LZ:DC: Video from Vet Hunters Presentation

On Saturday the AMVETS National Executive Committee voted to adopt California's Vet Hunters program as a national pilot to assist homeless veterans.

The program, which was conceived by California AMVET Joe Leal, seeks to find homeless veterans and ensure that they receive the services they need to make it off the streets.

At the spring meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee, Leal took some time to explain the genesis of his program and AMVETS National Programs Director Beryl Love made a motion to adopt Vet Hunters, which was unanimously approved by the committee.

More details will be available on Vet Hunters in the coming weeks. Check back regularly for updates. In the meantime, here is video of Leal's presentation to the NEC, explaining his unique program.



(Image: AMVET Joe Leal, the visionary behind Vet Hunters, shakes hands with AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop before his presentation to the AMVETS National Executive Committee on Saturday, March 19. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

LZ:DC: Video of CODE's Check Presentation to AMVETS

On Saturday, retired Navy Rear Adm. Jim Carey presented AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop with a check for $100,000 from Activision's Call of Duty Endowment, or CODE, to support the expansion of AMVETS Career Centers.

Carey made the check presentation during the spring meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee as part of LZ:DC.

CODE recently donated $500,000 to worthy veterans' causes to fight veterans' unemployment and selected AMVETS as one of its grant recipients.

AMVETS Department of Ohio launched AMVETS Career Centers as a state program to offer veterans free resources to help complete job-critical certifications and to assist in resume-writing and job-hunting at AMVETS posts across the state.

AMVETS Department of Ohio also offers a veteran-specific job board, Ohio Vets CAN, where companies looking to specifically employ veterans can post available positions.

With thousands of successful placements for Ohio veterans, CODE recognized the value of the program and wanted to provide AMVETS with the requisite funding to implement Ohio's program on a national scale during difficult economic times when veterans' unemployment figures eclipse daunting civilian numbers.

To read CODE's official announcement of the grant, Click Here.

To learn more about CODE, Click Here.

(Image: Retired Navy Rear Adm. Jim Carey from Activision's Call of Duty Endowment presents AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop with a check for $100,000 to support AMVETS Career Centers. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

LZ:DC: Highlights from Congressional Silver Helmet

Last week, AMVETS presented Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., with the 2011 Congressional Silver Helmet Award during a reception in the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill.

To learn more about Dr. Roe's award in AMVETS' official announcement, Click Here.

Video of the award presentation can be viewed below. It is also available on the AMVETS National YouTube page.



Roe, who also served in the U.S. Army as a surgeon, was honored for his sustained commitment to caring for American service members, veterans and their loved ones, which has spanned his careers as both a soldier and a statesman.

Here are photo highlights from last week's Silver Helmet presentation.

(Image: AMVETS family members gather in the Cannon Caucus Room to honor 2011 Congressional Silver Helmet Award recipient, Rep. Phil Roe, on March 17.)


(Image: AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop reads the Silver Helmet citation for Dr. Roe during last week's reception, while AMVETS Acting Legislative Director Christina Roof, AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Dee Kreiling and AMVETS National Executive Director Jim King applaud.)

(Image: Dr. Roe accepts the Silver Helmet Award from Cmdr. Hotop, while Kreiling and King look on.)





(Image: Dr. Roe explains what the Silver Helmet Award means to him during the reception.)





(Top Image: AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Dee Kreiling, AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop, and AMVETS Past National Commander Bill Kilgore pose for a photo alongside 2011 Congressional Silver Helmet Award recipient Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., during last week's reception honoring the Congressman in the Cannon Caucus Room on Capitol Hill. All photos by Ryan Gallucci.)

LZ:DC: AMVETS Introduces VETS Dogs Act

Yesterday afternoon, AMVETS joined Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., for a press conference to announce the Veterans for Equal Treatment of Service Dogs Act, or VETS Dogs Act, which Carter introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday morning.

Here is AMVETS' video of yesterday's announcement, which took place as part of AMVETS LZ:DC:



During the press conference, Carter said that in only two short days since issuing a "Dear Colleague" letter, seeking support for the bill, he had already signed on more than 30 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle--and he was yet to approach the Texas Congressional delegation, or the many caucuses to which he belongs.

"This is a bill whose passage I believe will draw very little debate," Carter said. "This is a rare opportunity to do a great thing for our disabled veterans that adds nothing to the federal deficit, simply by eliminating unneeded and unjustified regulations.

When Congress adjourned from its afternoon votes, random members--some of whom had already signed on to support Carter's bill--consistently stopped by the press conference on the House Triangle to thank veterans Kevin Stone and Sue Downes, who were on hand with their service dogs, Mambo and Lila, to discuss what the legislation will mean for veterans.

VetsFirst, a program from the United Spinal Association, and Paws With A Cause joined AMVETS to applaud Carter and Congressional cosponsors for submitting the bill, which would close a loophole in VA policy that has caused some veterans who utilize service dogs as prostheses to be denied care at certain VA health care facilities.

Stars & Stripes was on hand to cover the announcement. To read the Stripes' coverage, Click Here.

To read Military Times coverage of the bill, Click Here.

To read AMVETS' official statement on the bill roll-out, Click Here, and check back regularly with American Veteran for updates from the LZ.

(Images: Top: Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, discusses the VETS Dogs Act during a press conference outside the U.S. Capitol Building while cosponsor Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., and AMVETS Sue Downes and Kevin Stone look on. Middle, Left: Kevin Stone pets his service dog, Mambo, while explaining his experiences and why the VETS Dog Act is important to him. Middle, Right: Sue Downes explains why the bill is important to veterans, with her service dog, Lila, by her side. Bottom: Rep. Michele Bachmann shakes hands with Stone and Downes, thanking them for their service and their advocacy for veterans. Photos by Luis Jimenez.)

LZ:DC: Video of Cmdr. Hotop's Testimony Before Congress

On Wednesday, AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop delivered AMVETS' 2011 Legislative Agenda to a special joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee as part of LZ:DC. Below is video of Hotop's remarks, highlighting the needs of underserved veterans and VA's goal to eliminate veterans' homelessness.



To read Hotop's full submission for the Congressional record and to view a full video of the hearing, Click Here.

American Veteran continues to follow this week's events closely. Check back regularly for updates from the LZ.

LZ:DC: Pennsylvania Sons Honor Congressman

This week, the Pennsylvania Sons of AMVETS met with most of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation during their annual Capitol Hill visits as part of LZ:DC.

On Wednesday, the Sons hosted a special meeting with Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., where they presented Altmire with an award for his continued dedication to veterans' causes.

Though the award does not have an official name yet, the Pennsylvania Sons have acknowledged that the award will now be an annual tradition when the group comes to Washington to advocate for American veterans and their loved ones.

During their visits with legislators, the Pennsylvania Sons not only advocated for AMVETS Legislative Priorities for 2011, but bolstered support for the Veterans for Equal Treatment of Service Dogs Act, of VETS Dogs Act, which AMVETS helped to champion on Capitol Hill and officially announced yesterday alongside Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, who introduced the bill, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., one of the bill's original cosponsors, AMVETS Acting Legislative Director Christina Roof, and AMVETS Kevin Stone and Sue Downes.

Details and highlights from the bill's introduction will be available later today on American Veteran and the LZ:DC timeline.

The Pennsylvania Sons explained the bill in detail and encouraged their representatives to sign on as cosponsors as soon as they had the chance.

Pat Brown, a member of the Sons Squadron from Lancaster AMVETS Post 19, said that most members were enthusiastic about the bill and eager to learn how they could support.

The bill, which would close a loophole that has prohibited certain veterans utilizing service dogs from receiving VA care, already has extensive bipartisan support in only a few short days since it was drafted.

The Pennsylvania Sons schedule 13 meetings with their Congressional delegation this week and dropped by the offices of their entire delegation to hand-deliver copies of the AMVETS Legislative Agenda.

American Veteran continues to follow the Sons of AMVETS and all participants in this week's LZ:DC. Check back regularly for updates from the LZ.

(Images: Top: Pennsylvania Sons of AMVETS present Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., with their inaugural award, recognizing service and advocacy on behalf of American veterans. Middle: The Pennsylvania Sons pose for a photo with Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., on Capitol Hill. Bottom: The Pennsylvania Sons review their schedule and materials between meetings on Capitol Hill. Photos courtesy of Pat Brown.)

LZ:DC: AMVETS to Introduce Service Dog Bill, Tesify Before the House, Honor Congressional Leadership

This afternoon, AMVETS will once again be out in force on Capitol Hill when AMVETS Acting Legislative Director Christina Roof appears alongside Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, AMVETS members Sue Downes and Kevin Stone, and other Congressional leaders to introduce the Veterans Equal Treatment of Service Dogs Act, or VETS Dogs Act, a critical piece of legislation that will permanently close a loophole in VA policy that has created hurdles to care for disabled veterans.

Carter and AMVETS will officially announce the bill during a press conference at the House Triangle, outside the U.S. Capitol Building at 3 p.m.

Both Downes and Stone are veterans utilize service dogs as VA-sanctioned prosthetic devices for physical injuries, but both have experienced barriers to care at VA facilities. Though VA issued a directive recently to ensure veterans and their service dogs will not be turned away, AMVETS and Congressional leaders continue to push for a policy change that will offer permanent equality in access.

Downes, a double amputee who was severely wounded in Afghanistan, was the first female combat veteran from the current conflicts to receive a service dog. Downes earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for her service and today she is a mother of two.

Stone, a former Army infantry light fighter who was injured in a training accident, is now a U.S. Paralympic medalist in archery who represented Team USA in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.

Downes and her service dog, Lila, and Stone and his service dog, Mambo, will be available to explain what the legislation means for veterans and share some of their personal, inspiring experiences.

This afternoon, AMVETS National Communications Director Jay Agg will also appear before the House VA Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs to discuss the proposed 2012 budget for VA's National Cemetery Administration, or NCA, and the Veterans Benefits Administration, or VBA.

The hearing will come to order at 1 p.m. in the House Veterans Affairs Committee chambers, Cannon 334. To view live video of the hearing, Click Here.

Agg will appear alongside Independent Budget partner Disabled American Veterans and VA officials, including VA Acting Under Secretary of Veterans Benefits Mike Walcoff. Agg's testimony will focus heavily on the mission of NCA, but will also touch on issues facing VBA, such as the ongoing claims backlog.

To view a full list of witnesses and to read their prepared remarks, Click Here.

Sons of AMVETS from around the country will also continue their visits with legislators, armed with the AMVETS Legislative Priorities for 2011, and AMVETS Department of Ohio will commence its annual visits with the Ohio Congressional delegation.

Finally, tonight, AMVETS will honor Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., with the 2011 Congressional Silver Helmet Award during a special reception in the Cannon Caucus Room at 5:30 p.m. Roe, a former Army doctor and current member of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs, was chosen for the award for his sustained commitment to American veterans, which spans both his career as an Army surgeon and his current role as a veterans' advocate in Congress.

All events are open to the public and all members of the AMVETS family in Washington for LZ:DC are invited to attend. American Veteran will also be on hand throughout the day, bringing continuing coverage of AMVETS LZ:DC. Check back regularly for updates from the LZ.

(Image: Kevin Stone meets with Rep. John Carter, R-Texas, during visits to Capitol Hill last March when AMVETS and partner non-profit Paws With A Cause educated legislators on the benefits of service dogs for disabled veterans. Photo by Ryan Gallucci.)

LZ:DC: Massachusetts Sons Take to the Hill

This morning, the Massachusetts Sons of AMVETS took to Capitol Hill, armed with AMVETS Legislative Priorities for 2011, to advocate for America's service members, veterans and their loved ones.

Led by Sons of AMVETS Past National Commander David Spencer, the Massachusetts contingency plans to meet with all 10 representatives in Congress and both Senators that comprise the Massachusetts Congressional delegation.

With the AMVETS family converging on Capitol Hill for AMVETS "LZ:DC," the Sons of AMVETS have come out in force in 2011 looking to surpass last year's total of more than 120 visits with legislators, enlisting help from members of AMVETS, AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary and the AMVETS Riders.

American Veteran will continue to bring you highlights throughout the week and all AMVETS family members are encouraged to keep submitting their content to rgallucci@amvets.org.

Check back regularly for continuing updates from the LZ.

(Images: Top: Massachusetts AMVETS Post 51 Commander Don McLean, Massachusetts Sons of AMVETS Commander Mark Serpis, and Sons of AMVETS Past National Commander David Spencer meet with Sen. Scott Brown, R-Mass. Middle: Serpis, McLean, and Spencer meet with Rep. Chris Neal, D-Mass. Bottom: Serpis, McLean and Spencer meet with Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass. Photos courtesy of David Spencer.

LZ:DC: National Commander Hotop Delivers Legislative Agenda to Congress

This morning AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop appeared before a special joint session of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees to deliver AMVETS' legislative agenda for 2011.

To view a full list of witnesses, read their prepared remarks and to watch the hearing in its entirety, Click Here.

Cmdr. Hotop's testimony and AMVETS Legislative Priorities for 2011 were guided by three sources, AMVETS adopted resolutions from the 2010 AMVETS National Convention, findings from the 2010 AMVETS Symposium for 21st Century Veterans, and the concerns of AMVETS members.

In his prepared remarks, Hotop discussed each of AMVETS' top legislative priorities in depth, ranging from improving services for rural veterans, improving services for female service members and veterans, improving screening and treatment for polytraumatic blast injuries, modernizing VA's prosthetic services, ending the claims backlog, and providing education, employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for veterans.

Given the time constraints, Hotop's remarks focused on meeting the needs of underserved veterans--particularly women veterans, whose ranks continue to grow; and rural/remote veterans, who comprise nearly half of today's veterans who utilize VA services.

Hotop also took the time to praise VA's efforts to end homelessness within five years, but also acknowledged that VA needs to implement more innovative programs to stop homelessness before it starts.

"We must go to the veterans, not simply sit back and hope the veterans come to us," Hotop said. "This is not a handout. This is providing the entitlements and care they have earned through their service to our country."

The AMVETS national commander's testimony before Congress is an annual tradition around which the AMVETS family of organizations converges on Washington, D.C., to advocate for veterans' causes. This year's testimony is part of the inaugural "LZ:DC," where AMVETS has landed on Capitol Hill for a week of advocacy on behalf of American veterans and their loved ones.

American Veteran is following the week's events closely. Check back regularly for updates from the LZ.

(Images: Top: AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop waits to testify before the Congressional Veterans Affairs committees. Middle: Cmdr. Hotop delivers AMVETS' legislative priorities to Congress while AMVETS Acting Legislative Director Christina Roof looks on. Photos by Jay Agg. Middle, left: AMVETS members from across the country joined Cmdr. Hotop for his testimony. Bottom, right: Roof discusses Sons of AMVETS legislative visits as part of LZ:DC with a member of the Sons of AMVETS prior to the hearing. Photos by Ryan Gallucci.)

LZ:DC: Sons of AMVETS Take to Capitol Hill

This morning, AMVETS' week of advocacy in Washington, "LZ:DC," will commence when the Sons of AMVETS land on Capitol Hill, meeting with legislators, advocating for American service members, veterans and their families.

Armed with AMVETS Legislative Priorities for 2011, the Pennsylvania Sons of AMVETS will be the first to hit the halls of Congress, meeting with Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., at 10 a.m.

The Pennsylvania Sons have more than a dozen meetings scheduled this week with the Pennsylvania Congressional delegation and a special award presentation to Rep. Jason Altmire, D-Pa., taking place tomorrow afternoon.

Sons of AMVETS National Commander Robert Hammett, a life member of the Indiana Sons, is already on the ground in Washington and plans join the Pennsylvania contingency for their early meetings.

Each year, the Sons of AMVETS come to Washington in force to advocate for veterans and their loved ones. The Capitol Hill visits coincide with the testimony of the AMVETS National Commander before a special joint hearing of the House and Senate committees on Veterans Affairs, where AMVETS officially presents its legislative priorities for the coming year.

AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop will present AMVETS' legislative agenda tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. in the Senate Derksen Ground Room 50. For details about the hearing, Click Here.

Last year, the Sons of AMVETS conducted more than 120 meetings with legislators, and Hammett said this year they plan to surpass that mark.

For this year's visits, the Sons also recruited support from AMVETS and the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary to cover more ground on the hill.

Every year, members of AMVETS, the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, the Sons of AMVETS and AMVETS Riders converge on the nation’s capitol for four days of advocacy on behalf of American military families, memorial events to honor the fallen, organizational business, and the annual AMVETS Silver Helmet Awards, honoring champions of veterans’ service from across the country. This year, AMVETS has given this week a name that captures the urgency and scale of the mission: LZ:DC.

“LZ” is the common military acronym for a helicopter “landing zone”—a place where forces can be quickly inserted into the forward-most areas of the battle space. This week, AMVETS' LZ is Capitol Hill.

American Veteran will follow LZ:DC and the Sons of AMVETS Capitol Hill advocacy closely, bringing you updates from each day's events. Each Sons of AMVETS Department participating in LZ:DC will also be sending in photos and highlights as they happen, which we will include on the blog and on the AMVETS National Web site.

To learn more about LZ:DC, Click Here.

Recap of Last Week on Capitol Hill

Last week, AMVETS was out in force on Capitol, testifying before the Senate, meeting with House minority leadership and submitting remarks on veterans' employment assistance.

On Wednesday morning, AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof appeared alongside the Independent Budget partners--Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, and Veterans of Foreign Wars--and VA Secretary Eric Shinseki before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs to discuss the fiscal year 2012 VA budget proposal.

It was the first full committee hearing to be chaired by newly-selected Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash. Murray is the first woman to hold the powerful position on the committee.

On the first panel of the hearing, Murray and Ranking Member Richard Burr, R-S.C., expressed bipartisan disappointment with VA over the proposed implementation of the new VA caregiver benefits, saying that the Wade family, which advocated for the critical services in the bill, would not be eligible under the current threshold.

"It's important to remember why we wrote [caregiver]," said Murray. "The narrow draft excludes many of the people we believed it would cover."

Burr pointed out that the intention of the bill was to ensure that institutional care was not the only option for severely-wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, but under VA's issued guidelines, institutional care was now the threshold to qualify for the benefit.

The committee called on Secretary Shinseki to recall the proposal from the Office of Management and Budget and rewrite the guidelines.

"If it goes the way it is written, [VA] will be in for one hell of a fight," said Burr.

During the hearing, VA's proposal to expand its central office in the 2012 budget also became a heated topic of discussion, drawing criticism from committee Republicans who want to see fiscally responsible decision-making across the federal government.

While veterans' advocates testifying did not wish to speculate on why VA requested the expansion, Roof said that if the choice came between VA hiring health care practitioners or speech writers, that VA should focus on its mission to deliver services to veterans.

To view a full list of witnesses, to read prepared remarks and to view video from the hearing, Click Here.

Wednesday afternoon, Roof also participated in a roundtable discussion with House minority leadership, chaired by Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and the nation's leading military and veterans' advocates.

Democratic leadership has hosted regular roundtable discussions with the veterans community for the last few years in an effort to better understand the unique issues facing American service men and women during a time of war.

Major topics of discussion included the ongoing VA claims backlog, veterans' educational opportunities, unemployment and homelessness.

On Thursday, AMVETS was also represented during the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity hearing on the budget for Veterans Employment and Training Service, or VETS, and state grant programs.

To view a full list of participants and to read their prepared remarks, Click Here.

Roof submitted testimony for the record, which focused on two state grant programs, the Disabled Veterans Outreach Program, or DVOP, and Local Veterans Employment Representative, or LVER.

In her remarks, Roof said that both DVOP and LVER programs lacked proper metrics to measure success in placing veterans in quality jobs. Under the current system, any veteran who seeks information from a DVOP or LVER office is recorded as a "veteran having received counseling," and veterans who find employment without the assistance of DVOP or LVER is considered a successful placement and a positive termination.

Given the inconsistencies among each state-administered DVOP and LVER program, AMVETS recommended to the committee that DVOP and LVER be at least temporarily federalized to ensure proper oversight, management and placement of veterans seeking assistance.

AMVETS also recommended stricter enforcement of standards within each program and allocation of program funds based on performance of each DVOP or LVER.

To read Roof's prepared remarks and AMVETS' full recommendations on DVOP and LVER, Click Here.

This week, AMVETS will once again be on Capitol Hill for a series of meetings in preparation for next week's LZ:DC events.

American Veteran will continue to follow the work of the AMVETS National Legislative Department closely. We will also bring you highlights of next week's work on Capitol Hill as it happens. Check back regularly for updates.

(Images: Top: AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof testifies on the proposed VA budget before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Middle: VA Secretary Eric Shinseki discusses the proposed VA budget before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs. Bottom: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hosts a roundtable discussion with the nation's leading military and veterans' advocates, including AMVETS. Photos by Ryan Gallucci.)