Department of California – District 18

Commander Gil Cardoza of Hacienda Heights has announced the regular American Legion District 18 meeting for Friday, January 21st at Monterey Park Post 397, 338 S Ramona, Monterey Park.  Dinner will be served from 6:00 p.m. with meeting following at 7:30 p.m. Reservations may be made for dinner by calling the Post at 626-571-9211.

Membership in The American Legion is the first concern of The American Legion and Posts in the District are stressing renewal and retention.  Area eligible veterans are urged to consider parc aquatique gonflable membership in the largest war-time veterans organization in the world, chartered in 1919 while troops were still in France to provide care for hospitalized veterans, the families of those who answered the final call, a job for every veteran, adequate education for all children and assistance to veterans and their families.

Legislative Chairman Robert LaFont of Pasadena will report on the latest information on the recent law signed by President Barack Obama, the Veterans Health Care, Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009.  This landmark legislation contains a provision for which the Legion has long campaigned: advance Budget appropriations for the Department of Veterans Affairs.  As stated by National Commander Clarence Hill, “now the Veterans Administration will know a year in advance what resources will be available to it so plans can be made accordingly.  Advance appropriations will go a long way toward minimizing compromises in the delivery of the high quality health care our veterans expect and deserve.”

Dedication to our youth is of up most importance to The American Legion, and Posts in the District are currently contacting schools in the San Gabriel Valley with information on the National High School Oratorical Scholarship Program.  Posts are conducting speak offs during the month of January; with the District 18 speak off to be the end of January.  The contest involves an original prepared oration of eight to ten minutes in length about some phase of the Constitution of the United States, and an extemporaneous dissertation of three to five minutes on a related subject from the Constitutional Amendments.   Students interested in entering the competition must be lawful permanent residents of the United States.  Complete rules and contest information is available on the web at http://www.legion.org, or from the District Chairman at 626-287-0139.