American Legion Post 13, Henry "Gene" Burton Sr. Memorial , Sitka Alaska

You are in the US Army. You are marching a platoon and you realize if it takes one more step the front rank will go off a cliff. What command do you give to stop them?

This question has haunted many new enlisted going to the board for promotion. If the command halt is given you lost your front rank as it is a two step move. There is no "stop" command either.

So what is it? GAS! GAS! GAS!

Once the command GAS! GAS! GAS! is given, one must stop immediately and put on their protective gear.

Junior members of the American Legion Auxiliary, as well as school-aged Sons of the American Legion members who often work alongside Juniors, may earn patches for activities in ALA programs, such as Poppy, Leadership, Americanism, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, and more. Participating in the Patch Program is a terrific way to be involved in learning about the Auxiliary and our Legion Family, volunteering in the community, and serving our country’s veterans.

Do you have a eligible young person that would like to join? Please reach out to the Post for point of contact and information.

RED is an acronym that stands for Remember Everyone Deployed. R.E.D. Friday was created to remind people of our heroes overseas and show that we are thinking of them. People across the country wear red every Friday to serve as a reminder and spread the message of how important it is that we keep our troops in our thoughts.

Please join us every Thursday night for Family Game Night.

We support board games, darts, pool, cards, dominos and Magic the Gathering.
You could also bring your own games as well! Come on in for a place to fellowship and enjoy in a safe and family friendly environment.

Ask us about membership while there, as there are many was to qualify to become a member of the American Legion.

108 years ago, on August 29, 1916, President Woodrow Wilson signed the Naval Appropriations Act of 1916, which established the Marine Corps Reserve.

Happy Birthday!

There’s no telling what can happen during the course of an extended military career. There are many veterans who may have a long-term injury or need assistance in a way that they can’t receive at a typical medical facility. This is especially important to get the proper care when that veteran becomes much older. It can help the family relax when they have access to a good VA hospital. Also, it’ll prove better for the family, because they don’t have to worry about expensive bills that lead to tons of debt. Here are a few reasons people tend to pick this as an option.

Overall Better Coverage
Even when a senior gets to a certain age, Medicare may not cover all aspects of health. There could be some specific issues that may leave an elder to not receiving complete care. However, veterans have access to physical and other preventive care, dental care, long-term in-care, and nursing care for any type of situation they need to help them live a better life. Also, the copayments and deductibles are a lot better than a typical medical facility. All of this helps to reduce costs on things such as: appointments, treatments, and even simple yearly checkups. Also, if an elder does receive Medicare or VA health care, they can still get some extra treatment depending on the facility they visit. They’ll have access to different pharmacies and other facilities that provide great service. Another reason is they give the most care to those that absolutely need it.

Care Is Based on Need
For a lot of other medical facilities, people may get immediate access due to their income or amount of coverage they have in their health insurance. However, the veterans here are sent to the top of the list due to their health condition and income level. If both seem absolutely dire, they can get primary care right away. Of course, other veterans and those active still get great care, but the ones with the most severe situation supersede them as far as who gets first for medical service in this case. This is very beneficial for the veterans that are underserved or have been diagnosed with a major disability. The enrollment process is also another benefit.

Better Enrollment Process for Health Care
It’s absolutely free to enroll. The process is based on being in a priority group to see the amount of care available one is able to receive. Also, they can go online to sign up. If the veteran likes a more personal experience, they can always talk to a staff member on the phone to get an Application for Health Benefits mailed to them.

These are a few reasons to get this type of care for an elder after their career in the armed forces.



The American Legion, Department of Alaska

What is the worth of a veteran? This picture says it all.

TALK TO TEN!
Be The One!

Take the pledge to Veterans at: https://department.
VA.gov/veterans-experience/va-veteran-buddy-checks/

If you think that your Veteran buddy could use some help,
tell them about the resources available to him or her.

1-800-MyVA411 is a great place to get started
with VA, it’s always the right number to call.

Veterans Crisis Line is available 24/7.
Dial 988 then Press 1, Chat Online, or Text 838255.

Get the VA Welcome Kit to learn what VA offers
and how to get started. VA.gov/welcome-kit




The American Legion, Department of Alaska

HOW YOU CAN BE THE ONE

Members, veterans, service members and others
What: The American Legion’s Be the One
the initiative encourages American Legion Family
members, veterans, service members and others
to take action when they believe a veteran is at
risk of su***de.

Why: To reduce the alarming number of
veteran su***des.

How: Our goal is to destigmatize asking for mental
health support, provide peer-to-peer support and
resources, and educate everyone on how they can
Be the One.

Who: Veterans
• Talk with fellow veterans about how you
are feeling.
• Ask for help when you think you need it.
• Know there are millions of people ready to
help you.
• Remember your family and friends care.
Non-veterans
• Ask veterans in your life how they are doing.
• Listen when a veteran needs to talk.
• Reach out when a veteran is struggling.
American Legion posts
• Educate members, other veterans and civilians
on the campaign.
• Display resources at your post or in your
community.
• Share events or success stories at legiontown.org.
RESOURCES
American Legion support: Stories, videos and
promotional items related to this initiative are available
for posts, members and others. Visit betheone.org
For urgent help: Veterans experiencing a crisis can
call 988 and press 1 for mental health assistance.
Counselors are available 24/7. They may also
text 838255 or visit the VA crisis line website
veteranscrisisline.net

Buddy Check Wednesdays

As American Legion members, our most sacred responsibility is to look out for each other and our fellow veterans.

During Buddy Check Wednesday, our goal is to reconnect with veterans who may need assistance but don't know where to go or who to ask.

It's what we do for our battle buddies.

Since 1988, SAL has raised more than $5 million for The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. SAL members have volunteered over 250,000 hours at veterans hospitals and raised over $915,688 for VA hospitals and VA homes. The Sons also support the Citizens Flag Alliance, a coalition dedicated to protecting the U.S. flag from desecration through a constitutional amendment.

https://www.legion.org/childwelfare/

Good Afternoon.

The Post is looking for direct family members of a few of our Code Talkers.
Richard Bean Sr.
Mark and Harvey Jacobs

We are also looking for a point of contact for the family of Medal of Honor Recipient: Archie Van Winkle

If you have any information, please contact the American Legion Post 13 at either:
907-747-8629
[email protected]

Thank you in advance. We reached out to a few that stated they knew the information we needed but never received it back.

On July 3rd our Commander had the opportunity to meet and fellowship with FODPAL's Department Service Officer Frank Phillips. Frank was visiting during a cruise and made some time to visit and share much information to assist our family of veterans.

We also shared our rich history, especially that of the Tlingit Code Talkers. It was a great fellowship.

Thank you for your visit Frank, and we hope we get to see you again!

Foreign and Outlying Departments and Posts of The American Legion
The American Legion, Department of Alaska
The American Legion National Headquarters

Post 13 has partnered up with Krieger Gaming. They are in line with our mission .

If you are a gamer looking for connections with fellow veterans, active duty and first responders Krieger is a place to call home.

If you are looking for someone to talk with as well, they have a dedicated, confidential chat/discord channel with trained staff 24/7.

No reason to find a comfortable zone, Krieger Gaming is the home you have been looking for.





The American Legion, Department of Alaska
The American Legion National Headquarters

Krieger Gaming - Who We Are Krieger Gaming is a Veteran & First Responder 501(c)(3) charity and online gaming community! One of the biggest factors in su***de is a feeling of isolation....

Children of Warriors National Presidents' Scholarship

The American Legion Auxiliary sponsors the Children of Warriors National Presidents' Scholarship to support the children of our warriors.

https://www.legion-aux.org/scholarships/children-of-warriors

On Saturday, August 24 Sitka PD hosted the National Night Out. National Night Out enhances the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement while bringing back a true sense of community. Furthermore, it provides a great opportunity to bring police and neighbors together under positive circumstances.

Once again the Legion partnered with the Elks to help grow relationships. Law enforcement from Sitka Police Dept, USCG, National Forestry, NOAA, National Park Rangers and Troopers from the Academy and the class all came down to enjoy a night out with the Community of Sitka.

Annually, about 9,000 members of The American Legion Family attend National Convention, which includes conventions for The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of The American Legion, as well as The American Legion Riders Legacy Run. The 2024 National Convention is Aug. 23-29 in New Orleans. The event will be the 103rd National Convention for the American Legion Auxiliary and 105th for The American Legion.

The annual National Convention is the legislative body of the American Legion Auxiliary. The convention is called for the purpose of electing officers for the ensuing year, amending the National Constitution & Bylaws, receiving reports of national officers and committees, and for the transaction of such other business as may be brought before it. Officers for the ensuing year will be elected August 28, 2024.

Friends from AUX Unit #1 in Anchorage sent some love while representing The American Legion, Department of Alaska

Have fun be safe!

American Legion Auxiliary Juniors

If you are a female ALA member 17 years of age or younger and love our country, imagine attending a regional or national meeting focused on Junior Activities with a hundred girls who could become your lifelong friends! The American Legion Auxiliary encourages young women to lead the way in continuing its legacy of serving veterans, the military, and their families. If you are not a member stop in today to see if you can join this group of future leaders.

ALA Junior members volunteer with other girls in their age group in many engaging activities:

Learning about patriotism and how to show respect for the American flag.

Helping military families in practical ways such as mowing yards and helping military kids become acclimated at a new school.

Distributing poppies and raising awareness, especially on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, so our veterans know we care about them.

Practicing leadership by organizing service projects.

Earning service patches while learning about ALA programs.

Demonstrating responsibility for future scholarship, college, or military service applications.

"How many trucks are there on the military installation?"

Hopeful NCOs at leadership schools or promotion boards are asked a two-part question: The first part is, “how many trucks are there on the military installation?” The answer is: one. ‘Truck’ is the term for the finial — or ball — on top of the base headquarters’ flag pole. It’s kind of a trick question because every other ‘truck’ is either a military or privately-owned vehicle. The second part of the question is, “What’s inside the truck?”

The items that are supposedly inside the truck are to be used in the case of an enemy invasion. If the enemy overwhelms the base, it’s up to the last survivor to climb the 50-to-75-foot pole, unscrew the truck, strip the flag with the razor, give it a proper retirement with the match, eat the grain of rice for strength, and blind the enemy with the penny. The survivor then digs up the pistol buried six paces away from the base of the pole.

What the survivor is supposed to do then is up for speculation. If you don’t use the gunpowder for kindling, the most universally accepted use of it is for the survivor to turn the pistol on themselves in a last-ditch, you’ll-never-take-me-alive act.

What do you think?

Famous Veterans:
President Jimmy Carter’s Naval Service

Before the first grade he already decided he wanted to join the Navy. Influenced by his uncle, a radioman in the Navy, he studied hard and in 1942 he received an appoint to the Naval Academy. After completing the accelerated wartime program, he graduated on June 5th 1946 with distinction and obtained his commission as ensign.

After completing two years of surface ship duty, Carter had a few options open to him but he chose to apply for submarine force. Accepted, he began the six-month course at the U.S. Navy Submarine School, in New London CT.

After he completes his training Carter is relocated to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where he reports on board the USS Pomfret (SS 391) and a few days later they head out on a simulated war patrol to the western Pacific and the Chinese coast.

The submarine returns to Pearl Harbor, Carter is promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade, and Pomfret heads to San Diego where the submarine operates along the California coast.

On February 1st 1951, the Navy builds its first new ship since the war and Carter is ordered to report as the senior officer for the USS K-1 precommissioning detail.

In June, Carter is promoted to Lieutenant and wants to join Captain Rickover’s nuclear sub program. He applied for what he considered the finest navy billet available to any officer of his rank – the development of the first atomic submarines.

He is interviewed by Rickover and is selected for duty in November with the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission and serves on temporary duty with the Naval Reactors Branch.

A few months later, due to a combination of mechanical failure and human error, a power surge of up to 90mw caused some fuel rods to melt after rupturing in the NRX research reactor at Chalk River Laboratories.

The reactor's core was badly damaged requiring a massive clean-up operation.

This was the first incident of this magnitude and Carter, was ordered to lead a team of 23 people to assist in the cleanup.

When he arrived on the scene there was a duplicate reactor setup on a nearby tennis court, where he and his team would practice removing bolts and pieces as quickly as they could. Once lowered into the damaged reactor each person would only have 90 seconds to work due to the extreme radioactivity. The core was shutdown, rebuilt, and put back into operation without further incident.

Carter prepared to become the engineering officer for the nuclear power plant being placed in USS Seawolf (SSN 575), one of the first submarines to operate on atomic power. He assisted in setting up training for the enlisted men and educated them on math, physics, and reactor technology.

During this time his father is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and dies shortly after in July 1953. After his father's death, Carter is burdened with the thought of leaving the Navy to manage the family interest. Jimmy and his wife, Rosalynn, both very much enjoyed Navy life. Rosalyn did not want him to give up a job that can offer a lot of advancement opportunities but he ultimately decides to resign.

Carter is honorably discharged on October 9th 1953. He remains with the Navy in the Reserves until the end of 1961 when he transfers to the retired reserve with the rank of Lieutenant.

The value and experience gained in the Navy stayed with him …

In 1963 Carter started his political career and in 1976 he was elected the 39th Commander in Chief.

In February of 2005, the Navy honored the him with the commissioning of SSN-23 the USS Jimmy Carter. The third and final Seawolf class nuclear submarine.

There’s no telling what can happen during the course of an extended military career. There are many veterans who may have a long-term injury or need assistance in a way that they can’t receive at a typical medical facility. This is especially important to get the proper care when that veteran becomes much older. It can help the family relax when they have access to a good VA hospital. Also, it’ll prove better for the family, because they don’t have to worry about expensive bills that lead to tons of debt. Here are a few reasons people tend to pick this as an option.

Overall Better Coverage
Even when a senior gets to a certain age, Medicare may not cover all aspects of health. There could be some specific issues that may leave an elder to not receiving complete care. However, veterans have access to physical and other preventive care, dental care, long-term in-care, and nursing care for any type of situation they need to help them live a better life. Also, the copayments and deductibles are a lot better than a typical medical facility. All of this helps to reduce costs on things such as: appointments, treatments, and even simple yearly checkups. Also, if an elder does receive Medicare or VA health care, they can still get some extra treatment depending on the facility they visit. They’ll have access to different pharmacies and other facilities that provide great service. Another reason is they give the most care to those that absolutely need it.

Care Is Based on Need
For a lot of other medical facilities, people may get immediate access due to their income or amount of coverage they have in their health insurance. However, the veterans here are sent to the top of the list due to their health condition and income level. If both seem absolutely dire, they can get primary care right away. Of course, other veterans and those active still get great care, but the ones with the most severe situation supersede them as far as who gets first for medical service in this case. This is very beneficial for the veterans that are underserved or have been diagnosed with a major disability. The enrollment process is also another benefit.

Better Enrollment Process for Health Care
It’s absolutely free to enroll. The process is based on being in a priority group to see the amount of care available one is able to receive. Also, they can go online to sign up. If the veteran likes a more personal experience, they can always talk to a staff member on the phone to get an Application for Health Benefits mailed to them. Get in contact with a good VA site to make this process faster.

These are a few reasons to get this type of care for an elder after their career in the armed forces.



The American Legion, Department of Alaska

Since 1988, SAL has raised more than $5 million for The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation. SAL members have volunteered over 250,000 hours at veterans hospitals and raised over $915,688 for VA hospitals and VA homes. The Sons also support the Citizens Flag Alliance, a coalition dedicated to protecting the U.S. flag from desecration through a constitutional amendment.

https://www.legion.org/childwelfare/