VFW Core Values

Green Township Post 10380 Veterans of Foreign Wars

May-June 2019

To always put the interests of our members first Treat donors as partners in our cause Promote patriotism Honor military service Ensure the care of veterans and their families Serve our communities Promote a positive image of the VFW Respect the diversity of veteran opinions

VFW Mission

Welcome from Commander Mike Donnelly

To foster camaraderie among United States

veterans of overseas conflicts

To serve our veterans, the military, and our

communities

To advocate on behalf of all veterans

The Post meeting will be the Third Thursday each month

7:30 p.m.

Nathanael Greene Lodge, lower level 6394 Wesselman Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45247

513.598.3100 (Call Lodge for meeting cancellations)

Meeting Date Staff Meeting Date

The 2019 Staff meetings will be

Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m.

June 12, July 10, August 14, September 11, October 9, November 13

December 11

Nathanael Greene Lodge

This Spring has been so busy it’s been hard for my editor-wife to keep up with the newsletter! She will do

a quick catch-up in this and next edition! First off, let me thank my Post comrades for nominating me to

another term as Post Commander. This year will be my eleventh year as your Commander and I am

humbled by your confidence in me. I can’t say this enough ...we have a great Post! Thank you.

I would like to share a few activities we’ve conducted and a few things that are in process:

VFW Youth Scholarship Competitions, Teacher of the Year & Public Service Award winners

Post 10380 Flag Retirement Ceremony was held on March 23 at Veterans Park

Post 10380 Spring Dinner Dance held at Aston Oaks on April 6 was well attended. Thank you to

comrade Jim Crane for his excellent organization and attention to detail

Family Kite Fly at Veterans Park on Apr il 28 was another success. Thank you to Gary Overbey

for organizing this event and to all the volunteers who made this a fun day

Cruise-Ins in the parking lot of Chr istine’s Casual Dining began in Apr il and run monthly

through September. Open to all car enthusiasts. Thank you, Jim Stanghetti.

Cars and Courage Car Show on Apr il 27 was another successful collaboration with Diamond

Oaks Career Campus. Thank you, Andy McCool, Dean of Instruction.

A Day-Trip to Wright Patterson Air Force Museum was a great adventure for a group of Post

members. Hope you enjoy the trip on pages 8-9 with us.

As pictured in the February newsletter, our Honor/Color Guard underwent two training sessions to

become certified in the way the regular Army performs Military Honors at funerals. We have also

performed Color Guard duties at various functions city-wide, thus fulfilling some of the VFW Core

Values (listed below) and receiving recognition for our Post and the VFW in general

We have reached out to the Student Veteran Organizations at Xavier University, University of

Cincinnati and Mt. St Joseph University. At XU we are donating to the Student Veterans

Special Needs Program; at UC Blue Ash Campus, we are helping with the Student Veterans

Room giving Veterans a place to study, relax or have a bite to eat. We are in the ear ly stages of

assisting Mt. St. Joseph in similar ways.

And I could on....but I’m out of room! Til next month, Mike

Memorial Day

Page 2 V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19

Post 10380

Bring a

Veteran!

Grill-Out

Meeting

Aug. 15

6:30pm

Mark Your Calendar

Kids Fun Day Saturday, August 24, 2019

Veterans Park

11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

4th of July

Concert & Fireworks

Wednesday, July 3

6:30—11:00 p.m.

Kuliga Park

6717 Bridgetown Road

Cincinnati 45248

Come visit Post 10380 members

as we man the beer booths, serving

West Side Brewing craft beer and Miller/Miller Lite

Buddy “Poppy” Day

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3, M AY- JUNE 20 19 Page 3

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place;

and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly.

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep.

by John McCrae

Thank you to all

Post 10380 comrades who volunteered on

“Buddy” Poppy Days

Saturday, May 25 & Sunday, May 26

At the new Dent Kroger

On Harrison Avenue

A special thank you to

Ed Murphy

for coordinating with Kroger the dates and times

and for coordinating the volunteers

All donations help Veterans and their families

in our local community.

The Flower of Remembrance

This was the poem written by World War I Colonel John

McCrae, a surgeon with Canada's First Brigade Artillery.

It expressed McCrae's grief over the "row on row" of graves

of soldiers who had died on Flanders' battlefields, located in

a region of western Belgium and northern France. The poem

presented a striking image of the bright red flowers

blooming among the rows of white crosses and became a

rallying cry to all who fought in the First World War.

In 1924, a poppy factory was built in Pittsburgh, Pa.,

providing a reliable source of poppies and a practical means

of assistance to veterans. Today, Veterans at VA medical

facilities and Veterans Homes help assemble the poppies,

which are distributed by Veterans Service Organizations

throughout the country.

Donations received in return for these artificial poppies

have helped countless Veterans and their widows, widowers

and orphans over the years. The poppy itself continues to

serve as a perpetual tribute to those who have given their

lives for the nation's freedom.

Page 4 V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19

VFW Patriot’s Pen District 4 Winners, March 10, 2019

Ava Maria Strattmann

is presented with the

1st Place Award by

District 4 Commander

Jep Stephenson and

Will Acord, District

Chairman of the Youth

Education

Competitions

Mr. Jason Berling,

Seton High School,

is presented with the

1st Place Award

by Commander

Mike Donnelly

Jim Crane, Post 10380 Youth Scholarship

Chairman, Mike Donnelly, Post 10380

Commander, Ava Maria Strattman,

Teresa Longano, Sherri Long, District 4

Auxillary, Will Acord

Teresa Longano is

presented with the

2nd Place Award by

District 4 Commander

Jep Stephenson and

Will Acord, District

Chairman of the Youth

Education

Competitions

The National VFW Patriot’s Pen Scholarship Program allows local VFW Post judges to choose one winner per fifteen

submissions. In November 2018, Post 10380 was able to advance four essays to the Ohio District 4 (Regional) Level.

We are proud to announce that Ohio District 4 awarded

1st Place to Ava Maria Strattman

2nd Place to Teresa Longano

VFW Youth Education Scholarship

Awards Ceremony

Patriot’s Pen

“Why I Honor the American Flag”

Gailey VFW Post 7340

VFW Teacher of the Year

Ms. Meaghan Sullivan,

Oak Hills High School,

is presented with the

2nd Place Award

by Commander

Mike Donnelly

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 5

Post VFW Public Service Awards

2018 Firefighter of the Year

Ryan Schwarz

was awarded by Commander Mike Donnelly on April 8, 2019 at the Green Township Trustees’ meeting.

“Ryan maintains an

incredibly positive attitude

while enduring the rigors of

fire and emergency medical

response. He always strives

to do better and proves to be

a natural leader. He is

involved with several other

areas of job responsibilities

including public education,

the Green Township/Mack

Honor Guard, new recruit

training and mentoring,

chairman of the annual golf

outing, and an executive

board member of Local

2927,” said Fire/EMS Chief

Scott Souders.

L—R: Trustee Tony Rosiello, FIre & EMS Chief Scott

Souders, Fiscal Officer Thomas Straus, Firefighter Ryan

Schwarz, Post 10380 Commander Mike Donnelly,

Trustee David Linnenberg, Trustee Triffon Callos

Firefighter Ryan Schwarz is

presented the Post 10380

Firefighter of the Year by

Commander Mike Donnelly

2018 Police Officer of the Year

Scott Celender

was awarded by Commander Mike Donnelly on December 17, 2018 at the

Green Township Trustees’ meeting

Officer Celender's community involvement, service to veterans

and his own status as a veteran were cited as just some of the

reasons he was very deserving of this award. Many of his fellow

officers, on-duty and

off, active and retired

were in attendance as

Scott received the

award.

Representatives from

VFW Post 10380 and

the Green Township

Trustees thanked him

for his exemplary

service.

L—R: David Linnenberg, Mike Donnelly,

Tony Rosiello, Officer Scott Celender, Triffon Callos,

Jim Crane, Post 10380 Chairman-VFW Public

Servants Award

Office Scott Celender is presented the

Post 10380 Police Officer of the Year

by Commander Mike Donnelly

Voice of Democracy— “My Vote Matters”

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 6

“My Vote Matters” by Morgan Mevers

My vote matters because I am a citizen of the United States and I care about what happens in my community and

my country. Nobody has a right to dismiss a vote as not important because it will not make an impact overall. Every

vote counts for something. A single vote can change the tide of an election if it is close. A single person can change

people’s minds. A vote is what somebody believes will make the best changes. Saying a vote does not matter is

equivalent to saying someone’s opinion does not matter. Many people today take voting for granted without the

consideration of what that vote means or of past and current generations who fight tirelessly to win us such a right and

protect it.

Every man and woman are entitled to voice what they believe in strongly and change things for the better. If a

vote does not matter then there is no point in voting. This mentality stops people from voting and takes away a

majority of people’s vote. One person’s vote can change an entire election but not if they don’t vote. In Clyman,

Wisconsin, a voting for the board chairman came down to one vote, 100 to 101, in April 2017. (“Six Times a Single

Vote Really Did Change an Election”) Every vote has meaning whether it is as close as one vote or off by many

because it will have an impact on people or their community or their country. Voting is the basis of our country and

without people to vote our nation loses its voice.

A vote is a voice whether it be as important as electing a president or spending money for schools and parks.

Taking away a vote is taking away what it is to be an American citizen. All citizens are allowed to vote regardless of

gender or race because people fought for their rights. We won the right to vote by speaking up and demanding to be

equal. People like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who were both women's rights activists, died before

they got the chance to see the achievement of their hard work and struggles. Then there were women like Alice Paul

who were arrested for protesting and standing up for what they believed in. While trying to go on a hunger strike Alice

Paul was even forcibly fed through a tube. To have worked so hard only to say that one vote doesn’t really matter is

disrespectful to those who fought before us so that we could have the right to vote.

Not only did the people in the past fight to win us rights but every day people fight now to protect the rights we

have. People from all over our country unite together to fight just like their predecessors in the Army, Navy, Air

Force, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps to protect the freedom that we have achieved. The veterans did their part and

the people in the military take up their torch and continue to be brave. In my own family my Nana’s husband served

proudly in the Army at Fort Bragg in the 82nd Air Force Division, my Dad explored many areas as part of the Navy

and currently and just recently my cousin has gone into the

Air Force. In my family as well as other families people get

up and rise to the occasion because they know that a right

like voting can’t be taken for granted because it could be

taken away from us at any time. My vote and every other

vote matters because there are people who fought for in the

past, who fight for it now, and who will go on fighting for it

in the future.

Lf: Commander Donnelly presented Morgan Mevers with the

1st Place Certificate and check

Rt: They were joined by Morgan’s parents and Karen White,

Seton HS Principal

Congratulations to Morgan Mevers

Seton High School

1st Place Winner of

2018–2019 Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition

sponsored by VFW Post 10380

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 7

Voice of Democracy— “My Vote Matters”

Jack Snyder

“My Vote Matters” by Megan Bihl

We the people of the United States, owe a civil duty to vote each election to provide America with the most

exceptional leaders to manage our country. For citizens older than eighteen, voting is not only a right, but also a

responsibility. Men and women throughout history have fought for each person to vote and some have died doing so.

By not voting, you are putting yourself in a place of tyranny by letting other people decide who should be leading the

country. This choice of action can negatively impact America’s future. My vote matters because it allows me to exercise

my right to shape my future while respecting all those who fought for my right in the past.

Throughout history, the right to vote has been heavily fought for. Up until 1776, the colonies were controlled by

the British. The American Revolutionary War allowed America to establish a democracy giving the right to vote to all

free men written in article I, section 2 of the U. S. Constitution. Nearly fifty years later, another war was fought to

secure freedom. This was the Civil War, known as, “...the deadliest war in American history,” according to Gettysburg

Flag Works. This deadly war resulted in African Americans’ freedom and soon after their right to vote. However, the

right to vote for women did not come about until years of protest and then finally in, 1920, the 19th amendment was

added to the U.S. Constitution. Many people throughout history have suffered and lost their lives to give me the right to

voice my opinion through voting.

When people decide not to vote, a tyranny of sorts is formed. Dictionary.com states a tyranny is a government that

is run by one person or a small group of people that determine all the policies. Low voter turnout leaves the decision

making for whoever is elected and what issues are approved by a minority of people. By exercising my right to vote, I

help to ensure a democracy exists instead of a tyranny.

Young voters are the future of America. If they did not express their values and views by voting, they are leaving

their futures in the hands of others. It is important that we vote because it not only affects us, but also generations after.

The election of an incompetent representative can create problems for America that could take years to fix. Sometimes

those problems can never be fixed. That is why it is important to know what the candidate stands for and if he or she is

eligible to lead America. By voting I can help choose qualified leaders to create a bright future.

My vote matters because it allows me to exercise my right that people in the past have fought for in order to shape

my future. Voting is a civil duty for citizens older than eighteen and

it is a responsibility for them to know who is the best candidate to

lead America. Many men and women have fought for these rights

and not voting is disrespectful to them. A citizen’s vote is one of

the most powerful ways they participate in our democracy.

Voting is the way we decide what the future looks like.

Lf: Commander Donnelly presented Megan Bihl with the

2nd Place Certificate and check.

Rt: They are joined by Megan’s mother and Karen White,

Seton HS Principal

Congratulations to Megan Bihl

Seton High School

2nd Place Winner of

2018–2019 Voice of Democracy Scholarship Competition

sponsored by VFW Post 10380

Wright Patterson Air Force Museum Visit 3/4/19

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 8

Tom Anderson

Mike Donnelly

Bill Daniel

What

A

Great

Day!

Coming Home: The US Exits

Southeast Asia

Commander

“Iron Mike”

Dennis Campbell stands

outside a cell door in

The Hanoi Hilton Ed Murphy and Joe Augustine

Jim Jansen

Listening to the docent

Astronaut-in-training

Ray Frey

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 9

Wright Patterson Air Force Museum Visit 3/4/19

AIR FORCE ONE

President Kennedy’s final flight to Dallas on November 23, 1963

The Hanoi Taxi airlifted the first

American POWs to freedom

from Giam Lan Airport on

2/12/73.

The Hanoi Taxi logged more

than 40,000 hours over the next

3 decades flying missions

around the world.

The Space Shuttle

The “crew”

departs the

Space Shuttle

Jim Crane

and Dave

Celmar safely

land the

Space Shuttle

Dave Celmer’s Phantom II now piloted by

Tom Schmitz and Bob Abrams

The X-15A-2 Hypersonic Research Aircraft is

the favorite of Dan Wilcox

Better known

as a HUEY

Bob Abrams

May Meeting Winners

To assist you in filing a claim, contact one of the

following Veterans Service Officers directly:

Roger Giblin, 513.684.2661—VFW Veteran

Service Office, 36 E. 7th St. Rm. 225 Cincinnati

45202 (Post 10380 Comrade)

Bill Burgin, 513.946.3300 — Hamilton

County Veteran Service Office, address above

Mike Burgess, 812.537.8819 — Dearborn

County Veteran Service Office, 215 W. High St.

Rm. 100, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025

Veterans may use the services of any office in any

county; you need not be a resident of that county.

Page 10 V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19

Information Corner

Attendance: Ed Burke

Split-the-Pot: Bill Rocklin

$100 Raffle: Scott Hamilton

$50 Raffle: Gary Fangman

VA Contact Information

Hamilton County Veterans’ Service Office

230 E. 9th Street (9th & Sycamore) Cinti. OH

Room 1100 (1st floor) 513.946.3300

VA Benefits: 800.827.1000

Beneficiaries in receipt of Pension Benefits:

877.294.6380

Debt Management: 800.827.0648

Education (GI Bill): 888.442.4551

Health Care Benefits: 877.222.8387

Status of Headstones/Markers:

800.697.6947

Life Insurance: 800.669.8477

Telecommunications Device for the Deaf

(TDD): 800.829.4833

Special Issues—Gulf War / Agent Orange /

Project Shad / Mustard Agents and Lewisite /

Ionizing Radiation: 800.749.8387

How Do I Join?

VFW Post 10380 always welcomes

new members.

Contact Ben Staubach 513.941.6868 or

Mike Donnelly 513.675.4249

for eligibility requirements.

To all

May & June Birthdays

Local Veteran Service Officers

Hey, Have You Heard This

One?...from Larry

A guy walked into a bar with a pair of jumper cables and asked the

bartender if he could get a drink. Bartender said, “You can have a drink, but don’t start anything!”

To obtain a DD Form 214, Certificate of Release

or Discharge from Active Duty, visit

https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-

service-records#emergency

Hamilton County Veterans who have registered their

DD214s with the Hamilton County Recorder’s Office can

obtain a Veterans Identification Card from the

Recorder’s Office at no cost. This ID Card will allow the

office to quickly locate the Veteran’s discharge record

when needed. The card will display the Veteran’s photo,

military service dates and pertinent information regarding his/her service to

our country.

In order to receive this ID Card, the Veteran must record or have recorded

his/her military Honorable Discharge with the Hamilton County’s Recorder’s

Office and show two forms of current, valid identification from the following:

An original or certified birth certificate

Department of Veterans Affairs ID card

US Military ID card

Social Security card

State issued CCW permit

State issued Driver’s license

State issued ID card

Valid US Passport

Appointments to obtain your Veteran’s ID card are scheduled Monday

through Friday, 8am—3:45pm by calling 513.946.4567, Hamilton County

Recorder’s Office Room 205, 138 East Court Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202.

Source: recordersoffice.hamilton-co.org/documents_on_file/military_discharges

2019 Calendar of Annual Events

V OLU ME 31, ISS UE 3 M AY- JU NE 20 19 Page 11

January

February

1 Harrison’s Tomb

10 Four Chaplains

Memorial Service at

St. Boniface Church

March

23 Flag Retirement

Ceremony

April

6 Dinner Dance

9 CruiseIn at Christine’s

27 Cars & Courage Car

Show — Diamond

Oaks

28 Family Kite Fly at

Veterans Park

May

9 CruiseIn at Christine’s

25/26 Poppy Days

Fundraiser Dent Kroger

27 Post 10380 Memorial

Day Ceremony

27 Cheviot Memorial

Parade

June

3 Memorial Day Golf

Outing at Aston Oaks

13 CruiseIn at Christine’s

July

3 Green Township

July 4th Celebration

at Kuliga Park

11 CruiseIn at Christine’s

August

8 CruiseIn at Christine’s

15 Grill-Out/Post Meeting

24 Green Township Kid’s

Fun Day at Veterans

Park

September

5 Harvest Home Parade

12 CruiseIn at Christine’s

October

5 Flag Retirement

Ceremony

Post 10380 Annual

Raffle tickets available

November

9/10 Poppy Days

Fundraiser Dent Kroger

11 Post 10380 Veterans

Day Ceremony

10 Cheviot Veterans

Parade

Community Veterans

Day Ceremonies

December

1 Pearl Harbor

Remembrance

Ceremony

6 Green Township

Family Winterfest

Reminders

Illness & Bereavement

Comrades, if you

or your spouse are

admitted to a

Cincinnati area

hospital,

please contact:

Ben Staubach 513.941.6868

Funeral Service

If you would like our Post

Honor Guard to conduct a

VFW ceremony at a

funeral service, please

contact Bob Abrams

513.609.6379

Newsletter You can also view it in

color on our website

www.vfw10380.org

For additional information on

services or programs, or

to be added to or

removed from this mailing,

contact Mike Donnelly

513.675.4249 or

email to vfwpost10380 @gmail.com

Post 10380 Officers

Commander:

Mike Donnelly

Senior Vice-Commander

Dan Wilcox

Junior Vice-Commander

Ed Kramer

Quartermaster

Tom Schmitz

Adjutant

Charlie Wilke

Judge Advocate

Don Willwerth

Chaplain

Bob Abrams

Surgeon

Jim Jansen

Officer of the Day

Ron Kelly

Guard

Bill Soto

Membership

Ben Staubach

Service Officer

Jerry Fatora

Trustee 1 Year

Jim Stanghetti

Trustee 2 Year

Alex Griffith

Trustee 3 Year

Larry Chuma

Illness & Bereavement

Ben Staubach

Monthly: 2nd Thursday, 5:30 pm—Cruise-In at Christine’s, April through September

3rd Thursday, 7:30 pm—Post 10380 Meeting at Nathanael Greene Lodge

www.vfw10380.org

The Navy defends the right to travel and

trade freely on the world’s oceans and

protects national interests overseas.

The U. S. Air Force protects Ameri-

can interests at home and abroad with

a focus on air power.

The Marine Corps is often first on the

ground in combat situations.

As the oldest branch of the U.S.

Military, the Army protects the secu-

rity of the United States and its re-

sources.

Green Township Post 10380

Veterans of Foreign Wars

CHANGE SERVICE

REQUESTED

The Coast Guard protects America’s waterways and

deploys with the Navy during wartime.

NONPROFIT ORG

US POSTAGE

PAID

CINCINNATI, OH

PERMIT # 5930