The American Legion

Advance fl

National Headquarters Monthly Publication For Post Commanders and Post Adjutants Vol. XXV June, 1982 No. 6

‘It’s a good deal!’

i Paid-for-life membership roll grows

.T’S A GOOD DEAL! That’s been the response of more

than 23,000 American Legionnaires who’ve opted for the Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) Membership Plan. They’ve taken a good look at the erratic nature of the economy and decided that their best shot is to pay their American Legion dues once and for all.

PUFL members of The American Legion have freed themselves from the annual - and sometimes increasing - ex¬ pense of belonging to the organization, just by participating in the PUFL plan. This factor is especially important to those Legionnaires living on fixed in¬ comes as well as those who just want to save money while they retain their Le¬ gion membership.

List Tops 23,000 Begun with the 1976 membership

year, the PUFL membership program has grown to more than 23,000 cur¬ rently and permanently enrolled under the plan.

(Incidentally, the plan offers some real conveniences for the posts as well as the members, but we’ll talk more about that a little later in this article.)

In This Issue Page

PUFL membership.1 Handicapped accessibility.2 Final call for reports.3 Independence Day .3 ALNS ‘Hotline’.3 Installation Ceremony.4 Initiation .5 Suggested news release .5 Dateline: Washington .6 Photo contest .7 V-Vet Gl Bill extension .8 Commander’s Calendar.8 Leadership changeover.8

American Legion members in good standing may pay their dues in advance to cover membership for life, provided their post is in a department participat¬ ing in the National PUFL Plan. (A list of participating departments is included in this article.)

Must Be Current Member To enroll in the PUFL plan, a

member must have a valid membership card for the current year. A member who hasn’t paid current year’s dues as of Jan. 1 is delinquent, and must pay cur¬ rent year’s dues before being eligible to purchase a PUFL membership. (If the member has paid dues in advance and later decides to purchase a PUFL mem¬ bership, the amount of advance, or early, dues may be deducted from the total cost of the PUFL membership until Dec. 31 of the current member¬ ship year.

The Legionnaire applies for PUFL Membership on a special form supplied to all departments participating in the National plan. The applicant fills out the top portion of the 4-part form in full, signs it, and turns it in to the Post Adju¬ tant. Unless the membership is be charged to MasterCard or VISA, pay¬ ment in full (personal check, money or¬ der, or bank draft) should be submitted with the application.

(If desired, time payment arrange¬ ments for the purchase of a PUFL Membership are available. Additional information may be obtained from either department headquarters or PUFL, The American Legion, P.O. Box 1055, In¬ dianapolis, Ind. 46206.)

The Post Adjutant or Finance Officer must verify the member is in good standing, enter on the form the latest year for which the member is paid, the card number, and the full amount of

the post’s dues. After signing the appli¬ cation form, the Post Adjutant or Fi¬ nance Officer gives the fourth (bottom) copy to the member as a receipt, files the third copy with the post’s records, and sends the top two copies, with pay¬ ment, to the department adjutant.

Note on Post Records Make appropriate notations on the

post’s membership register and any other such records maintained by the post to show the member is paid up for life as of the date the application is signed.

After the application has been ver¬ ified and processed by National Head¬ quarters, the member will receive from National Headquarters a permanent Paid-Up-For-Life Membership Card. The member will also receive each year from National Headquarters an annual membership card.

Each year thereafter, National Headquarters will send to the post, through department headquarters, the post’s share of the member’s annual dues. The post will receive this same amount each year throughout the lifetime of the member, provided the member remains at that post. (A PUFL membership may be transferred to a dif¬ ferent post, providing it is located in a department participating in the Na¬ tional PUFL plan.)

Cost Based on 2 Factors PUFL Membership cost is based on

two factors - the age of the member at the time PUFL Membership is pur¬ chased, and the total dues of the post at that time. “Total” dues includes de¬ partment and National per capita as well as the annual dues retained by the post.

(continued on next page)

Paid-for-life membership growing . . . . (continued from preceding page)

The dues amount used to compute the cost of a PUFL Membership may not be less than the sum of the depart¬ ment and National per capita.

PUFL members never worry about renewal notices, possible dues in¬ creases, or the possible lapses of either The American Legion Magazine sub¬ scription or American Legion Life In¬ surance coverage because of late dues payment.

Any future increases in National or department per capita are covered by a trust fund developed by the PUFL ap¬ plication fee which can be used only for this purpose.

Life Member Different

Do not confuse the National PUFL Membership Plan with the Life Mem¬ bership a post may bestow to honor a Legionnaire for outstanding service. By bestowing a Life Membership on a member, the post assumes the obliga¬ tion for paying the individual’s dues each year.

How accessible to handicapped? IS YOUR post fully accessible to the

handicapped? Post Commanders in¬ terested in making their posts fully ac¬ cessible to the handicapped should re¬ quest a set of Access Information Bulle¬ tins from the offices of the National Economic Commission, The American Legion, 1608 K St., N. W., Washington, D. C. 20006. In addition to explicit in¬ structions and measurements for ramps, curb cuts, etc., the information also includes various costs of accessibil¬ ity measures. This material will be sent, without any charge, upon request.

A PUFL member is not authorized to possess or display any of the items iden¬ tifying the Life Member, such as the special Life Member Card, Life Member Plan, and Life Member Cap Insignia (shield). A PUFL cap patch and metal pin are available for purchase through National Emblem Sales by PUFL members. When ordering these items, include the member’s PUFL card number, the post number, and depart¬ ment.

Post May Use PUFL Plan If your post wishes to use the PUFL

program structure for maintaining Life Membership honors, all that need be done is waive the post portion of the dues in computing the amount to be paid in one lump sum. (On the rate chart, use the line in the dues column that represents the total of just depart¬ ment and National per capita and then find the corresponding amount of PUFL payment under the appropriate age group column.)

Here’s an example, assuming the post’s total dues at $12 ($3.00 post; $3.50 department; and $5.50 National):

If a post wished to take care of its Life Member obligations through the PUFL plan for a 55-year-old member, the PUFL fee would be $160 when the post waives its portion of the dues. For that same 55-year-old member to buy a PUFL Membership in that same post, the fee would be $214.

Posts which have established the practice of bestowing Life Memberships on their outgoing Post Commanders and their 50-plus-year continuous

members would do well to consider using the PUFL plan.

46 Departments

The following 46 departments now participate in the National PUFL Membership Plan: Alabama Mississippi Alaska Montana Arizona Missouri Arkansas Nevada California New Mexico Canada New York Connecticut North Carolina Delaware North Dakota D. of C. » Oklahoma Florida Oregon France Panama Canal Hawaii Puerto Rico Idaho Rhode Island Indiana South Carolina Iowa South Dakota Italy Tennessee Kentucky Texas Louisiana Utah Maine Vermont Maryland Washington Massachusetts West Virginia Michigan Wisconsin Minnesota Wyoming

The following departments have their own operating paid-up plans: Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Posts in tjiese departments can get information from their department headquarters.

For further information on the Na¬ tional PUFL Plan and a supply of appli¬ cation blanks, contact either your de¬ partment headquarters or PUFL, c/o the National Headquarters (In¬ dianapolis) address.

PUFL Membership — IT’s A Good Deal!

The American Legion

ADVANCE Published monthly by: National Haad- quarters, Tha Amarican Lagion, P. O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, Ind. 46205. A publication for Amarican Lagion Post Commandars and Post Adjutants.

AMERICAN LEGION PRESS

ASSOCIATION

Editor: Prank L. Magnin

May, 1982 Vol. XXV No. 5

2 THE ADVANCE, JUNE, 1982

American Legion News Service HOTLINE

American Legion News Service’s Hotline provides news daily about Legion activities. The 24-hour-a-day Hotline is a link between each Le¬ gion member and the National Headquarters in Indianapolis on the latest news of the day. From outside Indiana,

Call Toll-Free 1-800-428-2686

Within Indiana, Call 1-317-637-6649

for what’s happening involving your American Legion.

Final call for IT’S “LAST CALL” for Consolidated

Post Reports for the 1981-82 pro¬ gram year!

In just a few more days, American Legion Posts should have reported their accomplishments for the 12-month period just ending. Has your post filed its report? Remember, June 15 (or ear¬ lier, if your department has so specified) is the final date for reports to be turned if they are to a part of the national tabu¬ lation.

All reports are to be sent to depart¬ ment headquarters.

Independence Day—1982 AS THE NATION approaches the

i. anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Ameri¬ can Legion Posts should be making thorough preparations for their partici¬ pation in observance of this occasion.

On July 4, our nation will celebrate the 206th anniversary of its indepen¬ dence. Independence Day is a time for celebration, a time for every citizen to take joyous pride in the freedom we all have enjoyed for more than two cen¬ turies.

Be Active, Visible Part Your post should be an active, visible

part of the community’s plans for a Fourth of July celebration. Legion¬ naires, men and women who have served in time of war, are keenly aware of the struggle and sacrifices our forefathers endured to gain our free¬ dom.

To most Americans, Independence Day - July 4 - usually means a parade down Main Street, a picnic in the park, several features of planned entertain¬ ment, all topped off with an evening fireworks display. But it should also be a day for Americans to pause in recogni¬ tion and appreciation of the heritage handed down to us by the men and women of the thirteen original colonies.

From the beginning of America’s in¬ dependence in 1776, our nation became bonded into a group of individuals who collectively had a single purpose—to be free, free from political and religious persecutions. But history has recorded that the task has not been easy.

America’s will has been tested time and time again since 1776, and it is being tested again. While the current test may not seem as romanticized as those

which have inspired us from out of the past, the test is no less as dangerous or as meaningful to our future as it was when our forefathers pledged not only their “sacred honor,” but also their “very lives” when they signed the Declaration of Independence.

See Manual An excellent prelude to the nation’s

206th birthday party will be the obser¬ vance of Flag Day, June 14, in com¬ munities throughout the country. A significant part of this observance will be the nationwide “Pause for the Pledge” of Allegiance (see your May- issue of ADVANCE) by. If your post has planned Flag Day activities, includ¬ ing the “Pause for the Pledge,” then your Independence Day activities will be more effective.

Traditional patriotic holiday activities are outlined in the Americanism Man¬ ual, available through either your de¬ partment headquarters or the National Americanism-Children & Youth Divi¬ sion, The American Legion. P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, Ind. 46206.

As Post Commander, you should make sure that your post is included in any planned community activity for In¬ dependence Day. If a community committee has been formed to plan July 4th activities, you will want to make sure your post is represented in order that any post-sponsored uniform group is included in the pageantry of the day.

You can help make Independence Day more meaningful for all — your membership and your community. Be sure your post is involved to the extent of its capabilities. In this way you play a significant part in the protection and preservation of the values which helped to form this great nation.

reports! Completion of the 1981-82 report

form (and be sure it is the correct form) will take little time. Some portions re¬ quire a checkmark in an appropriate box, others just a numerical total or dol¬ lar figure. If all post records are as com¬ plete and accurate as possible, there should be little trouble in filling out the form.

Don’t be discouraged if you can’t fill every blank on the form. Very few posts have the interests, the resources, and/or the volunteers to carry on every pro¬ gram of The American Legion.

Don’t underestimate the importance of your report! When your post’s report is added to those from thousands of others, The American Legion is able to project a more accurate picture of its accomplishments and contributions to the betterment of community, state, and nation.

Last year, reports were turned in by slightly over 44 percent of our posts. While the totals of those reports were impressive, think how much more so they would have been if we had heard from the other 56 percent!

For example, The American Legion last year reported that—

— the net assets of 44 percent of its posts totaled $526 million;

— 44 percent of its posts awarded nearly $700,000 in scholarships;

— 44 percent of its posts spent $5 mil¬ lion in support of American Le¬ gion Baseball and other athletic teams;

— to mention but a few of the items tabulated from the reports.

The Consolidated Post Report is a 3-part, snapout-type form. Complete instructions are printed on the reverse side of the third (pink) copy. Forward the top two (white and yellow) copies to department headquarters prior to the deadline set by department.

If there are items in the report form which are not applicable to your post, or if there is not accurate data available for such items, please leave such portions blank. Let’s keep the report as accurate a picture as possible of American Le¬ gion endeavor.

Please be assured that your post’s report is confidential.

REMINDER: Names and addresses of new post officers should be certified to department headquarters as soon as possible after your post election.

THE ADVANCE, JUNE, 1982 3

Installation Ceremony-Short Form For those occasions when it’s not practical to conduct the full ceremony for the installation of officers, the following short form has been authorized. This cere¬ mony shall be conducted by an Installing Officer (a duly authorized representative of the Department Commander) who, after being introduced by the re¬ tiring Post Commander, shall proceed as outlined be¬ low. _

Installing Officer: “The Sergeant-at-Arms will bring before me the newly elected officers of this post.”

The Sergeant-at-Arms presents the newly elected offi¬ cers, standing in one row in front of the Installing Of¬ ficer, with the new Post Commander to the right of the Installing Officer and the retiring Post Commander to the left of the Installing Officer.

Sergeant-at-Arms: “I present to you the newly elected officers of this post, whose eligibility records for mem¬ bership in The American Legion have been duly checked and authenticated.”

Installing Officer: “My Fellow Legionnaires, you have been chosen to fill the various offices of-Post No.-. I know you will vindicate the trust that has been placed in you. I know you will fulfill every obliga¬ tion that is required of you. Familiarize yourselves with the duties of your offices and carry out those duties with the same spirit from which arose The American Legion. The welfare and success of this post depend on you as does the preservation of the integrity of The American Legion. Protect the good name of The American Legion with the people of our great Nation; help them to know the Legion’s purposes and policies. Remember the toler¬ ance that animates us as members; remember there is no rank among us for we all serve as equals. We all are aiming for the same goals - the ideals of Justice, Free¬ dom, Democracy, and Loyalty.

“Remember, too, that the cardinal principles of The American Legion are —

“The rehabilitation of all disabled veterans . . . “The care of the dependents of those who have

answered the final call . . . “The care of those who now are suffering from

wounds, disease, and want . . .

“The education of our children . . . “And Service to the Community, State, and Nation. “You will raise your right hands, say, ‘I,’ and give your

names and repeat after me —

“I,-, do solemnly pledge myself / to per¬ form faithfully and impartially / the duties of the office of The American Legion / I am about to assume, / and I further pledge / that I am not a member of / and do not

subscribe to / the principles of any group opposed to our form of government.

“Hands down.”

Installing Officer (moving to his left and facing retir¬ ing Post Commander): -, you have just completed a year of service to The American Legion and to-Post No.-. The records of the post indicate the quality of your service. It is my hope that the things you learned about The American Legion and the experience you gained will always be available to those who follow you. On behalf of the Department Com¬ mander, I thank you for the splendid service you have rendered The American Legion.”

Installing Officer (moving to his right and facing the newly elected Post Commander): “To you, Commander -, are entrusted very important duties. You must teach and protect the cardinal principles of The American Legion throughout your post. You are entrusted with the supervision of the duties of all officers of your post. The poor and troubled will come to you and you must see that no veteran is turned away without full justice.

“Loyalty to your post - to its membership - to the state and National Organizations are obligations which you now assume.

“You are more than the presiding officer for meetings; you are guided by the Constitution and the decisions of the post as a body; yet, the responsibility of the year’s programs is on your shoulders. You must initiate pro¬ grams and carry them through to completion. You must familiarize yourself with the traditions of your post and The American Legion.

“By your sincere acceptance and earnest performance of these duties, may the trust your Fellow Legionnaires have reposed in you be justified.

“I extend to you the congratulations of the Depart¬ ment of-and I wish you well as you assume the responsibilities of your office.”

(Here the retiring Post Chaplain may offer a prayer for guidance and success of the newly installed officers dur¬ ing their term in office. See the regular form of Installa¬ tion .)

Installing Officer moves to his original position and asks all newly installed officers to face the members and guests in attendance.

Installing Officer: “My Fellow Legionnaires, I present to you the officers of your choice. I congratulate you on the selections you have made. Now that you have cho¬ sen them it is your duty to aid them in every way. Help them to keep The American Legion faithful to its princi¬ ples and ideals.”

4 THE ADVANCE, JUNE, 1982

Initiation ritual demonstrates purposes of organization THE INITIATION ceremony is an

important function to the preser¬ vation and perpetuation of American Legion ideals and purposes.

Most new members who take part in the ceremony will acquire a greater sense of belonging, will tend to become more active in the organization, and, consequently, will be more apt to retain their membership.

The importance of the Initiation Ceremony cannot be overemphasized. Not only does it afford the long-time Legionnaire an opportunity to reaffirm his oath of obligation, but it also pro¬ vides a method whereby the basic tenets of The American Legion are reinforced.

For the new member being initiated, the opportunity to learn his/her respon¬ sibilities should be a requisite to mem¬ bership. The new member needs to be shown, officially and formally, that he/she is indeed a part of the organiza¬ tion.

The Initiation Ceremony teaches the principles of Justice, Freedom, Democ¬ racy, and Loyalty and explains the sym¬ bolism of the Flag of the United States and the Emblem of The American Le¬ gion. The importance of these lessons is obvious. In order for us to instill a sense of individual obligation to the commu¬ nity in others, that sense of obligation must first be instilled deeply in us.

Now is the best time for the formation of a ritual, team (if your post does not have one), whose job it is to conduct initiation ceremonies at least once a year, plus such other ceremonies which might be of service to the post. If your post already has such a team, you may want to encourage its services for other posts within your district as a way to help establish ritual teams in those posts where there are none.

The Initiation Ceremony is printed in its entirety of the Officer’s Guide and Manual of Ceremonies.

If your post does not have a ritual team, make the big decission now. Begin this month to renew and rekindle this dedication to the principles of Jus¬ tice, Freedom, Democracy, and Loy¬ alty upon which our great organization is founded.

Suggested

NEWS RELEASE (Officer election/installation)

For further information —

Contact:_

Phone:_FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Members of — (Name of Post) — Post No. — of The American Legion have elected — (Full Name and Street Address) — to be commander of the organization for the 1982-83 program year.

Other officers elected were — (List officers elected, giving title of office, then officer’s full name and address; put a semi-colon be¬ tween address and title of next office) —. The new commander and all other officers will assume their respective duties at installation ceremonies on — (Date) —. —(Insert paragraph on details of installation: Installing officers, any special program details, dinner, etc.)—

Also selected by local Legionnaires were delegates to the annual state convention, — (Dates) —, — (City) —. Representing— (Com¬ munity Name) — Legionnaires will be — (List delegates and their addresses) —.

After his election, Commander-elect— (Last Name) — announced his administration would follow the Legion’s “We Help America Work” theme by expanding the post’s community service programs as well as continuing its traditional services for disabled veterans and those vet¬ erans in need of assistance.

—(Insert paragraph with details of specific goals and/or new pro¬ grams planned.)—

He said Post No. — is planning programs of volunteer community service work, including Veterans Administration Hospital visitations, blood donations, and youth projects.

“I realize that, because of personal responsibilities, every veteran cannot be active in The American Legion,” — (Last Name Only) — said. “However, active or not, members can help America work at the local, state, and national levels through their American Legion mem¬ bership.”

He also paid tribute to the achievements of Post No. — under the leadership of retiring Commander — (Full Name)—. During the 12-month period just ending the local post recorded the following achievements: — (List achievements, honors, outstanding activities, etc. Here’s another place where your copy of the Consolidated Post Report will come in handy.) —

THE ADVANCE, JUNE, 1982 5

DATELINE:

WASHINGTON

Bill aims at problem of drunk drivers

IN A UNANIMOUS voice vote May 11, the Senate passed a bill —— S-2158

— which takes some important first steps toward a solution to the nation’s drunk driving problem. S-2158, spon¬ sored by Sens. John C. Danforth (R- Mo.) and Claiborne Pell (D-R.I.), would provide the states with additional highway safety funds if they enact strict drunk driving laws.

The requirements for receiving such funds include a mandatory 90-day license suspension for a driver arrested for drunk driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.1 percent, and a one-year sus¬ pension for a second offense. The bill also includes a mandatory two-day jail term for a second drunk driving convic¬ tion within 5 years.

The proposal also includes another weapon in the war on drunk driving — a National Drunk Driver Register. The register could be used to quickly verify a repeat offender or those who would apply for a license in another state after a suspension in their home states.

Sponsors of this legislation say that the $78 million in state grants and the $6.8 million for the register is minor when compared to the $17 billion in damage caused each year by drunk drivers.

The American Legion has actively supported legislation which addresses the drunk driving problem. Resolution No. 589 of the 1981 National Conven¬ tion provides Legion support for “local, state, and national legislation” in an ef¬ fort to “step up enforcement of drinking-driving laws.”

This was stated in a letter to the House Public Works and Transporta¬ tion Subcommittee on Surface Trans¬ portation during a hearing on a similar

bill — HR-6170. This measure, intro¬ duced by Reps. James J. Howard (D- N.J.) and Michael D. Barnes (D-Mo.), would provide “seed money” to states that adopt strict drunk driving laws.

While it is uncertain at this point which of these bills will prevail, it is clear that steps must be taken to address this issue, and that Congress has begun to recognize the responsibility of the fed¬ eral government to take the first step.

With the necessary incentives and guidance a solution to the tragedy of drunk driving can be found. The American Legion will continue to pro¬ vide full support for legislation which will accomplish this goal.

VA, DoD to ‘share’ medical resources

PRESIDENT REAGAN has signed into law PL 97-174, permitting the

sharing of medical resources between the Veterans Administration and the Department of Defense. This law was carefully written to enable sharing of DoD and VA medical resources without compromising the different mission of either agency.

The terms of this law will be particu¬ larly beneficial, for example, to veterans who require special equipment or med¬ ical resources not available at their VA hospital, which are available at a nearby DoD facility. The same holds true for military personnel. However, it is im¬ portant to note that this law does not provide for the eligibility of dependents of military personnel.

PL 97-174 expands the relationship between VA and DoD facilities estab¬ lished by an earlier law — PL 97-72. This law tags the VA hospital system as the principal back-up to DoD medical facilities in the event of a national emergency. PL 97-72 also authorizes minimum VA hospital bed levels as a safeguard against the denial of care to veterans.

The American Legion has supported these measures and has been careful to guard against any provisions which could, in any way, compromise the mis¬ sion of the VA hospital system which is service to the veterans who have served this nation.

Resolution designates POW/MIA recognition

In recognition of the sacrifices and suffering of American POW’s and MIA’s, the Senate passed S.J. Res. 160, introduced by Sen. S. I. Hayakawa (R- Calif.). This resolution, if passed by the House and signed by the President, will authorize the President to “issue a proc¬ lamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe such day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

The date — July 9, 1982 — would be designated as “National POW/MIA Recognition Day.” The American Le¬ gion views this as an opportunity to offer a much deserved tribute to those who have given so much in service to their nation.

ATTENTION: As Congress continues to battle

both internally and with the adminis¬ tration over an acceptable budget for Fiscal Year 1983, several significant proposals have emerged in both the House and the Senate. Some call for deep cuts in virtually every federal program. Others call for a freeze at FY82 funding levels of various ac¬ counts within the federal budget, in¬ cluding the VA.

The steadily increasing demands on the VA hospital system by the aging veteran population cannot tolerate the consideration of cuts or freezes of funds for VA general operating ex¬ penses, medical care, and, least of all, VA hospital construction. The re¬ search and development operation of the VA must also be allowed to con¬ tinue its examination of the unique problems of veterans, including ex¬ panded geriatric research.

Legionnaires are urged to contact their Representatives and Senators. Request their support for the neces¬ sary funds essential to the continued operation of the VA hospital system.

As your elected representatives, the members of Congress respect your opinions and appreciate hearing from you on issues which you consider im¬ portant.

The VA and the VA hospital system have been carefully developed and maintained over the years to serve the nation’s veteran population. They must not be sacrificed in the name of fiscal austerity.

6 THE ADVANCE, JUNE, 1982

American Legion Public Relations PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST

The American Legion’s National Public Relations Division, in an effort to en¬ courage Legion photographers around the country to submit action photos depicting programs and projects of The American Legion, is sponsoring a national photography contest.

Guidelines

1. Entries must emphasize The American Legion’s “Community Service In Action!” theme.

2. This contest is open to all American Legion members in good standing with their local posts.

3. A member may enter only one photo, accom¬ panied with the member’s name, address, phone number, and a brief description of the action depicted in the photograph.

4. Each entry must be an 8-inch by 10-inch, black and white, photograph, and must show an American Legion member or American Legion activity.

5. Contest will be open from June 1 through August 31, 1982.

6. Prizes: First — $300; Second — $200; and Third — $100. Prize-winning photographs will be published in The American Legion Magazine.

7. Three judges with professional photography experience will determine the winners.

8. All entries must be the original work and solely the property of the entrant. In the event a prize-winning photographer is found to have violated this rule, the National Public Relations Division reserves the right to take any action it may deem suitable, including the return of the prize awarded.

9. All photographs will become the sole property of the National Public Relations Division, The American Legion.

10. Entries must be postmarked no later than August 31, 1982, and sent to:

American Legion Photo Contest Public Relations Division P. O. Box 1055 Indianapolis, Ind. 46206

THE ADVANCE, TUNE, 1982 7

Law extends Gl Bill benefits on education to some veterans EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article is of specific interest to American Legion Service Officers and others who are involved in the counseling of veterans on benefits. Post Commanders should call this information to the attention of their Service Offi¬ cers as soon as possible.

PUBLIC LAW97-72 — the Veterans Health Care, Training, and Small

Business Loan Act of 1981 — contains provisions relating to a number of Vet¬ erans Administration benefits. One such provision has not received a great deal of publicity, so we are providing a brief description of the program in order that Post Commanders and Post Service Officers may make the availability of it known to those in the post and the community who may be eligible for these educational benefits.

PL 97-72 provides a 2-year extension of the delimiting under which a veteran may use GI Bill education benefits. The original law called for use of such ben¬ efits within 10 years following dis¬ charge, or by Dec. 31, 1989, whichever is earlier.

Under this new law, a Vietnam vet¬ eran who has unused entitlement— entitlement which had expired under the 10-years-after-discharge provision — may now use that entitlement to pur¬ sue programs —

— of apprenticeship or other on-the- job training;

— with a vocational objective in order to achieve a suitable occupa¬ tion or vocation; or

— of secondary education.

The extension of delimiting dates is available to veterans who do not have a high school diploma, and to those who are found to be in need of vocational or job training because they are unskilled.

To be eligible a veteran must have had active duty under conditions other than dishonorable, any part of which occurred between Aug. 5, 1964, and May 7, 1975, provided he or she is otherwise eligible.

To receive benefits for secondary training beyond his or her delimiting date, the veteran must not have a high school diploma or its equivalent.

To receive benefits for vocational, apprenticeship, or other on-job training beyond the delimiting date, the veteran must be in need of the training to achieve a suitable occupational or voca¬ tional objective because of being un¬ skilled, or unemployed and unskilled.

Training with a vocational objective must be residential training in noncol¬ lege degree courses. Benefits for farm cooperation training may be allowed, but correspondence and flight training are not allowed under the provisions of the program. It should be noted that an extension of the delimiting dates under this law cannot end after Dec. 31, 1983.

JUNE

Be sure to turn in your Con¬ solidated Post Report prior to deadline set by your de¬ partment.

6 38th anniversary of D-Day, 1944.

14 Flag Day. 20 Father’s Day. 25 32nd anniversary of U.S.

entry into Korean War, 1950. Have new post officers been certified to department headquarters?

JULY

4 Independence Day. 21 Deadline for receipt at Na¬

tional Headquarters, In¬ dianapolis, of all contribu¬ tions to Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund

22-23 National Membership Workshop — Section I, In¬ dianapolis, Ind.

29-30 National Membership Workshop — Section II, Indianapolis, Ind.

AUGUST

20-26 64th National Convention, The American Legion, Chicago, Ill.

25-29 Regional Tournaments, American Legion Baseball. Coming up in September and October: Regional Leadership Training Con¬ ferences. Make sure your post will be represented!

Editor’s As The American Legion enters the season of leadership changeover at NOTE: the posts, this and future issues will contain much material directed

at those who will be Post Commanders and Post Adjutants during 1982-83. Will you do us a big favor? Please pass this issue, and those you receive until we have had a chance to update our mailing records, to the person who succeeds you in office. Thanks!