June Events:

June 9th

MOC Scratch,
PT 20, Alamogordo

June 14th

Flag Day

June 15th

Fathers’ Day

June 19th

MOC Grand Scratch
Alamogordo, PT 20

June 20th – 22nd

VFW Department of
NM Convention
Alamogordo, Post 7686

Comrades and Sisters,


I hope everyone had a safe and fulfilling Memorial Day holiday. As always the second half of May kept the Membership quite busy. I am happy to report that the Post and its Auxiliary had a very successful Buddy Poppy and membership drive at our Mayfair Arts & Crafts booth in Cloudcroft May 24th & 25th. Combined we distributed over 1000 Buddy Poppies (collecting nearly $900 in donations), signed up 5 new VFW members and transferred in an Auxiliary Life Member! Quite a successful weekend.

As some of you may remember, last year our Post was invited to participate in the Timberon Memorial Day Observance. This year we were asked to assume complete responsibility for the event. So this year our Post held two distinctly different Memorial Day Ceremonies. One at our traditional location of James Canyon Cemetery and another at the Timberon Cemetery. Both were well attended, and I estimate that over 30 people attended the Timberon ceremony including some folks who traveled a long distance from out of state just for the event. Next year will mark the 25th annual observance for the community of Timberon and I hope to advertise the event heavily.

Don’t forget that the Department Convention will be held later this month. A complete schedule of events as well as the banquet ticket order form is located in the Department Newspaper. You should have received the paper shortly after Memorial Day. This is a prime opportunity to attend a Department Convention as it is being held in Alamogordo this year. Contact Comrade Donna or myself at (575) 987-2214 for more info.

Our Post is fast approaching 200% in membership for the VFW Comrades this year, and we are currently ranked 3rd in the Country in our membership division. When non-paying transfers are added into the mix we have over 65 members, up from only 31 last year. The good news here is that we now have over 37 Life Members, many who did not “count” in our official percentage for this year. This will help us considerably for next year. I would like to see our Post continue its record of consecutive years over 100% in membership.

I am working with our new Ladies Auxiliary President to coordinate the Adopt-a-Highway clean-up for June. In the past we would conduct it following the VFW Business Meeting, however this would prevent the Auxiliary from assisting as their meeting now follows ours. There will be more information forthcoming, but remember to wear comfortable clothes and shoes for the next meeting just in case.

Speaking of the Ladies Auxiliary I wish to congratulate all of their new officers and wish Auxiliary President Donna Millar the best of luck for the upcoming year. Donna jokes that she should be called the Hydra due to the need for more heads for all of the hats she will be wearing this year. Please join with me in offering the VFW’s complete support for our Post’s fledgling Ladies Auxiliary.

The community of Timberon has asked our Post to present the colors at their Independence Day Celebration on Saturday July 5th. I am looking for volunteers to act as color guard and also to staff our Vet Service/Membership/Buddy Poppy booth at the event. Things kick off at noon and continue until everyone decides to go home. Our Ladies Auxiliary will be assisting and also running a “Cake Walk” at the event. Please contact Comrade Donna or myself at (575) 987-2214 for more info or to volunteer.

Our Welcome Home Event in March has received a lot of attention. The latest edition of the Department Newspaper highlighted our efforts, and now National VFW has published a story in the latest “Grassroots” newsletter that goes out to over 100,000 people. To read the story click on the link below:

http://donate.vfw.org/site/PageNavigator/Grassroots/Grassroots_SmallVFWPost

Lastly I wish to thank our members for all of the hard work and support you have given me this past year. It has been an honor to command such a fine group of comrades. We need to carry this momentum forward into the next year which begins at the close of the Department Convention this month. You all should be proud of our Post’s accomplishments this past year and remember that you all are, and always will be, All-State & All-American VFW Members!


Yours in comradeship,


Scott W. Millar
Commander