#StillServing Colorado

David Stone

National Council of Administration Representative

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

 

David Stone was elected to a four-year term on the VFW's National Council of Administration on August 1, 2024, at the 125th VFW National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, representing the Department of Colorado.

David served in the U.S. Army from 1977 to 1999, earning his VFW eligibility by serving in Berlin and Korea. His decorations include the Army of Occupation Medal.

He joined the VFW in 1995 at Post 3917 in Security, Colorado, where he maintains his Gold Legacy Life membership. He has served in elected and appointed positions at the Post, District and Department levels, culminating with his election as the Department of Colorado Commander from 2019 to 2020, in which he achieved All-American status. On the national level, he has serviced as National Aide-de-Camp and has served on the General Resolutions Committee. This is his second term serving on the Council of Administration, previously serving from 2020 to 2024.

David received his Bachelor of Science in information systems management. He is currently employed with Keysight Technologies as a cybersecurity engineer.

David and his wife, Laura, reside in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Comrades, Sisters and Brothers, 
 
This time of year, is always exciting with the recent holidays, family get-togethers, parties to include the Super Bowl.  Daylight hours are now getting longer each day to allow us to reflect why we belong to the Veterans of Foreign Wars
 
This VFW administrative year is now half over and already our Department is at 92.97% membership.  The goal of course is 102%.  This is excellent work by so many working not only for the Department goal but for their individual Post and District goals.  As of this writing, we have 2 Districts over 102%, 1 District over 100%, 7 Districts over 90%, and 1 District over 80% membership.  District 12 is the present leader sitting at 104.08%, with District 6 just behind them with 103.06%, and District 5 is gaining with 101.12%.   The Posts in the state are strong with 4 in the 70% range.  We have 12 in the 80% range.  We have 51 between the 90% and 100% range.  We have 17 Posts above 102% range.  
 
Congratulations to the following Posts whose membership is above 102%:
  • Post 12227 (Falcon) 300%
  • Post 12230 (Castle Rock) 184.61%
  • Post 807 (Boulder) 114.81%
  • Post 4051 (Colo Springs) 111.15%
  • Post 9058 (Nucla) 109.09%
  • Post 8121 ( Del Norte/South Fork) 108.82%
  • Post 9700 (Cheyenne Wells) 104.54%
  • Post 12063 (Westcliffe) 105.45%
  • Post 3551 (Brush) 105.4%
  • Post 2411 (Las Animas) 105.35%
  • Post 12189 (Berthoud) 105.26%
  • Post 4031 (Durango) 104.56%
  • Post 5231 (Cortez) 104.32%
  • Post 336 (Ordway) 103.17%
  • Post 3641 (Pueblo) 102.7%
  • Post 6051 (Woodland Park) 102.43%
  • Post 4671 (Wray) 102.22%
Congratulations to the Colorado Recruiters 2024-2025:
44 Members:
Mike J Sinchak, Post 4051
 
16 Members:
Jesse L Eastburn, Post 1
 
9 Members:
Richard A Cote, Post 4051
 
8 Members:
David A Anthony, Post 4051
 
7 Members:
Stephen J Urbany, Post 6461
 
6 Members:
Chad A Ryan, Post 101
Aarron M Himes, Post 6461
Travis J Baker, Post 6461
 
5 Members:
Steven A Drapeau, Post 2121
Peter M Dowding, Post 3631
Leonard P Ladue, Post 3981
Jeffrey N Punches, Post 4031
 
4 Members:
Brian K Asbeck, Post 1
James A Peterson Jr, Post 4266
Todd W Van Sant, Post 9644
James Sheridan, Post 2788
Michael R Mcclure, Post 1771
Leon F Bartholomay, Post 2601
John R Olander, Post 101
David L Stone, Post 3917
Glen D Blackmann, Post 4051
3 Members:
Duane A Johnson, Post 5061
Lynn E Peterson, Post 9644
Lorrie D Mclaughlin, Post 41
Mathew E Cummings, Post 6624
David M Latham, Post 4031
Curtis E Moss, Post 5231
 
2 Members:
John Keene, Post 1
Michael S Gardunio, Post 322
Brian C Clark, Post 5061
Ronald W Davies, Post 9644
Brian A Guenther, Post 12230
Kevin T Ryan, Post 12230
Geraldine Rimpley, Post 2788
Brian Billel White Alston, Post 3641
Fred Guana Jr, Post 3641
Anthony Johnson, Post 5812
Benjamin W Livsey, Post 12063
Roman G Sepulveda, Post 1781
David E Gelatt, Post 6624
Terry D Mullins, Post 101
Matthew A Lewis, Post 3917
Robert M Kidd, Post 3917
Eric R Veed, Post 4051
Robert C Lowe, Post 336
Michael J Breaux Jr, Post 7945
Alan W Hughes, Post 5231
John D Reed, Post 9058
David J Adams, Post 15006
 
1 Members:
David Absolon Pratt, Post 1
Joshua T Bridger, Post 1
Robert H Stewart, Post 1
Rolando E Rodriguez, Post 1
Lorn D Casey, Post 3471
Harold R Abney, Post 4666
Robert B Brekke, Post 4666
James J Kruse, Post 5061
Vincent S Miller, Post 5061
Christopher A Boyer, Post 12230
David M Mooney, Post 12230
John Alborghetti, Post 12230
Tammy J Garrett, Post 12230
Timothy D La Monda, Post 12230
Jeffrey M Dietiker, Post 3641
Edward H Williamson, Post 4061
Jeffrey E Gill, Post 4061
Milo D Cress, Post 4061
Thomas R Coffield, Post 8898
Mark A Lyons, Post 41
Randal B Isaac, Post 41
Dennis P Craig, Post 1781
Nathan J May, Post 1781
Pete L Camarillo, Post 2121
Damien S Berg, Post 2585
William D Robards, Post 2585
Jenny M Santucci, Post 2601
Nicholas J Miner, Post 2601
Mark A Martens, Post 6624
Kraig M Patriquin, Post 12189
Neil W Schaal, Post 12189
John D Benedict, Post 3541
Rodney G Wiebers, Post 3541
Ronald L Brown, Post 4671
Kevin Thomas, Post 101
Michael A Vagle, Post 101
Mindy K King, Post 101
Robert Mcclintock, Post 101
Barbara A Green, Post 4051
Guy R Green, Post 4051
James Mavity, Post 4051
Larry L Johnson, Post 4051
Michael H White, Post 4051
William E Beahan, Post 4051
Sean McNaley, Post 6461
Tony Hardy, Post 6461
Joseph Berthelotte, Post 7829
Thomas P Dowd III, Post 7829
Christopher M Martinez, Post 899
Richard E Nagley, Post 899
Mike R Vining, Post 8121
Jaron M Bintz, Post 1166
Jeffrey M Bintz, Post 1166
Kevin W Burgess, Post 1166
Jerald L Cunningham, Post 3820
Carol J Thomas, Post 12009
Ronald K Johnson, Post 12009
Frank A Stewart, Post 5843
Wayne R Neumann, Post 9565
Frederick W Schaefer, Post 784
Gary T Tollefson, Post 9221
Thomas S Valdez, Post 9304
Alfred M Riedinger III, Post 4031
Christopher D Gober, Post 4031
Michael P Omahoney. Post 4031
Tommy Endres, Post 5231
Robert J Martinez, Post 15006
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
If you want to leave a legacy for your VFW Post, go to your Quartermaster and ask him/her if you can make phone calls to help get your unpaid member up-to-date with their dues.  Don’t lose your post membership base.  Be a worthy comrade and call a buddy to the next meeting.  Your Post may have members serving in the military, you can pay their dues with your relief fund.  You may have elderly or physically impaired members who cannot get in to your meeting they too could have their membership paid from your relief fund.  Stay in touch with them in person, by phone and/or through email.
 
Look forward on seeing everyone at the next COA at Post 9644.  We will have the State Liquor Board providing training Saturday morning.   It is highly encouraged if you have a bar in your Post or doing events that require having a permit to have someone present. 
 
Carol Thomas
Department Commander

 

The Department of Colorado VFW General orders for the current VFW year are published on this page. All Department, District and Post officers should be familiar with them and Adjutants should maintain a file of the current orders which is an inspectable item.

 

VFW General Order No 3 - 2024-2025
VFW General Order No 2 - 2024-2025
VFW General Order No 1 - 2024-2025

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CHAPLAINCY

During times of turmoil and war, mankind always looks to religion and religious figures for comfort. Both ancient and modern societies have turned to religion and communities have extended the comfort of religion to those serving in the heat of battle. Priests and other religions figures petition gods and spirits for victory in war. The Scriptures often refers to priests accompanying troops into battle. (see: Deut. 20:2-4; Joshua 6:2-5). 

The modern chaplaincy’s roots and origin are essentially in the medieval church. The word chaplain dates from this period. A fourth century story tells of the pagan Roman soldier called Martin of Tours. One day as he and his soldiers were approaching the gates of the city of Amiens, he met a scantily clad beggar. He impulsively cut his military cloak in half to share with the man. That night, Martin dreamed of Christ wearing the half-cloak he had given away. He heard Christ say to the angels: “Martin, who is still but a catechumen, clothed me with this robe.” When Martin woke, he found his cloak restored to wholeness.

Read more: Colorado VFW Chaplaincy

As of January 31, 2025

District 1 2023 2024 % District 8 2023 2024 %
1 Denver 1017 791 77.77 859 Leadville 26 22 84.61
322 Englewood 102 92 90.19 1166 Buena Vista 105 105 100%*
3471 Morrison 57 55 96.49 3820 Salida 58 55 94.82
4266 Parker 108 88 81.48 7563 Black Hawk 29 24 82.75
 4666 Littleton 97 96 98.96 8661 Bailey 105 99 94.28
5061  Denver 236 214 90.67 10721 Minturn 101 91 90.09
 9644 Fort Logan 396 364 91.91 11411 Lake George 43 43 100%*
12230  Castle Rock 26 47 181%* 12009 Conifer 109 104 95.41
TOTAL     2039 1747 85.67 TOTAL   576 543 94.27
                   
District 2       District 9      
2788 Penrose 110 86 78.18 4264 Stmbt Spgs 89 81 91.01
3641 Pueblo 74 76 103%* 4265 Craig 98 87 88.77
4061 Canon City 239 196 82.00 5261 Rangely 20 18 90.00
5812 Pueblo West 189 183 96.82 5843 Meeker 38 38 100%*
7305 Colo City 44 41 93.18 9374 Kremmling 26 24 92.30
8898 Boone 42 41 97.61 TOTAL 271 248 91.51
12063 Westcliffe 55 58 105%*          
TOTAL 753 681 90.43          

Read more: VFW Membership by District

The Colorado Division of Veterans Affairs is pleased to announce that requests for the State of Colorado Military Honors Stipend will be accepted starting January 15, 2022 from eligible organizations that have completed the registration process.

Per C.R.S. 28-5-507, a local unit of a congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organization or its auxiliary is eligible to receive a $75 stipend for providing an honor guard detail at the funeral of an eligible, honorably discharged veteran. Second, third, and fourth honors services performed on the same day can also receive up to an additional stipend of $25 each for expenses incurred for mileage, transportation costs, and meals, not to exceed $75 in total. If the local unit provides a student to play “Taps,” the local unit may pay some or all the stipend to the student. Stipends will be paid based upon availability of funds.

To be eligible to receive the reimbursement:

Read more: State of Colorado Military Honors Stipend

VFW Headquarters has increased the cost of buddy poppies and is requiring a VFW Membership Number to process the order. Effectively immediately please use the Cloth Buddy Poppy Form OR the Tin/Metal Buddy Poppy Form that was revised 7/31/2024 and is attached below for the traditional cloth poppy. Traditional Red Buddy Poppies can still be ordered.

There is a difference in price between the traditional cloth poppy and the tin poppy. Please verify which type of poppy you would like to order.

The VFW Department of Colorado Foundation has gone through some changes again. We have new administrative staff and have gotten back into a deal with the Veteran’s Trust Fund. All grant applications will come to VFW Department of Colorado Headquarters. The amount has not changed, we will still grant up to $500 on a one-time basis for emergencies. The application and requirements will be on the VFW Department of Colorado website.
 
The Department of Colorado also has the Ralph W. Emerson/Jack Gulden Memorial Blood/Cancer Fund. The application may apply once every 12 months with a lifetime maximum of 2 times for a grant of $500 to cover out of pocket expenses. The application must be a current member of the VFW or it’s auxiliary and must include their member number, and auxiliary members must include a copy of their membership card. This fund covers acceptable receipted expenses for the following: treatments such a chemo, radiation, surgical and any other medical procedure concerning cancer treatments; blood work, including transfusions, platelet infusions, transplants, and any other procedure concerning blood; travel receipts will be accepted in the form of fuel receipts only. For more information please see the Department of Colorado Website.
 
The last fund that the VFW Department of Colorado offers is the Katy Rimpley  Service Animal Assistance Fund. The applicant may apply once every 12 months for a grant of $500 to help cover out of pocket expenses for pet insurance, veterinary appointments/treatments/inoculations, and pet food. The application must be a current member of the VFW or it’s auxiliary and must include their member number, and auxiliary members must include a copy of their membership card.  Receipts MUST accompany the grant application. Please see the Department of Colorado website for more information.
 
Our funds are fairly stable currently but all donations are greatly appreciated to continue to be able to serve our veterans and their families. All donations are tax deductible. If you have any questions please call Department Headquarters at 303-421-1630.
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