American Legion steps into the breach
We’ve been talking about the failures in the system at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, and of course, talking isn’t what gets help to veterans. The Associated Press reports that the American Legion has stepped up to fill the gap between veterans and their access to care by opening “crisis centers” across the country;
“This is not extra, this is what is supposed to be happening,” [Verna Jones, director of the American Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division] said.
On the first day the Legion’s crisis center team arrives in a town, they typically hold a town-hall meeting, where they take questions from veterans – sometimes, the head of the local VA is there to answer as well. In the days following, veterans come to the Legion post and talk to counselors, who assess the best way to tackle a given problem, be it benefits, retroactive payment, scheduling a doctor’s appointment or enrolling a veteran in the VA’s system for the first time.
That’s why they call them Veterans’ Service Organizations. Many of you have complained that the legion and the VFW are just veterans’ bar where old old guys go to relive their glory days and tell war stories, but this is an example of what they really do on a national level. I just paid up my lifetime membership in the last few weeks and it’s specifically related to the Legion’s response to the VA’s failures.
I’m not saying that you have to run out and get yourself a membership, I’m just asking that you view the American Legion and the VSOs differently, as I’ve done over the last several years.
Category: Veterans' Affairs Department
I will agree with John, that in the past (prior to finding TAH) I had the impression that “legion and the VFW are just veterans’ bar where old old guys go to relive their glory days and tell war stories”. The more I read from John, TSO, and others the more I realized that since the government can’t be trusted to take care of us, we must take care of our own and that is where the VSOs come into play.
I’m not a life member yet, heck I just joined this year when I started my retirement out processing, however VSOs in general and the AL and DAV in specific have been a tremendous help making sure I had everything I needed to have a complete claims and that all my VA forms were correct prior to turning in to the VA. Also not saying that going through a VSO helps grease the skids at all but I already have my evaluation appointments where as another retiree I know who filed within a few days of me and didn’t use a VSO still waiting to hear anything from the VA (to include, yup we got your claims now cool your heals for the next year while we decide).
So yeah many local VSOs have bars and halls that can be rented out, but often times the proceeds from both get funneled into programs that help out fellow vets, from providing transportation to/from VA clinics, to counseling groups, to blankets, food, and helping to keep roofs over heads.
Also if you have had a bad experience with one Post, group, etc, not all are created equal and 9 times out of 10 there are at least a few in your area to choose from and your bound to find one that is a good fit.
When I got my first disability check, the first check went to pay off a DAV life membership and then I enrolled in a AL life membership payment plan over the next year.
Both totally worth it for what they do in public and behind the scenes for all of us.
My membership in the Legion lapsed on account of a long stretch of unemployment but I’m saving up to get a life membership with them.
All the helpful stuff aside, what’s wrong with Veterans getting together to play cards, lose at video poker, and drink beer? Still, I’ve never joined any VSO, even though I could crawl to the nearest AL in 15 minutes. But, the more of these type comments and posts I see, the more I have to ask myself why I haven’t, yet.
Nothing wrong at all with any of that 2/17 Air Cav. It was that very reason (among others) why I joined the AL Post and DAV unit that I did. (i.e. I felt at home and actually liked the people I met) For example there is a closer DAV unit to my house but I choose to drive a little bit further because the slightly further unit was more active and members better fit me. It was this reason I said shop around. I went to several meetings of different Posts/units in the area (all either AL and/or DAV) and I just liked the ones I joined better. Granted all belong to the big national orgs, but the local units are all different.
I am with 2/17 Air Cav. Perhaps it is time to look at membership in the AL of VFW or both. I am glad they are taking an active approach to help in towns. I hope they can make a small difference.
Though I am not a member of any AL or VFW, I have had dealings with many of them in several communities in my area. I’ll just say it all depends on the leadership in any given post. And the leadership changes often enough that the levels of service they provide to the community can change every one to two years. Unless there is a strong pool of committed leadership, then there is inconsistency from one year to the next.
Agreed Laurie, and there are at-large memberships, or state, unassigned to a Post. Support through membership helps many of the programs and makes our voice stronger in DC.
Some posts don’t even have social quarters,and many that do now have no smoking sections. Personally I don’t smoke or drink, but am a member of of both TAL and VFW. I am more active in TAL, but the more members VSOs have, the more weight when they try to advocate for us with Congress Critters…among all the other good things they do.
Side note, a lot of it is community service oriented.
VFW still sitting with their thumbs up their butts falling for Obummer theatrics?
Just renewed my membership for next year.