VFW Post and Auxiliary 5981 Lansing, Iowa

06/19/2026

06/16/2026

Auxiliary Members,

I'm asking Auxiliary Members to respond to the VFW Action Alert that went out yesterday regarding legislation in regards to "Take Care of America's Veterans Act". Please support our Veterans and the benefits they have earned. (See link below).

When Americans volunteer to serve, they accept extraordinary risks in defense of our nation.

In return, America makes a promise.

Veterans' benefits are not charity. They are earned through service and sacrifice.

A grateful nation pays its debts to veterans. It does not send them the invoice.

Tell Congress to Honor the Contract.

Take action today:
[https://votervoice.net/VFW/Campaigns/138035/Respond](https://votervoice.net/VFW/Campaigns/138035/Respond)

Congress has introduced the Take Care of America's Veterans Act, legislation that includes many provisions the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has fought for and supports.But there is a serious problem.To pay for those benefits, Congress would codify...

06/14/2026

Happy Birthday Army … and to the Flag You Carry
On June 14, Gustave F Kerndt VFW Post and Auxiliary #5981 salutes our nation’s oldest and most senior service branch, and the ‘Stars and Stripes’
We join with our grateful nation in celebrating the birthday of the United States Army and the flag it has carried while fighting for freedom since the American Revolutionary War.
On June 14, 1775, the following entry was written into the journal of the Second Continental Congress:
“Resolved, that six companies of expert rifleman, be immediately raised in Pennsylvania, two in Maryland, and two in Virginia… [and] as soon as completed, shall march and join the army near Boston, to be there employed as light infantry, under the command of the chief officer in that army."

This resolution gave birth to the Continental Army, changing the course of the war for American independence and the history of the world forever. Exactly two years later, Congress would pass another resolution, this time adopting a flag to represent the new nation. The “Stars and Stripes” as it was commonly called, not only symbolized the union of the 13 Colonies and their cause, but it also became the standard the “Continentals” would bear in every battle defending American liberty.

Even today, every American soldier carries the colors as a patch on the right shoulder of their combat uniform. It appears as if the flag were flying in breeze while the soldier, and the Army, goes rolling along.

On this Flag Day, the more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary encourage every American to honor the colors that represent all of us, and say “Happy Birthday” to every active, Guard and Reserve soldier and “Soldier for Life” of the nation’s oldest and most senior branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. Thank you for defending America 24/7 for 249 years.

This We’ll Defend!

06/14/2026

The Lansing VFW Post and Auxiliary #5981 extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended our Flag Retirement Ceremony on Saturday evening at the Red Barn Campground. Your presence helped make the event a meaningful tribute to our nation and the values our flag represents.

A special thank you goes to Terry and Jennetta Ely for graciously hosting the ceremony at the Red Barn Campground. We are also incredibly grateful to Ann Christoffer for her spectacular performance of our National Anthem. Ann’s beautiful rendition made the evening even more memorable, and we are proud to have her as a member of our VFW Auxiliary.

We are truly fortunate to be part of a community that so strongly supports our veterans and their families. Your continued commitment to honoring their sacrifices, recognizing their valor, and celebrating the freedoms they fought to protect is deeply appreciated. Thank you for helping keep the spirit of patriotism and remembrance alive.

06/07/2026

Please plan to attend a Flag Retirement Ceremony on Saturday, June 13, 6:00pm at Red Barn Campground, 2609 Main St, Lansing. The decommissioning ceremony, which is to retire unserviceable American Flags patriotically and respectfully, will be led by our VFW Post #5981.

We ask that our Auxiliary members wear the white blouse/shirt and scarf/tie dress attire for this event, as the Post members will be wearing their formal attire: white shirt, black pants, and black shoes.

Our Auxiliary members are advised to arrive no later than 5:30pm and park in the designated parking area.

The Red Barn Campground will also have live music on the premises for the entire evening.

The public is encouraged to attend as we honorably retire, with dignity, American flags that have become tattered, soiled or no longer fit for display in a patriotic ceremony honoring our national symbol of unity, where they will be incinerated in a dignified manner under Fire Department supervision.

Flags can be deposited in advance at the VFW Flag Depository located in front of the VFW Post #5981 on South Front St, Lansing, across from the ball diamond or may be brought with you to the ceremony.

Please bring your lawn chairs for seating.

Loyally,
Barbara Fore, President

06/06/2026

D-Day is commemorated on June 6, 2026, the 82nd anniversary of D-Day also known as the Allied Invasion of Normandy.

D-Day was the name given to the June 6, 1944, invasion of the beaches at Normandy in northern France by troops from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and other countries during World War II. France at the time was occupied by the armies of N**i Germany, and the amphibious assault—codenamed Operation Overlord—landed some 156,000 Allied soldiers on the beaches of Normandy by the end of the day. Despite their success, some 4,000 Allied troops were killed by German soldiers defending the beaches. At the time, the D-Day invasion was the largest naval, air and land operation in history, and within a few days about 326,000 troops, more than 50,000 vehicles and some 100,000 tons of equipment had landed. By August 1944, all of northern France had been liberated, and in spring of 1945 the Allies had defeated the Germans. Historians often refer to D-Day as the beginning of the end of World War II.

D-Day Facts

5,000 vessels with 30,000 vehicles crossed the English Channel to France

13,000 men parachuted into France

11,000 planes were involved.

More than 300 planes dropped bombs.

9,000 allied soldiers were dead or wounded after the first day.

At Omaha Beach, 9,387 Americans are buried.

The beaches were approximately 200 yards before any natural protection.

The beaches of Normandy were so named as part of the five sectors of the Allied
invasion. The beaches are still known today by the D-Day code names.
Utah Beach
Omaha Beach
Gold Beach
Sword Beach
Juno Beach

D-Day is the largest amphibious (land and water) invasion in history.
Operation Overlord was the code name for the invasion.

The landing craft boats were originally designed for use in Louisiana swamps.

World War II continued for almost 11 months after the successful Normandy landings and until V-E Day on May 8, 1945.

05/25/2026

Memorial Day Service at Oak Hill Cemetery

05/25/2026

Naval Remembrance Ceremony on the Mississippi River

05/25/2026

Memorial Day observance at Mt. Hosmer