Disabled American Veterans

Blind Veterans National Chapter #1

WEB SITE: http://www.davbvnc.com/

July-August, 2011 Newsletter

Editor: Dennis O’Connell

 

"IF I CANNOT SPEAK GOOD OF MY COMRADE,

I WILL NOT SPEAK ILL OF HIM OR HER."

 

OFFICERS OF THE BLIND CHAPTER

Commander Dennis O’Connell
Phone 516 328-3438
Email: bvnc1@verizon.net

Senior Vice Commander Richard Bugbee
1st Junior Vice Commander Eddie Humphrey

2nd Junior Vice Commander Joe Wallace

3rd Vice Commander Junior Farley

4th Junior Vice Commander William Burgess
Judge Advocate Dave May
Chaplain Rev. Tony Martino
Phone 847 736 2111
email: Deaconmart@wi.rr.com

Adjutant/Treasurer Paul Kaminsky (also webmaster)

Phone 904 291-0576
email: pkjax@kaminsky.com

Immediate Past Commander Eddie Humphrey

 

 

If you know of any member who is sick or deceased please inform one of the officers whose contact information is listed above.

 

WELCOME ABOARD

Tom Goshea, Jr. Brooklyn, NY

 

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMANDER

This is the last time I will be writing to you as Commander, but not as editor of this newsletter. I took the oath of office as your Commander in August of 2009 and my first newsletter was the November/December 2008 issue.

It has been a pleasure serving and representing our Chapter at the conventions and at the Mid-Winter meetings. I want to thank past Commanders Eddie Humphrey and Dave May for their advice and wisdom which I asked for on numerous times. Also, our Adjutant/Treasurer Paul Kaminsky for doing an outstanding job. He took that office the same time I became Commander and had to clean up records over a year old. On the job training is what he had, and I’m sure Jim Fox helped a lot with his 14 years of experience as Adjutant/Treasurer.

Thank you for letting me represent you for the past 2 years as your Commander. I intend to remain active in our chapter and attend as many conventions as possible, and of course, remain editor of this newsletter for the foreseeable future.

Stay well and God Bless.

 

 

ELECTION RESULTS

The final results of the election of delegates and alternates to the DAV National Convention are noted below. The below who are noted as Delegates and Alternate Delegates should receive official letters from DAV National prior to the DAV National Convention. You will need to bring those letters to the convention and show them at the convention as part of credentials verification. According to Chapter Bylaws each Delegate and Alternate Delegates will receive $750 to help pay for expenses and reimbursement for the convention registration fee (normally $25). Delegates and Alternate Delegates are responsible for attending all convention business meetings and assigned committee meetings. The Chapter is currently allowed 4 delegates and 4 alternate delegates. If for some reason one of the primary Delegates or Alternate Delegates unable to attend the convention, please let the Commander or myself know ASAP. Last year a delegate had to drop out but it was too late in the game to find a room, so we were less one authorized Alternate Delegate, and then another failed to show or notify the Chapter that they were not going to attend, leaving us 2 short.  It is imperative to let us know if you will not be able to attend so that we can know what is going on and what members will be there.

There are two Chapter meetings held on August 5, 2011, 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, and Chapter breakfast and meeting on Monday August 8 at 8:00 AM.   Both the meetings and breakfast meeting will be held in the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Oak Alley room

Paul Kaminsky, BVNC1 Adjutant/Treasurer

 

National Convention information:
August 5 - 9, 2011
Hilton New Orleans Riverside

2 Poydras St
New Orleans, LA 70140
Telephone: 504.561.0500
$124 Single/Double
http://www.dav.org/news/UpcomingEvents.aspx

 

Delegates:

1 MOFFITT
2 WALLACE

3 FARLEY
4 BUGBEE

 

Alternate Delegates:

5  BURGESS
6  MARTINO
7 HOGAN

8 VACANT

 

Also, if you are attending the Convention and are not a delegate or alternate, please let us know. 

 

 

Flag Day Update:

Flag Day was first observed in 1877 on the 100th anniversary of the Continental Congress' adoption of the Stars and Stripes as the official flag of the United States. In that year, Congress asked that

all public buildings fly the flag on June 14. The idea quickly caught on and many people wanted to participate in waving the flag. One early supporter was B. J. Cigrand, a Wisconsin schoolteacher who wanted June 14 to be known as "Flag Birthday." In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Flag Day as a national celebration. However,

the holiday was not officially recognized until 1949 when President Harry Truman signed the National Flag Day Bill. Although Flag Day is not celebrated as a Federal holiday, Americans everywhere continue to honor the history and heritage it represents. The longest-running Flag Day parade is held annually in Quincy, Massachusetts, which

began 1952 and celebrated its 61st year in 2011. The largest Flag Day parade is held annually in Troy, New York, which bases its parade on the Quincy parade and typically draws 50,000 spectators. In 1996, President Bill Clinton issued the following proclamation:

 An unserviceable American flag should never be disposed of in the trash or garbage. The colors of the United States of America should be retired honorably. The 14,000 + American Legion Posts worldwide will accept your unserviceable American flags and will honorably retire them. Post 364 in Woodbridge, VA has a flag retirement

ceremony every flag day, and the boy scouts of Troop 1367 always assist. [Source: Daniel D. Eubank's Blog

http://danieldeubank.wordpress.com 6 Jun 2011 ++]

 

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Calling All Science Fiction Readers – 

Publisher Baen Books who provides its books in electronic form to readers who are blind, paralyzed, dyslexic, or amputees, free of charge - posted on May 31, 2011.


http://www.aisquared.com/blog/2011/05/calling-all-science-fiction-readers/?utm_source=ZoomNews+from+Ai+Squared&utm_campaign=92cd2ce682-Blog+Summary+%2324&utm_medium=email

 

Baen Books made this offer a while back in recognition of Veterans Day, and what better time to highlight this since we just celebrated Memorial Day yesterday.

Jim Baen, founder of Baen Books, decided to “provide each challenged reader with a permanent pass” to the regular e-publication of Baen’s+ new books.  His successor, publisher Toni Weisskopf, is implementing his idea with this program.

Although the subscription is free, you must first apply.  Applications will be processed by ReadAssist,

a volunteer group devoted to helping readers who are disabled find the books they want in the form they need.

Happy reading!

 

 

Armed Forces Day:

On 31 AUG 49, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from

the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but also supports Armed Forces Day. In a speech

announcing the formation of the day, President Truman "praised the work of the military services at home and across the seas" and said, "it is vital to the security of the nation and to the establishment of a desirable peace." In an excerpt from the Presidential Proclamation of 27 FEB 50, Mr. Truman stated: Armed Forces Day marks the first

combined demonstration by America's defense team of its progress, under the National Security Act, towards the goal of readiness for any eventuality. It is the first parade of preparedness by the unified forces of our land, sea, and air defense.

The theme of the first Armed Forces Day was "Teamed for Defense." It was chosen as a means of expressing the unification of all the military forces under a single department of the government. Although this was the theme for the day, there were several other purposes for holding Armed Forces Day. It was a type of "educational program for civilians," one in which there would be an increased awareness of the Armed Forces. It was designed to expand

public understanding of what type of job is performed and the role of the military in civilian life. It was a day for the military to show "state-of-the-art" equipment to the civilian population they were protecting. And it was a day to honor and acknowledge the people of the Armed Forces of the United States. According to a New York Times

article published on 17 MAY 52: "This is the day on which we have the welcome opportunity to pay special tribute to the men and women of the Armed Forces ... to all the individuals who are in the service of their country all over the world. Armed Forces Day won't be a matter of parades and receptions for a good many of them. They will all be

in line of duty and some of them may give their lives in that duty."

 

The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions, and air shows. In Washington D.C., 10,000 troops of all branches of the military, cadets, and veterans marched pass the President and his party. In Berlin, 1,000 U.S. troops paraded for the German citizens at Templehof Airfield. In New York City, an estimated 33,000 participants initiated Armed Forces Day "under an air cover of 250 military planes of all types." In the

harbors across the country were the famed mothballed battlewagons" of World War II, the Missouri, the New Jersey, the North Carolina, and the Iowa, all open for public inspection. Precision flying teams dominated the skies as tracking radar was exhibited on the ground. All across the country, the American people joined together to honor

the Armed Forces. Armed Forces Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May which this year was the

21st. Armed Forces Week begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May, the day after Armed Forces Day. Because of their unique training schedules, National Guard and reserve units may celebrate

Armed Forces Day/Week over any period in May. [Source: About.com: U.S. military article May2011 ++]

 

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REMINDER! Cassette tapes are becoming scarce. If you can receive this newsletter via email or large print, instead of tape, please let Paul Kaminsky know ASAP! THANK YOU.

 

GOD BLESS AMERICA!