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BADGER LEGIONNAIREOFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE WISCONSIN AMERICAN LEGION FAMILY | WILEGION.ORG

The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin2930 American Legion Dr.

Portage, WI 53901

Non-Profi t OrgUS POSTAGE

PAIDPlatteville, WIPermit 2930

Legion Wisconsin is proud to announce a new partnership with Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters. Owner of Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters, Pete Berres, was look-

ing for a way to give back to other veterans. When he received his

Albert has been a member of Post 310 in Racine for 16 yrs. He joined because a friend at church asked him to join. When he thinks about The American Legion he thinks about great programs like Badger Boys State and other programs for our youth. He also thinks about camaraderie with the veterans.

2020 REIGNITE PATRIOTISMSWEEPSTAKES WINNERS

BERRES BROTHERS BREWING AGAIN

Coffee Program that spotlights our local military heroes,” said Mark Mrowiec, Vice President of Grocery Merchandising and Procurement for Roundy’s.

Plans are to launch Honor Grounds Coffee roasted by Berres Brothers from Watertown a few weeks prior to Memorial Day 2009 with the stories of local Wis-consin Hometown Heroes printed on the back of each package. The coffee comes in three unique blends—Five-Star Joe, Reveille Dark and D-Day Decaffeinated and will be sold in over 100 Roundy’s locations throughout Wisconsin. Through the Roundy’s Foundation proceeds from the sale of Honor Grounds Coffee will be forwarded to the American Legion’s Troop and Family Sup-port Fund.

“I couldn’t be happier that this program is moving forward,” said Berres. “Helping my fellow veterans, even from a distance, is as real for me as my mission here in Iraq.”

For more on the Honor Grounds Coffee program please visit www.honorgrounds.com.

April 13, 2009/Vol. 86, No. 4

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN IS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.

By Jim TheresWhen Pete Berres, owner of

Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters in Watertown, Wisconsin decided to help raise funds for the Troop and Family Support Fund of the Wisconsin American Legion, he thought he would be managing the project from his home office. What he didn’t know at the time was that the address of his home office would change so dramati-cally. Pete, a major in the Army Reserves, was activated in the summer of 2008 and sent to Iraq. He arrived at the Besmaya Range Complex near Baghdad excited about his mission—training the Iraqi army on the M1A1 Abrams tank—but still eager to help the Legion.

Shortly before Berres received the news of his activation, Dan Boudreau of the Honor Grounds Coffee Program approached Berres and presented an opportu-nity to raise monies for the Legion through their Patriot Fund. Berres Brothers would roast, package and ship the coffee, while Boudreau would find retailers in Wisconsin to sell it.

Watertown Coffee Roaster Supports Legion from Afar

“This is a mission from the heart,” said Boudreau, one of the founding members of the Honor Grounds Program and the Pa-triot Fund. “These citizen soldiers aren’t some folks from someplace else, but your average everyday citizens protecting the nation. One day they’re here and the next they’re gone. We wanted to help.”

Boudreau himself recently retired from the Maine National Guard after 20 years of service and is a Desert Storm veteran.

After a few months of shopping the idea around, Boudreau found a retailing partner in Roundy’s Supermarkets.

We’re honored and very pleased to be a part of the Honor Grounds

Coffee Program that spotlights our local military heroes,” said Mark Mrowiec, Vice President of Grocery Merchandising and Procurement for Roundy’s.

Plans are to launch Honor Grounds Coffee roasted by Berres Brothers from Watertown a few weeks prior to Memorial Day 2009 with the stories of local Wis-consin Hometown Heroes printed on the back of each package. The coffee comes in three unique blends—Five-Star Joe, Reveille Dark and D-Day Decaffeinated and will be sold in over 100 Roundy’s locations throughout Wisconsin. Through the Roundy’s Foundation proceeds from the sale of Honor Grounds Coffee will be forwarded to the American Legion’s Troop and Family Sup-port Fund.

“I couldn’t be happier that this program is moving forward,” said Berres. “Helping my fellow veterans, even from a distance, is as real for me as my mission here in Iraq.”

For more on the Honor Grounds Coffee program please visit www.honorgrounds.com.

April 13, 2009/Vol. 86, No. 4

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN IS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNITIES.

By Jim TheresWhen Pete Berres, owner of

Berres Brothers Coffee Roasters in Watertown, Wisconsin decided to help raise funds for the Troop and Family Support Fund of the Wisconsin American Legion, he thought he would be managing the project from his home office. What he didn’t know at the time was that the address of his home office would change so dramati-cally. Pete, a major in the Army Reserves, was activated in the summer of 2008 and sent to Iraq. He arrived at the Besmaya Range Complex near Baghdad excited about his mission—training the Iraqi army on the M1A1 Abrams tank—but still eager to help the Legion.

Shortly before Berres received the news of his activation, Dan Boudreau of the Honor Grounds Coffee Program approached Berres and presented an opportu-nity to raise monies for the Legion through their Patriot Fund. Berres Brothers would roast, package and ship the coffee, while Boudreau would find retailers in Wisconsin to sell it.

Watertown Coffee Roaster Supports Legion from Afar

“This is a mission from the heart,” said Boudreau, one of the founding members of the Honor Grounds Program and the Pa-triot Fund. “These citizen soldiers aren’t some folks from someplace else, but your average everyday citizens protecting the nation. One day they’re here and the next they’re gone. We wanted to help.”

Boudreau himself recently retired from the Maine National Guard after 20 years of service and is a Desert Storm veteran.

After a few months of shopping the idea around, Boudreau found a retailing partner in Roundy’s Supermarkets.

We’re honored and very pleased to be a part of the Honor Grounds

PRIZE AMOUNT NAME/CITYGrand Prize $10,000 Cash Albert Stefani, Mt. Pleasant, WI2nd Prize $5,000 Cash Ronald Butler, Springdale, AR3rd Prize $2,500 Cash Larry Avery, Trego, WI4th Prize $1,000 Cash Norbert Weinberger, Lomira, WI5th Prize $500 Cash Azalea Hughes, Antioch, IL6th Prize $500 Cash John Unz III, Cedarburg, WI7th Prize $250 Cash Donald Lewis, Osseo, WI8th Prize $250 Cash Stephen Kelley, River Falls, WI

Albert joined the National Guard in 1955, activated in 1961 due to the Cuban Missile Crisis. He trained in Panama to go to Cuba, but they did not end up going into Cuba.

After his service, Albert was a meat cutter with Jewel & A&P. In his spare time, he enjoys playing the stock market.

GRAND PRIZE $10,000 – ALBERT STEFANI

1st prize – Albert Stefani – 16 yrs2nd prize – Ronald Butler – 49 yrs3rd prize – Larry Avery – 50 yrs4th prize – Norbert Weinberger – 53 yrs5th prize – James Hughes – 67 yrs6th prize – John Unz III – 38 yrs7th prize – Donald Lewis – 16 yrs8th prize – Stephen Kelley – 13 yrs

SWEEPSTAKES WINNERS HAVE OVER 302 CUMULATIVECONTINUOUS YEARS IN THE AMERICAN LEGION

Sweepstakes winners were drawn by Department of Wisconsin Adjutant Nathan Gear, Department Vice Commander Greg Eirich, and Department Vice Commander Ray Pasbrig

Assistant Adjutant Paul Fisk, Grand Prize Winner Albert Stefani and his step-daughter Deb Riegelman

monthly Badger Legionnaire he decided that, as a Legionnaire, this nonprofi t would be a perfect fi t. In 2009, while Berres was serving in Iraq, a story was shared in the Bad-ger Legionnaire showcasing his work to benefi t Legion Wisconsin’s Troop and Family Support Fund. As new comrades we will be work-

ing together to produce an exclusive bag of coffee, with a percentage of the profi ts going directly back to Legion Wisconsin to support the many department programs. Vet Java is currently in the production phase and will be available online and at Legion Wisconsin Head-quarters in the coming weeks.

ing for a way to ing for a way to give back to other give back to other veterans. When veterans. When he received his he received his

THE MISSION OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN IS TO PROVIDE SERVICE TO VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR COMMUNI

REPRINT FROM APRIL 13, 2009

Thank you, L eg ion na i res and Legion Family, for your w e l c o m i n g int roduct ions during my initial

transition. I do enjoy a fast operation tempo and that is exactly what I re-ceived hitting the ground running. This fi rst month in position turned out to be a remarkable experience getting to know the Headquarters Team and Leadership throughout the organization. I am witnessing fi rst hand, The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin has many “people of passion” that want to make a difference to better those they serve. This stewardship of the Legion is a direct refl ection by what you do today and tomorrow to con-tinue successful Legion programs and community involvement.

Membership, Membership, and

Membership. Special recognition to the “Top three Districts” in the De-partment; 1st Place- 8th District, 2nd Place- 2nd District, 3rd Place- 3rd District. This was a close battle to the very end, great job everyone pushing hard. This takes a strong team effort. Every member is responsible to help reach these membership goals. With over 350,000 veterans in WI, we must work together to educate our veterans on what Legion Wisconsin represents at all levels. I am looking forward to the 2021 Membership Drive Season. One Team One Fight!

I would like to share some of the positive highlights from this past month’s meetings and project im-provements;

• Veterans, would you like some coffee? Coming soon, Legionnaires, we will be serving our own Legion Wisconsin brew.

• I had the honor to be a guest speaker at the 8th District meeting.

Thank you, Commander Jean and Posts, for your welcoming com-ments and participation feedback.

• Our team traveled to Milwau-kee to meet with our Department Service Offi cer James and amazing Veteran Service Representatives. I am excited to announce we are part-nering with military organizations to help extend the Service Offi ce outreach capabilities to educate new audiences.

• The Department is upgrading our virtual technology capabilities throughout the locations to keep up with business changes caused by COVID-19.

• Our team traveled to Camp American Legion in the North-woods. The Camp team is working diligently to make improvements and upgrades during this season clo-sure. This will greatly improve the overall experience for veterans and their families for next season.

• Meeting with committees, boards, directors, and commissions. It’s great to see representatives be-ing proactive during this time to prepare for next year.

• Growing Social Media platform engagements, including sweepstakes winners and Commander Wischer’s Engage 22 Virtual Walk coverage.

All of us were affected by COVID-19 in one shape or form and realize it is not going away anytime soon. This causes changes to normal routines and could cause serious im-plications to others. It is important we are doing our buddy checks and following local health guidelines to do our part in minimizing the spread. This is a great time to learn how to become virtual like many or-ganizations similar to us.

I look forward to improving the overall operations and supporting our programs at every level during this next year.

“Badger Legionnaire”& “Wisconsin”

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

American Legion Family and are published six times annually, by The American Legion,

Department of Wisconsin.

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: badger@wilegion.orgExecutive EditorJen Swenson

2019-20 Department Offi cersDepartment Commander

David WischerDepartment Vice Commanders

Greg Eirich Jerry Lauby Ray Pasbrig Paul Beseler

Department AdjutantNathan Gear

Department ChaplainTodd Fanta

Assistant Chaplain John Gessner

Sergeant-At-ArmsKendel FeilenJeremy Nordie

Service Offi cer - James FialkowskiNECman - Robert Shappell

Alternate NECman - Dale OatmanJudge Advocate - Nicholas Lange

Department Historian - Jeff AntczakDistrict Commanders

1st – Karl Stuvengen 2nd – Julie Muhle 3rd – Keith Lovell 4th – Tim Baranzyk 5th – Craig Ellis 6th – Robert Borszich 7th – David Hale 8th – Jean Balz 9th – Jeffery Zwiers 10th – Harry Bauer 11th – John Polzin (1st Vice) 12th – Robert Stone

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 53901Bonnie Dorniak, Editor

Joanie Dickerson, Department PresidentBonnie Dorniak, Exec. Secretary/TreasurerTo change your address: Notify Unit Secretary

Unit Secretary: Notify DepartmentHeadquarters on a Member Data Form

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

PAGE 2 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Nathan GearDeptartment Adjutant

David WischerDepartment Commander

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER

DEPARTMENT ADJUTANT

Greetings everyone,Here we are,

halfway through July, and we con-tinue to adjust our lives daily due to the Coronavirus. I hope everyone

is healthy, using face masks, along with using social distancing. As I type this letter, Monday July 13th, I should be preparing for our annual Department Convention in Apple-ton. As we all know that is not hap-pening, but “we” will continue to move forward with our programs.

The communities in which we live have become accustomed to The American Legion leading the way in providing assistance to our fellow veterans, and guiding the youth of our nation. How we go about our du-ties may change, but we, The Amer-ican Legion, are up to the challenge. We will succeed and be stronger than ever. Hard work, and working together is what has brought us to this point, and it is also what will help us to get us through these trou-bling times.

The past month and a half should

have been exciting times for me, with Memorial Day, Boys State, WALLECA, and the Fourth of July, but restrictions and cancelations brought those and many other events to an end. Unfortunately, those that suffered the most due to cancelations are the ones we serve or were to be the participants in our programs. In some cases, this past spring and summer was the only time that they would have had an opportunity. Life goes on and we need to look ahead, and focus on the future. We will learn from these new challenges and be stronger than ever.

Recently, I had an opportunity to travel to a site that I knew nothing about, but I was honored to be in attendance. A fellow veteran, Chris, lost his battle with the virus and a stone marker was placed in his hon-or. The location of the site is a few miles north of Sturgeon Bay, known as the Wisconsin Motorcycle Me-morial.

I encourage everyone, especially Legion Riders, to visit this area in Door County if you have an oppor-tunity. By the time you receive this letter, the Virtual Engage 22 event

will have taken place.I want to thank everyone who reg-

istered for this event, and a bigger THANK YOU, to all that partici-pated by walking, running, hiking, or biking. Wearing the T-Shirt from the event can help bring a better awareness to veteran suicide by starting a conversation, and con-fronting the demons in some of this country’s veterans. Being home-bound during this pandemic raises the risk of many individuals. It is not too late to purchase a T-Shirt, as An-gie tells me that we have some left available for sale. Again, thank you for supporting this program.

Lastly but very importantly, I want to speak about “our” upcoming pre-miere event, Celebration of Free-dom – 2020. Remember this is your event. This event benefi ts everyone, not only those in Portage, or Colum-bia County. The non-veteran com-munity has the opportunity to learn more about The American Legion. We, as Legionnaires, have an oppor-tunity to teach others about what we do and who we are!

The funds that are raised at this event help to support The Wiscon-

sin American Legion Foundation, which then supports programs within our department. Noth-ing goes to National. It stays right here at home, and is a great way to fi ght off dues increases to fund our programs. So enter into one of the many activities that are scheduled for the weekend, or volunteer to help. Attend and enjoy, you owe it to yourself, and bring the family along with your friends. Thank you to the Headquarters Team that has been working on this event ever since the event ended last year.

We will move forward, together.

LEGISLATIVE CHAIRT h e 2 0 2 0

election is upon us. As an orga-nization, there a r e s e v e r -a l things we cannot do with

respect to the political process. Not only are these prohibited by

the National Constitution they are also prohibited by Federal Statute.

As an organization, we cannot endorse or support any candidates for offi ce. This means no dona-tions and no letters of support ap-pearing in advertisements. This does not prohibit individuals from

these activities as long as they are not identifi ed as members of The American Legion. We can attend events but not wearing Legion clothing or covers.

Our posts can host political events; however, all Legion items must not be visible to those attend-ing or be removed. All candidates

Paul FiskLegislative Chair

must be afforded the same oppor-tunity to use the facilities under identical terms and conditions.

We are permitted to assist voters get to the polls. We can also host events for voter registration.

By far the most important thing of us to do in any election is get out and vote.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • PAGE 3

Happy New (Fiscal) Year to You and Yours!

I am extremely proud to serve W i s c o n s i n veterans, their

families, and communities as the Finance Director for The American Legion Department of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Ameri-can Legion Foundation, Museum and Learning Center, and Badger Boys State. With twenty-fi ve years of fi nancial management experience in corporate, county, nonprofi t, and sole proprietorship companies, the Legion is a sec-ond-home for me. Each issue of the Badger Legionnaire, I will provide essential fi nancial infor-mation to provoke your contin-uous fi nancial planning, execu-tion, and improvements.

Your Personal Finance Management: First Things, First

W. Edwards Deming, unoffi cial-ly known as the Father of Mod-ern Quality Control, professed that continuous quality improve-ment centers around four stag-es: Plan, Do, Check, Act/Adjust. This absolutely applies to your personal fi nance management. Grandpa G was right, it is not about how much money you earn, it is about how much you spend! To free up some of your income for long-term investment, re-tirement, or to meet your short-term goals, such as buying a new bass

boat—create a monthly budget. Here’s how:

Plan—You must know your asset balances (cash, checking, savings, money markets, CDs, stocks, bonds, other investments), debt balances (credit cards, monthly mortgage, auto, personal and student loans, rent, insurance, and utilities), and emergency pre-paredness to create a useful, per-sonal budget. A well-thought out, personal budget should be true to your lifestyle and a easy tool to keep your fi nances on track. If you must have McDonald’s coffee every Monday—budget for it, do not hide the coffee. A budget that incorporates real-istic fi nancial goals and values your personal preferences will be maintained—keep it S.M.A.R.T.

Specifi c, Measurable, Attainable, Realis-

tic, and Timely.D o — S t i c k to the budget as close as practical. Be true to the lifestyle and make some

mental notes where you over

or underspent. Save your under-

FINANCE DIRECTOR

Lee RoundyFinance Director

spend income for urgencies and unexpected emergencies...do not worry—they will be back.

Check—Learn where the land-mines or money pits are through-out the month. Each month will have differences in expenses, do not be caught off-guard and stop living within the overall budget.

Act/Adjust—As much as need-ed, tweak budgeted income and expenses based on your lessons learned and seasonal differences. Your personal budget is an evolv-ing guide, not cemented boots. Keep fi ghting the good fi ght and make a Plan about what to do with your newfound savings.

SUMMER 2020: Slash Spending, Intensify Investing

Summertime spending gener-ally surges because of seasonal attractions, daytrips, sports, and vacations. A common misper-ception about spending through-out the COVID-19 pandemic has been that households have more disposable income available be-cause some lending institutions have deferred loan payments, utility companies have reduced usage rates or deferred pay-ments, and many summer activ-ities have or will be cancelled.

“Just wanted you to know that you are a huge reason I’m alive today and made it to where I’m at.”

Those are the words of a Wis-consin veteran to the Veterans Outreach and Recovery Program (VORP) coordinator who saved his life. With the help of the VORP program, this veteran has completed treatment for depres-sion and PTSD, and found per-manent housing with the assis-tance of HUD-VASH. But ear-lier in his journey, on one par-

ticularly diffi cult day, he made an emergency call to his VORP coordinator saying he had taken pills along with a liter of vodka. Then, he realized he didn’t want to die. Thankfully, he survived. But each day, too many veterans die by suicide.

This is just one of the stories I’ve heard through our Wiscon-sin VORP program; there are many more. While VORP works with veterans in need of help in many areas, including mental health, homelessness or loss of a job, they often support veterans of all eras who are considering suicide. VORP coordinators col-laborate with our community

partners to help veterans obtain services, and then they stand by our veterans as they heal and re-cover.

The hallmark of VORP is its reliance on direct contact with veterans in need, focusing fi rst on developing a trusting re-lationship. Each coordinator works in a specifi c region and meets veterans wherever they need help – including shelters, motels, and uninhabitable areas such as streets, rail yards, cars they call home, or remote forests and river bank areas throughout Wisconsin.

The past several months have been a particularly trou-

bling time in our country. I urge you to continue checking in on your friends and neigh-bors, and watch for warn-ing signs such as feelings of hopelessness or being trapped, persistent trouble sleeping or eating, feeling anxious or ag-itated, feeling rage or anger, engaging in risky behavior, and withdrawing from family and friends, among other signs. If you know of a veteran in need, make sure they get help, either through VORP (1-800-WIS-VETS), by calling the Veterans Crisis Line (1-800-273-8255), through joining a local sup-port group, or connecting with

Mary M. KolarWDVA Secretary

WDVA SECRETARY

other programs. If you’re in need, don’t be afraid to let your friends know, and reach out for support.

I commend Wisconsin Legion-naires for the work you are do-ing to address veteran suicide. The tragedy of veteran suicide is why I made participating in the Legion’s Engage 22 Aware-ness Virtual Walk/Run/Ruck/Bike event a priority. We must continue to acknowledge veter-an suicide and work together to eliminate it. We owe it to our veterans, who bravely served our country and who suffer the last-ing effects of war, to show our support in their time of need.

The truth is that disposable household income has decreased in Wisconsin due to limited employment, increased unem-ployment, and utility usage rates have been restored and may have actually increased. Also, spend-ing has surged over that of Q1 2020 but has shifted from brick and mortar stores to greater on-line sales and services; Amazon and Netfl ix being two of the greatest suppliers.

No matter the personal budget, everyone should take advantage of cutting summertime spend-ing to intensify their investment portfolios! Here are fourteen surefi re tips:

• Temporarily suspend mini-mally-used utilities such as sat-ellite or cable TV, landlines and extra cell phones

• Reduce utility usage by grill-ing out or going for a picnic, re-view family & friends cell phone plans, walk the mall to keep cool, use a programmable thermostat and decrease your A/C during the day while you are away, take cool showers to reduce A/C use, reverse your ceiling fan to rotate counterclockwise so there is a light breeze.

• Go to a matinee instead of an evening movie to keep cool and save a few bucks

• “Make hay while the sun is shining.” Take advantage of the longer daylight hours by earning extra money from a summer job.

• Be more romantic and burn candles for ambient light after the sun goes down.

• Check-out low or no-cost memberships to community ac-tivities and events, such as the YMCA, park, zoo, museum, pub-lic library, or other nonprofi ts.

• Grow a garden to cut down costs on fresh produce or head to the farmer’s market to purchase low-cost, fresh produce, fl owers, etc.

• Budget your vacation down to the last detail, four to six months prior, and use cash to live within that budget. If you must use a credit card, do not use your debit card, and pay the credit card off on time.

• Walk or ride your bike whenever possible, use the car in inclement weather.

• Coordinate a group garage sale, split whatever fees to host the sale at a large parking lot, building, and have the kids make big signs to be posted around the neighborhood a few days prior.

• Create a staycation, man cave, or she shed to maximize vacation dollars with year-round experiences and benefi ts.

• Take advantage of off-season vacation pricing, last two weeks of August, and then the week after Labor Day weekend through April in Wisconsin is better pricing.

• Maximize your Health Savings Accounts by verifying that your HSA provider will allow your kids’ summer camp fees to be reimbursed, similar to daycare coverage reimbursement.

• Coordinate care swap with family, friends, and neighbors. Each family takes a week to watch ‘the group.’

Pay yourself fi rst! Use your disposable income to invest for your short-term and long-term goals, retirement, safety net, rainy day fund, or donate to a worthy cause.

PAGE 4 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

The Survivor Benefi t Plan (SBP) was cre-ated to provide fi nancial sup-port to military

spouses and/or children when a military member dies while on active duty or after retirement. Dependency and Indemnity Com-pensation (DIC) is a monetary benefi t offered by the Veteran Affairs (VA) for a surviving de-pendent of a veteran whose death was connected to their military service.

In the past and currently, Spouse

SBP annuitants, in most circum-stances, cannot receive full SBP and DIC at the same time. When Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) is informed by the VA that a spouse annuitant is receiving DIC, the law requires that DFAS deduct the amount of DIC received from the amount of SBP payable and pay the re-maining amount of the SBP to the annuitant. This is called the SBP/DIC offset.

For example, if an annuitant re-ceives a monthly SBP annuity of $1500 from DFAS and becomes eligible to receive a monthly DIC

award of $1400 from the VA, DFAS will deduct the $1400 DIC from the $1500 SBP and pay the remaining $100 to the annuitant

The American Legion has lob-bied for years to correct the unfair taxation of SBP caused by DIC. A law was fi nally passed in De-cember 2019 to allow concurrent receipt of SBP and DIC. This law calls for a three-phase reduction of the DIC offset starting in 2021. A change in SBP payments due to the offset reduction may take time for some annuitants. (From DFAS 2020), “It is possible that if your Survivor Benefi t Plan (SBP)

payments are currently less than two-thirds of the amount of De-pendency Indemnity Compensa-tion (DIC), you may not see an increase in 2021. For example, if you currently receive $1,500 from VA for DIC, but your gross SBP before offset is only $800, you would not see an increase in 2021 other than the normal annual cost of living adjustment (COLA). This is because your SBP amount, $800, is still less than the amount of DIC that would be subject to offset, which in this example would be $1,000 (i.e., $1,000 is two-thirds of the $1,500 DIC).

Eventually, though, you will see an increase as the SBP-DIC off-set is further reduced in 2022 and then completely eliminated in 2023.”

Further, there will be no retro-active benefi ts and those annu-ities that were directed to a child rather than a surviving spouse will automatically revert to the surviving spouse, if he or she is still eligible, on January 1, 2023.

For further information call our offi ce (414) 902-5722 or here is the link to the DFAS SBP-DIC Offset Phased Elimination News:bit.ly/SBP_DIC

DEPARTMENT SERVICE OFFICER

James FialkowskiDepartment Veteran

Service Offi cer

� e Survivor Bene� t Plan and Dependency Indemnity Compensation O� set

Looking back over the 2019-20 year for the SAL, I am amazed at all the great things our squad-rons have done in

spite of not being able to do much since March. Consolidated Squad-ron Reports illustrated that our members were actively engaged in supporting the mission of our organization. Our members have never hesitated to give of their time and resources to help our veterans, active duty military and their fam-ilies. Thank you to every squadron for the hard work that went in to all

Your Wiscon-sin American Legion Foun-dation 501c(3) was created with you in

mind; to provide fi nancial sup-port to the many American Le-gion, Department of Wisconsin programs and to act as a pass-th-ru for funds designated to Wis-consin’s 500 American Legion Posts. The Foundation is the best partner to accomplish your 2020 giving and planned gifting goals and there are many ways in which we can use the Foundation to make a difference in the lives of veterans, their families, and communities!

your projects this past year. The list of award winners will be available soon and I look forward to present-ing some of those awards as I travel this fall.

This past year, we had many new members join the SAL all over our state. I want to welcome all our new members and also welcome the fi ve new squadrons that joined our ranks this year: #324 Osseo, #270 Theresa, #33 Neenah, and most recently #98 Cumberland and #454 Mount Calvary. We look forward to working with all of you as “Proud Possessors of a Priceless Heritage” to accomplish our mis-sion as stated in the Preamble to our

• $20M Endowment – Camp American Legion and the Veteran Service Offi ce

The Foundation established an endowment fund with a target of $20 million dollars. Once we reach our goal, the income this endowment fund will gen-erate will be used to annually support Camp American Legion and the Veteran Service Offi ce programs.

• AmazonSmileOne easy way is to use Amazon

Smile while shopping on Ama-zon and designate Wisconsin American Legion Foundation Inc. as the charity of choice.

SAL DETACHMENT COMMANDER

AMERICAN LEGION FOUNDATION

Bob Sirovina, Jr.SAL Detachment

Commander

• Qualifi ed Retirement Plan Designation

Naming the Foundation as a benefi ciary of your 401(k) , or oth-er retirement assets, may reduce income and/or federal estate taxes.

• IRA Charitable RolloverIf you are at least 70 ½ years old,

you can donate to the Foundation from your IRA without incurring income tax or an early withdrawal penalty.

• Life InsuranceWhen you designate the Founda-

tion as the owner and benefi ciary of your life insurance policy, you may receive the charitable deduc-tion on your income taxes simply

Constitution. Our Operation A.L.F. project is

ready whenever it is needed. Al-though attending group deploy-ments has not been possible recent-ly, we have been able to give A.L.F. to individuals that were deploying. Last month we gave some to a mom for her four children, as she was heading to an overseas deployment. Please continue to support this great program!

My Special Commander’s Project for 2020-21 will remain the same, assisting homeless veterans. We will continue our efforts to help these true heroes who gave so much for us. More information will be

by assigning ownership of the pol-icy to the Foundation.

• Retained Life EstateThrough a Retained Life Estate

Agreement, you can transfer an asset or property to the Foundation and continue to use it and receive any income it generates while you and your designated survivor live. After your survivor has completed the life use, the Foundation will receive your estate gift.

There are many ways in which each of us can maximize our last-ing legacy through the Founda-tion. By naming the Foundation in our will, making a giving plan, or making a donation or a sim-ple gift, we are remembering and honoring the sacrifi ces of millions of veterans, their families and communities. A gift of your time, talent, and treasure enables the Department to maintain and grow

shared in my newsletters and on www.wisal.org throughout the year.

So, we are beginning a new year and with it will certainly come some challenges. As we get back to hav-ing meetings and fundraisers, they may look a little different than what we are used to, but we will adapt our thinking and move forward to over-come whatever challenges that may occur. We need to remember that our mission is to help our veterans whenever we can. If we keep that in mind we can and will continue meet and even exceed our goals. We will work together as The Legion Family…for God and Country!

the programming that continues to have the greatest impacts to our large Veteran Family. For more information, call the Foundation for your copy the Wisconsin Le-gion Guide to Planned Giving. Be sure to give a quick call your tax or legal advisors as part of your planning process.

Paul FiskFoundation Board

Director

Shop AmazonSmile and choose Wisconsin American Legion Foundation Inc or Badger Boys State Inc as your charity and Amazon will send 0.5% of your purchases to us. Sim-ply go to smile.amazon.com and select your charity. Prices are the same. Just be sure to log into AmazonSmile each time you shop!

Shop on Amazon?

or

FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK

WISCONSIN AMERICAN LEGION

� e Wisconsin American Legion Foundation: Your Philanthropic Partner

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • PAGE 5

To learn more about the mission of Camp American Legion or to get involved with answering the call, visit wilegion.org or �ind us on Facebook.

A Gift of Time… In a conversa-tion with an old friend, he and I were catching up and he asked what we have been doing since Camp was closed. I explained we were work-ing on projects that we normally can not do while Camp is open. I told him we were actually getting a lot of those small, but much needed repairs done. I said we were using this as a “gift of time” to be produc-tive, to spruce the place up, to make it even better for next year.

We have been busy, painting, fi xing, cleaning and organizing. We are planning future projects and making great progress on the American Legion Family Cabin. If you have not noticed, I keep saying “we.” That is because Lilly and I have been fortunate to have some of our long-time volunteers here helping out. In early summer, Brian Kvitek was here for a week orga-nizing our maintenance shop. It is so nice to have a clean workshop. Dennis Knepper has been here for a few weeks throughout the summer helping with keeping the grounds

clean, the grass cut and anything else that needs to be done. Rich Howells is here pressure washing the walkways, equipment and land-scape furniture helping preserve the beauty for years to come. Bill May even drove all the way here to prepare for projects that the Bel-gium Boys, aka the McOffi ce crew will be working on in August. We cannot forget our local volunteers, Gary Lindholm, Mick Toben, Dan Larson and Jeff Horvath. Every week they come in on their sched-uled work days and focus on special projects. Then there is Jerry Satori-us… He is our rock! Jerry has been here working all summer since the end of May. He gets up every morn-ing with a “what can I do” attitude. He has been our right-hand man. His willingness to do any task big or small, dirty or even sometimes dangerous (Wasp control) has been uplifting to us all. At the end of his time with us this summer we will greatly miss his smiling face and pleasant conversations.

In my several years of working

with the USO of Wisconsin and these past three and half years working with the American Le-gion Family, I have always been humbled and amazed by the spirt of the Volunteer. I have said these words before and it they always hold true! “Surround yourself with good people, and they will lift you up.” We made the commitment that this time, this gift of time, would not be wasted. We miss our camp-ers! We miss all the activi-ties, the stories, the healing and the comradery and we know our campers miss this too. We hear your respons-es on our Facebook page, in phone calls and letters. It is our hope that the work we do today will help provide a greater experience for all our Wisconsin Veterans and their families when we are able to re-open in 2021.

Be safe, be strong and al-ways remember to reach out to your Veteran brothers

and sisters. Let them know you are thinking about them. Remind them our greatest days are yet to come!

Don Grundy Camp Operations and Facilities Manager Camp American Legion

Volunteers preparing for the 2021 season.

CAMP AMERICAN LEGION RECOGNIZING A GIFT OF TIME...

OUR MISSIONHelping To Heal - those

who served, continue to serve, and their families, through

Wisconsin’s Northwoods Experience

OUR VISIONGiving Wisconsin

Veterans the pathwayto quality of life

OUR VALUESHonor and Stewardship

“Surround yourself with good people and they will

lift you up!”

Only two moments in histo-ry have The American Legion Badger Boys State program not convened in their annual tradition. The fi rst time that this program was canceled, our nation needed its young men to perform their duty during WWII. The second time, our nation needed its young men to do their duty to fi ght a global pandemic.

This year, the Badger Boys State program was ready to welcome 850 students to en-gage with a program that tru-ly changes these young mens’ lives before our cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We were ready to have these young men join the 6 0 , 0 0 0 + alumni of its 80-year h i s t o r y . B a d g e r Boys State is woven into the his-tory of our state, pro-ducing ac-tive citizens

and role models that serve the communities we call our own.

For 80 years, The American Legion and its posts around Wisconsin have supported this program through the sponsor-ship and selection of partici-pants annually. Without the con-tributions yearly of each post to support and send the best young representative of their commu-nity to our program, our pro-gram would not be the success it is today. It has been our resolve as American Legion members to support this program, and we have always answered the call.

For many of you, this time of year is where much of your an-nual fundraising is earned. Like

our program this year, our fund-raisers and social obligations of The American Legion have diminished, if not vanished. So much of this year has been unlike any other year, we know that funding our program for the 2021 session will be diffi cult.

However, it is still our duty to fund this program of The Amer-ican Legion.

Our staff and volunteers are second to none in the national Boys State programs. They are eager and excited to make the 2021 session a memorable one and are already hard at work. We

BADGER BOYS STATE 2020 need to support them and pro-vide the opportunity to the next generation of our state.

We hope you will continue your contribution to The Amer-ican Legion Badger Boys State program for the 2021 session. We are confi dent that the 500 posts throughout the Department

of Wisconsin will recognize the importance of their sup-port for this vital American-ism program.

Thank you,Robert Batty Past Department CommanderChairman, Badger Boys State

PAGE 6 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

The Veterans Memorial Park was the brain child of Vietnam Veteran Joe Kelbly. In 2007, Joe, along with others and the Vil-lage of Rothschild, began work on the project with the rededi-cation of the Blue Star Highway memorial. Shortly after came the WI Medal of Honor plaque, the Salute to Service and Sol-diers cross. Expansion contin-ued until 2015 with the comple-tion of the Gold Star Rotunda. Joe’s health began to falter and work slowed.

In 2015, Commander Paul Gwidt and the Gold Star Com-mittee, along with other post members decided that we could not allow the park to sit idle. Our goal was to procure the fund-ing of $72,000 for the Andrew Chernak statue. It depicts the moment a mother receives the Western Union telegram, with a long stare and tears in her eyes.

The funding came from many

raffl es, cookouts, donors, grants and community support. The work of fi ve years with a lot of hours sitting selling raf-fl e tickets, writing grants and cooking has come to a head with $65,000 raised to order the statue. More is needed to complete the park and prepare a community event, but the statue is ordered. It is only the 4th of its type in the nation.

Rothschild American Legion Post 492 plans to unveil the stat-ue on Gold Star Mothers Sunday which is on September 27, 2020 (always the last Sunday in Sep-tember). We invite all VSOs to join us. The Covid-19 restrictions have put a delay in time frame for delivery of July 15th but the sculp-tor will continue and we hope to have it in time for the dedication. Please contact Commander Paul Gwidt at paulgwidt@yahoo.com for more information or like us on Facebook.

Gold Star Mothers Tribute and Statue Unveiling

Sept. 27, 2020 1:00 PMVeterans Memorial Park

211 Grand Ave. Rothschild, WIWritten by Paul Gwidt, Commander American Legion Post 492

In the last edition we incorrectly printed Legion Wisconsin’s website on page 1 under the Engage 22 Virtual Run/Walk.

� e website should have been wilegion.com. We would like to apologize for the mistake and any inconvenience this caused.

GOLD STAR MOTHERS TRIBUTE

District Commander New 2021 PUFL2021

Online Ren 2021

Trad Ren 2021 Paid 2021

HQTrans2021

Total Mbr 2021

Goal2021 %Goal

HQTrans2020

(As of)

TotalMbr 2020

(As of)

01 KARL E STUVENGEN 2 642 309 1,176 2,129 1 2,130 5,864 36.32 1 1,011

02 JULIE MUHLE 13 810 372 1,237 2,432 0 2,432 6,472 37.58 0 1,493

03 KEITH R LOVELL 3 703 274 1,007 1,987 0 1,987 5,601 35.48 1 946

04 TIMOTHY W BARANZYK 3 315 158 457 933 1 934 2,710 34.46 0 568

05 CRAIG ELLIS 0 86 30 15 131 0 131 754 17.37 0 126

06 ROBERT J BORSZICH 5 384 161 579 1,129 0 1,129 3,426 32.95 1 687

07 DAVID F HALE 4 637 227 871 1,739 1 1,740 5,690 30.58 0 1,032

08 JEAN A BALZ 5 463 148 931 1,547 0 1,547 4,219 36.67 0 729

09 JEFFREY J ZWIERS 0 666 281 1,173 2,120 1 2,121 5,838 36.33 2 1,011

10 HARRY P BAUER 6 728 208 1,198 2,140 0 2,140 5,466 39.15 1 1,303

11 JOHN W POLZIN 1 324 103 362 790 0 790 2,665 29.64 0 480

12 ROBERT P STONE 3 238 98 425 764 0 764 2,467 30.97 0 388

99 0 116 62 267 445 0 445 0 0.00 0 527

Total: 45 6,112 2,431 9,698 18,286 4 18,290 51,172 35.74 6 10,301

12:23:23 PMPage 1 of 1

The American Legion Department of Wisconsin2021 District Membership Report as of Jul 30, 2020THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF WISCONSIN • 2021 DISTRICT MEMBERSHIP REPORT AS OF JULY 30, 2020

(1ST VICE)

MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER

THE WISCONSIN AMERICAN LEGION FOUNDATION, INC.

DONATION FORM

Donor Information

Donation Description

Donation Opportunities

2390 American Legion Drive • PO Box 827 • Portage, WI 53901Offi ce (608) 745-1090 • Email: fi nance@wilegion.org • Website: wilegionfoundation.org

Name ______________________________________________________________________________

Address _____________________________________________________________________________

City ________________________________________ State_____________ Zip Code______________

Business Name _______________________________________________________________________

Email Address ________________________________________________________________________

Cell Phone _______________________________ Home Phone_________________________________

Check One: Cash/Credit Product/Item Volunteer/Service OtherAmount $ _______________________________________ Date_________________________________

Credit/Debit Card # ____________________________________________________________________

Exp. Date_______________ Security Code_________

Notes/Item Description _________________________________________________________________

First MI Last

The American Legion Foundation is a 501c (3) non-profi t corporation as defi ned under the IRS Code. Our EIN is 26-1582528. No goods or services were received in consideration for your contribution, your gift is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

General Donation $__________American Legion Baseball $__________Badger Boys State $__________Camp American Legion $__________Celebration of Freedom $__________Homeless Veterans $__________Hospitals, Clinics, Veterans Homes $__________(Please Specify) ____________________________

Oratorical $__________Shooting Sports $__________Sons of The American Legion $__________Troop & Family Support $__________Veterans Service Offi ce $__________Wisconsin American Legion LawEnforcement Academy (WALLECA) $__________Other: (Specify)_______________ $__________

13 810 372 1,237 2,432 0 2,432

3 703 274 1,007 1,987 0 1,987

3 315 158 457 933 1 934

0 86 30 15 131 0 131

5 384 161 579 1,129 0 1,129

4 637 227 871 1,739 1 1,740

5 463 148 931 1,547 0 1,547

0 666 281 1,173 2,120 1 2,121

6 728 208 1,198 2,140 0 2,140

1 324 103 362 790 0 790

3 238 98 425 764 0 764

0 116 62 267 445 0 445

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • PAGE 7

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FALL MEETING DATESJanuary 1, 2021 Registration for Wisconsin American Legion Baseball opensFebruary 1, 2021 Deadline for Junior Shooting Sports target ordersFebruary 13, 2021 Oratorical Regional & Final contests Ripon CollegeMarch 1, 2021 Deadline for Junior Shooting Sports targets – End of Postal matchJune 12 – 19, 2021 Badger Boys State – Ripon CollegeJuly 16 – 20, 2021 Wisconsin American Legion Baseball State Tournaments- Juniors July 23 – 27, 2021 Wisconsin American Legion Baseball State Tournaments- SeniorsJuly 19 – 23, 2021 Wisconsin American Legion Law Enforcement Career Academy (WALLECA)

Wisconsin State Patrol Academy – Ft. McCoy

District 1 October 4, 2020District 2 October 31, 2020District 3 September 19, 2020District 4 October 21, 2020District 5 October 22, 2020District 6 October 25, 2020District 7 September 19, 2020District 8 October 24, 2020District 9 Date PendingDistrict 10 Date PendingDistrict 11 October 3, 2020District 12 September 26, 2020

JON WOJCIECHOWSKIJon provides investment options for The American Legion,

Department of Wisconsin since 2004 and is also the investment representative on the Legion’s 401(k) plan for its employees. He has been active in the investment services industry since 1996 and additionally has also had a very diverse work background; served many years on the City of Milwaukee Police Department, a licensed Realtor, a real estate investor, and an owner of multiple businesses.

“It has been my honor and pleasure to work so closely with the Legion and its members for nearly two decades and I look for-ward to sharing my experience, specifi c insights, information and assistance in future issues of the Badger Legionnaire.”

Accurate and timely distribution of information is vital for American Legion Posts, County Councils, and Districts. The Department is the trust-ed source for effective and effi cient guidance on Legion programs, services, and multitude of topics. The Department is changing the delivery method of the Post Mailings, effective immediately. Each American Legion Post, County Council, and District will have immediate access 24/7/365 to the most current information (Post Mailing) via the Legion Wisconsin website at https://wilegion.org/post-mailing/. As fi nancial stewards of donated funds, Post Mailing hardcopies will no longer be mailed.”

POST MAILINGS UPDATE:24/7 IMMEDIATE ACCESS AT

HTTPS://WILEGION.ORG/POST-MAILING/

PAGE 8 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

CONTEST RULES1. Entry deadline is September l, 2020. Winners will

be noti�ed a�er judging. Contest winners will be o�cially announced via the Department website and social media.

2. Children who have not turned 18 before September 1, 2020 are eligible.

3. �e child must produce the artwork without assis-tance from anyone else. �e entry must be original and not a copy of another work.

4. Artwork can be a drawing, painting, collage or other two-dimensional piece. Artwork must be horizontal in layout (also known as landscape), without a matte, frame or border created on paper no smaller than 8” by 11” and no larger than 18” x 24”.

5. Artwork will be judged on its positive representation of military veterans and their impact on children.

SUBMISSION RULES1. Included with the artwork, but not stapled to the

artwork, should be the student �rst and last name, category for submission (A through E), birth year, parent name, home address, parent or child email address, and parent phone number.

2. �e contest may copy and modify any entry for reproduction. Artwork will not be returned and may be used for future contest promotions.

3. All entries must be postmarked to the address listed below no later than August 29, 2020.

Patriotism & Purpose Contest �e American Legion, Department of Wisconsin

2930 American Legion Dr Portage WI 53901

CONTEST RECOGNITIONOne GRAND PRIZE and two HONORABLE MEN-TION winners are awarded in each of the �ve categories:Category A: Artists entering Kindergarten or 1st grade in September 2020 Category B: Artists entering 2nd or 3rd in September 2020Category C: Artists entering 4th or 5th grade in Septem-ber 2020 Category D: Artists entering 6th through 8th grade in September 2020 Category E: Artists entering 9th through 12th grade in September 2020Honorable Mention winners will receive a certi�cate of recognition. Each winner’s artwork will also be featured in a press release, highlighted on multiple social media sites, and featured on the Department website.

Exterior Cleaning Solutions of Wisconsin Dells, in conjunction with Portage American Legion Post 47, cleaned several grave-stones of veterans in Silver Lake Cemetery in Portage, WI at no charge. One of the gravestones was for Frank Haskell a Civil War Veteran. Haskell was at the battle of Gettysburg and wrote a di-ary of his experiences which was later published. Bruce Catton the great historian hailed the book as “one of the genuine classics of Civil War Literature”. In the Civil War documentary by Ken Burns in episode S titled “The Universal Battle” comes from Has-kell’s account of a Confederate barrage. He was killed on June 3, 1864 at the Battle of Cold Harbor. His body was brought to Portage by his family. Many of the other gravestones cleaned by Exterior Cleaning Solutions were First World War veterans and were so badly covered by mold that they were unreadable. Ameri-can Legion Post 47 and the families of the veterans appreciate the service given by Exterior Cleaning Solutions of Wisconsin Dells.

HEADSTONES CLEANED BY VOLUNTEERS

Before A�er

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • PAGE 9

Legion Family Leadership takes a moment to speak to participants before the 2.2 mile walk. Engage 22 Virtual Awareness Walk/Run reaches across the Nation.

Troy and Tammi Garris walked around New Berlin’s city center to help raise awareness

for veteran suicide prevention.

2nd District Commander thanks and encourages Engage 22 participants in

a video message before her walk.Secretary Kolar takes a moment at the All Gave Some, Some Gave All monument

at Blue Star Park in Portage, Wisconsin.

The American Legion Service Office Team and four-legged assistant Charlie.

The Wisconsin National Guard HHB1-121FA from Oak Creek showing their support.

Camp American Legion Team takes in the scenery and wild life sightings while

participating in Lake Tomahawk.

SAL Member Jason Johnson completing his 22 mile run in Marshfield, Wisconsin. He was later met by Wisconsin Legion

Foundation President, PDC Reigel.

PAGE 10 • BADGER LEGIONNAIRE • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

BugleThe Last

KEY

Gary Pabelick V 7/11/2065 NekoosaTerry Blaske V 6/15/20Paul Morehouse V 6/19/2068 Prairie du ChienEdward Mabb K 3/10/2072 Sturgeon BayLloyd Alexander II 6/16/20David Hirn V 5/7/2073 NeillsvilleRichard McKearn V 6/17/20Terry Wulff V 6/7/2080 New RichmondJohn Helling II 5/15/2085 MuscodaThomas Iverson II 5/2/2089 MinocquaGordon Borchardt II 5/8/20James Fleming K 5/16/20Richard Kurszewski V 7/9/2091 OconomowocKenneth Groenke II 6/4/20Benjamin Pace K 5/22/20Shirley Sellers K 7/11/2093 TomahawkBrian Gossen K 7/4/20Larry Herrmann V 5/21/2095 DelavanRaymond Woods II 7/10/2098 CumberlandGene Gunderson K 6/20/20Charles Johnson K 7/12/20Bernard Masyga II 7/4/20Francis Peichel K 5/10/20106 SeymourJohn Knorr V 7/5/20114 Eagle RiverJames Van Hauerbeke V 4/20/20117 ShawanoRobert Anderson II 5/17/20John Weldon II 6/9/20118 ThorpThomas Kopp V 5/15/20121 River FallsThomas Johnson V 5/20/20Thomas Smith V 5/15/20James Tyler V 6/28/20Gary Urman G/L 6/1/20124 New HolsteinKenneth Klotz II 5/24/20134 BoscobelJohn Bunts V 6/27/20144 AlbanyRobert Gressman II 6/21/20145 Random LakeJerrold Buschke K 5/25/20Eugene Schoeffel II 5/3/20146 Beaver DamJoseph Wapneski II 6/12/20149 Sheboygan FallsBernhardt Thede II 5/17/20151 MadisonGlenn Hoffman V 6/1/20152 MenashaPeter Clark II 5/9/20154 MondoviHarris Serum K 6/8/20159 CadottOrville Brenner II 6/20/20John Lacina V 6/19/20160 Brooklyn-OregonDavid Xander K 5/5/20161 KingFredrick Lueders K 6/30/20Donald Westley K 5/22/20Robert Whitman II 6/16/20171 Union GroveKim Dary V 7/11/20173 WhitewaterNorman Meeker K 10/31/18William Miles II/K 6/24/20Wayne Saxe K 7/8/20176 WeyauwegaDonald Braun K 6/20/20185 GrantsburgDavid Tatro V 5/26/20192 FranklinWilliam Howland K 5/4/20198 MarionRaymond Arndt II 7/10/20Ralph Schreiber II 6/21/20204 EllsworthWillard Greene II 10/30/18210 WaupunKenneth Johannes II 5/25/20Wallace Peterson II 5/14/20220 Soldiers GroveMarvin Faust V 7/4/20

224 AlmaJohn Martin V 6/4/20Robert Rotering V 1/31/20John Stiehl V 5/26/20Patrick Weiss V 6/18/20233 WaterlooThomas Beyer V 5/25/20238 GreenwoodLloyd Horn K 5/15/20239 TigertonKenneth Faehling V 5/15/20242 La ValleAlfred Schefske V 5/30/20243 PlymouthWillard Schram II 6/2/20244 WestfieldVernon Petersdorff K 5/26/20245 Cross PlainsNorman Esser V 6/28/20John Fury V 4/18/20246 GenoaRobert Monti K 6/28/20James Pedretti K 7/1/20258 Little ChuteJoseph Hanegraaf K 7/4/20Herbert Hermsen II 4/28/20262 LuxemburgJohn Van Drisse K 5/16/20268 BruceHoward Moon K 5/30/20274 Rib LakeJerome Kleutsch V 1/10/20Frank Lugo K 7/9/20Daniel McCluskey K 5/8/20Thomas Wendt V 2/11/20284 HolmenGreg Hang V 5/18/20Gregory Haug V 5/26/20Henry Kroll V 6/3/20293 Silver LakeVerle Swenson II/K 6/27/20305 Johnson CreekJames Laurin V 6/11/20310 RacineJohn Kremer V 5/5/20Shahan Manashian K 4/12/20James Wasick V 4/19/20317 WautomaCharles Burmeister K 6/17/20318 Lake TomahawkWilliam Welsh K 6/26/20324 OsseoGeorge Karch V 4/13/20332 Black CreekGene Sipple V 7/12/20333 Sun PrairieRonald Brantmeyer V 6/1/20336 OnalaskaKarl Meyer II 5/30/20337 PulaskiJulius Bruskiewicz K 5/15/20Ronald Krajewski V 5/26/20John Lukasik II 7/9/20338 Cedar GroveWayne Ebbers K 6/3/20340 BerlinNorbert Ottman K 6/22/20John Wahlers II 6/22/20343 HancockRichard Butzen V 5/9/20Theodore Lewko P 12/2/19Donald Rapacz K 4/18/20347 LomiraWilfred Lehner II 5/13/20348 De ForestChris Nelson K 6/3/20350 ReedsburgWilliam Stockmann K 6/17/20351 MontelloDaniel Klawitter V 5/28/20George Wakup V 6/4/20Richard Ziebell V 5/17/20354 EttrickGary Bishop V 6/17/20

360 WaunakeeJames Gruentzel K 7/12/20363 DenmarkWayne Halbrook K 6/1/20Thomas Wall V 5/27/20364 WinneconneRichard Amundson K 6/18/20366 PrincetonEdwarad Collins II 5/8/20Kenneth Doman K 6/3/20Robert Michaelson K 6/11/20384 KewaskumRonald Hanson K 6/6/20James Korth V 4/27/20393 EdgarJerome Wirkus II 6/12/20399 OkaucheeHenry Hughes II 3/17/20John Maas II 5/25/19412 BelgiumRobert Arendt II 5/3/20Marvin Huiras II 5/7/20Dennis Perkins V 6/6/20Weldon Reed II 5/14/20416 GreendaleWilliam Brockel K 3/29/20Claire Goodfellow V 6/16/20Phillip Hanevold K 5/7/20Edward Krawiecki II 6/9/20Paul Rasmussen K 6/17/20423 NeshkoroDelbert Reetz K 5/16/20431 Three LakesMichael Meylor K 6/13/20439 MelroseGlenn Larson K 5/26/20Clair Murray V 6/13/20440 Clinton Kenneth Odling V 6/14/20442 Wisconsin RapidsClarence McDannel V 3/31/20449 BrookfieldRobert Beining K 12/6/19Robert Kotnarowski II 4/20/20Michael Peterson V 3/30/20454 Mt CalvaryLarry Pollack V 7/9/20455 MilwaukeeEmmitt Williams II 5/20/20457 Mequon-ThiensvilleEarl Klein K 5/28/20Jesse Schoen V 5/21/20469 MarathonJohn Westfall V 6/20/20479 MilwaukeeJames Marr V 5/1/20

482 BagleyLloyd Wood II 5/27/20485 RudolphRichard Budzinski V 7/2/20487 CableGeorge Wolski V/P/PG 5/24/20488 New BerlinJohn Wehrley K 5/17/20492 RothschildRoman Przybylski V 5/4/20496 SherwoodRichard Zahringer V 5/25/20499 GordonGerald Witte V 6/10/20501 MadisonRichard Bressett V 6/12/20Marvin Felton K 4/30/20Herman Frerker K 6/27/20James Keenan V 5/12/20James Teal V 1/18/19Roger Walls V 10/17/19507 MindoroBruce Olson K 3/13/20Marshall Thompson V 7/6/20512 ShioctonRoger Van Straten II 5/6/20516 MasonBernhardt Hogstrom II 6/11/20Thomas Stout K 5/8/19518 Green BayHendrik Akerboom K 5/30/20519 StetsonvilleMark Metz V 5/18/20520 VesperPeter Arendt K 5/15/20521 Fox LakeArthur Hartwig II 7/12/20Robert Klokner K 6/14/20523 AbramsAllen Kopczynski K 6/10/20524 White LakeJames Mackiewicz V 6/23/20531 Port WingChristian Rutsis V 6/8/20537 MilwaukeeDennis Drinkwine V 6/14/20John Pugel V 6/30/20539 Green BayViolet Haelterman II 5/29/20540 HaugenJohn Gardner V 5/28/202930 Portage Daniel Losby K 6/6/20

6 Stevens PointRaymond Firkus V 5/14/20Daniel Polum II 4/22/20Norman Zakrzewski V 5/5/208 WaukeshaGregory Stangel V 7/14/209 Wisconsin RapidsJohn Barrette II 5/16/2010 WausauJohn Blaskowski K 5/3/20William Erkkila K 4/21/20David Freeman II 6/17/20Russell Lakey II 5/23/20Richard Rhyner V 5/25/20Leslie Schneider V 5/1/20Norman Skare II 7/4/20Elroy Strassman K 4/25/2011 Green BayNeil Anderson K 6/4/19Robert Detrie K 7/2/20Dean Jensen K 6/26/20Harold Neville K 7/8/20John VanBoxel V 6/23/2019 HartfordJames Algiers II 5/28/20Albert Soschinske K 6/14/2021 KenoshaRonald Goergen K 3/3/2033 NeenahJohn Gray PG 6/22/20Joseph Maehl II 6/23/20Thomas Sievert V 6/16/2036 West BendRobert Auxier V 3/12/20Thomas Landvatter K 5/18/20Michael Wagner V 12/31/1939 MarinetteMichael McGowan V 5/9/20Rederick Schuh K 1/21/1941 KaukaunaDale Siebers V 6/8/2042 PlattevilleCharles Horne K 4/23/20Wayne Kettler V 6/15/20Jack Tiedemann II 6/28/2043 RiponMarlow Parks K 6/1/20Walter Rueger II 5/5/2044 WabenoMichael Forrest V 6/3/20Donald Jackson K 5/27/20John Nogalski K 5/20/20William Ploetz V 4/28/2048 BeloitRobert Darling K 6/8/20Kenneth Mikkelson K 7/9/20Gerald Palmer V 6/17/2052 La CrosseDonald Finn II 5/17/20Leander Pohlman V 5/3/20Dale Rudy II 2/23/20George Schrabeck II 4/16/2053 Eau ClaireDennis Knudtson V 6/7/20Hubert McNamara K 5/20/2054 MarshfieldEdward Deegan II 11/9/19Dale Mitchell K 1/9/2059 StoughtonJames Conant K 5/22/20Terrance Kinning K 5/9/20Jim Roh V 6/3/20Timothy Sankbeil G/L 6/11/20Gerald Trieloff II 5/20/2063 ClintonvillePaul Flanagan K 6/8/20John Moder K 6/20/20 ©2018 Worldwide Rescue & Security 43328

We were rushed tothe hospital where hewas diagnosed with abroken bones and twospinal obstructions.”Fortunately, we had purchased the Legionnaire Emergency Assistance Plus® (EA+®) plan for our travels!

We were in London, and after 2 hospitals and 39 days in a rehab facility, Michael was released to travel and EA+ coordinated our

return. They provided a nurse escort to monitor Michael on the trip home, an ambulance to the airport, then to the rehabilitation facility so Michael could continue his recovery.

Thank you, EA+! You gave me the freedom to focus on Michael and the relief of not having to make all the arrangements myself.

– Julie & MichaelNorth Carolina

“My husband stepped out for some fresh air, then I heard a loud thud . . .

the hospital where hethe hospital where hewas diagnosed with awas diagnosed with a return. They provided a nurse escort

to monitor Michael on the trip

From Your American

Legion Department

Don’t travel another mile without learning more about how EA+ can help you. Call 1-888-293-4008 today!

43328 LT20663 Color Testimonial Qtr Pg Ad.indd 1 3/30/17 2:21 PM

V- Vietnam; K- KoreaI- World War I; II- World War IIG/L- Grenada/ LebanonP- Panama; PG- Persian Gulf