The Advantage



The Price of a Frist Class Postage Stamp		Army Veteran Credits VFW Service Officer
		Postal Hike Capped At 3.8%
		Department of Defense Cuts Red Tape
Carolyn Cox Receives Minuteman Award		Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
Film Makers to Produce Legion Documentary		VA Health-Care Help Offered
Legion Renovates Home for Wounded Solider

2009 Legacy Run


Regulatory Compliance

The Price of a First Class Postage Stamp

When does the price of a first class postage stamp increase from 42 cents to 44 cents?

Be one of the first ten people to respond with the correct answer to be entered in this month’s drawing for the Shamrock Sampler

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	Carolyn Cox Receives Minuteman Award Carolyn Cox received a Minuteman Award for her outstanding and exceptional service to the U. S. Government, the Armed Forces of the United States, and the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States. Senior Master Sgt David Culwell of the Arkansas Enlisted National Guard presented the award to Carolyn. Carolyn was honored to receive one of three Minuteman Awards that EANGUS awarded last year.
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	Film Makers to Produce Legion Documentary The American Legion has signed a contract with Blackhorse Productions, a production company that specializes in military documentaries, to produce a one-hour documentary on the history of the nation's largest veteran’s service organization. The program will be produced at no cost to the Legion and should be completed by year's end. DVDs of the program will be sold, with a portion of the profits going to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, Child Welfare Foundation and National Emergency Fund. Members will be able to purchase the DVD at the Legion's Web site, or at the 2010 National Convention. Information will be provided in The American Legion Magazine and in other publications when the product becomes available.
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	Legion Renovates Home for Wounded Soldier After spending nearly three years in military and VA hospitals, Jose Pequeno - who suffered traumatic brain injury from combat in Iraq - finally arrived home to Land O'Lakes, Fla. The severely wounded veteran arrived in a van, escorted by his mother, sister and daughter. Patriot Guards lined the street with motorcycles and U.S. Flags. A crowd of about 250 people cheered Jose as he exited the van in a wheelchair. Jose’s new home had been renovated and specially modified as part of The American Legion's Heroes to Hometowns program. In just eight days, about 150 volunteers - including tradesmen and neighbors – completed $70,000 worth of upgrades to turn the house into a handicapped-accessible residence. As Jose settled in his new home, visitors enjoyed a barbecue outside, featuring "Heroes to Hometowns BBQ" sauce sold by a Florida company that donates profits to Heroes to Hometowns and other Florida Legion programs. "This is a great celebration," Department of Florida Commander Paul Martel said. "It just goes to prove that The American Legion is here for our veterans. We're here to do the right job at the right time, in the right place. "Our Heroes to Hometowns is a wonderful program, and we Legionnaires have to keep our eyes open. We have to talk to the people in the hospitals - let them know that we, The American Legion, are there to help them in any way we possibly can." Pequeno, an Army veteran, was a staff sergeant serving in Iraq on March 1, 2006, when a hand grenade hurled by an insurgent landed in his Humvee and blew him out the door.
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	2009 Legacy Run The 4th annual American Legion Legacy Run motorcycle tour is scheduled for Aug. 18-23, starting in Indianapolis and ending in Louisville, KY, site of the Legion's 91st National Convention. The Legacy Run raises money for academic scholarships awarded to children of service members killed in the war on terror. The Legacy Run will head east, moving from Indiana into Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and into Kentucky, arriving August 21 in Louisville (final route planning is under way). After completing a 1,200-mile trip, riders will take part in various Legion activities before leading the National Convention's parade Aug. 23.
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Regulatory Compliance

Regulatory compliance is important for charity fundraising campaigns. There are a number of state and federal requirements that telefundraisers must follow. Our partners trust us to raise funds for them and also to conduct public relations campaigns on their behalf. Not only does Heritage represents our partners in a manner that is honest and effective, but also in one that complies with local, state, and federal regulations. The Heritage Compliance Team ensures that your fundraising campaigns meet every requirement through top-flight research, technology, and training, all supported by rigorous testing

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	Army Veteran Credits VFW Service Officer with Life-Saving Assistance His body weary from a chronic condition, Command Sgt. Maj. Timothy Strong began the process to retire from military service in October 2007. When Strong met with VFW Pre-Discharge Officer Rob Krause in February 2008, Krause made an astonishing discovery that an X-ray report showing a possible collapsed left lung had not been followed up on from 2005. During a follow-up medical visit, a cardiopulmonary specialist informed Strong he had previously suffered a pulmonary embolism and gone into cardiac arrest. Krause’s detective work gave Strong important information regarding his health. Strong put that knowledge to use in late June as he felt the same symptoms recur. Strong went to the emergency room, and found out his right thigh was one big blood clot. He is now receiving treatment for his potentially life-threatening condition. He is thankful to Krause and other service officers for doing their job—looking out for veterans and ensuring they receive the benefits they deserve. The doctors found the true source of the problem, which allows for more definitive medical care.
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	Postal Hike Capped at 3.8% Average The Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) has determined a cap of 3.8 percent on the average postal class after new economic data were released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Postal reform legislation approved by Congress in December 2006 allows the United States Postal Service (USPS) to adjust rates annually by no more than the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the preceding 12 months. The PRC’s rate cap is determined by incorporating the December CPI-U figure and a percentage change between years. The price for a 1-ounce First-Class Mail stamp will increase from 42¢ to 44¢ on May 11, 2009. In the first increase under the new pricing system, the standard mail category used widely by nonprofits saw an average increase of 2.875 percent, just under the 2.9-percent cap. Thanks to falling energy prices, inflation for the entire year 2008 was 0.1 percent, a far cry from the 4.1 percent increase in 2007.
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	Department of Defense Cuts Red Tape for Wounded Troops The Department of Defense (DoD) has announced a process designed to expedite service members seriously injured in combat from military to veteran status by waiving the standard Disability Evaluation System (DES). This waiver allows veterans to receive their benefits in three to four months, compared to a recovery and standard DES process that would normally take much longer. The expedited process applies to service members whose conditions are designated as catastrophic, and whose injuries were incurred in the line of duty as a direct result of armed conflict. Service members who participate in the expedited process will be disability-rated by DoD at 100 percent, and VA will identify its full range of benefits, compensation and specialty care that can be offered.
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	Internal Revenue Service (IRS) A § 501(c)(19) (a veteran membership organization) has had its tax-exempt status revoked as a result of the organization earning too much income from bar sales and hall rentals to non-members, leading to the conclusion that it is being operated as a for-profit business.
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	VA Health-Care Help Offered to Vets with Hardships For veterans struggling financially due to a job loss or decreased income, VA is offering an assortment of programs that can relieve the costs of health care or provide care at no cost. Veterans whose previous income was ruled too high for VA health-care enrollment may now be able to enter the system – based upon hardship – if their current year’s income is projected to fall below federal income thresholds due to financial setbacks. Veterans determined to be eligible due to hardship can avoid co-pays applied to higher-income veterans. Qualifying veterans may be eligible for enrollment and receive health care at no cost. Also eligible for no-cost VA care are veterans who recently returned from combat zones, who are entitled to five years of free VA health care. The five-year clock begins with discharge from the military, not departure from combat zone.
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