1st United Services Credit Union

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Welcome to Your Credit Union!

It’s YOUR Credit Union!

Are you new to 1st United Services Credit Union? Welcome to your new financial home! We’re thrilled to be able to share what so many of our current members already know about the credit union difference.

1st USCU offers some big benefits that set us apart from other financial institutions. Like other credit unions, 1st USCU is a not-for-profit, member-owned, coopera…
tive financial institution. While banks exist to make money for their stockholders, 1st USCU exists solely to serve our member-owners—that’s you! As a member-owner, you’ll benefit from fewer and lower fees, lower loan rates, higher deposit rates, and more.

Here are some great benefits you’ll enjoy: https://www.1stuscu.org/

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Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, when towns honored Civil War dead by decorating their graves. The practice was widespread throughout the North in the late 1860s; over two-dozen towns alleged to be the holiday’s birthplace. But southern women’s groups decorated graves possibly before the end of the Civil War. The origins of the idea may forever be a mystery. But we do know that General John A. Logan, in his General Order No. 11, first proclaimed that “The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land.” Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery that day. And cemeteries in 27 states held events. Michigan became the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1871. Not all states were on board though. Many southern states continued to honor their war dead on other spring days besides May 30 until after World War I, when the scope of the holiday was broadened to include all Americans who died fighting in any war. The adoption of the name “Memorial Day” was gradual. Coined in the late 19th century, it became commonplace after World War II and official in 1967. The following year, Congress passed the National Holiday Act, moving the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May. That took effect in 1971. The “where it began” debate continued until 1966, when Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared Waterloo N.Y. as the birthplace, settling the matter once and for all. That’s the what, where and why of Memorial Day. But why do we observe the holiday with poppies, parades or cemetery observances? In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” University of Georgia professor Moina Michael penned her own poem: We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies. It was her idea to wear red poppies on Decoration Day/Memorial Day to honor fallen servicemen. And the idea caught on. Poppies were sold to help needy servicemen, and by 1922, the Veterans of Foreign Wars was selling poppies across the country in the weeks leading up to the holiday. Parades were a customary observance of the holiday early on. However as time went on, some felt these events diluted the day’s true meaning. Washington D.C. even discontinued its Memorial Day parade for close to 70 years. Not until 2005 did our nation’s capital continue the tradition. The National Memorial Day Parade now draws hundreds of thousands of spectators along with numerous celebrities. Parades can now be found throughout the country, in big cities and small towns, over the holiday weekend. Of course the decoration of graves has remained a constant through the years. Since the late 1950s, soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry have placed American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery on the Thursday before Memorial Day. Boy and Girl Scouts have a similar tradition, started in 1998. They put a candle at the grave site of each soldier buried at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where four Civil War battles were fought. These days, it is customary for the President or Vice-President to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. To help reeducate and remind Americans of Memorial Day’s true meaning, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution, passed in 2000, asks all Americans to “…voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence” at 3 p.m. local time. However you choose to celebrate this Memorial Day, remember to honor those who’ve sacrificed their lives protecting our freedom.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, when towns honored Civil War dead by decorating their graves. The practice was widespread throughout the North in the late 1860s; over two-dozen towns alleged to be the holiday’s birthplace. But southern women’s groups decorated graves possibly before the end of the Civil War.


The origins of the idea may forever be a mystery. But we do know that General John A. Logan, in his General Order No. 11, first proclaimed that “The 30th day of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village, and hamlet church-yard in the land.” Flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery that day. And cemeteries in 27 states held events.


Michigan became the first state to officially recognize the holiday in 1871. Not all states were on board though. Many southern states continued to honor their war dead on other spring days besides May 30 until after World War I, when the scope of the holiday was broadened to include all Americans who died fighting in any war.
The adoption of the name “Memorial Day” was gradual. Coined in the late 19th century, it became commonplace after World War II and official in 1967. The following year, Congress passed the National Holiday Act, moving the holiday from May 30 to the last Monday in May. That took effect in 1971. The “where it began” debate continued until 1966, when Lyndon B. Johnson officially declared Waterloo N.Y. as the birthplace, settling the matter once and for all.
That’s the what, where and why of Memorial Day. But why do we observe the holiday with poppies, parades or cemetery observances? In 1915, inspired by the poem “In Flanders Fields,” University of Georgia professor Moina Michael penned her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red


That grows on fields where valor led,


It seems to signal to the skies


That blood of heroes never dies.


It was her idea to wear red poppies on Decoration Day/Memorial Day to honor fallen servicemen. And the idea caught on. Poppies were sold to help needy servicemen, and by 1922, the Veterans of Foreign Wars was selling poppies across the country in the weeks leading up to the holiday.
Parades were a customary observance of the holiday early on. However as time went on, some felt these events diluted the day’s true meaning. Washington D.C. even discontinued its Memorial Day parade for close to 70 years. Not until 2005 did our nation’s capital continue the tradition. The National Memorial Day Parade now draws hundreds of thousands of spectators along with numerous celebrities. Parades can now be found throughout the country, in big cities and small towns, over the holiday weekend.
Of course the decoration of graves has remained a constant through the years. Since the late 1950s, soldiers of the 3rd U.S. Infantry have placed American flags at each of the more than 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery on the Thursday before Memorial Day. Boy and Girl Scouts have a similar tradition, started in 1998. They put a candle at the grave site of each soldier buried at Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, where four Civil War battles were fought. These days, it is customary for the President or Vice-President to give a speech honoring the contributions of the dead and lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
To help reeducate and remind Americans of Memorial Day’s true meaning, the “National Moment of Remembrance” resolution, passed in 2000, asks all Americans to “…voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence” at 3 p.m. local time. However you choose to celebrate this Memorial Day, remember to honor those who’ve sacrificed their lives protecting our freedom.

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Why a Credit Union Like 1st USCU?

When you walk into our lobby, what makes 1st United Services Credit Union different from a bank isn’t immediately apparent. The two financial institutions may offer similar products and services. But the similarities stop there. Crucial differences exist—in ownership, in cost of borrowing money, and in use of services.

* You own your credit union. Credit unions are member-owned nonprofit financi…al cooperatives dedicated to improving members’ lives. More than 93.1 million members own 7,485 U.S. credit unions with combined assets of $962 billion. Stockholders own banks. Banks make money for stockholders, not for customers.

Credit unions are the only democratically controlled financial institutions in the United States. You and other members elect a volunteer board of directors to oversee the credit union. The manager or president/chief executive officer reports to this board. Bank directors, however, are paid and legally bound to make decisions that benefit stockholders, not customers.

* Credit unions have the best rates. Credit unions price loans, pay interest on funds you’ve deposited, and charge fees to provide you with high-quality, low-cost services. Banks price products and services to make a profit.

Credit union loan rates also are better. Money market, savings, and interest checking accounts carry higher rates—giving back more to members. Interest rates on credit cards and auto loans average one to one-half percentage points lower than bank rates. Credit unions make consumer loans and some member business loans. Banks offer consumer loans, but really emphasize business loans.

* Credit unions educate members about money matters. They provide publications such as this newsletter to keep you advised of rates, loan sales, and financial trends that affect you. 1st United Services Credit Union stresses education, providing materials and holding seminars on financial planning, car, and home buying to help you make informed buying decisions. Many banks simply advertise their rates and sell their services.

Because you’re an owner of 1st United Services Credit Union, you have a say in how we do business. Let us know how you think we’re doing, and what services you want at your credit union. Visit us today at http://www.1stuscu.org/

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1st United Services Credit Union member, Mr. Petromilli was featured on KTVU Ch.2 News on November 5th expressing his thoughts about the big banks and credit unions. (click here see video)

He stopped by the Pleasanton branch on Tuesday and I was lucky enough to get some pictures of him. Check out that Vespa! (He rides it from Walnut Creek to Pleasanton! Look out for him on the roads!!!)

It was a great pleasure to meet Mr. Petromilli. 1st USCU has the BEST members!

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