Badger

&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin” Official Publications of TheWisconsin American Legion Family www.wilegion.org

September 14, 2017Vol. 94, No. 8aire

The mission of The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin is to provide service to veterans, their families and their communities.

Denise H. Rohan Elected National Commander for 2017-18

64.09%

9 6 3 8 11 2 12 4 1 7 10 5

62.08% 61.24% 61.22% 61.10% 61.00% 57.59% 56.05% 55.33% 54.29% 53.26% 47.40%

2018 Membership Goal: 53,500 • September 7th Total: 33,534 • 62.68%

A U.S. Army veteran from Ve-rona, Wisconsin was elected Na-tional Commander of the nationʼs largest veteranʼs organization on August 24th. Delegates to The American Legionʼs 99th Nation-al Convention in Reno, Nevada chose Denise H. Rohan of the Mason-Lindsay Post No. 385 in Verona, Wisconsin to lead the 2 million-member organization of wartime veterans for a one-year term. Commander Rohan joined the U.S. Army in 1974 and has served The American Legion since 1984. Prior to her trans-fer to Post No. 385 in Verona, she served as the Commander of Post No. 333 in Sun Prairie, where she established a Sons of The American Legion squadron and chartered a Boy Scout troop. She served as the Department Commander in Wisconsin during the 2011-12 membership year.

Denise and her husband, Mike,

are both 2006 graduates of the National American Legion Col-lege and 2015 graduates of the Wisconsin American Legion College. Both have gone on to serve as Department and Na-tional American Legion College facilitators.

Rohan was employed with the University of Wisconsin Madi-son as the assistant bursar of student loans until her retirement in 2012. She managed the Uni-versity of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and University of Wiscon-sin College systemʼs $120 mil-lion loan portfolio made up of approximately 200 different federal, institutional and state programs in compliance with all laws, regulations and policy. She was responsible for the ef-fi ciency and design of the com-puterized student loan accounts receivable system. She is a grad-

uate of Mount Senario College in Ladysmith, Wis., and The Colle-giate Management Institute.

Rohan served the Family Read-iness Group as a volunteer with

the Wisconsin Army National Guard 32nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team and 1-105th Cav-alry Squadron. She also served with the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard Airman and Family Readiness Program.

Her theme as national com-mander is “Family First” and her fundraising project is the Le-gionʼs Temporary Financial As-sistance program, which awards cash grants to minor children of veterans who are eligible for American Legion membership. These grants help families in need meet the cost of shelter, food, utilities and health expens-es, thereby keeping the child or children in a more stable envi-ronment.

Rohan has been married to Mike since 1976, and they have a son, Nicholas, daughter-in-law Angie, and two grandchildren,

Sawyer and Isla. Mike is very ac-tive with The American Legion on both the Department and Na-tional levels and is a Past Depart-ment Adjutant. Nick and Sawyer are members of Squadron No. 385, and Isla is a member of Unit No. 385.

Commander Rohan took the oath of offi ce along with fi ve other national offi cers. Serv-ing as National Vice Command-ers are Larry J. Marcouillier of Delaware; William J. Flanagan of Illinois; Bobby D. Bryant of Oklahoma; Bryan I. Callies of South Dakota; Paul R. Stephen-son of Utah.

National Historian Richard T. Dubay of Michigan, National Sergeant-at-Arms Roy Helms of Wisconsin and National Chap-lain Robert Allen Vick of Florida were appointed to their positions by Commander Rohan following the close of the convention.

DENISE H. ROHANNational Commander

A United State Marine Corps veteran from Oshkosh was ap-pointed National American Legion Sergeant at Arms of the 2 million-member organization on August 24th at the National convention in Reno, Nevada.

Roy A. Helms served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1974 to 1978. He was trained in electronics, pri-marily combat surveillance radar. He was assigned to Camp Lejeune, N.C, performing repairs and cali-bration of electronic test equip-ment, including additional training to become precision measurement electronics lab certifi ed. Following his Marine Corps service, he at-tended technical college, receiving an associate s̓ degree in electronics

technology and then pursued a sec-ond degree in computer program-ming.

While in technical school, Helms

PDVC Roy Helms of Oshkosh Post No. 70 Named National Sergeant at Arms

Commander Laurel M. Clewell and her husband, Department Histo-rian H. Gordon Clewell, of the Johnston-Blessman Post No. 38 in Appleton took part in ceremonies prior to the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds game on Sunday, August 13th at Miller Park in Milwaukee. The annual American Legion Baseball All-star game was played later that day. See page 5 of this edition of the Badger Legionnaire for additional coverage.

went to work for Morse Electron-ics, which has become part of what is now Baycom Inc. Since December 1978, he has been in-volved with the installation and maintenance of public safety radio systems and E911 dispatch centers. He is currently a senior tech/tech supervisor.

Helms served as Commander of the Cook-Fuller Post No. 70 in Os-hkosh, as 6th District Commander and as a Department of Wiscon-sin Vice Commander. He also is a member of the Sons of The Ameri-can Legion, Squadron No. 70 in Oshkosh.

Helms has served on various De-partment committees and is cur-ROY HELMS

National Sergeant at Arms (continued on page 4)

Greetings form Camp American Legion,

It s̓ hard to believe we are moving into September al-ready. Much

to my surprise the past several days have had the feel of Fall in the air. Yet, September will still fi nd Camp full and there will be plenty of activities going on here in the North Woods experience. We look forward to enjoying the colors with our Campers.

Last week a close friend and mentor asked if he could share a story with me. He is a trusted and respected Chaplain and a Military leader. So of course I was ready and willing to listen. He shared with me a experi-ence he had while he was try-ing to get his congregation ral-

Dear Fellow Legionnaires:

I d̓ like to in-vite you to at-tend our an-nual Wisconsin Conference on Veterans Is-

sues. This year, the Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) is partnering with the VA Medical Center in Tomah to bring you two full days of speak-ers, breakouts and other oppor-tunities to learn and to provide feedback to our organizations. The conference will take place on September 26-27 at the La Crosse Convention Center.

Day One of the conference consists of the Women Veterans Summit with speakers focusing

lied around a rebuilding project for their church. He said that he was so focused on the improve-ments, the beauty and function-ality that this rebuilding proj-ect would create, that he had missed something very impor-tant. While many of his parish-ioners shared his vision, some were not so eager. In fact, some were upset and did not believe the rebuilding was even needed. He told me that he was strug-gling to understand why they could not see that the old church could no longer provide what was needed by his ever grow-ing and evolving parishioners. He said what he was overlook-ing the wonderful history in that old church. Many people before him had sacrifi ced countless hours and resources to build and maintain that old church. Some-where in the ideas, planning and

on issues such as holistic health, alternative therapies, trauma in-formed care, and military sexual trauma. We will also present the present the Woman Veteran of the Year Award to an individual who continues to make a differ-ence in her community.

The afternoon will consist of a QPR training and a VA Town Hall. The QPR training is an op-portunity for you to help prevent suicide in our state. QPR - Ques-tion, Persuade, Refer – is an ef-fective technique anyone can learn to help prevent suicide. Fi-nally, to close out the day we en-courage you to participate in the VA Town Hall hosted by Tomah VA Medical Center Director Victoria Brahm.

Day Two of the conference is

excitement he had lost focus on the legacy that was created and handed to him as the new leader of his congregation.

As I refl ect on the Chaplain s̓ story, I realize that his experi-ence and learning lesson is not much different from ours here at Camp. We have an ever grow-ing population of Wisconsin Military members and Veterans that are coming to Camp Amer-ican Legion for the fi rst time. It was only a few short years ago that we started to see the families of our Service Mem-bers and Veterans here at Camp. Where Camp was once the best kept secret in Wisconsin, it is now a well-known destination for eligible Service Members, Veterans and their families. Camp provides a setting and an opportunity to heal and grow as individuals, as families and

our Mental Health and Veterans Issues Summit. Keynote speak-ers will discuss topics such as homelessness, veteran suicide, PTSD, opioid awareness, and the stigma of pain.

This year we are pleased to have Dr. Kimberly A. Kick and Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Bantner as our keynote speakers.

Dr. Kimberly A. Kick has a private practice in Libertyville where she works extensively with individuals, couples, and families, specializing in working with service members, veterans, and their families. She has pre-sented throughout the country on topics ranging from dealing with issues faced by military couples and families, confl ict, divorce, TBI, and PTSD.

members of our communities across the state of Wisconsin. Yes, Camp is all this and much more, but only because the ef-forts, the commitment and the vision of those who came before us. There is a powerful legacy that was handed to us. It is our job to ensure that this legacy continues to serve. As the Camp Director I am fully committed to honoring that legacy and to helping enhance the Camp ex-perience. I am eager and willing to join efforts with cabin spon-sors, Legion posts and commu-nity partners to rebuild where necessary, enhance when pos-sible and continue the legacy… Still Serving America

Thank you again for all the support that you continue to show. Without the Wisconsin American Legion family, Camp would not exist.

Lieutenant Colonel Jennifer Bantner is currently serving as the Commander, 1/334th Train-ing Support Battalion in Mil-waukee, WI and augments the Initial Entry Training program. LTC Bantner is a military cer-tifi ed Master Resiliency Trainer and has presented at Yellow Ribbon Reintegration programs across the country, working with Soldiers and their families as they cope with post deployment stressors.

We hope to see you there. To get more information and

register for the Conference visit our website at www.WisVets.com.

Don t̓ forget to follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WisVets and Twitter at twitter.com/WisVets.

.

PAGE 2 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Publication ScheduleAll articles due to the Editor four weeks before publication date. Send all copy to

info@wilegion.org

“Badger Legionnaire”& “Wisconsin”

The Badger Legionnaire & Wisconsin are the offi cial publications of the Wisconsin

American Legion Family and are published ten times annually, once every fi ve weeks,

by The American Legion, Dept. of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 388, Portage, WI 53901.

Periodicals Postage Paid at Portage, WI and additional mailing offi ces.

USPS ID Number 010-135ISSN: 2154-2627

Post Master: Send address changes to Badger Legionnaire and Wisconsin,P.O. Box 388, Portage, WI 53901

“Badger Legionnaire”The American Legion,

Department of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 388 • Portage, WI 53901Phone: (608) 745-1090

E-mail: info@wilegion.org

David A. Kurtz, Executive Editor

2017-2018 Communications CommitteeRenee Kasuboski, Chairman

Rebecca Amundson, Vice ChairmanRay Pasbrig, DEC Liaison

Susan KnudsonPhil Ingwell

Kendel FeilenGeoff Sheilds

Gordy Clewell, HistorianBonnie Dorniak, Auxiliary Liaison

2017-18 Department Offi cers

CommanderLaurel Clewell

Vice Commanders James LeeTodd Braun

Mark SandowChris Sower

AdjutantDavid A. Kurtz

ChaplainMilton Duntley

Sergeant-at ArmsJeremy Nordie

Mark Toll

Service Offi cerJames Fialkowski

NECmanKen Rynes

Alternate NECmanRobert Shappell

District Commanders 1st – Bill Babb 2nd – Greg Eirich 3rd – Harold Rihn 4th – Ray Pasbrig 5th – Julia Atkinson 6th – Jerry Lauby 7th – Ken Schoolcraft 8th – Ron Fregien 9th – Clarence Davister 10th – Paul Beseler 11th – James Lynn 12th – Don Slattery

Change of Address & Other Information:Subscribers: To report any upcoming changes of address, please ask your Post Adjutant to fi ll out a Membership Data Form and forward it to Wisconsin American Legion Headquarters. The change of address form that will be completed by the Post Adjutant should not be confused with the change of address card fi lled out at the Post Offi ce. Department fi nancial statements are available to Legionnaires in good standing upon written request through their District Commanders.

“Wisconsin”American Legion AuxiliaryDepartment of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Drive

P.O. Box 140 • Portage, WI 53901

Bonnie Dorniak, EditorBonnie Jakubczyk, Department President

Bonnie Dorniak, Exec. Secretary/Treasurer

To change your address: Notify Unit SecretaryUnit Secretary: Notify Department

Headquarters on a Member Data Form

The “Wisconsin” deadline for copy is 4 weeks before publication date.

DEPARTMENT COMMANDERDEPARTMENT COMMANDERHello Legion Family,

We are on a mission and weʼve already made history! Denise Rohan has been elected

The American Legion s̓ fi rst fe-male National Commander and Diane Duscheck is the National Auxiliary President and Wiscon-sin is very proud to say that they are family.

Commander Denise Rohan is asking us to support Temporary Financial Assistance and the Le-gion Service Offi cers. My project for this year will be to establish a Veteran s̓ Assistance Program that will be available to all veterans. Information will be coming soon about the program.

Membership is the cornerstone

of The American Legion and we need to Grow. Membership is our strength and strong numbers give us a strong voice to fi ght for Vet-eran s̓ rights. Commander Denise Rohan has given us a membership total of 53,500 for our 100% goal. We need about 22,000 more of our fellow veterans to renew or join to make it happen. A good friend, Terry McNulty, said it best when he stated that we all need to be re-cruiters. This year we are starting Prospect lists so if you are not a person that feels comfortable be-ing a recruiter then please submit names and contact information to your post adjutant so we can reach out to them. Everyone who sub-mits the names of three prospec-tive members will receive a spe-cial edition Prospector Pin. Posts that build and maintain Prospect lists will be eligible to win $500.

We all know someone that is eligi-ble to join The American Legion Family.

We need to Know to Grow and we need to know that our mem-bership team is ready to help us. Please contact Chris Schmidt at Department headquarters at (608) 745-1090 or Membership chair Julie Muhle at juneaupost15@ya-hoo.com if you need information or assistance. The membership team has scheduled the following rallies:• Milwaukee on September 29-30• Madison on October 20-21• Fox Valley on November 3-4• Eau Claire on December 1-2

Please join the rally and help us grow! Commander Rohan needs and wants Wisconsin to be 100% and we have great incentives to encourage us to achieve our goal. There will be two $500 drawings

for all Early bird renewals, includ-ing PUFL̓s, so spread the word. All members renewed by Novem-ber 11th will be eligible. It would be wonderful to be 100% by Vet-eran s̓ Day.

The next thing you need to Know. The Department is in the process of hiring a new adjutant. In this newsletter, you will fi nd the information needed to apply. I want to personally thank David Kurtz for a JOB WELL DONE. Dave has been the backbone of this organization for 8 years and very instrumental in our many accomplishments. His dedication and love of The American Legion has greatly improved our fi nancial stability. Our programs are in great shape and very successful. Thank you Dave and God Bless you and your family in your new endeavors.

Laurel ClewellDepartment Commander

CAMP DIRECTORCAMP DIRECTOR

WDVA SECRETARYWDVA SECRETARY

Dan ZimmermanWDVA Secretary

Don GrundyCamp Director

THE AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN

ADJUTANT POSITION AVAILABLE

PAGE 3THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRESEPTEMBER 14, 2017

The American Legion, Depart-ment of Wisconsin, the stateʼs largest Veterans organization is seeking a Legionnaire for the of-fi ce of Department Adjutant and lead the professional staff at our Portage headquarters, the Ser-vice Offi ce in Milwaukee and Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin. The De-partment Adjutant is the Chief Operating/Financial Offi cer and is responsible for the overall ef-fi cient, effective, and fi nancially sound management of all as-pects of the organization.

We are seeking a fl exible, customer service driven can-didate. An experienced leader and administrative executive with appropriate industry expe-rience, preferably in the service fi eld. The successful candidate must be an energetic, forward-thinking and creative individual with high ethical standards and an appropriate professional im-age. This individual should be

From June 10th through June 17th, The American Legion, De-partment of Wisconsinʼs Badger Boys State program was con-ducted in Ripon, Wisconsin. This year marked the 76th ses-sion. Badger Boys State has infl uenced over 67,000 young men over the years. Past Depart-ment Commander Val Ove of the Alonzo Cudworth Post No. 23 was instrumental in helping The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin in establishing the program in 1939 after recogniz-ing the great opportunity to serve the youth and spread the ideals of Americanism. Badger Boys State has run every year since then with the exception of three years during World War II. Every year since 1939 American Le-gion posts from across the state

a strategic visionary with sound technical skills, analytical abil-ity, good judgment and strong operational focus. In addition, the Department Adjutant must be an extremely well organized and self-directed individual who is "politically savvy" and a collab-orative leader. The Department of Wisconsin is seeking an intel-ligent and articulate individual who can relate to people at all levels of The American Legion and possesses excellent written and oral communication skills. This individual should also be a good educator who is trustworthy and willing to share information and serve as a mentor.

Selected candidate will possess bachelorʼs degree from an accred-ited college or university in busi-ness or closely related fi eld and/or a minimum of ten years exten-sive business management ex-perience. Work experience must include a thorough understanding of generally accepted accounting

have supported this ambitious program, providing leadership, fi nancial support, and volunteers who make Badger Boys State a top-notch program.

The young men selected to at-tend Badger Boys State, called citizens, represent the best of their communities. The program is only possible because of the generous donations from Ameri-can Legion posts, community civic organizations and individu-als who sponsor each citizen. This year, 882 young men came from all corners of Wisconsin to form the government of a “51st state.” During the week, citi-zens also learn about American-ism, leadership and the values of selfl ess service. Guest speakers, who included Wisconsin Gover-nor Scott Walker, Wisconsin Su-

principles; computerized ac-counting systems; supervising and managing people, market-ing and business development; and interpretation of legal and regulatory requirements affect-ing the administration of The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin, a 501 c 19 non-profi t organization.

Applicants must possess or be eligible to possess a Wisconsin driverʼs license and must meet the membership eligibility re-quirements of The American Legion. A generous benefi t package, including health and dental insurance is provided. Salary commensurate with qualifi cations.

Send resume and contact in-formation by Friday, September 29, 2017 to The American Le-gion, Department of Wisconsin Attn: Adjutant David A. Kurtz, PO Box 388, Portage, WI 53901 or adjutant@wilegion.org.

BADGER BOYS STATE 2017

HEAR YE - HEAR YE !VETERANS DAY BANQUET

ALL VETERANS INVITED, PLEASE ATTEND

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2017

You are cordially invited to the 2017 Veterans Day Banquet

Sponsored by THE AMERICAN LEGION

VETERANS HONORING VETERANS AT ALL TIMES The 2018 Milwaukee County

“Veteran of the Year” will be announced

Celebrating100th Birthday of The American Legion

60th Anniversary of the War Memorial Building

Where: War Memorial Center Memorial Hall750 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Cost: $30 person - $35 after November 4, 2017Cash Bar: 5:00 pm. Sit Down Dinner: 6:30 pm.

Do Not Send Cash – Make Checks Payable To: Veterans Board of Directors

Mail to: Veterans Day Banquet, c/o Ray Pasbrig3306 Elderberry Rd, Racine, WI 53402

If you have questions, please call Ray at (262) 853-4929 or e-mail: rpasbrig3@wi.rr.com

preme Court Justice Ann Walsh Bradley and Charles Wiley from the National Press Corps, provid-ed real world experience to the citizens. The fast-paced week is rewarding for both the citizens and the volunteer staff. Many in attendance describe the program as “one of the most challenging, rewarding, and fun experiences of my life.”

To learn more about Badger Boys State visit http://www.bad-gerboysstate.com. You will also fi nd links on the site to a 2017 vid-eo recap as well as other products from this year s̓ session. Individ-uals and posts interested in spon-sorship opportunities for the 2018 session are urged to contact Sheri Hicks at Department headquarters by email at sheri@wilegion.org or by phone at (608) 745-1090.

CCascino VVaughan Law Offices, Ltd.Allen D. Vaughan, Esq. Michael P. Cascino, Esq.

www.DairylandAsbestos.com

1-800-783-00821110 N. Old World Third St., Milwaukee 53203

Serving Wisconsin’s Asbestos Victims for over 25 years.

you SMOKED or have any of the following symptoms, see your doctor and perhaps an attorney.

Persistent coughing or wheezingChest painShortness of breathCoughing up bloodWeight loss with no known cause

If you were exposed to ASBESTOS, and

Advertising Material

PAGE 4 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

It is time to start working on the Oratorical Scholarship Com-petition for 2017-18. The school season has begun and we canʼt wait until later in the year to get started. The material is posted on the National American Le-gion website at www.legion.org/oratorical. You can get any promotional information you may need as well as the assigned topics for the 2018 contest by checking on-line or by contact-ing Dawn Brauner by email at dawn@wilegion.org or by call-ing (608) 745-1090. If you have any questions about conducting a contest, obtaining information, registering your contestant for the Department contest or vol-unteering to help with the De-partment program please contact Dawn. Note: All Contestants must start at the post level and proceed to County and District before competing in the Depart-ment contest. Therefore, your post needs to announce the dates and place of your local contest as soon as possible.

The date for the Department of Wisconsin Regional and Final contest is February 10, 2018. The competition will once again be held at Ripon College, Ri-pon, WI. It is strongly suggested that you get dates for your local contests at the Post, County and District levels established and

promoted throughout your Dis-trict.

In order to maintain the integri-ty and quality of our program we need to have a candidate from all 12 districts. Letʼs do our best to send the best. This is a National contest and a tremendous oppor-tunity for us to impact the youth of our communities in Wiscon-sin. The top prize is an $18,000 college scholarship. As Depart-

Get Ready for Th e American LegionOratorical Scholarship Competition

Sergeant at Arms (continued from Page 1)

The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin’s 80th Annual Oratorical Schol-arship Contest’s Regional and Finals Competitions were held on Saturday, Feb-ruary 11th, 2017 at the Rodman Center on the Ripon College Campus. Pictured from left to right are Department Commander Dan Seehafer, fi rst place winner Carrie Wilson, second place fi nisher Joshua Anumolu and third place fi nisher Hannah Krueger.

ment chairman, I am commit-ted to attending the National Americanism conference this September. We are sure that the judges at the Regional and Final contest in February will be se-lecting the very best candidate to represent our Department at the National competition in In-dianapolis in April of 2018.

–PDVC Robert Stone Chairman

From July 1 ,2016 through June 30, 2017, the Elm Brook Post No. 449 Honor Guard performed 225 Military Funeral Honors ceremonies. Members of the unit received recognition from The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin for their dedicated and continuous service to our veterans.

The District 1 Legion Riders were asked to help out at the Union Grove “Back to the Past” Car Show. After performing a ride-by to present the colors on Main Street, the Riders presented a Riders challenge coin to a recent Honor Flight attendee. The Riders were then honored to judge the “WW II Pin-up” contest. Pictured here from left to right are judges Frank “Phantom” Konieska, Kim “Milkman” Dary, Patrick “Maverick” Mitchell, and Don “Alamo” Stone as they mingle with the Pin-up contestants.

Elm Brook Post No. 449 Honor Guard Unit Sets New Record

Union Grove “Back to the Past”Car Show

RENO, Nev., (August 24, 2017) – A retired University of Wiscon-sin administrator was elected na-tional commander of the nation s̓ largest veterans organization today during The American Le-gion s̓ 99th National Convention.

Denise H. Rohan of Verona, a Vietnam-era veteran of the U.S. Army, is the fi rst woman to be elected to the top position of the 2 million-member American Legion.

“Women were allowed to vote for national commander of The American Legion back in 1919, before they could vote for the president of the United States,” Rohan said. “The American Le-

American Legion elects its fi rst female National Commander

Wisconsin Army Vet to Lead Nation’s Largest Veterans Organizationgion has always believed that a veteran is a veteran regardless of gender, race or religion. If I can offer a different perspective than other Legionnaires, that s̓ great. But I am excited to build on the great programs, dedicated service and proud legacy of the many Le-gionnaires who came before me.”

Rohan has served The American Legion since 1984. While com-mander of Post No. 333 in Sun Prairie, she established Sons of The American Legion Squadron No. 333 and chartered Boy Scout Troop 333. She has also served as the Department Commander of The American Legion, Depart-

ment of Wisconsin.She was employed with the

University of Wisconsin Madison as the assistant bursar of student loans until her retirement in 2012. She managed the University of Wisconsin - Madison, University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and University of Wisconsin systems ̓$120 million loan portfolio made up of approximately 200 differ-ent federal, institutional and state programs in compliance with all laws, regulations, and policy. She was responsible for the effi ciency and design of the computerized student loan accounts-receivable system.

rently serving on the Department Policy committee.

In 2008, he received the presti-gious “Joseph R. Meeks Gung-Ho” Americanism Award from the Department of Wisconsin. He has received appointments to the Na-tional Legislative Council and the National Americanism Council.

Helms also served as President of the 6th District American Le-

gion Riders and went on to serve six years as President of the Ameri-can Legion Riders Association of Wisconsin. Helms was selected to participate in the fi rst Legion Rid-ers “Wreath Laying” ceremony at the Tomb of The Unknowns at Ar-lington National Cemetery on Me-morial Day in 2005. He received a National “American Legion Rider of Honor” award in 2008.

He and his wife Nancy have been married since 1974 and live in Oshkosh. Nancy is currently 6th District President of the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Wisconsin. They have twin sons, one daughter and three grand-children, all of which are Legion Family members. Helms is one of 12 National American Legion of-fi cers.

.

Legacy Scholarship Fund Sweepstakes Winners

The American Legion Riders Association of Wisconsin concluded the Legacy Scholarship Fund Sweepstakes on Sunday, August 13th by drawing the winning names at the Otis Sampson Post No. 59 in Stoughton.

The Riders would like to thank everyone who participated in the sweepstakes to raise money to make a higher education possible for many children in an unfortunate situation. There were 7 cash prizes awarded.

The winners are:• Ron Milner of Hartford won $1,000• Ken Grant of Waunakee won $500• Brian Brockway of Fond du Lac won $250• Judy Hagen of Townsend won $100• Frank Wozniak of Mattoon won $50• Greening-Buelow Post No. 437 of Mazomanie won $50• Peter Wollner Post No. 288 of Cedarburg won $50

Thank You again for participating in the Legacy Scholarship Fund Sweepstakes.

PAGE 5THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRESEPTEMBER 14, 2017

A new boat dock was recently delivered to Camp courtesy of the 7th Dis-trict. The dock had been donated to the Tomah VA Medical Center but having gone unused at the facility, it was repurposed for use at Camp American Legion. 7th District Commander Ken Schoolcraft and Jim Kitchen of Post No. 65 in the Town of Rome were instrumental in secur-ing the dock for use at Camp.

Greetings from Camp American Legion,

As July closed out and August arrived at Camp the sun fi nally arrived and we all embraced. As Camp Director, I canʼt help but be amazed at the outpouring of support from our Legion family, our corporate partners and com-munities across Wisconsin. I can say with certainty, that without this support we would not be able to accomplish our mission of “Help to Heal”. For that we say THANK YOU!

Summer has cruised along and we all have been very busy #camplife. We have our usual line up of activities; fi shing trips (6 daily), daily afternoon pon-toon cruises with the addition of evening sunset pontoon cruises, bus trips into town to take in the local attractions and of course our evening camp fi res with all the fi xings to build your own

It was a beautiful evening at Miller Park in Milwaukee as 47 young men took to the fi eld for one last time in their American Legion baseball uniforms. The 46th annual Wisconsin Ameri-can Legion Baseball Associa-tionʼs All-Star Game was held on August 13, 2017 and the fans could not have been happier with the game.

The festivities began on Sat-urday afternoon, August 12th, as players, their families and guests from around the state ar-rived at the Radisson Hotel in Milwaukee. The evening started with a banquet celebrating some of the best Legion ball players in Wisconsin.

Players, coaches and umpires

Camp American LegionSmoreʼs. As things continue to evolve here at Camp, our staff and I have made signifi cant prog-ress towards enhancing the Camp experience for our veterans and their families. We are continu-ously exploring new ideas, ac-tivities and events. I have asked our team of dedicated staff mem-bers to come up with fresh ideas and engage our local community for support of new activities. As a result, we have added some new and exciting additions to our agenda of activities to include; live music at the Main Lodge; 1/2 day picnic boat trips through the Minocqua chain of lakes; Wetzel Way Nature trail walks; McGrath Lake fi shing outings and camp fi re cook outs. The feedback from veterans and their families to the staff has been very positive. The common phrase we hear is “keep it up, we like what we see”.

Over the past four months I

were introduced; dinner was served; speakers delivered their messages to the audience; awards were presented and friendships were made.

Following Sundayʼs break-fast at the hotel, players and coaches were bussed to Miller Park where they were escorted onto the fi eld and introduced prior to the Brewers/Cincinnati Reds game. Commander Laurel Clewell threw out the ceremo-nial fi rst pitch of the game.

Following the Brewers win, Legion players were again es-corted onto the fi eld but this time to play. And play they did, with a fi nal score of 7 to 5 the Stripes team prevailed in the contest over the Stars.

have learned an interesting fact about Camp… Every week is a new experience. There is great diversity among our guests that come to Camp. Activities that are popular one week may not be the next week. It makes us real-ize that while as Military mem-bers and Veterans we have much in common; but as individuals we are unique and have differ-ent needs. Because of this fact, all of us here at Camp will strive to provide the best customer ser-vice. We will continue efforts to enhance the experience for our guests. Itʼs why we continue to serve.

Come see Camp for yourself. Our staff and I are always willing to give you and your group a tour, a smile and a hot cup of coffee. We look forward seeing you.

– Don Grundy, Director

Camp Receives New Boat Dock

46th Annual WALBA All-Star Weekend at Miller Park in Milwaukee

PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 14, 2017

The LastBugleBugle

3 AntigoLawrence Marvin K 06/01/17Billie Bula II 05/18/17John Schnabel V 07/11/176 Stevens PointJohn Mallick II 07/21/17James Dobeck K 06/24/178 WaukeshaRobert Grubb V 08/17/1710 WausauRonald Jaeger V 08/04/17Albert Hemeleski V 07/23/17Alphonse Mroczenski K 08/25/1711 Green BayRaymond Murto K 07/21/17Norbert Raymaker II 07/31/1713 Richland CenterDavid Breen V 08/05/16Alan Kidd V 08/29/1726 BarabooLawrence Pratt II 07/24/1727 South MilwaukeeJohn Chapko K 08/06/17John Fon II 08/28/1733 NeenahCarmen Breitenfeldt K 08/06/1736 West BendRobert Plamann II 01/03/17Thomas Ream V 08/29/1738 AppletonArnold VanHandel II 07/19/17Les Behm II 09/02/17Alfred Neveau II 09/02/1742 PlattevilleClayton Leighty II 07/27/1744 WabenoThomas Goodrich PG 07/26/17William Popp II 08/12/1745 ElkhornWilliamn Sigmund K 06/15/17Elbert Kimmel K 02/25/1653 Eau ClaireCharles Lampman II 07/18/17Willis Foster II 08/04/17John Kajer V 08/24/17Leroy Dickerson II 08/31/1754 Marshfi eldThomas Binder V 07/18/17David Korth V 08/19/1759 StoughtonKeith Swalheim V 05/08/1760 KimberlyStephen Andrejeski II 08/01/17Gerald VanZeeland K 08/29/17James Welhouse K 07/19/1763 ClintonvilleJack Kasson K 07/29/1768 Prairie du ChienLaVerne Steiner II 08/03/1773 NeillsvilleGordon Vine II 07/03/17Donald Marg K 08/15/17John Wylie II 08/21/1777 Chippewa FallsArthur Howell K 07/25/17Charles Wathke V 08/02/1779 BurlingtonDaniel Reincke V 08/11/1780 New RichmondJohn Kelly K 08/16/17

88 ManitowocRichard Schroeder V 08/05/1796 WebsterWilliam Thomey II 07/13/1797 DodgevilleJames Widder V 08/23/1798 CumberlandJohn Hauser II 07/06/17103 GalesvilleWilliam Herbert II 06/15/17109 LancasterRussell Govier II 08/19/17114 Eagle RiverKenneth Schwartz K 07/17/17Richard Polaski V 06/30/17Peter Molter K 05/02/17117 ShawanoJames Peterson II 07/23/17Arthur Balke K 08/10/17118 ThorpJustin Rosemeyer II 08/09/17124 New HolsteinWallace Stemper II 07/20/17Ronald Forstner K 07/17/17125 ChiltonWilford Elliott K 07/23/17126 BrillionHarland Schwartz K 08/20/17127 HilbertAlvin Koffarnus II 08/31/17137 Turtle LakeHarold Becker K 08/12/17138 ViroquaVictor Peterson K 07/23/17Norman Rood K 07/20/17143 St Croix FallsWalter Dole II 08/07/17144 AlbanyTimothy Jones V 07/04/17Robert McCullick II 05/07/17154 MondoviDarrell Olson K 08/04/17155 WestbyMonte Larson V 04/04/17A B Rudrud II 08/02/17157 HoriconLarry Davidson K 01/16/16Gordon Heuer K 07/07/17Irvin Winter V 07/22/17Martin Weber K 05/12/17William Tralmer II 02/05/17George Schwartz II 05/06/17Marvin Kienast V 03/26/17159 CadottHerbert Spaeth II 08/09/17161 KingDavid Bird V 08/07/17163 WautomaWalter Schubert II 08/13/17167 Sauk CityJames Bauer II 07/09/16173 WhitewaterDean Hollinger II 08/01/17182 Park FallsErvin Faltinosky II 04/17/17Raymond Bourgeois K 08/04/17186 IndependenceDennis Maule V 07/21/17189 WatertownDouglas Sorenson II 07/08/17Brent Schmidt K 07/29/17191 WhitehallRobert Guinn II 08/11/17192 FranklinSherwin Ehmke II 07/15/17205 JanesvilleRonald Rindahl V 07/29/17Joseph Richardt K 08/11/17Dean Millard V 08/13/17208 RioJames Risgaard V 07/26/17215 PardeevilleGeorge Guler V 08/08/17219 MilwaukeeAlfred Loehrl II 07/22/17

233 WaterlooJerry Gasner V 08/05/17238 GreenwoodGene Kolbo V 08/01/17242 La ValleDonald Hilaire II 08/06/17James King II 07/09/17243 PlymouthRichard Wilde II 07/31/17Levi Backhaus K 08/19/17246 GenoaRichard Trussoni V 01/26/17250 AdamsDonald Hollman II 08/18/17Fred Stevens K 07/31/17253 Spring GreenWilliam Ruppert II 08/19/17258 Little ChuteRichard Hahn K 07/30/17Cyril Stadler K 08/19/17263 New LondonDonald Quaintance II 08/25/17Robert Roland K 08/30/17271 PoynettePaul Woodward V 08/12/17280 ColemanRobert Stadelman II 08/02/17282 MarkesanBruce Daw K 08/11/17284 HolmenRobert Marker K 11/17/14Kenneth Cook K 08/20/17Roland Gullickson K 08/10/17R A Kleinsmith II 07/28/17288 CedarburgConrad Karnish K 08/08/17Willard Nieman K 08/26/17295 BloomerAdrian Skroch II 06/29/17299 Hales CornersNorbert Bloes II 08/27/17304 PalmyraLawrence Wilke V 07/21/17

William Jolliffe V 07/06/17Herman Mueckl II 05/15/17Warren Pangburn K 04/15/17329 BriggsvilleRobert Corning II 08/07/17Roger Milligan II 01/23/17337 PulaskiLloyd Liss V 07/27/17Alvin Cheslock II 08/20/17340 BerlinWilliam Witte II 08/12/17Darrell Oppermann V 08/20/17343 HancockPhilip Pettit K 05/09/17348 DeForestHerman Tschanz K 08/04/17351 MontelloLee Fullmer V 08/05/17Donald Werdin K 08/02/17Victor Kohn K 07/19/17355 GraftonKenneth Trost II 05/21/17360 WaunakeeThomas Clark II 08/10/17375 MukwonagoMichael Franzen V 07/13/17384 KewaskumJohn Tessar II 08/16/17385 VeronaRolland Gundlach II 08/08/16Carl Schwartz II 04/12/15Jack Gentilli II 10/26/16391 FremontDouglas Bowden V 06/26/17400 MilwaukeeDavid Ruby V 08/18/17406 MilwaukeeVictor Baker K 07/20/17Robert Varish K 08/19/17417 French IslandFrank Hass K 08/05/17Robert Clement II 08/09/17

423 NeskoroRobert Teske II 07/17/17432 HammondJohn Rogan K 02/13/17449 Brookfi eldRobert McCartan K 04/02/17Wallace Krueger II 08/26/17Walter Bohl II 10/10/16454 Mt CalvaryFrancis Abler K 08/04/17457 Mequon-ThiensvilleFrank Harvey V 07/16/17George Ramharter II 07/07/17470 SaukvilleJohn Mikyska V 07/10/17Jack Morrison V 02/18/17James Wagen K 01/18/17Thomas Steeno V 12/11/16480 Presque IsleJohn Moorhouse II 07/24/17481 MadisonWilliam Fell V 08/01/17487 CableMichael Regorrah V 06/21/17494 CaledoniaJoe Dorcey K 08/14/17501 MadisonFrank Cook II 09/06/16507 MindoroSpencer Olson K 07/28/17508 WiltonNorman Martin K 08/26/17518 Green BayArnold Effa K 08/02/17519 StetsonvilleRonald Niznik V 05/26/17520 VesperEugene Diercks K 06/17/17535 EagleHarold Toudt II 05/17/17544 Twin LakesLouis Rodriquez V 07/09/17

For immediate coverage, enroll online at www.TheLIT.com/No-Cost-LegionCare

Complete details of the coverage are contained in accident only Master Policy MZ0933569H0000A/0001A underwritten by Transamerica Premier Life Insurance Company Cedar Rapids, IA. This plan is not available in all states.*For Purposes of the Legionnaire Insurance Trust, a member of The Legion Family, with current year’s dues paid, could be eligible for the $5,000 Accidental Death benefit if he/she is traveling to, attending, or returning from an official function at which they represent his/her Post, Squadron, Unit, District, Department, pr Detachment or National Organization in an official capacity.**This is a supplemental health insurance plan that requires you to have major medical coverage, Medicare, or other health coverage that meets “minimum essential coverage” as defined by the Affordable Care Act.

And did you know that starting 1/1/2015, anyone enrolled in LegionCare will be covered for as long as they maintain their membership in the Legion Family – TAL, ALA, & SAL. This new “one and done” approach will save you from needing to re-enroll every 5 years. The LegionCare program will continue to cover you for $1,000 of AD&D coverage. If the accidental loss occurs when on official Legion Family Business, we will cover you for $5,000 of AD&D coverage.* This has been arranged on your behalf by Your Department of The American Legion. As soon as your enrollment is received, LegionCare will take effect. Your acceptance is guaranteed, so enroll today.

43348 ©2017 AGIA

Endorsed by Your Department of The American Legion

• This coverage is at NO-COST-TO-YOU• LegionCare is now available to ALL Legion Family

members: Legionnaires, Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion.

• This coverage has been arranged on your behalf by Your American Legion Department.

• Regardless of Your Age, health or occupation your acceptance is GUARANTEED**

The Facts On LegionCare:

The Legionnaire Insurance

Trust ONE AND DONE solution to our No-Cost-To-You

LegionCare Protection

PAGE 7THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRESEPTEMBER 14, 2017

Special Early Bird Drawing - Win $500

Renew by November 11th and become eligible to win one of two $500 cash prizes! All mem-bers renewed for 2018 (including PUFLʼs) by Veterans Day – No-vember 11th will have a chance to win. Log on to www.wilegion.org and renew on-line! Simply have your Legion Membership ID number and a credit card handy.

Commander Laurel wants you to “Get One” and win $1,000.

To grow at the local level, each post needs to rely on their mem-bers being active recruiters. For the individual Legionnaire, mem-bership recruiting can lead to a big reward! Legion members can simply sign up a new member, or renew any former member who has not paid for 2 years (since 2015) and their name will be en-tered in a drawing to win $1,000 at the 2018 Midwinter Confer-ence at the Ho-Chunk Hotel, Ca-sino and Convention Center in the Wisconsin Dells. There is no limit to the number of times an individual can qualify – recruit-ers get one chance for every new

member they recruit. Department will also award them the tradi-tional “I Got 1” pin. Recruiters can show their pride by earning an “I Got 1” pin. The pins are larger and more visible than ever before. Anyone who recruits a new member qualifi es!

INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP AWARDS

Legionnaires can earn other in-dividual membership recruiting awards. 1 - The traditional “I Got 1” pins

are available for everyone who recruits a new member this year.

3 – National Commander Award – Recruit 3 new members and receive the National Com-manderʼs incentive award.

3/5 – “Clewellʼs Commandos” Department Commander Lau-rel Clewellʼs Special Award.

Join “Clewellʼs Commandos”! This special incentive award is

available to all Legionnaires who take part in the fi rst step in grow-ing our membership - Recruit and Retain Legion members. Every-one is called to sign up our non-renewed members and add new

Legionnaires to the fold. Start by recruiting 3 new members and then renew 2 members from 2017 and receive a special pin.

Join The Badger Big 10 – Receive a $50 Gift Card

Sign up ten (10) new members and join the Badger Big 10. Ev-ery Legionnaire that recruits 10 new members (not current since 2015) will become part of this exclusive group of Legionnaires and receive a $50 gift card from American Legion Emblem Sales! Badger Big 10 recruiters will also receive a special edition pin to wear with pride.

The National American Legion is also encouraging recruitment with the Silver Brigade (25 new members) and Gold Brigade (50 new members) awards for Le-gionnaires who recruit 25 and 50 new members respectively. Silver Brigade recruiters will receive a $100 Gift card for Em-blem Sales. Gold Brigade recruit-ers will receive a $250 Gift card for Emblem Sales.

Post & County Commanders - Win a custom American Legion uniform shirt!

100% COMMANDERS

D e p a r t m e n t C o m m a n d e r Laurel Clewell has developed powerful incen-tives for 100% Post Commanders and 100% County Commanders. All Post Commanders that reach 100% of their 2018 membership goal by Patriotʼs Day on Monday, Sep-tember 11th will receive a per-sonalized American Legion uni-form shirt embroidered with their name and post number.

County Commanders that reach 100% of their membership goal by Veteranʼs Day – Saturday, November 11th will also receive a personalized American Legion uniform shirt embroidered with their name and county.

SPECIAL POST INCENTIVE PROGRAM

The Department is introducing an aggressive strategy to create Prospect Lists at the post level.

Posts throughout the state have done a credible job in retention efforts but continue to face chal-lenges in recruiting new mem-bers to step into our ranks to re-place those who pass away each year.

The goal is for each local post to build and maintain a list of veterans in their community who are eligible to join The American Legion. While many Legion members may not be comfortable in the role of a “re-cruiter” most everyone knows other veterans within their circle of acquaintances. Members are encouraged to supply the names and contact information of eli-gible veterans to their post ad-

jutant who will build and main-tain a Prospect List. The Pros-pect List will

also be augment-ed by the names of

Holding Post 2930 and Expired members in

the local community. The Pros-pect List will be made available to those Legionnaires who ex-cel at recruiting new members. Members that simply supply 3 names to their post adjutant will receive a Prospector Pin. Posts that maintain a Prospect List will be entered in a drawing to win $500 at the 2018 Depart-ment convention. Posts must submit a copy of their prospect list by March 1, 2018 to be eligi-ble to win. To qualify, Prospects Lists must conform to a De-partment approved format that includes columns to indicate “how” and “when” individual prospective members have been contacted and refl ect the results the post has achieved (renewals/new members).

Commander Clewell also knows that there is strength in numbers and is focused on growth for 2018. Every postʼs fi rst goal should be last yearʼs total membership PLUS 1. Each post that achieves growth and becomes eligible for the Na-tional Post Excellence Award in 2018 will be recognized for their accomplishment in the of-fi cial newspaper of the Depart-ment of Wisconsin, the Badger Legionnaire.

If you have any questions contact Chris Schmidt at chris@wilegion.org or call (608) 745-1090.

2017-18 MEMBERSHIP INCENTIVES

Post No. 511 • RidgelandMichael Steffe

Post No. 374 • Lac Du Flambeau Commander John Johnson

Adjutant John Brown

Post No. 199 • ReedsvilleCommander Patrick McCulley

Chairman Dan Rabideau

CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!CHECK YOUR MAILBOX!Sweepstakes tickets should

have arrived in your mailbox! Excitement over the 2018

Midwinter Sweepstakes contin-ues to be big news. The Grand Prize is your choice of $20,000 cash OR a new vehicle.* Sec-ond Prize is a $10,000 allow-ance toward any vehicle in the Boucher Automotive Group inventory. Third Prize is $5,000 cash or a Hawaiian Vacation.*

nation and support the important work of The American Legion.

*All prizes subject to Fed-eral Tax withholding require-ments. See Offi cial Rules at; www.wilegion.org

Fourth Prize is $2,500 cash or a hunting rifl e.* Fifth Prize is $1,000 cash or a big screen TV.*

Get in on the excitement!The drawing is set to take place

at Noon on Sunday, January 20, 2017 at the Ho-Chunk Convention Center in Baraboo. Plan on attend-ing the Conference and be part of the excitement.

Please be generous in your do-