Blogging from the Silver Helmet & NEC

It's once again time for the spring meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee, and next week is going to be a busy one for AMVETS. It all starts on Tuesday with Legislative Director Ray Kelley's testimony before the House and Senate on the VA budget process for FY2010. On Thursday, National Commander John Chad Hapner will testify before a special joint session of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs committees, outlining AMVETS' legislative agenda for the year. Later on Thursday, AMVETS will honor Texas Congressman Chet Edwards with a special Silver Helmet reception on Capitol Hill. Spring NEC preliminary business starts on Friday, with the full committee session on Saturday, followed by the 55th annual Silver Helmet Amwards banquet Saturday night. American Veteran magazine will be on hand to cover all of the events, with updates from Capitol Hill, the banquet, and the floor of then NEC.

In addition to the special award for Rep. Edwards, AMVETS will honor four more remarkable individuals during the black tie banquet for their contributions to the veterans' community: Danny Devine, Tammy Duckworth, Cathy Hargrave, and "E J" Knapick. To learn more about each recipient, visit the official Silver Helmet Awards page. This year's Silver Helmet Awards banquet and spring NEC will take place at the BWI Hilton in Linthicum, Md.

American Veteran magazine is going to hit the ground running on Tuesday, with comprehensive coverage of all the week's activities. Be sure to check in regularly at americanveteranmagazine.blogspot.com, and be on the look out of the spring issue of American Veteran magazine, with more photos and highlights from this exciting week.

-Ryan

(Photos, Top: Guests gather last spring for the 54 Annual Silver Helmet Awards at the Hilton Mark Center in Alexandria, Va. Photo courtesy of AMVETS. Center: Past National Commander JP Brown III testifies before the special joint veterans affairs committee in spring 2008. Photo by Isaac Pacheco.)