Fleet Reserve Association | VFW | Doolittle Raiders Memorial Toast| National POW MIA Museum | AFA
Weekly Report 🎖️
Fleet Reserve Association Branch 34 will be leading the monthly meeting in May. We still need VSO’s to fill the remaining months of the year. Leading the coalition is a great way to get national exposure.
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine honored the legendary Doolittle Raiders on the 84th anniversary of their daring raid on Imperial Japan at an event that also honored today's Airmen who continue in that bold tradition. This year’s celebration was April 17, 2026, and took place simultaneously with toasts sponsored by Air Force and Space Force units, AFA Chapters, and AFA members around the world. Watch the toast here
TODAY, April 19th 2026, from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm Sauls-Bridges Post 13 is hosting another third Sunday gaming event. Bring your own board games or come and borrow a game(s) from the Post. There is not an admission charge for anyone to play. Snacks and soft drinks are available to purchase. We are encouraging families to attend and consequently the bar will not be open.
Greetings, Team THIS Monday, April 20, 3 pm is your Next opportunity to observe a session of the Leon County Veterans Treatment Court (Leon County Courthouse, Courtroom 2E), and maybe you will consider becoming a Veteran Mentor for the Vets working their way through the program and recovery.
The walk-in legal clinic last Thursday involved our Team of 19 Volunteers (including 5 attys and an FSU Law student) working with 14 Veterans and family members (4/16/26) at American Legion Sauls Bridges Post 13. Plus we assisted others by phone and email. 5 Veterans were assisted by Elizabeth Revills from the Leon Tax Collector’s Office progressing toward reinstatement of their driver’s licenses. We also presented TVLC Commemorative Coins to 211 Veteran Eddie McMillian and also to FSU Law student Becca Vaillancourt for their many weeks of assisting Vets at the clinics.
On Wednesday, Veterans at Vet Village and Homefront appreciated the truckload of food delivered by the team this week (Khalid Shafi, Charles Robinson, Gregory Howard, Eddie McMillian, Sam Adams, Chris Bodiford and Leonard Bell).
One special need: The number of issues with the VA is outstripping our local resources to keep up with the complications, new claims, and VA delays; so, any other attorneys wanting to join our “VA Law team,” we need you, and have training and national legal resources available to bring you into the fray. Were you a JAG? Have you helped with Social Security or other federal agencies that you already have a headstart on picking up VA law?
What else?
Thank you,
Dan Hendrickson,
for the Tallahassee Veterans Legal Collaborative
www.Tallahasseeveteranslegal.com
PO Box 11091, Tallahassee, Fl 32302,
850/ 570-1967
VFW National Day of Service kicks off on May 2 this year. But you still have time to get your event on the map!
Take a look at what happens when you partner with others in your community to help others. This quick video from Post 658 in Georgia is sure to inspire you!
Here are five more quick ideas you can coordinate easily and make a big difference:
Help stock shelves and sort food at a local pantry.
Serve food at a homeless shelter and bring hygiene items, clothing, and other staples to donate.
Visit a nursing home and bring activities and games to enjoy with residents.
Clean up a local park, stretch of highway, or veterans’ cemetery.
Volunteer at an animal shelter.
Still looking for inspiration? We have 100 Ideas for Day of Service to help you!
Senator Moody Leads Effort to Designate a Florida Museum as the Only National POW/MIA Museum and Memorial in the Country
“Prisoners of wars and soldiers missing in action deserve our prayers, support and recognition of their immense sacrifice. There is no better place to honor their service than Florida, because of our long tradition of supporting veterans. That is why I am leading the National POW/MIA Memorial and Museum Act in the Senate to ensure Florida is the leader in preserving the memory of those who endured captivity and those who never came home. This effort is about keeping our promise to remember their sacrifice, stand with their families, and ensure future generations never forget the cost of freedom.”
Source~ Office of U.S. Senator Ashley Moody
Benefits Available to Surviving Military Spouses in 2026
We are still seeking a Commander to lead Outpost 1
The primary responsibilities of the Outpost 1 Commander include:
1. Disseminating the monthly meeting minutes to Outpost 1 readers.
2. Ensuring that weekly VSO news and events are emailed in a timely manner.
3. Coordinating and setting up the monthly meeting.
4. Leading the monthly meeting in the event that no other Veteran Organization volunteers to do so.
5. Serving a one-year term.
These responsibilities represent the minimum requirements for the position.
Additional recommended but not required Duties:
— Participate and provide testimony annually at the Florida Capitol on matters related to Veteran legislation.
— Encourage other Veteran Organizations to share information about their activities and initiatives across Florida’s Big Bend region.
— Maintain strong working relationships with Outpost 1’s community partners.
As your current National Commander, I personally dedicate around one hour per week to producing and distributing emails for Outpost 1. While the role is not labor-intensive, it is highly important, as it provides valuable local and national exposure to Veteran organizations that rely on this support.
Eligibility Requirements:
Individuals interested in serving as Outpost 1 Commander must:
— Not be currently serving as an officer in a member organization
— Be an honorably discharged Veteran.
— Have prior experience serving in a Veteran Organization.
— Be elected to the position by a vote of Outpost 1 members.
Commanders Coalition is a 501(c)(19) Veterans nonprofit organization. All positions within Commanders Coalition, including the Outpost Commander, are unpaid volunteer roles.
Commanders Coalition is not a membership-driven organization. There is no expectation or pressure to recruit new members.
Our primary focus is on serving the Veteran Service Organizations (VSOs) in our communities by ensuring that monthly meetings take place. These monthly meetings represent the core purpose and most important function of our organization.
If you are interested in this leadership opportunity, please express your interest so that we may move forward with the nomination and election process.