Commander Mike Hohler 659-4754 1st Vice Cdr Carlos Estrada 384-0152 2nd Vice Cdr Tony Wagner 674-1518 Sgt of Arms Czec Panek 394-8180 Board Chairman Teo Colon 384-2786 Board Member Steve Chavez 240-5616 Board Member Ben Hanly 594-2089 Board Member Norbert Schoenauer 233-2965 Board Member Janet Wagner 674-1518

Adjutant Art Kapsalis 394-4514 Chaplain Jim Bland 917-2112 Finance By committee Historian Sherryl Panek 394-8180 Judge Advocate Charlie Eskridge 384-0131 Service Officer Jr Past Cdr Mike Hohler 659-4754 Post694 Lounge 384-6616 Return to Post 694 384-6616

JULY-AUGUST 2009

From the Commander Well elections are over. All officers are staying in place. We'll make it better this year. Hoe-Down was another SUCCESS! I tried my darnedest to do my duty as Sheriff by throwing Wilma's GIRLS in jail for soliciting the guests only to watch them being bailed out! I guess I really can't complain…between confiscated solicitation monies and bail money, over $200 was collected for Children's Miracle Network. Thanks to all the volunteers whose hard work made this western nite possible, successful, and great fun. Even with the small turn out on Post Clean Up Day a lot was accomplished. You may have noticed. Thanks go to Carlos and Mary, Tony and Janet, Czec and Sherryl, Steve and Pam, Japana , Art, Norbert, Ben, Andy, and Frank. Although the first day of summer was cold and windy, and overcast, the rummage Sale and Pay the Taxes BBQ went well. Czec kept a lot of good food going all day. Again thanks to the volunteers, Carlos and Mary, Tony and Janet, Czec and Sherryl, Steve and Pam, Japana , Art, Tony R, John and Linda. Special thanks goes to Rose Feola and her niece Terry Chisholm, visiting from New York, these two special Auxiliary ladies jumped right in and gave the kitchen much needed help. Thank you Rose and Terry. Keep Irene in your thoughts, She's doing OK. Remember to support OUR TROOPS, our Post, our community, and our country. See you soon Mike GENERAL MEETING May & June 2009 $100 to Los Arboles Middle School. $200 to Cure for Cancer. $100 to Gold Star License Fund. As we go into the summer vacation months we will need more volunteers on Saturdays and Sundays to help with community service. Starts at 8:00AM and ends about 2:00PM. We want to ensure that cleanup and maintenance of the Post continues during these coming months. If you are interested please contact any of the Post officers. 'Col. Maggie's" All Services Airborne Association Drop - In Fri. - Sat. - Sun. Sept 4th - Sept 6th, 2009 Friday: Registration opens at noon. Afternoon snacks 1-3pm Post694 Friday Night Dinner 6-8pm, Dancing 9pm- ?? Saturday: Breakfast 7-9:30, PARADE 10:45, BBQ noon-2pm, Jump IN 1:30pm, Banquet 6-8PM - Dancing Sunday: Brunch 8-11am Airborne meeting if needed. $45 tickets in advances, covers everything except Friday night dinner, $35 Banquet only.

The Legion IS selling fireworks again this year. Our booth will be in the same location at Wal-Mart. Volunteers are needed to sell our products. Please contact Czec Panek to sign up. OPEN from June 28 through July 4. 10AM TO DUSK

VETERANS INFORMATION

 
VA MEDICAL FOSTER HOME:  VA's new medical foster home (MFH) program is helping veterans with
home care and assistive devices when they are too old or infirm to live alone.
  It has been implemented at a number VA facilities and VHA plans to expand their program to 31 more
sites.  MFH is a unique partnership of adult foster home and Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), or Spinal
Cord Injury Home Care (SCI-HC) serving those veterans that are in need of greater care. The program is
designed to help veterans when they no longer can live alone. The veteran can choose to live in a 
home-like environment while they continue to receive their primary healthcare through the VA. In the 
past, many veterans living alone with no family support would have had to be placed into a nursing 
home. MFH offers a safe, favorable, and less costly alternative. MFH finds a caregiver in the community
who is willing to take a veteran into their home and provide 24-hour supervision as well as needed
personal assistance. The expectation is that this is a long-term commitment, where the veteran may
live for the remainder of his/her life. Veterans who enter MFH are enrolled for VA healthcare and all
meet one or more criteria for nursing home as well as HBPC criteria and must be enrolled in that
program.  

The cost of the MFH is the responsibility of the veteran who pays for his care using his own personal
funds that may include a monthly benefit check from the VA; the veteran may receive concurrent home 
hospice care. All homes will be required to meet VA guidelines and any applicable state requirements.
The benefits of this program are that sponsors are able to give back to our Nation's veterans, augment
their income, and gain companionship while veterans are able to live in a compassionate and home-like 
environment, with needed supervision and support. The caregivers are paid on average $1200 to $2400 per 
month to provide this care. This includes room and board, 24-hour supervision, assistance with
medications, and whatever personal care is needed. MFH is a very cost-effective alternative to nursing 
home placement and an opportunity for the caregiver to work from home. More than 400 veterans have been
placed in MFH homes thus far. This program has been very successful at VA Medical Centers across the 
country and is currently implemented in:
Augusta, GA 706-733-0188 x 7579--- Bay Pines, FL 727-398-6661 x 2609--- Boston, MA 857-203-5681
Fayetteville, AR 479-587-5805--- Little Rock, AR 501-257-2048--- Memphis, TN 901-523-8990 x 7748
Miami, FL 305-575-7000 x 3674--- Salem, VA 540-982-2463 x 2147--- 
Salt Lake City, UT 801-582-1565 x 2180--- San Juan, PR 787-641-7582 x 19800
Sioux Falls, SD 605-333-6861--- St Louis, MO 314-652-4100 x 66387--- Tampa, FL 813-903-3611

If you have questions, know of community members who might be interesting in serving as a caregiver,
or of a veteran in need of MFH assistance contact the MFH Coordinator at your local VA Medical Center.
For veterans in need of any other services, contact the nearest VA Medical Center and ask for the 
Social Work Service: http://vaww1.va.gov/directory/guide/home.asp?isFlash=1 . To determine 
availability of MFH in your area, contact (813) 610-0859 (east of the Mississippi) or (612) 396-8666 
(west of the Mississippi). Or contact VA at (877) 222-8387
     [Source: VA Public Relations Office 26 Feb 09) 

POST-9/11 GI BILL:  The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced that Veterans can begin 
submitting applications on-line for the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Veterans, service members, reservists and National Guard members with active duty since Sept. 10, 2001,
may be eligible for this benefit. Veterans will remain eligible for benefits for 15 years from the date 
of last discharge or release from a period of active duty of at least 90 continuous days. 
Information about the new program and VA's other educational benefits can be obtained through 
www.GIBILL.VA.gov  or by calling 1-888-GIBILL1 (1-888-442-4551).