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Message from the Commander
A busy last couple of weeks around the Department. February 19 saw the completion of the Oratorical Competition with James Kasub, 3rd Division, winning a very close competition. We wish James well during his trip to Indianapolis.
Prior to today’s competition I had the opportunity to attend the 1st Division Oratorical in Wichita Falls and the 2nd Division Oratorical in Beaumont. Thanks to Bobby Baker and Milton Chatham for the wonderful hospitality.
Also spent an evening at Pflugerville Post 154. A very active and growing Post led by Commander Brian Allen and a very supportive membership. And finally visited with Frisco Post 178 and Commander Fred Rogers. Fred asked me to present the Lemley Award to 178’s outstanding Adjutant Delbert Parsons, and it was a pleasure to do so. Another active and growing Post.
Recent statistics show the Department of Texas met the 85% target date. This is good. Unfortunately, the target we met included 4,867 members of HQ Post 345. We can not count on 345 members growth to continue at its current rate. We must do our part by continuing to recruit new members and renew 2017 members. As of February 15, we have recruited 2,517 new members. As always, the focus must remain, in priority order. Renew, Recruit, Transfer.
Let’s stay the course.
For God and Country,John HinceDepartment Commander 2017-2018
CONTENTS
Message from the Commander 1
Chaplain’s Corner 2
Hints from Hince 4 Message from TEXALPA 5 What’s that I’m Hearing?PLAY BALL! 5
Royse City Joins Food NetworkTo Honor Veterans 6
Post 379: Making It Up As You Go 7
What’s in a Name? 7
Do you have an article or announcement for The Legion Times?
If so, please send all submissions to
[email protected] by the 20th of every month
and it will appear in the following issue
Chaplain’s Corner
March is the month in which Texas celebrates its Independence from Mexico. Try as I may, I was unable to find the first prayer offered before the newly formed Texas Congressional House. I wanted to reproduced it in full in honor of the occasion. However, I did come across the invocation prayer offered before the House on May 13, 2013 by Pastor Wade Hodges, Senior Minister of the Preston Road Church of Christ in University Park Dallas, Texas that I thought appropriate for the occasion. Here it is: “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name. When we consider the works of your fingers, the beauty of your creation, and the complexity of your world, we are in awe that you would entrust us with its stewardship.
May we exercise the authority you have delegated to us in a way that rightly reflects your image in us. You are a God of wisdom, so we ask that you would make us wise today in all we say and do and decide.
You are a God of truth, so we ask that you reveal your truth to us today through your world and your word so that we may speak to each other your truth in love. You are a God of justice, so we ask that you use us as your instruments to set what is wrong in our world aright.
You are a God of compassion, so we ask that you train our eyes on the poor and shape our hearts to serve everyone in our neighborhood. You are a God of grace, so we ask you to continue to bless us with more than we deserve and empower us to treat others as you have treated us.
You are a God of creativity, so we ask you to inspire us to find new and improved solutions to age-old problems. You are a God of peace, so we ask for your peace, your shalom, to dwell in us this day.
May your kingdom come and may your will be done, in this time, in this place, in this state, and on this earth, just as it is in heaven. For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.”
I haven’t given up searching for a copy of the first Invocation offered before the Texas Congressional House. As the saying goes, the difficult we do right now, the impossible takes a little while. All are welcome to join with me in my search. The March message is simply this: within the Department of Texas of The American, without God, we can do nothing. Happy Texas Inde-pendence Day y’all! Harvey H. KleeDepartment Chaplain 2017-2018www.texaschaplains.org
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The Legion Times
VoLume 99, issue 8 march 2018Executive Director
William West
EditorG. Adams
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The Legion TimesPO Box 140527
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Editorial deadline is the 20th of every month for inclusion in the following
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Subscription is included in the annual American Legion, Department of Texas dues. Contact the American Legion, Department of
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The Legion Timesis the official publication of the
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Do you have an article or news announcement to share with the rest of the Department of Texas? If so, please follow these simple guide-lines for submissions.
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We hope you enjoy this issue, and hope you continue to help us grow The Legion Times!
John Hince, Department CommanderPhil Westerman, Department Vice CommanderC.W. Sparks, National Executive CommitteemanKenneth Mueller, Alternate National Executive CommitteemanWilliam West, Department AdjutantHarvey Klee, Department ChaplainDavid Paris, Department Treasurer Dan Corbin, Department Judge AdvocateSusan Marty, Department HistorianKimberly Biggerstaff, Department Sergeant-at-ArmsMark Thomson, Assistant Sergeant-at-ArmsWalter Ivie, Immediate Past Department Commander Michael Simon, Director of Internal AffairsEdward Reyes, Department Service OfficerMichael Lacy, Department Service Officer Ron Peterson, Department Service OfficerAllen Sharp, Department Service Officer
DIVISION COMMANDERS
Bobby Baker, 1st Division CommanderMilton Chatham, 2nd Division CommanderHarlan Lucas, 3rd Division CommanderRichard Britton, 4th Division Commander
DISTRICT COMMANDERS
Andy Lowen, 1st District CommanderMark McClelland, 2nd District CommanderPatrick Taylor, 3rd District CommanderGene Toohey, 4th District CommanderRonald Jones Jr., 5th District CommanderGary Towers, 6th District CommanderEd Jarvis, 7th District CommanderRichard Voorhies, 8th District CommanderCharles Miller, 9th District CommanderTed Weeks, 10th District Commander William Mahon, 11th District Commander William Deal, 12th District Commander Christopher Holt, 13th District Commander Tom Harland, 14th District Commander James Ryan, 15th District CommanderThomas Bowe, 16th District CommanderMichael Bob Starr, 17th District Commander Donald Sherman, 18th District Commander Roy Mack Helbert, 19th District Commander Garnel Alford, 20th District Commander Woodrow Chambless, 21st District Commander Jimmy Mitchell, 22nd District Commander Charles Lindwedel, 23rd District Commander
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ARTICLE SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
2017-2018 DEPARTMENT OFFICERS
4
By the time you read this, we will have less than 20 weeks left in this Legion year. This is important on many levels and in many areas but this writer wants all Commanders to take that fact and think about it…how have you spent the last 32 weeks making a difference for our Posts and Legionnaires? Just saying… something to think about!
Revitalization is alive and well in Texas! Once again, Commander Al Alford and his great San Antonio Legion family has National in awe with the recent revitalization efforts. The enthusiasm of the team comes across in every article or ad you see with smiling faces and Texas caps.
Commander Chris Holt took on the revitalization challenge in Archer City and as of last count had 6 in the new member banks and one more as soon as he recovered from the flu! (Congrats Chris… am shocked you accepted the “I am sick” line for I have worked with you lots but also know you a true caring man!)
HINTS FROM HINCE: You do not have to wait for National to come and do a revitalization. Look at your own District and get a team together…it is fun and can make a difference. If you do not want to wait for District, do it on your Post level. Some of the “funnest” times at Post 159 were a group of us competing on the phones or at the local Sam’s for memberships!
“The media is the message” was drilled into my head getting a journalism degree and it is still true! You (or someone from your Post) should be thinking of the media applications you are sending in for the Public Relations awards. The District Commanders got some great training aids at the DEC that hopefully they shared. If not, hopefully they are going out on the hub.
TEXALPA will also have a piece in this issue on their awards. You can nominate the same media…two different sets of awards.
HINTS FROM HINCE: If you did not get the media outlines thru the command channels, call or email me. I will get them to you. The PR subcommittee did a great job putting an easy outline together for us.
Corsicana Post 22 has a membership around 139 but their involvement in this town continue to grow. Commander Darleen Clark and Adjutant Roger Layton work closely with many assets of Corsicana so most citizens of that District 6th are well aware of the 4 Pillars.
Two recent examples were the retirement ceremony conducted by JROTC Detachment 952 at the Post itself. The young students did it by the books so it became an education ceremony in addition to a fitting end to one of our flags.
All Vets Rest and Relief is a new organization that works on finding outdoor activities for our veterans, especially our latest ones. Post 22 hosted the group and saw a painting presented to the Post as part of their program.
HINTS FROM HINCE: This is the kind of press coverage that qualifies for media awards. Keep up the good work!
Congrats to our Texas folks who are making the Legion family media left and right!
Al Alford from Texas is the STAR of the Dispatch time and time again! He just keeps talking the Legion programs and the media listens. Thank you Commander!
The latest ALA magazine has a great quote from Vicki Pollard answering how ALA members can empower each other to meet the mission. Thank you Vicki!
Still serving,Gerry Hince [email protected]
HINTS from HINCE
HOW MANY TIMES WILL WE BE 100?
The answer is easy...once. In 2019, OUR Legion will turn 100 and every Post should be involved. At the 2018 Convention, we will be burying a Time Capsule with reminders of our first 100 years. In 50 years, our Legacy (to include 2 Hince veterans, 5 Hince SAL and 2 Hince ALA) will bring it up and our kids and our grandkids will see what we did and what we are doing.
Please bring your contributions to your District conventions for they are due by 1 May. If you are not going to District. Send it to me and I will ensure it gets in.
THIS IS EXCITING!!! Get aboard the 100th anniversary train…NOW!
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Dear Legion Family,
Do you or someone you know work effortlessly to promote our GREAT organization through publications, websites or social media? Are you or them being recognized for their outstanding efforts? TEXALPA recognizes and supports those who do great things to promote the American Legion Family.
Membership in TEXALPA is crucial to our organization. Membership is open to those American Legion Family members in good standing and to other organizations allied with public relations, publications, and news services that are charged with communicating the American Legion’s message. Membership in TEXALPA is only $5 per year. I encourage our Post Families to join this organization so that we may continue to share their successes with our members and so that we may continue to be the voice of our Nation’s veterans, active duty military and our military families.
The 2018 TEXALPA Award submissions are due May 15, 2018. If you are a member and wish to submit and be recognized for your and/or your Post, Unit, Squadron or Chapter’s work, please see the TEXALPA Contest Rules on the TEXALPA page at txlegion.org under affilates.
Categories consist of Newsletter, Website, Facebook and Scrapbook. Winners will be announced at the July Department Convention in San Antonio. Don’t let hard work go unnoticed!
Thank you for your years of service to my American Legion Family. If you have any questions about TEXALPA or contest submissions, please feel free to contact me at (817) 371-9762 or [email protected]
For God & Country,Rachael M. WatsonTEXALPA President
Message from TEXALPA
That is the sound we are hearing as the baseball season is now in full swing. Teams are starting to prepare for this season.
The American Legion Department of Texas Baseball program has been around since 1926, when a team from Decatur won the state title.
We need every Post in the state to get involved within their community to sponsor a team. We can make baseball great again in the state of Texas by working with the various organi-zations, schools and coaches to find players and build teams.
Everyone knows that baseball is one of the American Legion programs that change lives “Just Ask”, the old pros and they will tell you, “Baseball is a game of character”. Does it achieve its purpose? Yes it does, better than any other program.
We will be available to help you. All you have to do is “Just Ask”. You may contact me or anyone of the members listed below and they will be glad to help you.
Remember that Legion programs change lives “Just Ask”
Our contact information: Don Toohey [email protected]
Baseball Committee Member Carl Smith 1st [email protected]
Baseball DirectorEspiridion [email protected]
WHAT IS THAT I AM HEARING?... PLAY BALL!
6
Royse City Members join Food Network to honor Veterans
February 25th the Military Heritage Museum of North Texas hosted an taping of a Food Network episode in which Bronwen Weber from Frosted Art bakery baked a cake in the shape of a tank to honor veterans. The Event also honored the late Col. “Red” Smith who had joined the Air Force in 1947. Red is one of the original founders of the National Association for Remotely Piloted Vehicles (NARPV) which became the Association for Unmanned Vehicles International (AUVSI), and he was the second National President of NARPV. He was a program management principal in the Vietnam era for remotely piloted vehicle programs, including Long Arm Decoy, Lightning Bug photo reconnaissance in Vietnam, Electronic Warfare in Combat Angel, Electronic Intelligence (ELINT) in Combat Dawn and Strike in Have Lemon Task 05. He served in RPV Systems at SAC Headquarters, the Big Safari Office, and the Drone/RPV System Project Office (SPO) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, and in Vietnam and Thailand.
With a total of 15 months in the Vietnam war, Colonel Smith holds many military awards, among them the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal twice, the USAF Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Campaign medal with five battle stars, and a USAF Outstanding Unit Award with Combat “V.” He is a recipient of the Operations Award at the 1989 National NARPV Convention in Washington, D.C. for his contribution to the unmanned community, and was similarly recognized by the Air Force Association. He retired from the USAF as Chief of the Operations Support Branch of the Drone/RPV System Project Office.
The cake itself was over 400 pounds and took over 1,600 eggs to make. The cake had a turret on top that shot out confetti and streamers. The cake was a red, white and blue velvet cake and it was delicious. The Royse City Post Commander Jason Castleberry and Vice Commander Mary Westbrook was in attendance to honor Col. Smith. Like Col. Smith; Jason Castleberry also worked in the UAV program. “Men like him gave guys like me the opportunity to work in the UAV field” said Jason Castleberry of Col. Smith.
The Food network episode will air in May.
107
Making It Up as You GoPost 379 Continues Its Support of the North Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Academy
Typically, The American Legion Youth Cadet Law Enforcement program is coordinated and conducted between an American Legion Department and its State Police or Highway Patrol. The program is available to male and female high school students who have completed their junior year and who are in good academic standing. Participants should also be of good moral character and possess a strong desire to learn more about the law enforcement profession. The program provides first-hand experiences and insight into the operations of law enforcement agencies and it also affords these highly motivated young people an opportunity to genuinely consider law enforcement as a potential career choice.
Texas currently does not sponsor a program at the Department level. However, since 2014 Post 379 has chosen to provide scholarships to the North Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Academy which is traditionally held in Colleyville. Post 379 also provides scholarships for local youth participating in the National Law Enforcement Exploring Leadership Academies which are conducted every other year. National academy locations and instructing agencies include Washington, D.C. or Camp Beaure-gard, Alexandria, Louisiana for U.S. Marshals Service hopefuls; Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri for U.S. Army Military Police hopefuls; Washington, D.C. for U.S. Customs and Border Protection hopefuls; Artesia, New Mexico for Federal Law Enforcement Training Center and U.S. Border Patrol hopefuls; and Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia for Drug Enforcement Administration hopefuls. Each of these National Academies were last conducted in 2017 and are scheduled to be conducted again in 2019.
Scholarships for the North Texas Law Enforcement Explorer Academy are $175 each. Over a two week period, Explorer Recruits are trained on the basics of law enforcement such as daily calisthenics and physical training, rappelling, team-building exercises, leadership skills, proper handcuffing and search methods, defensive tactics (pressure points, strikes, blocks, kicks, etc.), pepper spray, Taser training, baton training, red-man challenge, firearm safety, shooting training using law enforcement weapons (pistols, rifles, shotguns, etc.), SWAT weapons demonstrations, other less-lethal demonstrations, conducting high risk traffic stops involving mock training scenarios, intoxicated driver investigations, dog and canine (K-9) searches and demos, operating a radar, learning basic Texas law (criminal, family, traffic, etc.), and CPR. Scholarships to the National Law Enforcement Exploring Leadership Academies range from $175 to $295, and are traditionally six days in length.
Exploring is an interactive, worksite-based career education program which is an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America. Program participants are young men and women ages 14 through 20 who are organized into Explorer Posts which meet weekly and usually focus on a single career field. Therefore, support of a Law Enforcement Explorer Post constitutes support of both the Boys Scout of America and The American Legion Youth Cadet Law Enforcement program and should be annotated as such on the Consolidated Post Report.
Joseph CampbellPost 379 Historian
For each of us, our name is one of those things that we take for granted, remember who we were named after or pass it on to the next generation.
We, in the American Legion, are surrounded by names and for the rest of the monthly path, we will look at the men and the women our Posts were named after when it comes to World War I heroes.
Post 159 was organized in 1920 and as such is one of the oldest Posts in the state but it is also named after a native son of Bryan who gave his life in the war to end all wars. Cyrus Earl Graham was born and raised on a farm in Bryan and was called “Early” by his four older brothers. A product of Bryan Public Schools and Allen Academy, Graham went on to be in 3 different companies in the Corps of Cadets and graduated in with a degree in Horticulture. He was also a member of the renowned Ross Volunteers of the Corps.
Leaving a job with the Texas Department of Agriculture in 1917, he enlisted in the Reserves in the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps on 1 August and sailed for France the following November.
It was here that he received his aviation training and he loved it. His letters back to his brothers spoke of the injuries, the broken bones but also the count down to the next mission!
In October 1918, Graham wrote of a 40 minute air visit over the city of Paris. One month later, two days prior to the Armistice, Lieutenant Cyrus Earle Graham died in an aeroplane accident and was buried in Issoudun cemetery until after the war. He is buried now in the Bryan City Cemetery.
Cyrus Earl Graham is the only Texas Aggie graduate and Bryan native who lost his life in the war to end all wars and his namesake Post now hosts over 700 veterans.
NOTE: Thank you to Dr. John Blair, Chair of the Brazos County World War 1 Centennial Committee for information and a Marine!
Submitted by Gerry Hince
What’s in a Name?
1919 - 2019
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Garrison Cap Bag1919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
LAPEL PIN
CHALLENGE COIN
GARMENT BAG
SHIRTS
LAPEL PIN..................$ 4.00
COIN............................$ 8.00
Garment Bag...........$20.00
Garrison Cap Bag....$ 8.00
$36.00SM MED LARGE
2XLG............................$38.003XLG............................$40.004XLG............................$42.00
Enter Quantity in box TOTAL ITEMS CHECKED_______.
TOTAL AMOUNT ________________
Corner Stonewith or without pocket
Celebrating our 100th Anniversary of the American Legion of Texas
1919 - 2019
1919 - 2019
MENS
LADIES $36.00SM MED LARGE
2XLG............................$38.003XLG............................$40.004XLG............................$42.00
Embroidered Shirts
Mail to:
NAME___________________________________________
ADDRESS________________________________________ CITY_________________________ZIP CODE___________ Check or money order also acceptedMail to : American Legion PO Box 140527 Austin, TX. 78714
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100th Anniversary Order Form
The American Legion is fast approaching our 100th Anniversary and the Department of Texas has several commemorative items available
for purchase to mark this milestone!
Please see our order form on the previous page. Just fill out and mail to the Department Headquarters with your
check or money order and we will send the items to you.
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.
Simply go to smile.amazon.com, sign into your normal Amazon account and then type in “American Legion Charities Inc” in the search box when the prompt comes up. Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.
The AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price from your eligible AmazonSmile purchases.
The purchase price is the amount paid for the item minus any rebates and excluding shipping & handling, gift-wrapping fees, taxes or service charges. From time to time, Amazon may offer special, limited time promotions that increase the donation amount on one or more products or services, or provide for additional donations to charitable organizations.
Please Note: Only purchases at smile.amazon.com – not at www.amazon.com or the mobile app – support any charities.
1919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
Garrison Cap Bag1919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
1919 - 20191919 - 2019
LAPEL PIN
CHALLENGE COIN
GARMENT BAG
SHIRTS
LAPEL PIN..................$ 4.00
COIN............................$ 8.00
Garment Bag...........$20.00
Garrison Cap Bag....$ 8.00
$36.00SM MED LARGE
2XLG............................$38.003XLG............................$40.004XLG............................$42.00
Enter Quantity in box TOTAL ITEMS CHECKED_______.
TOTAL AMOUNT ________________
Corner Stonewith or without pocket
Celebrating our 100th Anniversary of the American Legion of Texas
1919 - 2019
1919 - 2019
MENS
LADIES $36.00SM MED LARGE
2XLG............................$38.003XLG............................$40.004XLG............................$42.00
Embroidered Shirts
Mail to:
NAME___________________________________________
ADDRESS________________________________________ CITY_________________________ZIP CODE___________ Check or money order also acceptedMail to : American Legion PO Box 140527 Austin, TX. 78714
XL
XL
Circle One
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