Sons of AMVETS Make Their Mark on Capitol Hill

Last week, Congressional offices on Capitol Hill were inundated with men in blue blazers and gray garrison caps, as Sons of AMVETS from around the country converged on Washington, D.C., for their annual legislative visits.

More than 70 Sons, joined by members of AMVETS and the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, took to Capitol Hill for more than 120 appointments and more than 50 additional impromptu meetings with Senators, Congressmen, and staff, including newly-elected Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.).

This year, the Sons of AMVETS were armed with hundreds of copies of the AMVETS 2010 Legislative Priorities book, explaining AMVETS' top legislative goals to key decision-makers.

Founded in Vermillion, Ohio in 1972, Sons of AMVETS is a national organization comprised of male descendants of American military men and women. The organization is dedicated to supporting the mission of AMVETS, which includes advocating for improved veterans' care and benefits.

Along with the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary and Junior AMVETS, Sons of AMVETS help to ensure that the voices of military families are also heard when discussing veterans' issues on a national level.

The 2010 Sons of AMVETS Capitol Hill visit was the organization's most successful program to date, with Sons conducting more than 170 meetings in four days.

(Photos: Top: Sons of AMVETS National Commander David Spencer, center, speaks with Sen. Scott Brown during last week's Hill visits. Photo by Karen Spencer. Bottom: Sons of AMVETS pose for a photo with AMVETS members Kevin Stone, bottom center, and Luis Montalvan, right, during last week's Sons of AMVETS Hill visits. Stone and Montalvan were also on Capitol Hill alongside AMVETS partner non-profit Paws With A Cause for educational meetings with legislators on the benefits of assistance dogs for wounded veterans . Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)