VFW POST 10804

111 Hwy 57 N. Little River SC 29566 843-399-0877 www.vfwpost10804.org Find us on Facebook NEWSLETTER – March 2020 HAVING PROBLEMS? NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE?...The “VETERANS CRISIS LINE” is open 24/7. Just call 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. It takes an average of 8 seconds for your call to be answered. You are NOT alone! HOT!! – The FCC has approved a new, 3 digit (988) crisis line (acts in the same principal as 911). It will connect with the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. Communications carriers have 18 months to implement the system. It is NOT operational right now!

VA WOMEN VETERAN HELP LINES…1-855-829-6636 or www.womenshealth.va.gov Want to stay current with VA & VFW issues? Go to vfwac@vfw.org and sign-up for “Action CORPS Weekly”.

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS – Edward Cook III, Walter Wielechowski, Jr., and transfers William Bernard Lis, and Robert Cavanaugh COMMANDER’S CALL – The time of nominations and elections is fast approaching. I would like to

encourage anyone who is willing to give their time to seek office or nomination for the House Committee. For those of you interested in the House Committee see any current committee member or myself. The House Committee serves as our Congress and researches all issues prior to coming to vote during the Post meetings. They also coordinate our Friday night dinners, etc. The NMB St. Patrick’s Parade is on 3/14, so our meetings will be moved to 3/21. On Friday 3/13 Walt Duncan will have his trailer at the Post for decorating. I encourage everyone to participate. Show time is NLT than 08:15 for a 08:45 parade start. We will rendezvous at the North Myrtle Beach Museum across the street from Lowe’s. Suggest you park in Lowe’s parking lot. Kevin Rorer, Commander

For the THIRD YEAR in a row, YOUR Post has earned the Outstanding Post Newsletter award from the Department of South Carolina VFW. Department Commander Robert Holsclaw presents the award to Post 10804 newsletter writer/editor Bill La Monte

Back in January two pallets (4200 pounds of food) were donated to the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center of Florence with the stipulation the food go to veterans.

C.B. Anderson, the director of the center and a member of North Myrtle Beach VFW Post 10804, immediately started searching for a source to package and deliver these food goods to needy veterans. With the help of two Florence area Hospice Centers, the local Elks, American Legion Post and Auxiliary, Goodwill and S.C. Works, he was able to get the food sorted into ‘family boxes’. The two hospice centers began delivering the food baskets to ‘homebound hospice patients’. These baskets will be delivered to homebound hospice care veterans and their families until it runs out. The center picture shows the sorting/packaging crew of (left to right) Eddie Harding & Bill Pickle - Elks, Sheila Glenn - SC Works, Ken Curran - American Legion, Phyllis Burgh - American Legion Auxiliary, kneeling is- Judy McDivitt - Goodwill, Dawn Hollywood - Goodwill, CB Anderson - VRCF, Elaine Kelly - MSA Hospice. Post election nominations start this month. – If you are thinking about getting involved and running for office? This is your time to act. Remember, EVERY Post electable position is open to anyone in good standing with the VFW. The March meeting will start the process with members being nominated or nominating themselves for the position they want to be elected to. At the April meeting, the actual elections will be held, with newly elected officers taking their posts prior to the State Convention. Not sure how you might want to serve? Being elected to the Post House Committee is a very good means of your getting to see how a post functions and the importance of the House Committee. It is a good stepping-stone towards taking on other post responsibilities. Positions you can be elected to, or appointed to: *Elected to - Commander, Sr. Vice Commander, Jr. Vice-Commander, Quartermaster, Chaplain and three Trustees. Because your post has a canteen, up to 7 members could be elected to the House Committee. *Appointed to (by new commander) – Adjutant, Service Officer *Other possible appointed positions (by new commander) – Judge Advocate, Surgeon (you don’t need any medical experience), Officer of the Day, Guard. All of these positions are defined in the Manual of Procedures Book *Depending on the number of committee’s the new commander wants to have. You could volunteer for/accept an appointment to committees like Buddy Poppy, Voice of Democracy/Patriot Pen, Publicity, Community Activities, etc. Membership – As of 1 February the Post is at 91% with 46 Annual Members needing to renew this spring. Congratulations to Paul Slater for receiving a “10 member” recruitment award from the VFW National Commander-in-Chief. Veterns Welcome Home and Resource Center – Director Ron Wilson reported that In January they have helped 110 veterans spending $3,320. They also provided 9 emergency food baskets to veterans in need and put in 263 volunteer hours, driving 619 miles. Veterans Resource Center of Florence – Mike Mishoe for Director CB Anderson reported the center spent $1,200 in helping veterans. Also see food collection pictures above.

Carolyn Mishoe – Who has a sales booth at Everything Under the Sun in North Myrtle Beach. Donated $300 to the Post. That money came from items donated by post members for her to sell at her booth. She reported that she will take any small, good condition, donations anyone wants to make with all proceeds going back to the post.

A joint-meeting was held prior to the start of the post business meeting. Jennifer Jordan, Community Liaison, of Lower Cape fear Life Care (Hospice+) gave a presentation on the services provided by Life Care. A couple of members spoke praising the help they received for their loved ones by Life Care Hospice care

. Department (state) Commander Robert Holsclaw is always telling posts that he may drop in on you at any time, unannounced. He held true to his word when he came to YOUR Post Business Meeting on February 8th. He took the time to visit with our 99 Year Old WW II veteran Bill Jaegoe.

The Aging Veteran – The VFW is rapidly becoming a ‘senior-citizens’ organization. Starting with WWII and a presumed minimum enlistment age of 17 (we all know that many enlisted younger than 17, especially WWII, but 17 was the accepted age at the time). Here’s what the veteran population looks like today: WWII – Ended 1945 – Current “youngest” veteran would be – 92 years old Korea – Ended 1953 – Current ‘youngest’ veteran would be – 84 years old Vietnam –Hostilities stopped in March 1973. That makes the ‘youngest” veteran – 63 years old Last non-combat military left in 1975. That makes the “youngest” veteran – 61 years old War-on-Terror – Most equate this to 9-11-2001 which would make the “youngest” veteran – 37 years old. The actual War-on-Terror started when the World Trade Center was bombed in 1993. That makes the “youngest” veteran – 45 years old. Surviving Numbers – These numbers include everyone in military at time of conflict:

WWII (1941-1945) – There are approximately 389,000 veterans surviving out of a total of 16 million veterans Korea (1950-1953) – There are approximately 2.2 million surviving out of 5.7 million veterans (counts all military, not just “in-country”) Vietnam – There are approximately 850,000 surviving (in country military, to include land, sea air troops) out of upwards of 19 million who served in the military from 1955 to 1975. Military Medical Facilities Closing to Retirees and Dependents – The good news for us in this area is that the only closings that might affect us are: If you use Fort Bragg? The JOEL and ROBINSON Clinics are closing to retirees and dependents. At Marine Corps Air Station Beauford, the Naval Hospital Beauford is down-grading to an Ambulatory Surgery Center (no dependent/retiree care). THANKS to Jack Schonely and the Veterans Welcome Home and Resource Center for the following:

Construction is well underway on the new Myrtle Beach Veterans Affairs Outpatient Clinic, just west of The

Market Common in the International Technology and Aerospace Park (ITAP). Ground was broken in June,

and the walls are going up rapidly for the 84,000 square foot facility.

The new building will offer expanded services locally for veterans, including primary care, mental health, tele-

mental health, dermatology, podiatry, physical therapy, occupational therapy, prosthetics, optometry,

audiology, compensation and pension, blood collection, radiology, and the capability to add Magnetic

Resonance Imaging (MRI).

The clinic also will feature a designated women’s health area and allows additional specialty services

expansion. Construction is expected to be complete in November 2020.

New VA Clinic in Myrtle Beach

Special Thanks ! to Cathey Farley and her intrepid band of thespians and volunteers for another great Murder-Mystery show and dinner February 29th!

Coronavirus – To stay safe as possible – You should:

*FIRST & FOREMOST Call your health provider if you expect you are getting ill *Get a flu shot *Keep hands clean by washing with soap for at least 20 seconds, or use hand sanitizer with at least a 60% alcohol content *Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth if you have been out in public and not yet washed your hands. *Avoid people who are sick *YOU stay home if sick *If sneezing or coughing, cover face with arm, tissue, something. Throw tissue in trash, wash your clothes *Use disinfectant on all surfaces you might touch (including your vehicle) after you have been out in public. Bill La Monte Writer/Editor 4william6@gmail.com