Badger

&“Wisconsin”&“Wisconsin” Official Publications of TheWisconsin American Legion Family

“For God & Country”

www.wilegion.org

September 25, 2014Vol. 91, No. 8aire

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

The 2015 Midwinter Conference will be held at the Ho-Chunk Ho-tel, Casino and Convention Cen-ter in the Wisconsin Dells January 15th – 18th. There’s something for everyone at this year’s Con-ference. The 2015 Midwinter will feature new training and exhibits along with special guests.

The Americanism Programs Resource Center will help you learn how to promote traditional American values in your com-munity through the programs of The American Legion. National American Legion staff will be on hand to answer questions and pro-vide details on how you and your post can become involved.

In addition the Midwinter Con-ference will also feature several exciting training sessions for Le-gionnaires at all levels of the or-ganization. Briefi ngs will include Care and Maintenance of the M1-

Your 2015 Midwinter Sweep-stakes tickets are in the mail! Watch for them to arrive soon. The Grand Prize is your choice of $20,000 cash OR a new vehicle*. Second Prize is a $10,000.00 allowance toward any vehicle in the Boucher Au-tomotive Group inventory*. Third Prize is $5,000.00 cash or a Hawaiian Vacation thru

Garand rifl e along with Funeral Honors training, membership recruiting and retention tips, ses-sions on the various Americanism programs and Veterans Benefi ts. This schedule is subject to change depending on demand.

GET ONE BOUNTY DRAWING EXPANDED

Legion members who sign up a new member, or renew any for-mer member who has not paid for 2 years (since 2012) can qualify to win a First prize of $1,000 or a Sec-ond prize of $500 at the Confer-ence. Simply sign up a new mem-ber, or renew any former member and enter your name. The drawing

at the Ho-Chunk Hotel, Casino & Convention Center, S3214 County Road BD, Baraboo, WI. Plan on attending the Midwinter Conference and be part of the excitement.

*All prizes subject to Federal Tax withholding requirements. See Offi cial Rules at; www.wilegion.org

will take place on Saturday, Janu-ary 17th at the Ho-Chunk Hotel, Casino 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.

Mark your calendars and save the dates of January 15 through 18, 2015. Bring your family and enjoy the indoor water parks, attractions and many activities offered in the Wisconsin Dells. Register and reserve your hotel room online at www.wilegion.org beginning October 10th and watch for more details in the next edition of the Badger Legionnaire.

2015 Membership Goal 59,600

September 17th Total: 38,830 65.00%

al 59

District 1268.43%

1st PLACE

District 365.00%

3rd PLACE

District 966.84%

2nd PLACE

District 664.28%

4th PLACE

District 263.18%

6th PLACE

District 1064.26%

5th PLACE

District 1161.46%

7th PLACE

District 861.36%

9th PLACE

District 161.38%

8th PLACE

District 760.08%

10th PLACE

District 555.61%

12th PLACE

District 458.44%

11th PLACE

Excitement Building for Midwinter 2015New Membership Incentives Announced!

Luxe Travel of Milwaukee*. Fourth Prize is $2,500.00 cash or a Hunting Rifl e and equip-ment from Gander Mountain*. Fifth Prize is $1,000.00 or a Big Screen TV.*Get in on the excitement!

The drawing is set to take place at 7PM on Saturday, Janu-ary 17, 2015 at the Midwinter Conference which will be held

NEW 2015 VEHICLE

55” BIG Screen TV!New Hunting Rifle!

HawaiianVacation!

$10,000 Vehicle Allowancefrom Boucher!

$20,000 CASH!OR

NEW 202202015$1110000,0000Vehicle Allowance

Check Your Mailbox!

Past Commanders Club of WisconsinAttention All Past Commanders

IMPORTANT NOTICEThe annual meeting and din-

ner of the Past Commanders Club will be held on Saturday, November 1st, 2014 at the Amherst I. Hansen St. Croix Falls Post No. 143, located at 807 Pine Street in St. Croix Falls. The meeting will take place at 3:00PM and the din-ner will follow at 5:00PM. Spouses and/or guests are also welcome. The meal will con-sist of chicken and roast beef, mashed potatoes with gravy, choice of two vegetables, salad with three dressings, rolls, des-sert, coffee and milk.

Please send your check for $16.00 per person payable to

the Past Commanders Club to Claire Goodfellow, 4th District Commander – 3916 N 30th St, Milwaukee, WI 53216 by October 25, 2014.

There are two hotels less than a mile from the post: The Dal-las House, $70.00 per night, (715) 483-3206 and Holiday Inn, $95.00 per night, (715) 483-5775. When making res-ervations, mention the PAST COMMANDERS CLUB to receive a special room rate.

Questions should be directed to Claire Goodfellow (414) 447-5161, Ray Pasbrig (262) 853-4929, or Jim Chapin (715) 483-9386.

PAGE 2 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

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

2014-2015 Communications CommitteeKendel D. Feilen, Chairman

Jeremy Nordie, Vice ChairmanEnsley Brown, DEC Liaison

Bernard OlsonPhil IngwellHarold Rihn

Tony TyczynskiCecil Groves, Historian

Loretta Shellman, Auxiliary LiaisonBonnie Dorniak, Auxiliary Liaison

2014-15 Department Offi cers

CommanderRobert Shappell

Vice Commanders Dale OatmanRich RulandJohn ThurkDave Brisk

AdjutantDavid A. Kurtz

Sergeant-at ArmsCharles Roessler

Dave Wischer

Service Offi cerJames Fialkowski

NECmanDavid L. Gough

Alternate NECmanSteve Krueger

District Commanders 1st – Tom Strey 2nd – Dan Seehafer 3rd – Mary Lloyd 4th – Claire Goodfellow 5th – Ensley Brown 6th – Jeff Puddy 7th – Mark Lesko 8th – Jerome Krofta 9th – Bob Lemke 10th – Ed Cooper 11th – Frank Kostka 12th – Jim Chapin

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, EditorTeresa Isensee, 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 COMMANDERHero. It’s a word

often used, but rarely defi ned. This excerpt from The 1st Cavalry Division in World War II by Major B.C Wright dis-cusses one small

incident during the Luzon campaign in the Philippines.

“When the 7th Cavalry ap-proached the hairpin turn in the vicinity of the Kapatalan Sawmill, progress was halted by an enemy stronghold of about 300 Japanese soldiers. After several days, when a patrol ran into an enemy holdout, one trooper was wounded and the others were forced to seek cover be-hind a rice paddy dike. Rather than take it lying down, three members of the patrol decided to take offen-sive action and save themselves and their comrades. A Sergeant and two Privates sprang from their cover and charged the enemy who were ad-vancing under the shelter of a river bank. With grenades and rifl e fi re, they killed fi ve Japanese and drove the rest away. Their wounded com-

The United States has been at war longer than any time in our history, and while thousands have been wounded in this long-running confl ict,

advances in battlefi eld medicine mean many of our troops survive catastrophic wounds. However, the nature of many of these wounds means that some will require long term care and support. Camp American Legion recognizes this fact and is reaching out to military caregivers who need support and healing. This summer Camp held our fi rst “Caregiver Respite Re-treat”. Consider that of the 1.1 mil-lion caregivers caring for Post 9/11 veterans, many are younger women with dependent age children. Many are raising children and holding jobs outside the home. They tend to

rade was saved and the three men won Silver Stars.”

The Sergeant answered the call to serve in World War II. He survived the war and returned home. Was he a hero? He certainly didn’t think so. He married, worked a full-time job as well as farming a 100-acre farm, and raised two children. His Silver Star, stored in the top drawer of his dresser, was never displayed -- nor were his cavalry saber or Japanese samurai sword, symbols of a time best forgotten.

His small son, curious about his father’s wartime experiences, would sneak into his parents’ bedroom to peek at the Silver Star so carefully stowed in the dresser drawer. He knew it was an important award, but didn’t really relate it to “being a hero.” Surely the heroes of the world were the soldiers he saw on television and in the movies, win-ning wars single-handedly and kill-ing scores of enemy soldiers.

The Sergeant’s daughter and son both left home to serve in the mili-tary, fi nally allowing their parents to do all the things they had always wanted to do – travel and spend the

put their own concerns behind those of the individual they are caring for. And along with typical caregiver responsibilities, military caregivers also act as case managers navigating multiple health systems and have to advocate for new treatments. All the while meeting the fi nancial and legal responsibilities of their patient and themselves.

Studies indicate that caregivers in general suffer from physical stain and over all worse health.

Military caregivers need our sup-port and help and there are literally hundreds of Wisconsin military caregivers out there, giving of them-selves every hour of every day. It is hard, physical and mentally drain-ing work and these special care givers need a helping hand and rest. With our initial Caregiver Respite Retreat, Camp has strategically ex-panded our healing mission and vi-sion. Here are two letters from care-givers who attended;

rest of their lives together enjoying the freedom he had fought for in the Pacifi c. The Sergeant’s plans, how-ever, changed when his bride of over 40 years was stricken with an all too rapid onslaught of Alzheimer’s disease. Determined to take care of his dear wife, he set up their home, the farm they had lived on since their wedding, as a place of solace and serenity for her. His days were spent doing those things he had rarely done before – cooking, clean-ing, laundry, and feeding and caring for his bride.

The son returned home for a visit and saw how his father had under-taken the responsibilities for caring for his mother. The vision of his father dedicating all his energy and time to the woman he loved taught the son a vital lesson. He now knew what a hero truly was.

Yes, it was at that moment that I truly knew what a hero my father was. He taught me that it is not med-als or deeds of bravery that make heroes. Rather, it’s what is inside someone that makes them a hero. It’s the unselfi sh and unhesitating decision to do the right thing, put-

“Dear Camp American Legion,I just wanted to thank you for in-

viting the Caregivers to the Camp American Legion Respite Retreat. I am a mother and Family Caregiver for my son, a Veteran. I had such a wonderful time. It was the “best part of my summer.” The camp was so beautiful and relaxing. I was able to meet such nice people, and have been able to stay in contact with the other caregivers I met. I felt like ev-eryone helped and understood one another. I was also able to take care of myself, enjoy the time, and focus on my needs. It was such an amaz-ing opportunity and I am so happy that I attended. Thanks again! “

“The Director of the VA Caregiver Support Program in Milwaukee had sent me an application to attend a Respite at Camp American Legion. I fi lled out the application and sent it to them. I was very surprised to hear that I was accepted. I called Kevin, the camp director and explained

ting the welfare of others ahead of themselves. That decision may be charging the enemy in battle to save your comrades, sacrifi cing some pleasures and personal time to raise good, responsible children, or self-lessly spending your days caring for your spouse and fi lling her fi nal days on earth with comfort and love.

On Christmas Eve 2007 my father, for the fi rst time ever, spoke in detail of his combat experiences in WWII. He spoke for several hours, as I sat in awe listening to his every word. One month later he suffered a sec-ond stroke and heart attack. I was never able to have another conversa-tion with him. To this day I wonder if he knew what was in store for him, and decided that it was fi nally time to release the demons and haunt-ing memories of a long ago war. He died in February 2009. Rather than speak at his funeral, this article (fi rst written in 2006 for my post news-letter) was read as his eulogy. It was the only way I could say goodbye to a real hero.

We all have heroes. Talk to them, love them, and cherish every minute you have together.

the drive was very long when you drive by yourself. I asked if they had someone that I could ride with. About a week went by and Kevin called and happily said that he had found a rider for me. I made ar-rangements with the rider, Margret. Margret met me in Fond du Lac. We moved all her belongings to my car. We got to Camp American Legion, everyone opened their hearts to us. Awesome welcome to the Camp. All the camp workers treated us like we were royalty, waiting on us hand and foot. The respite came at a great time, the break that I need. I can’t wait until next year. While I was up at Camp I made many friends that I still stay in contact with, priceless.”

These personal testimonials and the smiles on the camper’s faces answer any questions we may have had about holding a Caregiver Respite Retreat. This is just another way that we work to provide service to veterans, their families and our communities.

America has made a commit-ment to those in uniform in the Armed Forces that no one is left behind. POW-MIA Rec-ognition Day on

September 19 each year is a way to keep that in mind and honor the service and sacrifi ce of those U.S. servicemembers who were taken as prisoners of war or went miss-ing during combat operations.

More than 83,000 Americans are missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and the 1991 Gulf War, according to the Department

of Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Offi ce, which has a singular mission of fi nding and returning lost servicemembers.

An example of the commitment America makes to those in uniform is Army Sgt. Lee H. Manning who served in the 2nd Infantry Division during the Korean war and was lost Dec. 1, 1950, in North Korea. He was accounted for Aug. 26, 2014. Despite the span of more than six decades, Sgt. Manning will be paid the respect he deserves and buried with full military honors.

Other U.S. troops were not miss-ing, but captured by enemy forces and held as prisoners of war. My own father was held prisoner of war after having been shot down

as an air crew member over Nazi Germany during World War II.

Many other Wisconsinites, many our friends and neighbors, are for-mer POWs.

Darrel Krenz, a native of McFar-land, served as an infantryman in the Army in the Korean war and was captured at Taejon in 1950. Until 1953 he was a captive of the brutal North Korean regime. Krenz generously related his story to the Wisconsin Veterans Muse-um as an oral history in 2005. In his account of what happened to him as a prisoner of war, he details the horrors he endured as a captive and the extreme joy he felt when released after spending 37 months as a POW.

Another former POW, of the Vietnam war, is Col. Don Heiliger, who was shot down during his 44th combat mission in 1967 and spent nearly six years as prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Heiliger, who now lives in Stoughton, fl ew F105s over Vietnam.

Our veterans, especially those like Krenz and Heiliger, are de-serving of our respect and recog-nition of their extreme sacrifi ce. Days like POW-MIA Recognition Day are a perfect way to remem-ber their sacrifi ces and remember that many others have not yet come home. Although they may be gone, they are not forgotten, and as long as they are out there, we will work to fi nd them.

WDVA SECRETARYWDVA SECRETARY

John A. ScocosWDVA Secretary

Kevin MosheaCamp Director

CAMP DIRECTORCAMP DIRECTOR

Bob ShappellDepartment Commander

PAGE 3THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRESEPTEMBER 25, 2104

Post 9/11 Veterans Week Held at Camp American Legion

Riders Support 5th Annual Fall Ride to Camp

Post 9/11 Week at Camp is now in its

third year and has grown to com-pletely fi ll the facility. These veterans and their families show that our “help to heal” mission is young and fun. The highlight of this week was having the Nation-al Amputee Softball Team here. It was inspiring for all of us, and especially our Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, to interact with these special soldiers. The physical abilities and inspiring person-alities of these softball players was special to experience. They engage life with a passion and don’t let their physical disabili-ties hold them back or dampen their spirits. Being around them was uplifting. The team stayed at Camp and spent some quality personal time with our campers.

On Friday night, they played a big game in Lake Tomahawk and it was the “event” of the whole summer. Our campers were there in reserve seating to take it all in and it was a night to remember. It was a once-in-a-life-time Camp experience. The players indicat-ed that Camp American Legion and the little town of Lake Toma-hawk was the best place they had ever been to, despite having toured major cities all across the country!

Today we hear a lot about the psychological wounds and the mental trauma of war. We regu-larly hear about Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain/Blast Injuries (TBI) and Combat Operational Stress. An October 2013 Journalist’s Resource re-search study states that “As a re-sult of battle injuries in the Iraq War, 991 service members re-

Department Commander Bob Shappell visited Camp on Saturday, September 13th and met with members of the 128th Aerial Refueling Wing of the WI National Guard who are renovating one of the cabins as part of Innovative Readiness Training.

ceived wounds that required am-putations; 797 lost a major limb, such as a leg. In Afghanistan, 724 have had to undergo ampu-tation, with 696 losing a major limb”. We know today there are even more.

Having the National Amputee Softball Team at Camp helped us all focus on amputee veter-ans. An amputation is a very vis-ible physical wound. We all have limbs which we use in continu-ous motion, so for the most part we take them for granted. Think how our lives would be changed if we lost a limb. Post 9/11 Vet-erans Week at Camp was a cel-ebration of perseverance, deter-mination and courage! The Wis-consin American Legion Family can feel good about our role in supporting it.

Kevin Moshea,Camp Director

On September 13th approxi-mately 60 American Legion Rid-ers rode to Camp to deliver their donations for the 5th annual Fall Ride. Commander Bob Shappell was there to greet the wet and cold riders who braved the worst that the north woods can put out for motorcyclists.

Commander Shappell had an opportunity to greet some of the Legion Riders who took part in the annual Fall Ride to Camp.

Veterans of Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom pose with their families in front of the main lodge during Post 9/11 Veterans Week at Camp American Legion.

The Riders’ enthusiasm to sup-port Camp was not diminished by the weather and a record donation of $13,950.00 was collected.

Also participating this year were the Souls of Honor, another motorcycle group dedicated to helping veterans, who presented a check for $1,000.00.

Camp American Legion has teamed up with Therapy Dogs International and their quali-fi ed dogs and handlers who at-tend Camp two days a week. It is a fun program that Camp has now been involved in for two years. The primary objective of the therapy dog and handler is to provide comfort and compan-ionship by sharing the dog with patients. In our case our camp-ers and their families. Regular visits of therapy dogs provide stimulation for conversation and interaction. Therapy dogs can en-courage interest in physical and emotional therapy. It has been clinically proven that through petting, touching, and talking to animals, a patient’s overall health is improved. Their blood pressure is lowered, stress is relieved and

Th erapy Dogs Bring Comfort and Healing to CampCommander Visits Camp

depression is eased. This is done in a way that increases emotional well-being and promotes healing.

Therapy Dogs International is a volunteer group organized to provide qualifi ed handlers and

dogs for visits to institutions, facilities and in our case - Camp American Legion. The dogs come in all shapes and sizes, real dogs with real personalities and real love to share.

A tradition continues as golf-ers from the Wisconsin American Legion Family made their way up to the vibrant northern Wisconsin community of Cable. As a result another successful Legion Golf Scramble is in the history books. American Legion Post No. 487 hosted this year’s event held on beautiful Telemark Golf Course.

Golfers who had arrived on Fri-day were treated to a very good American Legion Fish Fry at Post No. 487. Attendees were welcomed by Commander Doug Hescher and Dewey, George, Barry and Gary of the Post golf committee

Golfers were joined on Saturday

by thousands of “Fat Tire Bicy-cle” off-road bicyclists and fans who came to the area for the annu-al bicycle race. Although the trees were not in full color the golfers, bikers, and fans made up for what nature lacked.

Many of the Legion’s legendary golfers such as Erv “Eagles” Van-Dyke, Chuck “Big Putter” Cooney, and Ralph “Long Ball” Schul-enberg participated in the event. Neillsville wrestled the winning trophy from the Cable Team but they promised to be back next year, and with an eraser. There was the usual talk about bringing in “ring-ers” and “big stickers” but overall

American Legion State Golf Scramble the competition was very close. The “after glow” on the 19th hole brought out some good old Legion camaraderie and stories of scram-bles past. If you missed it don’t make that mistake again, because we missed you. Book the 2015 event at Crystal Springs in Sey-mour early.

Spend your winter nights dreaming about what next year’s event will bring. It’s all about tra-dition, renewing old friendships and welcoming the new genera-tion of golfers who will be the Erv’s, Chuck’s and Ralph’s of fu-ture events.

- PNVC Russ Hanseter

Therapy dog Sam with handler Kathy enjoy time at Camp American Legion with two campers from the Milwaukee VA Spinal Cord Group.

PAGE 4 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Sergeant Dave Cross served his country in the US Marine Corps from June of 1966 to June of 1970 as Crew Chief on 46D and CH340 helicop-ters in Vietnam. In addition to other numerous awards, David received three Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, and an Air Medal with oak leaf clusters.

He also served as the Com-mander of Post No. 74 in Oconto from June of 2013 until March of 2014 when he passed away. As Post Commander, David initiated a project to bring Post No. 74 together with other veterans service organiza-tions in the local community to create Flag Disposal Boxes for the general public.

While David did not live to see the project come to comple-

The Milwaukee Police Post No. 415 Honor Guard had the pleasure of posting the colors

On June 14, 2014, Ameri-can Legion Post No. 18 and Boy Scouts of America Troop

Post No. 45 in Elkhorn is looking for military families to present them with Blue Star service banners. The banner is a symbol for fami-lies who have a loved one in the armed forces. The tradi-tion includes the Gold Star banner, for families who have a loved one who died in service. Elkhorn Post 45 has distributed Blue Star

Flag Disposal Boxes Dedicated in OcontoLEGION HONORS70 YEAR MEMBERS

Police Post Honors “Merrill’s Marauders”

Post No. 18 Teams with Local Boy Scouts

Blue Star Banners Presented

tion this past August, the boxes were placed at Thompson’s Country Market and Oconto City Hall for the public to dispose of

at the recent reunion of “Merrill’s Marauders” in Milwaukee. Gov-ernor Scott Walker was the key-

No. 11 participated in their 12th Annual Flag Retirement Cer-emony. Members of the Post

banners for years, but as more households move away from landline phones, Commander Bill Sigmund says service member families are more dif-fi cult to contact.

Sigmund encourages com-munity members who have children in the service or know of someone who does to contact their local post for a banner.

their tattered fl ags. Once re-ceived, all fl ags are retired in a respectful ceremony.

note speaker and is shown here with members of the Honor Guard.

Merrill’s Marauders, named after Frank Merrill, was a US Army long range special op-erations unit that specialized in jungle warfare during WWII. The unit fought in the Chi-na-Burma-India Theater and became famous for its deep-penetration missions behind Japanese lines, often engag-ing Japanese forces superior in number

and Troop are (left to right): Post Commander Leslie Mor-gan; Eagle Scout and SAL member Dylan Antczak; Des-ignated Scouting Representa-tive Jeff Schuld; Logan Rich; SAL member Nathan Antczak; SAL member Ean Antczak; Scout Master and SAL mem-ber Ryan Antczak; Assistant Scout Master and Legionnaire Jim Miller; Jordan Best; Eagle Scout and SAL member Mark Miller; Alonzo Perez; and SAL Squadron Commander Wayne Pratis.

Post No. 300 in Gillett held their annual membership dinner on September 16th and honored Legionnaire Frank Meunier for his 70 continuous years of membership. Frank is a World War II veteran and joined the Legion while he was home on leave from boot camp. Pictured from left to right are Post Adjutant Jerry Druckrey, Commander Dave Willson and Frank Meunier

Unit No. 74 Auxiliary President Sue Cross, Dave Cross’s widow.

Fred Zimmel (center) is the last living Charter Member of the Fohl-Martin Post No. 483 in Allenton of the 2nd District. Post Commander Tony Montag (left) & Post Adjutant Fritz Montag (right) presented Fred with a 70 Continuous Year Membership certifi cate after the Annual Legion/Auxiliary – Firemen’s Parade and Picnic on Sunday August 17th. The Annual Parade was dedicated to Fred and he rode in an antique fi re engine for the parade.

George Drivas, a WWII Navy veteran and member of Post No. 161 at King was recently presented with a certifi cate for 70 years of continuous membership by Post Commander Will Pope.

OF MEM BERSHIP

O

P

70 YEARS

AMERICAN LEGI0N

PAGE 5THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE

level position; putting the secretary on par with all other state agency heads.

These changes have had positive re-sults. Our state veterans homes went

from projected defi -cits to surpluses. We added staff at our vet-erans homes, built a new one in Chippewa Falls, and will be building a new facil-ity at King to improve upon the outstanding care our aging veteran heroes receive.

So more veterans fi nd jobs, we created a grant program for employers who hire veterans and disabled veterans. We changed

state law so military skills are recog-nized for state credentials and waived state licensing fees for veterans. We also signed an executive order requir-ing state agencies to set goals for hiring more veterans.

To help our veterans and their families heal from their wounds, both seen and unseen, we invested in Camp Ameri-can Legion. In addition, we increased investments in our Veterans’ Service Organizations so they can serve more of our veterans. We also changed state law so nonprofi t groups can apply for funds if they are working to assist our veterans and their families.

Looking forward I will continue to lis-ten to our Veterans’ Service Organiza-tions. With over 60,000 members, The American Legion has been an outstand-ing partner in our efforts to improve the lives of veterans in Wisconsin.

We will codify hiring goals for veterans and disabled veterans in state law. As shown in the past, we will fully fund the Veterans Trust Fund so our veterans get the benefi ts they have earned. We will protect the Wisconsin GI Bill and work to ensure veterans seeking employment have the assistance they have earned.

Veterans and their families have earned our nation’s admiration and apprecia-tion. We have turned things around in Wisconsin and our veterans are now back in the driver’s seat. It is an honor to serve you and I plan to continue this path if you give me the chance to honor you as your “Veteran’s Governor” for four more years. Thank you and may God richly bless our veterans, our state and our great country!

SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

Candidates for Wisconsin Governor Election Speak to Legionnaires

EDITOR’S NOTE:

Claire Condon was a World War I vet-eran who lived down the block from me. When I was a kid, he got me and the other Scouts to put fl ags on each of the graves in our cemetery and he taught us patri-otic songs in our church band. He was active in the post and just about every other group in town. Like so many of our veterans today, he served his country and then he came home to serve his community.

Over the years, I’ve never forgotten Mr. Condon. Veterans like him inspired me to public service. In par-ticular, I was drawn to do more after attending The American Legion’s Badger Boys State and Boys Nation program. And I was honored to come back and serve on the staff of both over the years.

The veterans who put on each of those programs not only taught me about gov-ernment and politics, they modeled pa-triotism and public service. It was these experiences that still drive me today.

It is with great gratitude that I thank the men and women of The American Legion for your service to our country through our Armed Forces, for your commitment to your fellow veteran, for your continued service to your commu-nities and this state - and for your inspi-ration to me, and now to my sons (both of whom attended Badger Boys State). Thank you and God Bless You.

Without a doubt, these experiences motivate me to do even more to honor our veterans and their families. When I took offi ce in 2011, changes in state pol-icies that impact our veterans had taken a hit. Veterans had taken a back seat to other state lawmaker interests. The Vet-erans Trust Fund was raided and faced a massive defi cit. The Wisconsin GI Bill was scaled back to virtual elimination.

What a difference a few years make. We returned the raid of the Veterans Trust Fund and made the largest in-vestment the state has made to the fund since 1972 - more than $10 million. We restored and expanded the Wisconsin GI Bill so our returning servicemen and women can get the skills they need to fi nd employment. We promoted the sta-tus of the Department of Veterans Af-fairs by making the secretary a cabinet

SCOTT WALKER (R)

Wisconsin has a long, proud tradi-tion of honoring its men and women who serve in the military—as well as their families. For many years, the ben-efi ts we provided to those who served and the grassroots partici-pation of veterans in the provision of those benefi ts were models for other states. Sadly, that is no longer the case.

The veterans’ com-munity embodies the very best of who we are and what we stand for in Wisconsin. Ev-ery man and woman who has served in uniform is a vital asset to the fu-ture of this state. To honor your ser-vice, we must commit ourselves to managing veterans’ programs in fi s-cally responsible but creative ways that ensure we are not forced to re-duce benefi ts. And we must commit to taking full advantage of the spirit and insight of the people of Wiscon-sin by ensuring grassroots input into the policies of the Wisconsin Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs.

In recent years, we have moved backwards when it comes to those commitments. Grassroots input has diminished after the County Vet-erans Service Offi cers Advisory Council and the advisory commit-

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th and four candidates are running for governor;

Mary Burke (D)Robert Burke (Libertarian)Dennis Fehr (People’s Party) Scott Walker (R ) incumbent

In the interest of the Wisconsin Legion Family, each candidate that will appear on the 2014 Wisconsin gubernatorial ballot was invited to submit their views on issues important to our members and the veteran’s community. The American Legion is nonpartisan when it comes to elections but nonpartisan does not mean nonparticipation. Voting and partici-pating in the election process based on American Legion values is truly Ameri-can. Legionnaires are encouraged to par-ticipate, but do it smartly.

Posts are encouraged to hold candidate forums to help educate their members and the general public about the issues we face on the local, state and national levels.

When inviting candidates to speak at a forum sponsored by your Post, County

tees of the Board of Veterans Affairs were abolished. Most alarmingly, other legislation has reduced protections for

veterans as it relates to pay discrimination and asbestos exposure.

As Governor, I will stand up for veterans. I will do everything in my power to en-sure that our veterans are getting all the as-sistance they need in gaining a quality edu-cation and meaningful, family-supporting em-ployment. I will look for ways to enable the admission of veterans

of the Wisconsin National Guard at our veterans’ homes. I will restore grass-roots participation in the governance of veterans programs by recreating the CVSO Advisory Council. And I will work to repeal legislation that reduc-es vital legal protections for veterans. Wisconsin’s veterans and their families deserve no less.

I have detailed the plan I’ll use as Governor to make certain that our men and women who have served receive what they are due, which is available in full at www.BurkeForWisconsin.com/Vets/. I know how important our vet-erans are to Wisconsin’s past, and I’m committed to honoring their commit-ment to serve and protect by ensuring they have a strong place in its future.

or District, you MUST give equal oppor-tunity to ALL parties. If you’ve invited all parties to speak and one chooses to, while another declines…..you’ve met your responsibility.

As an organization, The American Legion can have individual candidates present their political positions to us so that we may personally determine which candidate best suits our needs. But as an organization, we cannot endorse one candidate or party over another.

If you attend political rallies you must never wear American Legion apparel. To do so, you are implying that the organi-zation is backing your preferred candi-date. This is totally disrespectful to those Legionnaires who may be backing the opposing candidate.

In addition, remember that failing to invite all candidates to a Legion elec-tion forum or wearing American Legion garb to a political rally or event could be construed as violations of Article II, Sec-tion 2 of The American Legion National Constitution, our Congressional Charter and IRS restrictions regarding 501 c (19) Non-profi t organizations.

MARY BURKE (D)

On August 10th, the Legion Riders

Legacy Scholarship Fund Sweepstakes was concluded at the Stoughton Ameri-can Legion Post No. 59. Sweepstakes winners are;

1st prize - $1,000 Margaret Ericson of Minong; 2nd prize - $500 Roger Cud-nohufsky of Dunbar; 3rd prize - $250 Frank Bottoni of Portage; 4th prize -

Legacy Scholarship Sweepstakes Winners

$100 Gil Hucek of Green Bay; 5th prize - $50 Thomas Sullivan of Lake Geneva; 6th prize - $50 Rosemarie Pitz of Osh-kosh; 7th prize - $50 SAL Squadron 294 of Hartland

$3,758.00 was raised for the Legacy Scholarship Fund from the proceeds of the sweepstakes.

PAGE 6 THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRE SEPTEMBER 25, 2014

The LastBugle

1 GermantownAlton Davidson II 7/20/14Howard Kannenberg II 7/20/14Gene Arnold K 9/3/143 AntigoRobert Ducklow V 7/28/14Wayne LaPage V 8/9/1410 WausauMertz Peterson II 7/8/14Armando DiFonso V 7/22/14Jerome Scheibl K 7/26/14Arvid Schwichtenberg II 7/31/14Frank Mueller K 8/5/1411 Green BayDennis Gwidt V 4/16/14Tom Kolarik 1/21/14Warren DeGroot II 5/31/14Raymond Dominick II 5/7/14William Hoell II 8/14/1413 Richland CenterJohn Higgins II 9/3/1419 HartfordRalph Winebrenner V 8/11/1421 KenoshaJohn Arnett II 7/21/1426 BarabooFrank Parks II 6/28/1432 MenomonieIrvin Mattison II 8/15/1436 West BendJohn Berst II 9/1/1438 AppletonJoseph Spitz II 8/15/14WilliamBrinkman II 8/14/14Remi Wolski V 8/15/14William Nack II 8/25/14Thomas Schmidt K 9/9/14Rayburn Kaufman K 9/15/1439 MarinetteAlbert Enderby K 8/9/1441 KaukaunaArthur Gandt II 9/30/1447 PortageDonald Kaiser II 7/20/14Chuck Goranson V 8/17/1451 West SalemRussell Sprain K 8/31/1455 HortonvilleGene Gitter K 8/26/14Carl Hanamann K 9/5/1461 PrescottAdolph Hanken II 8/19/1463 ClintonvilleIrvin Monnot K 6/26/1464 LadysmithDean Wegener II 7/30/1470 OshkoshRoger Messing K 8/30/1474 OcontoGlenn Garvey II 8/19/1477 Chippewa FallsGeorge Brist II 10/28/13Ralph Rubenzer K 8/30/1479 BurlingtonEdward Osmolak II 8/21/1480 New RichmondRichard Newman V 8/26/1484 MonroeWilliam Hale K 8/14/14103 GalesvilleDarryl McBride K 8/9/14106 SeymourOrlin Bishop K 9/7/14

111 SomersetLester Martell II 7/24/14127 HilbertWillard Schmitting K 7/5/14131 ColfaxOrville Nysted II 8/3/14133 Camp DouglasGerald Berndsen K 8/10/14141 New GlarusMark Hagensick V 4/2/14Charles Postler II 8/8/14143 St Croix FallsDennis Conway V 11/20/13146 Beaver DamLarry Neitzel K 8/1/14James Kaiser II 8/10/14147 MedfordGeorge Illmann K 3/16/14William Scharrschmidt II 4/28/14Ervin Buehler II 8/2/14148 BloomingtonRick Zenz V 7/12/14152 MenashaCarl Steffi n II 8/23/14153 PittsvilleCharles Kosik K 9/3/14154 MondoviLeonard Maier II 8/7/14Jerry Paulson K 8/22/14160 BrooklynRaymond Bund II 8/8/14Harvey Powers V 8/14/14161 KingDavid Eisenhauer V 8/26/14165 Two RiversJohn Schnorr K 8/14/14167 Sauk CityThomas Hankins G/L 8/25/14168 Glenwood CityWalter Waters II 8/22/14171 Union GroveEdward Magiera II 8/14/14180 MilwaukeeAugust Selan K 9/8/14199 ReedsvilleReinhard Grimm K 8/29/14Robert Slager II 6/23/14200 Black River FallsSheldon Laffe 8/12/14August Paulson II 8/20/14Robert Radcliffe K 9/8/14205 JanesvilleDonald Draeger II 9/6/14210 WaupunRobert Christensen K 7/8/14230 DePereThomas Frawley K 8/17/14238 GreenwoodEdward Gosse II 8/17/14258 Little ChuteRay Johnson V 8/13/14Gilbert Vosters II 8/13/14Richard Eichinger K 8/1/14Edward Hawley K 8/6/14262 LuxemburgDonald Horkman K 9/8/14267 New AuburnMalcolm Robey K 9/7/14269 CushingKeith Meyers G/L 5/6/14Walter Short II 6/16/14282 MarkesanCharles Krause II 8/12/14284 HolmenTerry LaFleur V 8/10/14288 CedarburgJoseph Herkert II 8/23/14Peter Jach K 8/26/14291 AugustaWebster Dettmann II 8/31/14302 Oconto FallsRobert Micoley K 8/25/14305 Johnson CreekSylvester Olszewski II 8/14/14315 StoddardErling Helgeson K 8/25/14318 Lake TomahawkPeter Bube K 8/29/14

333 Sun PrairieWilliam Russell II 7/29/14David McNeill V 8/30/14341 BirnamwoodLeonard Opper II 8/21/14347 LomiraJack Curry II 7/15/14Norman Grantman II 6/27/14Kenneth Wiese K 3/27/14360 WaunakeeRichard Voss II 8/21/14Louis Ziegler K 9/1/14375 MukwonagoPeter Hansen II 8/3/13Robert Dahms K 8/5/14Gerald Van Roosenbeek V 8/30/14382 Menomonee FallsRobert Koepsel II 8/13/14391 FremontRonald Abbott K 8/10/14393 EdgarLeonard Bauman II 8/8/14399 OkaucheeJustin Kysely K 5/12/14Michael Gazdik II 7/26/14Helmuth Gastreich II

406 MilwaukeeJack Weimer V 4/23/14412 BelgiumErvin Moninger PG 6/30/14Henry Thill K 9/3/14Johathan Sprader PG 8/25/14415 MilwaukeeJohn Karlovich V 8/10/14422 HighlandVirgil Kosharek K 5/11/14Jacob Schmelzer K 7/11/14431 Three LakesFrank Schnabl II 9/12/14437 MazomanieJerry Reindl K 8/13/14446 SteubenAdrian Jelinek K 7/14/14449 Brookfi eldRaymond Lenske II 8/29/14Thomas Nardelli V 9/2/14469 MarathonKenneth Ringle V 8/19/14Gerald Witberler V 8/23/14473 PotosiRobert Vondran II 5/30/14Donald Moberg II 6/1/14

476 LoomisDon Schroeder II 8/28/14478 St CloudDavid Horn K 7/16/14500 West AllisJohn Malczewski II 8/29/14501 MadisonDavid Holtz V 8/4/14509 RosholtDennis Groshek V 8/26/14518 Green BayThomas Boehm K 7/31/14519 StetsonvilleGlen Wesle II 8/25/14Dan Carstensen II 8/31/14521 Fox LakeMichael Meredith V 8/30/14522 HubertusJerome Hoffmann II 8/5/14534 McFarlandLinus Odegaard II 9/4/14538 CarltonDaniel Huber K 7/3/14Orville Haszel II 8/21/14539 Green BayDorothy Heinrich II 8/16/14

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PAGE 7THE BADGER LEGIONNAIRESEPTEMBER 25, 2014

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Department Commander Bob Shappell knows that there is strength in numbers and is fo-cused on growth for 2015. Every post’s fi rst goal should be last year’s total membership PLUS 1. Each post that achieves growth and becomes eligible for the Na-tional Post Excellence Award in 2015 will be recognized in the Badger Legionnaire.

Individual Membership AwardsTo 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 sim-ply sign up a new member, or re-new any former member who has not paid for 2 years (since 2012) and their name will be entered in a drawing. Those that qualify have a chance to win a First prize of $1,000 or a Second prize of $500 at the 2015 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 indi-vidual can qualify – recruiters get one chance for every new member they recruit. Department will also award them the traditional “I Got 1” pin. Recruiters can show their pride by earning the new “I Got 1” pins. The new pins are larger and more visible than ever before. Anyone who recruits a new mem-ber qualifi es!

For Legionnaires who soar to great heights, they can earn new individual membership recruiting awards. Each award is named for the top Air Force pilot ace from the four major confl icts of the 20th Century. Match the number of newly recruited Legionnaires with the Aces total and earn an Ace Award!

THE SKY’S THE LIMITFOR 2014-2015 MEMBERSHIP

BE A MEMBERSHIP

ACE!

On August 23, 2014 members of The American Legion Riders were honored to lead the Masterpiece Classic Car Rally Parade from the Harley-Davidson Museum to Veterans Park in downtown Milwaukee. The attached picture shows some of the Riders along with motorcycle offi cers from the Milwau-kee Police Department.

Commander Bob Shappell wants you to “Get One” and win $1,000 or $500!

5 NEW MEMBERS – Captain Steve Ritchie Membership Award

Top pilot ace in Vietnam- 5 victories earns a pin featur-

ing the legendary F-4 Phantom

16 NEW MEMBERSCaptain Joe McConnell

Membership Award Top ace in Korea -

16 victories earns a cap featuring the classic

F-86 Sabre

26 NEW MEMBERSCaptain

Eddie RickenbackerMembership Award

Top ace in WWI - 26 victories earns a Polo

shirt featuring the “Hat in the Ring” Spad biplane

40 NEW MEMBERSMajor Dick Bong

Membership Award Top ace in WWII

40 victories earns a custom fl eece jacket featuring the twin tailed P-38 Lightning

These special recognition awards are offered in addition to the Bad-ger Big 10 pin, which can be earned by signing up ten (10) new mem-bers to be a part of this exclusive group of Legionnaires. Badger Big 10 recruiters receive a pin and a patch 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 Legion-naires who recruit 25 and 50 new members respectively.

Attention Post Commanders! Reach 100% of your 2015 mem-bership goal by Veterans Day on

16 VICTORIESCaptain Joe McConnell

Membership Ace

F-86 SABRE JET

5 VICTORIESCaptain Steve Ritchie

Membership Ace

F-4 PHANTOM JET

RitchiMe

RE JEBRE JE

40 VICTORIESMajor Richard Bong

Membership Ace

P-38 LIGHTNING

26 VICTORIESCaptain

Eddie Rickenbacker Membership Ace

SPAD XIII

November 11th and qualify for a drawing. A customized jacket with the winner’s name and post along with a baseball cap featuring branch of service will be awarded.

NEW for County Command-ers! All County Commanders who achieve 100% of their 2015 goal or grow their membership over the 2014 total by December 31st will receive a custom County Commander Uniform Shirt em-broidered with your name! We can reach new heights in Membership for 2015. Contact Chris Schmidt at chris@wilegion.org or call head-quarters at (608) 745-1090 with any questions.

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Wisconsin Legion Riders Lead the Parade to Veterans Park