We recently received an email from National and Department Legislative Director Doug Brown concerning the current Legislative Priorities being focused on  by the AMVETS Family when approaching lawmakers. These are critical to anyone who wishes to help during the March on the Hill, or anyone who wants to be up to date on the efforts of the Sons of AMVETS to help our Veterans. 

2016 AMVETS Legislative Priorities

Federal Government Reform

• Extend Advanced Appropriations to all Remaining Discretionary & Mandatory Programs

• Strengthen Accountability & Ease VA Hiring Protocols
VA acknowledges that six months to a year are required to fill vacant positions—assuming a viable pool of candidates is interested and available.

• Implement Whistleblower Protections

Several VA whistleblowers have stated that transparency was stymied within VA, meaning proper protocols could never be implemented to deal with the real challenges the agency faced in delivering timely care to veterans..

• Ensure Adequate Investment in VA Capital Infrastructure

The Sons of AMVETS lost a great supporter this past weekend. Harold Reed PDC from Michigan passed away. He served as the National Sons of AMVETS Coordinator with great pride and will be dearly missed. Prayers and thoughts go out to the Reed family, friends, and our AMVETS family to the north.

A special thank you to everyone who came out and helped make the Christmas Party at the OVH such a huge success again this year. 

Commander Lutz,all Department Officers, and members of the Ohio Sons of AMVETS would like to wish a Merry Christmas to our entire AMVETS Family. And a very special Christmas holiday for all of our brave men and women serving all around the world and their families here at home. God Bless the USA!

All squadrons should have received and begun distributing preprint membership cards for the new year, 2015-2016. Remember, all squadrons must have at least 8 members into Department Headquarters by Dec 31, 2015, or face membership suspensions. Please send in a D&R Form with at least 8 members by this date. Thank you for your efforts in meeting this deadline. 

The Sons of AMVETS National Headquarters recently completed the move from Columbus, Ohio to Lanham, Maryland.

The new contact information is:

National Sons of AMVETS

4647 Forbes Blvd

Lanham, MD 20706

phone: 301-683-4099

fax: 301-683-3099

 We also have a new National Administrative Assistant, Ramona Joyner. Her email address is: r.joyner@sonsofamvets.org.

We are working on updating all forms with the new addresses/contact information and willl post a message on the home page when the new forms are available.

In order to ensure the conference book is ready for Oct 2, all Officers' reports are due into HQ by Thursday September 24, 2015. This is the same day for the deadline for pre-registration for the conference. Reports may be emailed to ohsons@ohsonsofamvets.org to help you make the deadline. Thanks for your help in this matter.

The weekend of Sept 19-20, Commander Lutz and his officers will be touring the 7th District. Beginning at the Horseshoe Tournament and Campout in Logan. We will then go to 51 Thornville (@1:00), 2256 Circleville (@2:30), 61 Hillsboro (@4:00) at which point the officers at the Georgetown OVH picnic will join the tour, then 4 Chillicothe (@5:15), and finish the night at 1985 Lancaster. Sunday, mnay of us will be attending a picnic for Lancaster area foster families. If we are stopping at your post, please stop in and say hello! Hopefully we will see many of you this weekend!

The Department of Ohio Sons now have a Facebook page. Follow us to learn details on events, conferences, and Commander's Tours throughout the year. Follow the link:  https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sons-of-Amvets-Dept-of-Ohio/1507854759506158   

On the page you will pictures from some of the events that have already occured this year, and update information important to Sons in Ohio.

And, if you have an upcoming event that you would like to advertise or announcement to make and would like it to be posted on the page, please email Commander Lutz, Immediate Past Commander McGrath, or 1st Vice/Webmaster Bryant the details.

This year's Fall Conference is being held in Westlake, Ohio on Oct 2 - 4, 2015. To view the agenda please click on AMVETS Ohio Fall Conference in the Events section. Pre-registration for the conference is due into HQ by Thursday September 24. Please click the links below for more information and the pre-registration form. All Department Officers' reports are due into HQ by Thursday Sept 24 as well, please make sure to meet this date to ensure your report being included in the conference book. We will be holding an Officers' Workshop at the conference to help any officers, on any level, who may have questions/concerns. This workshop will include the usual 1st Vice membership workshop as well as the 2nd Vice project reporting workshop.