Commander: Don't dismantle VA, fix it

Applause erupted in the NEC Room at American Legion National Headquarters Wednesday morning as National Commander Dale Barnett expressed that no matter who the presidential nominees are for both parties, “defending our nation should be job one.”

“The global war on terrorism is not diminishing; the threat is increasing,” Barnett said to members of the National Executive Committee, who convened in Indianapolis for the organization’s annual Spring Meetings. “And as we continue into a six-year stretch in which military pay raises are below 2 percent, leaving troops unable to advocate for themselves, The American Legion will continue to be their voice in Washington.”

Barnett continued on in his opening about the need to advocate for troops and veterans, especially when it comes to VA health care and the Legion’s opposition to the privatization of it.

“The private sector works very well when building automobiles, computers and other popular goods and services. Veterans are not commercial products,” Barnett said. “Our veterans served in the United States military and the United States government has a solemn obligation to care for them.”

The American Legion is at the forefront when advocating for changes within the VA health-care system to “ensure that the VA provides the best possible care to serve veterans,” Barnett said. But the Legion’s message to the White House and to Congress is not to dismantle it but to “fix it. The VA health-care system is truly a system worth saving,” Barnett stressed.

Following Barnett’s remarks, the NEC passed Resolution No. 26, which calls for the opposition of any “legislation effort to close or privatize the VA health care system.”

One of the many ways the Legion is working with the VA to provide the best possible health care and to find solutions to several recurring issues faced by veterans, such as the claims backlog, appointment scheduling and medical record transfers, is through its System Worth Saving site visits. Since December 2015, The American Legion has conducted five site visits to VA medical centers in Minnesota, Alabama, Nevada, Texas and Colorado. And at each VA medical center site visit, Operation Comfort Warrior grants were presented, totaling nearly $24,000. The grants provided comfort and therapeutic items for wounded veterans at the medical centers.

“We are here to work with the VA, to work shoulder to shoulder at these site visits to develop relationships so that we can fix it,” said Ralph Bozella, Veterans Affairs & Commission chairman, to the NEC during his commission report.

An additional seven site visits are slated to be conducted in the following months.

While the Legion remains vigilant on ensuring that veterans receive the best possible health care, in order to be successful and have our voices heard it takes membership – “the lifeblood of this organization,” said Ken Orrock, National Membership & Post Activities Committee chairman, during his committee’s remarks.

The American Legion’s 100 percent membership target date is approaching (May 11), and four departments met the 95 percent target date last month – Georgia, Idaho, Mexico and the Philippines.

“I believe that these members, that these veterans in need, are more than figures on a chart and more than dollar signs when it comes to the bottom line of operating our organization,” Orrock said. “They are the foundation in which a hundred years of history was built and upon which this organization stands.

“Membership has to continue to be our foundation. We can’t just be hearing great ideas on what to do with membership. We must, each of us individually, become doers and do the hard work that is membership in this organization.”

Barnett’s awareness walks have been a pathway to deliver the Legion’s message and create a culture of membership growth. He has participated in 30 Walk for Veterans events and “each have been an opportunity to tell our story of who we are and what we do,” Barnett said. “Literally and figuratively, the Legion family walks for those who marched for us every day.”

In addition to raising Legion visibility, several of the awareness walks have raised money for Barnett’s fundraiser - the National Emergency Fund – to help posts and members recover from natural disasters. Barnett set a goal of raising $1 million for NEF, and to support his efforts, nearly $10,000 was donated between the departments of North Carolina and Mississippi at the closing of the NEC meeting.

"The American Legion family comes together in times of crisis. We need to offer that lifeline of support to at least help with lodging and other costs until further resources are available," Barnett said. "I am always struck by the generosity demonstrated by posts, units and squadrons as I visit your departments. I know I can count on that to continue."