Words from the Adjutant

December 26, 2011

Gentlemen,

Gentlemen, just a few notes for the upcoming Mid Winter Conference and the Detachment Convention in July. First, I will need a list of members that your Squadron may want to go through the 5 Star class at our Detachment Convention. This was discussed at the last convention and may be a useful tool for our future leaders. We will try to select only one member from each Squadron and limit the class to 30 participants. Bring your name(s) the the Mid Winter Conference. If your member passes the test, he will receive the 5 Star award pin. Next, the consolidated report forms will be mailed to me very soon. I hope to have them by Mid Winter but if not, I will distribute the forms to your Division Commander. Each certified Squadron will receive a form plus an extra form for each District and Division. If you do not receive your form, contact your Division Commander. I will let everyone know when the forms are in and mailed.

Also, at the Detachment Convention, there will be a District Commander/Division Commander/Detachment Officers Elect class for leadership on Saturday morning at 8:00 AM. It will last about 30-45 minutes. Following this class, there will be a general leadership class concerning all Sons of The American Legion business and programs. It wll start at or around 8:45 AM and last for 30-45 minutes. The general session on Saturday will start at 9:30 AM.

If you are wanting to run for Detachment Commander for the year 2012-2013, you will need to meet with me on Saturday, following the close of the meeting at the Mid Winter Conference, for approx. 1 hour. Please come prepared. Also, if you are running for Detachment Commander, you must submit your resume, including membership programs and achievements, to me by January 6, 2012 either via email or by mail. Thanks.

District and Division Conventions are being planned and will start in approx. 3 months. If you want Detachment Commander Slaughter or some other representative to be at your meeting, get your calls/invites in as soon as possible. Commander Slaughter is making out his winter/spring travel aggenda as we talk. Also remember Commander Slaughter's homecoming celebration coming up in March. More info at the Mid Winter Conference.

If anyone needs help either with membership, Squadron certifications, SAL programs, resolutions or any other items concerning their Squadron or the Detachment of Texas, please send your request to me and I will either answer those request or get them to the correct person to get your answer.

I am looking forward to seeing everyone in January in Austin and also seeing everyone in Houston in July. Finally, remember weare having the National Convention in Houston in August 2013. More info at the Detachment Convention. Please forward these comments and notes to all of your Squadrons/Districts in your Division.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

November 20, 2011

Gentlemen,

I will be composing the next newsletter over the next 2 weeks. The next edition will be mailed out after the 1st weekend in December. If anyone wants to put something in the next newsletter, get to me by Thanksgiving weekend. I may be going to Austin on Saturday to work on the newsletter, but if not for sure the next weekend. The Mid-Winter Conference is being held the weekend of Jan. 20-22, 2012 at the Omni Hotel in Austin. It is my understanding that there will no guest from National at this meeting. If that changes, I will let everyone know. Per The American Legion, there will be a joint session on Friday evening starting at approx. 6:30 to 7:00 PM. Required attendants, in coat and tie, are Detachment Commander, Detachment Adjutant and National Executive Committman. All others are requested to attend but not required. Bussiness casual is the dress. Hope everyone has a great and safe Thanksgiving. Until later,

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

November 5, 2011

Gentlemen a note from PD Sonnier.

Whenever Jan & I travel every stop since they came out we buy a couple of Veteran Scratchoff Tickets. Part of the proceeds go to grants for Veterans Affairs in Texas. Today while Jan was setting up with her foot in a cast I brought home 2 tickets The latest version Veterans Cash John Wayne Jan Won a John Wayne merchandise package. To much stuff to list go to the lottery website & check BUT we will have to go to Lottery claim center to fill out Paperwork

For God & Country
Robert Sonnier
PDC 2009-2010

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

November 2, 2011

Please let me know if anyone needs copies of the S.A.L. Handbook. Thanks.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

October 22, 2011

Gentlemen, please pass this on to everyone. Concerning the PUFL program, it has come to my attention that all checks written for the PUFL dues should be made out as follows: The American Legion, Dept. of Texas

There are no exceptions. Department Headquarters has already sent back 3 checks for this reason. Please ensure that all members within your Squadron, District or Division are aware of this mandate. Thank you.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

July 22, 2011
To all squadron adjutants and commanders, need you to go on the National website. At the bottom of page you can make any changes to your address, also need phone # and e-mail adresses so we can get them in blue book. Also, when filling out your certification of officers, do not use nicknames or middle names, please use the name that is on your membership card, with card # , phone # , and e-mail. Thank you for your cooperation.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

June 18, 2011

National Commander David Dew has requested that all District and Division Commanders make one final push to contact all Squadrons to get a membership turn in at Detachment Convention. He has asked that everyone please bring as many membersas possible to the convention to see if we can meet the 100% goal. I agree with him and am asking for the same request. Lets show our National Commander that his home state of Texas is as great as we say it is. GET THOSE MEMBERS IN!

Also, I will be bringing new membership cards to the convention. If you plan to attend and have not certified your officers, please do so now or bring the certification to the convention so I can distributeyour cards to you. I hope to see everyone at the convention next weekend. Finally, I will be requesting input on the emailing of the newsletter, how it went and did it work. Your input is appreciated.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

PS---Sunday's meeting will be held at the American Legion Post 430 in lieu of the hotel. Please make arraignments accordingly.

March 5, 2011

Gentlemen here is the Children & Youth Legion Resolution that was sent rescinding resolution Spinoza Bear Project. Passed at the American Legion Fall NEC for those who did not receive this.

Our National Commander wants to remind everyone t6hathe set a goal of our 50% reporting of all activities this year.

If you have received your reporting forms already you will notice a change on line #56 and 57 (TBD) has been inserted in place of where the Spinoza Bear program was. At the fall NEC of the American Legion a resolution was passed to pull its support of this program, so rather than renumbering the entire form the Spinoza Bear along with the dollar amount and hours were removed and (TBD) was inserted.

If you could please pass this information among your disticts and squadrons not only of this change but also the 50% goal that Commander Dew has set.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

January 24, 2010

Kevin & John,

We have gotten with the Days Inn Hotel in Odessa and addressed the problem.

You do have a block of 30 rooms and you will have use of the meeting room for free.

Do to the mistake by one of their employees we were able to re-negotiate your rate to $72.00 per night for the 30 rooms.

I'm going to work with the hotel and see if I can get the rooms booked at the $54.59 rate included in the block, but I will need a list of names of who has booked rooms at the rate. Can you please contact your members and you provide me with a list.

Thanks
Bill West
State Adjutant
The American Legion
Department of Texas

January 10, 2010

Gentlemen, we only had 11 newsletters returned due to bad addresses. All District and Division Commanders, please contact these squadron Commanders and get me the correct address. The Squadrons are listed below:
Coldspring 629, Nocona 220, S. Houston 490, Temple 133, Wichita Falls 202, San Antonio 579, San Antonio 300, Austin 83, Madisonville 84, San Leon 291, La Feria 439

See everyone in 2 weeks and thanks for your help.

PS----For those who are camera shy, "SHUT YOUR EYES"

By order of Commander Gary Paul, Detachment of Texas
Sons of The American Legion

All persons attending the mid-winter D.E.C will have an official picture taken. The dress code for the pictures are as follows;

Detachment Officers – ALL Detachment Officers are to wear a suit and tie & Detachment uniform cap

Executive Committee – ALL Committee memberes are to wear yellow shirts with your highest office uniform cap

Division Officers – same as Executive Committee (if you do not have a yellow shirt, casual dress and highest office cap)

District Officers – same as Executive Committee (if you do not have a yellow shirt, casual dress and highest office cap)

Squadron Officers and members – dress casual is your dress code along with uniform cap

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

July 11, 2010

TO ALL; THE NEXT NEWSLETTER IS COMING UP. IF YOU WANT TO PUT SOMETHING IN IT OR HAVE A FLIER ADDED TO IT, GET IT TO ME BY THE END OF THE MONTH. LET'S SAY JULY 25TH. CARDS ARE IN AND ARE BEING MAILED NEXT WEEK PENDING RECEIVING YOUR CERTIFICATION OF OFFICERS. REMEMBER TO GET YOUR INVITES INTO COMMANDER PAUL SO HE CAN PLAN HIS AGENDA. FOR NEW OFFICERS, CAPS ARE BEING ORDERED THIS WEEK. SHOULD BE IN ABOUT 4 WEEKS. FOR ALL CHAIRMEN AND OFFICERS, SHIRTS ARE BEING ORDERED THIS WEEK. SHOULD BE READY FOR NATIONAL CONVENTION. THIS GROUP EMAIL WILL BE UPDATED THIS WEEK. PLEASE PASS THIS INFO ALONG TO ALL PARTIES THAT NEED IT IF NOT ON THIS GROUP EMAIL.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

February 2, 2010

To all, this is your first notice of the upcoming changes for Detachment Convention being held in beaumont the weekend of June25-27, 2010. The opening of the convention will be at 10:00 AM Friday morning with recess at 12:00 PM. There will be a joint session immediately after our meeting starting at 1:00 PM with mandatory attendance by the Commander, Adjutant and the NEC. It is requested that all SAL members attend the joint session if possible. Starting at 4:30 PM Friday afternoon and lasting until 6:30 PM, the committees will meet at Post 817. It is the responsibility of the chairman to email me their starting times so I can put it in the newsletter. It is also the responsibility of the chairman to contact their members and inform them of the time and location. The convention will resume Saturday starting at 8:00 AM and lasting until 9:30 AM with 2 classes. (more info later) The convention itself will restart at 10:00 AM Saturday. These 2 meetings are necessary for the organization. The first class is for the District and Division Commanders. Attendance is mandatory. The next class is for all members and is more of a teach and learn leadership class. Attendance is encouraged but not mandated. More info later as it comes available or as it needs to be printed. Print this email out for future reference.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

December 15, 2009

Gentlemen, I am human. I forgot to tell everyone that there will be a joint session on Friday night starting at 6:00 or 6:30 PM. Please try to attend if possible. Mandatory guest from the SAL are Detachment Commander and Adjutant, NEC and his guest, David Dew if possible and any other special guest that may arrive. My apologies for this oversight.

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant

December 13, 2009

The newsletter for the Mid-Winter DEC was put in the mail yesterday. District and Division Commanders, please make sure all Squadron Commanders received their copy. If not, their addresses on file is incorrect and needs to be updated. For the 12th District, please advise as to whom the newsletter needs to be mailed due to the death of Larry Bohanon, 12th District Commander. Please note, there is a poem at the end of the newsletter, submitted by Past Detachment Commander Larry Black in honor Larry Bohanon. Ken Peters Jr., 6th District Commander and 2nd Division Commander, please call me or email me as soon as possible. I hope everyone has a safe and joyous holiday season. Till January,

Kevin Winkelmann
Detachment Adjutant