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TEMPORARY DECREASE IN MINIMUM MEMBERSHIP FEE

National Headquarters

With so many disabled veterans and their families facing challenges during these difficult financial times, discretionary spending- even toward a worthwhile investment like membership in the DAV – may be put on hold for those struggling to make ends meet.

In order to stimulate recruitment and to provide very eligible veteran an opportunity to experience all that the DAV has to offer, National Commander Bobby Barrera recently authorized the National Membership Department to accept a minimum membership down payment of $20 through the end of the membership year on June 30, 2010.

A mass mailing from our current net prospects list is being prepared to encourage potential members to take advantage of this limited time offer.

The change should ease the challenges recruiters face from prospective veterans who want to join but could not afford a full $40 toward membership. The Commander hopes recruiters will redouble their efforts during this period. While the nation is facing economic challenges, the DAV’s shifting demographics necessitate a steady stream of new veterans to fill our ranks.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Nat’l. Hdqrs., DAV (877) 426-2838

NSO Office, Cleveland (216) 522-3507

NSO Office, Cincinnati (513) 684-2676

Washington Office, DAV (202) 554-3501

Cincinnati HSC,

Sheila Clements (513) 475-6443

Dayton HSC, (937) 268-6511

Gene McCorkle Ext. 2962

Wade Park HSC, (216) 791-3800

Walter Dryja Ext. 3395

Chillicothe HSC (740) 773-1141

Larry Queen Ext. 7916

Columbus Clinic, (614) 257-5487

Henry Snodgrass

Brecksville HSC, (440) 526-3030

Don Branford Ext. 7353

Warren Clinic (330) 392-0311

Youngstown Clinic (330) 70-9200

Ext. 105

Veterans Administration 1-800-827-1000

DATES TO REMEMBER

Feb. 28 – Mar. 3, 2010 DAV Mid-Winter Conference, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA

March 21, 2010 4^th District Meeting, Ottawa American Legion Post #63, Main Street, Ottawa, Ohio

March 21, 2010 3^rd District Meeting, at 2 p.m., VFW, 1115 W. Logan St., Celina, Ohio

April 10, 2010 9^th District Meeting, Meigs Chapter #53, Cheshire, Ohio. Lunch at noon and meeting at 1 p.m.

April 11, 2010 8^th District Meeting, Clint Kramer Chapter #12, lunch at 1 p.m., meeting to follow at 2 p.m., Zanesville, Ohio

April 17, 2010 Commander David Farrell’s Testimonial Dinner, Coshocton Village Inn & Suites, 115 N. Water St., Coshocton, Ohio.

April 24, 2010 1^st District Meeting, Lunch at 12 noon, meeting to begin at 1 p.m., Timothy Episcopal Church, 8101 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati, Ohio

April 25, 2010 6^th District Meeting, Trumbull County Chapter #11, Lunch at 2 p.m., Meeting to begin at 3 p.m., Warren, Ohio.

May 1, 2010 Auxiliary State Commander Jeanette Scott, Testimonial Dinner, More information to follow.

May 28, 2010 DAV Day at the Ballpark, Cincinnati Reds, Cincinnati

June 24-27, 2010 DAV Department Convention,

The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

July 31 – Aug. 3, 2010 DAV National Convention, Hyatt Regency Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia

October 8-10, 2010 DAV Department Fall Conference, The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

NSO CLEVELAND OFFICE

David Bilinovich, Supervisor

The DAV Cleveland Office has moved its weekly staff meeting and mandatory training session to Friday mornings. There will be no service officers available to assist you on Fridays, until after 1 p.m. Any scheduled BVA hearings on Friday mornings will no be affected.

The Mobile Service Office (MSO) schedule is now available for both Spring and Fall. The MSO will be available, this Spring, for Chapters in Columbus and north from June 13 to June 19 and for Chapters south of Columbus from June 20 to June 26. Again in the Fall, for the southern Chapters from September 18 to September 25 and for the northern Chapters from September 26 to October 9. I would encourage all Chapters interested in hosting the MSO to contact the National Service Office to make the appropriate arrangements. Our schedules need to be finalized as soon as possible, as Ohio does not own the MSO vehicle.

Hosting the MSO is a great way for your Chapter to gain local publicity, to enhance membership recruitment and to assist the veterans in your community. The Chapter’s expense is minimal in cost and labor, but can be very rewarding. I look forward to hearing from your Chapter. I also want to thank those Chapters that hosted the MSO last year. Those Chapters are eligible for a return visit again this year. Help us to help our veterans and their families by supporting the MSO.

OHIO PLATE RENEWAL

ATTENTION OHIO DRIVERS: Just wanted to inform you of a change in the law for renewing your licenses, plates and stickers. In the past you had the entire month of your birthday to renew BUT due to the fact the Ohio State Highway Patrol is running in a huge deficit, they changed the law so that you must renew PRIOR to your birthday. This was due to the passage of HB2. They intentionally did not inform anyone so they can attach a $20 late fee to every person with a license in Ohio who doesn’t know about the change! (I didn’t see any of this on the news or in the paper.) What a sneaky move on the state’s part. I want to make sure that no person gets caught unaware. Make certain that you forward this email or an email of your own to everyone in your contact book. This is not right and we should not be tricked into paying for the State’s inability to run a business within a budget.

OHIO FREEMASONS TO HONOR KOREAN AND VIETNAM VETS

Chad Simpson

800-292-6092

The state headquarters for the Ohio Freemasons has announced that on June 6, 2010 it will unveil two new monuments – one honoring veterans of the Korean Conflict and one honoring veterans of the Vietnam War. The monuments will be located on the grounds of the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio.

“As a member of a generation that was so greatly affected by what took place in Southeast Asia, I believe there are not enough monuments like these,” explained Terry W. Posey, state president of the Ohio Freemasons. “The monuments are made possible through the monetary donations of Ohio Freemasons who desire to give credit to the debt America continues to owe to these and all veterans.”

The Freemasons are the oldest civic and fraternal organization in the State of Ohio. The first Masonic Lodge in Ohio began meeting in Marietta in 1790 and was originally chartered in 1776 as a traveling military Lodge attached to the Connecticut Line of the Continental Army. Currently, there are 514 local Masonic Lodges in Ohio with a total statewide membership of 110,000. For more information about Freemasonry visit www.freemason.com

NOTES FROM YOUR ADJUTANT

Frank Williams, State Adjutant

Thought for February: “Do not let what you cannot do, interfere with what you can do!”

USS NEW YORK: Many of you are aware of the new Navy Amphibious Transport Dock Ship that used steel from our Twin Towers of 9/11. In fact, the new ship’s superstructure actually is a “replica” of the two towers. You have seen pictures of this ship on the internet and on the news. This ship, built by Northrop Grumman at their Pascagoula, Mississippi Shipyard, along with all of this new class of ships, is under extreme scrutiny due to lube oil problems and damage to engine bearings. In fact the USS New York has been taken off line due to specific troubles with two of its main engines that will require replacing damaged bearings and one of its main engines has a “bowed” crankshaft.

EYEGLASSES FOR RETIREES: If you are a 20 or more year military retired and eligible for other medical services, you are authorized to receive each year one clear pair of Bifocals and one tinted pair of bifocals if prescribed by your Optometrist/Ophthalmologist. If you choose not to request bifocals, you can receive one pair of distance vision and one pair of near vision spectacles if prescribed by your Optometrist/Ophthalmologist. To view details go to: www.med.navy.mil/sites/nostra/Pages/default.aspx. Selectable frames MS9/S91A/Half Eyes/FS9 can be viewed on their website. If you live less than 50 miles from a military health care facility with optometry services, you should take your prescription for spectacles to them so they can measure for proper fit. They will order your spectacles for you.

FDA SCAM UPDATE: The FDA has issued a warning of another scam by criminals posing as law enforcement and call victims –most of whom had purchased drugs

over the internet or through “telepharmacies” –and identify themselves as special agents for FDA, DEA, FBI, US Secret Service or US Customs Service, as well as for US and Dominican Republic Prosecutors and judges. They tell the victim that buying drugs over the internet is illegal and that law enforcement action will be pursued against you unless a fine or fee ranging from $100 to $250,000 is paid by wire transfer to a designated location, usually in the Dominican Republic. Victims who refuse are often threatened with a search of their property, arrest, deportation, physical harm and or incarceration. Anyone receiving such calls should refuse the demands and call the FDA Office of Criminal Investigation 1-800-521-5783 to report the crime.

The FDA further warns consumers to use caution when buying prescription drugs over the telephone of internet. In addition to increased risks of purchasing unsafe and ineffective drugs from websites operating outside the law, there is the danger of personal data being compromised. Victims have also had fraudulent charges placed on their credit cards. For more on FDA concerns about unlawful drug sales on the internet, go to www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself/default.htm.

Ohio has the 6^th largest Veteran population in the United States. Many of those Veterans residing in Ohio are not receiving the benefits they deserve and have earned.

In an effort to make it easier for Veterans and their families to access the information they need to secure benefits and programs available, here is a brief list of federal, state and county

Resources available:

Health Care & Prescriptions – 1-877-222-8387

Disability Benefits – 1-800-827-1000 (Or contact DAV, Dept of Ohio at 1-214-228-3582)

Dependents & Survivor Benefits – 1-800-827-1000

Home Loans – 1-877-827-3702

Ohio Veterans have access to health care at 44 facilities around the state. To find the Medical Center or Outpatient Clinic near you, call the Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) at 1-877-644-6838 or visit www.dvs.ohio.gov

As always, keep our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in your thoughts and prayers as they fight, like we have fought, to keep America, the land of the free, because of the brave. Never shall we forget that Freedom is not Free!!

2010 CENSUS TO BEGIN

THIS IS PRETTY BASIC ADVICE:

Be cautious about giving info to census workers by Susan Johnson with the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is – how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice: If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. However, you should never invite anyone you don’t know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census. REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY AS, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON’T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. No Acorn worker should approach you saying he/she is with the Census Bureau. Eventually, Census workers may contact you by telephone, mail, or in person at home. However, the Census Bureau will not contact you by email, so be on the lookout for email scams impersonating the Census. Never click on a lick or open any attachments in an email that are supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFO WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS.

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS