EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT

 The Wreaths across America ceremony went very well, thanks
to the donations from Ron Stout; Rick Burns and Bob Kennedy.
Congressman Hall participated

Our 22"d annual "candlelight vigil" was cold, but very nice. There
were only a few of us hardy souls, including John Conley in his
dress blue uniform which was impressive with all his ribbons
from serving 42 years!

In this newsletter is an announcement for our Scholarship;
informing our chapter members living outside of Westchester
County to call us for a Scholarship application?
Take care of yourselves and each other.
  Dan Griffin

JUST A SIMPLE MARINE

He was getting old and paunchy, and his hair was falling fast, as he sat around the Legion telling stories of the past. Of a war he had fought in, and the deeds he had done. In his exploits with his buddies; they were heroes everyone. And tho sometimes, to his neighbors, his tales became a joke, All his buddies listened, for they knew where of he spoke. But we'll hear his tale no longer, for of John has passed away, and the world's a little poorer, for a Marine died today. No, he won't be mourned by many, just his children and his wife. For he lived an ordinary, quiet sort of life. He held a job and raised a family, quietly going on his way; and the world won't note his passing; tho a Marine died today. When politicians leave this earth, their bodies lie in State, while thousands note their passing and proclaim that they were great. Papers tell their life stories, from the time they were young, but the passing of a Marine, goes unnoticed, and unsung. Is the greatest contribution, to the welfare of our land, some jerk that breaks his promise and cons his fellow man? Or the ordinary fellow, who in time of war and strife, goes off to serve his country and offers up his life? The politician's style, in which they live, is sometimes disproportionate to the service that they give. While the ordinary Marine, who offers up his all, is paid off with a Medal and perhaps a pension,... small! It's so easy to forget them, for it is so long ago, that our buddies went to battle, but we know. If it was not the politicians, with their compromises and ploys, who won for us the freedom that our Country now enjoys. Should you find yourself in danger, with your enemies at hand, would you really want some cop?out, with his ever?waffling stand? Or would you want a Marine, who has sworn to defend, his home, his kin, and Country, and would fight to the end? He was just a common Marine and his ranks are growing thin, but his presence should remind us, we may need his likes again. For when Countries are in conflict, then we find that the Marine's part is to clean up all the troubles, that the politicians start. If we cannot do him Honor, while he's alive to hear the praise, then at least let's give him homage, at the ending of his days. Perhaps just a simple headline, in the paper that might say: Our Country is in morning,.. for a Marine died today!
 
 
 
 

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From October 08 Newsletter

CONTACT INFO FOR VETS: The following subject listing identifies respective office and/or website/telephone data for conducting veteran related business:

SUBJECT OFFICE AND/OR WEB SITE TELEPHONE NO.
Agent Orange Info www.vba.va.gov/bln/21/benefits/herbicide/index.htm 1 800?749?8387
Appeals Management Center Appeals Management Center Public Cont 1?866?258?0341
Arlington National Cemetery www.arlingtoncemetery.org 703?607?8000
Board Of Veterans Appeals www.va.gov/vbs/bva/ 202?565?5436
CHAMPVA VA Health Administration Center www.va.gov/hac/ 1?800?733?8387
Civil Service Retired Pay Office Of Personnel Mgmt www.opm.gov/retire/ 1?888?767?6738
Court Of AppealsNets Claims hftp?://www.vetapp.uscourts.gov/202?501?5970
CRSC ? USAF hftp://www.afpc.randolph.af.miVlibrary/combat.asp 1?800?616?3775
CRSC ? USA hftps://www.hrc.army.mil/site/`crsc/index.htmi 1?866?281?3254
CRSC ? USN/USMC hftp:/AAmw.donhq.navy.mil/corb/crscb/crscmainpage.htm 1?877?366?2772
DEERS http://www.tricare.mil/mybenefit/home/overview/Eligibility/DEERS 1?800?538?9552
Direct Deposit VA National Direct Deposit Center 1?877?838?2778
Education Claims Regional Processing Office ? Atlanta 1?888?442?4551
EDU Verifications Of Pursuit hftps://www.gibill.va.govtwave/ 1?877?823?2378
Fraud, Waste, And Abuse VA Inspector General hftp://www.va.gov/oig/?1?800?488?8244
Gulf War Veterans Illnesses www.va.gov/GulfvVar 1?800?749?8387
Headstones And Markers http://www.cem.va.gov/CEM/hm?hm. asp 1?800?697?6947
Health Care Benefits www.va.gov/health 1?877?222?8387
Health Care Eligibility www.va.gov/healtheligibility 1?800?929?8387
Health Care Overseas www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/fmp/ 1?877?345?8179
Health Revenue Service Information On Debts Owed To Vamcs 1?866?793?4591
Information Federal Citizen Information Ctr www.info.gov 1?800?333?4636
Insurance ? SGLINGLI www.insurance.va.gov/sgiiSite/default 1?800?419?1473
Insurance, VA VA Insurance Center www.insurance.va.gov/ 1?800?669?8477
Insurance ? Fax For Loan Apps VA Insurance Center 1?888?748?5828
Loan Guaranty COE Eligibility Center ? Winston?Salem www.homeloans.va.gov/ 1?888?244?6711
Loan Guaranty Helpiine www.vba.va.gov/ro/south/spete/RLC/index.htm 1?888?611?5916
Military Records National Archives www.archives.gov/ 1?866?272?6272
Overpayments Debt Management Center, St Paul 1?800?827?0648
Pension Pension Maintenance Center 1?877?294?6380
Prop Management (Va Repos) Ocwen Financial Corp www.ocwen.com 1?800?523?9479
Retired Pay, Military (EXC CG) DFAS www.dfas.mil/retiredpay.html 1?800?321?1080
Retired Pay, Coast Guard CG SVC CTR www.uscg.mil/hq/cgl/psc/ras/ 1?800?772?8724
Retired Pay, Reporting Death DFAS 1?800?321?1080
SBP Info Line DFAS www.dfas.mil/retiredpay/survivorbenefits.htmi 1?800?321?1080
SBA Small Business Admin www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/ovbd/index.html 1?800?827-5722
Small Business ? VA VA Ctr For Vets Enterprise http://www.vetbiz.gov/ 1?866?584?2344 Social Security www.ssa.gov 1?800?772?1213 Spina Bifida VHA Center www.va.gov/hac/forbeneficiaries/spina/spina. asp 1?888?820?1756 Suicide Prevention www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ 1?800?273?8255 Telecommunications Device For The Deaf VARO Chicago 1?800?829?4833 TRICARE www.tricare.mil/ 1800?444?5445 VA Central Office ? VBA http:/twww.vba.va.govNBA/ 202?273?5400 VA Central Office ? VHA VHA Patient Advocate 202?461?7252 VA Secretary Telephone Unit VA Central Office?202?273?5674 Work Study Work Study Office 1?800?827?1000 EXT5951 [Source: California VFW VSO Scott Langhoff input 27 Aug 08 ++]
 

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What is a veteran?

A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check
made payable to "the United States of America," for an amount of "up to
and including my life." This is Honor, and there are way too many people in
this Country who no longer understand it.

Author unknown

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Letter to the Editor

I can not believe that our military court martialed six reservists recently for collecting equipment that they needed to complete their mission. They were charged with theft, destruction of Army property and conspiracy to cover up the crimes. What crimes! In the military you get the equipment you need no matter what-steal it from the military or the Country you are fighting in. This is the way it has always been. In fact in the past you were awarded for showing initiative and courage. When I was in combat, after a fellow soldier was killed you took his weapon and his ammo. Is that stealing? This is what happened, they were ordered to march from Kuwait to Iraq. They did not have enough vehicles to do the job. They had the good sense to take two tractors, and two trailers left in Kuwait. A few weeks later they commandeered an abandoned cargo truck and stripped it for parts. Their Commander looked the other way, which in my opinion was the right thing to do. Well the Commander Major Cathy Kaus, CWO Darrell Birt and four other members of their unit were court?martialed. They got dishonorable discharges, lost their pensions, lost all veterans benefits and can not vote! CWO Birt had 26 years in the Army! They did not take anything for their own benefit. Please everyone, call your Congressmen and Senators right now to reverse this outrages ness!

Dan Griffin

16 Quinby Ave

 White Plains, NY 10606

914?682?4949

ALL VETERANS CALL YOUR CONGRESSMEN AND SENATORS NOW

TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT THE COURT?MARTIALS OF MAJ KAUS, CWO BIRT AND THE FOUR OTHER MEMBERS OF THEIR UNIT REVERSED NOW!

SENATOR CLINTON

914?725?9294

SENATOR SCHUMER

212?486?4430

CONGRESSWOMAN LOWEY

914?428?1707

CONGRESSWOMAN KELLY

845?897?5200

THEIR CRIMES WERE STEALING! What THEY DID WAS COLLECT EQUIPMENT THEY NEEDED FOR THEIR MISSION! They got dishonorable discharges, lost their pensions, all veterans' benefits and cannot vote!

CWO Birt had 26 years in the Army.

Note from the Webmaster: My dad was a Captain in the 504 Supply Bn, WWII. North Africa, Sicily,  Anzio and over the Rhine. Most of the time trying to keep up with Patton's tanks! He told us many times of how difficult it was near the end to tell what the hell a truck was originally, there was so much commandeered material on it. From where? The side of the road wrecks (both US and German or Italian), from civilian sources and cannibalized units of their own. This was not an order he needed to issue, this was basic military common sense! Accomplish the mission! Everything else comes second. Find a soldier worth his or her salt and they probably have "re-appropriated" something during their time.

Chuck.