Quote from: Wilma on Today at 08:26:20 am
American Legion membership is open to all veterans of the armed forces. There is no requirement as to age or war served during. The American Legion in Howard does have members that are young enough to be a color guard in a parade and it is time that they step up and insist on doing their duty at home.
Wilma actually that is not true, the requirement is listed below: I don't agree with this as I have friends and schoolmates that served outside the window of requirement and they have been denied membership, if a war had broken out during their service time they would have been the first to go.
Also I know several WWII Veterans and Korean
Legion Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility for membership in the American Legion is determined by the United States Congress. Honorably discharged members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard who served during the following periods are eligible to join the Legion:
World War I
April 6-1917 to November 11, 1918
World War II
December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946
Korea
June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955
Viet Nam
February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975
Grenada/Lebanon
August 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984
Panama
December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990
Persian Gulf
August 2, 1990 to present
Frank, I didn't know that. Thanks. I thought that just being a member of an armed service made one eligible. The fact remains though, that the younger should be insisting on doing their share of leadership in the community. The old fogies need to go ride a float.
Frank is correct as far as the eligibility requirements. I feel that membership should be open to all that served, but rules are rules until someone changes them. Having recently joined the Newport post, I find that my weekends are getting to be more fun. Although the drive is long, I get to see my son and daughter-in-law and granddaughter more. The reason I feel membership should be open to all is because they allow dependents such as my son to join as a "SAL", son of a Legionnaire, which he did. We are both members and he lives less than a mile down the street from the post. I do sense a "political" feeling there though. I don't know how true this is, but on one of my visits there, I overheard a conversation about some Navy Seals who disrupted a meeting or something like that and were thrown out and not allowed back and the ban was put on all Navy Seals, I heard. Like I said, it was a story and I don't know if its true. But, I guess if you just go and play nice and follow the rules, they will welcome you with open arms. I went yesterday and enjoyed a wonderful time with my son and family, ate lunch, watched the boats, the girls in bikinis paddling around on boards, life just doesn't get much better than that. In this post the younger members do all the honor guard work and show up at funerals for flag ceremonies and they check IDs at the gates. WWII vets are highly honored and we do have a few. When introduced at any ceremony, they receive a standing ovation. I am glad my son talked me into joining even if it was for selfish reasons, i.e., so he could join.
Larryj
Larry, in my opinion all members of any service branch at any time are special heroes. I had three brothers in WWII and one of them also was called back and served in Korea. I had 4th brother that served in Korea and 2 tours in Vietnam and was career military, all 4 of them are heroes to me. Those that served in Vietnam were no different than those that served in WWII, they were serving their country and following the orders of their CIC and risking their lives every minute to do it. I had one Nephew Killed in Vietnam and another seriously wounded. At one time I had a brother and 3 Nephews in Vietnam and they all served their country proudly.
Larry I agree with you that Legion Membership should be open to all that served.
Sounds like the Winn family went above and beyond the call of duty. My hats off to them all.
I'm also with you and Larry both on why all honorably discharged vets can't join the Legion.
Both my brothers were Marines and served a tour in Nam and they were my heroes but sometimes I think we use that term too loosely. I know just because I served don't make me a hero by any means. Like I told you privately before, there were several times I was so scared I was shaking like a coon dog passing a peach seed and my teeth chattered as loud as two skeletons getting it on, on a tin roof----and that sure aint heroic. :D
It is almost embarrassing to me for someone to thank me for my service because I didn't think it was any thing special---I just thought it was the right thing to do.
Please don't tell ol Sarge I said that I was scared, because I got him thinking I was a born again Chesty Puller.
Quote from: jarhead on October 03, 2011, 11:14:00 AM
It is almost embarrassing to me for someone to thank me for my service because I didn't think it was any thing special---I just thought it was the right thing to do.
Please don't tell ol Sarge I said that I was scared, because I got him thinking I was a born again Chesty Puller.
Your secret is safe with us jarhead... :)
I am proud of all of you who are serving or have served in any capacity.. :-*
Quote from: Teresa on October 03, 2011, 11:16:36 AM
Your secret is safe with us jarhead... :)
I am proud of all of you who are serving or have served in any capacity.. :-*
Well said Teresa, Ron, my guess is that even Sgt. York and Audie Murphy had times when they were scared, but they were still Heroes.
Quote from Teresa:
Your secret is safe with us jarhead...
Right Blondie---I trust you being tight lipped, about the same as I do that Bartlesville Bucket Mouth !!! ;D
Quote from: jarhead on October 03, 2011, 12:33:21 PM
Quote from Teresa:
Your secret is safe with us jarhead...
Right Blondie---I trust you being tight lipped, about the same as I do that Bartlesville Bucket Mouth !!! ;D
Give a person some compliments and see how he reacts, Teresa we need to think of some bad stuff to pay this guy back. I need to talk to Sarge and he can probably tell me enough bad stuff about old Jughead to keep him quiet for awhile.
While I can see possible membership limitations for the VFW, it seems the American Legion should be open to all honorably discharged vets. After all, their voluntary willingness to serve deserves recognition even if their higher ups never put them in harms way. The Legion seems the logical place for all continue sharing their unique brotherhood and to be commemorated.
Jarhead, I don't think that's very nice of you to call my man that name. I guess I was mistaken, as I thought you were really a nice man!
Myrna
Myrna,
That's why I put that great big toothy smiley face meaning it was a joke. Why do I suspect that Frank wrote this instead of Myrna----and it wouldn't be the first time he pulled that stunt on me just to watch me squirm in my seat. ;D
That's what you do when you make a joke -- poke poke and put a ;D ;D
Myrna
Quote from: frawin on October 03, 2011, 01:26:31 PM
Jarhead, I don't think that's very nice of you to call my man that name. I guess I was mistaken, as I thought you were really a nice man!
Myrna
Don't blame me folks, I never told her he was a nice man.
Quote from: frawin on October 03, 2011, 03:28:19 PM
Don't blame me folks, I never told her he was a nice man.
It was me. Being the wonderful perfect person I am... I tried to tell her what a great honest injun type of guy you are...... but ole' Frank just jumped up out of his seat and blabbed all he knew about you Jughe...err Jarhead. ((I personally think that it was to keep himself out of hot water... but I couldn't swear by it.))
I guess Myrna welds a bigger rolling pin than any of us imagined. I didn't know Frank could talk that fast and duck and run at the same time..
Quote from: Teresa on October 03, 2011, 11:16:36 AM
Your secret is safe with us jarhead... :)
:-*
Not safe anymore!
Doggone it, Jarhead -- that's what happens when you get to talking with a lot of nice folks, smilin' and visitin' -- you let your guard down, and before you know it, you've spilled the beans and there is no gettin' it back.
Well-- the cat jumped out of the bag and those McDonald kids grabbed right on to it.
Tough luck -- maybe they'll forget all about it in a day or two.
there are other ways to be a member of both the VFW and American Legion, as I have been or am a member. I am a member because my father was in WWII. As were several of his brothers, my mothers brother, and on back for generations and generations. I had to have dad's dates of service, the name of his ship and his rank on discharge, I believe.
Quote from: flo on October 03, 2011, 05:56:21 PM
there are other ways to be a member of both the VFW and American Legion, as I have been or am a member. I am a member because my father was in WWII. As were several of his brothers, my mothers brother, and on back for generations and generations. I had to have dad's dates of service, the name of his ship and his rank on discharge, I believe.
Flo that is great, but it seems even more unfair that many of the service men that served outside of wartime can't join.
I was curious so I surfed................
This is a quote from an American Legion Post................
Q: Why is membership in The American Legion limited to certain periods of time? I served in military, but not during The American Legion eligibility periods.
A: The American Legion was founded in 1919 as a war-time veterans organization. It was chartered by Congress on this basis. Our membership eligibility dates parallel dates set by Congress of war-time service.
So there you have it..........the rules were set by Congress who usually can't get anything right anyhow.
Larryj
Quoteparallel dates set by Congress of war-time service.
Is this to mean, that whenever Congress (President declared war), then they are omitted (as Viet Nam was not declared)? , yet those who fought to protect our country were just lip servicemen/women to the Organization set by yahoos?????
Not to deface ANYONE who SERVED in the Armed Forces.....I salute you gentlemen/women!
Is this a stint on behalf of our government for the wrong place at the right time....for whom?????
I edited this to make it more clear.
ready
I yet ammend that again:
The Viet Nam and Desert Storm eras are at the wrong time for the wrong reasons.
ready
Quote from: larryJ on October 03, 2011, 06:32:50 PM
I was curious so I surfed................
This is a quote from an American Legion Post................
Q: Why is membership in The American Legion limited to certain periods of time? I served in military, but not during The American Legion eligibility periods.
A: The American Legion was founded in 1919 as a war-time veterans organization. It was chartered by Congress on this basis. Our membership eligibility dates parallel dates set by Congress of war-time service.
So there you have it..........the rules were set by Congress who usually can't get anything right anyhow.
Larryj
So there you have it. Congress making a decision that they weren't qualified to make. If it was founded in 1919, why hasn't this been changed to include all veterans?
Au contraire, dear Janet, read on...........................
More surfing..............
A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992 under Title 36 of the United States Code.
The relationship between Congress and the organization is largely a symbolic honorific giving the organization the aura of being "officially" sanctioned by the U.S. government. However Congress does not oversee or supervise organizations with the charter (other than receiving a yearly financial statement). In order to clarify that the chartered organizations are not government entities and not supervised by the government both the House and the Senate in 1990s agreed not to issue additional charters.
Larryj
Can I assume that this is something that the American Legion can change? Seems to me that they should be working on it.
From what I have been reading this morning, there apparently is a bill that has been introduced before Congress to create the Cold War Medal. I haven't fully read everything about this, but it has been around for a while. I think I read that the Department of Defense is not wanting to acknowledge this medal. If this medal was to be awarded then that could change the eligibility requirements for admission to the American Legion. I will have to read more about this. Basically, if the Cold War Medal is approved, then all veterans would be eligible for admission.
Something to read up on today between running granddaughters back and forth to school. :)
Larryj
Jo,
I will be dealing with them McD kids when I get back from Austin, Tx where I'm going for a Nam reunion. Then on to Houston for a day or so. We will be drinking copious amounts of cold beer and I will be bringing all the aluminum cans back and deposit them in a certain oil man's yard, in Bartlesville as we pass thru. I heard he is destitute now that the price of crude is down so I want to help him out so he don't have to walk the ditches picking up cans. I won't mention his name but after just having back surgery he shouldn't be lugging sacks of cans.
You are SO KIND AND GOOD, Ron. And I know the unnamed recipient will be ever so grateful.
Good grief---why am I getting in the middle of this ? ~~~~~~~~~~ (so I can sit here and laugh my head off --- that's why )
Quote from: Jo McDonald on October 05, 2011, 04:23:38 PM
You are SO KIND AND GOOD, Ron. And I know the unnamed recipient will be ever so grateful.
Good grief---why am I getting in the middle of this ? ~~~~~~~~~~ (so I can sit here and laugh my head off --- that's why )
I tried to call a friend in Texas that is a State Trooper, I want to tell him to watch for a Kansas tag in the Austin area and in the Austin to Houston area. I was going to tell him the guy claims to be a Marine attending a gathering of his old out fit, but in reality he is smuggling dope from Mexico.
ooooooooooh. :o :o :o :o That's harsh........and cold hearted.
Maybe since he is drinking all that beer, a simple DUI would be better. ;D
However, Ron, I am very proud that you would think of this unmentioned person in such a kind way and make the kind of sacrifice that you are making. :angel:
Larryj
Quote from: frawin on October 05, 2011, 05:28:21 PM
I tried to call a friend in Texas that is a State Trooper, I want to tell him to watch for a Kansas tag in the Austin area and in the Austin to Houston area. I was going to tell him the guy claims to be a Marine attending a gathering of his old out fit, but in reality he is smuggling dope from Mexico.
If they stopped Jug I mean Jarhead, they would see right away how innocent he is.
So where is the boy? ??? Did he actually get busted in Texas? Did he get lost and can't find Kansas? Did he and all his Marine buddies get drunk enough and re-enlist? :o
Larryj
Quote from Larry:
So where is the boy? Did he actually get busted in Texas? Did he get lost and can't find Kansas? Did he and all his Marine buddies get drunk enough and re-enlist?
Larryj
RE-ENLIST ? What you smoking out there in California, Larry ? Hell, if a DI told me to drop down and give him 25 I might give him one or two then he would have to help me up----and running ? My legs have forgot how to run !!
You know about how things are bigger in Texas ? Well, their fibbers are bigger than mine. They say they aint had no rain. It rained almost all day Sat in Austin--then Sunday rained all the way from Austin to Houston. Almost made it to Houston and it was a toad strangler and visibility was zilch crap then Bertha Big Mouth ( my b#tch in a box) got "slightly confused" and had me driving by buildings that were taller than any tree in Elk county. Hell, I started looking for Ms Bears house and thought maybe she could put us up for a few days but before I got to Galveston, Bertha Big Mouth got her head on straight and took us to Candlelight Lane--oh, and that flattened orange pylon some idiot put in the middle of the exit ramp---and the 10 car pile-up behind it ? Wasn't me that caused it !!!!
Next years big reunion will be in Orlando, Fl ( doubt I will be going ) because if I wanted to see Goofy I would just go fishing with ol Sarge.
:laugh: LOL, Jarhead, but seriously I am glad you are home safe and sound. (You are home, right?) You might want to reconsider Florida. I went there for a cousin's reunion a few years ago in a town not far from Tampa. I was impressed with the area. Wouldn't want to live there, tho. Anyway, looking forward to hearing about your trip............I mean the stuff you can put on a family forum!
Larryj
Like always, had a great time at my reunion, Larry. I even got a special presentation from one of our Corpsman. Doc Wayne couldn't be there but mailed a cap, JUST FOR ME. All my tall tales---er---a--I mean war stories of being at the Frozin Chosin with my Daddy, Chesty Puller finally paid off. Doc send a cap that says" Two war veteran" on the bill and "Korea / Vietnam ' on the front. Guess this is proof enough that I can continue with my tales. :D
Had two new member show. One was WIA and gone a month before I got to Nam so I didn't know him. The other got there late in June and when the 4th Regiment got pulled out in Oct, A.J. went south to the 1st Div at Da Nang. I've often wondered about him.He said he did OK until April,1970 and he was getting short and thinking he "might" get out alive. Then in a 3 week period he was wounded 3 times---all head/ face wounds--all shrapnel but the last one put him in a hospital for several months.
My good buddy Ski was there still threatening to kill me---all because of what I thought was a spiffy haircut I gave him in Nam with a comb and razor blade. Jeez, after 42 years you would think he would learn to forget and forgive !!
Went to a reunion a few years back to St Augustine. It was nice but Florida aint my cup of tea. Way too many people for this country lad.
Ha, you sure wouldn't live here then! In my "little" town, there are enough people to fill up about 35 "Howards" and my "little" town is one of many on the county. On the other hand, after all these years in suburbia, I am not sure I could survive in a rural setting now. I have grown too used to the convenience of everything you need is within 10 miles. I did enjoy living in small towns growing up, tho.
Congrats on the hat! That was pretty special. And that guy you gave the buzz to should man-up. ;D
Larryj
Quote from: jarhead on October 12, 2011, 11:14:37 AM
if I wanted to see Goofy I would just go fishing with ol Sarge.
Oh ha ha, you're a regular damn riot you are.
Quote from Larry:
And that guy you gave the buzz to should man-up.
I agree with you ,Larry. Hell,just last evening Ski sent to a few of us a news flash about someone going bonkers there in California and shooting a bunch of people in a hair salon. Ski said he could understand why someone would get that upset over a haircut. I still don't know why he was upset. He was the only one in Nam that his hair looked like wooden shingles on a roof
Jarhead, I kept the umbrella out in case you stopped by. We did finally get some rain so now we are only 24 inches behind normal.
We did get wind yesterday, they are still trying to decide if it was a tornado or straight line winds. Lots of limbs down near here but no damage on my property. One woman was injured when a tree fell on her travel trailer and she was life flighted to Houston.
Glad you had a good trip even with the rain.
Welcome home Jarhead, sounds like you had a good trip. What were Texas Gasoline prices?
Frank,
Most of the time it was around $3.30. as we flew by one sign it was under $3.00 but I wonder if it was flex fuel. Get tired of having to wait to have them turn the pumps on so we decided to take the plunge and modernize and got them there debit cards. Not one single time on this trip would a gas pump except them . Then get home to find out the bank had been calling because someone tried to use our numbers in Mississippi and it threw up a red flag. Can't believe someone tried to steal my identity . I bet it's that sorry ass ol Sarge. He has always been jealous that I'm a chick magnet and he is butt ugly----and I'm a better fisherman.
Yeah, that was an unfortunate thing. Guy was upset over losing custody of his kid and decided to kill his ex. Sad part is, he killed seven other people that didn't have anything to do with the whole situation. Such a shameful loss. This is one guy that they should just take out to the ocean and hang him just above a school of sharks. I am truly saddened by this incident. It is just so senseless.
Larryj
They had all kinds of excuses for him, none that I could see would warrant killing anyone over. Sounds like an extremely selfish man to me.
Larry, your idea of what to do with him sounds good to me.
The sad part is that now that child has lost his mother and will have to visit his dad in prison. Just so sad for everyone involved.
Yes, the History Channel is doing a documentary called Vietnam in High Definition and it's due out in November. They are juxtaposing Hamburger Hill with 484 and I even have some TV star playing my part. (They didn't use my words, so don't blame me. I find that documentaries fudge a little on the entertainment side more than any true history would be, but still, the outfit that did it, Lou Reda Productions, is a very good and conscientious bunch and I enjoyed working with them. I've also been asked to go film with Ken Burns in January. He is doing a documentary on Vietnam that will probably be out in a couple of years. We'll all be famous yet. We're just too old and fat to play ourselves in the movies.
S/F
Karl
Larry,
This is an e-mail I received from Lt. Karl Marlantes, author of the best seller ,"Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War" Marlantes was a platoon commander and then XO of Charlie 1-4, my old company Now before you go to laughing about his statement about being too old and fat to be in the movies---it does not mean me because this taking of hill 484---Mutters Ridge--LZ Mack or whatever they call it in the documentary was before I got to Nam so don't be looking for a character they call Chesty Jr. :D
Jarhead, when I first started reading this, I was quite impressed that you would have all those connections and be involved in all the things mentioned until I got to the "old and fat" part. Then I knew it couldn't have been you as you have stated in other posts that you are still in trim fighting shape. (Shut up, Sarge, let me finish this.) And then I saw that it was an e-mail that was sent to you.
However, I will be interested to see this documentary when it comes out. I will just sit and imagine I am looking at you charging the hill......................................... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: ROTFLMO. I just couldn't say that with a straight face! Sorry!
Besides I see that Blondie is going to be in the neighborhood so I gotta get R.A.M.B.O. digging harder on that bomb shelter to cover my.....................behind. :o
Larryj
Uh, you guys don't really need wind farms do ya?
Would that be a reference to "Blow hards?" ::)
Or just "windy." ;)
Or? ???
Larryj
Laughing Boy aka Larry,
I loaned Blondie my best beanie flipper and a bag of cat-eye marbles so you better wear your hard hat for a couple of days !! :D
Larry, Jar, and Sarge, you could be the next 3 Stooges
Your act is priceless.............LOL always a laugh.
Thanks. You are "Awesome"
Ok, don't let it go to your head........your hats are already snug.
Well, we already know which one is Larry. Now we gotta find out which one is Moe and which one is Curly. ;D
Larryj
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
Quote from Larry:
Now we gotta find out which one is Moe and which one is Curly
Soitenly--yuck ---yuck !!!( guess this narrows it down) :)
Larry,
Did you know that Moe, Curly and Shemp were brothers----and Larry was a professional violinist and a boxer ?
Nope, didn't know that, but I do now. Thanks. Larry became a violinist because his father saw him about to drink acid and slapped it out of his hand burning his arm. In order to build up the muscles in the damaged arm, he learned to play the violin and became quite proficient at it. In one episode of their act, all three were playing the fiddle, but only Larry was actually playing. Amazing the things you learn from this forum!
Larryj