AUGUST 2005

COMMANDER’S CORNER: Hello. The 4^th of July picnic was a success, thanks to all who helped, be it work or a covered dish. Let us remember we are responsible for our children at all times. The convention in Roanoke could have been better.  I would like to challenge every member.  If you do something like take a neighbor to the store, the doctor, or in anyway help someone out, turn in the hours, mileage, and any out-of-pocket expenses to any Post officer, and we will submit the reports.  This helps our Legion in many ways.  And now, back to the same old thing, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, MEMBERSHIP, I know you get tired of hearing it, but without it, we can’t reach our goals.  Please try to renew your membership as early as possible.  Thank you.  A special thanks to Joyce Kelly, W.T. Jones, Larry Turner, Tony “C”, Jim Spradlin, Larry Perez, Guy Evans, Roger Harris, Todd Baitis, Mike Dudek, and Cindy Mims for donating their time to help with the Oceanview Crab Fest.  Thanks to all of you who helped with the Fish Fry for Jeff Evans on Friday, the 22^nd of July.  For God and Country, Jim Dunning

FIRST VICE COMMANDER:  Greetings, Fellow Legionnaires.  I would like to thank all who have paid their 2006 “EARLY BIRD” membership dues already.  As a quick reminder, pay your 2006 dues before the Labor Day picnic and EAT FOR FREE.  Membership is steady right now, so let’s keep the push on and recruit together to get new members.  For God and Country, Roy “Skip” Louis, III

2^ND VICE COMMANDER: Fellow legionnaires, I would like to thank all of you who helped with this year’s Independence Day picnic.  The cooking crew turned out a first-rate meal, and all who donated food helped to make it a very tasty feed!  Thanks to the crews who worked the door and kegs for sticking with it throughout the day.  A “BRAVO ZULU” must also go to our Club Manager, Sandra Wright, who passed on many helpful tidbits of info to me.   I can honestly say there is no way it could have happened without everyone’s help.  Thanks must also go to the Saturday “Prep crew” and boy scouts who had my back while I was on duty.  Top notch job guys!  I am proud to be associated with such an outstanding group of professionals!  As a point of clarification, these picnics are held for the benefit of Post 327 as a whole.  They are not carry-out affairs, and no one, unless they have cleared it with me, is allowed to remove any quantity of leftover food from the premises.  Any remaining food will be used at future meetings for all legionnaires to enjoy, not personal gain!  For God and Country, Todd Baitis

ALA PRESIDENT:  Greetings Ladies.  As you all know, I attended the Department Convention in July.  I received a lot of good info from there and will report it at our September meeting.  Remember, NO MEETING in August.  Our Juniors’ installation will be held on Sunday, September 10^th.  This is a very important day for them, so please attend and show them your support.  They are our future.  On Friday, August 5^th, our dinner will be a cold plate for $5.00 with proceeds going to Girls State.  On August 19^th we will have an MDA dinner.  There will be all kinds of things going on that night.  Please come out and give a donation to MDA.  Ladies, as you know, we have started our 2006 membership drive.  It is very important that you renew as soon as possible.  You may mail your dues, leave them with one of the bar managers, or see Cindy Mims or me.   We will get your 2006 card back to you as soon as we get your dues.  Our goal is to get a 100% membership this year, and we need your help to do this.  For God and Country, Dawn Thomas

ALA VICE PRESIDENT:  There will be a darts sign-up sheet posted in the clubroom in August.  If you plan to shoot darts, please sign up as soon as possible.  For God and Country, Cindy Mims

SQUADRON 327 COMMANDER:  Welcome fellow members, incoming and past officers, to another year.  We had an outstanding July 4^th picnic because of an excellent job done by all of you who helped.  Let’s see if we can get a 100% membership before the due date.  If you haven’t done so, PLEASE RENEW your membership!!  Thanks to all that went to the convention in Roanoke.  PLEASE try to give 2 hours of your time to help with weekend tickets. A special thanks to all of you who helped with the Fish Fry on Friday, July 22^nd.  We were able to present Jeff Evans with $512 to help with his trip to the National Convention.  For God and Country, Dave Samson

BOWLING NOTE:  Hey bowlers!!!!  It’s that time again.  We will have our meeting August 21^st at 1 p.m. at the Post Hall.  There are new rules that we will hear about.  Come on down and see what’s up. 

NOTE:  Fellow legionnaires, there have been people asking me about the Freedom and Twin Tower patches, and I’m trying to get an order together, but I can’t remember everyone who asked me about them.  I know a fellow from Post 35 asked about them and wanted one to take up to the meeting to show them, but I lost his name and number.  If you are interested in ordering a patch, please call me at 588-3601.  Thank you.  For God and Country, Ron Garrett

WELCOME BOWLERS:  The Wednesday night Men’s Industrial Bowling League is soliciting new bowlers for its winter league.  Anyone interested in joining this league, or if you would like to enter a team of five bowlers, please contact Jim Norton at 853-0475 or me at 681-1866 ASAP.  The league starts on September 2005.  A sign-up list is posted at the Legion Post.  For God and Country, Jim Pearson

2nd DISTRICT COMMANDER:  I would first like to thank Post 327 for endorsing me for District Commander and then supporting me in this effort.  It is an honor to me personally, and I will work tirelessly for Post 327 and the 2nd District. As the Commander for the 2nd District, I, of course, want my Home Post to be the very best in the District. There is one way that each of you can support me in this endeavor and that is through your membership renewal.  Please check your Legion membership card. If it has 2005 on it, then we have a brand new one for you at the Post.  Renewal notices have been mailed out to every member.  Please, Please, Please send in your renewal for 2006 before the Christmas season gets upon us.  If you can't send in your renewal, call me on my home phone 583-5655, and I will come get your renewal and bring your new membership card to you (25 miles one way only please).  My goal is to have TIDEWATER POST 327 be at 100% by Dec 31st.  If we can do that, the District should not be far behind. There is only one way that this can happen, and that is with YOUR HELP!  Second item: None of us was automatically blessed with our knowledge of the American Legion, we were taught by others. We were MENTORED.  I ask that each of you that love the American Legion find just one of your Legionnaires and teach them as we were taught.  Give them the knowledge that will help make them the future leaders of Post 327 and the District.  Thank you for your help, God Bless you all.  For God and Country, Ken Loomer

ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT:  The hot summer months are upon us.  In the last couple of weeks members have asked me if the air conditioner could be turned up or down.  We have the temperature set at 72 degrees, and this should be comfortable for all.  I know when there are only 8 people, it may get a little cooler, and when we have 100 people, it may be a little warmer.  As the Vice President said, “Us older folks have thin blood.”  This building is an old cinderblock building and takes a long time to cool down or warm up.  Please bear with us for the next couple of summer months.  The outside area of Post 327 is not a dumping area.  In the past couple of months we have had batteries, tires, and other junk left on our property.  We all must take more pride in our Post Home.  If you see something improper being done in the parking lot or someone dumping trash on our grounds area, please get their license number and let our bar managers know.  A phone call will do.  Remember to get your “Early Bird” membership and keep Post 327 on top.  For God and Country, Jim Norton

EDITOR:  CRDP UPDATE 36:  H.R.2076 “Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2005” was introduced 4 May 2005 by Michael Biliraksis (R-FL) and referred to both the Committee on Armed Services and the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.  It currently has only 10 sponsors of which the last sponsor signed on 8 June.  The bill:  (1) Allows the receipt of both military retired pay and VA disability compensation with respect to any service-connected disability regardless of rating percentages, (2) eliminates the phase-in limitations for the concurrent receipt (CRDP) of such pay for qualified retirees with service-connected disabilities rated as 100% effective 1JAN05 and for retirees with a total disability by reason of unemployability effective 1JAN06. (3) Makes those individuals who were retired or separated from military service due to a service-connected disability (Chapter 61 retirees) eligible for the full concurrent receipt of both VA disability compensation and either military retired pay or combat-related special compensation.  With only 10 co-sponsors, veterans affected by this legislation do not have much of a chance of seeing it enacted into law unless they start communicating with their legislators their concern over this issue.  CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY!!!  Local Legionnaires, please read the articles on the clipboard on the wall outside the Post Office for more very interesting info on the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) OPEN SEASON for those of us who didn’t sign up for it previously, travel benefits, etc. 

HUMOR:  I received this from ETC (SW/AW) Clint Riggins and thought you might enjoy it:  Remember, it takes a college degree to fly a commercial aircraft, but only a high school diploma to fix one.  Qantas is the only major airline that has never had an accident.  After every flight, Qantas pilots fill out a form called a “gripe sheet,” which tells the mechanics about problems with the aircraft.  The mechanics correct the problems, document their repairs on the form, and then pilots review the gripe sheets before the next flight.  Never let it be said that ground crews lack a sense of humor.  Here are some

ACTUAL maintenance complaints submitted by Qantas’ pilots (marked with a P) and the solutions recorded (marked with an S) by maintenance engineers:  P: Left inside main tire almost needs replaced.  S: Almost replaced left inside main tire.  P: Test flight OK, except auto-land very rough.  S: Auto-land not installed on the aircraft.  P: Something loose in cockpit.  S: Something tightened in cockpit.  P: Dead bugs on windshield.  S: Live bugs on back order.  P: Autopilot in altitude-hold mode produces a 200-ft per minute descent.  S: Can’t reproduce problem on ground.  P: Evidence of leak on right main landing gear.  S: Evidence removed.  P: DME volume unbelievably loud.  S: DME volume set to more believable level.  P: Friction locks cause throttle levers to stick.  S: That’s what they are for.  P: IFF inoperative. 

S: IFF always inoperative in OFF mode.  P:  Suspected crack in windshield.  S: Suspect you’re right. 

P: Number 3 engine missing.  S: Engine found on right wing after brief search.  P: Aircraft handles funny.  S: Aircraft warned to straighten up, fly right, and be serious.  P: Target radar hums. 

S: Reprogrammed target radar with lyrics.  P: Mouse in cockpit.  S: Cat installed.  P:  Noise coming from under the instrument panel.  Sounds like a midget pounding on something with a hammer.  S: Took hammer away from midget.  May God bless you.  For God and Country, B.J. Miller-Nobles