Michigan Legion Media Room

At the Public Relations Commission on Monday February 27th, 2012, we heard from the founders of the G.I. Film Festival.  Brandon L. Millett and Laura Law shared with the commission what they are doing to promote movies made by veterans and or films portraying veterans and the military in a proper light. The GI Film Festival is a 501 c(3) non-profit educational organization, is the first film festival in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the service member through the medium of film. Visit www.gifilmfestival.com for more information.

Economic Chairman Gerald Merrell listened to the USDA representative at the Economic Commission on Monday.  That meeting led up to the announcement today. USDA and Legion team up on veteran-hiring effort          WASHINGTON (February 28, 2012) -- American Legion National Commander Fang A. Wong and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack signed a memorandum of understanding today to kick off a nationwide campaign to increase the percentage of military veterans employed by the USDA. “This is a great day and a big step forward in The American Legion’s push to give veterans jobs when they get back home,” Wong said after signing the MOU during the 52 nd  American Legion Washington Conference. “We appreciate the secretary’s efforts to pull us closer together. Hopefully, we can influence the other departments to join in the same effort.” “It’s a great match because people coming out of the military service are problem s...

2012 Drop Sheet When Legionnaires arrived on Monday Feb 27, 2012 we received a "Drop Sheet" outlining the issues the Legion feels need attention by the Congress.  For a copy of this drop sheet click here Read the drop sheet and send letters to your representatives to highlight these issues to them. For more information about each of these points visit www.legion.org/legislative 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Michigan Legion members, Auxiliary, and SAL members came to Washington to meet with our elected representatives.  Each representative received at least 4 invitations/notices of the meeting from the Lansing office.  The delegates who came to Washington also sent requests to meet their representatives.  With all of the representatives in town, we were only visited by 2 Congressmen in person.  Congress John Dingell and Congressman Bill Huizenga (2nd District) took the time to visit and listen to the concerns we have about the VA budget and several issues concerning legislation. Other offices sent their aides to meet with the delegation; Rep. Amash, Rep. Benishek, Rep. Upton, and Senator Stabenow. We are appreciative of the ones who came to hear from veterans in Michigan, and disappointed in those representatives who did not appear.

Legionnaires are gathered in Washington Dc. All of the Legionnaires will be marching to Capitol Hill at noon today. Our veterans and those curently serving need our support. We march for freedom and to honor those who served before us and who serve now and in the future.

Today is Feb 16 th , 2012 Welcome to the Michigan Legion Update This Friday, Saturday and Sunday Legionnaires from all over Michigan will gather in Flint Michigan for their Annual Winter Meeting.  Friday we will welcome our Special guest for the weekend, National Commander Fang Wong at the evening’s Commanders banquet.  Commander Wong will be with us all weekend. The President of the United States released his budget for 2013, Commander Wong had comments released by The American Legion.  Be mindful that the US Senate has not passed a budget for the over 3 years, the government has been working from continuous budget resolutions all this time.  American Legion to DoD: Budget Breaks Promise Pointing out that President Obama just pledged a month ago to "keep our Armed Forces the best-trained, best led, best-equipped fighting force in history," the top leader of The American Legion warned that if the administration's 2013 defense budget is enacted, America will once ag...

Welcome to the Michigan Legion Update For the week of Jan 30 th 2012 On Tuesday Jan 31 st in a Lansing a joint committee meeting was held in the Capitol building. Members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military and Veterans Affairs Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on State Police and Military Affairs and the Senate Standing Committee on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Home land Security Michigan National Guard Maj. Gen. Gregory Vadnais testified to the Joint Committee it will take a combination of federal and state programs, along with the help of veterans' service organizations, to put the growing number of servicemen and women to work after they leave active or reserve duty. At 30 percent, Michigan's jobless veterans rate is the highest in the nation - nearly double the national rate of 16 percent. "We gotta fix this," Vadnais said. "As I move around the state, I'm constantly engaged by industries and people who want to step up to the pla...