The current officers of Post 2001 are as follows:
Commander: Chuck Loomis
1st Vice Commander: Bob O'Such
2nd Vice Commander: Scott Morse
3rd Vice Commander: Todd Pettibone
Adjutant: Norman Larson
(29)
The Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001, founded in 2000, was named in honor of the only Ashburn, Virginia resident killed during the Vietnam War. Our post assists veterans in need with financial emergency funds through the Legion's Family Support Network.; providing aid to service personnel and families who were and are directly affected by Operations Desert Shield & Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom in America's Global War on Terrorism. We support our returning wounded veterans through financial contributions to the Walter Reed National Medical Center & are especially proud to be an annual donor of the Boulder Crest Retreat for Military and Veteran Wellness located in Bluemont, Virginia within Loudoun County. In addition, our American Legion Post also actively supports the Legion's Boys State and Girl's State programs and American Legion Baseball originally initiated by the Legion in 1925. Post 2001 began sponsoring the Ashburn Knights baseball team in 2011.
Mission: The American Legion was formed by veterans of the American Expeditionary Force in Paris, France in March 1919 shortly after World War I ended. In May of that same year, the Legion's St. Louis Caucus formally founded the American Legion, and on 16 September 1919, the American Legion was chartered by the United States Congress. Americanism is our business! Today, over 14,000 Legion posts represent 2.4 million members in the U.S. & worldwide, including Puerto Rico, Mexico, the Philippines and France. For nearly 100 years, the Legion has influenced considerable social change in America, secured hundreds of benefits for veterans and produced many important programs for America's youth and children.
American Legion members from Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001 volunteered at the Service Academy Day at Loudoun Public School Administration Building, Leesburg, Virginia.
If you are military active duty or veteran, consider joining American Legion Post 2001! Please contact [email protected]
#AmericanLegionPost2001AshburnVirginia
#ServiceAcademyDay
ServingTogether
EveryMind. was honored to be a recipient of funding from 100WomenStrong of Loudoun County, Virginia at last night's reception to support our work in Loudoun through our ServingTogether program.
We were excited to see a fellow community partner, Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001 also received support for their work supporting veterans in Loudoun County.
Read more about the receipents and the amazing work 100WomenStrong is doing to support area non-profits, here:
https://loudounnow.com/2019/05/15/100womenstrong-announces-297k-in-grants/
All, tomorrow evening, Thursday, May 16, 2019 at 1845, American Legion Post 2001 will host a Flag Retirement Ceremony in front of the Great Oak Clubhouse in Ashby Ponds Community, located at 21170 Ashby Ponds Boulevard, Ashburn, Virginia
Please invite your family, relatives, and friends for a patriotic occasion as we retire and properly dispose of U.S. American flags, including learning about the Flag Code.
For American Legionnaires:
UOD is Legion polo shirt, tucked in or worn out, long pants and cover, if you have one ( A "veteran / armed forces" baseball cap is permissible otherwise).
#AmericanLegionPost2001AshburnVA
#FlagRetirementCeremony
#AshbyPondsCommunity
Did you know that Military Moms changed the history of Mother's Day? Although the day started in 1908, WWI significantly impacted Mother's Day forever. There were many efforts for U.S. Military men to acknowledge their mothers to include letter writing campaigns. General "Black Jack" Pershing declared on May 8, 1918, “I wish that every officer and soldier would write a letter home on Mother’s Day. This is a little thing for each one to do, but these letters will carry back our courage and our affection to the patriotic women whose love and prayers inspire us and cheer us on to victory.”
With more than 116,000 Americans who died from disease or in combat during that conflict, the Great War also led to the formation of the American Gold Star Mothers organization, to support mothers of the fallen. Again, Happy Mother's Day to all and lets never forget those who lost their loved ones while in service of this grateful nation.
~DAV Chapter 10
Arlington-Fairfax
Chapter Commander Tom Wendel
#HappyMothersDay
On Thursday, May 2, 2019, Post 2001 members and military veterans,
Josh Morimoto (Korean Veteran) and Erick Lohmann and Herbert Valle (both Persian Gulf War Veterans) volunteered their time for the one-day “Living History” event at Mercer Middle, Aldie, Virginia.
Living History Day is one of the few opportunities students have to interface directly with military veterans and to learn about their famili values, what jobs they did in the military and where they served, and what experiences they gained in working in different military jobs. Many veterans will wear their Veteran Organization Uniforms, uniforms they wore in the military, bring and share artifacts about their military services, photos about themselves in uniform and jobs where they worked.
In part of the event, about 2 dozen U.S. military veterans (WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Gulf War) divided up into several classrooms, and met and talked to the entire 7th grade classes about their military life and experience, post military career, training and lessons learned. To support the event, the students prepared breakfast and lunch for the presenters too!
The day’s event was well spent and much appreciated by the school staff and students. We look forward to next year’s event!!
#AmericanLegionPost2001AshburnVA
#JusticeFreedomDemocracyLoyalty
#ServiceToGodCountryVeteransFamilies
#PatriotismCitizenship
#MercerMiddleSchool
#LivingHistoryDay
NOTE: If you are military veteran or active duty and would like to learn more about Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001, please contact Herbert Valle, [email protected]
Washington Nationals Celebration of GI Bill Beneficiaries
Did you serve during WWII and used your GI Bill benefit? Do you have a family member that served during WWII that used their GI Bill benefit? You may have the opportunity to be honored on the field at a Washington Nationals game this summer.
Who: WWII Veteran and has used their GI Bill (home loan or education benefits). Must live in the DC area or be able to visit the DC area.
What: This summer, VA celebrates the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill. Since 1944, the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, also known as the GI Bill, has impacted the lives of millions of Veterans. The bill established VA education programs and created the VA home loan program. To date, there are more than 25 million education beneficiaries and more than 24 million home loans have been guaranteed.
To commemorate this major milestone, VA is partnering with the Washington Nationals to host an event honoring our nation’s Veterans. During the program, 15 Veterans will be invited to walk out on the field during a Washington Nationals game against the Phillies. Participants will receive tickets to the game and a chance to socialize with VA and Accenture representatives.
When: Monday, June 17 | 7:00 pm
Where: Nationals Park, SE DC
Why: Celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill and honor our nation's Veterans. This is a great opportunity to honor your service or the Veterans in your life!
For more information, please reach out to Michael Ball at [email protected]
DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. American Legion Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.
First and foremost, please let us extend to you our sincerest personal gratitude for your service to Our Country. Men and women like you are true American Heroes. Thank You.
At MISSION BBQ, our Mission is to Serve. It is important to us to recognize, honor and support uniformed American Heroes who have raised their hand and sworn to Protect, Serve and Save Our Community and Our Country. It's personal, too, as many of us also have family members currently serving.
Each year leading up to Armed Forces Day, we have a series of military appreciation days, one day for each branch of the service.
From May 13th to May 17th, we invite all veteran and active service members in for a FREE sandwich, our treat on their branch's appreciation day.
Then on Armed Forces Day, May 18th, ALL veterans are invited in for free chow. It’s what we call "Veterans Day in May."
Each year we look forward to this special "Lunch with the Heroes" on Saturday from 11:00am–2:00pm. I hope that you can take us up on this small gesture of appreciation for your service.
Proudly Serving Those Who Serve,
Your Friends at MISSION BBQ
P.S. Please feel free to pass this along to any and all of your fellow American Heroes. And thanks again!
MILITARY APPRECIATION DAYS
FREE SANDWICH for all active duty service members and veterans.
Army.........................................Monday, 5/13
Marine Corps...........................Tuesday, 5/14
Navy.........................................Wednesday, 5/15
Air Force..................................Thursday, 5/16
Coast Guard.............................Friday, 5/17
ARMED FORCES DAY
FREE SANDWICH for all active duty service members and veterans.
Lunch with the Heroes.…..….Saturday, 5/18
LIVE rendition of our National Anthem at noon
#ArmedForcesWeek
#LunchWithTheHeroes
USMCR Sergeant Rob Jones and Wife Receive New Home
In a ceremony on April 25, 2019, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation presented U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Sergeant Rob Jones and his wife with a newly-built, mortgage-free "smart home" in Middleburg, VA.
Sergeant Jones lost both legs to an IED blast in Afghanistan in 2010, but has become a motivational example to other injured soldiers and the population in general by running many fund-raising marathons for charitable organizations.
Many police, fire/EMS, and military organizations were present at the ceremony.
On 15 May 2019 from 5PM to 8PM all Washington D.C. metro area Chick-fil-A restaurants will provide a free meal to honorably discharged Veterans, Active Duty military personnel, and their families.
#WeHonorOurVeterans
#ThankYou
The American Battle Monuments Commission's ceremony to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the June 6th, 1944 "D-Day" landings in Normandy will be held on June 6th, 2019 at the Normandy American Cemetery in Colleville-sur-Mer, France.
https://www.abmc.gov/dday75
June 6, 2019 will mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings along the Normandy coast during World War II. This event, which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe, will be commemorated at Normandy American Cemetery. Ceremony planning is underway, but details will not be finalized until clo...
ABC 7 News - WJLA
While conducting his final walk Wednesday at Arlington National Cemetery's Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Sgt. Antonio Garcia placed a single rose at each of the crypts on the plaza.
Thank you for your service. 🇺🇸🌹
The Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. celebrated their 28th Annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on 13 April 2019. The Tin Can Sailor magazine was there to photograph the ceremony. A couple Tin Can Sailor shipmates were there to enjoy the ceremony and the day.
DISCLAIMER: This information is shared by American Legion, Ashburn, VA Post 2001 for the benefit of veterans, service-members and their families. The information is provided by a third-party. Post 2001 has no direct responsibility with outside organizations.
The Navy Memorial in Washington D.C. celebrated their 28th Annual Blessing of the Fleet ceremony on 13 April 2019. The Tin Can Sailor magazine was there to photograph the ceremony. A couple Tin Can Sailor shipmates were there to enjoy the ceremony and the day.
Local hockey players help Capital Beltway Warriors win national championship in Florida
When Shannon Jackson and his team, the Capital Beltway Warriors, headed down to the 2019 USA Disabled Hockey Festival in Wesley Chapel in Tampa, Florida, March 28 to April 7,
Legionnaires-meeting tonight 11 April 2019 at 7:30 pm. Ashburn Vol Fire & Rescue Station 6, 20688 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn 20147. Post election discussion of candidates and more! See you there!
National Museum of the Marine Corps - Final Phase
We’re nearing completion of the physical elements of the extension of Legacy Walk, which includes exhibits about Marine Security Guards, advise and assist missions, non-combatant evacuations, humanitarian and disaster relief missions, 9/11, Marine families, and a contemplative space called Never Forget. The audiovisual programming and cast figures for this space are looking good. Most of the artifact mounts are fabricated and finished. All of the small artifacts are selected, and most have been conserved and are ready for exhibit. We’re working on resolving some AV hardware issues and a few other punch list items. We’re on track to open this space on 9/11 2019.
Semper Fi
Happy National Volunteer Week! Today, and every day, I thank all our comrades for the support all our American Legion volunteers do for our military, veterans, country, state, counties and communities!
As George H.W. Bush once said, “any definition of a successful life must include service to others.”
Please know that I thank all of you, not just during National Volunteer Week but everyday for your commitment to serve and your dedication to creating a successful life through service to others.
Chuck Loomis
Commander
The American Legion
Leonard W. Kidd Memorial Post 2001
Ashburn, VA
#AmericanLegionVolunteer
#ServiceByServingOthers
HillVets 100 Tribute Gala
The Boulder Crest Institute for Post Traumatic Growth won the non-profit of the year award at the 5th Annual HillVets 100 Tribute Gala, March 28, 2019, at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.
Opened in 2018, the Boulder Crest Institute has four areas of operation - training, technology, research and evaluation, and social and policy change. In addition to supporting Boulder Crest Retreat Arizona and Virginia, the Institute is tasked with scaling our breakthrough Warrior PATHH programs across the nation, and working to transform our nation's approach to mental health. The Institute Team - Josh Goldberg, Greg Morin, Anna Kavanaugh, Dr. Richard Tedeschi, and Dr. Bret Moore - have accomplished a great deal in a short period of time, and we are proud of their great work.
The HillVets 100 Gala is an event for the veteran and military community that highlights the most influential and impactful veterans, service-members, and supporters from 2018. The HillVets 100 includes veterans of all eras, from the Vietnam War to the more recent Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. More than 500 attendees at the event had to vote and we won!
Thank you to our supporters. We couldn not do what we do without you!
And to our Team at Boulder Crest, you are the best!
Ken Falke
Fellow Legionnaires, fellow Viet-Nam Vets,
On this day, from now and into the future, our country recognizes and honors the thousands of men and women veterans, living and dead, who served in and during the Viet-Nam conflict period.
The history of that time is still being written; it was a complex, confused, and conflicting time; a difficult, divisive, and demoralizing time; but it was a time that shaped those surviving veterans to be able to guide and make our future Armed Forces the best the world has ever seen. The attached article from MOAA speaks to that.
To you with whom I share that experience, to those memorialized on the black granite Wall, to those who have yet to return, I salute you and thank you for being my comrades in arms. I am proud to have been among you.
For God and Country,
Chuck
Chuck Loomis
Commander
The American Legion
Leonard W. Kidd Memorial Post 2001
Ashburn, VA
***********************************************************
Mar 27, 2019
National Vietnam War Veterans Day: Honoring Their Service ... and Their Impact on the Future Force
Harassment and criticism stung Vietnam veterans returning from war, but in squad rooms and motor pools across the country, there was a different group of Americans who stood in awe of their selfless service and call to duty.
Outside of the public view, Vietnam veterans trained, educated and led the next generation of troops while quietly shaping and inspiring their service. As decades passed and attitudes shifted, Americans now pause to reflect and thank Vietnam veterans for their service on National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29.
“I thought they were great leaders, combat-tested leaders,” Lt. Gen. Dana T. Atkins, MOAA's president and CEO, said of the Vietnam veterans who made up his unit's senior leadership while he made his way to Royal Air Force Bentwaters, U.K., to fly A-10s - his first operational assignment as a young officer. “You gained a level of respect having gone through that. Your leadership style is shaped by what you've seen. There certainly was a level of respect.
“The squad room was full of Vietnam veterans,” Atkins recalled. “There was a lot of influence from them. … You saw how they conducted themselves.”
Atkins, who served 34 years in the Air Force before retiring in 2012, said his earliest exposure to Vietnam came through his uncle Ed, who recorded audio tapes downrange that would be played at the family home in Portland, Oregon. “You get intimate with Vietnam through that exchange,” said Atkins. “I certainly didn't have an animosity toward Vietnam.”
About the Day
March 29 became National Vietnam War Veterans Day in 2017, when President Donald Trump signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act into law.
President Trump is not the first commander-in-chief to designate a Vietnam Veterans Day, but he did enact the annual day of recognition into law. President Richard Nixon declared March 29, 1974, as Vietnam Veterans Day to mark the one-year anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Vietnam. President Barack Obama declared March 29, 2012, as Vietnam Veterans Day, with his proclamation highlighting ongoing 50th anniversary events.
The discipline and professionalism of these veterans rubbed off on countless younger leaders, Atkins said. And while many of those veterans came home to public reactions that didn't reflect their service or sacrifice, some decades later, the nation has caught up.
Atkins said he witnessed a homecoming in the early 2000s for troops returning from deployment through Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. He recalled a group of people lining a corridor and waving small American flags; some people offered their cellphones so the troops could call parents to tell them they were home. “It was a remarkable expression of gratitude and respect,” Atkins said. “I thought, 'Wow, it has taken three decades.' It was like polar opposites.”
Vietnam veterans have demonstrated resiliency that all incoming troops can learn from, Atkins said, noting MOAA will continue to fight for their benefits, including expanding benefits for Blue Water Navy veterans.
“Look back at these Vietnam veterans - our nation owes them a great debt,” Atkins said.
***************************************
Amanda Dolasinski is MOAA's staff writer. She can be reached [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @AmandaMOAA.
Post Office Box 1243
Ashburn, VA
20147
The Leonard W. Kidd Memorial American Legion Post 2001 meets monthly on the 2nd Thursday at 1930, except during the month of December. Our Post meets at the Ashburn Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department (AVFRD) at 20688 Ashburn Rd, Ashburn, VA 20147. Membership is open to all active duty and honorably discharged members of the U.S. Armed Forces [Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marines, Reserves & National Guard]. Our membership is composed on men and women who have served during World War II; the Korean War; the Vietnam War; Grenada, Panama, Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm; Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan; Operation Iraqi Freedom; and Special Operations for the duration of the United States' Global War on Terrorism.
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Post 2001 Holiday Party 2018; Thanks for Amazon Web Services Support this year; thanks to Mission BBQ for the main course; thanks to Tom Grant (Loudoun County Veteran Support); and especially thanks to our Veterans for their service!
Ashburn Volunteer Fire Rescue Department - AV
20688 Ashburn RdAntarctic Habitability Research Initiative
43730 Partlow RdCapital Beltway Warriors Ice Hockey Inc.
43770 Carrleigh CtAncient Order of Hibernians, Thomas J. Cunnin
AOH – Colonel Thomas J. Cunningham Jr. Division P.O. Box 1486
Capital Beltway Warriors Ice Hockey Inc.
43770 Carrleigh Ct
LEAP - Loudoun Education Alliance of Parents
21000 Education Ct
Loudoun/Fairfax Mothers of Multiples Club
43003 Chesterton Street