Michigan Legion Media Room

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   Legion: shutdown must not harm defense   WASHINGTON (Sept. 30, 2013) -- National security cannot be diminished in the event of a federal government shutdown, American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger said Monday. "The political impasse that is threatening to shut down the U.S. government cannot and must not compromise the readiness and welfare of our armed forces and their support personnel," said Dellinger, who leads the nation's largest veterans service organization. The Pentagon briefed the 2.4-million-member American Legion last week about the possible effects of a government shutdown on military pay and civilian support duties. The Department of Defense said that servicemembers' Oct. 1 paychecks would be issued as usual, but pay after that date could be threatened by a government shutdown beyond the first week of the month, even though troops would be ordered to remain on duty.  On the civilian side, what are t...

American Legion issues report on VA health care for women veterans Findings show that many former women servicemembers do not identify themselves as veterans WASHINGTON (Sept. 17, 2013) -- The American Legion has issued its report on the quality of health care for women veterans at 15 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers across the country. Key findings of the Legion's report include the fact that many former women servicemembers do not identify themselves as veterans, many VA medical centers lack long-term health care plans for women veterans, and VA facilities often have no inpatient or residential mental health programs for women veterans. "We found one case in which a woman veteran in Colorado had to fly to Coatesville, Pa., just to receive her mental-health care," said Verna Jones, director of the Legion's Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation (VA & R) Division. "Many women who have served in uniform may suffer from post-trau...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   American Legion releases report on TBI and PTSD   After conducting research for more than two years, the Legion shares its findings and recommendations with Congress, VA and the public WASHINGTON (Sept. 12, 2013) -- The American Legion released a report on Sept. 11 that is the culmination of a study the wartime veterans organization did on current treatments and best practices for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The report, entitled "The War Within," includes findings and recommendations based on comprehensive research, conducted from January 2011 to February 2013, by an American Legion ad hoc committee chaired by William Detweiler, past national commander of the Legion. Detweiler said the report shows that while the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) use a number of traditional medical treatments for TBI and PTSD cases, "they have not done a lot of res...

American Legion National Commander Testifies Before Congress WASHINGTON (September 11, 2013) -- While testifying before members of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs, American Legion National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger said the most important part of serving the country's largest wartime veterans organization "is that I will spend the coming year personally meeting with veterans and military personnel throughout the country and around the world. I will see their faces. I will hear their voices. I will bring back their messages, and I will share their concerns with you." During his Sept. 10 testimony in Washington, D.C., Dellinger said that many of America's veterans will ask him how The American Legion plans to improve their lives. "And, inevitably, they also will ask me what Congress and VA are doing to improve their lives as well. We all have work to do, in order to provide satisfactory answers," Dellinger said. A large pa...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 7 days here in the Metro Detroit area. Visit the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events.  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html    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, hole-in-one buys! "Saturday, September 7, 2013" The GM CCA Veterans Affinity Group is assisting Piquette Square with a Golf Outing at The Jewel in Grand Blanc "Sunday, September 22, 2013" Madison Hgts VFW Post 9507 ho...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     The American Legion on Syria: proceed with caution   WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 -- The leader of the nation's largest veterans' service organization, The American Legion, is urging Congress to consider national interests carefully before deciding whether or not to take military action against Syria. "While we have not addressed the Syrian situation as such," said Daniel M. Dellinger, newly elected national commander of the 2.3 million member Legion, "we commend Congress for its due diligence under its Constitutional authority. The American Legion also urges Congress and President Obama to be guided in their decisions by principles outlined in our organization's relevant resolutions. That is, American national interests should be clearly identified and defined before military action is taken."    A vote is expected as early as next week by members of the U.S. House and Senate on the issue. In the meantime, the Senate F...