Michigan Legion Media Room

Michigan House Sub committee for the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Approves budget for 2012-2013 LANSING, MI - March 28th, 2012 the Michigan House sub committee for Military and Veteran Affairs approved the 2012-2013  budget.  This budget includes the following for Veteran Service Organizations: Funding to be 3,029,000 for the year, which is the same as last year.  It also includes 2 one-time infusions of funding. 1. One-Time Appropriations - Veterans Advice, Advocacy and Assistance Grants House includes a one-time line item appropriation of $2.0 million for veterans service organization grants to be funded with IDG funding being made available from the Department of Human Services. 2. One-Time Appropriations - Michigan Veterans Coalition Initiatives House includes a one-time line item appropriation of $1.7 million for Michigan Veterans Coalition initiatives to be funded with IDG funding being made available from the Department of Human Services. Proposed initiat

The 94th American Legion Department of Michigan Annual State Convention June 28th - July 1st, 2012 Official Call will be posted in the April -May Edition of the Legionnaire Radisson Hotel Kalamazoo, Michigan Purpose: To receive Department Officers’ annual reports, consider Department Constitution and By-Laws amendments, elect Department Officers and conduct any other business brought to the convention.  Only the Committees and Chairpersons listed below are called to officially participate in the Convention.  Registration: Registration fee of $10 will be charged to all delegates, alternates and guests. Room form: click here   Registration Form: Click here Contest Supervisory:  Completed registration forms filed at Department Headquarters June 1 st , 2012 Department Exec. Cmte Meeting: Thursday June 28 th , 2012, 5:00 p.m. Opening Session:  Friday June 29 th , 2012 at 2:00 p.m. Subsequent Convention Sessions :  Saturday, June 30 th , 2012, 9:00 a.m. & Sunday, July 1

CPR's have arrived!!! The 2011-2012 forms have arrived here at Department and we are preparing to send them to the Post's next week.  Watch for them in the mail.  If your Post is signed on to My Legion you may submit your report electronically. www. mylegion.org Don't let your volunteers down, this report allows you to brag to the State and National about all the great works your Post volunteers do. Thank you for your time and efforts, this information is used when we speak to legislatures in Lansing and in Washington D.C..   The American Legion Department of Michigan represents over 70,000 members in the State of Michigan. The American Legion was founded in 1919, based on “The Four Pillars”; veteran rehabilitation, Americanism, child welfare, and national security and continued above all its mission as a consumers’ advocate for veterans. For more information contact the Michigan Legion at 517-371-4720 ext 16, mark@michiganlegion.org, or visit our website at www.m

The American Legion Celebrates its 93 rd Birthday March 17 th , 2012 On March 7 th , 1919 the Stars and Stripes newspaper carried a front page announcement.. “Veterans of A.E.F. in Liberty League” will hold a “Conference on Organization….In Paris Beginning the 15 th “ March 17 th , 1919 – The first caucus adjourned at 5:27 p.m. With haste and heart, the spirited gathering of citizen-soldiers had launched a vessel of new design. March 28 th , 1919 Stars and Stripes – “ The A.E.F- doughboy, colonel, and general working together – organized the American Legion this month as its postwar association. The American Legion Department of Michigan represents over 70,000 members in the State of Michigan. The American Legion was founded in 1919, based on “The Four Pillars”; veteran rehabilitation, Americanism, child welfare, and national security and continued above all its mission as a consumers’ advocate for veterans. For more information contact the Michigan Legion at 517-371-4720 ext 16,

Children & Youth April is C & Y Month By Ron Geiger, Children & Youth Department Chairman      April is Children & Youth month.  Annually, Posts are asked to set aside April to conduct a special activity which places emphasis on the Children & Youth program and informs our members and the community of the American Legion's accomplishments on behalf of young people.  There are many ways a Post can observe "April is Children & Youth month".  The following are just a few suggestions;  Sponsor a community project for or with children, such as, a talent show featuring young people to raise money for specific community projects, or, you could organize youth panels to discuss teenage problems in your communities, or, organize visits to children's hospitals.      A special brochure highlighting April as Children & Youth month is available for download in the Children & Youth section at www.legion.org (Click Media, then Publications)     

Michigan Legionnaires and Auxiliary,     Due to a technical error many subscribers have received their March 2012 MI Legionnaire with the wrong First name and membership number.  We are aware of the problem and it will be addressed in the April/May Issue. Sorry for the mistake. Mark Sutton Editor, MI Legionnaire info@michiganlegion.org The American Legion Department of Michigan represents over 70,000 members in the State of Michigan. The American Legion was founded in 1919, based on “The Four Pillars”; veteran rehabilitation, Americanism, child welfare, and national security and continued above all its mission as a consumers’ advocate for veterans. For more information contact the Michigan Legion at 517-371-4720 ext 16, mark@michiganlegion.org, or visit our website at www.michiganlegion.org.

The following is a list of District meetings for the coming months in Michigan 1 st District Spring 3/5/12 - 7PM        Joe Louis Post #375 Summer 6/4/12 - 7PM   Fred Beaudry Post #126 2 nd District March 18 th   2012                Rose City Post #324 (Jackson) May 20 th   2012* Tecumseh-Underwood-Orr Post #34 (Tecumseh) SAL meets at 12:00 pm, Service Officer Training at 1:00 pm, Legion meets at 2 pm *Memorial Service starts at 12:30 3 rd District Executive Board Meeting at 11:00 A.M. Luncheon at 12:00 P.M. Regular Post and Auxiliary Meetings at 1:00 P.M. March 4, 2012- Reading Post No. 360   May 6, 2012- Battle Creek Post 298   4 th District March 4 th , 2012                 Constantine Post 223 May 6 th , 2012                     Baroda Post 345 5 th District Meetings begin at 7 p.m. March 8 th , 2012                Grandville Post 179 May 10 th , 2012                 Grand Haven Post 28 District 6 Meetings start at 1pm (check minutes for service officer train

MARCH 10, 2012 0800 hours start at Grand Rapids Furniture City Post #258, 401 N. Park N.E., Grand        Rapids , MI    TX:  616-530-0142.  (Breakfast - $6.00) Stay time:  45-60 minutes.  Leave approx. 0900 hrs. Travel approx. 2.5 hours to Detroit Joe Louis Post #375, 19486 Sherwood St. Detroit , MI              TX:  313-366-6904.  Arrive approx.  1130 hrs. (159 miles) Stay time:  45 minutes.  Leave approx. 1215 hrs. Travel approx. 24 minutes to Auburn Hills Hill-Gazette Post #143, 96 Churchill Rd.,         Auburn Hills, MI   TX:  248-852-4880.  Arrive approx. 1245 hrs. (31miles)    (Lunch – No Charge) Stay time:  60 minutes.  Leave approx 1345 hrs. Travel approx. 2.5 hrs to St. Helen Post #416, 10062 Ford Dr., St. Helen, MI             TX:  989-389-4630.  Arrive approx 1615 hrs.  (151 miles) (Dinner - $6.50) Stay time:  1-2 hours Travel ½ hr. to Houghton Lake for overnight stay. ( At your own expense ) (23 miles) MARCH 11, 2012 Leave Houghton Lake approx. 0900 hou

Annual Bowling Tournament By John “Scotty” Graham      Information packets were sent out in December to all the Post adjutants and to the team captains of record of the 75Th Annual tournament.  If you would like a packet please contact us at the phone number or email address listed below.      The 2012 76 th  Annual bowling tournament will be held at Colonial Lanes located at  5430   Pierson Rd. in Flushing, Michigan during the weekends of April 14, 21, and 28, 2012.   Squad times for the Doubles and Singles Event are Saturday at 10AM & 2PM.  Team Event will start Sunday at 12 noon.   The Oakley Traynor Post, Auxiliary & Squadron 64 will be your host.  Rick Johnson will be the Honorary President and the organizer of the functions.(Subject to change)  Oakley Traynor Post 64 is located in Flushing at G-4314 W. Carpenter Rd. Advance reservations for groups of three (3) or more teams will be accepted, however, all entry forms and fee's are due one (1) month earlier than th

Give the Gift of a Sponsorship By Nelson O’Brien, Michigan Boys State Director .  The Boys State program will  change the life of the young man you or your Post sponsors.  Remember sponsorship can come from anyone.  It changed the life of Grant Comer, MD, MSc when he attended Boys State in Indiana, but now works and lives in Michigan. “The week was, quite simply, incredible. Whereas in high school I constantly tried to fit in with my peers, at Boys State I was surrounded by intelligent, driven, and extremely personable guys who were my peers. I was immersed into a group of friends that I never knew existed. This allowed me to finally embrace excellence instead of suppressing it to feel accepted.” -Grant It’s Not Just About Politics This year when you or your Post Sponsors a young man they will participate in the 75 th year of the Michigan Boys State program.  We started in 1938 with 838 boys in attendance at MSU.  We have a goal for 300 this year. Will you sponsor a boy to atte

Set The Tone during this Election Year Happy New Year Michigan Legionnaires and Family.  2012 already, time waits for no one.  I sincerely hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a peaceful, joyous Christmas.  2012 is going to be a very challenging year, even more so now that the so called “Super Committee” failed to do its job in reaching an agreement to cut $1.2 trillion from the federal budget over the next decade; and let’s not forget that this is an election year where we will be electing an entire house of representatives and one-third of the senate. Let the spin doctors, negative ads and talking heads on T.V. start their engines. The blame game will be vociferous and self-righteous; the bottom line is the overall performance for those in Washington D.C. has been dismal.    I want our Legionnaires to be engaged and part of the process of elections 2012, not in a partisan way but in a Legion way.  Those running for office must know that we are for ensuring that our defens