American Legion Post 305

American Legion
Post 305

American Legion Auxilliary

Citizens Flag Alliance
P.O. Box 9336
The Woodlands, TX 77387

The Post 305 Bugle
February 2006
Volume 1, Issue 11

COMMANDER'S CORNER

The District Oratorical Contest was held Jan. 14 at the Woodlands Christian Academy. Unfortunately one of the contest-ants failed to show up and there was only one. It was a girl from one of our Post’s schools, and she won, so we owe her a $100 scholarship next year when she graduates. We hope to get an earlier start for next year and generate more competition.

Also at the end of January was the State’s Mid-Winter Conference in Austin. I attended several of the workshops that were very interesting and informative. The best part of the conference, however, was the speakers. We got to hear from the National Commander and a National Commander candidate for 2007. They were both very interesting and working very hard for the Veterans. The National Commander mentioned many issues that the Legion is supporting such as the repeal of the decision to take “Under God” out of the pledge, and the ACLU suit against the Boy Scouts. He said we should ask our friends if they agree with us that these are not right, they should join the Legion and add their voice to the issue.

The meeting is early this month with the Ex. Comm. on Feb. 13 and the regular meeting on Feb. 16. We will have three speakers, two candidates for judge in Montgomery County and one person who is seeking volunteers to mentor people whose second language is English. We will also be passing out two awards. One is for Legionnaire of the Year and the other for the Chili Cook-Off winner. Come join in the celebration. On the other end of the spectrum we will have a ceremony to commemorate the Four Chaplains who gave their life jackets to soldiers on a sinking troop transport during WWII. If you haven’t seen one, you should come to this one put on by the Chaplain of the Auxiliary.

Remember our comrades in your prayers still protecting our Country around the world.

For God and Country, Jim Bolin

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MEETING NOTES

There was not a lot of business to conduct at the meeting since there were no motions from the Ex. Comm. that had to be approved. Everett Ison announced that he was in line for a promotion (which he later achieved) as Coordinator of Sprint maintenance teams throughout six or seven states. Since a lot of travel is involved he submitted his resignation as Adjutant. The Ex. Comm. had not yet accepted the resignation.

Dave Lips gave a presentation on Birdies for Charity that is beginning this month. It is like a horse race only you try to guess the number of birdies that will be made at the Houston Open Golf Tournament. Not who will win. Your bet can be either a fixed amount or one or two cents per birdie. The winner gets a prize and the Post gets all the money you bet. It is a big fund raiser for the Post and deserves your support. You should get your friends and family to join in the fun. The more the merrier. You can get a form to play the game from Dave Lips.

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SERVICE OFFICER

Need help getting to the VA Hospital? For transportation to the VA Hospital you must get to each of the following bus pick-up locations on your own.

  1. Woodlands -- Research Forest Park and Ride @ $8.25 round trip.
From The Woodlands
Leave:  6:15 AM Arrive:  7:50 AM
Leave:  7:15 AM Arrive:  8:50 AM
From Conroe
Leave:  12:30 PM Arrive:  2:05 PM
Leave:  4:30 PM Arrive:  6:05 PM
Leave:  5:30 PM Arrive:  7:05 PM

  1. Conroe -- Conroe VFW @ free round trip from 1303 W. Semands; every Tuesday; Leave 6:30 AM; return after all finished.

  2. Willis -- American Legion Post @ free for round trip; 1st and 3rd Wednesday every month; Leave 5:30 AM; return after all finished.

Don’t forget our February meeting. Bring a vet friend to learn about VA benefits.

Dayton Denton, Service Officer

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VETERAN'S ADVOCATE

From "Families USA"

The promised savings under the Medicare Part D prescription drug plan will be largely illusionary. The survey shows the median price difference for the 20 top drugs as negotiated by the Department of Veterans Affairs is 48.2% lower than the prices under the Medicare Plan. These extra costs will be borne by seniors (25%) and taxpayer (75%). The Administration promised lower drug prices by competitive bidding. This isn’t happening. The drug lobby won over Congress and the President. The drug companies drew up the Plan D Program and prohibited Medicare from bargaining for cheaper prices, and to ensure that this would never change, they delegated the administration of the benefits to private plans which have less bargaining power. The pharmaceutical industry is the number one political campaign contributor in the country. The VA’s lowest price is far lower than the lowest Medicare Plan price of the top 20 drugs most used by seniors. For half of those top 20 drugs, the cheapest Medicare price is at least twice as high as the VA price and for 3 of those drugs the Medicare price is over 4 times higher than the VA’s lowest price. An example is Zocor 20 mg (anti-cholesterol agent): VA annual price $167.80/Medicare price $1,323.72, a difference of $1,155.92 or 688.9% higher. VA prices are lower for both generic and brand name drugs.

MY OPINION:  Veterans, get moving and register in the VA Health Care System! Then complain to your congressman. 

VA Gravesite Locator

The VA now has over 5 million veterans listed on their Gravesites Locator, http://gravelocator.cem.va.gov. This service is to help veterans, their families and interested parties to find the burial location in both the VA and private cemeteries, including Civil War veterans. The information is compiled from lists of veterans who received VA grave markers.

MY OPINION:  It is an excellent and easy way to check up on an old buddy on whom you would like information.

Medicare Payment Cuts Repealed Again

In December, we reported that Congress's final budget savings package (S. 1932) Medicare physician struck a compromise that repealed the 4.4%payment cut scheduled for January 1, 2006 but froze 2006 Medicare and TRICARE payment rates at 2005 level. However, the Senate made some minor, last minute changes in unrelated parts of that bill that required kicking the package back to the House for another vote. Unfortunately, the House had already recessed, which meant the law couldn't be changed until the House came back in late January. During the congressional recess, Medicare was required by law to implement the 4.4% reduction in physician payment rates on Jan. 1.

The House reconvened on Jan 31 and voted on the budget savings package on Feb. 1 passing it by a slim margin. Medicare will now automatically reprocess all claims filed since Jan 1. Medicare will then pay each doctor one check to make up the total difference for all claims filed since Jan. 1.

Medicare has acknowledged that it could take until July before all the claims have been reprocessed. Doctors who chose to stop seeing Medicare beneficiaries because of the temporary cut will be given a 45-day reenrollment period to rejoin the program. During this process, TRICARE continued paying at the 2005 rates, on the assumption that the legislation would be passed shortly after the House returned from its year-end break.

Dutch Dettinger, Veteran’s Advocate

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ABOUT THE AMERICAN LEGION

Following are the programs sponsored by the American Legion. Each of the coming months we will highlight one of the programs. They are: Americanism, Children and Youth, National Emergency Fund, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Legislative, National Security, Employment and Economics. You can use this information to tell your veteran friends about The American Legion and enlist their support.

2d Vice Report

April 8, 2006 is our scheduled semi-annual Rummage Sale. Even though it is a couple of months away, I think now is the time to start preparing. I would suggest that all Legion members start taking an inventory of what they or their neighbors or friends have to donate to our sale.

The Rummage Sale and Birdies for Charity are our largest fund raising events.

Please start preparing for this sale. Also, we ask for your volunteer help as always to make this sale possible.

Any questions, please call me at 936-273-2688, or e-mail me at chuckandmarylou@yahoo.com.

Chuck Suhr, 2d Vice Cdr.

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POST ACTIVITIES
DAY DATE ACTIVITY PARTICIPANTS LOCATION
Sunday Feb. 12 Lincoln's Birthday All Available Members Where You Are
Monday Feb. 13 Ex. Meeting 7 PM Executive Committee Legion Office
Tuesday Feb. 14 Valentine's Day All Available Members Where You Are
Thursday Feb. 16 Member Meeting All Available Members Rayford Rd.
Monday Feb. 20 Presidents Day Fly Your Flag Where You Are
Wednesday Feb. 22 Washington's
Birthday		 All Available Members Where You Are
Monday Mar. 13 Ex. Meeting 7 PM Executive Committee Legion Office
Thursday Mar. 16 Member Meeting All Available Members Rayford Rd.

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2006 Birds For Charities

Our Opportunity to Raise Money is Here Again!  Here are some tips for you to use in soliciting pledges:

Know The Facts

  • Purchaser of the Pledge will guess the number of Birdies that the Pros shoot on Thursday through Sunday of the Shell Houston Open Tournament

  • Pledges can be either: A Number of Cents per Birdie (1 Cent minimum) or a Dollar Amount (minimum $20.00)

  • Give Your Customer The Greatest Number of Chances to WIN! If someone wishes to pledge more than the minimum, fill out multiple forms.  EXAMPLES:

    • Wants to pledge 8 cents per birdie - fill out 8 forms at 1cent – 8 chances
    • Wants to pledge $80.00 – fill out 4 forms at $20.00 – 4 chances
  • Pledges will be billed at the end of the Tournament
  • Pledges paid when purchased – Checks must by made out to: Houston Golf Association

  • 100% of Money Pledged Through our Post Will Come Back to Us. The Houston Golf Association pays all the costs for running the program. No Money is paid to PGA Tour players.

Know The Prizes

  • FIRST PRIZE (Must Correctly Guess The Number of Birdies) – 2006 BUICK LUCERNE Since there is normally more than one correct guesser – HGA holds an affair where the winner is selected – Last year each contender got a key, but only one started the car;

  • By random drawing – 2 Continental Airlines Roundtrip Tickets within Continental US; and

  • Over 100 other prizes.

Know How The Money Is Used By The Post

  • Last Year the amount put into the General Funds was enough to send 2 students to Boys State; AND

  • From the money put in the Allocated Funds, the post spent $500.00 on hurricane relief.

Use Your Resources!

  • We All MUST MAKE THIS A POST EFFORT – Don’t count on just a few
  • Contact the people you worked for or with and those who worked for you – ASK THEM
  • Friends who live here – ASK THEM

  • Friends who live out of town – Give then a call, It’s a great opportunity to renew the friendship And ASK THEM

  • Your Neighbors – Maybe you could stop by their home with your American Legion Cap on and ASK THEM

  • Use Your Imagination for others and ASK THEM

SUGGESTION: Don’t mail someone a form and expect them to mail it back, instead STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT - You fill out the form and mail their portion to them

Let's Make This A Record Year!

WITH FULL PARTICIPATION FROM OUR MEMBERS

Click here to download the Birdies for Charities Sign-Up Form

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This page was last updated on 02/27/2006 .
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