There will be a bus to transport citizens for Girls State and Boys State at Shippensburg University.  The cost is $65.00 for a round trip.  Below are the following locations and times.  The buses are asking that when you make your reservation for your citizen, that you let them know if they will be returning on the bus.  Cut off date is June 12,2012.  If you have any questions about the bus, contact Al Schraper at (412)761-1985. Click here for the reservation form.

Recent forms and information made available from the Spring Conference in March are available on the Mail link. They are listed under Misc Mailings. To view miscellaneous made available from the American Legion and the ALA Chairman, please vist the page.

These include:

AUXILIARY EMERGENCY FUND

The Auxiliary Emergency Fund and Membership – An exceptionally dynamic duo!

 Reaching our membership goals is definitely on all our minds right now.  We all want to be 100%  All Legion Family Members should be made aware that the AEF  could be used as a tool to both recruit and renew members.

 The AEF is a little known benefit to membership in the American Legion Auxiliary.

Perhaps a brief explanation of how this benefit works, may encourage Legion Family members to make certain that the American Legion Auxiliary members in their own families keep their dues current.   The AEF benefit’s first requirement is that any member who should find herself in a time of crisis – a time when no other source of help is available to them – must have their dues paid for the two previous years as well as the current years dues paid, in order to be eligible to make an AEF application  for assistance.

KEEPING YOUR AUXILIARY MEMBERS DUES CURRENT

KEEPS HER ELIGIBLE FOR AEF 

BE KNOWLEDGEABLE:  Familiarize yourself and your members with details about this “Members Helping Members” help in crisis situations by researching information on

www.ALAforVeterans.org

BE AWARE:  Learn the application process and fund restrictions, and help ALA members in need contact other nonprofit agencies that might be able to assist them.

BE GENEROUS: Contributions sustain the Auxiliary Emergency Fund.  Help can only be provided to members facing a crisis because of your generosity.    Make your checks payable to the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Pennsylvania and mail them to P.O. Box 1285  Camp Hill PA 17001  (Total donations are forwarded to National AEF)

Helen A. Cole, Chairman

ALA Auxiliary Emergency Fund

Need everyone help to save the 911 airbase in Pittsburgh Please contact in writing Congressman Tim Murphy and the secretary of the Air Force. Besides National Security issues, it effects jobs and the economy in the area. Get those pens working. We only have 2 weeks.

 Ron Conley

Tim Murphy
U.S. Congressman for the 18th District of Pennsylvania

Rep. Murphy Vows To Continue Efforts to Save 911th
Air Force Officials Admit No Analysis Performed In Reaching Decision to Close

Washington D.C. – Congressman Tim Murphy said today’s face-to-face meeting with Air Force officials revealed the Pentagon did not perform a cost-benefit analysis before it decided to pursue closure of the 911th Airlift Wing.

Murphy, who introduced legislation (H.R. 3911) to stop the Air Force from closing the base without congressional approval or a clear cost-benefit analysis, released the following statement after the meeting:

“Today’s meeting was enlightening and disappointing. The Air Force admitted there is no analysis showing that closure of the 911th is the best decision on behalf of the taxpayers. I understand restructuring is difficult, but it must be done impartially, with Congress’ approval, and only after all relevant information has been analyzed. Let’s look at the numbers. But right now, they don’t exist as far as we can tell.”

“The Air Force saw that the C-130s in Pittsburgh are the oldest in the fleet and decided to send them to boneyard. But the Air Force is ignoring that Pittsburgh used to have newer C-130 models before the last BRAC round, and the Air Force isn’t considering the low operational costs at Pittsburgh, or other investments being made by the military in Pittsburgh.”

“In our meeting, the Air Force admitted costlier bases would be kept open in other states to satisfy so-called ‘intangible’ reasons like ‘geographic balance.’ The Air Force told us they had to make billions in cuts in the next five years, but they did not gather, review, nor analyze objective data. They made their decisions on no base-by-base cost or mission efficiency analysis. That is not acceptable to me and is certainly not acceptable to taxpayers.”

The 911th is one of the most valuable bases in the nation’s arsenal – both in terms of mission support and when it comes to saving the taxpayers money. More than $50 million has been invested in the last six years at the 911th and surrounding installations. And, the Airlift Wing offers unique joint-training opportunities with the Navy NOSC, Air National Guard, and US Army Reserve that fulfill the Pentagon’s strategy to integrate the forces.”

“There’s a long way to go before this fight is over, and I’ll continue to pressure the Air Force to prove any decision is in the interest of national defense and the taxpayers.”

Air Force officials agreed to future meetings with the delegation, and will provide data about the number of civilian personnel at the 911th next week. Last Monday, February 6, Rep. Murphy released a formal letter sent to the Air Force seeking clarification on the number of civilian personnel at the 911th. If there are more than 300 civilian persons at the base, the Air Force must submit its request to close the 911th to Congress along with details evaluation reports on the local economic and strategic impact.

Murphy brokered today’s Pennsylvania delegation meeting with General Philip Breedlove, Vice Chief of Staff, U.S. Air Force, and has been leading efforts to preserve the base and get answers from the Pentagon on the factors used in the decision to close the 911th.

Also in attendance were: Maj. Gen. William H. Etter is the Deputy Director, Air National Guard; Brigadier General James Jackson, Air Force Reserve; Sens. Bob Casey Jr. and Pat Toomey; and Reps. Jason Altmire, Mike Doyle, Bill Shuster, Glenn Thompson, and Mark Critz.

Representative Timothy F. Murphy’s mailing addresses and FAX numbers.

Representative Timothy F. Murphy, 322 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 FAX: 202-225-1844

Or,

Representative Timothy F. Murphy, 504 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA  15228-2817 FAX: 412-429-5092

Due to an email program failure, she has lost all her messages. She stated that she had received  a couple of email pertaining the Little Miss Poppy Contest. So she is encouraging anyone who contacted her to please contact her again.  She wants to stress that this is the reason for not returning the requested information.

She can be reached at pat52736@verizon.net

What Can I Do?

Programs  that seem to help and have the best features  are “transitional housing with the camaraderie of living in structured, substance-free environments with fellow veterans who are succeeding at bettering themselves.”  This is exactly what the American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans Corporation is providing for the male and female veterans in our area.

How can the community and the American Legion Family help the veterans through the Homeless Corporation?  It is a non-profit organization – it is veterans helping veterans. It enhances the quality of life for the veteran and their families.  It provides clean transitional housing.  It helps them become productive citizens by helping them obtain a good, decent job and become taxpaying citizens. The AL Homeless Corp. 3 areas with housing; Moon Township,  Philadelphia and Ephrata.

The Corporation is responsible for the maintenance and repairs to the buildings, along with any needed remolding.  Where do the funds come from?  One manner is the annual dinner.  On January 14, 2012 in Moon Township at the Holiday Inn Pittsburgh Airport dinner will be served.   For the amount of $25.00 for a great meal, a person can help homeless veterans find a home. 

For more information and purchasing dinner tickets, The American Legion Homeless Dinner.

It is that time of year once again…. Christmas time.  The American Legion Auxiliary is once again asking for your support in making a veteran’s Christmas a little more cheery.  The Santa Fund is in need of donations.  Each and every hospitalized veterans receives a gift.   These gifts cost is $5.00 per patient.  The American Legion provides $3.00 of this cost.  The American Legion Auxiliary contributes $2.00.  Along with this small token, a poinsettia is also given.

In this economic situation, the fund is in need of monetary donations.  The Santa Fund and the many veterans that benefit are asking for Units to respond in kind.  Please check your budgets, any amount – no matter how big or small, will be very much appreciated.  The Unit’s Poppy Funds may be used for this cause.

The Holiday Hospital Tour has been set.  The dates will go from December 3rd until December 9th, 2010.  Our Department President Bev and VA&R Chairman BJ are urging, if you have free time to please join them in this Christmas celebration of thanks.  It is a splendid and enjoyable time to not only offer the small gift but also to say “Thank you for serving our country.”  Receiving is done on both sides, veterans and visitor.  Many stories are shared and history learned.  It is a time to stop all the hustle and bustle of the season and to give something back to our soildiers and sailors who gave so much for us.  It is a time to say “thank you and you were not forgotten” during this special season.  The veterans may obtain a present but the visitors receive so much more by hearing the gratitude in the veteran’s words.

The Santa Form can be viewed/printed here.

The Christmas Hospital Tour may be printed here.

 We recently got a quote from Lowes for two gas stoves which we now have the funds to purchase.

 We also have ongoing needs for bedding, and other types of linens and cleaning supplies.  You can contact me regarding these items.

 Make your checks out to “PA American Legion Housing for Homeless Veterans” earmarked for “household needs.” Send your donations to either me or Verla Mae Shultz.

BJ Lysic   at 786 Level Road, Lilly, PA 15938

Verla Mae Shultz at 151 Circle Drive, Ebensburg, PA  15931

Thank you for all that you do for our Veterans and Military.

(a new option on the menu bar)

Each mailing from Department will be uploading to the website.  This allows all members access to the mailings. The chairmen work very hard for their programs.  They release information to the membership when they feel it is pertinent. Sometimes the Unit President may not be able to attend the meeting or several members would like a copy, or the mail never reaches its destination.  By uploading and providing links to the documents, this allows all members and Units access to the information provided by the Department and the Chairmen.

When a member opens this menu option, they will see the names of the program information. Each month will have their own heading, keeping communication organised.  Members have the option of clicking on the hyperlink and viewing and/or printing the article. To get started, visit the new addition of mailings to the American Legion Auxiliary’s website.

The was a service project during this year’s Girls State.  The items collected (food, cleaning supplies, paper products, dish towels, etc) were presented to a family in the Johnstown area.  This family had become homeless due to unemployment problems and the affected economy.  The family, which included three children were very appreciative.