Three Years Retired!

Since I'm not traveling these days I thought I'd step into Mr. Peabody's WABAC machine.  It's been three years since I retired as a civilian attorney with the Department of Defense.  Very good decision for me as I've been able to explore new and diverse areas of the world, and do many of the things I never had time to do before.  It also allowed me to run for the position I'm in now with the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, namely, Junior Vice Commander in Chief.  Overall, best decision of my business life!

Mama spent the last few years of my career with me, as we ended up at the United States Transportation Command legal office.  When I retired, they gave me career medal.  I guess if you live long enough you get one of those depending on how high up in the food chain you were.  A special moment at my simple retirement day was Mama receiving a Humanitarian Service Medal for all she did not only for me but for the Command as a whole.  It was a nice gesture from USTC to show appreciation to a dog that made everyone smile when she entered a room for a meeting!

Country Update: Taiwan

Welcome to our new readers from Taiwan!  Enjoy the travels!

Simple Things

I was sitting in the backyard today, watching the world go by.  The birds were singing their different tunes. A big white egret was walking in the lake shallows looking for food.  Overhead an amazing group of about 20 hawks were soaring in a large circle, slowly and gracefully gliding around.  It was serene.

Then I saw this bubble come by the fence....and was barely able to snap a picture of it.  Just a small bubble dancing in the wind.  That's when I heard the little kids on the other side laughing without a care in the world.  To them, that bubble was the most important thing going on.

Thankfully, they don't know what's going on in the world right now.  They are content to find joy in their backyard.  They don't need the hub-bub of the modern age; they have each other....and their bubble.

The virus will be gone one of these days and we will go back to our lives.  When things start getting hectic as I'm sure they will, I'm going to remember that bubble and how I felt when I got to experience its magic.

Virtual Undersea Getaway!

Many of us are in mandatory or self-imposed lockdown because of COVID-19, so I thought I'd offer you an opportunity to escape the four walls.  In fact, I'll go even further and take you under the sea!

Over the years Megan and I have captured our world-wide SCUBA adventures in video and still photography and then published a short movie about our trip.  Now's your chance to see the beauty of the ocean and its occupants close up from the safety of your home... Yes, there will be sharks.

This link will take you to Megan's YouTube channel.  Once there, click the "Videos" tab at the top and all of the movies will show up for you.

Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbn086kxUm4xsBuGefhhA2g

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Today marks the 30,000th uninterrupted day of our warriors guarding the Tomb of the Unknowns. 

Located in Washington, DC, the Tomb is a solemn monument dedicated to deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified.

Neither weather, civil unrest or now, COVID-19 will keep our soldiers from their sacred duty.

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National Supreme Sacrifice Day

Honored since 2004, this day remembers those who have made tremendous sacrifices for the sake and the good of others as well as those who sacrifice their lives every day for us.  It's not just about our military members.  It also honors those who step forward in times of crisis.

With all of the issues going on in our world today, let's remember everyone who is sacrificing to make things better for our future.

Country Update: Russia

Welcome to our new readers from Russia!

Don't be "That Guy"

It's been nice today for the most part and the birds were out in force. We put out two dishes of birdseed as my feeders aren't ready yet.  The birds came in and happily launched into eating.  We had chickadees, nuthatches, finches, wood peckers, wrens, blue jays and cardinals...lots of cardinals.

They all got along well until one male cardinal showed up.  It was unique as it didn't have the traditional ball cap like all the other cardinals.  It was also ridiculously mean.  The two plates were about ten feet apart.  This cardinal would fly back and forth chasing off all the other birds.  It would fly into the trees to chase off birds sitting there waiting.  In essence it was doing everything it could to keep all the other birds from eating.  It didn't get to eat either because it spent all of its time chasing the other birds away.  At times I'd chase it off and the other birds did get to eat, but it's not my job to police the animal kingdom every hour of every day. 

How often do we see this in our lives?  People are going about their business and trying to get along.  But there's always "that guy" who doesn't seem to understand the rules. It seems that they almost get a pleasure out of spoiling everyone else's day even though it doesn't concern them in the least and in fact it keeps them from prospering as well.

Watching those birds made me realize that some people are a lot like the animals out there.  But, we don't have to be.  Civilized humans should be above that.

Don't be That Guy.

Country Update: New Zealand

Welcome to those reading from New Zealand!

National Blame Someone Else Day

Yes, since 1982 the first Friday the 13th of the year is Blame Someone Else Day.

There are so many things I could say about this one given the world we're living in, but I'll take the high road...

Coronavirus aka COVID-19

Ok, it's now officially a pandemic according to the World Health Organization.  Let me start by paraphrasing Dr. Bones McCoy:  "I'm a lawyer, not a doctor!"  You won't get any medical advice from me.

However, this isn't the first outbreak in history nor will it be the last.  Instead of panicking, listen to the professionals and do what they say.  This is not the time for Great-Grandma's cure-all elixir.  Some simple things you can do are stay home if you're sick, wash your hands, and don't eat out of communal food bowls....these are things you should be doing even without COVID-19 running around the world.

We will get through this.  We always have.  I have faith.

Illinois District 14: Shout Out to Mascoutah Post 7682

What do you do when the Department of Defense cancels your multi-country Southeast Asia tour because of the coronavirus?  You go to your own District meeting of course!  Attending my own District meeting is even more rare than attending my own Post meeting these days but the stars aligned and I was able to spend a nice afternoon with the folks who believed in me a long time ago and continue to believe in me as I progress through the chairs at the National level.

The meeting was held at VFW Post 7682 in Mascoutah, Illinois and was well attended.  The usual reports were given and awards were handed out to our District Teachers of the Year.  A highlight for me was meeting the Post Commander, Jesse Huerta.  Jesse is an Air Force veteran and served in both OIF and OEF.  He's been the Commander here for a little over two years and is pushing hard to rebuild the Post image and make it a focal point of the town.  He even had his family members and friends helping with the dinner and making people feel welcome!  As an organization we can continue down the path we are going or we can take a lesson from Mascoutah's playbook:  Get enthusiastic newer veterans involved in leadership positions and help them succeed!

Commander Jesse Huerta receiving my Junior Vice CIC coin.  OK, full disclosure, this was a reenactment!  I did call Jesse in front of the crowd during the meeting to officially recognize him in front of his peers.

Department Membership Chairman and Past Department Commander John Davin extolling the virtues of VFW membership and the need to keep our numbers up

No need to tell these guys how to do membership! Commander Clarence Nail and Senior Vice Clyde Rowald from our Red Bud Post 6632.  They were the first Post in the District over 100% in membership...back in December!  Great job guys!

Clarence Nail (CC) and Clyde Rowald (SV)

A Day in the Life....

We just finished up the Legislative Conference, National Council of Administration meeting, and the Voice of Democracy Program in Washington DC.  It's been a long week with many, many meetings.

I get a smart card for each day letting me know where I need to be and when.  The days are pretty full, and Monday was probably the busiest of them all.  The hour lunch break would have been nice, but that was Mama's time as she had bushes and trees to look at outside!

0800-2200, but it's worth it knowing I'm taking care of  veterans and VFW business!

National Day of Unplugging

We spend too much time on our phones and connected devices.  You know it; I know it; We all know it.  Today is the day to shut down all things "E".  Take a walk, spend time with loved ones, or just reconnect with nature.

Finish reading this post and take back your life....even if it is just for 24 hours!

Photos from our Nation's Capitol

Megan came to DC with me this year and as I was in meetings from sun up to sun down every day she was left to fend for herself.  Armed with all of her camera gear [including a tripod that must weigh at least as much as Mama Cass!] she stormed the memorials.

I have to admit, I'm biased when I say these are outstanding images.  However, I think the following pictures she captured will make you want to keep looking.  I just point my phone, click, and move on.  Megan was getting up hours before sunrise to get down to the National Mall so she could set up all her gear for those few precious moments as the sun came up.  She did the same thing for the sunset shots.  These are just a few of the many great shots she got.

Enjoy these photos of the monuments at our nation's Capitol. If you want to get prints, feel free to contact Megan at Megan.Mihelcic@gmail.com !

My favorite picture of President Lincoln at his Memorial

Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin

Sunrise from the Lincoln Memorial to the Washington Monument

Sunrise at the Vietnam Memorial Wall

Lincoln Memorial at sunset

Lincoln Memorial at sunset

Washington Monument at sunset

Capitol Building at sunset

Commander in Chief Legislative Testimony

Today we, the VFW, were the guests of honor to provide testimony to a joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee.  Commander in Chief Schmitz provided our legislative priorities and goals to the Senators and Representatives present and also fielded questions from them.

Each year the VFW is asked to present this testimony and is only one of a few Veterans Service Organizations that actually gets its own day; many of the others have to sit together and get lost in the crowd.  Why are we so special?  We are the largest combat veterans organization in the country and we work tirelessly with Congress and the President, regardless of politics, to do what is right for our veterans, military members, and their families.  We are a constituency that won't back down and they know it.

Chief Schmitz addressed topics ranging from women veterans healthcare to toxic exposure to telehealth initiatives.  The hearing was full with standing room only along the walls and back, and there was also an overflow room where VFW members watched on closed circuit television.  We certainly stormed the hill and it was a great sight to see so many VFW official caps in the audience.  There was no way anyone was going to miss the fact that a large contingent of combat veterans was going to speak its mind in the Halls of Congress!

[L-R: Senior Vice CIC Hal Roesch, CIC Doc Schmitz, Junior Vice CIC Fritz....and Mama Cass of course!]

Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen Scholarship Program

Monday evening over $200,000 in scholarships were awarded by the VFW in our premier youth programs.  Additionally, each contestant in stage also received a new Dell laptop computer courtesy of the Dell Corporation.  As the Junior Vice Commander in Chief, I was the master of ceremonies for the event and it was a wonderful evening.

All 52 Department winners from high schools around the world were introduced and excitedly waited on stage as their names were called.  The tension mounted as they received their scholarship awards and the audience counted down to the Final Four.

Ultimately, it was high school senior Shruthi Kumar from Nebraska who took first place and garnered a $30,000 college scholarship for the Voice of Democracy program.  Ruby Howe, a seventh grade student from Michigan, won the Patriot's Pen Program and received $5,000.  The topic for both programs was "What Makes America Great."  Including the $200,000 given Monday, the total  amount of scholarships given at the National, State, and Local levels exceeded $3 Million for this year's programs!

National President Haake and Commander in Chief Schmitz presented the top winners their awards

Megan was able to attend her first Awards program with me.  She sat in the front row with Mama, just in front of the podium where I performed the MC duties.  Mama made sure to keep her eyes on me the whole time!