Michigan Legion Media Room

Legion opposes permanent extension of Choice program   WASHINGTON, May 27, 2016 — During a congressional hearing May 24, The American Legion delivered written and oral testimony regarding access to healthcare through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).   Director of Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Lou Celli addressed members of the Senate's Committee on Veterans' Affairs, highlighting the Legion's views on the Care Veterans Deserve Act of 2016.   If enacted, this Act would eliminate the VA's Veterans Choice Program (VCP) termination date, expand program eligibility, and extend certain operating hours of VA pharmacies and medical facilities.   "We stated at the time, and state here again today, that we never supported Choice becoming a permanent program," Celli said. "The reason is because we know that VA already has every authority granted to it through Choice when it comes to providing contracted care to our nation's v...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 14 days here in the Metro Detroit area, of which there are 1 new item. You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events at  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   You can also find many other veteran events & information for Veterans on the State of MI Veterans website, Detroit Public Televisions' Veterans website, and a few others: http://www.michiganveterans.com/home/Calendar.aspx http://www.veterans.dptv.org/all-events http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html#MI https://sites.google.com/site/miveteranevents/home/military-events ANNOUNCEMENTS! "Free Legal Services" The Legal Aid & Defender Association, Inc., is hosting numerous (17 to be exact) free legal clinics (priority for vets) in both Oakland & Macomb counties for the next 6 months, all...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 19, 2016 Contact: Kara Macek,  202-789-0942 x140 202-262-4889 (mobile) kmacek@ghsa.org New Data: Motorcyclist Deaths Surge 10% in 2015 Fatalities Expected to Top 5,000 WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Preliminary data provided by state highway safety offices indicates that more than 5,000 people were killed on motorcycles 2015. This represents an estimated 10 percent increase compared with 2014 -- more than 450 additional deaths. This grim news, presented in the Governors Highway Safety Association's (GHSA) annual forecast of motorcyclist fatalities, comes as warm weather prompts thousands of bikers to hit the road either for the first time, or after taking their motorcycles out of storage following winter. Motorcyclist Traffic Fatalities by State: 2015 Preliminary Data is GHSA's sixth annual motorcyclist fatality Spotlight report. The series provides an early look at...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 14 days here in the Metro Detroit area, of which there are 15 new items!!  You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events at  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   You can also find many other veteran events & information for Veterans on the State of MI Veterans website, Detroit Public Televisions' Veterans website, and a few others: http://www.michiganveterans.com/home/Calendar.aspx http://www.veterans.dptv.org/all-events http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html#MI https://sites.google.com/site/miveteranevents/home/military-events EVENTS! ARMED FORCES DAY EVENTS, SATURDAY MAY 21st! For a brief history of Armed Forces Day and a copy of the official 2016 Poster go to the official DOD website . The US Vietnam War Commemoration is hosting...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 14 days here in the Metro Detroit area, of which there are 15 new items!!  You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events at  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   You can also find many other veteran events & information for Veterans on the State of MI Veterans website, Detroit Public Televisions' Veterans website, and a few others: http://www.michiganveterans.com/home/Calendar.aspx http://www.veterans.dptv.org/all-events http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html#MI https://sites.google.com/site/miveteranevents/home/military-events ANNOUNCEMENTS! "Free Legal Services" The Legal Aid & Defender Association, Inc., is hosting numerous (17 to be exact) free legal clinics (priority for vets) in both Oakland & Macomb counties for the next 6 m...

American  Legion National Commander: Sorrow at Hiroshima but no apology   WASHINGTON (May 10, 2016) –  American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett released the following statement today concerning the White House announcement that President Obama will visit Hiroshima, Japan. “We are heartened that the White House promised today that President Obama will not apologize for the bombing of Hiroshima,” Barnett said. “We share his sorrow for the many innocent civilians who were lost that day.  But we temper that sorrow with the joy for the many more American, Allied and Japanese lives that were saved because the war was finally brought to an end in the short aftermath that followed. President Truman was a proud Legionnaire who made a painful but brave decision. It would never be appropriate to apologize for it.” With a current membership of 2.2 million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national secur...

View as a Web page Dear Legionnaire, All year we have been alerting American Legion members about how serious hepatitis C (hep C) is for the veteran population. May is Hepatitis Awareness Month, and The American Legion is launching a social media "Thunderclap" to engage the community and inform veterans about the risks associated with hep C. In addition, we will be encouraging all veterans to get tested for hep C antibodies on May 19th, which is National Hepatitis Testing Day. You can join us and help spread the word by signing up on our Thunderclap page and asking your friends to assist us in amplifying the message! What's Thunderclap? . T...

Listed below are the events I have for the next 14 days here in the Metro Detroit area, of which there are 7 new items.  You can also go to the Legion 328 website to download any flyer for these future events at  http://www.legionpost328.org/events.html   You can also find many other veteran events & information for Veterans on the State of MI Veterans website, Detroit Public Televisions' Veterans website, and a few others: http://www.michiganveterans.com/home/Calendar.aspx http://www.veterans.dptv.org/all-events http://www.hostmtb.org/RADs_and_Other_Retiree-Veterans_Events.html#MI https://sites.google.com/site/miveteranevents/home/military-events ANNOUNCEMENTS! "Free Legal Services" The Legal Aid & Defender Association, Inc., is hosting numerous (17 to be exact) free legal clinics (priority for vets) in both Oakland & Macomb counties for the next 6 months, all starting at...

American Legion Backs 'Veterans First Act' WASHINGTON (May 3, 2016) – The head of the nation's largest  veterans organization praised the recently-introduced Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs comprehensive omnibus bill, known as the "Veterans First Act."         "There is much to like in this bill," said National Commander of The American Legion Dale Barnett. "Since the wait time manipulations and other irregularities were exposed in 2014, The American Legion has demanded accountability. This legislation will shorten the grievance process, make it easier to dismiss VA officials that  breach the trust of the veterans that they are supposed to serve and allow VA to offer competitive pay and incentives to attract talented physicians and other professionals.  We hope that Congress will pass and the president will sign this bill quickly." Barnett pointed out that accountability is a term that all veterans are familiar w...