Post 304 Represented Well at the Big Shanty Festival in Kennesaw on Saturday, April 21, 2007

Jr. Vice Commander Rich Ray and Finance Officer Tom Stenzel are all smiles before the start of the parade at 0900 Satuarday morning.

Here's the group, with First Sgt. Brian Foster from the Jr. ROTC unit at North Cobb High School on the left, followed by Bob Titshaw, Sr. Vice Alan Johnson, Commander Larry Lieber, Terry Hendrix, Rich Ray, Tom Stenzel and Fred Gaines.








Above is the ROTC unit from North Cobb High. At right is Alan and Larry sitting in Alan's BMW before the start of the parade.


Titshaw and Lieber guarding the colors.









Alan Johnson drove his beamer with Cdr. Lieber's wife, Anne, grandson Jordan, and daughter, Kristin riding along. Kristin, sitting in the rear and waving, wore a POW/MIA shirt for the occasion.

State Rep. Ed Setzler (R), District 35,
Speaks at Post 304 Regular Meeting

State Representative Ed Setzler, who represents District 35, part of Cobb County, spoke to the membership of The American Legion Post 304 at the regular meeting on Thursday, April 19, 2007. He opened the floor for a lively Q and A after his talk.

Ed was first elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 2004 where he serves on the House Ways & Means and Education Committees and serves as the third ranking member of the Judiciary (Non-civil) Committee.

Born in Atlanta, Ed grew up in the Southeast and attended Furman University in Greenville, SC where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Physics and the designation of Distinguished Military Graduate with his Army commission in 1992. Ed served his country on active duty for 9 years as a US Army Officer with challenging leadership assignments in Europe, North Africa, and the Persian Gulf. A graduate of the US Army Ranger School, Ed completed his active military service at Fort Stewart, Georgia as Commander of a 200 soldier transportation company in the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized).

Also present at the meeting was guest Amador (Chief) Rodriguez, Commander of Marietta Post 29 and a couple of his fellow legionnaires from the Post. He is shown below with our Commander Larry Lieber.

Federal Court Overturns Injunction against National Scout Jamboree; American Legion Hails Decision

INDIANAPOLIS (April 5, 2007) - The leader of the nation’s largest veteran’s organization hailed yesterday’s decision from the U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago that dismissed the ACLU’s lawsuit against the Dept. of Defense for supporting the National Boy Scout Jamboree.

“This is a victory for not only the youth of our nation but also for the preservation of tradition and common sense,” said American Legion National Commander Paul A. Morin. “For more than 25 years, Boy Scouts have held the National Scout Jamboree every four years at Fort A.P. Hill near Fredericksburg, Va. for ten days of activities emphasizing physical fitness, appreciation of the outdoors, and patriotism. It is especially fitting that the Scouts will be able to go forward with the 2010 Jamboree as they celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America.”

In 1999 the ACLU sued DoD over its support for the Jamboree. In 2005, a federal district court in Chicago concluded the Jamboree statue was unconstitutional under the Establishment Clause because Scouting has a nonsectarian “duty to God” requirement. DoD appealed the district court’s injunction against military support under that statute for the 2010 Jamboree. The American Legion filed a “friend of the court” brief supporting the Dept. of Defense in Winkler v. Gates.

Seven Presidents have attended the Jamboree since President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. The Jamboree grounds at Fort A.P. Hill are open to the public and an estimated 300,000 visitors attended in 2005 along with 43,000 Scouts and their leaders. The U.S. Congress called it an incomparable training opportunity for our armed forces; it requires the construction, maintenance, and disassembly of a “tent city” capable of supporting tens of thousands of people for a week or longer.

“Patriotism and mentoring youth are pillars of The American Legion,” Morin said. “When Scouts have the opportunity to interface with members of the finest military in the world, they acquire many of the leadership skills that will guide them throughout their lives.”
The American Legion is one of the nation’s largest sponsors of scouting units across the country.

Media Contacts: Joe March, (317) 630-1253; Cell (317) 748-1926 or Ramona Joyce, 202/263-2982; Cell, 202-445-1161. This text and a high-resolution photo of Cmdr. Morin can be downloaded at www.legion.org.

R.O.T.C. American Legion Medals Awarded at Kennesaw State University

Army Capt. Paul Gates (right), ROTC Commandant at KSU, addresses the group of Cadets on Thursday morning, April 5, 2007, at their regular class and introduces American Legion Post 304 Legionnaires Fred Gaines and David Burdette. Awards, including Certificates and Ribbon/Medals are to be awarded to four deserving cadets for Military Excellence and Scholastic Excellence.

Capt. Gates addresses the four recipients: John Rossi, Sr. Military Award, Sean O'Dowd, Jr. Military Award, Maxwell Thelen, Sr. Scholastic Award, and Richard Horner, Jr. Scholastic Award.

Capt. Gates presents a Military Excellence Award.

And another Military Excellence Award.

Jr. Academic Excellence Award to Cadet Horner while Cadet Walker (background) reads the Award criteria.

More Pictures From Keheley Elementary School

Jim Stoll makes opening remarks to the entire Fifth Grade

The were "all ears" - and they stayed that way.

Pat Kelly and David Burdette spoke to a group in the morning session.

Larry Lieber and Rev. Ewell Black spoke to a morning group.

Duane Young relating his experiences to the students.

Jim Stoll captivates the kids with his Korean War tales.

Bob Steele and Pat Kelly hold court in the afternoon session.

Jim Stoll speaks to an attentive bunch.

Duane Young shares a picture of himself taken in 1945.

Senate Passes Iraq Surrender Provision,

American Legion Urges Presidential Veto

Washington, DC (March 28, 2007) - The National Commander of The American Legion criticized an amendment narrowly passed by the U.S. Senate that would add a timeline of withdrawal to an Iraq spending bill.

“You don’t have to be a military strategist to understand the advantage a withdrawal date gives to the enemy,” Paul A. Morin said. “First the House passed a blueprint for disaster and now the Senate passes a recipe for surrender.”

Morin called on the president to honor his promise to veto legislation that includes timetables to withdraw from Iraq. “The American Legion supports the troops. You cannot support the troops if you want them to cut and run. Congress authorized Operation Iraqi Freedom, now it needs to let the troops finish the job.”

Morin pointed out that Congress cut off funding in Vietnam, even though the troops won every military battle. “Let’s not repeat the mistakes of the past. The American people need to support the troops and their commander in chief, even if Congress won’t.”

The Senate voted 50-48 for the provision containing the withdraw requirement, which was supported by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-NV. Reid did not seem willing to compromise with the White House, saying that he is “not anxious to strip anything out of the bill.”

Morin added that the United States has only one commander in chief. “The American people did not elect 535 legislators to be armchair generals. It is outrageous that Congress would leave our troops on the battlefield without the funding that they need. It’s time for the president to veto this surrender bill and for Congress to pass a serious war-funding bill, which would provide the money without the micro-management. I call on my fellow Legionnaires to let their senators and representatives know where we stand on this war.”