Michigan Legion Media Room

Listed below are the events I have for the next 7 days here in the Metro Detroit area.  I have also attached my latest event listing which has 8 new items on it!  You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events.  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   Clicking on "attached flyer" for each event either below or on the future listing will get you the flyer for that event. You can get a monthly view of events by going to: http://www.michiganveteranresources.com/Events.aspx Happy & Safe Labor Day! ANNOUNCEMENTS! "Golf Outings" In the next several weeks there are numerous golf outings that support various veteran causes. If you are a golfer this is your chance to get in a few holes, meet new people, and help a veteran to boot. See regular listing below for more details on each event. Remember, hole-in-...

The   American  Legion   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE VA: Legion big reason for decrease in backlog HOUSTON -- The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is making progress in reducing its massive claims backlog, and – according to the woman in charge of overseeing benefits for VA – The American Legion has played a huge role in reducing that backlog. Allison Hickey, VA's under secretary for benefits, told delegates to The American Legion's national convention in Houston on Aug. 24 that without the Legion's efforts, VA wouldn't be making the progress it has, including reducing the overall claims inventory and cutting into the claims backlog. "None of that would have been done without you," Hickey said. "We're in a better place this year – though not where we want to be – than we were last year. And much of what we have been able to achieve is due in large part by the partnership that you have made with us and the work that you are doing w...

ACO Hardware collects over $50,000 for the Wounded and Returning Warriors of Michigan! (LANSING –AUG 13, 2013)  -  This year ACO Hardware and their generous customers outdid themselves. For the fourth straight year, from Memorial Day through July 4th, ACO stores accepted donations on behalf of the American Legion and the Wounded and Returning Warrior Program that assist returning military members and their families. Pictured with the check are from left, Gary Tanner and State Commander Raymond Moore, American Legion Department of Michigan, and Cody Brigham, Store Manager, and Wayne Burns, Director of Operations from ACO . Cody and his staff at the Chelsea ACO were the top store in the chain for donations. The store received a Certificate of Appreciation Plaque from the American Legion for their outstanding effort to this cause. Congratulations to Cody and his staff!              “The money raised help...

As of Friday 4:30PM August 16th, 2013 The American Legion is looking out for our Wounded Warriors.... WALTER REED DINING FACILITY   This past week, The American Legion National Headquarters was contacted by several Legionnaires regarding reports that the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center had cut hours of operation of the dining facility for Wounded Warriors and they are no longer accepting the military meal cards.   In an effort to keep leadership informed, staff has researched and offers this email as an outline and update of the situation.   OUTLINE On Thursday August 15 th , Fox News published a story indicating that the military earlier this month decided to invalidate meal tickets and reduce hours for the Warrior Cafe, the sole dining facility in building 62 -- home to all multiple amputees and long-term, recovering patients at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md.    Congressional sources with knowledge of the decision say it was based...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 7 days here in the Metro Detroit area, and as you can see the next few days will be busy!  I have also attached my latest event listing which has 7 new items on it!  You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events.  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   Clicking on "attached flyer" for each event either below or on the future listing will get you the flyer for that event. You can get a monthly view of events by going to: http://www.michiganveteranresources.com/Events.aspx ANNOUNCEMENTS! "Golf Outings" In the next several weeks there are numerous golf outings that support various veteran causes. If you are a golfer this is your chance to get in a few holes, meet new people, and help a veteran to boot. See regular listing below for more details on each event. Remember, h...

Help Get The Word Out About Help For Homeless Veterans Hi Everyone… We need your assistance to get the word out in your communities that we will have additional HUD/VASH vouchers available to house those Veterans in our 4 county catchment area (Macomb, Oakland, St. Clair and Wayne). In order to qualify for priority for this program the Veterans need to meet the criteria to be considered chronically homeless: experienced homelessness for at least 1 continuous year or on at least 4 separate occasions in the last 3 years. We are trying to reach the most vulnerable Veterans who need subsidy for housing and case management services to get them and keep them off the streets. We are having no trouble identifying homeless Veterans but we are having trouble reaching those who meet the chronically homeless criteria. That is where we need your assistance. Together we can end homelessness among Veterans by 2015. Patricia A. Wolschon, LMSW, ACSW Director of Homeless Programming John D. Dingell VA...

With ACA about to take effect the Veterans Administration would like to pass the word on how this will affect Veterans VA Benefits. Visit:  http://www.va.gov/health/aca/ They have put together a website to answer any questions you may have about. The American Legion Department of Michigan represents over 70,000 members in the State of Michigan. The American Legion was founded in 1919, based on “The Four Pillars”; veteran rehabilitation, Americanism, child welfare, and national security and continued above all its mission as a consumers’ advocate for veterans. For more information contact the Michigan Legion at 517-371-4720 ext 16, mark@michiganlegion.org, or visit our website at www.michiganlegion.org.

Mark Sutton PR Director TAL Dept of MI sent from Droid Razr

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Hearing seeks answers from VA   House Veterans Affairs chairman and The American Legion want to know why facilities did not follow patient-safety directives and why bonuses were awarded to executives.   WASHINGTON (Aug. 7, 2013) -- Nine out of 16 studied VA medical centers failed to follow policies meant to protect veteran patients from deadly Legionella bacteria, according to a report issued Aug. 1 by VA's Office of Inspector General. Top VA executives in Pennsylvania and Georgia, where mismanagement has been blamed for deaths caused by Legionella, received salary bonuses and one national award for performance during the outbreak. The combination of those factors has led U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs, to call for a five-year moratorium on all VA executive bonuses. The issue is expected to reach a crescendo Sept. 9 at the Allegheny County Courthouse in Pittsburgh when a congressional...

Northern Michigan's News Leader The American Legion Department of Michigan represents over 70,000 members in the State of Michigan. The American Legion was founded in 1919, based on “The Four Pillars”; veteran rehabilitation, Americanism, child welfare, and national security and continued above all its mission as a consumers’ advocate for veterans. For more information contact the Michigan Legion at 517-371-4720 ext 16, mark@michiganlegion.org, or visit our website at www.michiganlegion.org.

American Legion convention to feature career events for veterans   The country's largest wartime veterans organization meets Aug. 26-29 in Houston   WASHINGTON (Aug. 2, 2013) – The American Legion is featuring four career events for veterans and servicemembers during its 95 th annual national convention in Houston later this month. Three of the events will be held Aug. 26-27 at the Hilton Americas Houston Hotel: The American Legion's Employment Transition Workshop will offer information and opportunities for training in a variety of careers. Companies such as General Electric, 1 st Command Bank, SAP, Sallie Mae and Nextstar will participate. The Women's Small Business Workshop, conducted by staff from the Small Business Administration, is specifically designed to help women veterans identify opportunities, write business plans and launch their enterprises. The Legion's first Empowering Conference Career & Benefits Center aims to provide veter...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Legion on DoD cuts: "Bad choice either way" WASHINGTON (Aug. 1, 2013)  – American Legion National Commander James E. Koutz expressed frustration after Wednesday's announcement from the Pentagon that something has to give – either troop numbers or weapons development  – in the face of federal budget cuts brought on by sequestration. "It's a bad choice either way," the leader of the nation's largest veterans service organization said. "We cannot forfeit our national security at a time of war against terrorism, and our national security depends on superior weapons as well as enough troops to operate them. A weakened military will not solve our nation's economic problem." Automatic cuts imposed to ease the federal deficit – termed "sequestration" – call for the Department of Defense to chop $46 billion out of its budget this year. If sequestration is not lifted of modified, the defense budget would co...