Sons of The American Legion - Detachment of Wisconsin

Good Morning to all in the Central Region I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and ate a lot! Now we need to get back to our Golf Game and get membership in for the Central. As you look at the numbers we are doing great in our renewals and making our target dates. But it may get tougher to get this accomplished after this month. We have seven days to meet our next target date of December 10^th and we are at 44.248% and need a little more to make it. So let’s keep our Balls in the Fairway and hit the Green . I want to commend Wisconsin for doing a great job in getting Membership in. they are at 55.308% and on their way to making the next green in January. It may be getting tougher to see your Golf Balls at this point because the ground and the Ball are the same color so let’s change the ball to an Orange Color and proceed on down the Fairway to the green. I know with all of everyone’s help we can accomplish this task to make the Central Region Stronger then every. Thanks again for all of your hard work and continue to work for Commander Tommie and NVC Dennis.

John Zgoda, National Membership Team

Great Job Central! Were just about there! Michigan, please get out of the sand traps!! We are still in second place. I'd really like to see us go to a strong first place, there is still time. Another great week for Wisconsin. Push hard men, we can get there. Don't forget to always put our veterans first.

Thanks again and as always ...... happy to be here!
Dennis Blue National Vice Cmdr, Central

National Commander Says Thanks

As National Commander of The Sons of The American Legion, it has come to my attention that there are some OUTSTANDING and hard working members within our ranks.

The membership team of The Detachment of the great state of Wisconsin is working very hard to achieve their goals. The membership goal being met FIRST in the Central Region is quite an accomplishment.

To all Squadron & District Commanders and Membership Chairman and to Commander Hove and Adjutant Lawler I wish to commend you and give you a friendly pat on the back for a ‘job well done’ Please keep up the good work.

Operation Comfort Warriors: Meet the Challenge

By American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein, American Legion Auxiliary National President Desiree´ A. Stoy, and Sons of the American Legion National Commander Tommie Cisna

We need your help. Most importantly they need you. They are our warriors, our guardians, our protectors. They are liberators, peacekeepers and nation-builders. They are our neighbors, friends and family members. They are the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. And now they are hurting.The U.S. government does a good job providing for the essential needs of the men and women recovering from war injuries in hospitals like Walter Reed, Brooke Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center, just to name a few. But what about the so-called nonessentials, the items that don’t show up as a budget-line on a government spreadsheet? Nonessential comfort items such as loose-fitting sweat suits that can cover a soldier’s healing body without adding pressure to the burns he suffered during an RPG attack in Ramadi? Or an I-Pod to help drown out the tinnitus that has plagued the medic ever since she drove too close to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan?

We are calling on you to once again help us meet our goal of raising $50,000 by the holidays. You can use your credit card to make an online donation at www.legion.org/ocw or you can mail a check to Operation Comfort Warriors, PO Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206

District Score Card

A much better week most districts turned in some membership but the standings only changed slightly. Only three days left to reach our Goal is 60% by Pearl Harbor Day December 7^th.

1.     Fifth District 98.21%
2.     Eleventh District 88.24%
3.     Twelfth District 79.41%
4.     Fourth District 79.26%
5.  Third District 79.19%
6.     Sixth District 57.95%
7.     First District 57.92%
8.     Eighth District 55.80%
9.     Ninth District 53.30%
10. Seventh District 51.85%
11. Second District 42.25%
12. Tenth District 23.88%

It looks like the District Chairmen were not up to the challenge, maybe Miniture Golf would have been better choice.

Legion Notes and Contest

Legion Membership through the Great Depression:

The American Legion Membership through the Great Depression:

'29 - 794,219;
'30 - 887,754;
'31 - 1,053,909;
'32 - 931,373;
'33 - 769,551;
'34 - 831,681;
'35 - 842,855;
'36 - 956,273;
'37 - 973,841;
'38 - 974,637;
'39 - 1,032,989;
'40 - 1,078,119;
'41 - 1,107,075;
'42 - 1,136,148.

The annual membership dues ranged between $2 and $5 in 1933 (with
National getting $1, which amounts to $16.32 in today's money). In 2008
dollars that translates into annual dues of between $32.72 ($2) and
$81.60 ($5). From the heart of the Great Depression, with dues
averaging more then than they do now (about $30 nationwide), The
American Legion held its own and even grew.

Times are tough - that's true - and yet we have a product to sell that
is well worth the money, irrespective of the economy. If we have people
in our Posts who have fallen on hard times, our devotion to mutual
helpfulness should guide us in giving those persons assistance to ensure
that they keep their membership. Moreover, we need to ensure they know
about Temporary Financial Assistance and other benefits of veterans
helping veterans.

www.mygibill.org

www.mygibill.org is getting plenty of hits and being constantly updated.
Hard copies of the original booklet are available also, and are being
reprinted on demand. Let us know if you need them and what your
deadline is. There is no cost.

Also, a new DVD about the Heroes to Hometowns program is being
reproduced right now by VA&R working with PR. It provides a great
rundown on the program and is suitable for showing as either a training
film or an informational film - it's got elements of both. It also
features some useful feedback Legionnaires involved in the program and
beneficiaries affected by the outreach. Each department will be sent
3-5 by Jan. 1, but you may order as many as you can use.

Also, if you go to www.legion.org and click on "Publications, Guides and
Resources" (at the bottom of the page, right), and then scroll down to
"Membership/Internal Affairs," and click on the last item, "Guide to
Post Training," you will find a new feature that includes many of the
training items that are available from national. These pamphlets, DVDs,
and booklets can assist Posts with training or can be used for
Department training sessions or colleges. The training DVD for District
Commanders is especially useful, I have heard. If you think of other
training tools that you could use, don't hesitate to let us know. WE
are here to serve YOU. - Dan Wheeler

Kudos from National