Key Information for Post Commanders

This page is for the dissemination of key information for Post Commanders to share with their Posts. Topics are upcoming District Meetings, key action items for Posts, and other information that impacts the American Legion and the District members. Please visit this page often to get the latest information.

Posted 17 August

From: Larry G. Maggio, Commander

13th District, Department of California

August 20, 2023

To: ALCON, All District 13 Officers, All Post Commanders, elected post delegates, and Representatives from the District 13 Riders and the District 13 Sons

Subject: Special District Executive Meeting

Memorandum:

A reminder of the Special District Executive Meeting. (DEC) for District 13.

All District Officers, Post Commanders, (or the Post designated elected delegate), and a Representative from the District 13 Sons of the American Legion and The District 13 Riders.

*All Post 99 Officers and Post 881 Officers need to be present as well.

Reply to:

District Adjutant Wayne Heimsoth to confirm receipt of this email and to confirm a representative of your Post and your Post Colors will be present. Email: wheimsoth@aol.com

Date: Tuesday, 22 AUG 2023, 7 PM (1900hrs)

Location: Willow Glen Post 318, 1504 Minnesota Ave, San Jose, CA 95125

**Post Commanders, Please have your Post Colors present with a flag stand

Dress Code: Business Dress for Officers and Delegates. Business Casual for Audience.

Respectfully,

Larry Maggio, Cmdr.

13th District, Department of California

The American Legion

district13commander@gmail.com

Here is the agenda:

13th DISTRICT - DEPARTMENT OF CALIFORNIA - MEETING

DISTRICT EXECUTIVE MEETING AGENDA

Tuesday, August 22, 2023

Times are approximate and the agenda is subject to change.

7:00 PM CALL TO ORDER DISTRICT COMMANDER

ADVANCEMENT OF THE COLORS DISTRICT SGT AT ARMS

INVOCATION DISTRICT CHAPLAIN

POW/MIA FLAG 1ST VICE COMMANDER

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE 3RD VICE COMMANDER

PREAMBLE DISTRICT JUDGE ADVOCATE

ROLL CALL DISTRICT ADJUTANT

Quorum declared/Adoption of Agenda DISTRICT COMMANDER

Approval of Minutes

INTRODUCTION OF GUEST ASSIST DISTRICT ADJUTANT

INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS DISTRICT COMMANDER

Goals update.
Joint Post-District Newsletter/Newspaper (Discussion).
Sons of the American Legion status updates for D13 and Squadrons. Need status and updates for all Officers, and POCs for D13 Detachment, P99 Squadron, P419 Squadron, P564 Squadron, and P791 Squadron.

ANNOUNCEMENTS DISTRICT ADJUTANT

CLOSING PRAYER / POST EVERLASTING DISTRICT CHAPLAIN

CLOSING CEREMONY DISTRICT COMMANDER

Posted 3 May 2023

For personal action, sharing, and prompting of membership.

Good afternoon Comrades,
May and June are the busy months we have spoken about most recently. Your Post Commanders and Adjutants have a lot to do during the next thirty days, but to be successful they need input from each member of their Post.
Likewise, the District Commander will be seeking reports from his Post Commanders so that he can fulfill his obligations to Department.
A lot of reports are due by June 1. The District is looking for compliance of due dates, especially for several specific reports so that Posts are eligible to participate at the District Caucus. These are noted herein below.

PLEASE NOTE:

1. District Caucus
Santa Clara Post 419, 958 Homestead Road, Santa Clara
June 4, 2023, 2:00 PM
Delegates of your Post are key attendees at this meeting. This is one meeting of the year they should be present at; This is why they were elected.
A) The District Adjutant will need to have in his hands the following:
i) Certification of Post Delegates
ii) Consolidated Post Report for 2022-2023
iii) Certification of Post Officers for 2023-2024
If these documents are not confirmed to exist by voting time at Caucus your Post will not be eligible to participate.
So, before your electronically prepared report is sent to Department, make a hard copy. Department By-laws state your District is to have a copy, and Department does not forward to District.
2. Department Requirements for End of Year Reporting

Posts
A) Post Data Reports….April 15
We were 100% by April 14, 2349 hr.
B) Consolidated Post Report….June 1
C) Certification of Post Delegates….June 1
D) Certification of Post Officers 2023-2024….June 1
E) Documented Review, Amended, Revised Post By-laws ….June 1
F) Certification of Financial Audit for 2022-2023…. November 15
G). Chaplain’s list of deceased Post members during 2022-2023 year
District....1 June
A) Certification of District Officers….June 5
B) Recommendation of National Delegates….June 5
C) Recommendation of Candidates for Area Commissioners….June 5
D) Recommendation of District Standing Committee Reprep….June 5
E) Tentative District Meeting Schedule….June 5
All the above District items will be addressed at Caucus on June 4.

Participation
This past year we experienced numerous vacancies in officers positions, and in our Commission and Standing Committee positions.
This should not have happened in an organization comprised of men and woman who joined to serve our veterans and to be a voice of veterans for the future.

Re-read the Preamble of the American Legion; the words we recited when we joined; re-think why we joined. If we want the American Legion to remain a voice for our veterans, the widows of veterans, and the youth who will one day be leaders of our country, then we need to be more engaged or our words we spoke during our initiation were meaningless and the efforts of those folks back in 1919 were for naught.
Bottom line comrades, all that’s being said and asked for is that we not have a repeat of vacant positions in our District as experienced this year. Get your members involved, we only learn of our organization by getting involved, and strengthening it by our involvement, and we feel better by contributing.

If you are overworked and without time because of your personal contribution to your Post and the Legion, then get a fellow member involved in some aspect of the Legion organization. He/she will see a whole new perspective of why they joined, and will learn so much more of their organization. Also, being a contributor is more rewarding than just attending a monthly meeting.

GOOD OF THE ORDER
1. There will be an annual Flag Day (officially June 14) ceremony sponsored by District 13 on Saturday, June 17, at 11:00 am, at the Veterans Section, of Oak Hill Memorial Park Cemetery, 300 Curtner Road, San Jose. All Legionnaires are encouraged to attend; the public is welcome.
2. Please let the District Commander know, by Caucus, the date, time, and location of your Post’s installation of officers for 2023-2024.
3. Go to Department web site ASAP to learn about “housing reservations” for Convention. Reservation form for hotels is found under “Department Calendar Events”.
Department Convention business is officially starting on Wednesday, June 21, 2023 and ending Sunday, June 25, 2023; Convention Committee Meetings begin on Thursday, June 22, 2023; Opening Convention ceremonies are June 23, 2023.
4. Pay attention as Congress and President are preparing the 2023-2024 National Budget. The VA and veterans are about to be hit hard (as usual) when the National debt is trillions of dollars in the “red”. This is why we, the American Legion, needs a louder voice to be heard. And that is why we need membership, and why writing our representatives, even if with pencil and paper, become valuable.
Our men and woman service members, especially those of the future need us of today to sound off, just as those before us gained what we benefit from today.

Yours in Comradeship
Gene Fanucchi, Adjutant District 13
Department of California
The American Legion

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Change in District Meeting Date from 25 April to 18 April

DISTRICT MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

DATE CHANGE DATE CHANGE DATE CHANGE

Our next meeting will be as follows:

Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Willow Glen Post 318

7:00 pm

1504 Minnesota Ave

San Jose, CA 95125

For early birds, Commander Foggie will host a bit of nutrition starting at 6:00 pm.

Items of importance for discussion and sharing

A) Commanders, have your “Ducks” or five dollars at District meeting.

B) By April 15th, send Department Hq. your “Post Data Report” electronically, with a copy to the District Adjutant. The date has been set by Department, and the form is on line.

There is a line on the form to have Department send a copy to the District Adjutant automatically when the form is sent to Department by your Post.

If you forget to have it sent to the District, your Commander should present a hard copy at the District meeting. Providing a copy to District is not an option, it is in the Department By-laws.

C) Progress status with updating/approving your Post Constitution and By-laws

D). Any potential candidate for a District office for 2023-2024 must present his/her proof of eligibility for the American Legion. A DD214 or another approved document (shown on line or in Officers Manual) prior to being nominated on June 4 at the District Caucus.

E) At your April Post meeting review the need for “end of year” reports that will be due to District and Department by June 1, being as Post member feedback will be necessary for your Adjutants to complete required forms. Mandatory forms must be submitted to Department and District for Posts to be eligible to participate at Caucus on June 4.

F) Commanders and Adjutants should be reviewing information about Convention lodging availability and guidelines on the Department website for sharing with membership.

G) Commanders are requested to electronically send their Post activity/status reports for the period of March 1- April 10 to the District Commander and Adjutant prior to our April 18 meeting. If you have an event planned in the near future write up a brief description and send to our District Third Vice Commander, Arturo Thiele-Sardinia, our web coordinator, so he can post it. This is one way to let our District membership know things are happening within our Legion “family” and promote inter-Post relationships.

Arturo can be reached at arturo@cadiz.com

H) If a Post drafts a Resolution to be read for presentation (for approval) to the District, it should be submitted at least two weeks before a District meeting for proper protocols. There are guidelines on Department website.

I) There are two significant public events this coming week at which veterans, more specifically Legionnaires, should make an effort to attend: Wednesday, March 29, 2023, there will be a “…service of gratitude in tribute to Vietnam War Veterans” at Oak Hill Memorial Park, 300 Curtner Road, San Jose, 11:00 am, at the main office flag pole. Wear your Legion Cap.

The second event, “Honor Our Heroes”, Thursday, March 30, 2023, an annual remembrance ceremony to pay tribute to the one hundred forty-two sons and daughters of San Jose, who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving in Vietnam. It is hosted by “The Sons of San Jose”. Again, make an effort to be at Confluence Point Park, San Jose, West Santa Clara Street at Delmas Avenue (within a half block of the Sharks Arena), at 4:30pm. Again, wear your Legion cap to announce your Legion presence in the community. Let the public know we still care.

Yours in Comradeship,

Gene Fanucchi

Adjutant, District 13

Gbf22sj@aol.com

Posted 23 March 2023

Subject: Stand Down Accounting

Good morning all;

In recent conversations with the good folks at National, the topic of Reporting Stand Downs and Veteran Job Fairs

was discussed. I feel, and National agrees, that we are not Reporting all of our good deeds and efforts.

I would like to suggest that you, Marquis or you Commander Romano, that you reach out to all Area/District Commanders

and request they do some investigation into this matter and be prepared to Report to Convention.

We would like to know: When the events were held... Where they were held.... Who was responsible for organizing the event...

What services were offered.... and how many attended. Any future planned events information also would be appreciated.

And share your success stories.

I would very much like to share that information with our VE&E Division Director, Joseph Sharpe and his staff

that California is conducting Stand Downs and Job Fairs.

National is aware of some of the Job Fairs, as they are involved however the Stand Downs and other hiring events

are going 'un-reported.

Help me, help us and let's get credit for the hard work and efforts of California Legionnaires.

Eric W. Measles, Chairman

National Veterans Education, Other Benefits, & Homelessness Committee

The American Legion