VFW District 8 Newsletter

CWO5 Randle M. Tolliver, USN (Ret)

Commander 

For veterans in crisis, the Veterans Crisis Line's number is "988” then press "1”.

Homebound veterans requiring assistance please contact any member. 

Veterans experiencing, or at risk of homelessness, please contact any member or the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 424-3838.

Buddy Checks! Please call or go visit elderly or homebound veterans and see how they are doing and if they need help.

As an organization of war veterans, our mission is to assist veterans and their families and to serve our local community. To promote Americanism and be a voice for veterans in Washington, and Jeff City where we advocate for veterans, service members and military families. We support veterans of all wars in matters of government compensation and pension claims, hospitalization, and other issues.

Missouri has numerous veteran friendly employers that offer a range of benefits and support for veterans. You can find a list at https://mvc.dps.mo.gov

We are always looking to have veterans who are eligible and want to continue serving our community to join us. If you are interested, please contact any member or post. 

For our comrades who want to continue serving their communities but no longer have a VFW post, VFW District 8 has the answer; the establishment of a VFW Detachment to have a presence in the community without the burden of maintaining a post. The Det would be in the community, do VFW business and outreach as an element of the parent post. If you are interested, please contact (573) 924-2382.

Legislative news:

We still need folks to actively support HJR 115 to place a constitutional amendment on the November 2026 ballot to provide ‘Disabled Veterans Property Tax and Homestead Exemption” for 100% service-connected disabled veterans. The House voted 152-2 to pass HJR 115 and the issue is now back with the Senate. Please contact Senator Cindy O'Laughlin (Senate President Pro Tem) at (573) 751-7985, Senator Tony Luetkemeyeras (Majority Floor Leader) at (573) 751-2183 and your senator and tell them to schedule HJR 115 for a vote asap and to support the bills. 

The Veterans community also supports HB 3029, "The Veterans Benefits Protection Act.” This bill will protect veterans from unaccredited "Claim Sharks” predatory business practices. It will enforce federal VA standards, prohibit charging for initial claims or pre-appeal fees, require clear disclosures and prohibit unauthorized access to veterans VA data. HB 3029 has cleared committee so please call Rep. Jonathan Patterson (Speaker of the House) at (573) 751-0907, Representative Alex Riley (Majority Floor Leader) at (573) 751-2210 and your representative and tell them to schedule HB 3029 for floor vote asap and to support this legislation for Missouri Veterans.

Concerning Claim Sharks, we are opposed to Section 42.028 of Senate Bill 974. We support the rest of the bill, but this section would effectively legitimize "Claim Sharks” business practices. Please contact your representative to voice your opposition of Section 42.028. 

Finally, we are still pushing to fully fund the Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) with a stable funding solution. The MVC manages the seven Missouri Veterans Homes, six cemeteries, and numerous veterans’ programs.  

You can find your representative at https://house.mo.gov/legislatorlookup and your senator at https://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup

Also, please support the "Major Richard Star Act” (H.R. 2102 and S. 1032). Today, medically retired veteran’s Department of War retirement pay is reduced to offset their VA disability compensation. These are fundamentally different benefits, earned for different reasons, yet Congress refuses to act.  Please thank Senator Hawley who is a co-sponsor, but call Senator Schmitt, at (202) 224-5721, and your Congressman / Congresswoman and ask them to do the right thing. You can find your congress person at https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative .

Local events: 

The time and place of these and local post meetings and other events are provided on each post’s Facebook site; come join us!

Every Tuesday, Post 5331 in Cedar Hill host "Veterans Coffee Talk” at 9 am at 1 Lynn Lane in Cedar Hill. If you have questions or would like more information, please call EverTrue @ (314) 446-2539, Col. (retired) Ted Hodgson @ (314) 221-2096 or Mark Newton @ (636) 222-3521.

Every Wednesday, Post 5896 is hosting an "all-you-can-eat” breakfast at 814 E Karsch Blvd, Farmington. Food service is 7 to 9:30 am and the cost is $8 and children under the age of 10 eat for free.

Every 3rd Sunday of each month, Post 6516 in High Ridge will host "Meat Shoot” at 2220 Gravois Rd, High Ridge. Rain or shine, shooting starts at noon. Ages 12 and up are welcome and they provide shells. Nothing smaller than a .678 choke tube and no scopes, optics, bull barrels. For more information call (636) 677-1772.

On May 25th at 11:00 am VFW Post 5896, American Legion Post 416 and Elks Lodge 1765 will host a public Memorial Day Ceremony and on June 5th the post and the American Legion will serve as grand marshals for the country days parade, in recognition of or 250th national anniversary.

On Sunday May25th at 2 pm, VFW Post 6660 will hold a public Memorial Day Remembrance Ceremony at the World War I Memorial at the Reynolds County Court House in Centerville .

Now let us talk a bit about our history:

237 years ago, George Washington was inaugurated as the first  President of the United States. In 1789, the United States Constitution was untried. It created a system of government based on the consent of the governed and shared powers and created the office of the President.  The inauguration was held on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City, where the first Congress was assembled. Chancellor of New York Robert Livingston  administered the presidential oath of office. Acutely aware of the momentousness of the occasion, Washington accepted the Presidency and spoke of his determination to make the American experiment a success. Included in his speech delivered to the Congress were the words "The preservation of the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people." With this inauguration, the executive branch of the United States government officially began operations.  For more information visit https://www.archives.gov/exhibits/american_originals

I offer this from President George Washington "Be Americans. Let there be no sectionalism, no north, south, east or west. You are all dependent on one another and should be one in union. in one word, be a nation. be Americans and be true to yourselves.”

Bulletin Board:

The VA one-stop telephone number is 1-800-698-2411 and press "0” for immediate assistance. The VA one stop website is VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs .

For more for information concerning VA "End of Life” benefits and services see www.va.gov/initiatives/end-of-life-benefits/

Veteran employment opportunities!  Please visit https://news.va.gov/138283/hiring-veterans-job .

The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) one-stop Benefits and Resource Portal is (573) 522-4061 or www.veteranbenefits.mo.gov .

To pre-certify for burial in a Missouri Veterans Cemetery, apply at https://my.mo.gov/gsp?id=vcp_preapplication .  For information on burial eligibility, visit https://mvc.dps.mo.gov/cemeteries . 

The Missouri Job Center offers no-cost employment assistance for veterans and spouses. Contact (417) 257-2630 or visit jobs.mo.gov/vets.

To order military service documents such as a DD 214/Separation Document or Official Military Personnel File (OMPF), contact the National Archives, National Personnel Records Center at https://www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records, or call (866) 272-6272.

For more information, follow us at https://www.facebook.com/groups/967395123712841 or visit movfw.org

 

"Here to Serve”