Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001

04/18/2019

ABC 7 News - WJLA

ABC 7 News - WJLA

While conducting his final walk Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Sgt. Antonio Garcia placed a single rose at each of the crypts on the plaza.

Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸🌹

04/15/2019

The Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. celebrated their 28th Annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on 13 April 2019. The Tin Can Sailor magazine was there to photograph the ceremony. A couple Tin Can Sailor shipmates were there to enjoy the ceremony and the day.

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion, Ashburn, VA Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

The Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. celebrated their 28th Annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on 13 April 2019. The Tin Can Sailor magazine was there to photograph the ceremony. A couple Tin Can Sailor shipmates were there to enjoy the ceremony and the day.

04/12/2019

Local hockey players help Capital Beltway Warriors win national championship in Florida

Local hockey players help Capital Beltway Warriors win national championship in Florida

When Shannon Jackson and his team, the Capital Beltway Warriors, headed down to the 2019 USA Disabled Hockey Festival in Wesley Chapel in Tampa, Florida, March 28 to April 7,

04/11/2019

Legionnaires-meeting tonight 11 April 2019 at 7:30 pm. Ashburn Vol Fire & Rescue Station 6, 20688 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn 20147. Post election discussion of candidates and more! See you there!

04/11/2019

National Museum of the Marine Corps - Final Phase

We’re nearing completion of the physical elements of the extension of Legacy Walk, which includes exhibits about Marine Security Guards, advise and assist missions, non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian and disaster relief missions, 9/11, Marine families, and a contemplative space called Never Forget. The audiovisual programming and cast figures for this space are looking good. Most of the artifact mounts are fabricated and finished. All of the small artifacts are selected, and most have been conserved and are ready for exhibit. We’re working on resolving some AV hardware issues and a few other punch list items. We’re on track to open this space on 9/11 2019.

Semper Fi

04/09/2019

Happy National Volunteer Week! Today, and every day, I thank all our comrades for the support all our American Legion volunteers do for our military, veterans, country, state, counties and communities!

As George H.W. Bush once said, “any definition of a successful life must include service to others.”

Please know that I thank all of you, not just during National Volunteer Week but everyday for your commitment to serve and your dedication to creating a successful life through service to others.

Chuck Loomis
Commander
The American Legion
Leonard W. Kidd Memorial Post 2001
Ashburn, VA

#AmericanLegionVolunteer
#ServiceByServingOthers

04/07/2019

HillVets 100 Tribute Gala

The Boulder Crest Institute for Post Traumatic Growth won the non-profit of the year award at the 5th Annual HillVets 100 Tribute Gala, March 28, 2019, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.

Opened in 2018, the Boulder Crest Institute has four areas of operation - training, technology, research and evaluation, and social and policy change. In addition to supporting Boulder Crest Retreat Arizona and Virginia, the Institute is tasked with scaling our breakthrough Warrior PATHH programs across the nation, and working to transform our nation's approach to mental health. The Institute Team - Josh Goldberg, Greg Morin, Anna Kavanaugh, Dr. Richard Tedeschi, and Dr. Bret Moore - have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time, and we are proud of their great work.

The HillVets 100 Gala is an event for the veteran and military community that highlights the most influential and impactful veterans, service-members, and supporters from 2018. The HillVets 100 includes veterans of all eras, from the Vietnam War to the more recent Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. More than 500 attendees at the event had to vote and we won!

Thank you to our supporters. We couldn not do what we do without you!

And to our Team at Boulder Crest, you are the best!
Ken Falke

03/29/2019

Fellow Legionnaires, fellow Viet-Nam Vets,
On this day, from now and into the future, our country recognizes and honors the thousands of men and women veterans, living and dead, who served in and during the Viet-Nam conflict period.

The history of that time is still being written; it was a complex, confused, and conflicting time; a difficult, divisive, and demoralizing time; but it was a time that shaped those surviving veterans to be able to guide and make our future Armed Forces the best the world has ever seen. The attached article from MOAA speaks to that.

To you with whom I share that experience, to those memorialized on the black granite Wall, to those who have yet to return, I salute you and thank you for being my comrades in arms. I am proud to have been among you.
For God and Country,
Chuck

Chuck Loomis
Commander
The American Legion
Leonard W. Kidd Memorial Post 2001
Ashburn, VA
***********************************************************
Mar 27, 2019
National Vietnam War Veterans Day: Honoring Their Service ... and Their Impact on the Future Force

Harassment and criticism stung Vietnam veterans returning from war, but in squad rooms and motor pools across the country, there was a different group of Americans who stood in awe of their selfless service and call to duty.

Outside of the public view, Vietnam veterans trained, educated and led the next generation of troops while quietly shaping and inspiring their service. As decades passed and attitudes shifted, Americans now pause to reflect and thank Vietnam veterans for their service on National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29.

“I thought they were great leaders, combat-tested leaders,” Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, MOAA's president and CEO, said of the Vietnam veterans who made up his unit's senior leadership while he made his way to Royal Air Force Bentwaters, U.K., to fly A-10s - his first operational assignment as a young officer. “You gained a level of respect having gone through that. Your leadership style is shaped by what you've seen. There certainly was a level of respect.

“The squad room was full of Vietnam veterans,” Atkins recalled. “There was a lot of influence from them. … You saw how they conducted themselves.”

Atkins, who served 34 years in the Air Force before retiring in 2012, said his earliest exposure to Vietnam came through his uncle Ed, who recorded audio tapes downrange that would be played at the family home in Portland, Oregon. “You get intimate with Vietnam through that exchange,” said Atkins. “I certainly didn't have an animosity toward Vietnam.”

About the Day

March 29 became National Vietnam War Veterans Day in 2017, when President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act into law.

President Trump is not the first commander-in-chief to designate a Vietnam Veterans Day, but he did enact the annual day of recognition into law. President Richard Nixon declared March 29, 1974, as Vietnam Veterans Day to mark the one-year anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Vietnam. President Barack Obama declared March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day, with his proclamation highlighting ongoing 50th anniversary events.

The discipline and professionalism of these veterans rubbed off on countless younger leaders, Atkins said. And while many of those veterans came home to public reactions that didn't reflect their service or sacrifice, some decades later, the nation has caught up.

Atkins said he witnessed a homecoming in the early 2000s for troops returning from deployment through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He recalled a group of people lining a corridor and waving small American flags; some people offered their cellphones so the troops could call parents to tell them they were home. “It was a remarkable expression of gratitude and respect,” Atkins said. “I thought, 'Wow, it has taken three decades.' It was like polar opposites.”

Vietnam veterans have demonstrated resiliency that all incoming troops can learn from, Atkins said, noting MOAA will continue to fight for their benefits, including expanding benefits for Blue Water Navy veterans.

“Look back at these Vietnam veterans - our nation owes them a great debt,” Atkins said.

***************************************

Amanda Dolasinski is MOAA's staff writer. She can be reached [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMOAA.

03/24/2019

Vietnam Veterans Can Get Free Commemorative Pin at Base Exchanges

Vietnam Veterans Can Get Free Commemorative Pin at Base Exchanges

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

https://www.military.com/militaryadvantage/2019/03/21/vietnam-veterans-can-get-commemorative-pin-base-exchanges.html

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, exchanges will have events associated with the giveaway

03/22/2019

At their March 21, 2019, meeting, the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors presented resolutions to recognize the accomplishments of individuals and groups in Loudoun County.

>>> Proclamation to Proclaim March 15, 2019 as American Legion Centennial Day in Loudoun County: This proclamation recognizes the 100th Anniversary of the American Legion, which was founded on March 15, 2019 at the American Club near Place de la Concorde in Paris, France, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces. On September 19, 1919, the United States Congress federally chartered American Legion as a patriotic veteran’s organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential non-profit groups in the United States. Today, membership stands at over 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide.

03/16/2019

WWII veteran who served under Gen. Patton celebrates 100th birthday in KCK

WWII veteran who served under Gen. Patton celebrates 100th birthday in KCK

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

https://fox4kc.com/2019/03/14/wwii-veteran-who-served-under-gen-patton-celebrates-100th-birthday-in-kck/

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- A KCK man is celebrating a major milestone. Walter DePriest is turning 100 years old this month. He was born in Mississippi on March 28th, 1919. As a young man, he served in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he was stationed in France. DePriest was assigned to the Red Bal...

03/16/2019

Northern Virginia, Corporate Gray Military-Friendly Job Fairs. See below for details.

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

03/16/2019

Free Dental Clinic, Saturday, June 8, 2019, 8am - 3pm.

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

03/16/2019

Military Appreciation Day, April 2, 2019:

All,

We received some fun news from the Nationals Baseball Team regarding this year’s Military Appreciation Day on April 2nd. The National’s will be giving away complimentary tickets to veterans, active duty, dependents, and reservists, who live in or will be visiting the DC area.

**Must have military ID or proof of service. See below for details. Feel free to share with your military friends/family.

Also, this date happens to coincide with Bryce Harper’s return to National Park!

Game Details:

April 2, 7:05 p.m., Nationals vs. Phillies

Two complimentary tickets per id, or proof of service, while supplies last

Tickets will be available at the ticket windows on Potomac Ave SE beginning at 3 p.m. on April 2.

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

03/15/2019

Good morning!

#REDFriday
#WomensHistoryMonth
#TheAmericanLegion100thAnniversary

03/15/2019

On March 15, the American Legion celebrates the 100th anniversary of the American Legion, commemorating and honoring the organization's first century of service and propel into the second! On this day in 1919, when the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris. Much as the birthday of the United States is celebrated on July 4 – for the day in 1776 when revolting patriots declared the independence of the British colonies and the spirit of America was born – March 15 is the date on which the Legion came to life.

Did you know....
1. The American Legion was founded in March 1919 in Paris, France, by U.S. World War I military personnel
stationed there who were dedicated to four pillars of service and advocacy: veterans, military personnel, youth
and patriotic values.

2. The American Legion today consists of 55 “departments” in each of the 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, France, Mexico, the Philippines and Puerto Rico. There are approximately 13,000 local posts
worldwide.

3. Current national membership is about 2 million. Combined with the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of
The American Legion, membership in what is known as the American Legion Family exceeds 3 million.

4. American Legion membership is open to military personnel and veterans who have served their nation on
active duty during wartime. Eligibility has been open to all who have served on active duty since Aug. 2, 1990,
the beginning of continuous U.S. armed conflict in the Middle East and other locations around the planet.

03/12/2019

www.usarmyband.com

Greetings everyone!!

I hope this email finds you well. I want to share a wonderful U.S. Army musical production this month:

We Stand Ready: A Musical Tribute to the Modern American Soldier
2-performances:
Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 | 3PM
Conmy Hall
Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall
Fort Myer in Arlington, VA

Like last year's Debt of Gratitude, this year we are celebrating the modern American Soldier who has been standing ready to support and defend since 2001. We Stand Ready: A Musical Tribute to the Modern American Soldier, is a celebration of the post 9/11 Veteran and will feature a special program of music that captures the fighting determination, patriotism, and esprit de corps found in today's Army--inspirational and patriotic music made popular by Celtic Women, Breaking Benjamin, Creed, Lee Brice, and Toby Keith.

The performance is FREE but tickets are required. Click here for tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/the-us-army-band-pershings-own-2494510190

If you'd like to have a PDF flyer that you can email or print, please click here: https://www.usarmyband.com/flyers/2019-we-stand-ready-flyer.pdf

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. American Legion Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.

03/07/2019

Chair Phyllis J. Randall

Loudoun, last night I was proud to bring a proclamation recognizing the 100th birthday of Mr. Norman Duncan. Mr. Duncan is a WWII Veteran. On June 6, 1944 "storming Norman" participated in the invasion of Normady. He has served Loudoun on numerous committees and established the County Care Givers award Please join me in wishing Mr. Duncan a very happy birthday.

02/26/2019

Capital Beltway Warriors Help Disabled Veterans Make Connections - The Loudoun Tribune

Capital Beltway Warriors Help Disabled Veterans Make Connections - The Loudoun Tribune

After growing up in a military family and serving eight years in the Marines, Jason Brooks had trouble transitioning into the civilian workforce. “I got laid off or fired three times in two years,” Brooks said. “In the military, if you need something done, you just ask. You don’t have to dan...

02/20/2019

NATIONAL VIETNAM WAR VETERANS DAY – THANK YOU & WELCOME HOME

Who: All Vietnam Veterans
What: MISSION BBQ Honors all Vietnam Veterans – those that Served in Vietnam, or Served during the Vietnam Era - with a free sandwich all day
Where: MISSION BBQ
When: March 29 – The last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam on this day.
Come visit us at MISSION BBQ!

#MissionBBQ
#NationalVietnamWarVeteransDay
#ThankYouAndWelcomeHome

HISTORY:
The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 designates today, March 29, as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. On this day in 1973, the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam.

DID YOU KNOW THAT:
National Vietnam War Veterans Day is observed every year on March 29 and is a way to:
• To thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war (POW), or listed as missing in action (MIA), for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.
• To highlight the service of the Armed Forces during the Vietnam War and the contributions of Federal agencies and governmental and non-governmental organizations
that served with, or in support of, the Armed Forces.
• To pay tribute to the contributions made on the home front by the people of the United States during the Vietnam War.
• To highlight the advances in technology, science, and medicine related to military research conducted during the Vietnam War.
• To recognize the contributions and sacrifices made by the allies of the United States
during the Vietnam War.

The Commemoration honors all United States veterans who served on active duty in the U.S.
Armed Forces at any time between November 1, 1955 to and May 15, 1975, regardless of location.
• The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that today there are 7 million living Vietnam veterans and 9 million families of those who served in this time frame.
• We make no distinction between veterans who served in-country, in-theater, or who were stationed elsewhere during the Vietnam War period. All were called to serve and the
overwhelming majority of these veterans served honorably and admirably.

Origins of National Vietnam War Veterans Day Commemoration
• 2007: Congress incorporated language in H.R. 4986 authorizing a program commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War
• 2008: H.R. 4986 was signed into law on January 28, 2008
• 2012: The Vietnam War Commemoration began with the Presidential inaugural event at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. on Memorial Day, May 28, 2012
• 2017: The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 established The National Vietnam War Veterans Day to be celebrate each year on March 29
• Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War will continue through Veterans Day, 2025

DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. American Legion Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.