Membership Report For September 2011

Membership Report For September 2011

At the end of September we were 177,829 members strong. Congratulations California and welcome CA-2011. Congratulations Florida and welcome FL-1064. Thank you both for blazing the trail we all are walking on!

Ohio Career Centers gave a great presentation for our newly formed Call of Duty Endowment Career Centers. California, Iowa, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia were represented at the training. We will learn from the successes demonstrated by Ohio AMVETS.

Returning veterans throughout America will benefit from your hard work. We know its voluntary and coming from the heart. Every state should be looking for career center locations. Soldiers need jobs and the collective experience in AMVETS will help them get jobs. Most of you have traveled the roads these young men and women are on. Show them the way.

The season of giving is approaching. AMVETS National Headquarters reached out to three outstanding servicemembers to reward their service with Life memberships. We will find more.

Each department should look for deserving veterans in their states. Make sure every recruiter in your state knows AMVETS appreciates the service they are providing to our country. Know the veteran in your town serving and show you appreciate their service with an AMVETS gift membership.

Stay connected and ride the digital wave. It gets easier every day.

Go to www.amvets.org , checkout the new video then click on the Facebook link. Your post could have a Facebook page. Hook up with someone to help or call us. Sons of AMVETS, these young patriots travel digital roads every day. Build a bridge.
Each department should have a digital guru slot. Find a wizard, fill the slot and use digital media as a force multiplier.

-Harry Neal,
National Membership Director

College Credit for Heroes

For the 2011-2012 academic year, Coleman College for Health Sciences at Houston Community College is offering an accelerated alternative delivery Surgical Technology Certificate program for eligible veterans. The College Credit for Heroes Surgical Technology Certificate program is designed to assist veterans who received their Surgical Technology training while in the military and worked in the field during their service to our country. Eligible veterans will receive college credit at Houston Community College for some of their training and experience, successfully complete two distance education courses, and sit for the National Surgical Technology Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) exam at the end of the program. Passing the NBSTSA will enable the veteran to go to work in the field of Surgical Technology making as much as $22 per hour, or $45,762 annually (www.TexasIndustryProfiles.com).
Please call 713-718-7233 or e-mail Karen.coker@hccs.edu, CCHI Surgical Technology, to determine eligibility. Go to: http://coleman.hccs.edu/cc4h

Helping a Homeless Veteran Only a Phone Call Away

VA’s Homeless Veterans Program Office is on a mission to ensure that everyone from VA employees, to first responders and civilian personnel know who and where to call should they encounter a homeless Veteran or a Veteran at-risk of becoming homeless. A major homeless outreach and awareness campaign is under way in 28 cities across the nation as part of VA’s commitment to eliminate Veteran homelessness by 2015. The initial phase of the massive outreach effort is designed to inform and educate those in frequent contact with homeless Veterans have them serve as messengers bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gify directing Veterans to three primary channels: the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans (1-877-424-3838); the VA Homeless Veterans Website at http://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ ;and local VA medical centers. These major events will include brochures and other information as well as advertising posters at bus stops and radio and TV ads to promote “Make the call.”

AMVETS Supports the Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011

While no single piece of legislation is perfect, AMVETS National Legislative Director Diane Zumatto believes H.R. 2433 - Veterans Opportunity to Work Act of 2011, will positively impact veterans in multiple areas including: making improvements to the TAP (Transition Assistance Program); allowing up to 100,000 unemployed veterans from all eras to receive up to 12 months of Montgomery G.I. Bill benefits; strengthening USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment & Reemployment Rights Act) protections for National Guard/Reserve members; and working with the DOL (Department of Labor) will help to remove credentialing/licensing impediments for transitioning Servicemembers.

Also, one of the particular points of interest and importance to our members is that this legislation in not limited to only Post 9/11 veterans, but all veterans from age 35 – 60 (of which there are approx. 868,000 according to the House Veterans Affairs Committee).

Here is a copy of the letter from AMVETS supporting the VOW Act, H.R. 2433:



Please contact your Congressional Representative and tell him or her that you support the VOW Act and it needs to be passed once it reaches the Senate!

One Step Closer...

Yesterday, the House passed by voice vote, a provision that would open all VA facilities to various types of assistance dogs. Currently, only seeing-eye dogs are allowed entry into VA facilities. AMVETS Legislation Department has diligently championed this cause as it will make life much easier for our veterans who rely on these service dogs for improved quality of life.

Here is an excerpt from the Army Times article by staff writer, Rick Maze about this positive step forward:

The Veterans Affairs Department soon could be going to the dogs after a key House vote Tuesday to expand the types of assistance dogs allowed in VA facilities.

VA service-dog regulations, last changed in 1985, guarantee access to only seeing-eye dogs. Other canines trained to help with mobility, hearing impairment, seizure disorders or post-traumatic stress or other mental illnesses are allowed onto VA facilities only by local policy, which is inconsistently applied.

“As a result of current regulations, disabled veterans may be denied entrance to VA medical facilities if accompanied by their VA-approved service dog,” the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee said in an Oct. 5 report about why the change is needed.

To read the article in its entirety click here.

F.M.L.A. CHANGE GRANTS MILITARY FAMILY MEMBERS TIME TO DEAL WITH DEPLOYMENTS

Allows federal employees to take up to 12 weeks off to deal with situation at home
Photo by Lance Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez


OCT. 11, 2011 – WASHINGTON, D.C. – Many service members will say one of the toughest parts about a deployment is saying goodbye to their family. Soon new changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) will make that farewell easier to handle. Beginning October 31, federal employees who have an active duty family member will be allowed to take up to 12 weeks off of unpaid time to deal with the emotional stress at home that often times accompanies deployment.

“If you haven’t experienced this moment of goodbye then you just don’t get it. This law change allows a person to take the time off and deal with the emotional toll that this farewell imposes. It gives them the mental security of knowing their job will be safe when they return” said Lisa Windsor, retired Army colonel currently practicing Military Law at Tully Rinckey PLLC. “Someone is looking into the eyes of their loved one who they will not see again for months if not years so the last thing they should be concerned about is their job.”

The new changes will also apply to all military-run, deployment related counseling services for the employee and the service member’s child. Finding child care, attending school related conferences and making financial and legal preparations could qualify as FMLA-covered leave. It will even allow a family member to spend some quality time (up to 5 days) with the service member when he or she returns home on leave.

“This law change is brand new and many employers will not be aware of it. Employees face a personal crisis when a loved one is called to active duty. Employers who give them a hard time for attempting to address such a crisis will soon be facing one of their own – only it will be prompted by a civil lawsuit” said Ms. Windsor, a former Army JAG attorney.

The FMLA was created in 1993 to provide job protection for employees taking time off to deal with approved medical and family reasons. In 2008 Congress made the first of what would be many revisions to the act to further protect employees with family members serving in the military.

Another Incident of Veterans' Personal Information Being Stolen

Over the last few years there have been several instances of personally identifying information being stolen from trusted sources. It happened at the VA in 2008, the Army's Fort Belvoir in Virginia in 2009, and this time, 4.6 million Tricare beneficiaries’ data was stolen last month from a locked car in Texas. The information was stored on tapes that were being transferred between government facilities by a Science Applications International Corp (SAIC) employee, however, in most instances the confidential information was stored on laptops.

This most recent theft of Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers and health data including data from patients seen at military treatment facilities in San Antonio between 1992 and Sept. 7, 2011, as well as those who filled prescriptions or had lab tests processed at San Antonio-area military health facilities during the same period were contained on backup tapes of Tricare electronic health records.

According to a statement released Thursday by McLean, Va.,-based SAIC, there has been no indication that the data has been misused and the tapes contained no financial data, credit card information or bank account numbers. But thieves can use information such as names and Social Security numbers to obtain credit cards and acquire loans.

While beneficiaries can place a free 90-day fraud alert on their credit by registering with the Federal Trade Commission, I wonder when this rash of incidents will come to an end. Since that question is impossible to answer, what can we do to prevent this from occurring?

What we can do is demand that our private information be guarded more closely. Maybe it isn't a good idea to transport this type of information in a personal vehicle. And if that can not be avoided, then the driver should not be allowed to make any pit stops between drop-ff and pick-up facilities. Unfortunately, that would only cover transporting documents, and not theft that occurs in actual facilities/buildings. With that said, I believe that we should all keep a closer watch on our credit and initiate those fraud alerts as often as the FTC allows.


What do you think? Leave your comments below.

Keeping Posted Spotlight: Best AMVETS Honor Guard in Florida

The Honor Guard of AMVETS Post 312 of North Port, Florida competed at the Department of Florida AMVETS State Convention in Orlando Florida. Honor Guard Commander Rick Howard, Bob Anttila, Ron Larrivee, Barbara McGann and Richard Swore took First Place as the AMVETS best Honor Guard in the State of Florida.

New Telephone Service: Coaching into Care

When a Veteran comes home, or their military service comes to an end, their support shifts from military comrades and superiors to family members and close friends. Frequently it is friends and family who are first to notice their Veteran having a tough time adjusting. If you haven’t served in the military yourself, it can be hard to know how to help–what to say, how to reach out.

VA has several programs that help family members provide support to their Veterans, like Caregiver Support, counseling at your local Vet Center, and an initiative that got started earlier this year: Coaching into Care.

Coaching into Care is a telephone service that provides assistance to family members and friends trying to encourage their Veteran to seek health care for possible readjustment and mental health issues. It’s a national phone service that places priority to linking Veterans with benefits and services available in their own communities.

Secretary Shinseki pointed out that

“Family members and friends may not know what to say to encourage their Veterans to seek much needed readjustment and health care. The Coaching into Care line will help them find the right words.”

If you think your Veteran friend or family member is having a difficult time and could benefit from readjustment counseling or mental health care, please utilize the Coaching into Care service: call 1-888-823-7458 or email CoachingIntoCare@va.gov .

AMVETS Posts 9/11 Tributes

Thank you to Posts 178 and 5293 for sharing their 9/11 Remembrance Services.
Post 5293 in Ironton, Ohio was featured on the front page of the Ironton Tribune.

Kudos to you!


Post 178 in Defuniak Springs, Fla. 9/11 service program


Defuniak Springs ROTC Color Guard

Send in those LETTERS

Thank you for supporting the American Veteran Magazine blog.

We here at AMVETS National Headquarters are calling on all AMVETS members and subscribers to American Veteran Magazine to submit letters to the editor.

We want to know what you want to hear more about.
What stories do you want to read?

What are you up to in your posts and departments?

This magazine is for veterans and we would like our members to have a stronger voice to influence the information we present.

We welcome all letters, photos, and stories. Send stories and HI-RES photos to swilliams@amvets.org!

Hiring Veterans is the Right Thing to Do

by Edward F. Clemons, SPHR
Senior Vice President, Chief Human Resources & Ethics Officer
The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company
AMVETS Life Member

Since 9/11 we have been a country at war in places far from home. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be a time in the future when this will not be so. A whole generation of young Americans like you have gone off to war on behalf of America, and the question remains as to what this country will do when you come home.

The average modern veteran of military service is likely to be better educated than veterans of other eras. He or she is also likely to have worked with technologies and advanced systems under extremely stressful conditions. This average veteran also knows the value of teamwork and leadership.

Unfortunately, this veteran also has a good chance of being unemployed.

According to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for post-9/11 veterans was 10.9% in April, 2011. That’s a full 2% higher than the overall unemployment rate throughout the United States.

One might argue that these returning veterans are coming back to a country just out of recession and still not creating enough jobs – particularly not enough jobs for young men. Our veterans should not have to return from fighting a war on foreign soil, only to come home and fight another war for a job.

Male non-veterans in the 18-24 age group have an unemployment rate of around 17%. For male veterans in the same age group, the number is 27%.

Have employers lost the sense of obligation to veterans that they had in other eras?

There is no evidence that we have lost our emotional interest in them. We put the bumper stickers on our cars and we welcome them home in parades and town halls all across the country.

In fact, there are structural changes in the economy that make it more difficult for the modern returning veteran. A report to the Congressional Joint Economic Committee said “Prior to the start of the recession, post 9/11 veterans were more likely than non-veterans to be employed in mining, construction, manufacturing, transportation and utilities, information, and professional and business services – all industries that experienced significant drops in employment during 2008-2009.”

Not only did employment in many of these categories drop, there is little doubt that many of these professions will not instantly rebound with the next positive economic news.

It should be that we look at returning veterans not as a set of unwanted skill sets but as character assets. In the insurance industry, character counts as much as hard work, intelligence and contacts. Our business is based on duty, loyalty and nobility of purpose. These are hardly foreign concepts to the returning veteran.

What employers need to do is match those character assets to training programs in their industry that will educate and enable a new generation of professionals.

At Penn Mutual we just made a $2.5 million commitment to The American College to build the nation’s first Center for Veterans Affairs. The American College specializes in training and education for the insurance industry, and returning veterans could very well be part of the new generation that is urgently needed to replace a rapidly graying group of practitioners.

The Center for Veterans Affairs will work with a special panel of active duty and retired military leaders and insurance industry recruiters to create a ‘Mission Roadmap’ for soldiers who are interested in becoming life insurance professionals and financial advisers. It is anticipated that the first soldiers graduating from The College with these designations will be within the next two years.

While we are justifiably proud of our participation in this program, it’s important to remind colleagues that we don’t have any exclusive rights to support for this kind of training. Any company can, and should, participate.

When a veteran comes off a tour of active duty military service, the last thing he or she wants is the opportunity to rest on some well-deserved laurels. What veterans want is challenge, opportunity, a way to provide a future for their families, and the chance to once again serve others honorably as a civilian.

Matching those character assets to an industry always looking for new talent is the right thing to do.

AMVETS National Commander Gary Fry's 9/11 Commemorative Speech

Ten years have passed since the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Today, millions will gather to remember and honor those whose lives were lost that fateful day. Ceremonies at the Pentagon, near the site of the World Trade Center in New York, in Pennsylvania, and at hundreds of other places around the world are being held at this very moment. Just as we were united in the hours and days following the September 11 attacks, we are again drawn together in solidarity to remember those who were lost. And today we also honor the men and women, in and out of uniform, who continue to fight against those who would harm us for no other reason than our great country, the United States of America, remains a beacon of freedom in an increasingly dark and chaotic world.

With their blows to the Pentagon and the World Trade Center, Al Qaeda sought to overturn the world’s most powerful symbols of military strength and economic prosperity. They impacted our sense of safety, making it hard to trust the man or woman standing next to us. Some of us are still suspicious of strangers and many of us are still looking over our shoulders. Rebuilding trust certainly takes time. But they did not accomplish their goals. They did not cripple the far reaching capabilities or the effectiveness of our military and our collective resilience as a nation. Look around you. Take note of your brothers and sisters. This is your American family. We stand together against those who would attack our freedoms and our way of life. But they can’t keep us down.

Not long after the attack, family members who lost loved ones during the terrorist strike at the Pentagon created a makeshift memorial outside the damaged building. There were memorials at the site of the World Trade Center and the field in Pennsylvania. We are resilient, persistent and determined; all of which I would dare to say are inherent American attributes. These people did not wait for an official call to action. They made it happen. Fast-forward ten years. Where are we now? We continue to grieve, but we also continue to fight the war on terrorism. They wanted to make us weak, but they only made us stronger.

United in strength and camaraderie, we grieve for the 3,000 innocent people who perished in those dastardly attacks against our nation. They came from all walks of life, all races, and all ages. And while most of those who perished were U.S. citizens, we must not forget that the victims at the World Trade Center included citizens of dozens of other nations. Terrorism threatens the entire global community, not just the United States.

Again, I propose that the terrorists failed in weakening our great nation. In fact, the attacks produced new American heroes, such as the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93. The plane was hijacked the same way the passenger airliners flown into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were, however, the passengers were united under the resolve that their airliner would not be used as another guided missile – and it wasn’t.

Additionally, America has newfound heroes in the hundreds of New York City policemen, firefighters, paramedics and other emergency responders who gave their all when the World Trade Center towers collapsed around them as they fought to get everyone out.

A little more than a week after the attacks, President George W. Bush told us that "We are a country awakened to danger and called to defend freedom. Our grief has turned to anger, and anger to resolution. Whether we bring our enemies to justice, or bring justice to our enemies, justice will be done."

And justice has been done. Working closely with the armed forces of other nations, our military campaigns have eliminated al Qaeda’s safe haven in Afghanistan and the Taliban government that supported them. Osama Bin Laden has been brought to justice, and our military service members continue to deliver justice every single day as they hunt down remaining fugitives throughout Afghanistan, even as they help the liberated Afghan people embrace freedom and democracy.

We have met many milestones during these past ten years and during the war against terror. We have a way to go, but as we speak, the numbers of American troops are drawing down. Eventually this war will end. Life will never be what it was before the attacks, but what has not eliminated us only educated us and made us stronger.

Soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen are fighting the Global War on Terrorism, in an effort to create and maintain the conditions for peace. Every day they sacrifice to protect and defend our homeland, and our freedoms.

We will never forget September 11th, 2001 as one of America’s darkest days. But a renewed sense of national pride has arisen out of the gloom. A national resolve to make this world a safer place now shines brightly. Our unwavering strength and resolve is a wonder for the world to behold. We stand united. America will remember her heroes who emerged from the tragedies of those attacks, and we will fight the good fight against a global network of terrorism for as long as it takes to end its threat to our way of life.

AMVETS PASSES RESOLUTION SUPPORTING VETERANS TREATMENT COURTS

LANHAM, MD., Sept. 1, 2011— Newly-elected AMVETS National Commander Gary Fry announced today the passage of AMVETS Resolution 12-26, “Establish Veterans Treatment Courts,” at the 67th annual AMVETS National Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Resolution 12-26 outlines the significant benefits of Veteran Treatment Courts to the veterans’ community, and calls upon existing Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts to assess veteran involvement within their programs and better assist this underserved population.

Fry, of Sugar Grove, Pa., said veterans suffering from substance abuse and/or mental health conditions in his home state and elsewhere have benefitted from Veterans Treatment Courts by receiving life-changing drug treatment and mental health counseling in lieu of incarceration.

“We have an obligation to ensure the men and women who have served their nation honorably have access to the benefits and treatment to which they are entitled,” said Fry. “To allow them to slip through the cracks of our criminal justice system is a national disgrace and an affront to all who have worn and continue to wear the uniform.”

With one in five veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom suffering symptoms of a mental disorder or cognitive impairment, and one in six veterans of OEF/OIF suffering substance abuse problems, unprecedented numbers of veterans are appearing in criminal courts facing charges stemming directly from these charges. Veterans Treatment Courts connect these veterans with benefits and services to which they are entitled from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks and the Veterans Benefits Administration, and assistance provided by veterans service organizations including AMVETS.

The nation’s first Veterans Treatment Court was established in early 2008 in Buffalo, New York. Since then, nearly 80 programs have been launched throughout the United States. With over 2,600 Drug Courts in operation, Justice For Vets sees the potential for a significant increase in the number of Veterans Treatment Courts in the coming years.

“The infrastructure is in place to expand this model throughout the United States to serve every eligible veteran in need. As we do so, it is critical that we have the support of our most respected veteran’s organizations,” said Justice For Vets Director of Development and Outreach Matt Stiner. “AMVETS has an unmatched reputation for serving veterans, and AMVETS’ involvement in local Veterans Treatment Courts is proving to be an invaluable tool for getting veterans stabilized and connected to the appropriate treatment and benefits. We are deeply honored to have this support.”

Fry said the expanded use of Veterans Treatment Courts nationwide is a key component of his agenda for his term as AMVETS national commander for the 2011-2012 year, and to this end, he will seek to forge strategic relationships between AMVETS and veterans legal advocacy groups, including Justice for Vets and the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.

READ RESOLUTION 12-26


About NADCP and Justice For Vets:
Drug Courts combine rigorous drug treatment and accountability to compel and support drug-using offenders to change their lives. After 22 years of innovation, there are now over 2,600 Drug Courts located in all 50 states. Since 1994 the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), a non-profit organization 501 (c) (3) representing over 27,000 multi-disciplinary justice professionals and community leaders, has worked tirelessly at the national, state and local level to create and enhance Drug Courts. Now, the Drug Court community is answering the call of duty at home to meet the needs of justice-involved veterans struggling with substance abuse and/or mental illness. In the country’s first Veterans Treatment Courts, veterans have the opportunity to go through the treatment court process with the support of other veterans and a team of court staff that understands military culture and the specific issues with which veterans are faced. NADCP is now recognized as the experts in the field of addiction and the criminal justice system. In 2009, NADCP launched Justice For Vets: The National Clearinghouse for Veterans Treatment Courts with the goal of ensuring a Veterans Treatment Court is within reach of every eligible veteran in need. For more information, visit JusticeForVets.

RED HOT: New Guidance for Purple Heart Eligibility

Under new guidance, Veterans and Soldiers previously denied the Purple Heart for such an injury are highly encouraged to submit an application for reconsideration of the medal.

To be eligible, the concussive or m/TBI must have occurred on or after September 11, 2001. Active-duty and reserve-component Soldiers must work with their respective chains of command for reconsideration. Veterans can submit packages directly to U.S. Army Human Resources Command.

To learn more click the link at the end of this story to read an article published by the Army News Service, which discusses the Adjutant General's new guidance on awarding the Purple Heart for concussive or mild traumatic brain injuries and includes application instructions.

http://www.army.mil/article/63926/

AMVETS partners with Bass Pro Shops during the Bass Pro Shops Honoring Our Heroes Labor Day Event

AMVETS will process donations and distribute to active duty service members

Washington, August 30, 2011— AMVETS will support Bass Pro Shops retail locations** across the U.S. during the Honoring Our Heroes Event during Labor Day weekend September 3rd –4th and again September 10th –11th, by distributing donations received during the event to deployed troops.

Bass Pro Shops retail locations will offer free family activities from 1-5pm each of those days and free crafts from 2-4pm (while supplies last) Labor Day weekend, September 3rd and 4th and again Saturday and Sunday, September 10th and 11th and it’s all free!

Show your appreciation for our troops, most of whom won’t be able to get home for the holiday, by bringing in new or gently used DVDs, video games or books. All donated items will be sent to our troops through AMVETS. The first 50 people at each store to donate, beginning at 10am each day, will receive a Sportsman’s Racing Team poster.

Families can also register to win one of two exciting prizes being given away. One winner will be selected nationally to win the Grand Prize of a trip to Charlotte, NC and meet NASCAR® driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops car Jamie McMurray. The Grand Prize Package includes two tickets to the May 2012 Sprint Cup All-Star race in Charlotte, three-night hotel accommodations, special meet-n-greet with Jamie McMurray, a Bass Pro Shops® themed go-cart, one pair of Oakley® sunglasses, a tour of Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and a $300 Bass Pro Shops gift card to spend at the Charlotte store. You may enter to win at the store or online at http://www.basspro.com/winatrip.

This Labor Day, help show your appreciation for all the everyday heroes plus our troops and squeeze the last drop out of summer fun without putting any pressure on your budget, by bringing the family to Bass Pro Shops Honoring Our Heroes Event.

**Bass Pro Shops retail locations in Miami, FL and Branson, MO will not have the event but will honor sale prices. Event details for Canadian locations can be found here.



About Bass Pro Shops Group:
Bass Pro Shops -56 retail stores in 26 states and Canada visited by over 110 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America and a restaurant division with 26 locations. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit http://www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO.

TACOMA AMVETS AID VETERANS ADVOCATES AFTER ACCIDENT

AMVETS POST 1 HELPS CROSS-COUNTRY BICYCLISTS REPLACE BIKE AND TRAILER

TACOMA, WA., August 18, 2011— Friday, Aug. 19 at 4:30 PM, Commander Kelley Buyers of AMVETS Post 1 in Tacoma will present a check at the post for $750 to two young veterans to help replace a bicycle and trailer destroyed Aug. 11 in a collision with a pickup truck in Oregon.

Erick Barfield, a Coast Guard veteran and 9/11 first responder, and his wife Monica, an Army veteran, left Tampa, Fla., in February on a year-long trek to raise awareness for homeless and disabled veterans. The couple has also promoted AMVETS, a leading veterans organization they say has helped them in the past.

After leaving Florida in February, the Barfields traveled north and westward, eventually reaching Indiana where they adopted their road companion, a Jack Russell Terrier named Lily. They had another eventful stop in Cheyenne, Wy., where the couple were joined by AMVETS volunteers from Wyoming Post 10 in assisting local homeless veterans. Continuing on to Southern California, they received support from California Post 113, then headed north where they ran into trouble in Oregon Aug. 11.

While fortunate not to have been seriously injured in the traffic accident that destroyed his bicycle and trailer, Erick was discouraged by the set back and feared the couple’s year-long mission of service would come to a premature end. The generosity of Washington AMVETS Post 1 changed all that.

“I was totally shocked; I couldn’t believe it,” said Barfield. “I wasn’t expecting anything, and for them to do this – well, they didn’t have to.”

The donation from Post 1 enabled Barfield to purchase a modified Trek 1000 touring bicycle and a replacement trailer, and during the unscheduled stop other generous donations have poured in including a stay at the Governor Hotel in Olympia, and cycling equipment donated by a local REI store. The Barfields plan to re-donate these items to local Washington veterans in need.

Dave Harris, past commander of the AMVETS Department of Washington and Post 1, said the donation came from post funds as well as individual contributions from members.

“We were glad to do it,” said Harris. “They’re really nice people. I think it’s cool they’re getting out and doing something to help other veterans, see the country and help people along the way. They’re sincere and dedicated.”

Brigadier General David Smalley, Deputy Commanding General for Professional Services, U.S. Army 807th Medical Command, Addresses AMVETS Convention

Brig. Gen. David Smalley spoke Aug. 11 at the AMVETS National Convention in St. Louis, Mo. Smalley is the Deputy Commanding General for Professional Services, U.S. Army 807th Medical Command (Deployment Support).

Smalley shared information about a few of the United States Army Reserve’s Family Support Programs and Communities, designed to meet the changing needs of a new generation of veterans. Veterans are an invaluable part of the Army Reserve and of our nation’s workforce, and it is essential that we continue to make strides in bettering their transition between active duty and retired status.

Army Reserve Family Programs provide a range of education and training benefits, outreach and referral services, as well as informational resources to support our geographically dispersed Soldiers, veterans and families. He spoke about the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, the Army Strong Bonds Program and the Army Strong Community Center (ASCC). In addition, he discussed how the Army Reserve is working with the private sector as part of the Employer Partnership Program.

If you’ve participated in any of these programs, please visit http://myarmyreserve.dodlive.mil and let the Army Reserve know about your experience. Please feel free to submit a comment, tell your story and spread the word. By working together, we can and will ensure that the Army Reserve continues to be a positive investment for our Soldiers, our nation and especially our veterans.

As one of the nation’s largest veteran service organizations, AMVETS members include more than 180,000 active duty service men and women and honorably discharged veterans from all of the armed services, including Reserve and National Guard. The annual convention, which attracts state and national leaders and key influencers from across the country, offers an ideal backdrop for learning and engagement around ways to improve the quality of life for Soldiers, veterans and their families.

AMVETS 67th Annual Convention Begins

Today marked the opening ceremony of the 67th Annual AMVETS National Convention in St. Louis, Mo.

Members from all over the country began arriving at the Millennium Hotel as early as Thursday to participate in various pre-convention activities, see the St. Louis sites and to catch up with other AMVETS members whom they hadn't seen in a year. Hands were shaken and toasts were made at the Dugout, a hotel hospitality suite that served as the Sad Sacks Hospitality Room from Thursday to Monday, and then the Dept. of Missouri's hospitality room Tues. and Weds. Members from posts and departments enjoyed refreshments and good conversation into the wee hours of the morning.

Many members looked forward to the opening ceremony to hear remarks from honored speakers, VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, Sen. Claire McCaskill (MO), and Congressman Lacey Clay (MO), who made it a priority to address the AMVETS audience.

Shinseki, McCaskill and Clay thanked AMVETS for their service and advocacy. Shinseki outlined the Obama administration's goals for improving the quality of life for the nation's veterans focusing on the increased budget for 2012. He also mentioned the various initiatives that are planned for transitioning veterans and eradicating homelessness.

During a press conference following the ceremony, Shinseki emphasized the importance of responsible leadership when providing quality care to veterans at VA healthcare facilities and said he was satisfied at the direction VA healthcare administrators were going. He said change is never fast enough, but progress is being made and it is one of the highest priorites of President Obama.

AMVETS Serves St. Louis Veterans, Reaffirms Commitment to Homeless Veterans Cause

Sunday, in advance of the 67th Annual AMVETS National Convention in St. Louis, Mo., AMVETS volunteers joined the St. Louis VA Medical Center and the St. Louis City and County in Eternal Flame Park to deliver critical services to more than 450 homeless American veterans. AMVETS was honored to welcome participation from the Vet Hunters Project riders, whose remarkable, 1,900-mile trek from Los Angeles has served to raise public awareness for veteran homelessness. Regrettably, The Vet Hunters Project did not accept AMVETS’ offer to provide five minutes for brief remarks from a Vet Hunters representative during Wednesday’s opening ceremony, and instead insisted that they be afforded time to present a documentary film and to directly address VA Secretary Eric Shinseki during the ceremony. AMVETS does not exercise control over the Secretary’s schedule and other groups and dignitaries could not be accommodated during the opening ceremony. As evidenced by AMVETS’ participation in Sunday’s stand down for homeless veterans, this organization does actively support the cause to end homelessness in the veterans’ community, and recognizes the importance of the Vet Hunters’ mission. It is truly unfortunate that the Vet Hunters Project has chosen to publicly attack a major leading veterans service organization with an aligned mission, rather than expending their limited resources on their stated cause: serving homeless veterans.