AMVETS Riders Sponsor New Cabin at Camp Hope

Nearly two hundred AMVETS Riders rode motorcycles from the Millennium Hotel in St. Louis, the site of the 67th Annual National Convention, to Camp Hope in Farmington, Mo., as AMVETS leaders, local politicians, veterans and their supporters gather to dedicate a newly constructed cabin in honor of Air Force Master Sgt. Brad Clemmons. Clemmons, who earned the Bronze Star Medal in the Global War on Terrorism, was killed in August of 2006 when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device near Taji, Iraq.

The AMVETS Riders successfully raised more than $30,000 for Camp Hope since officially designating Camp Hope a national cause for the organization one year ago at the 66th Annual AMVETS National Convention in Louisville, Ky. The AMVETS Riders’ contribution wholly funded a new cabin to be used by wounded warriors and their families while visiting Camp Hope, with remaining funds going to support a new main lodge, for which a ground breaking ceremony was also held Saturday.

After the ceremony, several AMVETS posts and chapters delivered monetary donations for Camp Hope, all of which totaled more than $12,000.
 
Founded in 2007 by Gold Star Parents Mike and Galia White, Camp Hope provides a variety of outdoor recreational activities to wounded warriors and their families free of charge.
 
Among the dignitaries in attendance for the ceremony Saturday was AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop of Branson, Mo., AMVETS Riders National President Victor “Dutch” Stivason, and Master Sgt. Brad Clemmons’ surviving family, including his wife, Rebecca, and the couple’s four children.
 
Stivason called the Riders’ yearlong campaign to support Camp Hope an outstanding success and a fitting tribute to a true American hero.
 
“I am proud of the hard work and dedication of our AMVETS Riders from all over the country this past year,” said Stivason. “Our mission will ensure our veterans and their families continue to enjoy the truly remarkable healing that happens here at Camp Hope for years to come. Having the Clemmons family with us is also a tremendous privilege. We are honored to pay tribute to the life and service of Master Sgt. Brad Clemmons.”    
 
Following the Camp Hope cabin dedication, the Riders held a fundraising dance at Shady Jack’s restaurant and bar in St. Louis.

Fall NEC Highlights: Camp Hope, Healing Heroes, Riders & Sons

This weekend AMVETS hosted its fall meeting of the AMVETS National Executive Committee at the Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel in Herndon, Va. Representatives from the six AMVETS national districts and 48 departments came together to tend to the regular business of the organization.

Below is video from AMVETS National Commander Jerry Hotop's NEC report, calling for support to his national program, Camp Hope, the wounded warrior outdoor retreat in Hotop's home state of Missouri founded by Gold Star father William White in honor of his fallen son, Marine Pfc. Christopher Neal White.



In addition to the requisite reports from each organizational leader, AMVETS heard from leaders across the AMVETS family of organizations.

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary Past National President Patty Piening presented a $25,000 check to AMVETS Healing Heroes, the national project for her term in office last year.

AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Dee Kreiling also introduced her national program for the coming year, Sharing & Caring, which she discusses in the fall issue of American Veteran.

AMVETS Riders National President Victor "Dutch" Stivason asked for the NEC's support in applying uniform standards for the fledgling Riders organization to ensure compliance with the Confederation of Clubs, or CoC, the sanctioning body for motorcycle riding groups.

Sons of AMVETS National Commander Robert Hammett and AMVETS Department of California Commander Charles Ramos signed the charter for the new Sons of AMVETS squadron at California AMVETS Post No. 113.

Finally, AMVETS welcomed other special guests, Choice Hotels, University of Phoenix and the pilot veterans' benefits IT solution, TurboVet.

TurboVet is a web-based data exchange system designed by Stratizon which could enable VA, claims service officers, and veterans to easily process benefits claims, potentially replacing the cumbersome paper-based process. The commonwealth of Virginia and AMVETS Department of Virginia are working closely with Stratizon on the implementation of TurboVet, learning how to best integrate the data-exchange system with the current VA claims process.

University of Phoenix, which currently offers $350,000 in scholarships to veterans and their families through its partnership with AMVETS, also announced an additional ten percent tuition discount for AMVETS members.

Choice Hotels, an AMVETS partner which offers room discount rates for AMVETS members, also discussed potential entrepreneurship opportunities for veterans interested in the hospitality industry.

(Images: Top: Nebraska NEC Representative Albert Christner delivers his report to the floor of the AMVETS Fall NEC. Middle: Past National Commander Jimmy T. Smith accepts the $25,000 donation to AMVETS Healing Heroes from Past National President Piening. Bottom Right: AMVETS Riders President Stivason discusses the proposed uniform standards while Cmdr. Hotop display's Stivason's regulation Riders vest. Bottom Left: Sons of AMVETS National Commander Hammett and AMVETS Department of California Commander Ramos review the new charter for the Sons squadron at Post 113. Photos by Ryan Gallucci.)

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran we will recap AMVETS' posts and departments honoring Old Glory on Flag Day. We will also follow AMVETS National Legislative Department on Capitol Hill for two hearings on the state of the Veterans Benefits Administration and VA rural health care--one of AMVETS' top legislative priorities for 2010.

We will also highlight the 235th Army birthday, AMVETS' Congressional letter calling for an update on VA's assistance dog study, AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin's visit to the Department of Maine, and the recent open house at Camp Hope.

We will also discuss recent changes VA has made to the claims process and the proposed increases in VA prescription drug costs for low priority group veterans.

As always, we're eager to hear from posts and departments around the country to highlight your work on this blog and in the print edition of American Veteran magazine. We also always invite your comments on the blog. Let us know what you think!

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will remember D-Day, June 6, 1944, when allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy in an effort to liberate Europe from Nazi oppression in WWII.

We will also highlight the AMVETS Riders national project, Camp Hope, and the recent visit by AMVETS National Commander Duane Miskulin and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary National President Patty Piening to the AMVETS Department of Maine.

On Thursday, AMVETS National Legislative Director Ray Kelley will also testify before the House VA Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity on pending veterans' legislation. A live video link will be available on this blog the morning of the hearing.

American Veteran will also follow this week's House hearing when VA's Office of the Inspector General will testify on VA's problem-solving ability. AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof has been working closely with OIG on several critical issues, including the implementation of the VA's Uniform Mental Health Service Handbook and the continued implementation of new veterans' assistance dog policies.

We will also highlight the recent Congressional letter, orchestrated by Roof, which was sent to VA Secretary Eric Shinseki, calling for an update on the VA's assessment of service dog benefits for today's wounded veterans. Roof secured 14 signatures from leaders on veterans' issues.

As always, please submit your story ideas and photos for American Veteran Online and the print edition of American Veteran magazine, and please let us know how we're doing.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran we will follow this week's House Veterans Affairs Committee roundtable on veterans' unemployment.

This week, AMVETS leaders are hammering out details for the upcoming Symposium for 21st Century Veterans. AMVETS posts and departments interested in sending participants to this year's symposium are encouraged to send participants' names to AMVETS Legislative Director Ray Kelley as soon as possible.

We will also post photos from the recent launch of the AMVETS Warrior Transition Workshops in Elkins Park, Pa., and the recent open house at Camp Hope in Missouri.

The spring issue of American Veteran magazine will also ship this week, and we will feature a run-down of this spring's magazine.

As always, we're eager to hear from our readers. Feel free to comment on all our stories and please send photos and stories of your own for us to post on the blog, or in the summer issue of American Veteran magazine.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran we will recap Friday's roll-out of the new AMVETS Warrior Transition Workshops, where Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.) joined AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin and AMVETS' new partners from Freedom & Honor to introduce the new transitional tool.

We will also follow AMVETS to Capitol Hill, where AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof will testify before the House Veterans Affairs Committee on military sexual trauma. The committee will also host hearings on information security within VA and the VA home loan program, which American Veteran will follow.

This week, we will also finally post on Camp Hope's recent open house and we will highlight the upcoming issue of American Veteran magazine, which should be arriving in your mailboxes next week.

American Veteran will also continue to follow developments within the military and veterans' communities, keeping up to date on issues such as the purported medal for combat restraint and the possible new Georgia law, allowing veterans to annotate "PTSD" on drivers' licenses.

As always, we're eager to hear from posts and departments around the country, so please send photos and stories, and please feel free to leave your comments.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will follow AMVETS' leaders around Washington discussing critical veterans' issues ranging from the VA claims backlog to VA's implementation of the uniform mental health services handbook.

On Friday, American Veteran will be on hand at Elkins Manor in Elkins Park, Pa., where AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin will unveil the new AMVETS Warrior Transition Workshops alongside partner non-profit Freedom & Honor, Rep. Chaka Fattah (D-Pa.), and 77th Reserve Support Command Maj. Gen. William Terpeluk.

The Elkins Park workshop will be the first in a series set to take place at locations from coast to coast. To learn more about the new program, Click Here.

Also, the latest issue of American Veteran magazine has gone off to the printer and should be arriving in your mailboxes shortly. Later this week, we will preview the spring issue.

With the new issue downrange, American Veteran Online can resume our regular publishing schedule, catching up on all the happenings within the veterans' community over the last few weeks, including the recent open house at Camp Hope and the San Diego Padres ongoing support to the veterans' community.

This week, Washington, D.C., will also play host to the fourth annual G.I. Film Festival and AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof will be on hand for the event.

Finally, it's military appreciation week and we will look to bring you highlights of AMVETS' military appreciation activities from around the country, as they come in.

As always, we're eager to hear what you think. Please feel free to share your veterans' news and comments with the editorial staff of American Veteran.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, we will be wrapping up the spring print edition of American Veteran magazine. In the meantime, blog posts may continue to lag behind. We're still planning to bring you highlights of the AMVETS Riders' recent visit to Camp Hope for the wounded warrior retreat's open house. We will also highlight the San Diego Padres' 2010 military-support programs.

This week, AMVETS legislative team will also be out in force on Capitol Hill. AMVETS National Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof continues to gather Congressional signatures in support of veterans' assistance dogs. Roof will also submit for the record this week on several key veterans' issues. This week, the House Committee on Veterans Affairs plans to tackle the health effects of the Vietnam War, VA's Vocational Rehab program, and Veterans Benefits Administration's work-credit program on claims-processing.

To view this week's hearings in the House, Click Here.

This week, the Senate will also discuss the invisible wounds of war--particularly traumatic brain injury--which AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin has made a top priority for 2010.

American Veteran will be following each of this week's key hearings closely. Check back regularly for updates.

Thank you to everyone who submitted content for the spring edition. If you have something you would like us to include in the summer issue of American Veteran magazine, it's never too early to start sending it in.

This Week at American Veteran

This week at American Veteran, the latest print issue will head downrange. Be on the look-out for the latest issue in the coming weeks.

American Veteran will also continue to follow AMVETS National Legislative Department, as Congress is back into full swing. On Wednesday, AMVETS will be on hand for a hearing before the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs to address a series of veterans' issues ranging from PTSD to VA contracting. AMVETS Deputy Legislative Director Christina Roof has submitted testimony for the record.

American Veteran will also highlight the AMVETS Riders' first national program, supporting the Camp Hope Riders in an effort to raise funds to finance a retreat for wounded warriors.

We will also monitor implementation of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, with VA set to make its next round of payments on Thursday, Oct. 1. We will also follow implementation of VA's emergency living stipends for the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, which will first be available on Friday, Oct. 2 for veterans experiencing payment delays. AMVETS first suggested advance payments in late August, when reports of late G.I. Bill payments first surfaced.

As always, we're eager to hear what's happening in the field. We're also eager to hear your comments on our stories.

This Week at American Veteran

After technical difficulties yesterday, American Veteran Online once again has the ability to post. We apologize for the inconvenience.

This week at American Veteran, we will continue to follow the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and the reported delays in benefits payments. Over the last couple of weeks, AMVETS has received numerous complaints from veterans and their loved ones over missed payments and the resulting financial hardships. AMVETS leaders continue to pressure VA for answers on Chapter 33 and when benefits will be delivered. In the meantime, we are still eager to hear about the issues student-veterans face across the country.

American Veteran will also be following the AMVETS Riders, who will take part in the 61-day national ride, raising money to support "Camp Hope," a retreat in North Carolina for wounded and disabled veterans to enjoy outdoor sports. The retreat was founded in honor of Marine Pfc. Christopher White, who was killed in Iraq in 2006. The ride kicked off yesterday and AMVETS Riders from around the country are slated to participate in all 53 legs of the ride over the next two months. Check in regularly for updates on the ride.

The print edition of American Veteran magazine also closes this week, which means this is the last chance to submit content for Keeping Posted. We are always eager to hear what is happening in the field, and if we cannot fit it in the print edition, we are always open to posting stories on this blog.

If there is anything else you would like to share with us on American Veteran Online, we're always eager to hear from you.