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By Steven B. Brooks
For 25 years Byron Cox American Legion Post 72 in Crawfordsville, Ind., has put on a Veterans Expo that brought together local veterans with a variety of vendors – health-care professionals, American Legion service officers, educators and others – filling the post. The coronavirus pandemic meant Post 72 would need to alter this year’s expo, but for Legionnaire Mike Spencer, one aspect needed to remain in place: flu shots for veterans. Teaming up with Walgreens, the post was able to provide 74 veterans and their spouses with the free shots during a scaled-back Veterans Expo from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 15 at the post. Those ages 65 and over were given the opportunity to receive a high-dose shot; 50 took advantage of the offer. “We talked it over with the (post executive board), and I expressed my desire to give the shots … but due to the pandemic, I thought we should do away with the vendors this year,” said Spencer, Post 72’s third vice commander and the expo’s chairman for the past five years. “Getting shots for our veterans was our most important thing.” American Legion National Commander James “Bill” Oxford recently recorded two PSAs urging Legionnaires to get flu shots, something not lost on Post 72. “That’s what we were trying to express to everybody,” Spencer said. “Due to the pandemic and (flu season), we were trying to encourage to come in and get their flu shots with their spouses. It’s one of these years you need to get the shot.” The expo also offered eye exams, while Montgomery County Veterans Service Officer Joe Ellis was available to assist veterans with Department of Veterans Affairs claims and answer other questions. Spencer said previous expos included a multitude of vendors from hospitals, colleges, nursing homes and an American Legion Department of Indiana service officer. “We just have all kinds of things if any of our veterans have any issues or need any education or advice on anything,” he said. “We’ve got it right here. It’s just grown over the years. We have so many vendors that want to take part in this. They know it’s a good thing and know that we have a good crowd. It’s worked real well. I think it keeps veterans up with what’s going on." Social distancing was required during the expo, as was wearing a mask. Past Department of Indiana Commander Rodney Strong, now serving as Post 72’s commander and a 31-year Legionnaire, said he and Spencer realized cancelling this year’s expo would have been a mistake and were willing to take any necessary safety measures. “We decided this was what we needed to do, and we wanted to limit it to who came and who the vendors were,” said Strong, who also has been in the Sons of The American Legion for 57 years. “We still wanted to do this. It was very important to us.” Apart from the health-care aspects, Strong said the expo also provided a safe break from stay-at-home situations and limited contact with others. “Some of (the veterans) … maybe once in a year this is where they see each other,” he said. “So it’s a little bit of camaraderie.” Post 72 member Maj. Gen. Bruce Bowers, commander of the Indiana Guard Reserve (IGR), and his wife Bev came by the post for their flu shots. Bruce, who served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1976 and has served in the IGR since 1981, said being able to get the shots “is very convenient. I’ve got my shot here for probably the last five or six years.” The 48-year Legionnaire said Post 72’s dedication to offering the expo in the midst of the pandemic is emblematic of what the post provides to its community. “They provide a lot of different services,” said Bowers. “It’s very nice.”  The American Legion
Public health mandates in response to the coronavirus included stay-at-home orders and business closures. Those mandates financially impacted American Legion posts nationwide as member and community outreach efforts were limited, resulting in a loss of revenue. To provide some relief during these challenging times, financial grants are now available for eligible American Legion posts. Resolution No. 36, Mission Blue Post Assistance Program, will provide $1,000 grants to posts that are in good standing with their respective department. These funds must be used exclusively to pay current or past due rent, mortgage, utilities and insurance. The American Legion National Executive Committee approved Resolution No. 36 Oct. 14, during its annual Fall Meetings. Funds for the approved grants will be provided through The American Legion National Emergency Fund (NEF). Eligibility for a Mission Blue Post Assistance Program grant requires posts to have: 1. A Consolidated Post Report on file. 2. Filed an IRS 990 within the prescribed due date. 3. Filed all other required forms and reports as prescribed by the department. 4. Actively participated in one or more American Legion programs in the last 18 months. 5. A financial need. 6. A certificate of insurance naming The American Legion doing business as American Legion National Headquarters as an additional insured. 7. Documentation indicating that the post is properly incorporated. The Mission Blue Post Assistance Program grant application will be a fillable PDF. Please stay tuned for its release. American Legion posts applying for a grant will be required to first submit the completed application to their respective department for approval before it can be sent to National Headquarters. This application procedure is the same as the NEF. American Legion posts have until Dec. 31, 2021, to apply for an Operation Blue PAP grant. A total of 306 service members died by suicide in the first half of 2020, according to the most recent Pentagon report released on Thursday, which covers suicide deaths up to June 30.
 A recent photo of 777 after renovations. by Kirsten Clark (in.gov)
INDIANAPOLIS – On March 15, 1919, members of the American Expeditionary Force convened in Paris to form the first American Legion caucus. This historic event marked the start of an organization dedicated to creating and fighting for veteran benefits, resources and programs. The new American Legion crafted the first pages of the G.I. Bill and established the U.S. Veterans Bureau, which would later become the Veterans Administration. The group’s war-weary veterans held their first convention in November 1919 in Minneapolis. They adopted a constitution and preamble and voted to establish a permanent national headquarters, moving the newly named American Legion from Washington, D.C., to Indianapolis. With more than 170 trains in and out of the Circle City on a daily basis, Indianapolis provided the ideal location for 55 department heads to meet and create the programs that would change the lives of American veterans and their families forever. “A special Indiana legislative session in 1920 actually designated two city blocks on state property and allocated $2.2 million to construct what is now the Memorial Mall,” said J. Stewart Goodwin, Indiana War Memorial executive director and retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general. “They initially sought to use the property to honor the nearly 135,000 Hoosier veterans and 3,709 killed in action.” The state moved to build the Legion’s home on this property, located at 777 N. Meridian St., and broke ground in 1924. Building 777 was the first property conceived on the state land. In 1927, General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, commander of American Expeditionary Forces on the Western Front during World War I, laid the cornerstone of the Indiana War Memorial, launching the development of additional memorials standing in that space today. The American Legion Mall features a sunken garden with a cenotaph and four Art Deco columns topped with stylized golden eagles. Built in 1931, the cenotaph is a tribute to the Hoosiers who gave their lives in World War I. “The city of Indianapolis has more memorials and space dedicated to our service members and veterans than any other city in America, except Washington, D.C.,” Goodwin said. “Leaders back then understood the importance of honoring and caring for our nation’s veterans. It behooves us to do the same and consolidate services, programs and benefits for veterans in one location to ensure the highest quality care and recognition for their efforts defending freedom around the world.” After the building’s construction was complete in 1925, the American Legion, the Red Cross and the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) took up residence in the four-story, 40,000 square foot iconic structure. The American Legion Auxiliary also began serving women veterans from Building 777. The location was so successful that by 1950, the Legion had outgrown the building and moved to a new, larger location nearby at 700 N. Pennsylvania St. In 2014, then-IDVA director James Brown and Goodwin conceived the idea to centralize and secure veteran services in one prime location named the Indiana Veterans Center. “We are now in a position to put this historic site back to work in a way that will provide tremendous benefit to veterans and eligible family members,” said Dennis Wimer, IDVA director. “The vision we have is to make Building 777 the nucleus of veteran activity, resources and strength in Indiana. Veterans will be able to access the help and resources they need in one location, one trip, one stop.” The distinctive structure needed a transforming renovation, while still preserving all the detail of its early 1920s charm and architecture. Then-Gov. Mike Pence appropriated funds from a 1923 state account that allocated monies for maintaining, building and recovering state properties but remained unused until labor to revive the site began. While the historic look of the building has been preserved, new features include updated ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and restrooms on each floor. Now that the renovation is complete, all divisions of IDVA will migrate to the building’s third floor, including the State Approving Agency (SAA) and the Military Family Relief Fund. SAAs were created during the early days of the World War II GI Bill of Rights, from ideas conceived and developed in Building 777. The primary focus of the SAAs continues to be the review, evaluation and approval of quality programs of education and training under state and federal criteria. SAAs conduct on-site compliance visits to approved institutions and to those seeking approval and provide technical assistance to help them meet requirements. SAAs engage in outreach activities to encourage wider use of the GI Bill by veterans, schools and employers. Many also act as state liaisons, helping military installations provide base personnel with quality educational offerings and information about education benefits. Additional agencies that will follow IDVA to the Indiana Veterans Center are the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation, INVets, representatives from the Disabled American Veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Furthermore, the location will assist veterans with their medical and health care enrollment and benefits, as well as with acquiring benefits and services offered from the federal regional office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. “No other state that we know of will offer all of these services under one roof,” said Goodwin. “Since the Vietnam War, every veteran is a volunteer; they raised their hands and took an oath to protect and defend others. It is our responsibility to take care of those who took care of us.” Building 777 also has improved technology access and increased space for training, staff meetings and conferences. Veterans will be able to use computers and the internet to access any digital and electronic records with assistance from staff. “This will be a veteran’s last stop; this is the finest collection of veteran helpers in one location,” Goodwin said. “If you have a problem or an issue and you can’t get it solved elsewhere, you need to bring it here and get it resolved. We will work until it is truly fixed.” Some information for this article obtained from https://www.legion.org/history.  Visit: www.in.gov/dva for more information
Congratulations to this years winners at the Indiana Legion 2020 Golf Outing. $100 Winner Steve Melling, from Post 331, SAL $80 Winner Frank Ivancic, from Post 331, Golden Eagle $60 Winner Austin Earlywine, from Post 1, SAL   Department of Indiana Commander Allen Connelly and Leading Candidate Mark Gullion presented a check to the Indiana War Memorials Foundation at the Indiana 9/11 Memorial site. The donation from the department will help to expand and re-dedicate the site that is expected to cost $450,000 and is not utilizing any public funds. The expansion project will highlight those heroes and honor US Army Lieutenant General Tim Maude, a Hoosier serving at the Pentagon who was the most senior service member killed that day.
The Indiana 911 Memorial was built on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and was dedicated to the brave first responders and people who perished that day. Since that time, more than 5,000 US military service members have died fighting terrorism and protecting our freedoms. The project will also include the addition of national and state flags and an 800-pound piece of Indiana limestone from the Pentagon crash site on the 30 by 10-foot memorial extension. A “Survivor Tree” from the World Trade Center will also be planted on site. The goal is to complete the extension and re-dedicate the site on the 20th anniversary on Sept. 11, 2021. A livestream of the event is available from Fox59.com at: https://fox59.com/video/indianapolis-911-memorial-to-undergo-expansion/5842153/  You may have heard about how important it is to have a sense of well-being. You may know that it can affect both physical and mental health. But do you know how Veterans can achieve it? Educators from the VISN 16 South Central MIRECC in Houston have developed a new tool to take the mystery out of being well. The Veterans Wellness Guide provides brief explanations, strategies and activities that Veterans can use at home to improve their well-being. The guide isn’t meant to replace professional care. If Veterans experience signs and symptoms of mental health challenges, they should always contact VA for professional evaluation and treatment, if necessary. Veterans receiving care can work with their practitioner to incorporate information and practices in the guide into their treatment plan. Applying the science of positive psychologyA team of VA educators developed the guide. Each section was created to stand alone. Veterans can use as many sections and activities as they like and in whatever order they prefer. Topics include:
Proven success among VeteransIn its development stage, the Veterans Wellness Guide’s pilot tested with Veterans whose feedback was used to improve both content and design. The pilot users reported that the finished guide was highly useful. They said they needed the information and would recommend the guide to fellow Veterans. Those interested in using the Veterans Wellness Guide can download it and put it into practice in their homes at their own pace and on their own terms. Veterans who wish to involve their loved ones in their wellness journey can share the guide with family members and friends. Accessing the guideTo learn about the importance of well-being to overall mental health and to find wellness practices that can help achieve it, download the Veterans Wellness Guide through the VISN 16 South Central MIRECC, at www.mirecc.va.gov/VISN16/docs/veteran-wellness-guide.pdf. This blog is courtesy the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention.   You are cordially invited to join Department of Indiana Commander Allen Connelly at the Indiana 9/11 Memorial as he presents a check for $50,000 to expand and re-dedicate the site. The expansion project will highlight those heroes and honor US Army Lieutenant General Tim Maude, a Hoosier serving at the Pentagon who was the most senior service member killed that day.
Friday, September 11, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Downtown Indianapolis at 421 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202 (Street parking available) The Indiana 911 Memorial Committee has announced plans to expand the Memorial located at 421 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, Indiana. A generous donation of $50,000 from the Indiana Department of the American Legion will be presented at a fundraiser kickoff on Sept. 11 to begin the effort to raise money for the $450,000 project. In case of inclement weather, the event will be conducted at the Indiana War Memorial, 55 E. Michigan St. The public and media are encouraged to attend, while wearing masks and social distancing. The Indiana 911 Memorial was built on the 10th anniversary of the attacks and was dedicated to the brave first responders and people who perished that day. Since September 11, 2001, more than 5,000 US military service members have died fighting terrorism and protecting our freedoms. The project will also include the addition of national and state flags and an 800-pound piece of Indiana limestone from the Pentagon crash site on the 30 by 10-foot memorial extension. A “Survivor Tree” from the World Trade Center will also be planted on site. The goal is to complete the extension and re-dedicate the site on the 20th anniversary on Sept. 11, 2021. We hope to see you there! The latest issue of Hoosier Legionnaire is arriving in mailboxes now, but if you can't wait or prefer the digital version, we've posted it here. If you have a story that you'd like to submit for consideration in the next issue of Hoosier Legionnaire, send it to communications@indianalegion.org.  |
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