Americanism & AADAA

The Fall is the time you should be actively engaged in disseminating information about both of these National Programs. In addition to both public and private schools, all youth organizations are excellent potential “users” of these outstanding programs that promote Americanism and educate on the pitfalls of drug use. The tact is not will you, (administrator, teacher, director), do this for AMVETS? It is AMVETS has some great tools that will assist you in accomplishing your mission/curriculum objectives, etc.! For additional info please view the Programs pages.

Programs Questionnaire – If you have not had the opportunity to provide your feedback via our survey, please click here to download. You can complete/save and send back via email, fax or regular mail.

Several items for your Programs Radar!
National Program Awards to be presented at the 65th National Convention. 1 July is the due date for submissions. These are not “scrapbook” contests! The submissions are to be organized in a 3-ring binder with specific tabs. Awards available: Americanism, Post & Dept.; ROTC, Dept. only; Special Olympics, Post & Dept.; AADAA, Posts only (3); Paul Welsh Community Service, Dept.; Gomulinski Award, Post. Info available in Program pages of the Web site.

Freedoms Foundation - 5,6,7,8 November 2009 – Names due NLT 31 August.
Since 1987, the AMVETS National Service Foundation has offered this unique four-day educational experience at Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge, Pa., to give young people a better appreciation of the freedoms they enjoy. First place department winners of the 9th grade National Americanism Essay Contest receive an all-expense paid trip to the conference. If your department does not conduct such a contest, it SHOULD still select a deserving student to benefit from this once in a lifetime experience. It costs your Department “$0.” Students selected must be 10th through 12th graders. (10TH IS THE IDEAL GRADE) They should be prepared to represent themselves, their families, their schools and AMVETS in an exemplary manner.
AMVETS Care Bears
Are scheduled to be available 1 May at your National Quartermaster (800.454.3254) They will sell at the same price that we introduced them; $10.00 each or $8.00 each with orders of 25 or more. www.amvetsquartermaster.com 

National Honor Guard Competition – Will take place at the 65th National Convention.
Check out the video; I have pasted the link that is also accessible from the home page.
http://www.amvets.org/programs/programs_ceremonial_rifles.html

AMVETS CARE BEARS – click here to see Fact Sheet

The response has been excellent; 300 were ordered and introduced at the Fall NEC. We have sold out and have been returning checks with orders. That’s the bad news! The good news is that we/you have created a demand that merits your National QM adding them to his inventory. And what is even better news is that they will be sold at the same price we introduced them at; $10.00 each or $8.00 for quantities of 25 or more. They are now featured on the QM’s Web site but the supply line will not be available until the end of April or early May. I will alert you when they are in stock. Also, the discounted price is not currently showing on the QM site but soon will be. For those posts that made orders we were unable to fulfill at HQs, we will also provide a specific reminder to you when the QM has them ready to go.

Please Report your Post Programs!
Time is running out, we have only a little over two months, including January as clean-up, to secure the 8th consecutive improvement in Posts reporting their Programs. As we write the official record for December 2008, we need 45% of the Posts that reported in June 2008 to get with the program, just to break even. Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan and Ohio all need to hit 100% again. Without your contribution it is truly a major challenge.

The good news since your last Report Card is that the Departments of Delaware, Indiana, and Oregon have joined the Department of Tennessee at 100% of their posts reporting. Kudos and Bravo Zulu!!! Great effort by 2nd VCs Dawn Premock, Steve Grott and Harvey James respectively.

SPECIAL NOTE: We are changing servers that host the Online Programs Reporting system. Some of you know that it was down on the evening of 12 November and will be down again from 5:00 pm/EST, 24 Nov through 5:00 pm/EST, 25 November. An alert will be posted on the homepage. Thank you for your patience.

VA Medical Centers Welcome Home Events
A working schedule of events and contact information.

The VA has encouraged all of its Medical Centers to conduct these events. The Welcome Home is geared specifically to active military and veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as their family members. Dozens of agencies and organizations are solicited to provide information on such topics as federal jobs, health resources, adaptive sports, current VA research, support groups, and more. Activities for the children are also to be included; such things as face-painting, exotic animal shows, pony rides, a moonwalk, and temporary tattoos. Plenty of great food, raffles, and upbeat music should be included. By all accounts, these events have proven to be very successful and a terrific way to welcome home America's most recent heroes.

All AMVETS Posts/Departments are encouraged to support these events. This is an excellent opportunity to establish a booth as one of the premiere VSO's and share/communicate how AMVETS can be of assistance. Great time to promote AMVETS scholarships and have the necessary forms and contact information. If AMVETS Service Officers are available to be a part of the Welcome Home that would be great, however, at a minimum you should be able to provide AMVETS current NSO contact information. The VA staff in charge, typically the Voluntary Service office also needs extra hands to assist with the logistical side. My experience at the Washington VAMC Welcome Home Event also proved it to be a viable venue for recruiting VAVS volunteers.

Americanism Program – Now is the time to be distributing this information to your schools and youth organizations for the 2009 contests. If you have any questions that can not be answered by clicking on the Americanism link, please give us a call.

Also, this is the ideal time to be promoting the “I Pledge Allegiance Comic Book.” It is an excellent tool to be used in promoting patriotism with the younger grades and it also highlights the benefits of the Americanism program on the back cover of the Comic. It is also a great way to put the AMVETS brand in front of their parents, many of whom may be veterans.

Download Comic Book Order form