Veterans Largest Service Organization
The American Legion

Stolen Valor Act of 2005

Michael Weilbacher, shown at the Marine Corps League’s birthday ball in St. Louis, is accused of wearing military decorations he did not earn, including the Navy Cross. - Photo courtesy of Doug Sterner Personnel records at Marine Corps headquarters’ manpower branch show no record of Weilbacher ever serving in the Corps. Manpower spokesman 1st Lt. Rob Dolan said, “I have more time standing on the yellow footprints than he does in the Marine Corps.”

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005, signed into law by President George W. Bush on December 20, 2006, is a U.S. law that broadens the provisions of previous U.S. law addressing the unauthorized wear, manufacture, sale or claim (either written or verbal) of any military decorations and medals. It is a federal misdemeanor offense, which carries a punishment of imprisonment for not more than 1 year and/or a fine; the scope previously covered only the Medal of Honor.

The Act was first introduced into the United States Congress’s House of Representatives on July 19, 2005 by Representative John Salazar, a Democrat from Colorado, as H.R. 3352. It was introduced into the Senate by Senator Kent Conrad, a Democrat from North Dakota, on November 10, 2005 as S. 1998. The Senate version was passed unanimously on September 7, 2006. The Senate version then went to the same House Judiciary Committee that held the House version. The Act briefly stalled, but the House subsequently passed the Senate version, S. 1998, on December 6, 2006.

The purpose of the Act is to strengthen the provisions of 18 U.S.C. § 704 by broadening its scope and strengthening penalties. Specific new provisions in the Act include: granting more authority to Federal law enforcement officers, extending scope beyond the Medal of Honor, broadening the law to cover false claims whereas previously an overt act had to be committed, covering mailing and shipping of medals, and protecting the reputation and meaning of military heroism medals.

The need for the Act came about because of large numbers of fake military heroes in the United States. For example, as of June 2, 2006 there were only 120 living Medal of Honor recipients, but there were far more known imposters. There are also large numbers of fake Navy SEALS and Army Special Forces, among others.

Veterans Income Tax Rebate Information

Do You Need to File a Federal Income Tax Return?

For tax year 2007 only, many taxpayers who would not normally need to file a federal income tax return will need to file one in order to ensure that they receive an Economic Stimulus Payment (commonly referred to as "rebate"). If in 2007 you were not required to file based on the amount of your income but the combined amount of your earned income plus Social Security, Railroad Retirement benefits and certain benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs is $3,000 or more, you should review the information on receiving an Econcomic Stimulus Payment

California Department of Veterans Affairs

The following Veterans Service information was brought to our attention by George Torbert, Post 534 Service Officer.

The mission of the California Department of Veterans Affairs is to serve California Veterans and their families. [ http://www.cdva.ca.gov/ ]

More specifically, to provide California veterans and their families with aid and assistance in presenting their claims for veterans' benefits under the laws of the United States; to provide them with beneficial opportunities through direct low-cost loans to acquire farms and homes; and to provide the state's aged or disabled veterans with rehabilitative, residential, and medical care and services in a home-like environment at the California Veterans Homes.

This mission is based upon the philosophy that programs of benefits for veterans fulfill necessary, proper, and valid public purposes by promoting patriotism, by recognizing and rewarding sacrifice and service to country, and by providing needed readjustment assistance to returning veterans and their families, whose lives were interrupted when they responded to their country's call to military service.

California Veterans Benefits Overview page provides a wealth of information on current benefits available to California Veterans and their families.

License Plates for 100% Disabled Veterans

The following letter was taken from the Santa Maria Times after being brought to our attention by George Torbert, Post 534 Service Officer.

After more than three and a half years of working to get California to do what 29 other states are already doing, the issuing of a non-handicapped, disabled-veterans license is close to completion.

One Assembly and one Senate bill didn't make it through committee hearings because of cost concerns, and the state's reluctance to issue new personalized plates.

It didn't matter that this plate isn't the usual vanity plate, but a form of respect and gratitude to one of the most deserving segments of our society.

But now, with the help of people like state Sen. Abel Maldonado, county Supervisor Joe

Centeno and numerous other groups and individuals, both throughout the state and in particular Sacramento, a solution has been found that will make these distinctive plates available to qualifying veterans.

Three plate designs are being submitted to DMV and the California VA. Once they make a selection, a minimum of 10 applicants will required in order to get the plates printed.

To qualify, a veteran must have a 100-percent disability rating from the VA that is service-connected, permanent and total. The 100-percent rating can be either a straight disability rating, or a combination of disability and unemployability.

Unfortunately, because of the current fiscal crisis the state is in, the veteran will be required to pay the usual fees. However, once budget restrictions are lifted by the state, we will head back and get the fees either reduced or eliminated.

Those qualified veterans who are interested are asked to visit our website, www.chcv.org, and use the e-mail address available on the site to let us know. All readers of this paper are asked to help spread the word.

Dave Troescher
Founder and Chairman, Committee to Honor California Veterans

Santa Maria, May 27, 2008

The Committee to Honor California Veterans Web site: [ http://www.chcv.org/ ]

Orcutt Post 534 Officers for 2008-2009 are:

Name	Position	Home Phone	E-Mail
Gene Baird	Post Commander	805-937-5476	-
Charles Kelble	First Vice Commander	805-934-3015	ckelble@earthlink.net
Johnie Henson	Second Vice Commander	805-714-5039	-
Donnie Clay	Sergeant-At-Arms	805-737-0227	dc_diver@hotmail.com
Phil LeBlanc	Finance Officer	805-934-2928	prl7143@msn.com
John Stewart	Adjutant	805-937-5676	johnstewart@verizon.net
Dwayne Gortner	Post Chaplain	805-934-0843	dcgortner@yahoo.com
John Yurasak	Judge Advocate	805-937-5633	none
Darrel Stagner	Post Historian	805-934-2355	none
George Torbert	Service Officer	805-704-1907	torbertgk@yahoo.com
Allen Munch	Scouting Advisor	805-937-8598	munchfmy@verizon.net
Bill Smith	Executive Committee Member & Americansim Chair	805-937-1006	none
Larry Thomas	Executive Committee Member	805-934-5985	larpegthom@yahoo.com
Frank Borden	Ways and Means	805-937-7306	fbordon@msn.com
Pete Manthie	Highway Man	805-937-4825	none
Jim Banakus	American Legion Riders, President	805-714-9630	Harley4Jim2@aol.com
Dwayne Gortner	SAL Commander	805-934-0843	dcgortner@yahoo.com
Debbie Gortner	Auxiliary President Unit 534	805-934-0843	sufergirlfish@yahoo.com

New Post Constitution & Bylaws Reviewed

In September 2007 Acting Commander Charles Kelble established a committee to revise and update our Post constitution and bylaws. This had not been done since the early 1990's. He appointed to this committee three past commanders, Ken Johnson, Larry Thomas and Bill Smith plus Rick Pushies and himself as chairman. Over the ensuing months this committee met each month and dilegently reviewed each document line by line, word by word and brought the documents in line with the current Legion requirements and generally improved the documents.

Now it is time for our general membership to review the work of the Constitution and Bylaws committee. This requires the documents to be presented at a meeting of the general membership and this has been done at the April meeting. The month following the intitial presentation of the documents they will again be presented and become available to be voted on. During the time from the April meeting to the May meeting the documents are available for members to review. At the May meeting there will be a discussion of the proposed new documents after which any required changes of the general membership will edited into the documents and a vote to accept them will be called for. Once the documents are approved at the Post level they then are sent to the Department of California for the Constitution and Bylaws Commission to review and give their final approval.

The new documents are available for you to review by downloading them from our web site in addition to copies that are available in the Post

The Gratitude Campaign

As webmaster for Orcutt Post 534 I receive many e-mails on various topics of interest to our members. Seldom am I touched in the manner, an e-mail Jim Banakus sent me recently did. For those of us who served during the Vietnam War this idea is a poignant reminder of how many in uniform were treated and it was not with gestures of gratitude!. The Gratitude Campaign allows all of us to show our graitude to others publicly and yet silently.

This grassroots campaign is designed around a simple American Sign Language (ASL) gesture that traditionally communicates thank you. A modification of the gesture takes the hand which normally begins on the chin and now begins the gesture by placing your hand over your heart. The remainder of the gesture just moves your hand down and away from your body. At the end your hand is parralel to the ground, palm up, as if you have something in your hand to give another. What you give in this gesture is your heart felt gratitude for another person. When this gesture is given to a member of our our active duty military it becomes a public display of our support for their service to our nation. Our traditional military salute publicly communicates respect, the gratitude gesture is simply a civilian salute of gratitude.

Please go to [ http://www.gratitudecampaign.org ] and watch the short movie. Then, put the Gratitude Campaign to work when you see our active duty soldiers, sailors, airmen, or marines by giving them a gesture of gratitude. Or, use the gesture with others in your life that you appreciate and value. Maybe even an officer of the Post!

~ Rick Pushies

Post Rules

Wednesday, December 12, 2007 a new set of rules were accepted unanimously by the Post membership in attendance. First Vice-Commander Charles Kelble also serves the chairman of the Constitution & Bylaw committee of the Post. Other active members of the committee are Rick Pushies, Adjutant and past commanders Bill Smith, Larry Thomas and Kenny Johnson. Together these men have worked hard to develop the best results with the spirit of compromise ever present.

Post Rules