Senate Passes Veteran Bill S 1315

The Senate recently passed S. 1315, the Veterans Benefits Enhancement Act of 2007, by a vote of 96 - 1. The act includes provisions to: (1) establish a new program of insurance for service-connected disabled veterans; (2) expand eligibility for retroactive benefits from traumatic injury protection coverage under Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance; (3) increase the maximum amount of Veterans' Mortgage Life Insurance that a service-connected disabled veteran may purchase; (4) provide individuals with severe burn injuries specially adapted housing benefits; and (5) extend the monthly educational assistance allowance for apprenticeship or other on-the-job training to two years. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.

S 1315 Details: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?c110:3:./temp/~c110EgN6Ji::::

Suggested Spring Detachment Activity

Our Marine Corps League has declared that we want a Marine License Plate in the State of Indiana.

Detachments are also wanting to do fundraising.

Do Both!!

1. Go to MCL Ships Store http://www.mcleague.com/shipsstore/index.php to purchase several gross of Marine Roses. These are the Roses to be used by Detachments participating in the Marine Rose Program. They are sold by the gross (144count) and come pre-assembled and ready for use in fund-raising.


2. Contact your local businesess for permission to set up a fundraising table by their front door on several Saturday mornings. Set up your schedule.


3. Make several copies of our Marine License Plate pettion, put them in a clipboard and bring pens to sign with (click here to print out pettions http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=ddrkpc38_5ccj4c7g5)


4. Organize your Detachment members to take shifts at the table.


5. GET-R-DONE!!

2008 Department of Indiana Convention

The Department of Indiana
Marine Corps League
2008 Convention
Friday - Sunday, 6 - 8 June 2008

At the Holiday Inn at 5501 National Road,

East Richmond, IN

Phone number is 1-800-548-2473.

Room rate is $82.95 per night.
Registration for the Convention, the luncheon, and the banquet fees combined will be $40.

Host Detachment:

Whitewater Valley Detachment ~ Richmond

A Convention Announcement out

to Detachments in early May.

Tentative Agenda

(additions or corrections to Commandant Lieber)

Friday June 6, 2008
1600 - Department Staff Meeting
1900 – Joint Opening
MODD Growl after Joint Opening

Saturday, June 7, 2008
0830 – Dept of Indiana Business Meeting
- Nominations
1200 - Lunch
1330 – Dept of Indiana Business Meeting (cont)
- Elections
1800 – Dept of Indiana Banquet

Sunday, June 8, 2008
0830 – Dept of Indiana Memorial Service
0845 - Dept of Indiana Business Meeting (cont)
- Closing Ceremony

Indy Westside Marine killed in accident

The parents of Lance Corporal Keith C. Caban, USMC, have asked that I announce that their son was killed in a motorcycle accident in Kings Bay, GA. Funeral arrangements pending at Crown Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery. LCpl Caban was a 2007 graduate of Ben Davis High School.

‘Devil Dog’ term taking a beating

From the Marine Corps Times

By Andrew Tilghman - Staff writer Posted : Monday Apr 28, 2008 19:04:26 EDT

Listen up, Devil Dogs. Oh yeah, that got your attention. Perhaps it even got your blood boiling? Or maybe you didn’t notice the big double-D.
Lately, reactions to the Corps’ longtime nickname generally depend on the age of the Marine listening.
A generational divide is opening around the term “Devil Dog,” which came into use 90 years ago on the battlefields of France. While it’s been a term of colloquial endearment for generations of leathernecks, some of the newest and youngest Marines say they’re tired of being called Devil Dogs. They even take offense at the term.

For the rest of this article go to: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/04/marine_devildog_042708w/

IndyDevilDog Editorial Comment: They have to be freakin kidding!!! Seems to me the leadership in the Corps needs to send these younger Marines back through a Marine Corps History refresher class. Our Corps is built upon proud traditions and the history of those that have gone before us. To change a proudly EARNED term like 'Devil Dog' is to chage history because you did not like it....I DON'T THINK SO MAGOT!! Lets hear your comments!

Non- Profits Save on Technology at TechSoup.org

Here is a great way for non-profits to get an extreme break in the price for software, computers, etc. for use by their organization. To give you an idea, I have just saved over $300 on a popular MicroSoft software package!

TechSoup http://www.techsoup.org/ provides a range of technology services for nonprofits, including news and articles, discussion forums, and discounted and donated technology products. Choose from over 240 products from companies such as Microsoft, Adobe, and Symantec.

Detachments must be a 501(c)3 organization to qualify for products from TechSoup. Start off by registering with TechSoup.

Operation Care Package 24/7

For those of you who want to send care packages & have good intentions, but time slips away. Marine Sgt. Klay South has established OPERATION CARE PACKAGE 24/7 http://www,ocp247.com which is a web based commerce site to ship packages from. Many changes have been implemented to make the process quick and easy…a first time user should be able to spend less than 5 minutes from logging on the site to end of purchase. If you know the service member you are shipping to click I KNOW MY HERO and follow the prompts. Before checking out, you will be required to register as a user. If you have any problems, or would like a process changed, please email OCP247 and put your comments…the goal is to make it very easy!

This is a great way to send care packages because OCP247 is the primary corporate sponsor for VETERANS OF VALOR http://www.veteransofvalor.org (not for profit 501 3 C) which provides backpacks with and IPOD and/or PSP, break away clothing for wounds, athletic wear, Bible, etc. for combat wounded who have six months or more of recovery. Group trips to Dave & Busters for meals and games are a favorite. Transportation is provided as well.

It is a win-win. Each dollar does double duty as it supports our troops with great stuff…it also helps those who are wounded. This is the ONLY care package site established and operated by a wounded vet.

PBS series "Carrier"

Beginning Sunday, April 27, PBS will air a reality-TV documentary entitled“CARRIER”, filmed while the production company was embarked during theentire USS NIMITZ’s 2005 deployment. The program will air over five nightsfrom Sunday, April 27, to Thursday, May 1, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET. Tenhours of film will be aired, selected from almost 2,000 hours that wereshot over the course of a 6-month deployment to CENTCOM.

Returning from War

My war was Vietnam and the letters PTSD had no meaning to me until several years after I returned home. Our combat veterans, men and women serving in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) are now coming home from war. While today's veterans are being told about PTSD, many are still in the denial stage. But there are others returning home that have an immediate need for suicide prevention counseling. The numbers of suicides of returning veterans is climbing, do you know what to do to assist in these situations? The VA has an excellent website with information on what to do: http://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/ I recommend you all become familiar and ready to assist when and if the call comes to you. Another good resource is the VA Nurse On Call 1-888-838-6466 (write it down and put it in your cell phone or wallet for reference).

Special Feature for US Military Veterans ~ The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline* has a new feature for veterans. Call for yourself, or someone you care about: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) and press 1. Your call is free and confidential.

In an emergency, take the vet to the closest Emergency Room for professional assistance.