American Legion Post EG-02, Lakenheath UK

12/11/2025

Liberty Nation - it was a different day, with the gov’t shut down, for Veterans Day recognition at Madingley ABCM Cemetery Cambridge yesterday but thanks to the dedicated staff it was a great day - the English weather even cooperated! A shout out to the AF JROTC cadets from RAF Alconbury HS. They did a truly awesome job including presenting the colors for the ceremony. If you’re a parent of one these cadets - a proud family moment as they were awesome! Pictures attached - including a bad selfie of me and the crew. Pictured EG02 members John and Darrell and EG02 founding member Gary (far right) now with London Post 1. Thank you again to the wonderful cemetery staff for making this happen.

Commander Litherland

02/11/2025

Liberty Post Members and Friends,

A few updates for you – first, Post elections last month. I’ll remain your Post Commander for another year. We’re still short a number of Post officer positions so pls, if you have time to spare, happy to have you on the Post leadership team. I have a new Post Finance Officer, welcome to the team Darian V, and I’ve appointed Summer M as the Post Service Officer. She’ll be assisting me with VA disability claims when I’m wearing my Dept Service Officer hat. Welcome aboard – Summer! Our next meeting will be via Zoom in Jan 26. More on that in a future FB post.

Veterans Day, Tues/11 Nov. With the ongoing US Gov’t shutdown there’ll be no formal Veterans Day recognition ceremony this year at Madingley ABCM Cemetery/Cambridge. The host unit this year is the 423 ABG at RAF Alconbury. There’ll be a remembrance of sorts at 11:00 hrs. Your Post officers will be there to lay a wreath to commemorate our fellow veterans.

Membership. We’re chasing as many 2026 renewals now as we can. To those who’ve already renewed – thank you! Many of you would’ve had mail from National HQs – feel free to send me a check at my APO address and let’s get your renewal done soonest pls. If you’d rather renew online – go to www.mylegion.org and hit the RENEW tab. You’ll need your membership number so have your membership card or a Legion magazine handy. Your member ID is on the address label. National offers an online only three-year membership – no cost savings but you can skip the annual renewal drill by doing this. If you want to renew for 2026 only -absolutely fine. We appreciate your membership!

Last – early Happy Birthday to our USMC vets – The Marine Corps is 250-years-old Mon/10 Nov.

Hope to see some fellow Post members at Madingley on 11 Nov.

Commander Litherland

Personify eBusiness

12/10/2025

Happy Birthday US Navy - 250 years strong!

07/10/2025

Liberty Nation - Oct meeting UPDATE - TIME CHANGE to 10:30 hrs on Thurs/16 Oct. We'll be in the RAF Lakenheath Military and Family Readiness Center/B950 (By Community Bank). Enter the bldg on the street side - we're in the Wales Conference Room on the ground floor. Elections will be held at this meeting so max attendance encouraged. An ideal opportunity to renew for 2026 too. Dues remain $40 - hope to see some of you on the 16th!

Commander Litherland

01/10/2025

Liberty Nation,

Happy October! 2025 is flying by. Some announcements for you starting with the government shutdown. I’m sure a majority are tracking government services are shutdown/curtailed with many civil service personnel furloughed until Congress can agree either a continuing spending resolution or a FY 26 budget. As a Dept Service Officer my main concern is the VA. While some services are impacted – their 24 hr contact line (1-800-827-1000) is open and VA employees working disability claims are still on the job. I’m a volunteer service officer so I’m definitely not furloughed. The RAF Lakenheath and the RAF Mildenhall Military and Family Readiness Centers are open. If I’m working a claim for you – you can relax. I’m in the RAFL MFRC on Tues/Thur and the RAFM MFRC on Weds.

Next - The annual Post general membership meeting is scheduled for Thurs, 16 Oct, 1200 hrs on RAF Lakenheath. I’m working the location but wanted to ensure you have the date and time on your calendar. Elections will be held at this meeting. We’ve lost some key team members to retirements and PCSs so looking for new blood to support the Post. All positions are open including mine, Sr and Jr Vice Commanders, JAG, Historian and Chaplain. Appointed positions include the Post Adjutant and Finance Officer. Your current officers and me really need some help so pls consider serving – AND – attend the meeting on the 16th.

Last – by now most of you would’ve received a mailing from National HQs asking you to renew your membership for 2026. The Post is trying to get as many retentions in as possible so pls renew today. You can renew via the www.mylegion.org website or mail me a check or an electric payment. Pls renew today!

See you on the 16th!

Commander Litherland

Personify eBusiness

18/09/2025

Recognizing a special group this National POW/MIA Day - you are not forgotten.

11/09/2025

Liberty Post Members and Friends,

Today is Patriots Day – the 24th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks. Like me I’ sure you can remember where you were and what you were doing on that fateful day. I remember it – I sure you to do. My enduring memory after the attacks was of the country coming together, putting their issues aside and moving as one to help the bereaved, the survivors, the first responders and a few weeks later to pray for our military as we went to war. On this day my thoughts are of that time after the tragedy where we were one nation, united in purpose, supporting one another. I’m hoping we can reach that point again. Hug your loved ones today…life is short.

Commander Litherland

26/08/2025

Liberty Post Members and Friends,

A Service Officer post. As many of you know I’m dual hatted – Post Commander and I’m a Dept Service Officer. The VA claims business is “good”, too good in fact. I need some help to manage the dozens of clients I have.

I’m looking for a volunteer who will ultimately become a VA accredited service officer. The ideal candidate would be in the Lakenheath/Mildenhall area, be a Legion member or join once hired, and be available to assist clients and perform admin tasks for me at least two days a week (Roughly four hours a day). The successful candidate will require an AF network token – this means a Tier 1 security investigation. To have a network account, the successful candidate will need to complete yearly cyber awareness training. The Dept is targeting an online Post Service Officer course in the coming weeks. The successful candidate must take this course as soon as possible if they’re not available when the class is offered. Sensitivity and protecting client’s privacy is essential. Duties include screening claims calls/emails, distributing a limited range of claim forms, processing those forms and updating claimants’ records in the AL Vetraspec claims management system. The successful candidate would also serve as the Liberty Post, Post Service Officer. Additional training will be given. If you have the time and are interested – pls shoot me an email at:

libertyposteg02@btinternet.com OR timothy.litherland.2@us.af.mil

Thx – Commander Litherland

17/08/2025

Liberty Post Members and Friends,

It was great seeing many of you at the 2026 Retiree Appreciation Day at RAF Mildenhall on Friday. We got several renewals and four new members! If you couldn’t make RAD and are local – we‘ll be at the RAF Lakenheath Career Expo being held at the Eagles Landing Club (B958) from 10 – 1400 hrs THIS Thurs/21 Aug. Stop by and see us and renew for 2026. Renew or join in person at the Career Expo – we’ll do that for $30 – a 25% saving. Thursday only – come see us. Also - any VA disability claim questions – come see me.

If you’d rather renew online – go to www.mylegion.org and hit the MEMBERSHIP tab then RENEW from the dropdown menu. You’ll need your membership number so have your membership card or a Legion magazine handy. Your member ID is on the address label. National offers an online only three-year membership – no cost savings but you can skip the annual renewal drill by doing this. If you want to renew for 2026 only -absolutely fine. We appreciate your membership!

Hope to see some visitors on Thursday!

Commander Litherland

Personify eBusiness

15/08/2025

Liberty Nation - today's marks the 80th anniversary of Victory over Japan - or VJ Day. This ended WW II. Pls pause and reflect upon this and to thank the greatest generation for their sacrifices. We are grateful....

Commander Litherland

14/08/2025

Liberty Nation,

A reminder about Retiree Appreciation Day tomorrow/15 Aug at the RAF Mildenhall Galaxy Club. The info fair starts at 1300 hrs – that’ll be upstairs in the main ballroom. We’ll have a joint booth w London Post 1 and your Liberty Post. If you need to renew – a one-day discount - $30 instead of the normal $40 rate. I’d like to get as many folks as possible renewed now. Supports the Dept and it’s out the way for 2026. Not a member yet? You can join for $30 too so bring some cash and let us sign you up! Hope to see you Friday!

Commander Litherland

20/07/2025

Liberty Nation,

As summer seems to be flying by – some important Post updates for you. The American Legion membership year 2026 kicked off on 1 July. I’ve had few of you contact me about renewing – thank you! Unless you have a multi-year membership, all memberships expire at the end of each calendar year. So – yes, we get an early start every year. We’ll have our membership cards from National this week – we’ll start getting after renewals in earnest then. Goal – get our renewals in as soon as possible to support the Dept and National HQs. Dues remain $40 – you can renew online or by mail. Your renewal supports the Post so pls renew today!

For those members or VA clients in the RAF Alconbury area I’ll be on Alconbury to conduct a claims class and see clients on Tues/22 July. If you’re in the area – swing by the 423 FSS/B671 (by the HS) for the claims class at 10:00 hrs or to meet w me to discuss a claim. To make an appt pls email the Post VSO email at:

libertypost.vso@btinternet.com.

The UK-wide Retiree Appreciation Day is Thurs/14 Aug (Evening Ice Breaker) and Fri/15 Aug (main event – base tour - luncheon & info fair) at the RAF Mildenhall Galaxy Club. If you’ve not had an email or snail mail invite – call the RAO at 01638-522039 to RSVP ASAP. The Info Fair will start at roughly 1300 hrs – no RSVP needed for that. Many helping agencies, including your EG02 Legion Post, will be there. Renew your membership in person! *** The Federal Benefits Unit from the Embassy will be in attendance to process change of banking account forms. As an anti-fraud measure, changing your direct deposit can no longer be done by phone or mail – it must be done in person. See the SSA team at RAD and save the train ride to the Embassy in London. ***

The next Post meeting will be Thurs/14 Aug. Details to follow BUT if you’re coming into town for the RAD – a chance to attend a Post meeting.

RAF Lakenheath is hosting at Career Day on Fri/21 Aug at the Eagles Landing Club. There’ll a panel discussion at 0900 hrs then an info fair stating at 10:00 hrs. Your Post officers will be at this event so another opportunity to talk about your VA claim or renew your membership. Stop by and see us!

I appreciate your membership and support! Hope to see you at one of these events.

Commander Litherland