JOSEPH JOHNSTON

Department Commander

I want to congratulate all of the Department line officers for a job well done by them at the Fall Conference. The line officers presented seminars to the conference attendees in areas that they possess subject matter expertise. I have received numerous positive comments regarding these presentations and how excellent that they were by our members since the conference. Also, I want to single out Chapter and Unit 36 for their efforts in the hospitality room. I know it was the best food that we have seen provided for many years. It was tasteful and there were many selections for our members to refresh themselves. Thank you all for a superb job and especially Dave and Judy Uetterling and Joanne Schomacker. I also continue to be astounded by the generosity of our members at the DAVA auction on Saturday evening of the conference. Thank you for making this auction a success each year.

In legislative news it has been announced that we will receive a 5.8% cola this year which will make up for some of the gas losses that we are all experiencing and this is the first year in 12 that the VA has received funding without a continuing resolution measure being provided. Because of this timely funding we can expect to receive better services from the VA Medical Centers throughout Ohio and the Nation.

On October 30^th the Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center will be dedicated in Columbus. This beautiful facility will serve Veterans for decades to come in the Columbus area. I look forward to seeing many of you there for that event. Speaking of events, our own Sam Lanza will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame at the Franklin County Veterans Memorial Building in Columbus at 3:00 p.m. on November 7^th, 2008. I hope to see many of you there to celebrate this occasion with Sam.

Next month we will be celebrating Thanksgiving throughout the Country as well as Veterans Day and these holidays give us time to reflect on our many blessings and the sacrifices made by so many to preserve the liberties that we all enjoy. Let us resolve ourselves to stand together regardless of our differences to make this a better country in the future for all veterans and their families. While we often disagree on the methods to accomplish this goal, I think we can all share in it together. Let us bring harmony and strength to each other and the DAV in the future. I am committed to this and hope that each of you will be as well.

God Bless you all!

Joe Johnston

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

Ext. 7916

Columbus Clinic, (614) 257-5487

Michael Hackworth

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

November 1, 2008 2^nd District Meeting, Dayton VAMC, Building 305, lunch will begin at noon and meeting will begin at 1 p.m., Dayton.

November 7, 2008 Induction for the Veterans Hall of Fame, Veterans Memorial, public reception at 2 p.m. and induction ceremony to begin at 3 p.m.

November 7-8, 2008 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Vandalia Chapter #140, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton.

November 11, 2008 Forget-Me-Not Drive, Hillsboro Chapter #123, Community Market, Greenfield.

November 17, 2008 Golden Coral Military Appreciation Night

November 21-22, 2008 Forget-Me-Not, Youngstown Chapter #2, Wal-Mart, Austintown, Ohio.

February 22-25, 2009 DAV Mid-Winter Conference, Crystal Gateway Marriott, Arlington, VA

March 28, 2009 Auxiliary Commander Kathie Johnson’s Testimonial Dinner, Eagles, Wapakoneta, Ohio.

April 18, 2009 Testimonial Dinner Commander Joseph Johnston, Holiday Inn Eastgate, Cincinnati, Ohio

June 25-28, 2009 DAV Department Convention,

The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

August 1, 2009 Forget-Me-Not, John W. Covert Chapter #47, East Liverpool, Ohio

August 22-25, 2009 DAV National Convention, Sheraton Hotel Denver, Denver, Colorado

Sept. 24 – 26, 2009 DAV Auxiliary Fall Conference, Drawbridge Inn, Fort Mitchell, Kentucky.

October 9-11, 2009 DAV Department Fall Conference, The Crowne Plaza, Dublin, Ohio.

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

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.

FROM THE AUXILIARY

We want to thank all of you that donated items to our auction. Due to your generosity we made $1,792.00. Also we want to thank you for purchasing our 50/50 drawing tickets. We made $1000.00 and the winner of $500.00 was P.D.C. Tom Keller, Chapter #103.

Kathie Johnson, State Commander

Joyce Hutchinson State Adjutant

OHIO VETERANS HALL OF FAME

The DAV is proud to announce that Auxiliary member Margaret Kruckemeyer a RN from Vandalia Chapter #140 has been nominated and will be inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame.

The Department would also like to acknowledge that PDC Samuel Lanza of Trumbull County Chapter #11 will also be inducted into the Veterans Hall of Fame on November 7, 2008.

The ceremony will be held at Veterans Memorial, Columbus, Ohio with reception beginning at 2 p.m. and the induction to follow at 3 p.m.

Congratulations to all the inductees.

PURPLE HEART FOREVER STAMP NEEDS SUPPORTOF VETERANS

By Mary Callaghan, editor American Legion Online Update

INDIANAPOLIS – Earlier this year, Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Sen. Hiliary Clinton (D-NY) introduced a bill in Congress to create the Purple Heart Forever stamp, eliminating the need to keep reissuing such stamps with specific postage rates. As long as the U.S. Postal Service must decide whether to reissue the stamp, it eventually could be retired from circulation.

The Perpetual Purple Heart Stamp Act sought to create a stamp that would forever honor U.S. service members killed or wounded in combat. The American Legion endorsed the legislation.

But, the Purple Heart Forever stamp can no longer be created via legislation, since congressional committees on oversight and government reform no longer consider such bills. So King and Clinton need a groundswell of national support, directed at the Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee (CSAC), to convince the Postal Service to issue the “forever” version of the Purple Heart stamp.

On October 6, the Department of Defense announced that an estimated 17,000 deceased U.S. prisoners of war could be awarded Purple Hearts under a new policy. The medals have been denied in the past to POWs who died in captivity, if it could not be proven that such deaths were the result of enemy action, unless compelling evidence is presented to the contrary.

King and Clinton are asking Legionnaires to help make the Purple Heart Forever stamp a reality by sending a letter of support to the CSAC. In July, King wrote to the committee and received this reply from Katherine A. Sitterle, government relations representative for the Postal Service.

“Your letter of support for the issuance of the Purple Heart stamp as a ‘forever stamp’ is being included in the Committee’s files. If it is approved for issuance in the future, the announcement will be made publicly, in keeping with our standard practice.”

Sitterle did not indicate whether CSAC would make a determination anytime soon, and new stamp designs are already locked in through the end of 2010.

Letters of support for the Purple Heart Forever Stamp should be mailed to: Citizens’ Stamp Advisory Committee, c/o Stamp Development, U.S. Postal Service, Suite 5013, 1735 N. Lynn St., Arlington, VA 22209.

STATEMENT BY THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS REGARDING VBA INVESTIGATIONS

The Disabled American Veterans is outraged by what appears to be the attempted deliberate destruction of documents pertinent to veterans’ benefits claims at some Department of Veterans Affairs Regional Offices and serious problems elsewhere. The DAV has urged the VA to take immediate corrective actions to ensure the integrity of claims submitted by veterans.

The VA says that a total of 201 pertinent claims documents were recovered from shredding bins in its St. Louis, Mo., and Columbia, S.C. offices. Individuals associated with the incidents have been identified. Another 58 documents were recovered from shredding bins in Cleveland. The VA says a total of 489 documents have been recovered from shredder bins in offices nationwide, with no discrepancies found at some VA Regional Offices.

National Service Director Randy Reese assures veterans who submitted claims evidence thorough DAV National Service Offices that records are kept to validate that evidence has been properly submitted. Reese said any documents submitted by veterans to DAV Chapter, Department or Transition Service Offices, through DAV National Service Offices have been recorded in DAV’s Case Management System (CMS) and serve as credible evidence of submission to the VA.

The DAV urges the VA to take prompt corrective action to ensure the mishandling of claims documents is not repeated, that individuals found to be responsible are held fully accountable and recommended the VA institute prompt new training programs for VA claims representatives in the administration of claims documents.

Reese said the DAV will cooperate fully with the VA during their investigation and DAV records will be made available for the purpose of assisting the VA to reconstitute their own records.

The DAV believes that this investigation, which Reese says has been the most open in recent memory, will permit VA leadership to act decisively to protect the sanctity of claims records and to increase the professionalism of VA claims adjudicators. ###

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT

Thought for November: “Don’t blame me! I voted for the other guy!!”

For information on VA benefits, go to VA’s website at: www.va.gov or call 1-800-827-1000.

What is going on with America’s Liberal news media?? They seldom report on what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. When they actually do, it is to say something like: “A US attack in Pakistan kills 20 people”! Or, “US crosses the border in Syria, killing 8 people”. This kind of reporting is more like something you expect to see on Iranian Television! Please tell me that I am not the only one who feels this way.

The Pakistan attack was by one of our drone aircraft that fired missiles into a Taliban Compound, killing 20 militants, including 2 Taliban Commanders – one of which was wanted by the US for his cross the border attacks into Afghanistan.

The Syrian attack was by our Special Forces raiding a Foreign Fighters building, killing militants responsible for running weapons, money and foreign fighters into Iraq. After 5 years and 6 months that Syria has been an active accomplice to the insurgency in Iraq, the US has finally struck back.

Robert McFarlane of the New York Times said on October 23, 2008: “Today is the 25^th anniversary of the Beirut bombing that killed 241 Americans who were part of a multi-national peace force –and a simultaneous attack killed 58 French paratroopers. The most telling factor emerging from that tragedy is that Middle East terrorists became convinced that America had neither the will nor the means to respond effectively to a terrorist attack. And, despite several other attacks against Americans it wasn’t until the 9/11 attack in New York that the US finally said ENOUGH! Had we responded after the Beirut bombing, it is highly possible that 9/11 might never have happened. Likewise, anyone who thinks we can pull back into a shell now and hope terrorism will go away, simply isn’t looking at

the lessons that history offers.”

Lorain Chapter 20 Adjutant Ray Kershaw has asked that all Ohio DAV Chapters consider donating funds to purchase and erect a Memorial Stone at The National Cemetery, Rittman, Ohio in Wayne County. The Stone will be 44 inches wide, 30 inches high, and 6 inches thick with a 48 inch base:

Department All Ohio

Of Round DAV Logo here Chapters

Ohio

This Memorial Is Dedicated To

All Veterans Disabled

During Their Service

To Our Country

The contact person for your donations and/or questions is: Adjutant Ray Kershaw – 440-935-0287 Louis Paul Proy Chapter #20, 10009 Angling Rd, Wakeman, OH 44889.

GOLDEN CORRAL – Again this year all Veterans and Active Duty Military will receive a free dinner buffet and beverage on “Military Appreciation Monday” between 5 and 9 PM on November 17, 2008. In addition to the free meals that each Golden Corral location serves to our veterans, some Golden Corral team members have developed creative events surrounding Military Appreciation Monday.

The extent to which each Golden Corral location supports veterans is up to the owner/management team at that particular restaurant. We must remember that we are guests at their restaurant and that we benefit greatly from their generosity and the kindness of their other guests. We must be flexible and

respect their wishes at all times.

In addition to providing a free dinner for each veteran, Golden Corral is again graciously providing an opportunity to locate DAV Contribution Canisters in each restaurant so patrons may make donations. These canisters are furnished by DAV National Headquarters and will be available for contributions approximately two weeks prior to November 17^th (Military Appreciation Monday). IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER THIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOLDEN CORRAL IS STRICTLY A DAV FUNCTION –NO OTHER VETERAN ORGANIZATION IS ALLOWED TO SOLICIT OR ACCEPT DONATIONS!! ADDITIONALLY, DAV CHAPTERS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO CONDUCT ANY FUND RAISING AS A PART OF THIS EVENT OTHER THAN ACCEPTING DONATIONS IN THE DAV PROVIDED CONTRIBUTION CANISTERS!!! Should anyone have questions on this contact DAV Department Headquarters in Columbus.

The Veteran’s Benefits Improvement Act, which President Bush signed into law on October 10^th, allows Veterans with conventional home loans new options for refinancing to a VA guaranteed home loan. Although the VA has never guaranteed sub-prime loans, these changes will allow the VA to assist Veterans with sub-prime mortgages to refinance into a safer, more affordable, VA guaranteed loan. Additionally, Congress raised VA’s maximum loan amount for these types of refinancing loans which were originally capped at $144,000. With this new legislation such loans may be made up to $729,750, depending on where the property is located.

For more information, or to obtain help from a VA Loan Specialist, Veterans may call the toll-free 1-877-827-3702 or go online at: www.homeloans.va.gov

And, as always, keep our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan in your thoughts and your prayers as they fight, like we have fought, to keep America free. Never shall we forget that FREEDOM IS NOT

FREE!

Information Bulletin

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

NOTES FROM YOUR STATE ADJUTANT