05/28/2026
📣 JUNE 2026 COMMANDER’S UPDATE — YEAR IN REVIEW & THE YEAR AHEAD
Palma Sola VFW Post 10141
As we close out one Post year and prepare to begin another, I want to take a moment to thank every member, volunteer, Auxiliary member, Honor Guard member, and supporter who continues to help make VFW Post 10141 one of the strongest and most active Posts in the Department of Florida. The teamwork, participation, and pride shown over this past year have been outstanding and reflect exactly what this Post is capable of when we work together.
Our new Post year officially begins when we return from State Convention in Orlando in mid-June. Before we turn that page, I want to look back at everything we accomplished together this year — because it was a remarkable one.
🏅 A HISTORIC YEAR FOR POST 10141
This year, VFW Post 10141 was officially designated a Purple Heart Post by the Military Order of the Purple Heart, recognized in a special ceremony at the Post. This designation is one of the proudest accomplishments in our Post’s history. It permanently honors the men and women who were wounded or killed in combat, and it tells our entire community that this Post stands for the sacrifices made by our nation’s heroes. Every member should take pride in what this designation represents.
I’m also proud to share that Post 10141 will be recognized with All-State honors by the VFW Department of Florida, to be awarded on June 12th at State Convention in Orlando. This recognition belongs to the entire Post — it reflects the work our members put into veteran advocacy, community service, membership, youth programs, ceremonies, and reporting throughout the year. And we’re not done. With our membership currently at 104.83%, All-American recognition is within our reach in the coming months. Let’s finish the job together.
🇺🇸 SERVING OUR COMMUNITY
This year we showed, again and again, that the VFW is about more than our walls. A few highlights:
• We adopted a Florida Army National Guard unit, welcoming them with first-year memberships and sponsoring their unit Christmas party. We were later honored to receive a Letter of Appreciation for the support we provided.
• The Post made a $2,500 Gold Sponsor donation toward the Trooper Jeffrey Young Memorial Statue, honoring a fallen law enforcement hero.
• We honored our youth through the Voice of Democracy and Patriot’s Pen contests, recognizing local students for their patriotism and voice.
• On April 15th, I had the honor of presenting the Veterans of Foreign Wars Award at the Manatee High School JROTC awards ceremony — a proud reflection of the strong relationship we continue to build with the Hurricane Battalion and the next generation of leaders in our community.
• We participated in the VFW National Day of Service at Operation Outdoor Freedom, working alongside The Black Feather Project.
• For the second year in a row, we placed flags at USF for their annual 9/11 ceremony — an honor we are proud to continue as we approach the 25th anniversary this September.
• We had the honor of welcoming home the first Honor Flight out of SRQ Airport and are committed to being present for all future returns. Welcoming our veterans home is one of the most meaningful things we can do as a Post.
• We proudly recognized Prince Aguilar of West Manatee EMS as our EMT of the Year — thank you for your service to our community.
• We completed another successful Buddy Poppy drive in honor of Memorial Day. Thank you to all of the members, Auxiliary members, Scout Troop 22 volunteers, and supporters who gave their time. Because of your efforts, we raised over $1,000 for our Veteran Relief Fund, which directly supports veterans and families in need in our community.
Thank you as well to The Chop Shop and Crowder Brothers Ace Hardware for hosting our members during Memorial Day weekend. Community partnerships like these keep the sacrifices of our fallen veterans visible to the public.
Memorial Day at the Post was a strong reminder of why organizations like the VFW still matter. Thank you to everyone who attended our Memorial Day Ceremony, participated in the Honor Guard service, and assisted with setup, cooking, cleanup, and honoring those who never made it home. Memorial Day is not simply the start of summer. It is a sacred reminder that freedom is never guaranteed.
💛 HONORING OUR AUXILIARY
I would also like to sincerely thank our VFW Auxiliary 10141 for their continued generosity and support throughout the year. In addition to their generous $2,000 donation to the Post, the Auxiliary donated $1,000 to support the Manatee High School JROTC — an investment that has helped us build a strong and growing relationship with these outstanding young people who represent the future of service in our community. I’d also like to thank the Auxiliary for hosting entertainment events throughout the year, like the Horse Races, which bring members together and directly help the Post. We’re looking forward to growing that involvement together in the year ahead. The continued support from our Auxiliary plays a major role in helping us accomplish our mission, improve the Post, support veterans and community programs, and continue moving forward together as one team. We greatly appreciate everything the Auxiliary does behind the scenes and throughout the year.
🎖️ OUR HONOR GUARD
I want to specifically recognize our Honor Guard for their continued dedication and professionalism. The Honor Guard remains one of the most visible and respected parts of our Post within the community. Thank you to our new Honor Guard Captain, Roger Browning, for stepping into leadership of the team, and to Graham Harbold for taking over Honor Guard training and passing on valuable knowledge and standards. Thank you as well to every member who continues to volunteer for funeral honors, ceremonies, and training.
We are continuing to rebuild and strengthen the Honor Guard program and are actively looking for additional members. Post and Auxiliary members who are interested are encouraged to attend training and learn more about serving in this important role.
💪 STRENGTHENING THE POST
I also want to be transparent with our members about how we’ve been able to do all of this. The funds generated by our Instant Bingo machines and pull tabs are now being properly allocated to our Veteran Relief Fund, exactly as required by state law and VFW Bylaws. Getting this right is what has allowed us to give back at the level we have this year. It has meant tightening up in other areas, and we may need to make additional adjustments as we go — but we are proud to be doing things the right way and supporting the veterans and community around us in the process.
The results speak for themselves. In just the first five months of 2026, Post 10141 provided $19,520 in veteran and community relief through the Relief Fund. That includes direct financial assistance to individual veterans in need, free meals and drinks for our Korean War Veterans every single month, over $1,000 in gift cards distributed directly to veterans, donations to organizations like Tunnels to Towers and Victims of Communism, Honor Guard support, Vietnam Veterans Day catering, and paid memberships for qualifying veterans. This is what your Post is doing with the money that comes through these doors — and we’re proud of it.
Behind the scenes, this was also a year of real progress in how we operate. We brought new accountability and transparency to our finances, tightened up our reporting, filed our required federal and Department paperwork on time, and passed updated Post Bylaws at our May 20th vote — thank you to every member who showed up to make quorum and get it done. This work sets us up for cleaner, more accountable operations in the year ahead.
This year also brought some significant infrastructure improvements to the Post. We replaced the grease trap at a cost of over $11,000 — a necessary investment to keep our canteen operations running properly. A special thank you to Concrete on Call for donating the concrete, and to Pete Anderson and Anderson Dock and Lift for pouring and finishing it. Together they saved the Post thousands of dollars. Thank you as well to everyone who donated to help make this happen — your generosity made a real difference. We also replaced the Fire Suppression system this year, keeping our Post safe and up to code. These are the kinds of behind-the-scenes investments that don’t always get recognized, but they matter enormously to the long-term health of this Post.
🙋 WE NEED YOU — THIS POST RUNS ON VOLUNTEERS
Let’s be straight with each other. VFW Post 10141 is a non-profit, and like every Post, we run almost entirely on volunteers. The strength of this Post isn’t measured by what happens at the bar — it’s measured by who steps up when there’s work to be done.
I hear the complaints. Communication, prices, entertainment, the way things are run — I hear all of it. And here’s the truth: every one of those things gets better the more hands we have helping. It’s easy to stand at the bar and run your mouth about what’s wrong. It takes a real comrade to step up and be part of the fix.
If you genuinely want to see this Post improve, here’s your chance. We need volunteers for events, committees, the Honor Guard, communications, fundraising, setup and cleanup, and more. The members who truly want improvement are the ones who show up — and those are the people who’ll shape the future of this Post. The scuttlebutt takes care of itself when good people get involved.
And it’s not all work. Bring a friend to our events and dinners, spread the word about everything this Post is doing, and help us fill the room. The more people who see what we’re about, the stronger we get. Word of mouth is our best advertising — use it.
If you’ve got a skill, an idea, or just a few hours to give, come see me or any of our committee chairs. There’s a place for everyone willing to pitch in.
⛳ LOOKING AHEAD — FIRST ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT
I’m excited to announce our first-ever VFW Post 10141 Golf Tournament, coming up September 26th at the River Club. We’re hoping to make this an annual event to help support the Post and the work we do for veterans and our community. A big thank you to Barry and Sherry Grooms for organizing this for us. More details to come in the near future — mark your calendars and start putting your foursomes together.
🚩 PARADES & YOUTH SUPPORT
Please join me in welcoming Ramon Russell, our incoming Senior Vice Commander, as our new Parade Committee Chairman. Ramon will be leading our planning for the Veterans Day Parade and the De Soto Parade, and he’s going to need our support to make both a success. If you’d like to help plan, build, or ride, please reach out to Ramon or to me — this is a great, visible way to represent our Post in the community.
A special thank you to Scout Troop 22 for riding on our float at the recent De Soto Parade. Our relationship with Troop 22 continues to grow, and we’re proud to invest in these young people — the Post has pledged up to $5,400 in support of the troop. Partnerships like this are exactly what the VFW is about: honoring those who served while building up the next generation.
We also want to extend a sincere thank you to Wild Roofing for continually donating their truck, trailer, and driver for our parades. Their ongoing support makes it possible for us to show up in style and represent this Post proudly in the community. Please support those who support us.
🪖 MEMBERSHIP
As we head into the summer and a new Post year, we need to stay focused on membership growth and retention. At 104.83%, we’ve already cleared an important milestone — but membership is the lifeblood of the VFW, and every renewal, new member, and transfer matters. If your membership is up for renewal, please renew early so we don’t lose a single comrade. And please keep reaching out to eligible veterans in the community. Many are looking for connection and purpose after service — and that’s exactly what this Post provides.
📋 A REMINDER — CANTEEN RULE #11
Post business is not to be discussed at the bar. This rule exists for good reason, and I want to remind every member of it as we head into a new year.
If you have a genuine concern about the Post, bring it to me, the House Committee Chairman, or any Post Officer. Better yet — bring it to the meeting where real change actually happens. That’s where decisions get made and voices get heard.
Anything else is just canteen drama, and canteen drama only hurts the Post we’re all here to support. The canteen is a place for comradeship, enjoyment, and brotherhood. Leave the negativity at the door.
👉 Be the change — not the problem.
📅 YOUR 2026–27 POST OFFICERS
Commander — Ian D. Brooks-Miller
Senior Vice Commander — Ramon R. Russell
Junior Vice Commander — William R. Thompson
Quartermaster — Jaila C. Hallett
Chaplain — Brian J. Taylor
1-Year Trustee — Vacant (nominations open at the next Post meeting)
2-Year Trustee — Charles T. Moore
3-Year Trustee — David P. Detweiler
Adjutant — Hugh J. Preacher
Benefits Advisor — Brian J. Taylor
Judge Advocate — Robert J. Muhlhauser
Surgeon — John J. Hayes
🗓️ REMINDERS & ONGOING ACTIVITIES
• Honor Guard Training: 2nd Saturday at 10:00 AM
• House Committee Meeting: 2nd Tuesday at 8:30 AM
• Post Meeting: 3rd Wednesday at 7:00 PM
• Auxiliary Meeting: 2nd Wednesday at 6:00 PM
• Women Veterans of the Suncoast: 3rd Saturday at 1:00 PM
• Military Order of the Cootie: 1st Wednesday at 6:01 PM
• Korean War Veterans Association: 2nd Thursday at 11:00 AM
• Manatee County Veterans Council: 3rd Thursday at 11:00 AM
Please continue supporting Post events, volunteering where possible, and helping us maintain a welcoming environment for veterans, families, and supporters.
As Commander, I remain committed to improving communication, organization, transparency, and participation throughout the Post. We’ve made strong progress this past year, but there is still more work ahead. The future of this Post depends on all of us staying involved and moving forward together.
If you ever have questions, concerns, suggestions, or ideas, don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you again for your continued support of VFW Post 10141, our mission, and our veterans. And to all of the 2025–2026 officers, committee members, employees, volunteers, and supporters — thank you for a successful year. It is because of your dedication and hard work that Palma Sola VFW Post 10141 has earned its reputation as “The Friendly Post.”
Proud to serve. Still serving.
— Ian Brooks-Miller, Commander
VFW Post 10141 – Palma Sola Post
vfw10141.org
