Ten-Hut

Greetings everyone,! It seems like quite sometime since I have done this. I want to welcome to Post 1287 two new members. Gregory Glenna, United States Navy and Richard Mahoney, United States Army. Both served in Vietnam during the 1960s.! ! The District meeting went well. Only one small issue regarding the setup of the hall that was corrected with little trouble. Everyone was impressed with our facility and the way we conduct business here and would be anxious to return for another meeting. Some of our membership have indicated to me that we might want to host another meeting in the future. We even sold around 35 burgers which made for a good Saturday afternoon.! We have some dedicated people who help here at the post and without them the successes that we are having would not happen. The District meeting highlighted those successes and has shown to the rest of the posts in southern Minnesota just how viable and active we are.! Remember Veterans Day is a short time away. There is a lot happening this year. The program Veterans Memorial Park starts at 11:00 AM. The 24 hour Veterans Vigil will be going on for what I believe believe will be the 21st consecutive year. Beginning on Wednesday November 9th a presentation and display recognizing Winona county veterans who served in Vietnam will begin

at the Winona County Historical Society. As usual members of the post will be involved in several of the activities. Plan on attending if you feel so inclined.! Until next Month,

Jim LukaszewskiCommander Post 1287

RANDOM THOUGHTS

How come we choose from just   two people to run for   president and over fifty for Miss America  ?

Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.

I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place!

When I was young we used to go 'skinny dipping,' now I just 'chunky dunk.'

Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.

Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl Alt Delete' and start all over? AMEN, AMEN!!

Why is it that our children can't read a Bible in school, but they can in prison?

Why do I have to swear on the Bible in court when the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed outside?

Bumper sticker of the year:  'If you can read this, thank a teacher -and, since it's in English, thank a soldier'

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Commander’s

Corner

November 2016

! We are very happy to announce that no Post members have departed for service with the Almighty Commander during this past month.

[Service Officer Conʼt.]Sense of Congress on Agent Orange/Blue

Water Navy Issue IntroducedCongresswoman Elise Stefanik (Rep. N.Y.) and ! Senator Chuck Grassley (Sen. Iowa) have introduced a non-binding Sense of Congress (H. Con. Res. 161 and S. Con. Res. 51 respectively) expressing support for those who served in the bays, harbors, and territorial seas of the Republic of Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975. Service members should be presumed to have been exposed to the toxin Agent Orange and should be eligible for all related Federal benefits that come with such presumption under the Agent Orange Act of 1991.! These non-binding measures, if passed, would show Congressional support for the Blue Water Navy veterans and hopefully,will convince the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide this presumption by regulation.! The “Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act ” (H.R. 969/ S. 961) sponsored by Congressman Chris Gibson (Rep. N.Y.) and Senator K i rs ten G i l l i b rand (Sen. N.Y. ) respectively. The House bill has 335 co-sponsors, more than any other bill currently in the House.You are urged to weigh in on House and Senate Sense of Congress (H. Con. Res. 161 and S. Con. Res. 51) and pending legislation (S. 681/H.R. 969) .  Wri te our U.S. senators & representatives.

Hiring Heroes Veterans Job Fair! There will be a Veterans Job Fair November 16th at the VA Medical Center in Minneapolis from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.! No registration required, please come with your resume and prepared for a potential interview.

Support for Survivors! Surviving spouse(s) or dependent children can file a claim for benefits even if the exposed worker is deceased. If the victim was exposed as a result of his/her military service, surviving family members may be eligible for Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC). This is a tax-free benefit paid to eligible survivors of service members who died in the line of duty or whose death resulted from a service-connected injury or disease. Proof of exposure is a must! Specifics are outlined at www.benefits.va.gov/c o m p e n s a t i o n / t y p e s -dependency_and_indemnity.asp.VA enrolled patients can get free flu shots at the

VA and at Walgreens! Whenever Fall approaches (in fact it arrived last week) we are told to get the latest flu shot. The VA orders 2,000,000 doses of flu vaccine every year to give to its patients (and employees) at their hospitals and clinics.! But donʼt have to travel to the VA if you donʼt want to. Enrolled veterans can also get a free flu shot at your local Walgreens. This program runs through March 31st 2017.

ASBESTOS EXPOSURE NEWS! As a service member, if you worked in mining, milling, shipyard work, insulation work, the demolition of old buildings, carpentry and construction, or installation of flooring roofing, it is likely youʼve been exposed to asbestos. Seabees who performed construction and demolition of buildings that may have contained asbestos could also be at a higher risk, as are automotive and aircraft mechanics who worked on asbestos-containing brakes. Its helpful to have as much documentation as possible. A DD-214 is critical as it proves at which bases and on which ships youʼve served. Also include performance evaluations if possible, as they will describe your performance during a demolition or installation project. This would indicate youʼve been exposed directly to asbestos.

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Chaplain’s

Corner

Service Officerfor service officer help, call Fred Orlowske at 507.313.9094 or at forlow@gmail.com

Remember … if you want your Ten-Hut sent by e-mail, you must send your address to Mel Bailey at mclairbailey@yahoo.com .

The website has moved to it's permanent location on the Internet. www.vfwpost1287.org

! The regular monthly meeting of VFW Post 1287 Auxiliary was called to order by President Lou Lidtke at 7pm on Tuesday, October 18, 2016. Roll call was taken. There were 6 members present. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. The treasurerʼs report was tabled as the treasurer was out sick.! At this meeting Karen England, Jr. VIce President for District 1 came to do the inspection for this year.! Unfinished business was Thank Youʼs from the Jean Peplinski family and from Marvin Konopa from the Mosher Home for his birthday gift card.! New business had Marianne Olson consenting to help serve lunch at the VFW club at noon on Veteransʼ Day.! Donations are needed on November 11 for the bunker refreshment area as the veterans stand guard at Lake Park during the 24 hours of postings. Needed are Chili, bars, and crackers. ! Cakes for the upcoming fish fry will be donated by Jean, Marianne, Lou, Christine, Grace, and Maggie.! The burger certificate was won by Jean.! The next meeting will be 11.15.16 at 7pm.

[House Committee Notes Conʼt.]Save the Date!

Find great Black Friday breakfast deals when we again serve breakfast on Friday, November 26, the Friday after Thanksgiving. We open at 7:30 am with $3 and $5 breakfast favorites plus a $1 menu for kids and the young at heart. Take a break from your shopping and have a great breakfast at a great price! Santa has it on his schedule already! We know your schedule gets hectic in December, but we hope you'll take the time on Friday, December 9, to bring a new, unwrapped toy to the club for the Annual Toys for Tots drive. Your generous gift will be rewarded with free food and drink. This has been a great success each year and we know we can count on your generosity again this year. Reserve some time on Friday, December 16, for the Annual VFW Christmas Party. We'll have food, gifts, Santa, and musical guests for some very special entertainment!

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Auxiliary News

Honor Guard

Respectfully submitted,Jean Bellman

Secretary

Remember: Post meeting room available free to non-profit groups for use in approved non-profit activities.

Remember: The Club is here to serve your needs, even when another activity is in progress in the Post meeting room.

Know your bartender

Lindsey Tracy Sam Alyssa Addie Dianne Amy

Amy is new

behind the

bar.

Get to know

her.

The meeting room can be set up to accommodate GRAND occasions or whatever might be the need.

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House Committee! September was slower than expected which we blame on the continued summer-like weather. We were able to save insurance monies and still have about the same amount in the checkbook as last year at this time. Gambling was able to contribute a percentage to the pest control and waste removal bills. Minnesota Alcohol and Gaming Compliance officers surprised us with a visit September 27. We passed their inspection and they were impressed with Dustin’s meticulous record keeping when they asked for the liquor invoices for the past 2 years. Tracy and Dustin are updating and standardizing the price list for the most commonly served beers and drinks at the club to help our bartenders be more consistent. Due to price increases in some of the products we serve, you may notice an increase in the price of some of your favorite beverages. Our Tuesday burgers and Friday premium meals continue to bring in so many patrons it makes it difficult to get to the bar to order drinks. It has been suggested several times that we install Service Bar Rails to open up a designated drink order area. Gary Christiansen will look at options for removable rails so they can be placed at the bar during busy events.

Veterans Day In November, we celebrate the service of all U.S. military veterans on Veterans Day, Friday, November 11. Join in the celebration by attending the Veterans Day program at Veterans Memorial Park on Lake Park Drive at 11:00 a.m. Continue the celebration with a free lunch featuring Iron Mike’s Jailhouse Chili at the VFW following the program. Dustin is offering a free drink for anyone wearing apparel representing their military branch. This holiday started as a day to reflect upon the heroism of those who died in our country's service, and was originally called Armistice Day. It fell on Nov. 11 because that is the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. In 1954 the holiday was changed to "Veterans Day" in order to account for all veterans in all wars. While those who died are also remembered, Veterans Day is the day set aside to thank and honor all those who served honorably in the military — in wartime or peacetime. In fact, Veterans Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contributions to our national security are appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served — not only those who died — have sacrificed and done their duty.

Fish Fry Volunteers Meeting The Best Fish Fry in Town continues to be popular with our patrons, and the addition of broiled fish to the menu has been well received. To keep things going full speed ahead we have scheduled a meeting for the Fish Fry volunteers on Wednesday, November 16, at 5:00 pm in the hall. There will be no fish fry in November. December fish fries will be on the 2nd and 23rd. We will review profits and current procedures and discuss any new applicable business. Please come with your agenda items and ideas! Information for this meeting is posted in the kitchen.

Army/Navy Game Join us on Saturday, December 10, for the Army Black Knights vs Navy Midshipmen football classic. The rivalry kicked off 126 years ago when Cadet Dennis Mahan Michie accepted a “challenge” from the Naval Academy and the two squads faced off on The Plain at West Point on November 29, 1890. The current win streak goes to the Navy, winning the last 14 games. This year we are challenging our Army E-9, Mike Stalka, and our Navy E-9, Fred Orlowske, to a fund raising duel leading up to the game. The monies raised will be for a cause of their choosing. Stay tuned for more details! We will have our traditional tailgate party the day of the game and announce the winner of the duel. The bar opens at noon, tailgating starts at 1:00pm with great food, game starts at 2:00pm.

February Dining Out February 11 has been picked as the date for the 2017 Dining Out, our 5th annual members’ only event. We know the newsletter doesn’t reach all our members and all surviving spouses of deceased members so we are asking for your help in locating them so we can invite them to this event. The menu has not yet been decided but will include the Prime Rib option as this is always the most popular. We are still in need of a speaker so if you have someone you think would be willing and interesting, please let the commander or someone from the House Committee know.

Burger Night challenge The record burger night of 213 burgers was set on November 24, 2015, on a charcoal burger night. Our charcoal night chefs, Jake and the SGM, want to break that record on November 22, on a charcoal burger night! Come on down and bring your friends and be a part of history! Watch for more information, they may come up with incentives to bring you in!

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