National VFW Day - 120 Years!

On September 29, 1899, a small group of Spanish-America war veterans joined together to form what would become the nation’s largest and most dedicated group of combat veterans.

We've had differing names beginning with American Veterans of Foreign Service to Army of the Philippines, Cuba, and Puerto Rico to American Veterans of Foreign Service.  However, we ended up with a name known to many....Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.

Our mission, as laid out in our Congressional Charter, is clear:

"The purposes of the corporation are fraternal, patriotic, historical, charitable, and educational, and are:
1.  to preserve and strengthen comradeship among its members;
2.  to assist worthy comrades;
3.  to perpetuate the memory and history of our dead, and to assist their surviving spouses and orphans;
4.  to maintain true allegiance to the Government of the United States, and fidelity to its Constitution and laws;
5. to foster true patriotism;
6. to maintain and extend the institutions of American freedom; and
7. to preserve and defend the United States from all enemies."

Nothing about fish fries, bingo, or canteens.  It's all about Veterans and their families!

Auxiliary Junior Vice President Conference

“It was a dark and stormy night…”  OK, I’ve always wanted to actually use that opening line for real!  I’m at an extended weekend in KC for this conference hosted by my Auxiliary counterpart, Jean H., the National Junior Vice President.  The weather has been very challenging with upwards of two-inch hail in the evenings.  So, it really has been dark and stormy nights!

The purpose of the Junior Conferences is to bring the Junior Vices together for briefings and to get to know each other as they go through this three-year journey.  I will host the VFW JV Conference in a few weeks and Jean will be attending mine as I have attended hers.

Some of the many  topics we covered were preparing and conducting meetings, social media, protocol and etiquette, and always a favorite, dealing with difficult people! We also had some fun ice breakers.  But the best thing about the conference was being able to meet and interact with all of the wonderful Department Junior Vice Presidents. All of these people are coming together for a common cause, taking time out of their lives to make things better for veterans and their families.  I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with them and I look forward to working with Jean, the Presidents, and the Commanders in these coming years.

Working together, the VFW and the Auxiliary can do wonderful things.  We may be on separate sides of the house, but it is the same house.  That simple thought can at times be forgotten as we try to do the things required of us.  I’ll do my best to push the VFW side of the house to reach out.  After this weekend, I know the Auxiliary is going to do the same. 

Together Everyone Achieves More!

TSA at Lambert - St Louis Airport

TSA.  Three letters that make many cringe when they think about going to the airport.  But, it’s not always bad and this is one of those feel good stories you rarely hear.  Mama Cass and I travel a lot and there is no “one size fits all” at TSA entry points across the country.  Each location has its own way of handling service animals.  We have TSA Pre-check so that makes things easier.

Last week, at Lambert – St. Louis I took Mama’s leash off and put her in sit-stay. I walked through screening then called her through the magnetometer. Her collar set it off so we had to go back and do it again without her chain collar.  I walked through and the young TSA man, without waiting for me, looked at Mama and waved her to come through. She looked at me and then walked through, not setting off any alarm.  It was then the TSA man realized he had waved through a dog. He had been on automatic, waving passengers through and didn’t even think about what he did.  He was so happy and amazed he had to tell the other workers.

Today, we were at the airport and at the TSA Pre-area.  Same young TSA agent.  He saw Mama, greeted her by name, and had his co-workers come over to watch.  [It was 0730 and no one else was around].  We did the usual drill and after I walked through he looked at Mama and waved her through and, of course, she walked through.  He was so proud of himself and the rest of the TSA crew were high-fiving and celebrating.

I’ve said it before, it’s the little things in life.  That young man and his co-workers were just starting their day and I’m sure they dealt with more than one surly customer before they went home.  But for those few moments, they met a cool dog and had a fun experience.

Suicide Prevention Awareness Month - September

22 per day.  20 per day.

Ever since the public consciousnesses has been directed to veteran suicide statistics people have used numbers as their mantra.  For a long time, that was 22 deaths per day.  Then it shifted to 20 per day.  It looked like we were making strides to end this epidemic.

Today I read several articles revolving around suicide and veterans.  They all used 2017 as their reference point as that is the last year for which statistics are available.  The findings are sobering:  Veteran suicide was up by 129 people from 2016.

However, in a move that would make George Orwell proud, the VA has declared that veteran suicides are now down to 17 per day.  How can this be you might ask?  If you take out active duty service member suicides, as well as former Guard and Reservists, the pool of eligibles shrinks.  They don't qualify as "veterans".  It's simple VA math.

One fact hasn't changed however.  Suicide among veterans is higher than the rest of the population.  In 2017 it was 1.3 times higher for men; 2.2 times higher for women.

Take your pick:  22.  20.  17.

Even one is too much no matter how you do the math.

National Veterans Service Training Update

Five days of classes consisting of 42 separate blocks of instruction ended yesterday and the final three hour exam was today. I attended the Basic Course with 30 other students.  All but two are destined to become VFW Service Officers in their states after they pass.....and they will all do well!  [The remaining two will work for the Viet Nam Veterans of America in Washington DC]

The curriculum was intense and the NVS staff instructors held us to a high standard.  Anyone who thinks service officers are merely paper pushers in the claims process really doesn't understand the high level of knowledge that goes into the making of a good SO.  I thought I had a good idea, but this week really opened my eyes.

The VA only requires 40 hours of training a year.  The VFW requires 80 hours because we set the bar for professionalism, skill, and veterans service.

To my classmates, it was a pleasure getting to know you.  To Ryan and the rest of the NVS staff, your dedication comes through loud and clear.

National POW-MIA Day

POW-MIA Day was officially established by Congress in the 1998 Defense Authorization Act, and is set for the third Friday in September.  Of course informal recognition of POW-MIA day goes back to 1979.  There are only six days per year that flying of the POW-MIA flag is mandated by law.  In addition to today, the other days are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, and Veterans Day.

According to the Defense POW-MIA Accounting Agency [DPAA], the following numbers of personnel are still missing in action:

World War II:  73,515
Korea:  7,841
Viet Nam:  1625
Cold War:  126
Conflicts since 1991:  6

For more information on DPAA, see my blog entry from 20 Aug 19.

Sport Clips Update

Sitting in a coffee shop this evening minding my own business when a guy comes up and asks "Are you Fritz?".  I cautiously answered yes and he said he was the owner of the Sport Clips I visited a few days ago.  Mariah, the manager, posted pictures on the store's Facebook page and he saw them.

He thanked me for stopping by to hand out pins and coins to his staff, and letting them know the VFW appreciated what they did.

Little things can have big impacts.  Never pass on an opportunity to say thank you to someone.

International Talk Like A Pirate Day

Because, well, why not?  😁

Happy Birthday U.S. Air Force!

President Harry Truman signed the National Security Act, establishing the Air Force as a separate, independent military service.  Following that signing, on September 18, 1947, the Air Force was officially established.

72 years of Air Force pride!

Integrity first - Service before self - Excellence in all we do!!

Sport Clips Salute Week

Taking a break from this outstanding service officer training, some of the staff and I dropped into the local Sport Clips to say hello and thank them for everything they do for veterans and the VFW.   This is the first #SportClipsSalute appreciation week sponsored by the VFW.  If you're in the neighborhood of a Sport Clips, stop in and say thank you.

And, since I won't ask you to do anything I won't do, I also got the MVP haircut while I was there. They even threw in a tattoo.  Mariah and her crew know how to take care of veterans.

Constitution Day

It's Constitution Day!  Today is the day that we recognize the adoption of the United States Constitution.  We choose this day, September 17, because it's the day in 1787 that delegates to the Constitutional Convention signed the document in Philadelphia.

Our Constitution, along with the various Amendments over the years, is the guiding light for our great Republic.  Could some things be better?  Sure, some things can always be better.  However, there is no doubt that America is the greatest country the world has ever known.  America, enjoy your day!

As an aside, every morning Mama Cass and I take a long walk.  We call it our constitutional.  However, we always take a short walk first.  It's called the Pre-Amble to the Constitutional!  :-)

National Veterans Service - 100 Years and Going Strong

The VFW has been doing this longer than the VA...That pretty much says it all!  Starting tomorrow, over 100 service officers and I will begin the basic and advanced service officer training classes the VFW provides.  There are over 2000 VA-accredited VFW representatives across America and abroad, helping veterans fight for the VA benefits they have earned.

The total amount the VFW has helped veterans recoup in VA disability compensation and pension benefits is over $8.2 Billion!  In FY 2018 alone over $1.4 Billion in new benefits was paid to veterans.

We certainly are doing this the right way, and we will continue doing it for the next hundred years!

Finishing my 10 Day Trip

Headed to Reagan National Airport in a few hours after a long 3 city trip:  Pittsburgh, Albany, and DC.  Each leg had its moments and now they are in the past.  Moving forward, I get one day at home to read my mail, do the laundry, oh, and say hi to Megan.  Mama plans on sleeping.

Saturday I'm off to Annapolis for National Veterans Service training.  I'm really looking forward to seeing the hands on training our service officers receive.  There's a reason they are considered the best in the business and it starts with outstanding on-boarding and a huge investment in training up front. 

I'll be talking to you all in a few days!

Washington Legislative Reception

Tonight rounded out the legislative conference, and we ended it in the usual fashion:  Hosting a reception for our Senators, Representatives, and Congressional Staff members in Ketchum Hall, located within the VFW Memorial Building.  Also present were members of our DC and KC offices as well as many of the department legislative members.  The purpose of this reception is to welcome our elected officials and give them an opportunity to speak with us in a more relaxed atmosphere.  As many of you know, some things are just easier when you are out of the office.

Ketchum Hall is a beautiful conference/meeting room and if you visit DC headquarters make sure you peek in.  It's on the opposite side of the hallway from the Commander in Chief's office on the main floor.  Chief Doc and Senior Hal had a few words of wisdom and I merely echoed their sentiments.  I'm still the Junior after all!  Executive Director B.J. Lawrence reminded us to remember those affected by the September 11 attacks.

Kudos again to our National Legislative Director Carlos Fuentes for bringing the entire week together and hosting a great event this evening.  He even smiled in this picture!

September 11: Never Forget

Eighteen years.  How quickly they have passed.  I still remember where I was that fateful morning. I also remember how this country came together as one united people, forged from the fires of terrorism.

The 9-11 attacks are accurately called the Pearl Harbor of our time.  They will continue to be remembered by our country as long we do not become complacent.  We don’t get the day off, so 9-11 won’t become a three-day weekend for holiday makers.  Instead, it has the real possibility of sliding into “just another day” when the average person in America has to go to work, go to school, and in general take care of daily affairs.  Of course, there will be the “big” ceremony in New York, but that has become expected much like the annual wreath laying at Pearl Harbor on December 7.

Locally, though, what’s happening?  I’m in Washington this week.  A quick search told me that on September 11 AARP is having a Celebration of Service Meal Pack Challenge on the National Mall.  I wanted to attend the Pentagon’s memorial service, only to find that the Memorial is closed to the public for a private service to allow family members of those lost in the terrorist attack to observe the memory of their loved ones.  The media will be there of course so I guess we will see it on the five o’clock news.

Even though organized celebrations seem to be on the wane, I’ll remember. I’m sure there are millions of other Americans who will remember even though they can’t take off work to attend an official event.  So it seems that we must carry that day in our hearts, regardless of whether we attend an event or not. 

Perhaps that’s the best way to ensure the memory will stay alive.

Fall Legislative Conference

The purpose of the Fall Legislative Conference is to take a core group of members from each state to prep the battlefield for March when a very large contingent of VFW and Auxiliary members come to Washington DC to storm the hill.  The Veterans of Foreign Wars is celebrating 100 years [1919-2019] of advocacy, growing out of the shameful treatment received by our World War I veterans upon their return.

I briefly said hello to the first time attendees to the Fall conference last night during the welcome and introduction to the conference.  Today I sat in on the session for all attendees before they hit the hill.  Commander in Chief Doc, Senior Vice Hal, and I gave a short warm up thanking the attendees and reminding them of their awesome responsibilities as they represent the VFW before Congress this week.  As always, Carlos Fuentes, National Legislative Director, and his staff in our Washington DC office provided pertinent information to our members and handed out numerous pamphlets and brochures containing our Priority Goals, Legislative Victories, etc.  Representative Joe Wilson from South Carolina stopped in to thank the VFW for all of its work on behalf of veterans. His comments were well received and we thanked him for thinking about us.  Following this morning’s session, members from our departments around the world started their two day blitz to speak with their legislators on behalf of the VFW.

I was able to catch up with our two member Illinois delegation, long time member Victor Smith and our newly appointed Vice Chairman of the National Legislative Committee, Jay Hoffman.  They were reviewing the materials that are going to ensure their success. The hard work they are doing here is mirrored in our home state, the Land of Lincoln, where they are actively engaged in state legislative matters on behalf of veterans.

Jay was also a Veterans of Foreign Wars - Student Veterans of America Legislative Fellow in 2017.  Clearly, there is plenty of work available for veterans who want to get involved!

Media Training in Washington DC

I spent the day in downtown Washington in the offices of Edelman, a public relations and marketing firm.  Along with several staff members from the DC and KC offices, we were exposed to the nuances of dealing with the media.  In our jobs, we do encounter journalists from all areas, including print, radio, and television.  This training was focused on how to get your message across and in general what to watch for when confronted by the media.

A fun part of the training was actually being interviewed by an Edelman professional, while being videotaped.  The after-critiques were eye opening and you certainly realized how quickly a good interview can go bad by not being prepared.  We also had some fun in our critiques, such as "you might want to slow down....you're talking faster than I can listen!".  Yes, it was all in good fun doing those exercises.

The bottom line:  Be careful when you accept an interview even from your local paper.  Prepare for everything, have some stock answers, and be ready to tell the world about the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the great things we do.  One last tip?  Nothing is EVER off the record!  Watch what you say because it will come back.

Nice Touch Albany Marriott in New York!

Leaving NY today, headed to the airport for the next leg of this multi-day jaunt.  I wanted to share what this Marriott location does for veterans.  Actually, it does it specifically for the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of New York.

In the fitness center [yes, I do go to those things when I'm on the road!] by the pool they have a small fountain/wishing well.  It is beautiful as you can see.  The monument plaque in front of it reads:

"All proceeds from the Wishing Well will be donated to the Department of New York State Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving brave men and women who serve our country."

Well done Marriott and thank YOU for what you do for veterans!

Service Dogs at Events

Yes, get used to it.  When I'm attending something and there is a service dog [or more!] I plan on taking a pic and letting you know.  I want to build awareness that service dogs are force mulitpliers for Veterans! 

This is Dave Rogers, Suffolk County Council Commander, Department of New York.  His dog is Grunt and is 18 months old.  They first met Thursday and of course Mama let out a woof.  Tonight it was Grunt's turn.  As dog handlers we expect these things because, after all, they are dogs and they have to get to know each other.  These things happen.  But the people whose backs were turned? Priceless!

Best of luck to Dave and Grunt on their journey together!

Chief Doc's Homecoming Dinner

But first, yes, we had another day of work but it's all good as that's what we expect of ourselves while we work on your behalf!

We made up for it at a really nice dinner and the program after was wonderful.  Past CIC Spera kept things moving but the highlight was listening to Doc speak to audience.  He's a humble man and you always know where you stand with him.  His pride in the VFW shines through and through.

I was fortunate to sit with Past CIC BJ Lawrence and Senior Vice Hal Roesch.  When Doc came by we had this pic taken.  Smiles all around and a knowledge that we are all a team!

I'm headed to DC tomorrow for a day of "media training" and then the rest of the week participating in the Fall Legislative Conference.

Commander in Chief's Homecoming Weekend

We made it to Albany New York last night and went directly to the welcome reception. Doc Schmitz had some really nice words for people that have worked hard for him and mean a lot to him. Great music by a guy who sounded just like Dean Martin!  How lucky can one guy be?!  [Some of you will get that...]

Even though we're here for a celebration, that doesn't mean the work ends for the Chair Officers and staff.  We're spending Friday working on some timely and important business issues of the VFW.  That's always Job One no matter where we are or what we're doing.....24x7x365!

More to follow on the homecoming celebration!

Detroit Layover

Traveling with Senior Vice Hal and Quartermaster General Debra. We left Pittsburgh and flew to Detroit. Layover here to go back to New York. Modern travel! But it's nice company and we also ran into the National Chaplain and Assistant Adjutant General. Mama Cass found a place to hang out too. She really is the Queen of the Castle!

She had too much fun at the airport, so THANK YOU Delta for the great leg space.  She slept all the way to NY!

This is it! Today's the Day! We are Official!

Welcome to the “Around the World with Fritz” blog.  We went live today but as you can see there is already some content for you to look at as I’ve been writing since the National Convention in Orlando.  The first post is from 29 July so you’ll have to scroll down to the bottom to see that.

As we move forward I hope to keep you all up to date on what I’m doing and where I’m doing it.  There won’t be a set schedule when these posts come out as that will be dictated by my schedule and of course, when I’ve actually got time to sit down and write something.

We’ve made it easy for you to follow along with a subscribe feature that’s easy to use.  Well, easy is a subjective term as there are a few steps but that’s to ensure everyone’s digital safety.  Enter your email address.  You’ll get a popup to confirm you aren’t a robot and then you’ll get a confirmation email.  Click on that confirmation link and you’re in!  Going forward you’ll be notified when a new post arrives.  My hat's off to the KC Communications team of Randi, Maggie, and Michael!  They took the small idea I had and ran with it.  This product is a result of their hard work.  I'm really proud of their initiative to move this project from the drawing board to reality.

After I got elected, we lined up to march around the convention center and that was the start of my term.  With that said, let’s step out once again and see where this journey takes us!

Past Commander-in-Chief John Biedrzycki: 1946 - 2019

It’s a sad day as I attend the funeral and services for “Big John”. There are current and past national officers here also, in addition to family, friends and fellow VFW members, a true testament to the man he was.  John was the VFW Commander in Chief in 2015-2016 and I had the pleasure of serving as his Judge Advocate General and Parliamentarian.  We always talked about the importance of education and he would regale me with stories about his family members who were also lawyers.  He was so proud of them.

John loved Mama Cass and always made time for her.  At one Council meeting she was sitting by him when his voice started crackling over the microphone.  The pitch was the exact one that she has been trained to look for in me so she started tapping his foot with her paw.  He apparently didn’t realize it and kept talking, so she escalated by walking around his feet and nudging him with her head.  However, she still had her leash on!  Those of us on the dais were looking at each other waiting to see if both of them were going to take a tumble.  Finally, he looked down and disentangled himself.  Popping back up, he then took the time, laughingly, to tell the audience what was going on.  Chief B loved telling that story and it never got old.

I’ll miss the twinkle in his eye when he told that story.  Rest in peace Chief…you’ve earned it.

OJT on the Queen of Hearts

I actually had a few days at home, so of course I didn't miss an opportunity to visit my Post.  Officially named the Randolph County VFW Post 2698, it's always been called the Sparta Post.  I showed up on Queen of Hearts night and was immediately pressed into service by my long-time friend and fellow Post member, Gary Stork.  It was a fun evening and I did enjoy relaxing, seeing old friends, and making new ones.  A VFW Post Home truly is a special place for veterans.  We need to ensure we never lose sight of that!

Apparently, Gary felt that I needed special training on the nuances of selling 6 tickets for $5, but 15 tickets for $10!