Post News

RICK BRYAN NAMED 2022 VETERAN OF THE YEAR BY THE CITY OF BLUE ASH

Rick Bryan Named Veteran of the Year Northeast Post 630 member Rick Bryan was honored by the City of Blue Ash as their 2022 Veteran of the Year at the Veterans Day luncheon held on November 11 at the Blue Ash Recreation Center. Rick began his relationship with the Military when he enrolled in Junior ROTC when in high school. This decision eventually led to his receiving a 4-year ROTC scholarship to the Virginia Military Institute. In May, 1972 he was commissioned a 2nd LT in the Army Medical Service Corps. During his tour of duty he served at Ft. Bragg, Walter Reed Army Hospital, and Ft. Sill. In 1977 he left active duty service, joined the Army Reserves, earned an MBA from the University of Illinois, and moved to Blue Ash. He continued his Reserve duties locally with the 311th Station Hospital in Sharonville. He retired from the Reserves in 1995 as a Lieutenant Colonel but remained in the retired Reserves until 2010. Rick has served 20 years on Blue Ash City Council including 4 years each as Vice Mayor and Mayor. He has been a Paid Up for Life member of the American Legion for 32 years. In Post 630, he has served numerous executive committee positions and as Commander for 3 years. He has been Chair of the Blue Ash Veterans Day committee for the past 15 years. He and his wife, Linda, have been married for over 48 years.

Joe Rettig Named Northeast Post 630 Legionnaire of the Year

At the annual Christmas party of Northeast Post 630, members honored Joe Rettig as Legionnaire of the Year. Joe is the current 1st Vice Commander and has been a member of the American Legion for 54 years. During his tenure with Post 630 he has served as Commander, as Finance Officer, has been on the Executive Board, and is a member of the Color Guard. He also is and has been active in many of the Post’s events, such as the Post 630 Christmas party, the annual picnic, and chairing the Post 630 booth at the St. Saviour Festival. His initiative, determination and organizational skills have helped bring Post 630 to the admirable position it is in today.

Joe served in the Army from 1964 to 1967 during the Vietnam era. The majority of his time in the military was spent in training or teaching electronic communications. After his discharge he taught electronics at ITT Technical Institute and earned a Masters degree in Marketing. Joe worked many years in the HVAC business in various supervisory positions. Joe has been married to his wife Barb for over 50 years and is a Blue Ash resident.

Others recognized for their contributions to the Post were: John Conlon, Pat Buschmann, Bob Huxell, Paul Collett, Bill Keller, Bob Barnhorst, Ed Ennis, Art Levine and Steve Stratemeyer.

2022 FLAG PLACEMENT ON VETERANS GRAVES AT MONTGOMERY HOPEWELL CEMETERY

Flag Placement on Veterans Graves at Hopewell Cemetery One of the projects our Post has undertaken is to place flags at the gravesites of veterans buried in Hopewell Cemetery in the City of Montgomery for Veterans Day. It is our way of showing respect to those who served their country. Veterans from all of the wars that the US has been involved in are buried there. Over 400 graves of veterans are located in the cemetery. On November 5 over 60 volunteers placed flags on the veteran gravesites. Thirteen of those volunteers were Post 630 members. Within an hour all of the flags were placed. Fortunately, it was a only a cool day with no foul weather. We had a very good mix of young and old, family and friends, Montgomery employees and Post 630 members, and citizens who came because they heard or read about what we were doing. Judge Brad Greenberg, who presides over Hamilton County’s Municipal Veterans Court, came to place flags with attorney Greg Nolan. Judge Greenberg represents District 5 which encompasses the Northeast areas of Hamilton County. This year the City of Montgomery provided veteran grave markers for some of the graves in the Pioneer Section of the cemetery that did not have any. In doing so, the City made it easy for volunteers to find veteran graves. The City also provides the flags that are placed. After Veterans Day, Montgomery retrieves the flags and stores them for next year.

American Legion NE Post 630 Honors Top First Responders

The 2022 Top Cop and Top Firefighter awards were presented at the Blue Ash City Council meeting on November 10. The honorees were selected for the awards by their respective departments. The top police officer was Officer Abby Ballman and the top firefighter was Courtenay Brooks. They each received a plaque and their names were inscribed on the Top Police Officer and Firefighter plaque that hangs in the hallway outside the council chambers.

NE POST 630 COLOR GUARD PRESENTS AT 2022 BABA LUNCHEON

NE Post 630 Color Guard Presents at BABA Luncheon The Blue Ash Business Association requested the assistance of NE Post 630 to present The Colors and play Taps at their November business luncheon. Our Color Guard was more than happy to assist. The luncheon was held at The Embassy Suites. Past Commander Jim Meyers was the featured speaker at the event.

Legion Veterans Declare, “No One Should Go Hungry at Christmas Time”

Members of American Legion Northeast Post 630, Blue Ash, Ohio, organized and promoted a canned food drive declaring “No One Should Go Hungry at Christmas Time”! On December 11, 2021, at St. Saviour Church in Rossmoyne, Ohio, on a cold and very windy Saturday, donors drove up to the collection point and NE Post 630 veterans helped to remove canned goods and food boxes from their cars. More than a pickup truck load of food was collected and given to the St. Vincent de Paul Society at St. Saviour Church. The collection of canned goods at Christmas time is an annual event for members of NE Post 630. The food is distributed to local families in need. In addition to the food, money was also donated.

NE Post 630 also collected old and tattered American flags that donors wanted to have properly disposed of. The collection of flags that need to be properly retired is an ongoing process for NE Post 630. More information may be obtained at ohiopost630.com.

Ohio student veterans honor 100-year-old veteran, Legionnaire

The American Legion

NOV 04, 2021

When World War II Army veteran and Legionnaire Dennis Schone arrived at the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash campus on Oct. 25, to visit with student veterans, a surprise was waiting for him. A table near the student café celebrated his 100th birthday which was three days later – it was filled with over 40 handmade birthday cards from student veterans and balloons.

“I was really surprised; it was very nice,” said Schone, a member of American Legion Post 630 in Blue Ash. “Those students were very kind.”

As Schone sat at the decorated table to interact with student veterans about The American Legion as part of Post 630’s monthly initiative on campus, he received birthday wishes from students, the university’s dean, many professors, and staff from the Veterans Affairs Office on campus.

“I enjoyed it very much,” Schone said.

The relationship between the Student Veterans Affairs Office on campus and American Legion Post 630 has been successful since its start in 2018 – an initiative by Pat Buschmann, an Army veteran and graduate of University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash who wanted to engage with younger veterans.

Members of Post 630 visit the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash campus once a month. They set up an information table where student veterans, faculty and staff can learn about The American Legion, Post 630’s involvement with veterans and the community, and how Post 630 members may be of assistance. As part of these monthly visits, Ohio American Legion Department Service Officer Beth Schroeder is there to speak with student veterans about their VA benefits.

“If they have problems or questions they have an immediate American Legion veterans service coordinator person right there,” Buschmann said. “She can help them, which I think is valuable. This way it’s on their turf; they are not trying to find their way through the VA medical center.”

Buschmann said students will stop by the table and share how their grandparents served or was a member of The American Legion. “And I think that’s a good thing. I don’t think the veteran community is very much in the public eye like it used to be,” she said, reflecting back of when she grew up and the presence of veterans and their service during the Vietnam War era. “So I think it’s good for these students to see that there are real people behind that word.”

The relationship between Post 630 and the student veterans has expanded under the leadership of Josh Monson, program manager of the Veterans Affairs Office at the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash. Monson is the one who engaged the student veterans to create handmade birthday cards for Schone.

“In regards to our relationship with Post 630, I can’t imagine doing what I do without them,” said Monson, a Marine veteran. “The most important thing I do at UC is mentor veterans, but I am only one person. Having my friends from the Legion appear on campus further supports my work and provides a visual representation of our communities commitment to service and commitment to one another.”

Post 630 now is a part of a:

- Student veteran welcome luncheon in the fall

- Student veteran family picnic in the spring (Post 630 helps with the cooking and members sit with the veteran and their families.)

- Patriot Day ceremony on Sept. 11 where they provide the honor guard

“If there is one idea that my student veterans can walk away from college with, it is the meaning of their service. Especially during times like now, as we close the chapter on our countries longest war,” Monson said. “These (Legionnaires) are folks who have been through this phase of life as a veteran, and they are here sharing that wisdom, making their services available and reminding these younger veterans that they are not alone. Reminding these younger veterans that their service doesn’t end when they take off the uniform.”

The post also provides coffee supplies monthly for the student Veteran Lounge. “That again puts us in their lounge and visiting with them,” Buschmann said. “You can see the result of us being there by the fact of how they treated Dennis.”

Monson added that when Buschmann, her husband Dave, an Army veteran and Post 630 member, and others “give their time to be available to students on campus, a strong message resonates throughout our community. Sure, each month they bring coffee supplies for our Veterans Lounge. The students know where that is coming from and they appreciate it, but what matters most to them is that Pat and Dave are there. They are taking their time to be available to the students, and meeting them where they are on campus. They epitomize service to others, and that is what my veterans need to see.”

The monthly visits on campus have helped the student veterans navigate their VA benefits, and understand who The American Legion is and how Post 630 may be of assistance, even if it hasn’t necessarily resulted in new members.

“We think it’s worth doing; even if only two people stop by (the information table),” Buschmann said. “They may not join now but they may join later. These are young people, they’re trying to work, they’re trying to go to school, they may have young families … they just don’t see it in their life to have time to go to a meeting. But if you’re there being friendly and just saying hi, they might remember that down the line.

Overall, Buschmann feels the relationship between Post 630 and the University of Cincinnati-Blue Ash student veterans has been “really good.” And Monson agrees.

“My hope is that we continue cultivating this relationship to increase greater participation from the younger veterans,” Monson said. “I often remind them that their veteran education benefits are a direct result of advocates like The American Legion, and their time is coming to take up the guidon and continue the work for our next generation of veterans.”