In this Month’s Newsletter:

Commander’s Notes

General Membership Meeting – April 9, 2026 Italian Night – April 10, 2026

GoFundMe Campaign for Veterans Veteran Benefits Workshops

Boys and Girls State Candidates American Legion School Award

Honor a Veteran – Memorial Plaque Project VA Benefit Tip of the Month

Spring has been busy at Post 716, and that is good news. Hall rentals have increased, which helps

strengthen the Post’s financial footing and expand our ability to serve veterans and military families. Our food events continue to draw strong attendance, and I want to thank our membership for showing up and supporting the Post in a consistent way.

Our sponsored Scout troop asked that I pass along its thanks to the membership for the support you have shown. They remain ready to assist with volunteer opportunities when needed, and we appreciate having young people connected to the Post through service, leadership, and community involvement.

We have also had to address repairs to several refrigeration units in the bar. Like many older facilities, maintenance issues do not wait for a convenient time. At the same time, we are in the process of

renewing our insurance policies. Insurance costs, especially property insurance, have gone up dramatically. That means we may need to take a fresh look at our costs and income streams across the board and make thoughtful adjustments where necessary.

We will also be meeting with the City of Los Alamitos to finalize our plans for the memorial plaque project. The proposal is to allow members, families, and community supporters to purchase a plaque that will be installed below the mural. Each plaque will identify the service member by name, dates of service, branch of service, and service emblem. It is a meaningful way to honor service while helping the Post build lasting support for its mission.

General Membership Meeting – April 9, 2026

Please mark your calendar for our upcoming General Membership Meeting on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. Member participation matters. Important Post business, current projects, and upcoming programs will be discussed, and your voice is part of how we keep the Post moving in the right direction.

Italian Night – Friday, April 10, 2026

Join us this Friday, April 10, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. for Italian Night at Post 716. Our food events continue to be a great way to bring members and guests together, and we hope to see a strong turnout.

We also want to extend special thanks to Foggia Italian Market & Deli in Lakewood for preparing the meals for our Italian Night. They have been generous in helping us put on a quality event, and we encourage our members to show their support by visiting their establishment at 5522 Del Amo Blvd, Lakewood, CA 90713. Special thanks to Mary and Ernie Rodriguez for making arrangements with Foggia to sponsor our Italian night!

GoFundMe Campaign for Post 716

Post 716 has served as a lifeline for veterans across Orange County and the greater Los Angeles area for more than six decades. Our GoFundMe campaign is designed to strengthen that mission at a time when too many veterans are struggling in silence and too many are disconnected from the services that could help them before a crisis develops.

The campaign will establish a new emergency micro-grant program, which provides immediate support when veterans and active-duty service members face eviction, utility shutoffs, transportation breakdowns, food insecurity, or medical expenses they cannot afford. Funds will also help us expand suicide prevention training, grow our buddy check efforts, improve our facilities as a welcoming, safe space, and support the work of our Auxiliary, Riders, and Sons.

Every contribution helps the Post provide practical assistance, human connection, and hope. When the link is shared, please consider donating and forwarding it to others who believe veterans should never have to stand alone. We hope you will donate what you can.

Veteran Benefits Workshops

A portion of the funds raised will also support workshops designed to help veterans and their families better understand and pursue VA and CAL-Vet benefits. These workshops are intended to connect veterans with guidance, resources, and practical information so they can better access the benefits they have earned through service.

Boys and Girls State Candidates

Post 716 is proud to support this year’s Boys and Girls State candidates. The post is sponsoring three candidates this year. Thanks to Bill Mayhue for leading the Boys State Committee. We will provide more information about the candidates and the committee in our next newsletter.

American Legion School Award

The American Legion created the School Award Medal Program to help instill character and perpetuate the ideals of Americanism among young people. For over 30 years, Post 716 has presented this award to a child in graduating class at our local middle schools. Award recipients must exemplify six qualities that define character: courage, honor, leadership, patriotism, scholarship, and service to the community.

Candidates are selected by a school’s faculty. Each awardee receives a certificate and a medal listing those six qualities on the face of the medal, while the reverse bears the Marine Corps motto, “Semper Fidelis,” meaning “always faithful.”

At Post 716, we previously presented two awards to each of our middle schools, McAuliffe and Oak. We now present one award to each school, together with a $250 check. Since adding the presentation of the check, the quality of the awardees we have seen has been truly exceptional, and it has been an honor to recognize students who already reflect the values we hope to encourage in future leaders.

This year, we are seeking donations to help fund the $500 total that will be awarded. If you would like to support this effort, please consider contributing so we can continue honoring outstanding students in our community.

Honor a Veteran – Memorial Plaque Project

We are moving forward with plans for a memorial plaque project that will create a lasting tribute at Post 716. Under the proposal, a person will be able to purchase a plaque honoring a service member, and that plaque will be installed below the mural at the Post.

Each plaque will include the service member’s name, dates of service, branch of service, and a service emblem. The project is intended to give members, families, and community supporters a meaningful way to honor military service while also helping the Post strengthen its long-term support for veteran programs and facility improvements. More details will be announced once the City review process is complete.

VA Benefit Tip of the Month

Many veterans assume a VA disability claim is just about filling out forms. In reality, the strength of the claim usually comes down to the evidence.

In most cases, the VA is looking for three basic things: a current medical condition, an injury, illness, event, or exposure connected to military service, and evidence linking the current condition to that service. If one of those pieces is missing, the claim may be delayed or denied.

Medical records are important, but they are not the only evidence that matters. Personal statements, buddy statements, and records showing when symptoms began can all help support a claim. The clearer the evidence tells the story, the stronger the claim usually becomes.

The bottom line is simple: a successful claim is usually built on good evidence, clear documentation, and an understanding of what type of claim is being filed. Veterans who have questions about filing for VA disability benefits should consider reaching out to an accredited Veterans Service Officer for assistance.

Thank you for your continued support of Post 716 and for the many ways you help us serve veterans, military families, and our community.

Aloha, Roger Haag

Commander,

American Legion Post 716