuts will be sold. It is taking longer and longer to get the donuts sold, so please come out and buy donuts. In Crawfordville there will be a Parade and Festival on March 15. Contact him for more information.
Craig Benner, Veteran Advocate, Dept. of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. He sends out a monthly email. See him if you do not receive the email.
Robert “Bob” Asztalos, Deputy Executive Director, Florida Department of Veterans Affairs. There will be a celebration of military veterans on April 1 and 2 at the Florida Capitol. There will be exhibits on April 2 on the third floor of the Capitol.
Alex (Butch) Topicz, FRA Branch 34, CVMA 20-12. There will a Run for the Fallen on February 7; the Run will be 270 miles from Tallahassee to Jacksonville over 3 days. This is the 5th year for this Run which will begin at the “Bracelet” at the Vietnam Memorial across from the Capitol. There will be a law enforcement escort for the Run that will begin after a candlelight vigil at the VN Memorial at 6:30 am on Friday, February 7. See the website for detailed information.
Earnest Reed, Fleet Reserve Association, Branch 34. No report.
Eugenia Simmons, Director, Tallahassee National Cemetery. The Vietnam Memorial Ceremony will be held at the Tallahassee National Cemetery on Thursday, March 27, at 3 pm. All are welcome.
Fred Ingley, MOAA. Just a reminder as the deadline has passed for registration. The MOAA dinner meeting will be held on Monday, February 10 beginning at 5 pm at the Elks Lodge on Magnolia in Tallahassee, Florida.
Dennis Hall, Army National Guard, Big Bend Honor Guard. There is a luncheon at the National Guard Armory at 1225 Easterwood Drive every second Tuesday at 11:30; the next luncheon will be February 11. Lunch begins at noon and ends about 1:00. The menu will include spaghetti and banana pudding instead of the usual Peach Betty. All are welcome. A small donation is requested, but even if you can’t donate you can still join in the luncheon. He has tickets for the Chili Cookoff at $15; buy from him now and save $5. If you want to enter the cookoff forms must be submitted to the National Guard Armory by February 13.
Chuck Howell, Big Bend Honor Guard. The Big Bend Honor Guard (BBHG) performed 14 interments during the month of January which amounted to 274 volunteer hours reported to the Veterans Administration. The BBHG usually has 8 to 10 members for each interment. The BBHG has performed 1,307 interments since the cemetery opened.
Eric Evans, Fl Cares, Inc. Works on accessibility issues (ramps, half steps, etc.) for veterans and spouses and children of veterans in Wakulla, Gadsden, Leon, and Jefferson Counties. 100% volunteer organization. Constructs exterior accessibility. In 2024 they did 405 projects; 34 veterans and 73 veteran extended families. It was a great year but volunteers and financing are needed. Call 850-347-5156 for more information. Please help and share the phone number.
Cindy Laskowski, Commander, American Legion Post 13. Post 13 held a Four Chaplains Ceremony last Sunday; it was a very moving experience. The Post needs help removing the logs from the parking lot as required by its insurance carrier. Please see her if you can help.
Michael Mann, Commander, Sons of the Legion. The Sons of the Legion met on January 30. There are currently two new members. Please see him or attend the next meeting of the Sons of the Legion if you are the son or the grandson of a veteran.
Debra Mann, American Legion Post 241, District 2 President. No report.
Courtney Thomas, Office of Mayor Dailey. No report.
Paula Hubert, Vice President, Women Veterans Unite. No report.
Pia S. Woodley, Chair, Florida Veterans Foundation. She is a Navy Veteran. In 2024 the Foundation donated two vehicles for 7,000 veterans to get to their appointments. The 2024 Benefits Guide is online and the hard copies just arrived. If you would like a hard copy, you can contact Mary Frazier at Mary.Frazier@FDVA.fl.gov The Florida Hall of Fame is open for submissions. This Friday, February 7 at 10 am at the FSU alumni center twenty inductees will be admitted to the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame
Nell Hewitt, President, American Legion Auxiliary Unit 13. Applications for Girls State are due February 13; juniors to be seniors in high school or home-schooled next year are eligible. Send applications to Margie McNeil at the Auxiliary. The Auxiliary will be at the VA Clinic on February 11 handing out goodies to veterans for National Veteran Appreciation week.
Ed Hood, Communications Coordinator, Commanders Coalition, Please take everything on the tables. Flag etiquette and lanyard etiquette is a must. There have been multiple complaints about the N Monroe Post Office flag and lanyard need to be replaced. Holidays for Heroes still needs a VSO. There is support available but the program needs a VSO to head it up. Not only provides veterans with a Christmas tree but two strings of lights and a stand free of charge. Must pay $1600-1800 in advance in March; trees are delivered in November. Vet Events Tally has promised $500 to the cause and radio stations etc. have made inquiries about donating. Inquiries were made about a chili cookoff championship. Responses were favorable. Therefore, there will be a chili cook off with the already determined winners of the VFW and American Legion cook offs and the yet to be determined winner of the Robert Wise chili cook off on Saturday, February 18.
Marianne Trussell, Chair, Support Committee for the Tallahassee National Cemetery, Inc. Marianne Trussell re-iterated the Vietnam Ceremony will be held at the Tallahassee National Cemetery (TNC) on March 27, 2025, at 3 pm. Per instructions from Director Simmons the Support Committee is in charge of this final Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration and everyone interested in being involved must work through the chair of thee Support Committee. The next Support Committee meeting will be held in the Administration Building at the TNC on April 15, 2025. All are welcome to attend whether a member or not. There are no dues.
Ed Hood ended the meeting with a prayer by Ernest Reed and salute to the American Flag led by Ed Hood.
The next Commander’s Coalition Meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 10 am at the American Legion Post 13 at Lake Ella.
