Washington Conference set for next week

Washington Conference set for next week

The American Legion’s 55th annual Washington Conference, Feb. 22-25, will include a series of programs and events at the Washington Hilton Hotel that will culminate in National Commander Michael D. Helm’s testimony at a congressional joint hearing on Capitol Hill.

The Commander’s Call on Feb. 24, where Legionnaires from across the country will gather at the Washington Hilton Hotel, will feature several guest speakers, including leadership from the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees.

Rep. Michael Michaud, D-Maine, former ranking member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, will receive the Legion’s Distinguished Public Service Award for his work on the committee.

Tuesday's morning session will wrap up with a “Know Before You Go” presentation to prepare Legionnaires for their scheduled meetings on Capitol Hill.

Then Helm will present The American Legion’s testimony on Wednesday at a joint hearing of the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees.

At its Feb. 23 meeting, The American Legion’s National Legislative Commission will hear from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) chief counsel for policy and procedure, James Ridgway. He will discuss the history of VA benefits. Seth Lynn, executive director of the National Association for Uniformed Services & Veterans Campaign, will talk to the commission about veterans running for public office.

The Legion’s National Veterans Employment & Education Commission is hosting several events throughout the conference: an Employment & Empowerment Summit and business workshops on Feb. 19, a resume workshop, networking event, and a Hiring Our Heroes career fair on the 20th, and small business workshops on the 24th and 25th.

Several officials from VA will address the Legion’s National Commission on Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, including Carolyn Clancy, interim under secretary for health; Danny Pummill of the Veterans Benefits Administration; Ronald Walters, acting under secretary for memorial affairs; Beth McCoy, deputy under secretary for field operations; Laura Eskenazi, vice chairman for the Board of Veterans’ Appeals; James Tuchschmidt of the Veterans Health Administration; and Glen Powers of the National Cemetery Administration.

The commission will present its annual VA Voluntary Service Worker of the Year Award to James F. Varejcka, American Legion volunteer at a Community-Based Outpatient Clinic in Lincoln, Neb.

The Legion’s National Security Commission will receive a POW/MIA update and hear presentations on homeland security and on the future of military medicine. It will also get a briefing on the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Report.

To see a complete schedule of Washington Conference events, click here.