Innovative Program Helps Troubled Veterans Turn Lives Around

By Donna Miles American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Nov. 10, 2005 – A unique center here is helping troubled veterans turn their lives around by providing a military-style program designed to help them beat addictions, develop career skills, land jobs, find homes, and become productive citizens.

The Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training, MCVET for short, offers an ambitious array of programs aimed at getting veterans back on their feet and into the mainstream sober, drug-free and self-sufficient. Military service provides the common thread behind the program. All "students," as participants are called, are veterans, as well as 75 percent of the staff.

The result is a program that puts heavy emphasis on the structure its students once embraced. "In many cases, the military was the last structure in their lives," said retired Army Col. Charles Williams, the center's executive director.

Williams and the rest of the MCVET staff are convinced that a return to that structure is the best way for troubled vets to begin their recovery. So from the day they enter the program, living in open-bay-style dormitories with beds sporting hospital corners and shoes placed "dress-right-dress" beneath their bunks, students re-enter the disciplined world many said goodbye to when they left the military. And just like in the military, they advance to leadership positions in the program and enjoy perks like semiprivate rooms as they make progress.
Darvis Tabrizi, who entered the MCVET program in August 2004, said the structure was exactly what he needed to deal with the alcohol and drug addiction that got him thrown out of the Navy in 2003 and ultimately left him jobless, homeless and estranged from his family.

"I needed to be grounded and I needed to be structured, and this place gave me that," Tabrizi said.

"It provided a foundation and a structured process to guide me," agreed Ezekiel Pankey, who went through the program nine years ago and now conducts outreach to tell other veterans who might need it about the program.

But MCVET is far more than a boot camp. Students tap into a wide array of services as they confront their demons and move forward. The Department of Veterans Affairs provides medical services and psychological counseling critical in overcoming drug and alcohol addiction or post-traumatic stress disorder or other psychological difficulties. The Department of Housing and Urban Development provides housing assistance to the veterans, many of them homeless when they enter the program. The Department of Labor funds job training.
"It all comes together here," Williams said. "We are taking our students from dependence to independence."

Much of the program's emphasis is on education, with the schedule of activities revolving around classes that range from confronting addictions to developing life skills to help them cope on the "outside."

While MCVET offers all the tools needed for troubled vets to move on with their lives, the most important predictor of success comes from the students themselves.

"You have to give 100 percent and really want to be here," Tabrizi said. "This place works, but only if you want it to work."

"This is not a place to hibernate," Williams said. "It's a place to get your life together, and that takes hard work and a genuine commitment."
Just two months into the program, Crystal Showell, a 10-year member of the Coast Guard who is struggling to overcome drug and alcohol addiction, said she feels well on the way to a new start. She's attending mandatory classes that she said have taught her more about herself and her addictions in 60 days than she picked up during four years of college.

"I want to learn to live clean and sober and be strong enough when I leave here so I don't need that crutch anymore," the former petty officer said.

As they tackle these basics, students also begin focusing on what's ahead in their careers.
"We're not looking to simply get these people jobs. We want them to have a skill that provides them a career that pays a living wage, not a minimum wage," Williams said. "We don't want any of our people going to McDonald's unless they're eating or managing the place."
Getting to that point doesn't happen overnight, Williams acknowledged. Students can stay in the MCVET program for as long as five years, advancing from one phase to another as they begin the process of rebuilding their lives.

"You can't take a person who's been on drugs 10 years and rehabilitate them in 30 days," he said. "It takes time to do this."

Even after students have completed the program, gotten a job and moved into their own homes, the staff keeps in touch with them to see how they're doing and catch them if they begin backsliding.

If there's one lesson Andre Walters learned since coming to MCVET 18 months ago, it's that past mistakes don't have to become a lifetime pattern. "There's a sense of fulfillment, of satisfaction in knowing that you don't have to be a quitter and give up just because you made mistakes in the past," he said. "You can turn things around, and you do that here through teamwork and camaraderie and hard work."

A year into the program, Tabrizi is putting his life back together. He's "clean" and has re-established his relationship with his family. He's got a job at the MCVET front desk and is sharpening his computer skills as he prepares to return to school. A former Navy aviation machinist mate, Tabrizi is looking forward to studying helicopter mechanics at the University of the District of Columbia this spring and has already been promised a job at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, maintaining helicopters for the medevac crews.
Looking back, Tabrizi said he'd never have been able to make the turnaround he's experienced without the MCVET staff and program. "I just wanted a way out, and I found it here," he said. "The staff here gave me hope and made me want to do it, and they taught me to be a better person."

Williams, who helped establish the MCVET program 11 years ago, said he's confident it's made a huge difference in the lives of the 5,000 students who've participated in the program so far.
"We don't say we've saved every one of them," he said. "But of those who stay 30 days, seven out of 10 will return to their families as productive citizens with jobs."

Jeffrey Kendrick, a retired Air Force master sergeant who's director of operations at MCVET, said the staff "gets swept up" in the gratification of helping veterans jump-start their lives.
"It's a very rewarding experience, because you see that your work actually pays off in the end," he said. "The staff is this program's greatest strength. It's not just a job. We believe in what we do here."

Rheebe Bryant, a retired soldier who's now a drug and alcohol counselor at MCVET, said the program provides a unique opportunity to serve men and women who have served their country. "The satisfaction here is helping other veterans," she said. "At the end of the day, you know that you've helped someone."

Related Sites:Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training

Veterans Day

There are times that we remember vividly. For me as Veterans Day gets closer, one of those days, November 10th, 1988, comes back to me vividly. I was the EOD Team Leader responding to a Suspect Package (suspect bomb) at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Wall is eerie at night, it is even eerier if you are the only one there. This is a poem about that night's events.

"On a day we all remember, A day I can’t forget. A cold night in November, When a comrade paid his debt.

It was a box so pretty, with gift wrapping so dear. A gift to the long departed, to a buddy who was near

The time of day was evening, when the policeman found the box. With six months to retire, he evacuated the block.

When my Bomb Squad team arrived there, the Wall was silent as the deep. Walking down the path, my soul began to weep.

I was not alone there, friends long past still visit. But they wish to be there, among their buds who made it.

On this day that haunts me, a comrade had come back. To leave his buddy a gift, in short to pay him back.

When I finally opened the box, a six pack did I discover. A tribute to all who served, a toast for all the years.

And tucked under a tab, a business card was signed. For on the card was written, “thank you for my life.”

Post 295 Members at Ft Hood

I have heard from a couple of our members at FT Hood and they are doing fine. We will keep the families of the murdered soldiers and those wounded in our thoughts.

National Commander expresses condolences over Ft. Hood Shootings

WASHINGTON (Nov. 5, 2009) -- American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill released the following statement concerning this afternoon's shootings at Ft. Hood:
"My first reaction is purely emotional. I must say that I am shocked and speechless. I simply cannot believe we have soldiers who would do this to their comrades. The American Legion extends condolences to the victims and the families of those affected by the shootings at Fort Hood. The facts are not all out and there is still much about the events that we do not yet know. We do know, however, that The American Legion will reach out to assist any soldiers, family members or other victims of this horrible tragedy in any way possible. We will release further statements as the facts become known."

John Brieden, a Texan and past national commander of The American Legion, said, "The first thought I have about this tragedy is that I'm angry. You've got folks who are preparing to deploy into a dangerous area of the world, and you've got them here at home being attacked. And it makes me angry that they would lose their lives in this way, right here in America."
Brieden said The American Legion has several programs such as its Family Support Network that are designed to reach out to families who suffer tragic losses. "All of a sudden, we have families with a father, mother, a spouse who isn't going to be coming home. So how do you deal with this?

"Yes, they need help," Brieden said. "And The American Legion will certainly be helping those families who lost loved ones in such a horrible incident. We intend to help as much as we possibly can."

Killeen American Legion Post 223, and Coppers Cover Post 582 in Texas are standing by to lend whatever assistance might be needed in the area.

Media contacts: Craig Roberts, (202) 263-2982, Cell (202) 406-088 or Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926. A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Hill is available at www.legion.org.

Bet you didn't know....

Occaisonally when I find something interesting I will post it here.

Today's post is about Gadsby's Tavern located in Alexandria VA. A colonial building once operated as a Tavern and Inn. It is now a National Historic Landmark. A restauraunt is now operated in what was the Inn.

What you did not know is that when the building was slated for destrcution in the early 20th century, American Legion Post 24 stepped in and saved it from destruction. We owe a debt of gratitude to the Legionnaires that saved this historic landmark.

Did Weapons Fail U.S. Troops During Afghanistan Assault?

Interesting theory. I have fired the M-16 so much that the barrel turned red hot. The M-60 operators would change barrels because they became so hot they were not safe to operate. Bottom line, either more troops on the ground to fire or weapons with a hire rate of fire. ~ Bob O

Here is the wire story...

WASHINGTON — In the chaos of an early morning assault on a remote U.S. outpost in eastern Afghanistan, Staff Sgt. Erich Phillips' M4 carbine quit firing as militant forces surrounded the base. The machine gun he grabbed after tossing the rifle aside didn't work either.
When the battle in the small village of Wanat ended, nine U.S. soldiers lay dead and 27 more were wounded. A detailed study of the attack by a military historian found that weapons failed repeatedly at a "critical moment" during the firefight on July 13, 2008, putting the outnumbered American troops at risk of being overrun by nearly 200 insurgents.
Which raises the question: Eight years into the war against the Taliban in Afghanistan, do U.S. armed forces have the best guns money can buy?
Despite the military's insistence that they do, a small but vocal number of troops in Afghanistan and Iraq has complained that the standard-issue M4 rifles need too much maintenance and jam at the worst possible times.
A week ago, eight U.S. troops were killed at a base near Kamdesh, a town near Wanat. There's no immediate evidence of weapons failures at Kamdesh, but the circumstances were eerily similar to the Wanat battle: insurgents stormed an isolated stronghold manned by American forces stretched thin by the demands of war.
Army Col. Wayne Shanks, a military spokesman in Afghanistan, said a review of the battle at Kamdesh is under way. "It is too early to make any assumptions regarding what did or didn't work correctly," he said.
Complaints about the weapons the troops carry, especially the M4, aren't new. Army officials say that when properly cleaned and maintained, the M4 is a quality weapon that can pump out more than 3,000 rounds before any failures occur.
The M4 is a shorter, lighter version of the M16, which made its debut during the Vietnam war. Roughly 500,000 M4s are in service, making it the rifle troops on the front lines trust with their lives.
Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., a leading critic of the M4, said Thursday the Army needs to move quickly to acquire a combat rifle suited for the extreme conditions U.S. troops are fighting in.
U.S. special operations forces, with their own acquisition budget and the latitude to buy gear the other military branches can't, already are replacing their M4s with a new rifle.
"The M4 has served us well but it's not as good as it needs to be," Coburn said.
Battlefield surveys show that nearly 90 percent of soldiers are satisfied with their M4s, according to Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, head of the Army office that buys soldier gear. Still, the rifle is continually being improved to make it even more reliable and lethal.
Fuller said he's received no official reports of flawed weapons performance at Wanat. "Until it showed up in the news, I was surprised to hear about all this," he said.
The study by Douglas Cubbison of the Army Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., hasn't been publicly released. Copies of the study have been leaked to news organizations and are circulating on the Internet.
Cubbison's study is based on an earlier Army investigation and interviews with soldiers who survived the attack at Wanat. He describes a well-coordinated attack by a highly skilled enemy that unleashed a withering barrage with AK-47 automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.
The soldiers said their weapons were meticulously cared for and routinely inspected by commanders. But still the weapons had breakdowns, especially when the rifles were on full automatic, which allows hundreds of bullets to be fired a minute.
The platoon-sized unit of U.S. soldiers and about two dozen Afghan troops was shooting back with such intensity the barrels on their weapons turned white hot. The high rate of fire appears to have put a number of weapons out of commission, even though the guns are tested and built to operate in extreme conditions.
Cpl. Jonathan Ayers and Spc. Chris McKaig were firing their M4s from a position the soldiers called the "Crow's Nest." The pair would pop up together from cover, fire half a dozen rounds and then drop back down.
On one of these trips up, Ayers was killed instantly by an enemy round. McKaig soon had problems with his M4, which carries a 30-round magazine.
"My weapon was overheating," McKaig said, according to Cubbison's report. "I had shot about 12 magazines by this point already and it had only been about a half hour or so into the fight. I couldn't charge my weapon and put another round in because it was too hot, so I got mad and threw my weapon down."
The soldiers also had trouble with their M249 machine guns, a larger weapon than the M4 that can shoot up to 750 rounds per minute.
Cpl. Jason Bogar fired approximately 600 rounds from his M-249 before the weapon overheated and jammed the weapon.
Bogar was killed during the firefight, but no one saw how he died, according to the report.

American Legion Praises “Cure” for Late VA Budgets

More Info
House passes H.R. 1016 by a vote of 419-1

WASHINGTON (Oct. 8, 2009) - The American Legion's National Commander, Clarence Hill, has praised the House of Representatives for passing H.R. 1016, the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act of 2009. This measure would provide the Department of Veterans Affairs with advance appropriations each fiscal year to begin on October 1, whether the rest of the annual Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies Appropriations have been signed into law or not. "This action is unprecedented at this funding level," said Hill. "Although The American Legion deeply appreciated the significant increases in VA's overall appropriations in recent years, not knowing when the funds would arrive made managing the VA health care system a major challenge." The goal of advance appropriations is to make sure VA medical care funding is timely, predictable, and sufficient. "It will still require a great deal of work on our part to make sure the annual appropriations will be sufficient," Hill said. "As Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom continue, this nation has a moral, ethical and legal obligation to care for the men and women placed in harm's way, but we cannot meet these new health care challenges by asking veterans of previous conflicts to move aside in order to provide timely healthcare access to the newest generation of wartime veterans."

In 1996, the VA health care system made a significant transition into the "best care anywhere" as cited by Phillip Longman in his book Best Care Anywhere: Why VA Health Care is Better Than Yours . "Clearly, every federal dollar invested in VA health care is providing the most cost-effective, quality health care in the nation," Hill said. "Many health care experts agree, the VA health care system is the role model for the rest of the health care industry." Advance appropriations will help allow VA health care professionals to achieve both short and long-range management decisions without wondering if "the check is in the mail."

Representative Bob Filner, Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, offered the following statement on the occasion of the bill's passage: "Today, the House of Representatives took action to respond to years of chronic underfunding of VA medical care. Over the last 23 years, 20 VA budgets have been passed late - and our veterans pay the price with fewer doctors, longer waiting times, and more restricted access for the 6 million veterans using VA health care. Again this year, the VA is forced to rely on funding from a continuing resolution, even though the House acted in a timely fashion and passed the FY 2010 VA spending bill in July. Members of the Committee have worked closely with veteran service organizations to pass this landmark bill and guarantee that our veterans have access to comprehensive, quality health care."

Public Hearing about Proposed Construction of Affordable Housing for At-Risk & Formerly Homeless Veterans

Veterans, their family members and the local community are invited to attend a Public Hearing sponsored by the VA Maryland Health Care System to discuss a proposal for the construction of affordable housing for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans at the Perry Point VA Medical Center. The Public Hearing is being held on Thursday, October 8, 2009, at 7 p.m. in the Theatre (Building 314) at the Perry Point VA Medical Center.

Representatives from the VA Maryland Health Care System and the VA's Office of Asset Enterprise Management will provide an overview of the proposal to lease approximately 13.8 acres of unused land on the campus to a non-profit organization or private company for the development of affordable housing for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans.

Following the presentation, veterans and local community members will be invited to ask questions and provide comments about the proposed project.

War Memorials and the Constitution

War Memorials and the Constitution: Does the First Amendment really prohibit a cross on public land? By TED CRUZ AND KELLY SHACKELFORD

At Arlington National Cemetery near Washington, D.C., the Argonne Cross was erected to honor our fallen World War I soldiers. If you stand at the foot of that memorial, you cannot help but be moved by the sacrifices so many brave souls have made for our nation.

You will similarly feel deep admiration if you cast your eyes on row upon row of white crosses and Stars of David at the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial in France. Both fulfill the central purpose of our war memorials: They cause us to reflect on the sacrifices of American patriots.

Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in Salazar v. Buono, a case that will determine the fate of another moving monument to our fallen soldiers—a 75-year-old veterans' memorial located on public land in the vast Mojave National Preserve in San Bernardino County, Calif.

The Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, a seven-foot metal cross, was erected in 1934 by World War I veterans to honor their fallen brethren. In 2001, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued to have the memorial taken down. The reason? The ACLU claims that the mere presence of the cross within the 1.6 million acre national preserve runs afoul of the Constitution, because it is effectively a religious symbol.

Judge Robert J. Timlin of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California agreed with that claim, and ordered that the cross be covered up while the case was on appeal. So now a memorial dedicated to those who fought tyranny and oppression is hidden from view by a plywood box.

This case is part of a disturbing pattern. Like lawsuits seeking to stop the Pledge of Allegiance from being recited each morning in our public schools or to remove "In God We Trust" from our currency, the ACLU's argument in Salazar v. Buono is based on a misconception of the Constitution—that the government must be hostile to religion.

Far more is at stake than a single memorial. If the Supreme Court allows this cross to be destroyed, it could presage the destruction of thousands of similar memorials nationwide, inflicting sorrow on millions of Americans, especially veterans and their families.

The theory being advanced by the ACLU is that no religious symbol can be allowed on public land. That is a radical notion that is contrary to the text of the Constitution, to the original understanding of the Framers, and to how the Supreme Court has long interpreted the First Amendment's prohibition on the establishment of a religion.

The Constitution prohibits government from favoring one religion over another, but it does not compel hostility to faith. For example, the Supreme Court ruled in Marsh v. Chambers (1983) that it was constitutional to open a legislative session with a prayer. Chief Justice Warren Burger, writing for the majority, explained:

"To invoke Divine guidance on a public body entrusted with making the laws is not, in these circumstances, an 'establishment' of religion or a step toward establishment; it is simply a tolerable acknowledgment of beliefs widely held among the people of this country."
Likewise, in Lynch v. Donnelly (1984) the Court observed that "[o]ur history is replete with official references to the value and invocation of Divine guidance."

The Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial, like other war memorials, reflects the respect and gratitude due our honored dead. The men and women who have died defending our country gave their last measure of devotion to preserve our right to free speech and religious expression. They deserve our honor and admiration—not a plywood box marring their memory.

War memorials embody the very best traditions of our nation. In 1787, the U.S. Constitution was written to "secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity." With the case it will hear today, the Supreme Court has an opportunity to preserve this promise.

Messrs. Cruz and Shackelford represent the Veterans of Foreign Wars, The American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, and the American Ex-Prisoners of War as amici curiae in Salazar v. Buono.

Free Flu Shots Available for Enrolled Veterans

To receive a flu shot, you must be enrolled in the VA healtcare system. Here is a link to enroll for VA medical health benefits. We should be encouraging our veterans to enroll in the Va healthcare system, even if they do not receive care now. If they ne ed services in the future, they will already be in the system. Please forward as necessary. https://www.1010ez.med.va.gov/sec/vha/1010ez/

Free Flu Shots Available for Enrolled Veterans Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:23:19 -0400

Influenza is more than a bad cold; it is a serious disease. Thirty-sixthousand people die from the flu every year. Influenza can causepneumonia, and is especially dangerous for the elderly and people withchronic diseases. The VA recommends that all veterans aged 50 or over,and those with long term medical conditions or weakened immune systems,receive the flu vaccine annually. All of our primary care clinicsthroughout the VA Maryland Health Care System are currently providingfree flu shots. You do not need an appointment to receive a free flushot, just visit your local VA facility during the days/hours listed below. The flu shots are only available for veterans enrolled with theVA Maryland Health Care System.

Walk-In Flu Shot Clinics:

• Baltimore VA Primary Care Clinic, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD:Monday - Friday from 8 am - 4 pm
• Baltimore VA Lobby Clinic, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD: Monday- Friday from 8 am - 3 pm
• Perry Point VA Primary Care Clinic, Perry Point, MD: Monday - Friday from 8 am - 3:30 pm
• Glen Burnie VA Clinic, 808 Landmark Drive, Suite 128, Glen Burnie, MD:Monday - Friday 8am - Noon and 1 pm - 3 pm
• Fort Howard VA Clinic, 9600 North Point Road, Fort Howard, MD: Monday -Friday from 8 am - 3:30 pm
• Loch Raven VA Clinic, 3901 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD: Monday - Friday from 8:30 am - Noon and 1 pm - 3:30 pm
• Cambridge VA Clinic, 830 Chesapeake Drive, Cambridge, MD: Monday and Wednesday from Noon - 4 pm, and Friday 9 am - 3 pm
• Pocomoke VA Clinic, 101 Market Street, Pocomoke City, MD: Thursdays from 9 am - 3 pm
  

Drive-Thru Flu Shot Clinics:

• Perry Point VA Primary Care Clinic Parking Lot, Perry Point, MD: October 3, 2009, from 9 am - 1 pm
• Glen Burnie VA Clinic Parking Lot, 808 Landmark Drive, Suite 128, Glen Burnie, MD: October 3, 2009, from 9 am - 12 pm
• Loch Raven VA Clinic Parking Lot, 3901 The Alameda, Baltimore, MD: October 10, 2009, from 9 am - 12 pm
• Baltimore VA Medical Center Parking Garage, 10 N. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD: October 17, 2009, from 9 am - 1 pm

For general information about the Flu Shot Clinics, please call the FluVaccine Information Line at 1-800-463-6295, ext. 7273. For medical advice, please call the Telephone Care Line 24 hours a day, seven days aweek, by dialing 1-800-865-2441.

Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: 202-282-8010

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano joined Colorado Governor Bill Ritter yesterday to unveil “Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism”—a video produced with DHS grant funding designed to educate Colorado citizens about the shared responsibility of recognizing signs of terrorist activity.

“The vigilance of individual citizens is critical to protecting our country from the threat of terrorism,” said Secretary Napolitano. “This video provides essential information on how to identify the warning signs and emphasizes the vital role of such assistance in state and local law enforcement’s counterterrorism efforts.”

“Eight years after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, it's important to remember the United States is not immune from the atrocities of international terror attacks. Even in Colorado, we need to be prepared to prevent and respond to these types of horrific events,” said Governor Ritter. “Secretary Napolitano’s charge to empower the public with knowledge is a key component in creating prepared and vigilant communities across America. I encourage all Coloradans to see the video ‘Recognizing 8 Signs of Terrorism’ at the CELL because we all have the power to make a difference when we are prepared.”

Under the DHS State Homeland Security Grant Program, the Colorado Office of Homeland Security awarded $30,400 for the creation of the video, which was narrated by John Elway and Kim Christiansen and produced through a partnership between the Colorado Office of Homeland Security, the Colorado Department of Agriculture, the Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) and the Center for Empowered Living & Learning (The CELL)—a non-profit institution dedicated to addressing the global threat of terrorism.

The announcement came during Secretary Napolitano’s trip to Denver, where she joined Governor Ritter on a tour of the CELL.

While in Denver, Secretary Napolitano also joined Attorney General Eric Holder, Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert Mueller and Office of National Drug Control Policy Director Gil Kerlikowske to participate in the National Association of Chiefs of Police Conference.

To view the video, visit www.thecell.org <http://www.thecell.org/> .

VA Staffs Office for Survivors of Vets, Service Members

Shinseki: “Voice of Survivors” Will Strengthen Existing Programs

WASHINGTON -- To strengthen the programs of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the survivors of the nation’s Veterans and military personnel, the Department has staffed an office to serve as their advocate, with a charter that includes creating or modifying programs, benefits and services.

“Taking care of survivors is as essential as taking care of our Veterans and military personnel,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. “By taking care of survivors, we are honoring a commitment made to our Veterans and military members.”

The office serves as the primary advisor to the secretary on all issues affecting the survivors and dependents of deceased Veterans and service members. It will monitor VA’s delivery of benefits to survivors, make appropriate referrals to VA offices for survivors seeking benefits and explore innovative ways of reaching survivors who are not receiving the VA benefits for which they are eligible.

VA benefits for eligible survivors include educational assistance, home loan guaranties, health care insurance and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation, a monthly payment to the survivors of some people who die on active duty and some seriously disabled Veterans.
More than 554,000 spouses, dependents and other survivors of Veterans are receiving VA benefits. That figure includes nearly 5,000 spouses of World War I Veterans, 90 spouses and 94 children of Spanish-American War Veterans, and two children of Civil War Veterans.

The establishment of this office was authorized in the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act of 2008.

The American Legion aids in G.I. Bill financial relief effort

VA to issue emergency checks to veteran students awaiting benefits

WASHINGTON (September 26, 2009) – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) says it is preparing to issue checks of up to $3,000 to students awaiting overdue Post 9/11 G.I. Bill benefits. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki made the announcement Friday night in the wake of reports from The American Legion and other veterans’ service organizations that some students are experiencing undue financial hardships as the result of delays in the reception of G.I. Bill benefit checks. Some students, it is reported, have been forced to borrow money or take on extracurricular work to pay tuition, fees and other educational expenses while they await their newly implemented benefits. The emergency checks will be made available to eligible students through VA regional offices beginning October 1, according to Secretary Shinseki’s office.

“It is heartening to see the Secretary and his department responding so swiftly and decisively to this unfortunate situation,” said National Commander Clarence E. Hill of The American Legion. “This is a brand new benefits program, instituted just weeks ago, so some startup glitches are to be expected,” he continued, “but the VA’s willingness to rectify the problem should be applauded. As I said earlier this week, our veteran students should be free to concentrate on their studies rather than be worried by financial burdens. Secretary Shinseki has echoed my sentiment.

“The American Legion offers its extensive outreach services in implementing the emergency student relief program,” continued Hill. “We are ready to help students apply for and obtain the benefits they deserve.”

Post 9/11 G.I. Bill students can contact The American Legion directly for assistance with educational benefits questions and issues at 202-263-2995 or by sending an email to the vice president of the National Association of Veterans’ Program Administrators at askvalerie@legion.org

The American Legion has created a website, www.mygibill.org, to aid veterans in understanding and applying for their benefits under the new Post 9/11 GI Bill.

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

VA Patient Care Scam

The VA has received reports that veterans are being contacted by a "Patient Care Group" that claims it is helping to administer the VA's prescription medicine program. "Patient Care Group" is saying the VA recently changed its pharmacy billing procedures, therefore a personal credit card number is now required for prescription payments in advance of filling those prescriptions.

This is a scam! Do not provide credit card information over the phone to anyone who claims to represent the VA! The VA has not changed their pharmacy procedures, and they do not ask veterans to disclose personal financial information over the phone. If you should receive such a call, do not give them any information.

Tell them you are busy and try to get a name and callback number. Report that information to your local police.

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day

Congressional Record

U.S. Senate Passes Resolution making September 16, The American Legion Day


THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9274] GPO's PDF

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 260, which was submitted earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The bill clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 260) designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.

Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I rise to support this legislation I introduced with Senator LINCOLN, Senator COLLINS, and Senator CHAMBLISS, which would officially recognize this Nation's largest veterans' service organization, The American Legion , and its vital role in communities across the Nation, by designating September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day.''

Nothing describes the role of The American Legion more beautifully than its preamble to its constitution which is recited by its members at the beginning of every official meeting.

For God and Country, we associated ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the Master of Might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to Posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

I think we all would agree that these are extremely lofty goals for any organization, but amazingly The American Legion continues to work towards these objectives--not for themselves, but for America .

Most people are surprised to learn that The American Legion was actually founded in Paris , France . You see World War I veterans remembered the challenges facing other wartime veterans from previous generations and vowed not to let their fellow comrades face the same hardships, especially those with service-connected disabilities. They were concerned with employment opportunities for returning combat veterans. They were concerned about the survivors of combat veterans who had paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. They were concerned about medical care for the wounded and ill returning service members.

Now, as at its founding, The American Legion remains focused on supporting military service members and their families. Since December, The American Legion's Operation Comfort Warrior raised over $170,000 to buy merchandise for Wounded Warriors in military treatment centers around the country. The American Legion also established the ``Heroes to Hometowns'' program which helps local communities prepare ``welcome home'' events when wounded warriors are finally released from military or veterans' affairs medical centers. Since the first Gulf War, The American Legion has maintained its Family Support Network which assists deployed service members and their families, especially members of the National Guard and Reserves. Some requests are for financial assistance, but other requests are simply for household chores, such as lawn work or car maintenance, that would normally be done by the soldier, sailor, airmen, Marine, were they not deployed. No request is too large or too small.

Many Legionnaires can be found in public schools on Veterans' Day or Memorial Day talking about their military service in periods of armed conflict to make sure the next generation of Americans understands the sacrifices and hardships of previous generations of wartime veterans. Legionnaires also teach students about the proper display and care of the Flag of the United States .

The American Legion works closely with the American Red Cross--the largest organization of blood donors and a working partner in disaster assistance. Many American Legion Posts serve as Red Cross and FEMA work centers in areas hit by natural disasters.

The American Legion is also proud of its membership's spirit of volunteerism. Each year, Legionnaires volunteer over a million hours of services in VA and military medical facilities, State veterans' homes, and other such community volunteer opportunities.

And one of the most solemn of functions is providing burial details for fallen comrades of every generation. The American Legion Color Guards, Buglers and Rifle Squads perform thousands of burials in veterans' and private cemeteries around the Nation.

As all of us in this chamber know, The American Legion remains today an active and vigorous advocate for service members, veterans and their families here on Capitol Hill. Among its greatest legislative achievements was the enactment of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, the GI Bill of Rights. The initial draft of the GI Bill was written by Legionnaires at the Mayflower Hotel here in Washington , DC . Many consider the GI Bill as one of the greatest pieces of legislation ever enacted.

Congress presented The American Legion its Federal charter on September 16, 1919; therefore, I think it only fitting that we proclaim September 16, 2009, ``The American Legion Day.'' I sincerely hope that my colleagues will join me in supporting this well-earned measure, demonstrating our mutual esteem and reverence for this outstanding organization.

Mr. WHITEHOUSE. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 260) was agreed to.

SENATE RESOLUTION 260--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 16, 2009, AS ``THE AMERICAN LEGION DAY'' -- (Senate - September 10, 2009)
[Page: S9269] GPO's PDF

Ms. SNOWE (for herself, Mrs. Lincoln, Ms. Collins, and Mr. Chambliss) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

S. Res. 260
Whereas, on September 16, 1919, Congress issued to the American Legion a Federal charter as a wartime veterans service organization;

Whereas the American Legion remains active in communities at the national, State, and local levels;

Whereas members of the American Legion (commonly referred to as ``Legionnaires'') provide millions of hours of volunteer service to medical facilities of the Department of Veterans Affairs and State homes for veterans throughout the United States ;

Whereas the American Legion continues to sponsor activities for children and youth, including the National Oratorical Contest, Boy Scouts, American Legion Baseball, Boys State, and Boys Nation;

Whereas the American Legion awards millions of dollars in college scholarships to young men and women;

Whereas the American Legion National Emergency Fund provides financial assistance to Legionnaires displaced by natural disasters;

Whereas the American Legion Family Support Network provides assistance to members of the Armed Forces of the United States and their families;

Whereas the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation has provided millions of dollars to programs focused on youth in the United States , including the Special Olympics and the Children's Miracle Network;

Whereas the American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance provides grants to veterans with children experiencing financial hardships;

Whereas the American Legion remains second to none in steadfast support of strong national defense;

Whereas the American Legion supports maintaining a viable and principled foreign relations agenda;

Whereas the American Legion is a staunch advocate for the principal missions of the Department of Veterans Affairs;

Whereas the American Legion wrote the original draft of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 (58 Stat. 284, chapter 268), commonly referred to as the ``G. I. Bill of Rights'';

Whereas the American Legion continues to support employment programs and opportunities for veterans; and

Whereas Legionnaires believe that a veteran's service to the United States continues long after the veteran is honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States : Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate designates September 16, 2009, as ``The American Legion Day''.

The American Legion leader outlines priority items for Congress

WASHINGTON (Sept. 10, 2009 ) - The newly elected leader of The American Legion has spelled out the veterans service organization’s seven leading priorities for Congress.

National Commander Clarence E. Hill, just two weeks into his one-year term, testified before a joint session of the U.S. House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committees this morning, succinctly outlining the Legion’s continuing concern over funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs , VA’s huge caseload backlog and the fate of VA medicine in light of impending changes in the nation’s health care system.

Hill submitted 40 pages of written testimony to committee members, but also offered a few minutes of oral testimony in a packed Cannon House Office Building caucus room. Among the hundreds witnessing the commander’s testimony were Legion leaders from across the nation who had made an annual pilgrimage to Washington to visit their congressional representatives as well as a contingent of wounded warriors from nearby Walter Reed Army Medical Center whose presence inspired two standing ovations.

Hill summarized his brief remarks by declaring seven “priority items” for congressional consideration. These included what he called “timely, predictable and sufficient” appropriations “to support the Department of Veterans Affairs’ delivery of quality health care to the nation’s veterans.” The commander also reiterated the Legion’s argument that VA health care be kept autonomous and not rolled into any national health care plan.

Hill also urged passage of twin House and Senate bills that would enable Medicare reimbursement to the VA for medical treatment of eligible veterans, plus improved screening of and treatment for traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress disorder.

The Legion commander also urged changes in the newly enacted Post 9/11 G.I. Bill that would expand financial aid to include veterans who wish to pursue vocational and trade school educational opportunities rather than just those presented in colleges and universities. He also encouraged improved regulation of the Local Veterans’ Employment Representative (LVER) and Disabled Veterans’ Outreach (DVOP) programs at the state level to help bolster employment opportunities for veterans.

An oft-repeated topic of discussion during the commander’s testimony was the huge backlog of unprocessed and partially processed VA disability claims. Some sources say the number of claims in the backlog now approach one-million. The Legion leader said that improved training and retention of case workers, plus the institution of measures to, as he put it, “get it right the first time,” thus avoiding repeated and extensive processing of claims, will help free the logjam. Hill and the Legion drew praise for offering solutions to the vexing problem, rather than simply express alarm about it.

Praise was also offered by committee members to each other for their largely bipartisan efforts to address the needs of the nation’s military veterans. The most passionate statement in this regard was made by Bernie Sanders, the Independent senator from Vermont. “I voted against the war in Iraq,” he proclaimed, “but no matter whether you favor a war or oppose it, it is wrong to blame those who put on the uniform.” His comment elicited loud applause. Testimony is presented annually to lawmakers by The American Legion’s national commander shortly after Congress reconvenes in its fall session.

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

Post 295 Raffle Winner

The raffle to support wounded warriors ended today at the Montgomery County Agricultural Fair ended with two winners being selected.

The winners have been contacted but they have not yet selected their prize. When they have selected their prizes we will publish the information.

MC AG Fair Chairman Steve Olcott selected the winners.

VA Scraps Current Developer and Plan after Lengthy Delays

(Fort Howard, MD) – After lengthy delays, the Department of Veterans Affairs just announced it has terminated the current plan to develop a veteran’s facility at Fort Howard in Baltimore County. Team Maryland, including Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), and Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith (D-MD), support the VA’s search for a new developer committed to creating a high-quality, affordable community for Maryland veterans and their families.

Fort Howard Senior Housing Associates LLC, the developer, broke ground more than three years ago. The first phase of the $180 million public-private partnership for the continuing care retirement community geared toward Maryland veterans was slated to be complete this year. Construction has stalled after disagreements over cost, size, and local transportation needs.

“We have a sacred trust with the veterans who serve our country so we may live in freedom. Part of that sacred trust is making sure we provide them with the services and support they need and deserve,” said Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). “Preserving land for veterans shows Maryland’s vets that America is with them. That’s why I will continue the fight to ensure that Fort Howard is developed in a way that is valuable to veterans and favorable to the surrounding community.”


"I am committed to working with the VA and prospective developers to provide our aging veterans with a care facility that will meet their needs,” said Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), a member of the Senate Budget Committee. “Our veterans were there when we needed them and now it's time for us to be there to help them meet the challenges of aging.”


“Maryland veterans risked their lives for their country. They deserve a first-rate, reasonably priced facility that will be an integral part of the community and a good neighbor to the area. I look forward to working together with our local, state, and federal partners to redevelop this area in a positive way that doesn’t negatively impact existing communities,” said Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD), a member of the House Appropriations Committee. “From the War of 1812 where Marylanders fought off the British to Fort Howard’s role as a VA Hospital until it closed in 2002, Fort Howard has been an important piece of Maryland history. Maryland veterans deserve to enjoy this facility with its gorgeous views of the Patapsco River and its proud past.

"I am hopeful that the Veteran's Administration will be able to reach an agreement with a new developer for the Fort Howard project in the near future," stated Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith (D-MD). "I am confident that there are developers who will be able to work with the community and Baltimore County to create a quality living environment for our veterans who have done so much for their country."

VA Launches 10-Year Health Study of Recent Veterans

In summer 2009 the Department of Veterans Affairs is launching one of the largest scientific research studies ever undertaken on the health of recent Veterans - the "National Health Study for a New Generation of U.S. Veterans." Findings from this questionnaire-based study of 60,000 Veterans of Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere will provide insight on the long-term health of these Veterans.

Additional information can be found at: http://www.publichealth.va.gov/research/epidemiology/newgenerationhealthstudy

Legion salutes ‘ California fix’ to new GI Bill

The last FIX is to allow retirees who qualify to transfer their benefits to thier children. Right now only active duty may do so. ~ Bob

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 5, 2009) – The best veterans benefit in a generation just got better, said the head of the nation’s largest veterans service organization, American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein.

“The new GI Bill is making it possible for today’s veterans and family members to obtain the higher education that they so richly deserve,” Rehbein said. “But even though this bill, made possible through the advocacy efforts of The American Legion and others, goes a long way toward expressing the gratitude this nation has toward its heroes, there were some inequities that needed to be corrected. The solution reached between California and VA is a step in the right direction.”

Rehbein was referring to disparities in the benefit caused by the wide ranging tuition rates found in different states. The Post-9/11 GI Bill educational benefit authorizes VA to pay the actual tuition and fees charged by a university up to the maximum in-state tuition and fees charged by the most expensive public university in the state. California state schools, however, charge little or no tuition, but instead label the cost as “fees.” The result of this semantic difference was that students attending private schools in California would receive a far smaller benefit than those attending private schools in other states.

The VA and California resolved the issue yesterday by allowing the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept a new California billing line item “Educational Fee / Tuition” to meet the requirements.

“The Post-9/11 GI Bill is an important part of fulfilling our promise to the men and women who have served our country so honorably,” Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki said. “This solution will allow all veterans who want to attend a California school the same benefits as any other veterans across the nation.”

Moreover, veterans at more than 1,100 private colleges, universities and schools across the country can benefit from the “Yellow Ribbon” program, which helps pay the difference between the highest in-state public school tuition rate and the cost of the private institution. The Yellow Ribbon schools agree to pay up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match the additional funding for students using the GI Bill.

Rehbein, who met with President Obama yesterday, said he is pleased that the president is taking an inclusive approach to using the GI Bill. Currently, National Guard members mobilized under “Title 32” state orders do not enjoy the same GI Bill benefits offered to their counterparts mobilized under federal orders.

“My general philosophy is that somebody who served in uniform on behalf of our safety and security, they should be eligible,” Obama said. “We want to be inclusive rather than exclusive. We want to encourage more people to use the program rather than less.”

The American Legion’s strong support of GI Bill benefits is nothing new. It was a past national commander of The American Legion, Harry W. Colmery, who wrote the original Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944. As modern day tuition rates soared, The American Legion wanted today’s veterans to enjoy the same benefits as their predecessors. The Legion was the leading champion for ushering the new GI Bill through Congress.

“Passing this historic new GI Bill into law could not have happened without the dedicated efforts of The American Legion,” Chairman of the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee Rep. Chet Edwards said at the time.

Rehbein said that The American Legion will continue to advocate for greater equity and inclusiveness in the distribution of GI Bill benefits. He recommended that veterans contact The American Legion if they have questions about their benefits or visit www.mygibill.org .

“Whenever there is a program of this scope, there will be glitches,” Rehbein said. “This GI Bill, however, is a result of support from the grassroots, advocacy from The American Legion, and Congress doing the right thing. We are grateful for the agreement reached between VA and California . It’s now time to address any other inequities that exist.”

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.

VA healthcare will not be endangered by national system, says President Obama

Promise made during private meeting with National Commander of The American Legion

WASHINGTON (Aug. 4, 2009) – President Obama, meeting privately with the leader of nation’s largest veterans service organization this morning, pledged to keep the medical care system administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs essentially as is – quelling fears that VA healthcare would be absorbed into a national health care system.

“(I) got his very strong assurance the VA as our veterans know it will continue to exist,” said National Commander David K. Rehbein. “It will not be diluted or folded into some sort of national system and that the folks who go to the VA…that will be considered their insurance, so any insurance requirements (will be met) simply by being enrolled in the VA.”

Another topic discussed during the one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office was Medicare reimbursement to the VA, a proposal long championed by The American Legion. This proposed practice would require Medicare to pay for care provided at Department VA medical facilities to Medicare beneficiaries – that is, eligible veterans over the age of 65 with non-service related injuries, illnesses and conditions. Currently, Medicare is precluded by statute from doing this.

“Medicare reimbursement to VA would be a boon to veterans in that it would encourage them to take advantage of what we consider the best care anywhere,” said Rehbein. It would also generate much-needed revenue for the VA.” The “Medicare VA Reimbursement Act of 2009” resulted from a discussion Rehbein had with House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA) at the Legion’s DC headquarters just three weeks ago. “I am pleased that Chairman Filner visited with us and then took prompt action,” Rehbein said.

Obama and Rehbein also discussed the positive effects that the enhanced educational benefits contained within the newly enacted and American Legion-pioneered Post 9/11 GI Bill will have on the veterans community and the nation as a whole.

The vexing problem of a dramatically growing backlog of VA benefits claims was also considered by the two. Rehbein said he feels the president “fully appreciates” its gravity and will do what he can to aid in its solution.

Rehbein, obviously pleased with the meeting’s outcome, characterized the 25-minute White House chat as “very friendly…conversational in style” in which “issues were discussed rather than positions being presented.”

With a current membership of 2.5 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
A high resolution photo of Nat. Cmdr. Rehbein is available at www.legion.org.

New Paid Up For Life Program

*** Applications under the old pay scale must be received by August 15th to ensure processing.

New Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) Program Effective October 1, 2009 and Procedural Changes
The Paid-Up-For-Life (PUFL) program changed as a result of National Executive Committee Resolution 8 passed during the Spring Meetings, May 6-7, 2009 (copy attached). See the attached PUFL brochure for the new rate chart and the new required forms for all new PUFL applications.

New rates are effective October 1, 2009. All PUFL applications being submitted at the current rates must be received at National by September 1, 2009. This gives time to process the applications under the current system before the new rates go into effect. No PUFL applications will be accepted on the old forms after the September 1st cut-off.

The Time Payment Plan, which currently allows up to 12 months to pay, has been extended to a 36-month payment period. This is a big benefit of the new plan. The rate chart on the application has been changed to show monthly payment amounts instead of the full payment due.

Instead of the 10% minimum deposit that is currently required, the member must only include the first month's payment, as noted on the rate chart. If the member chooses to pay more than the minimum deposit, the remaining balance will be divided into 35 additional payments, which will decrease the amount of the monthly payment. National will continue to forward payment coupons to the member once the application has been accepted and processed. A new option has been added to give the member the opportunity for automatic monthly credit card billing.
Members may still pay the full amount at the time of application. To calculate the total cost of a PUFL membership, the member (or post officer) will need to find the monthly payment on the rate chart and multiply it by 36. PLEASE NOTE: The total fee must be entered on the front of the application, regardless of whether the member is paying in full or choosing the Time Payment Plan.

Beginning October 1, 2009, all PUFL applications must be accompanied by a copy of the member's separation form (DD214 or similar) or a copy of their current active duty military identification. If neither is available, provide a brief explanation and include a copy of the member's current driver's license. The PUFL application will not be processed if eligibility documentation is not provided and will be returned to the Department Headquarters for resolution.

Member's who choose to participate in the Time Payment Plan must complete the Participation Agreement on the back of the application. Any forms received without a signature will be returned to the department for correction. This new form is procedural change from the current system.

Your Department will be shipped a supply of the new PUFL brochures for immediate use as soon as they are received from the printers. In addition all the forms will also be on www.legion.org by August 7th. Also next week, we will forward a computer fill-in form to you for your use. We ask that you use all available means of communication to publicize the impending changes and the cut-off day of September 1st, as well as the October 1st effective date of the new application and rates.

We understand that these are fairly significant changes but they're necessary in order to keep the PUFL program viable.

Hosts with the most: Post 295

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 by James Peters | Staff Writer Gazette.net

Hosts with the most: Post 295

Legion team focuses on more than just defending title

As host of the 2009 Maryland State American Legion baseball tournament, Gaithersburg Post 295 manager Rick Price found himself with many more duties than just defending his program's state championship.

The event began Friday and was to conclude with Tuesday's championship game, which ended too late to be included in this edition. But before the first pitch was thrown at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field, Price knew all the extra work was worth it.

"It's exciting for me," said Price. "The first morning, the first two teams walked in — Wicomico [Post 64] and LaPlata [Post 82] — and the kids' eyes light up. They were excited to play on the field. I knew then this was the right place. It made the tournament for me. I think they're having a blast. How often do you get to play on an ACC field?"

Post 295, the only American Legion Post to host a Maryland state tournament without its own home field, secured Shipley with the cooperation of the former Terrapins baseball staff. That commitment was upheld despite a coaching change from Terry Rupp to Erik Bakich, who has since offered Shipley Field on a permanent basis.

"The ex-coach, Terry Rupp, was the first one to get it started and Jeremy Menna [Maryland's Director of Grounds] has done the leg work for the whole tournament," Price said.

The whole Post 295 community has also chipped in to help run the five-day, eight-team tournament. Players' parents help manage the concession stand and ticket sales each day, going late into the night because of rain and lengthy games.

Sharing the day-to-day operations duties with Price is Montgomery County Commander Bob Ouellette of Post 295. Ouellette produced the tournament program, announced lineups for most games and used his grill to cook up hot dogs for the concession stand.

"To be able to host two state tournaments in a relatively short time [the other in 2003 at Shirley Povich field] is a pretty big honor," Ouellette said. "They felt well enough of us to allow us to have it again. … The hardest thing is getting people out to volunteer their time, but we're very appreciative of those volunteers that have come out for the tournament."

Besides concession and ticket duties, Gaithersburg Post 295 is also responsible for housing and feeding teams from 50 miles or more away, in this case, Wicomico Post 64 and Cumberland Post 13.

As part of the festivities, former Washington Senators Jim Coates and Chuck Hinton threw out the first pitch before Post 295's game against Gaithersburg Post 104 on Friday night.

Coates pitched for the New York Yankees from 1956-1962. The '56 team, which defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers for the World Series title, included Whitey Ford, Yogi Berra, Mickey Mantle, Phil Rizzuto and Don Larsen. Hinton played 11 years for the Senators, Cleveland Indians and California Angels.

Gaithersburg Post 295 received a temporary charter on April 15, 1983, and that same year, Price began the baseball program. Post 295 earned permanent status on December 7, 1984, and captured its first county championship in 1990. Gaithersburg has since won nine county crowns and three state championships, in 2003, '04 and '08.

Defending champions dethroned

Tuesday, July 28, 2009 by James Peters | Staff Writer

Defending champions dethroned

Gaithersburg Post 295's reign as the Maryland State American Legion champions came to an end Monday afternoon.

Trailing 6-4 going into the bottom of the eighth inning, Mount Airy Post 191 rallied for four runs en route to an 8-6 victory at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field, ending defending champion Gaithersburg's 2009 campaign.

Mount Airy will now face Gaithersburg Post 104 in Tuesday's final. Post 191 is undefeated in the tournament, and Post 104 (21-11) will have to beat it twice to win the state crown. The first game is set for 10 a.m. Tuesday, to be followed by a second if needed.

Post 295, the Montgomery Division champions, finished the season with a 28-7 record.

"It was just a matter of time before they got some timely hits and put some runs up there," Gaithersburg manager Rick Price said. "They're a good hitting team; that's what good hitting teams do. They eventually get you."

After seven solid innings of pitching from Tyler Klitsch, just back from vacation, Price handed the ball to reliever Brian Black in the bottom of the eighth with Post 295 up a pair of runs. Leadoff batter Larson Kimble worked a walk to start the inning and then Brian Peuthus tried to bunt him over to second base. Black quickly grabbed the bunt and threw to second in time to get Kimble, but the field umpire called Kimble safe, ruling that shortstop Tyler Ewing was off the bag.

"I just picked up the ball and threw to Tyler," Black said. "It looked like he was definitely there on the base and then he pulled off to look at first. I guess with the cloud of dust and the slide, the umpire just couldn't see his foot on the base. …

"It's just disappointing something like that would hurt our chances. We had chances all game to score runs and get more insurance, but to have their rally started on that kind of play hurts."

Jake Ringold followed with a sacrifice bunt to move Kimble to third and Peuthus to second. Doug Anuszewski then singled to left field to cut the lead to 6-5. Jason Driver, who was hitless on the day, then drove a pitch to left center field after what appeared to be strike three to drive in the tying run. Two batters later, Taylor Henry put Post 191 ahead for good with a two-run single to center field.

The loss diminished a strong outing by Klitsch, who allowed just two earned runs in his seven innings of work. He struck out four and walked two.

"His command was the best it's been all year," Price said. "That's the best hitting team in the tournament, including Frederick [Post 11]. And he held them. He just ran out of gas."

The contest started out in a back-and-forth fashion with Post 295 scoring first in the top of the first inning on a bases-loaded walk by Gary Schneider. Post 11 answered back with two runs in the bottom of the second inning, scoring on a combination of an error, a well-placed bunt single and a fielder's choice.

Gaithersburg rallied for the lead again in the top of the third with four runs, on a Nick Loftus single, a Schneider double and a two-run single by Josh Mendelson. Frederick trimmed the lead to 5-4 with two runs in the third on a two-base error and a single by Alex Anwar.

Post 11 looked poised to add some runs in the fourth with runners on second and third with one out but Anuszewski lined out and Klitsch struck out Driver. Gaithersburg then extended the lead to 6-4 on a single to left field by Ewing that scored Zach Skellchock in the top of the fifth.

Post 295 stranded eight runners in the final five innings and were caught stealing twice.

Deja Vu!

by James Peters
Staff Writer
After watching Gaithersburg Post 295 overcome sizable deficits during a two-game championship sweep at last weekend’s Montgomery Division tournament, Gaithersburg Post 104 manager Joe Stolz compared his team’s neighborhood rival to Jason, the “Friday the 13th” character for Post 295’s ability to rise time and again from seeming defeat.
When the two teams hooked up again Friday in a first round Maryland State American Legion contest at the University of Maryland’s Shipley Field, the nightmare that is Post 295 haunted Stolz and his squad once again as the host squad turned a 7-2 seventh-inning deficit into an 11-7 victory.

Post 295 (27-5) scored nine times in the seventh inning to turn the five-run deficit into the eventual four-run victory that places it into Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. contest with Frederick Post 11 (31-2), which dismantled Cumberland Post 13, 34-3, in seven innings earlier in the day.
Post 104 (18-11) will now square off against Post 13 at 12:30 p.m. with the loser being bounced from the tournament.

“We just don’t want to go down,” said Post 295 right fielder Matt Civetti, who helped spark the nine-run rally with a two-run single and a pair of runs. “We don’t want to go down to a team that’s so close to us. We just never get up. We just turn on the bats.”
Post 295’s resurrection began against Post 104 ace pitcher Nick Riley, who limited his opponent to just two runs – both coming in the third inning – in his first six innings of work but Post 295 worked a couple of runs against him in the seventh, forcing Stolz to lift him in favor of Mike Linkins.

Stolz said he should have taken Riley out when the first two runners reach base, allowing Linkins to take over with two on and no out and Post 104 still up five runs. Instead, Linkins entered with the bases loaded and one out and was roughed up for seven more runs before getting out of the inning when Gary Schneider was caught stealing at third base.
In between Riley’s departure and the throw out, Post 295 used a bases-loaded walk by Spencer Pearman, two run-scoring singles by Tyler Ewing and Nick Loftus and a pair of two-run hits by Schneider and Civetti to take its first lead of the game.

“When the first two batters got on, I should have taken Riley out,” said Stolz, whose team was also plagued by numerous stranded runners. “His pitch count was near 100. I went out and talked to him and he said he was fine but I should have known better. That was a mistake. I didn’t take him out, out of respect for him and [catcher] Ben [Silverman]. Both said he was strong.”
With the lead, Brian Black pitched three shutout innings in relief to seal the victory. Black relieved Pearman, who allowed two runs in his 3 2/3 innings of work. Pearman had not taken the mound all season but with ace pitcher Jimmy Reed held back for another day of rest and with Gazette Player of the Year Dominique Vattuone out with a broken jaw suffered last weekend when he was hit by a pitch, Pearman was summoned out of center field.

“He told me before the game I would go a few innings,” Pearman said. “My arm was feeling great. I was trying to hold them. I tried to do my job. I threw a bullpen four days ago.”
Like in the teams’ two division championship games, Post 104 opened an early lead, scoring five runs on four run-scoring singles by Tim Riley, Kory Smigocki, Mike Campos and Evan Pappas and a wild pitch thrown by surprise starter Zach Skellchock in the bottom of the first inning. Kenny Beyer opened the game with a double.

Post 104 had a chance to add to that lead in the top of the second, loading the bases with three straight walks with two down but Skellchock was able to get Pappas to flyout to catcher Gary Schneider. It did, however, capitalize on an inning-opening double down the left field line by Mike Murphy in the third inning, however, for a 6-0 lead. Murphy scored the sixth run on a single to right field by Beyer to chase Skellchock in favor of Pearman.

Post 295 finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, striking for two runs on three hits, a hit batsman and a fielder’s choice. Ewing and Mike Ryan scored on a single by Loftus and a fielder’s choice groundball hit by Nick Karis with the bases loaded, cutting the deficit to 6-2.
Post 104 loaded the bases in the fifth inning but Pearman struck out Matt Miller looking to end the threat. Pearman almost worked similar magic in the sixth inning, striking out two with runners on second and third. He produced two strikes on Nick Vergelli as well but Vergelli was able to line a shot up the middle for a 7-2 advantage.

“It’s just a rivalry,” Pearman said. “We’ve just to go out there and show them whose better.”

Deja Vu

by James Peters
Staff Writer
After watching Gaithersburg Post 295 overcome sizable deficits during a two-game championship sweep at last weekend’s Montgomery Division tournament, Gaithersburg Post 104 manager Joe Stolz compared his team’s neighborhood rival to Jason, the “Friday the 13th” character for Post 295’s ability to rise time and again from seeming defeat.
When the two teams hooked up again Friday in a first round Maryland State American Legion contest at the University of Maryland’s Shipley Field, the nightmare that is Post 295 haunted Stolz and his squad once again as the host squad turned a 7-2 seventh-inning deficit into an 11-7 victory.

Post 295 (27-5) scored nine times in the seventh inning to turn the five-run deficit into the eventual four-run victory that places it into Saturday’s 7:30 p.m. contest with Frederick Post 11 (31-2), which dismantled Cumberland Post 13, 34-3, in seven innings earlier in the day.
Post 104 (18-11) will now square off against Post 13 at 12:30 p.m. with the loser being bounced from the tournament.

“We just don’t want to go down,” said Post 295 right fielder Matt Civetti, who helped spark the nine-run rally with a two-run single and a pair of runs. “We don’t want to go down to a team that’s so close to us. We just never get up. We just turn on the bats.”
Post 295’s resurrection began against Post 104 ace pitcher Nick Riley, who limited his opponent to just two runs – both coming in the third inning – in his first six innings of work but Post 295 worked a couple of runs against him in the seventh, forcing Stolz to lift him in favor of Mike Linkins.

Stolz said he should have taken Riley out when the first two runners reach base, allowing Linkins to take over with two on and no out and Post 104 still up five runs. Instead, Linkins entered with the bases loaded and one out and was roughed up for seven more runs before getting out of the inning when Gary Schneider was caught stealing at third base.
In between Riley’s departure and the throw out, Post 295 used a bases-loaded walk by Spencer Pearman, two run-scoring singles by Tyler Ewing and Nick Loftus and a pair of two-run hits by Schneider and Civetti to take its first lead of the game.

“When the first two batters got on, I should have taken Riley out,” said Stolz, whose team was also plagued by numerous stranded runners. “His pitch count was near 100. I went out and talked to him and he said he was fine but I should have known better. That was a mistake. I didn’t take him out, out of respect for him and [catcher] Ben [Silverman]. Both said he was strong.”
With the lead, Brian Black pitched three shutout innings in relief to seal the victory. Black relieved Pearman, who allowed two runs in his 3 2/3 innings of work. Pearman had not taken the mound all season but with ace pitcher Jimmy Reed held back for another day of rest and with Gazette Player of the Year Dominique Vattuone out with a broken jaw suffered last weekend when he was hit by a pitch, Pearman was summoned out of center field.

“He told me before the game I would go a few innings,” Pearman said. “My arm was feeling great. I was trying to hold them. I tried to do my job. I threw a bullpen four days ago.”
Like in the teams’ two division championship games, Post 104 opened an early lead, scoring five runs on four run-scoring singles by Tim Riley, Kory Smigocki, Mike Campos and Evan Pappas and a wild pitch thrown by surprise starter Zach Skellchock in the bottom of the first inning. Kenny Beyer opened the game with a double.

Post 104 had a chance to add to that lead in the top of the second, loading the bases with three straight walks with two down but Skellchock was able to get Pappas to flyout to catcher Gary Schneider. It did, however, capitalize on an inning-opening double down the left field line by Mike Murphy in the third inning, however, for a 6-0 lead. Murphy scored the sixth run on a single to right field by Beyer to chase Skellchock in favor of Pearman.

Post 295 finally got on the board in the bottom of the third inning, striking for two runs on three hits, a hit batsman and a fielder’s choice. Ewing and Mike Ryan scored on a single by Loftus and a fielder’s choice groundball hit by Nick Karis with the bases loaded, cutting the deficit to 6-2.
Post 104 loaded the bases in the fifth inning but Pearman struck out Matt Miller looking to end the threat. Pearman almost worked similar magic in the sixth inning, striking out two with runners on second and third. He produced two strikes on Nick Vergelli as well but Vergelli was able to line a shot up the middle for a 7-2 advantage.

“It’s just a rivalry,” Pearman said. “We’ve just to go out there and show them whose better.”

Post 295 juniors also in postseason

Tuesday, July 21, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer Gazette Newspapers

Gaithersburg Post 295's senior American Legion baseball team is not the Post's only program headed for postseason play. The Post 295 Junior Legion squad recently qualified for the National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF) 18-and-under wood bat regional tournament, which will be held in Altoona, Pa., Thursday through Sunday.

After struggling to a 7-10 mark to open the summer season, the junior legion squad finished regular season play with a 25-11 record, 21-11 in the Potomac Junior Legion league. The team consists of players from Northwest High, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, Poolesville, Washington Christian Academy and Landon.

"Coaching this team was a pure pleasure for me and my coaching staff: Randy Smith, Paul Mattes, and Jason Pak," Post 295 manager Steve Cononie said. "These guys started out slow but finished as strong as any team I have ever coached."

Leading Post 295's offensive attack have been Bobby Donson (.475 average, 21 runs batted in), Nathan Pauley (.395, 17 RBI), Nathan Burford (.352, 15 RBI), Travis Smith (.387, 15 RBI) and Drew Karlin (.356, 16 RBI). Karlin (4-1, 1.38 earned-run average), Donson (3-1, 4.88 ERA) and Matt Cononie (3-0, 3.43 ERA) have anchored the pitching staff.

"To win the NABF regionals, they will need to keep doing everything they have been doing the second two-thirds of the season," Steve Cononie said. "If they continue to hit and the pitchers keep pounding the strike zone, these guys will go far. They play with tons of heart and a refuse-to-lose attitude."

Legion state tourney: Can Post 295 do it again?

Tuesday, July 21, 2009, by James Peters Staff Writer

As the host of this week's Maryland State American Legion baseball tournament at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field, Gaithersburg Post 295 will be in charge of the day-to-day operations. But it had no control over the random pre-tournament pairing draw.
Because of that, the defending state champions will play a familiar foe during Friday's first round: Gaithersburg Post 104, which it played three times last week. Post 295 beat Post 104 twice Sunday to win the Montgomery Division championship.

Post 104 qualified for the state tournament by reaching the final, with Post 295 having automatically secured a spot as host.

"It is a little weird, because it will be the fourth time in a week," said Post 295 pitcher-infielder Zach Skellchock. "They're ready for it, we're ready for it, so let's go out and play."
Added Post 104 manager Joe Stolz: "Going to states is fun … and we'll play them again. These were two competitive, close games and that will be, too."

Friday's contest, the final one slated for the first day, could be a repeat pitching match-up between Post 295 left-hander Jimmy Reed (7-1, 1.62 earned-run average) and Post 104 ace Nick Riley (5-3, 3.32 ERA). Reed went the distance in Sunday's opener, while Riley was lifted after his shutout bid ended in the sixth inning.

"It will be a great experience to get to host it and see what we can do in the state tournament," said Post 295 manager Rick Price.

Post 295 is paced on the mound by Reed, Dominique Vattuone (5-0, 2.78 ERA) and Tyler Klitsch (3-2, 2.33 ERA), and at the plate by Nike Karis (.383 average, 22 runs batted in), Mike Ryan (.378, 15 RBI), Spencer Pearman (.351, 24 RBI) and Matt Civetti (.319, 4 home runs, 24 RBI).
Riley and Mike Linkins (4-1, 4.50 ERA) anchor the Post 104 pitching staff, while Kenny Beyer (.444, 27 runs), Matt Miller (.367, 22 RBI, 35 runs) and Ben Silverman (.337, 29 RBI) are the team's top hitters.

"It's very weird but hey, if we beat them, it's sweet," Post 104 infielder Kory Smigocki said.
The rest of the eight-team state tournament field consists of LaPlata Post 82, Fort Cumberland Post 13, Frederick Post 11 and Mount Airy Post 191.

Two more teams will be involved: The Anne Arundel County champion, Pasadena Post 277 or Severna Park Post 175, and the Eastern Shore champion, Salisbury Post 64 or Queen Anne Post 18/36. Both were involved in games which ended too late to be included in this edition.
Post 11 appears the strongest of the non-Montgomery County teams, having gone 24-0 in district play. It boasts a powerful lineup including Hank Adams (.398, 6 home runs, 33 RBI), Brent DeHaven (.410, 23 RBI, 36 runs), Brady Wilson (.419, 17 extra-base hits, 40 RBI) and Frankie Zier (.462, 38 RBI). It pitches well, too, with arms like Zach Jones (6-1, 3.00 ERA), Nick Meekins (6-0, 5.79 ERA) and Zier (7-0, 3.09 ERA).

- Sandy Spring Post 68 entered the Montgomery Division tournament having won 13 of its final 14 games on-field, but couldn't carry that momentum into the postseason.
Post 68 dropped its only two tournament games to end what was an otherwise strong summer, the second in the team's brief existence.

- Gaithersburg Post 104 used just two pitchers, Nick Riley and Mike Linkins, to reach Sunday's Montgomery Division tournament championship game. But it was forced to use seven hurlers during a double-header sweep at the hands of Gaithersburg Post 295, which won the title by scores of 8-4 and 13-11.

Post 295 repeats history

Returning state champions win division crown with consecutive rallies over Post 104
by James Peters Staff Writer Gazette.net

The Gaithersburg Post 295 baseball team experienced a touch of déj? vu Sunday afternoon, much to the chagrin of its cross-town rival.
The reigning American Legion state champions topped Gaithersburg Post 104 twice on Sunday, 8-4 and 13-11, to win the Montgomery Division crown at Damascus Regional Park.

Six years ago, Post 295 cruised into the Montgomery Division tournament final assured a spot in the Maryland State American Legion baseball tournament. Regardless, Post 295 recorded a two-game championship sweep of Damascus and used the momentum to capture the state title.

"We don't want to be the team that just gets in because we're the host," said Post 295's Zach Skellchock, who closed out the second contest on the mound while also scoring three runs and driving in one. "We want to get in because we won our county."

Top-seeded Post 295, which is hosting this year's state tournament in College Park, found itself in exactly the same position again Sunday when it squared off with the division's No. 3 seed, which entered the final without a loss in the double-elimination tournament, just like Damascus in 2003.

And just like in 2003, Post 295 rallied from an early deficit in the first game to force a second championship contest that it also came from behind to win. It marked the team's ninth division crown since 1990 and sixth in the last seven years.

"We just wanted to win," said Skellchock, "We didn't feel right losing to them in the first game [a 3-0 Post 104 victory in Thursday's winners' bracket]. We just wanted to come out and beat them in both games and come out and be county champs."

Despite failing to capture the division crown, Post 104 (18-10) also qualified for the state tournament to help round out the eight-team field. It will play Post 295 (25-6) in the first round at the University of Maryland's Shipley Field on Friday.

"It's painful," Post 104 manager Joe Stolz said. "That's all I can say. I thought we had them up 4-0 in the sixth inning [of the first game] but they're like the ghoul in the movie, ‘Friday the 13th;' you can't kill them. It's hard to take."

Led by the pitching of ace hurler Nick Riley and hitting of Mike Campos and Ben Silverman, Post 104 grabbed the early four-run lead. Post 295 ace Jimmy Reed (7-1, 1.62 ERA) cruised through the first three innings, but Post 104 broke through on three straight base hits, including a run-scoring single by Campos for a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Back-to-back doubles by Sam Buonomo and Silverman pushed the lead to 2-0, then Campos slapped a two-run single in the fifth.
Post 295 came back to take the lead for good and chased Riley from the game in the sixth inning with six runs on five hits and an error. Ten batters came to the plate, with run-scoring hits by Spencer Pearman, Matt Civetti, Nick Loftus and Dominique Vattuone. Gary Schneider then put the game away with a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.

"It was all hitting," Schneider said. "It was just matter of getting one hit and the team starts rolling. It was definitely a pride thing. We don't want people to say they're already in and they don't deserve to be there."

Post 104 raced out to a 5-0 lead in the second game, capitalizing on two costly errors by Schneider, Post 295's starting hurler, who overthrew first base on two sacrifice bunt attempts. Evan Pappas also successfully worked a suicide squeeze to cap the five-run explosion.
However, Schneider and crew showed resolve with three runs in the top of the second, eventually taking a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the third inning. Nick Karis led the way with a three-run homer. Post 104 closed to within 12-11 with Skellchock halted the slugfest with a scoreless seventh inning that included a game-ending double play.

"Things just didn't go our way," Post 104 pitcher-infielder Kory Smigocki said. "We started off great but we kind of lost of the intensity. It's tough, but we'll get them back in Friday's state tournament."

Post 295 Sweeps into State Tournament

After dropping the 2nd game to Post 104 in the County Tournament, Post 295 worked their way through the losers bracket. Post 295 beat, Laurel Post 60 for the opportunity to play Post 104 in the finals. Since Post 295 lost 1 game to Post 104, they needed to win 2 games to be crowned Montgomery County Champions. And that is what they did. Beating Post 104 2 games at Damascus Regional Park.

With Post295 receving an automatic place in the 2009 State Tournament, Post 104 will receive an invitation to the States as Montgomery County's representative. The irony is that Post 104 will meet Post 295 in the opening round on Friday night.

Playing like champions

Wednesday, July 15, 2009 by Daniel Weintraub Special to The Gazette

Defending state-title winner Gaithersburg Post 295 scores 11 unanswered runs en route to playoff victory over Laurel Post 60

After taking a four-run lead in the top of the first inning, underdog Laurel Post 60 seemed poised to pull off a stunning upset over Gaithersburg Post 295, the top seed in the American Legion baseball playoffs.

Minutes later, the defending state champions erased such possibilities.

After allowing a grand slam to third baseman Danny Caddigan, Post 295 starting pitcher Jimmy Reed shut out Post 60 until being taken out after the fifth inning. While Reed buckled down, his offensive support exploded with 11 runs, including a seven-run fourth inning, en route to a 12-8 win.

Post 295 responded quickly to Post 60's early offensive; right fielder Matt Civetti hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the first. After tying the game in the second on a run-scoring double by designated hitter Mike Ryan, Post 295 blew the game open with seven runs in the fourth, sending 12 batters to the plate. They knocked out Post 60 starter Kevin Kratochwill in the process, with all nine batters reaching with base hits in the rally.

"We hit the ball really well," said Post 295 manager Rick Price. "We have to keep doing what we're doing because we're pretty good when we hit well."

After Caddigan's early grand slam, Post 60 was held scoreless by Post 295 until the sixth inning. In the fourth inning, Reed needed just 14 pitches to strike out the side. After scoring once in the sixth off reliever Daniel Young, Post 60 got a three-run homer from Rob Medoff in the seventh, cutting the lead to four.

Price then yanked Young in favor of Tyler Klitsch, who after surrendering a walk and single, struck out Post 60 left fielder Nick Meyer for the game's final out.

On Thursday, Post 295 (22-5) will face county rival Gaithersburg Post 104 in a game featuring the winners of Tuesday night's two playoff games. Post 104 upset Sandy Spring Post 68, 7-2, at Shirley Povich Field, setting up a playoff-elimination game between Post 68 and Post 60 (14-13).

Montgomery Division playoff field ready to go

Tuesday, July 14, 2009 by James Peters Staff Writer Gaithersburg Gazete www.gazette.net

The field for the 2009 Montgomery Division American Legion baseball tournament was set this past weekend, as the regular season concluded with a flurry of make-up games. The tournament began Tuesday, too late to be included in this edition, and will conclude Sunday at Damascus Regional Park.

Gaithersburg Post 295 (21-5, 19-5 Montgomery Division) claimed the regular season title. Sandy Spring Post 68 (18-5) secured the No. 2 seed in just its second year of existence.

Gaithersburg Post 104 (16-8) returns to the playoffs as the No. 3 seed after missing postseason play a year ago, while Laurel Post 60 (14-12, 13-11) finished fourth.

Sandy Spring actually bested Post 295 in two out of three games this year and would have grabbed the No. 1 seed with one more win. The team's scheduled game Friday against Cissel Saxon Post 41 (13-11, 11-11) was postponed after umpires failed to arrive, but Post 68 manager
Matt Cangas decided not to make up the game.

That left Sandy Spring one game short of a full slate, and Post 295 in the No. 1 spot.
"We did not have to forfeit the game to Cissel," Cangas said. "I decided not to play the game, since it meant nothing to either team. They were out of contention for a playoff spot and we were already in the second seed."

Sandy Spring closed the season with 13 wins in its final 14 games. Post 41 fell out of playoff contention with seven losses in its final 10. Playoff mainstay Damascus Post 171 finished 11-13.
Tuesday's match-ups consisted of Post 295, the defending division and state champion, hosting Laurel, who lost all three games against Gaithersburg, and Post 68 hosting Post 104, which also fell three times to its first-round opponent. The winners and losers of Tuesday's games will play Thursday.

With Post 295 hosting the Maryland State American Legion tournament at College Park at the end of the month, the Montgomery Division will place two teams in the state tournament. Post 295 automatically qualifies as the host. If it wins the division title, the runner-up will also. If Post 295 stumbles, the division champion will head to the state tournament with Gaithersburg.