Events & Notices for the 2014 Holiday Season

Freeport High School JROTC

Join the Freeport High School 

and the  Freeport JROTC 

under the Command of
Major Donald Moore, USMC,

as they stand Inspection at Freeport High School on Wednesday, December 17^th at 10:30 AM.
Parade starts at 11:00.   

Major Donald Moore, USMC

Freeport High School

JROTC

The Inspection is being held by the Department of the Navy. 

Citizens, Veterans of all Branches, Members of the VFW, Marine Corps League, and the American Legion are encouraged to attend.

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American  Legion William Clinton Story Post 342

Christmas Party  at

Otto’s Sea Grill



Located at 

271 Woodcleft Avenue
Freeport, NY 11520

(516) 321-0633

Festivities will begin on Wednesday, December  17^th at  7:00 PM 

Legionnaires $30.  Guests $35.

The Menu

1^st Course: Penn Ala Vodka

2^nd Course: Soup or Salad

Entrees (your Choice)

Baked Salmon, Chicken Francaise,

Penne Pomodoro with Chicken,

Sliced Skirt Steak with a Mushroom Gravy

Roasted Potato, Green Beans and Carrots

Coffee or Tea

Desert
Apple Pie ala mode ala mode or Blueberry Pie ala mode

Please RSVP by Contacting 

Commander Richardson 

Cash bar!

Contact Ben Kissling for details.

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William Clinton Story Post 342 will host the Pearl Harbor Remembrance and V

eterans Observance Ceremony on December 19th, 2014 at the 

         Freeport Memorial Library

144 West Merrick Rd., Freeport New York 11520

2^nd Floor, Room 1 

starting at 7:00 PM.

Legionnaires will join with the

community in observing the sacrifice and legacy of this historic event.

All Are Welcome to attend.

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On Sunday

14 December 2014, an Observance of the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge with Vintage WWII Vehicles and Reinactors in Uniforms of that era will put on a program sponsored by the Museum of American Armor (Bethpage, NY) Nassau County and County Executive Ed Mangano.

Some half a dozen veterans of the battle will be joined by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Assemblyman Charles Lavine as well as those recently returned from deployment.

What: In tribute to the 19,000 Americans who fell during the Battle of the Bulge and the 70,000 injured, veterans who survived the Battle of the Bulge to be honored.

Who: Battle of the Bulge defenders joined by elected officials and clergy, living historians and period armor

When: Sunday, December 14, at 2:00 p.m.

Where: Museum of American Armor, Old Bethpage Village Restoration, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage. (From Museum of American Armor Press Release)

From Museum of American Armor Press Release

Bring your family members especially WWII and Korean War Veterans.  This is a unique opportunity to honor Veterans of that era and see history you can touch.

For information call (516) 571-6000

Post 342 American Legion Veterans Day Program

Freeport American Legion Veterans Day Program
November 11, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

This Veterans Day the Freeport American Legion will honor all Veterans with a program that will include Singing performances from Freeport's Atkinson School Chorus led by Stephanie Arnell.

There will also be a Video Presentation for Veterans produced for the American Legion for this event. 

Major Donald R. Moore, USMC (Ret.)
Commander of the Freeport High School JROTC will be our guest speaker.

Veterans Day is the time we celebrate with the Veterans among us the freedoms we take for granted day by day, among these freedoms are;.......

the right to Assemble, the right to petition your government, the freedom of the press, the right to have possessions and home to keep them in, and you have the right to possess and bear arms.  

Veterans Day is the day we also observe those no longer with us, brothers who slogged through the ranks with us or sisters who had their aircraft shot out of combatant skies or were killed providing medical attention in overgrown forested regions or frozen lands.

When you Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America you are not worshiping a country. You keep faith with every farm boy from Iowa, every city kid from Brooklyn, every girl from North Carolina, every Old Man who's head turned grey serving his nation and every woman who sent a son off to war.  You pledge allegiance to every American soul who lifted a hand or fired a weapon to save someone else on this planet from fear, torture and tyranny.  

Celebrate with the William Clinton Story Post No. 342 of the American Legion as we recognize in an observance of Americanism the Veterans of the United States of America.

footnotes:
http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html
http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp
http://www.army.mil/
http://www.navy.mil/
http://www.af.mil/
http://www.marines.mil/

Stealing the Armory / Intrigue, Duplicity and Quid Pro Quo

Political Quid Pro Quo and the Unrepresented….. Another grab for the  Freeport Armory.

When Governor Cuomo vetoed the last Armory Bill (AB 508 now re-labeled A8821A) it was pretty clear that there was enough outrage and lack of common sense regarding selling the Armory to a Not –for-Profit Organization at the expense of the Freeport Community having a logistical post for the Department of Public Works was at best, unproductive and at worst misappropriation of Government Property. 

Most Citizens figured that this would be resolved for the benefit of the community like it was in Rome, NY, those Citizens got their Armory.

But the answer that the Citizens of Freeport received was resounding silence as Bill A8821A sailed through the Assembly and the Senate.  Earlene Hooper promised County Supervisor Ed Mangano to sponsor a bill to give state approval for the county executive's plan to change Nassau’s property-tax reimbursement system. 

Mangano, along with Senator Dean Skelos (9^th Senate District) backed the transfer of the Armory to the Cedarmore Corp., a nonprofit that shares space with Zion Cathedral Church of God in Christ, across the street from the former National Guard facility for $1.  And Skelos had a quiet (unpublicized) meeting with the Governor about two weeks ago (second week of July).  The Governor wants to solidify his voting block and Senator Skelos wants benefits for his voting district.

Is a promise for the Governor’s support the price Skelos got for betraying the Citizens of Freeport?   Below is a letter that was approved by American Legion Post 342 with absolute unanimity.    Please read this letter and support the Mayor of Freeport, the Citizens of Freeport and the American Legion in opposing this second attempt at stealing this Armory.

We ask you, Legionnaires, Veterans, Community Groups and Citizens all to get behind this letter to Governor Cuomo again asking to Veto this Bill!   Please put your name in the 'comments' section so we can again send this to the Governor.  Assemblywoman Hooper is supposed to represent the best interest of all the Citizens in her District, not just a few.

Thank You For Your Support!

July Newsletter

Due to a printing error the July issue of the dugout will be late. 

Updates & photos from the memorial day parade from members and fellow citizens would be welcome so we can post them. 

Seasons Greetings and a Thank You

William Clinton Story Post No. 342

Wishes all  a wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year.  

May the New Year bring you joy, happiness, prosperity and God’s Blessings.

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Thank You Freeport and Citizens of Nassau County

As it has now been reported by Capital Confidential and through other media outlets that a bill, A00508 spearheaded and sponsored by Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper ; “AN ACT to authorize the commissioner of general services to transfer and convey certain unappropriated state land to the Cedarmore Corporation for community programs”.  Has been Vetoed (Veto 253) by Governor Cuomo.

Your participation in local and state government has proved that when citizens act on their civic responsibility sound and reasonable decisions can be made on behalf of the whole community.    

Special thanks to Mayor Kennedy, the Freeport Board of Trustees and Past Commander Steve Nicolino for bringing this to the forefront and petitioning the Governor with the advise and consent of the Freeport American Legion.

DNC

The Freeport Armory and the Freeport Community

Editorial: The Freeport Armory and the

                     Freeport Community

Note: Your opinion matters. You can comment on this post or any post just by clicking on 'comments' at the end of the Post.

UPDATE ON THIS EVENT:  Bill Still Sits On The Governors Desk.

As of 10 December 2013 A00508 is still awaiting Governor Cuomo's Signature.
One of Three Outcomes could happen:
1) If the Governor signs the Bill it becomes Law
2) If the Governor doesn't veto the bill by 18 December 2013 it becomes Law
3) The Governor Veto's the Bill

As Citizens, Veterans and Legionnaires; we must see to it that this Bill never becomes Law!

Please contact Governor Cuomo: phone (518) 474-8390 and (518) 474-1041 or mail: 

The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
or via internet at
 http://www.governor.ny.gov/contact/GovernorContactForm.php

Its up to the Citizen!   Its up to the Veteran!

Its up to YOU!

Let the Governor know you are opposed to this Bill becoming law!

Below is the original article published back in August.







As it has now been reported in Newsday and through other media outlets that Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper sponsored and spearheaded a bill, A00508; “AN ACT to authorize the commissioner of general services to transfer and convey certain unappropriated state land to the Cedarmore Corporation for community programs”.  This bill passed the Assembly and the Senate and is awaiting Governor Cuomo's signature.

This bill will effectively give away the Freeport Armory to the Cedarmore Corporation which is the entity that represents or is indeed the Zion Cathedral Church of God in Christ. 

What does concern the American Legion is how this bill got introduced, how it got through the assembly without community support and why was not one, but two Mayor’s of Freeport kept out of the loop when it came to the disposition of this property which was to go to the Village of Freeport for Community Support directed by the Village of Freeport.

Contained in the bill is language that calls for certain ‘provisions’ be followed before the bill was to be enacted.  This includes but is not limited to Section 4 which states  “The office of general services shall not transfer or convey the

    26  aforesaid land unless application in a form acceptable to the office  of

    27  general services is made to the office of general services by the Cedar-

    28  more  Corporation  which  application must be made within one year after

    29  the effective date of this act. As part of that application  the  Cedar-

    30  more  Corporation must submit to the office of general services a report

    31  containing a master plan setting forth a proposed use and  occupancy  of

    32  such  land  pursuant  to an advertised public hearing that conforms with

    33  the public purpose set forth in section  five  of  this  act,  including

    34  letters of commitment from not less than six community organizations not

    35  affiliated  with  the  Cedarmore  Corporation or its parents and subsid-

    36  iaries.”

This bill A00508 went through the New York State Assembly without notice and/or little debate and the New York State Senate passed it without much opposition even though it was reported that Senator Fuschillo and Senator Skelos voted against this bill.

What must concern us as Legionnaires, Veterans and Citizens of Freeport and the State of New York is why the backhandedness and duplicity in passing this bill in secrecy and why a resource such as the Armory should be given to a private sectarian entity when public resources like Armories have been transferred to municipalities for Public use.

The way Assemblywoman Hooper has gone about carrying out the will of a private entity and acting as personal fiduciary for a corporation, seemingly forsaking the public trust of the public who elected her must concern us all.  These actions begs the question “why is a public resource being guided secretively to a private entity?”

This Post has heard the petition of Past Commander Nicolino and has asked permission to respond to Assemblywoman Hooper’s actions. 

Commander Richardson granted Past Commander Nicolino all privileges to respond on behalf of William Clinton Story Post No. 342 of the American Legion.

This post is nearly a century old, serving the Freeport Community as an organization that has supported education, civic projects and civic events. This American Legion Post has been a pillar organization of the Freeport Community.  This post has produced the leadership for the Freeport Community from Police Chief’s, Firemen, Fire Chiefs and no less than two Mayors, including Andrew Hardwick and Robert Kennedy.

Here now is a copy of the letter sent to Governor Cuomo with Post permission by Past Commander Nicolino concerning the passage of Assembly Bill A00508:

Also Included in this post is A00508 sponsored only by Assemblywoman Hooper.   The Bill is Posted below.  You can also find it at http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi  search under Bill No. A00508.  The following is what now sits on Governor Cuomo's desk:

UPDATE: As of this Friday, 22 August 2013, the bill that was passed still sits in the Assembly awaiting the Governor to call for the bill.  Time is running out!  We need letters from all of you, Legionnaires, Veterans and Citizens all to implore the Governor to veto this bill.  It now rests on all of us and the Civic Organizations that have built up our Communities to write the Governor's Office.

Please write the Governor, the address posted on his web site is: The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224

If you don't want to write a letter, copy the letter posted by Steve Nicolino and email it to: Assemblyman David G. McDonough at McDonoD@assembly.state.ny.us, Assemblywoman Earlene Hooper at : hoopere@assembly.state.ny.us, and Senator Charles J. Fuschillo at fuschill@nysenate.gov.  

Ask your New York State Representatives to forward you e-mail directly to the Governor to veto this bill and let Freeport Village and its Citizenry decide what is best for our own Community. 

Posted by 1st Vice CMDR D.N. Cockerel, by direction.

American Legion Post 342 Memorial Day Parade Slideshow

Freeport Memorial Day Parade Slideshow
  
There are many photos of the Parade and it is requested that both the membership and the public please contact David Cockerel so we can post your pictures on the website or even put them in a slideshow presentation.
(Click Post Officer Contact Tab for information)

Thank You.