Dr.
H.P. Garcia, Founder: “Education is our freedom, and freedom should be
everybody’s business”
National
Commanders Update
November
22, 2009
American
GI Forum of the United States
National
Board of Directors and National Executive Board of Directors
I
want to encourage all of you to take an active role in helping to make the
American GI Forum of the United States the voice that advocates, represents and
defends the rights of all our veterans and their families. We have a rich and
proud history and the contributions made by our veterans is well documented, but
not well known. We have to accept the responsibility of voicing this proud
history with our families and with those who are not familiar with the American
GI Forum. Dr. H.P. Garcia’s vision of the American GI Forum went beyond our
WWII veterans; he saw it serving the future generation of veterans from, Korea,
Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. We have to welcome this new generation of
veterans and their families to our family, the American GI Forum of the United
States. That is why your membership is so important and why you count. Remember,
your involvement with your local and state communities makes the AGIF/US visible
and encourages others to become positive change agents for the betterment of our
organization. Help us to keep moving forward by organizing new chapters and
increasing our membership. Gracias.
On
behalf of the AGIF/US National Executive Board of Directors and the National
Board of Directors I have signed the “Mutual Release and Settlement
Agreement” between the American GI Forum of the United States and Marian
Martinez. We will continue our work to resolve all other remaining lawsuits and
hold accountable those who have harmed the national and local AGIF.
A
letter approved by our National Legal Counsel and AGIF/US National Executive
Board of Directors and supported by the National Board of Directors was
emailed and mailed to Mr. Gil Rodriguez informing him that: “All AGIF Texas State chapter membership applications
or renewals and chapter application renewals which are currently being
questioned and challenged, or other such application papers, shall now have to
be sent directly to the National Office in Denver by all chapter Commanders who
have been directly affected by Mr. Rodriguez’s inappropriate and unfair
practices.” This decision was made after it was alleged and determined that
Mr. Rodriguez was in clear violation of the AGIF/US National Constitution,
Article VI A. (2) (3) and B.(1).
Nothing
has changed regarding Former Commander Antonio Morales and his continued failure
to provide the National Executive Board with any information regarding his
August 14th “Transition of Command” email he sent to us stating
that he would to provide us with: “…fiscal reports so I can provide you with
an up to date report. I will work with Danny Morales, National Treasurer, to
turn over all reports necessary. In addition, I will be looking through my files
and to furnish the following: 1. All MOUs I signed as National Commander 2.
Lease contract with ASPIRA 3. Verbal agreements on the T-1 internet line.”
This is a clear violation of the AGIF/US Constitution Article VI Section 1: B.
(1). “…if the National Executive Board determines that the conduct of the
officer or person who failed to forward Papers was arbitrary and/or
capricious,” charges will be filed.
I
have spoken with Mr. JR Gonzales and the AGIF/US Website should be finalized and
in working order within the next two weeks. Also, I have spoken with Ms. Anna
Flores, our National Conference Planner, and things are on schedule. No dates
yet for Las Vegas, but we do have the dates for the Midyear Conference in San Antonio: March 25-27, Holiday Inn Riverwalk.
We
have been made aware by Mr. Manny Monterrey of Monterrey Productions that the
current exhibition displayed at the Smithsonian National Museum of American
History titled “The Price of Freedom: Americans At War” has given no credit
to the many contributions made by our Hispanic veterans. Much like the Ken Burns
issue, this is wrong and we will be sending an official letter of objection to
the Director of this production at the Smithsonian Institute.
The
Veterans Administration, the American GI Forum and LULAC will be hosting a joint
Veteran’s Summit in Los Angeles during December 3-5 at the Millennium Biltmore
Hotel. Registration is free for all
veterans. We invite and welcome all
members of our veteran’s community. We plan to pay tribute to Mr. Alejandro
Ruiz, WWII Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient who died on November 19, 2009,
both at the Veterans Summit and at the Los Angeles (CMH) Wall of Honor.
On
Saturday, November 28th, National Chairwoman Patsy Vasques-Contes and
Pueblo Chapter Commander Dan Sandoval are hosting an evening event to honor Dr.
H.P. Garcia: Justice For My People. Key note speaker will be Mrs. Cecilia Garcia
Akers, daughter of Dr. Garcia. The event will be held at 125 Dr. H.P. Garcia
Place, Pueblo, Colorado, 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Travel:
I want to thank National Chairwoman Mrs. Patsy Vasques-Contes for attending
several DC meeting and events. On October 31, I attended the Veterans Outreach
Program of Illinios, Inc., Board of Directors meeting. The next day I traveled on to Baltimore to meet with Mr. Jess
Quintero, our Washington DC Veterans Affairs Liaison. On Sunday November 2nd
we met with Commander Carlos Puertas and the DC area American GI Forum
membership. The following afternoon we met with Mr. Don Loudner, National
Commander, National American Indian Veterans. That evening Commander Loudner
joined us at the invitation of Maryland State Director of Veterans Affairs, Mr.
Ed Chow, to speak on veterans issues before the Maryland Hispanic Commission.
Tuesday, November 3rd, I had meetings at the Department of Veterans
Affairs with Kevin Secor, National Veterans Organization Liaison, Dr. Alfonso
Batres, National Directors of the Readjustment Counseling Service (Vet Centers),
Mr. John Sepulveda, Under Secretary of Human Resources and the Honorable Eric
Shinseki, Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs. That evening I travelled to
San Jose, California to attend the November 7th AGIF San Jose Chapter
50th Anniversary. The following day I met with National Vice
Chairwoman, Helen Galvan, California State Commander, Willie Galvan, and San
Jose Chapter member Gus Lerma. All meetings dealt with National, State and/or
local American GI Forum issues and/or veteran concerns.
Ms.
Dottie Bruton, AGIF/US National Office Manager and National Treasurer Danny
Morales mailed all State Treasurers and Commanders a letter on October 31, 2009
explaining the specific requirements related to all: 2010 Dues and Charter
Renewals. Please keep the due dates in mind.
TO ALL OUR
AMERICAN GI FORUM FAMILY: ENJOY A BLESSED THANKSGIVING