Sons of The American Legion

Detachment of Connecticut

Last Updated on 12/20/07

From Detachment Headquarters

Detachment Achieves New All-Time High - For 2005 the Detachment of Connecticut reached a new all-time high membership total of 1,668 or 117.14%! And we still had two goose egg squadrons! This placed our Detachment in 3rd Place nationally and 1st Place in the Eastern Division! The Detachment was the recipient of several awards during the 34th Annual National Convention of The Sons of The American Legion, August 19-21, 2005, in Honolulu, Hawaii. See the breakdown by Squadron on the Membership page.

Detachment Gets Front Row Seats At National Convention - Detachment Commander Robert L. Turner chaired a nine member delegation at the SAL's National Convention, getting front row seating due to successful membership effort in 2005. What a way to end a spectacular year...and at Waikiki, Hawaii!

Detachment Convention - Rounded Out 2005 - The Detachment Convention was held on Sunday, June 26, 2005, at Post 174, 43 Oxford Road, Oxford. A successful convention was held, although Squadron representation was quite a bit less than was hoped for. Besides electing a new slate of Detachment officers for 2005-2006, delegates voted the following donations: $500 to National Commander Candidate K. Robert Lewis' campaign fund; $500 to outgoing Department Commander Jean C. Lafontaine for use on a Boy Scouts of America project or program of his choice; $500 to Department Homeless Veterans Task Force Chairman John P. March Jr.; and $1,000 to the American Legion Auxiliary, Department of Connecticut, to purchase a lap top computer for use in their office.

Department SAL Director Barylski Recognized For Years Of Service - Andrew Barylski Jr. of Putnam, who served as the Connecticut SAL Program's director for nearly 20 years since first being appointed in 1986, was presented an engraved plaque by outgoing Detachment Commander Robert Turner during the recent Detachment Convention. He also received a jacket embroided with his acheivement during the September Detachment Executive Committee meeting.

Second "Legion Family" Beanie Bear Selling Well - Our newest beanie bear, the Auxiliary Bear, has been a great success and is nearly sold out!

2006 Membership Cards Have Been Distributed - All Squadrons should have received their membership cards and rosters for the 2006 membership year. Transmitals should be made at least once a month in order to allow the Detachment to meet its periodic target dates. Each Squadron is asked to comply.

Blue Star Banner At Squadron Meetings - A Blue Star Banner ceremony should now be a part of S.A.L. meeting openings, immediately following the draping of the POW-MIA "empty chair".

Few SAL Beanie Bears Left!!! - The largest Sons of the American Legion fund raiser ever attempted for the Connecticut Detachment - the American Legion Family SAL Beanie Bear - has been a frinancial success!!! Almost sold out! Get your's today! This attractive, 9-inch plush bear was the first of three bears to be produced for the Detachment. And, with only 500 having been made, they are immediate collector's items. This bear will not be reproduced. They are on sale now for just $8.00 each. For information on how you can buy a bear or how to get bears to sell at your Squadron contact Detachment Adjutant Andrew Barylski Jr. via email: [email protected].

New Membership Transmittal Process - Squadrons should now be sending their membership transmittals to The American Legion Department Adjutant's Office on at least a bi-weekly basis. Adjutant Bob Turner asks all Squadrons to mail their new or renewal cards, along with a check for the proper amount to:  Department Adjutant, The American Legion, P.O. Box 208, Rocky Hill, CT 06067.

New Squadrons Chartered - Stafford Springs Post 26 and Hamden Post 88 have received their new S.A.L. charters, becoming the 43rd and 44th active S.A.L. Squadrons in Connecticut. These new Squadrons currently have respectively 33 and 25 members, but more will be recruited during the 2006 membership year.

Another Squadron Revived - Thanks to Commander Manny Rodrigues of Coventry-Mansfield Post 52, we have added a new squadron to our ranks. Actually, the charter was issued back in 1991, however the squadron's originator passed on to Post Everlasting before it was completely formed. After laying dormant for more than a decade, Commander Rodrigues recruited 17 S.A.L. members to complete his Post's squadron this year. Thanks, Manny!

Participation At Detachment Level Needed - Squadron members able to travel within their immediate area and beyond should consider attending Detachment Executive Committee meetings to participate in the future growth of the Sons of the American Legion in Connecticut. Also, thought should be given to becoming a Detachment officer or taking part in one of the numerous program committees that are part of the Detachment's annual agenda.

Some Detachment Legion Family Pins Left - Detachment Adjutant Andrew Barylski Jr. says a limited supply of the "Legion Family" pin remains available for sale. The cap pin incorporates the emblems of the S.A.L., Legion and Auxiliary on an outline of the State of Connecticut with the Charter Oak and a nuclear submarine. The pins are now ON SALE at just $3.00 each. To order by mail send a check covering the number of pins desired payable to S.A.L. Detachment of Connecticut to Detachment Adjutant, 31 Breault Street, Putnam, CT 06260.

Detachment Adopts Polo Shirt Design - The Detachment Executive Committee has voted to adopt a Royal blue polo as its official shirt. The shirts can be self-ordered online at http://emblem.legion.org for $34.95 plus a $4.95 shipping & handling fee. Order S-70723 "Skyline Polo". Price includes an embroidered S.A.L. emblem and lettering both left and right chest area. Lettering instructions: Left chest - "Detachment" over emblem and "Connecticut" below emblem. Right chest - "Your Office" over your first or nick "name". These shirts are 50/50 cotton-polyester that won't shrink, have a left chest pocket and come in sizes small thru 3X. Be sure to specify Royal as the color to be uniform. Order yours today!

2006 Upline Dues Are $5.00 - Delegates at the 2001 Detachment S.A.L. Convention voted unanimously to increase the current Detachment per capita dues beginning in 2002 from its current $2.00 to $3.00. The funds received from the one dollar increase are forwarded to the national Child Welfare Foundation as the Detachment's committment of annual giving. This means that combined with the National assessment of $2.00, Squadrons are required to submit upline $5.00 per member to Detachment Headquarters.

Squadron Dues Transmittals - According to the Detachment Constitution & By-laws, all Squadrons must transmit membership on a timely basis - at least monthly. Send checks and card stubs that have been properly completed to the Department Adjutant, The American Legion, P.O. Box 208, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. It is illegal to hold dues monies for long periods of time or to use the Detachment and National portions for Squadron purposes.

Membership Awards - National S.A.L. Certificates, National 100% Membership Banner Ribbons and Detachment Membership Certificates of Appreciation will presented to all Squadrons that achieve a 2006 membership that equals or exceeds the previous year during the next Detachment Convention. Where will your Squadron be?

Detachment Constitution & By-Laws - The rules that govern how each Squadron and the Detachment operate are now a page of this website.

National Update Site - To find out how more about our National SALorganization, to learn about what types of programs we are involved with or todiscover what Squadrons in other Detachments (states) are doing within theircommunities go to www.sal.legion.org/pub.htm toview the on line National Update.

Membership On The Internet - If you want to see how Connecticutfares with other Detachments in 2006 membership, go to www.legion.organd press the "Membership" button on the left side of The AmericanLegion's home page. Listed there will be "SAL Membership Statistics".Enter "salmbr" for the use ID and password. The information is updated everyFriday. While at the Legion web site you can review other information about ourorganization and even download emblems and other items for use with yourcomputer to enhance documents or flyers.

Department On Line Too - Should you want information regardingthe Connecticut American Legion Department go to www.ct.legion.org.