Auxiliary

2023 - 2024 Unit 16 Officers

AUXILIARY MEETING HELD 2ND TUESDAY OF THE MONTH

              President:               Pam Wagner

              1st Vice:                 Tanya Suter

              2nd Vice:                Claudia Reiber

              Secretary:               Tanya Suter

              Treasurer:               Theresa Gilbet

                    Chaplain:                Anita Mennel

              Historian:               Yoland Clark

              Sergeant At Arms:  Eva Tomanek

              Color Bearer:           Dee Wildfong

              Parliamentarian:      Anna Lossing

              Executive Board:      All Auxiliary Officers and 

                                              members at large:

Eligibility for American Legion Auxiliary Membership

1.  Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of members of The American Legion; and 

2. Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of all men and women who served in either of the following periods: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918 and any time after December 7, 1941 who, being a ciitizen of the United States at the time of their entry therein served on active duty in the Armed Forces of any of the government associated  with the United States during either eligibility periods and died in line of duty or after honorable discharge;

3.Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of all men and women who were in Armed Forces of the United States during either of the following periods: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918 and any time after December 7, 1941 who, served on active duty in Armed Forces of the United States during either eligibility periods and died in line of duty or after honorable discharge; and

4.  To those women who of their own right are eligible for membership in the American Legion*

*A women who is eligiably for American Legion Membership can join the American Legion Auxiilary. How ever, eligibility of her female rellatives (Sister, Mother, direct descendants and/or spouse depends upon her membership in American Legion.    

     D-214 Discharge Papers

Auxiliary members need to supply a copy of DD-214 discharge papers for the relative through whom their eligibility is established.
The DD-214, officially “Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active-Duty,” but generally referred to as a DD-214, is a document of the United States Department of Defense, issued upon a military service member’s retirement, separation or discharge from active-duty military. Learn more about DD-214 requests.

Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm.

                             

The Poppy Story and The American

Legion And American

Legion Auxiliary

A bloody battle was fought during World War I in a region called Flanders. The area in France was completely devastated. In the spring of 1919 the poppies still bloomed among the ruins and where the men had fallen in battle. The memory that the soldiers brought home was that of the poppies blooming in the field of blood. The poppy became a symbol of sacrifice of lives during the war and represented the hope that none had died in vain.

In October 1921 at the Organizing Convention of the American Legion Auxiliary, the poppy was adopted as their Memorial Flower. At the time the Auxiliary pledged 100% of the profits from the poppy distribution to be used for servicemen and servicewomen and their families.

More than 25,000,000 poppies are made by the veterans and distributed by the American Legion Auxiliary each year. With the American Legion, the S.A.L. and the Auxiliary working together as a family, the Auxiliary is able to distribute the flowers to the public in May. The weekend prior to Memorial weekend has become known as Poppy Days. The money goes to the Auxiliary to be used for the veterans in need.

The first poppies, made of silk, were made by French war windows and orphans. When the cost became too expensive, the Auxiliary had to find another way of getting them. The first American – made poppies were made by veterans in Minnesota hospitals and were made of crepe paper. Today all poppies are made by veterans in poppy shops, maintained and administered by the Auxiliary volunteers. The shops are organized in co – operation with the VA Medical Centers and other veteran facilities. The material for the poppies is furnished free by the Department in the state where the facility is located. The workers receive pay for each poppy they make.