The American Legion Department of Colorado Blog

The American Legion – December 28, 2009

Michael Peterson isn’t in Iraq performing for U.S. servicemembers over the holidays to promote a message. The country music star and American Legion Legacy Scholarship fund spokesman is there to entertain and provide a respite for the men and women thousands of miles away from their families.

“My feeling is that during the holidays especially, a lot of people are going over (to Iraq) and giving these guys a lot of messages,” Peterson said. “I want to just go over there and give them a good time. If I can bring a smile and a laugh, that’s enough.”

Peterson boarded a plane from Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 22 to take a long ride to Kuwait. Retired U.S. Army Col. Jill Chambers, Peterson’s managing partner, said in an email to The American Legion this morning that Peterson will be traveling to six forward-operating bases in the next two days. Chambers said the Peterson also has been encouraging servicemembers to seek out their local American Legion posts when they return home.

It’s the second such trip Peterson has made to Iraq; he’s also traveled to Afghanistan twice on similar troop-support efforts.

“I just want to share my music and share a touch of home with the men and women who are so far from home,” Peterson said. “I am so in awe of the importance of what these men and women are doing, and I think that a lot of people really don’t think about that. This is my chance to serve, and it’s a privilege for me. It just feels good to me.”

Peterson was the 2008 recipient of the Bob Hope “Spirit Of Hope” award for his service to the United States and its military. He also raises funds for the Legacy Scholarship fund through the sale of DVDs.

National Commander Clarence Hill – The American Legion – December 23, 2009

As children, there is nothing quite like the thrill of opening presents on Christmas morning. The anticipation, being unable to sleep the night before, then the joy as your hands rip at the paper that soon becomes a blur in the air as you tear into each package.

But as we get older, we begin to realize that while opening presents are nice, watching someone open a gift you have taken the time to pick out feels even better. That sense of receiving is replaced by a greater sense of giving.

Today, we will share that feeling with friends and family. We’re the lucky ones. For others, Christmas may not be as joyful a time, and it won’t be celebrated at home. Instead, they may be hundreds, even thousands of miles away from home, recovering in a military hospital. If they’re lucky, their family has been able to travel to visit them. But for some, Christmas will be spent with fellow patients and the hospital staff.

With those patients in mind, The American Legion started Operation Comfort Warriors one year ago. The program raises funds to purchase comfort items for recovering servicemembers: items such as sweat suits, phone cards, DVDs, CDs, iPods, puzzles, books, video games and other items for men and women at military hospitals and warrior transition units.

When I was sworn in as national commander last August, I asked my fellow Legionnaires to help me keep the fund going strong. I set a goal of raising an additional $100,000 by the end of 2009. I knew it was ambitious at the time, but I also know how generous Legionnaires can be.

My optimism was proven to be correct last week. On Dec. 18, National Headquarters received a call from a Legionnaire who had read my request for OCW donations in the December issue of The American Legion Magazine. The Legionnaire, an Army veteran, liked what he read.

“When I found out that all of the money donated goes right into the program, I thought, ‘This is great,’” said the Legionnaire, who requested to remain anonymous. “I called National Headquarters and asked how short the fund was of the goal the commander had set ($100,000) to be raised by the end of the year.”

The Legionnaire was told the fund was approximately $52,000 short. That day, the Legionnaire – who I called to personally thank – sent a cashier’s check to National Headquarters for $50,000. It already has been received, along with another few thousand dollars in donations that brought the total to more than $100,000 raised since I took office and more than $291,000 since we began raising funds in December 2008.

“My father fought in the Battle of the Bulge and was a POW,” the Legionnaire said. “He was a member of The American Legion, and when he died he left me some money. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the money than to donate it to this fund. In some way, this donation is coming from two Legionnaires.”

Though for years I have seen the good work this organization is capable of, I still cannot help but be amazed sometimes at the results we can get. But we’re not done. The need for Operation Comfort Warriors is going to be around as long as our men and women are deployed throughout the world in hostile environments. Your donations are still needed. And it’s easy to donate online or by sending a check to Operation Comfort Warriors, P.O. Box 1055, Indianapolis, IN 46206.  The American Legion, allowing 100 percent of the donations to be spent directly on the troops, pays administrative and promotional costs for Operation Comfort Warriors.

The American Legion called reports that soldiers are being sent to combat with deficient gear and lack of training “completely unacceptable.”

“The American Legion supports our troops’ missions in Iraq and Afghanistan but they must have the best equipment and training that we can possibly give them,” National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “Representatives Ike Skelton and Solomon Ortiz should be commended for bringing these serious concerns to the attention of the Pentagon leadership.”

The two House members wrote in a December 10 letter that they are “greatly troubled” by what they have been told by soldiers.

For instance, a military historian found that the M4 carbine failed at critical moments during a July 2008 firefight in Afghanistan, in which nine U.S. soldiers were killed.

“Even though these weapons routinely rank lower than other military weapons in testing, they are still being issued as the Army’s weapon of choice,” the lawmakers wrote.

“I am also concerned that troops are reportedly being taken from boot camp and being sent to combat, with little or no additional training.  Soldiers are also saying that their rucksacks are poorly designed and make it difficult to fire their weapons,” Hill said.  “My question to military leadership is ‘Who has the backs of our troops?’

The American Legion would like some answers. Training and equipment should be factored in as essential costs of war, just like VA health care. We will take this issue up with the Secretary of Defense and even the president of the United States if it is not addressed quickly.”

And our flag is still there ….

Burn Pit Posting, December 10th, 2009 by Seventh Son

Well, here we are standing at the base of another flagpole, looking up at a flag that is now flying even though someone with a misguided sense of political correctness tried to prevent that. The most recent case, publicized on these pages as well as many others, was that of Medal of Honor recipient Col. Van Barfoot who was told by the home owner’s association where he lives that he couldn’t fly the flag in the manner he chose, flying free from a flag pole. The flag is up; you can take that to mean Col. Barfoot won this fight too.

Every time you open the pages of the newspaper or read your e-mail or turn on the TV, it seems that somewhere, someone or some group is trying to prevent someone from flying the flag. In one case, the University of New Hampshire stopped a student, Connor MacIver, from displaying the American flag outside his dorm room window to honor his career Army father. In that case, the justification was “it’s against UNH policy to hang items outside dorm windows”.

Wonderful, that policy says that the American flag is just one more thing that someone might want to display outside their window, exactly the same as an athletic banner or a banner advertising a spring break trip. When will they learn that the American flag is so much more than that and that it means so much more to many of our people?

Let me show you how much it means to some. Thirty motorcyclists, patriotic citizens and probably all veterans, rode their bikes through the UNH campus on Sunday, November 1, 2009 to show their support for MacIver’s wish to display the flag. Can you imagine riding a motorcycle in New Hampshire on November 1? That is dedication that is what being able to display the American flag means to many of us.

In an even more egregious example of misguided Political Correctness, there was the story from Gaffney, SC as told in the blog, Captain’s Journal. This one is even more difficult to believe.

Lance Cpl.Chris Fowlkes’ body was being returned to Gaffney for burial after his death from wounds received in Afghanistan. The people of Gaffney were placing US flags along the funeral procession route when they were told by the manager of the local Bank of America branch that “the flags might upset some of her customers”, flags that the branch manager removed from the property. I can’t imagine a customer in SC that would be offended by the sight of the American flag, especially a flag that was being flown to honor a man killed in the service of the country for which that flag stands. I find it hard to control my outrage and my language as I think about that incident even now approaching three months later. It’s good I wasn’t there.

The Bank of American later released a statement apologizing for the incident and calling it a misunderstanding and a “miscommunication of corporate policy”. As the Captain’s Journal stated, what kind of a corporate policy would even suggest that the removal of The American Flag is necessary? Why is it so hard for some individuals to recognize that the American Flag is different, that it is not just another item whose display is to be regulated by corporate or university policy. There is a United States Flag Code passed by Congress regulating display, what other item has that distinction? That alone should be enough to create the understanding that the American Flag stands alone, above all lesser items and to prevent these kinds of incidents.

The one constant in all these incidents is the willingness of patriotic Americans to step forward and say, very clearly and very loudly, “THIS IS WRONG.” Respectful display of the American flag should never be prohibited and most certainly should never be subject to corporate policy or be prevented because someone might be offended by seeing it. The American People know that. These incidents cannot be prevented or solved by action from Washington or the state capitol. It is only when someone from the community stands up and leads the charge that the right result happens, that the flag is respected.

 Do you want to know who those local people are that will lead that fight in your town? They are easy to find, just drive down the street in your neighborhood and look for the flag flying in front of someone’s house. When the day comes that the display of the American flag is being stopped somewhere in your town, someone will come out of that house to lead the fight and be sure the flag continues to fly. Be one of those people, put up the flagpole in your yard or the staff at your front door and fly the flag. Those flags that you see are there everyday, they are flown by the patriots that are there every day, ready when the flag needs them

Beginning January 1, 2010, coaches across the country will put down their pens and power-up their computers to complete team registration online for the first time in American Legion Baseball history. The digital, step-by-step process will tighten administrative communication efforts and result in an additional value for players and fans.

No longer will it be necessary for coaches to collect, complete and mail registration forms, insurance forms and payments to various locations for processing. Instead, coaches with Internet access will have the luxury of performing all of these responsibilities online, using their credit or debit card from the comfort of their own home.

Fans and players will also benefit from the service, as coaches will have the capability of entering game schedules and player profiles that will be viewable and searchable by the public on the official American Legion Baseball Web site.

Another attractive feature of the new system will be the reduction of paper waste. Coaches will no longer need to make copies of their roster for mailing because every roster will be securely available to each country, district and state chairman online.

“We are pleased to offer this new feature for our fans and program participants,” American Legion Baseball Program Coordinator Jim Quinlan said. “The new online registration process is a result of our commitment to continue our tradition as one of the most successful amateur leagues, and I look forward to an exciting season.”

The 2010 season marks the 85th anniversary of the program, which recently launched a brand new Web site that highlights its reputation among young athletes. The Web site and digital registration process will coincide with the online broadcast of the World Series being played in Spokane, Wash., that begins August 13, 2010.

To gain American citizenship, immigrants used to spend hours or even weeks in Ellis Island, being subjected to rounds of medical tests and background checks. The process often would claim lives and split up families.

Those daunting days have long come and past. Fifty years later, Ellis Island is closed, and the naturalization process has been modernized. But, as many immigrants find, it’s still not simple.

To help immigrants learn more about the process, American Legion Post 29 in Marietta, Ga., organized an official naturalization class for foreigners who’d like to learn more about becoming citizens. About 20 immigrants gathered at the post December 3 for an educational session, which welcomed as a featured speaker Joe Kernan, a community relations officer with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Kernan went over the particulars and answered questions about naturalization, which can include piles of paperwork and a final examination test in English on U.S. citizenship and government. The process can even be difficult for English-speaking immigrants.

“It’s like anything with government: No one knows where to start,” Post 29 Commander Bill Beaudin said.

Immigrants received guidebooks for the new Naturalization Test and got the opportunity to ask Kernan questions. Often the subject of changes and rumors, the naturalization process can create misunderstandings.

Kernan warned attendees that, should an immigration officer ask them if they’d bear arms for their country, rolling up their sleeves and exposing their biceps wasn’t the proper response. The anecdote drew chuckles, as Kernan explained that the question was actually supposed to gauge their willingness to defend their country.

A woman from China asked if speeding tickets would affect her chance of gaining citizenship. Generally, only crimes that indicate poor moral character hurt your chances, Kernan explained. Another woman was there attending the class on behalf of her sister who is a legal alien but stranded in the Phillipines because of illness. Kernan warned that staying out of the country for too long could cause loss of residency.

The highest hurdle to American citizenship is often the Naturalization Test, which changed as recently as October 1. The new version tests on the concepts of American democracy and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, rather than mundane historical facts.

To help them prepare, immigrants attending the session received study pamphlets and exam materials.

Last spring, The American Legion was instrumental in reversing the Obama administration’s decision for the Department of Veterans Affairs to bill veterans’ third party insurances for their service-connected medical conditions. VA has the authority to bill health insurance companies for health care provided to non-service connected veterans who have private health insurance and service-connected veterans treated for non-service connected conditions.  VA can also collect copayments from non-service connected veterans based on income. Veterans service-connected at a 50 percent or higher ratings are eligible for free care and medication when treated for any condition.

The American Legion was notified from several veterans through calls and e-mail correspondence that VA was billing them for their service-connected illnesses and injuries. The Legion’s Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Division began collecting documented cases of veterans whose third-party insurances were improperly billed by VA for their service-connected medical conditions. 

American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill, “applauds VA’s Chief Business Office investigation of these cases to ensure our nation’s veterans are not being billed for the care that they’ve earned.”

Transparent Look at Quality and Safety Gives VA High Marks

WASHINGTON – For the second consecutive year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has released a “hospital report card” as part of VA’s effort to provide the public with a transparent accounting of the quality and safety of its care.

    “This report demonstrates VA’s determination to be open and accountable,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. “As a health care organization, transparency of information is essential to providing quality care for our Veterans.”   

    In addition, for the first time, data from both the 2008 and 2009 reports will be available to the public in machine-readable format on Data.gov. To empower Veterans and the public at large to track quality, safety, and access to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities, VA’s hospital report cards include raw data on care provided in outpatient and hospital settings, quality of care within given patient populations, and patient satisfaction and outcomes.

    VA issued its first facility-level report on quality and safety in May 2008. As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to open government and accountability, VA highlights its rigorous quality programs and actions taken to address the issues VA identified from the last report.

    The report gives the health care system high marks; with VA facilities often outscoring private-sector health plans in standards commonly accepted by the health care industry.

    “Patient-centric care is our mission,” said Shinseki. “As Secretary I am committed to continuing to meet and surpass our high standards of care each and every day.”

    In addition to allowing VA to demonstrate the quality and safety of its care, the report card provides opportunities to enhance health services. 

    Some of the marked improvements that VA showed in 2009 include:

• Smoking cessation counseling provided to 89 percent of Veteran patients, a six percent improvement from 2008; and

• Among all ages at risk, 94 percent of Veterans received a pneumonia immunization, a four percent improvement.

    The report notes there is more to be done for women Veterans.  To address this priority and provide women Veterans with the highest quality care VA has implemented several initiatives, such as placement of women advocates in every outpatient clinic and medical center, and creating a “mini-residency” program on women’s health for primary care physicians. 

    The report also found minority Veterans are generally less satisfied with inpatient and outpatient care than other Veterans. In addition to targeting outreach efforts to these Veterans, a minority Veteran program coordinator has been placed in every medical center. 

    “VA’s hospital report card will become a valuable resource of information for Veterans, stakeholders and the department.” said Shinseki.  “It will allow VA’s health care system to be forward looking and focused on advancement.”

WASHINGTON (Dec. 9, 2009) – Calling the decision of the Sussex Square Homeowners’ Association Board in Va. to withdraw legal action against a WWII hero, “a great decision,” the leader of The American Legion congratulated all parties involved.

    “This is a victory for reason and I applaud the board for making the correct decision to permit this American hero to honor Old Glory in such a fitting way, every day, on his property,” said National Commander Clarence E. Hill.  “I also commend Legionnaires and all Americans across the country who flooded Col. Barfoot, the association and The American Legion with letters, emails, phone calls and messages of support and tribute.”

    Because of the controversy involving the 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient, Rep. Howard P. “Buck” Mckeon (R-CA) and Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) introduced a resolution, H. Res. 952, allowing Congressional Medal of Honor recipients to properly display the United States flag on their property at all times.

    “I thank the law firm of Marchant, Honey & Baldwin for their pro-bono efforts in resolving this issue. There is always room for discussion and solutions to be achieved within the system,” Hill added. “In this case, the homeowners’ association recognized the remarkable sacrifice and devotion of this true hero and acted wisely within the boundaries of their authority to do the right thing.  We understand and appreciate the important role homeowners’ associations’ play in local communities.  The American Legion encourages all homeowners to continue to properly display Old Glory.”