VFW Island Outpost 4682

09/16/2018

This coming Wednesday, Sept 19th, we are having a flag retirement ceremony at the Avalon Fire Station at 6:30pm. You are welcome to come by to watch the ceremony, drop off your flag or give it to Commander Jen by Tuesday Sept 18th. We are proud to have our local boy scout troop join us.

08/06/2018

August 6, 2011 The men of Extortion 17

08/06/2018

On the night of August 5th, 2011. A platoon from Bravo Company, 2nd Ranger Battalion, was conducting a direct-action raid against a high-value target named Qari Tahir in the village of Jaw-e-Mekh Zareen—a Taliban stronghold in the Wardak Province’s Tangi Valley. The Ranger force of 47 personnel infiltrated a few kilometers from the target building and began taking contact immediately.
The Rangers reached and secured the main target compound, killing or capturing over a dozen Taliban fighters. But before reaching the building, the main target, Qari Tahir, and a small group of Taliban fighters escaped. The Joint Operations Center decided to send in a second team; special operators who were on standby in support of the Ranger mission were now called upon to chase/contain the fighters who escaped.
Upon infiltration in the early hours of the 6th of August, the CH-47D Chinook helicopter, call sign “Extortion 17”, was hit by an RPG round fired from enemy fighters in a nearby two-story building, destroying the aft-rotor assembly and sending the helicopter to the ground. The Rangers immediately rushed to the crash site, seven kilometers away, and began the grueling task of securing and recovering all the personnel. There were no survivors.

Qari Tahir, the high-value target, would be killed in an airstrike in late September of that same year.

This tragedy resulted in the deaths of 30 active duty military members and 1 service canine.

08/03/2018

Don't forget to bring breakfast, lunch, or dinner to eat on the go! Pack water, change of socks, sunblock, hat and a box of tissues.
Same day sign ups start at 7:00 AM at the Veterans Memorial Park and cash donations will be received at the welcome table from 8am - 8pm. Online registration is closed. Email [email protected] if you would like to preregister or donate to the 31 Heroes Project now.
This is NOT a race. This is a memorial walk. Join us for 1 mile, all 31 or as many as you can. The route is a 10 mile loop that will be completed 3 times. Every 3 miles we will read the bios of our fallen servicemen.

Last minute registration at info Table begins 7am or email [email protected]

07/28/2018

Looking for volunteers to sit at the information table at the Veteran's Memorial next Saturday August 4th for 1 or 2 hours between 1pm - 8pm. A volunteer briefing will be held this week. Duties include accepting cash donations, passing out maps for the 31 mile route, explaining the memorial event and handing out snacks and water to participants as they pass by. Please contact Jen at 424-345-6129 or email [email protected]

07/23/2018

The Veterans of Foreign Wars post 4682 is honored to present 3 more $1,000 VFW scholarships to local Avalon High School graduates. Our post is committed to helping our Veterans, family members and community. These students have shown great dedication to their education and have volunteered to serve our community.

Thomas Oddone is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2018 and the son of Charles (Army Veteran) and Kim Oddone. He volunteered for Avalon Rotary Club, Lions Club, Humane Society, Avalon Community Church, Conservancy and City of Avalon Harbor Cleanup. He was on the Cross Country team and Drama department in High School. He worked for the Escape Room, Seaport Bistro and currently Silver Canyon Pottery. Thomas will be attending Westmont College in Santa Barbara, studying Kinesiology.

Paul Perea Jr. is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2018 and the son of Paul Sr. (Army Veteran) and Katrina Perea. He enjoys volunteering for the Conservancy, PTA events and also the Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation. He was in Boy Scouts and peer mediation. He worked for the yacht club for the last 2 summers and now works as a deck hand on the yellow submarine with Catalina Adventures. Paul will be studying Biology at Cal State Long Beach.

Rebekah Perea is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2016 and the daughter of Paul Sr. (Army Veteran) and Katrina Perea. She volunteered for the PTA, the Catalina Island Medical Center Foundation, Women's Forum, various community events and she was junior volunteer of the year for the conservancy. She spent some years in Kids at Play and in theater at Avalon High School. She was also cheer manager and played soccer in high school. She enjoys writing her own music and playing her guitar. Rebekah worked at the Chamber of Commerce and now works at Descanso Beach. During the school year she lives in Davis and attends Sacramento College where she studies Sociology.

VFW post 4682 scholarships are for those entering public service occupations, children of veterans or students who have applied through the district patriotic essay competition. If you would like to nominate yourself or another individual please contact us at [email protected]

07/19/2018

Tommy Oddone is a graduate of Avalon High School Class 2018. He is the son of Charles (an Army Veteran) and Kim. He is an exceptional member of our community and we are excited to help him towards his next journey to college! He is one of three students to receive the VFW $1,000 scholarship this year.

07/18/2018

MEMBERS~ VFW meeting is tonight at 6pm metropole conference room. We will be presenting a scholarship to one of our local graduates and discussing 2 upcoming events in August. Olivia is making another great meal.

06/28/2018

VA TRAVEL CLAIMS FOR ISLANDERS:

The process for filling out a travel claim for reimbursement is now very easy and very quick! This information is for residents of Catalina Island only.

Before leaving Avalon, when purchasing a round trip ticket, the Veteran's name must be on the ticket stubs and receipt. This receipt should say $75. If using a commuter book, ask the ticket agent to give you a receipt for the round trip fair. This receipt is hand written and will say $38.

When going to the VA hospital in Long Beach for a scheduled appointment you will be reimbursed for round trip on the boat, but no taxi or uber or mileage. Completely seems unfair, but is still way more money then them giving you straight line distance via mileage.

When going to the VA for an unscheduled appointment, such as the ER or walk in, you will only be reimbursed for a one way ticket.

Once at the VA, go to your appointment. When your appointment is complete go to the travel office located in Business Services at Building 7 room 107. It is very hard to find now with all the construction, so ask someone to show you how to get to the Travel Office.

Grab a form off the wall and fill in VA Form 10-3542. You can also go online to fill it in and print it out before you arrive
https://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-3542-fill.pdf

If you need help filling in the form there are examples on the walls or go directly to the window for assistance.

Once your appointment is complete, you have your round trip ticket stubs, the receipt for payment, and form 10-3542 filled out, go to the travel office window and tell them you are from Catalina Island. (The MOST important step - say you are from CATALINA ISLAND)

They will process your claim within 5 minutes, make copies for you and walk you over to the next door where you will receive cash for your reimbursement.

DO NOT mail in your claims. If you are in need of assistance, if you have old claims that you mailed in but were never reimbursed for, yet have copies of or if you are a caregiver who would like to be walked through the process contact Commander Jen Dreizehn at 424-345-6129.

If the VA authorized you to receive care at an outside facility you must still follow all of these directions. You also qualify for reimbursement, but you have to go directly to the VA for travel.

06/23/2018

The final route has been updated for 31 Miles for 31 Heroes. If you would like an emailed copy so you can start practicing send us your email address.

06/21/2018

We have a new website!

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