The American Legion Department of Colorado Blog

In written testimony submitted to Congress, Legion lays out case for transferring control of Arlington to the National Cemetery Association.

The American Legion is submitting written testimony to today’s joint hearing of the House and Senate Subcommittees on Oversight and Investigations that will focus on reforms being conducted at Arlington National Cemetery.

Officials from Arlington National Cemetery will present an update on progress at the cemetery to subcommittees of the Armed Services Committees. In its written testimony, the Legion applauds Kathryn Condon, executive director of the cemetery, for her efforts to provide transparency over the past year. But, the testimony says, the only sensible long-term solution is to transfer operational control of the cemetery to the National Cemetery Administration.

“NCA is already managing 131 cemeteries and doing it well,” states the testimony. “As any business would point out, management costs can be better amortized when spread over a large operation in this nature, and the costs to absorb Arlington and the U.S. Soldier’s and Airmen’s Home National Cemeteries would result in net cost saving for the government as a whole. Furthermore, NCA’s proven track record is underlined by the top customer satisfaction rating as rated by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI).

“The American Legion is mindful of the proud tradition of the Army in maintaining this facility and recognizes the importance to the Army, those presently serving and veterans, of restoring honor to the facility. Nobody questions the performance of the Army in the ceremonial tasks and duties they have always performed, and performed with distinction. The American Legion believes the responsibilities of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, traditionally known as “The Old Guard,” which include conducting military ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, manning the 24-hour vigil at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and being the provider of military funeral escorts at Arlington, should never change, as a result of any reorganization associated with Arlington National Cemetery.”

By: Jessica Slider

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 .

Legion encourages Americans to attend public meetings next week concerning the Keystone XL Pipeline, a project that could create 20,000 jobs.

The national commander of The American Legion is encouraging Americans to attend a number of public meetings next week concerning the Keystone XL Pipeline, a proposed Canadian-American oil project that has the support of the nation’s largest veterans organization.

“This project alone has the potential to create 20,000 construction and manufacturing jobs and stimulate related business activity that could lead to at least 250,000 permanent jobs,” said National Commander Fang A. Wong. “Returning veterans are disproportionately unemployed and would undoubtedly benefit from these jobs. Moreover, the United States must reduce its reliance on energy imports that can be disrupted by foreign conflicts, terrorism or piracy.”

The public meetings for the Keystone XL pipeline begins Sept. 26 in Port Arthur, Texas, and Topeka, Kan., and will culminate in Washington, D.C., on October 7. A complete listing of meeting times and places is listed below.

The $7 billion privately funded pipeline would carry an estimated 700,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada, the Dakotas, Montana and Oklahoma to Gulf Coast refineries. It has undergone years of environmental review but still must pass the final step in the permit’s review process. The U.S. Department of State has jurisdiction over the project, which won support from delegates to The American Legion’s 93rd National Convention in Minneapolis through a resolution ( obtainable at http://www.legion.org/documents/resolutions/2011N107.pdf) that was passed there last month.

Locations and times for Public Meetings on Keystone XL Pipeline:

Sept. 26, 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m: Bob Bowers Civic Center, 3401 Cultural Center Drive, Port Arthur, Texas, 77642, .

Sept. 26, Noon-3:30 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.: Kansas Expo Center, 1 Expo Center Drive, Topeka, Kan., 66612.

Sept. 27, 4:30 p.m -10 p.m.: Dawson Community College Topeka Center Auditorium 300 Community Drive Glendive, Mont., 59330.

Sept. 27, Noon- 3:30 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.: Pershing Center 226 Centennial Mall South Lincoln, Neb., 68508.

Sept. 28, Noon – 3:30 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.: University of Texas Lady Bird Johnson Auditorium 2313 Red River Street Austin, Texas, 78705.

Sept. 29, Noon – 3:30 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.: Best Western Ramkota 920 West Sioux Avenue, Pierre, S.D., 57501.

Sept. 29, 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.: West Holt High School (in the Sand Hills region) 100 N. Main Street Atkinson, Neb., 68713.

Sept. 30, 4:30 p.m.- 10 p.m.: Reed Center Exhibition Hall 5800 Will Rogers Road Midwest City, Okla., 73110.

Oct. 7, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.: Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center Atrium Hall 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, D.C.

By: Mary Wakefield

Many Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans received training as health care providers while they served in their deployments. The Obama Administration is committed to helping these Veterans translate the health care skills gained during their enlistment into nursing jobs when they return home.

However, Veterans have found that their training in medic and certain other health care roles do not fully meet the standards of academic training for nursing programs. As a result, Veterans have encountered difficulty gaining academic credit for their health care training while enlisted.

To bridge this gap, the Obama Administration plans to take several steps. An award will be made to the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMUCC) College of Nursing and Health Sciences (CONHS), which will allow the nursing school to work with key military leadership and training staff at the Medical Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Texas to identify strategies to align enlisted health care training and nursing academic credit.

The TAMUCC-COHNS has an existing federal grant to help residents of Texas who are members of the military–and Veterans with previous medical experience–become registered nurses through distance learning technologies. In implementing this program, TAMUCC-COHNS has seen firsthand the obstacles that arise from the gap between enlisted health care training and academic training requirements.

The award will augment TAMUCC-COHNS current activities to allow it to work with the Medical Education and Training Command in San Antonio, Texas, which has recently been designated as the central site for all health care-related training for the Tri-Service (Army, Navy and Air Force). The project will focus on opportunities to create replicable models for bridging the gap between enlisted training and academic coursework, improving the documentation of health care training, and working with other key stakeholders such as state licensure boards.

In addition, the Administration will give funding priority to nursing schools that offer pro-Veteran learning environments, recruit and support Veterans interested in pursuing nursing careers, and facilitate academic credit for enlisted health care training. Grant programs are administered by the Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration and support RN and advanced degree nursing programs.

Nursing school applicants receive competitive scores on their applications, which determine the schools that will receive funding through these programs. The Administration’s action will give nursing schools with Veterans-friendly approaches additional points in the scoring of their applications.

These important steps will not only build health care career opportunities for veterans, but also help to expand the health workforce to meet the needs of the growing and aging population.

Mary Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N., is the administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). HRSA is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

By Steve B. Brooks

Jobless veterans and claims backlog were among topics for National Commander in his address to House and Senate members.

As the federal government deals with a trillion dollar budget deficit, many difficult spending and reduction decisions will need to be made. And while The American Legion completely understands this predicament, it doesn’t want those decisions to strip away or pare down benefits that America’s veterans truly have earned.

National Commander Fang A. Wong presented that message during a Wednesday hearing in front of a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees. Wong presented the Legion’s legislative priorities during the hearing, focusing on veterans employment, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ claims backlog, and the treatment of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

But before he finished, Wong made it clear the Legion’s stance on dealing with the budget crisis.

“The American Legion understands the financial challenges our nation now faces,” he said. “The Legion understands that tough spending decisions are coming. That is why the Legion greatly appreciates the assurances our veterans have been given – from members of Congress, (VA Secretary Eric Shinseki) and the president himself at our national convention – that benefits earned by those who’ve served our country in uniform won’t be sacrificed to achieve budget goals. Our veterans have sacrificed enough. They have paid in full their debt to society. However, the debt society owes them is quite another matter, and it’s a matter that The American Legion strongly believes this committee is willing to address.”

Wong said Congress needs to pass the Military Construction and VA Appropriations measure by Oct. 1 to assure a seamless transmission of benefits to veterans. “Don’t condemn VA to another round of uncertainty through a series of continuing resolutions,” Wong said. “You are so close to the finish line. Help start this fiscal year off on the right foot for veterans.”

Wong spoke at length about the job crisis facing the country’s veterans – a figure of more than 1 million veterans without employment, including 632,000, ages 35-60. Congress can pass legislation creating incentives to promote the hiring of veterans to help reduce those figures. “Civilian licensing agencies must recognize military training, education and experience when a veteran transitions to the civilian workforce,” Wong said. “A soldier who drives a truck in a convoy through hazardous routes in Iraq can drive a truck to get eggs to market on time in the American Midwest. A Navy corpsman who saved Marines on the battlefields of Afghanistan has the skills to render emergency aid as an EMT back home. Yet the education, training and experience garnered from military service is not recognized by civilian licensing and certification agencies.

“The American Legion urges Congress to work with DoD, the Department of Labor and VA to find a way to translate these skills and put these veterans to work where they can make an impact. They have already proven they know how to do these things. Give them a chance to use these valuable capabilities in the workplace.”

Wong said a key to turning around the unemployment crisis is a stronger effort by the federal government to hire veterans. “Eighty percent of veterans employed by the federal government are employed by one of three departments – Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs,” he said. “Surely there are other areas where veterans can be key contributors. Like the civilian workplace, federal employers need to realize the military prepares people to be team players, top-notch planners and winners. We need to stop asking why the Departments of Education, the Interior, or Energy would hire a veteran and start asking ‘why not?’ If we’re going to show America’s private employers that a veteran has the job skills to succeed in any environment, the government needs to set the example.”

But, Wong said, the private sector must also be involved. He praised Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs’ Committee, as well as her House counterpart, Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.), for legislation they’ve advanced that provide incentives for hiring veterans.

“The American Legion hopes you will collaborate and bring your parties together to get a jobs bill for America’s veterans passed,” Wong said. “It is our obligation as a nation to ensure that every single member of the military who chooses to leave the military can effectively transfer his or her education, training and experience into a civilian career field.”

Wong also addressed a VA claims backlog of more than 1 million that leaves many veterans footing the bill for their medication or treatment. “Some are forced to choose between medication and food on the table,” he said. “Some go into massive debt while waiting for VA to rule; even a retroactive settlement can’t repair a credit history or return a home lost through a mortgage default.”

Accuracy, Wong said, is the only way to shrink the backlog. “Unfortunately, VA still is using speed as the primary measurement of success,” he said. “But as we all know, when we rush, we make errors. Who pays the price when errors are made in this instance? I’ll tell you who: the veteran, who may see a claims process go from nine months to five years because of one error.

“VA needs to develop a better mechanism for tracking errors, and it needs to use the knowledge of those errors to make a better training system. Everyone makes mistakes; the key is the ability to learn from those mistakes and avoid them in the future. VA and others will complain that training time takes away from time spent working on claims, but do you want somebody working on those claims if they don’t know how to do it right?”

A key to reducing the backlog, Wong said, is VA and DoD getting back on track with the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record. “The GAO report last February that highlighted severe problems with implementation is troubling to The American Legion, which has been promised more seamless transitions for years,” he said. “The VLER needs to be a coordinated effort, with frequent and clear lines of communication, to be effective.”

Wong also briefed the committee on the Legion’s ad-hoc committee on PTS and TBI, which has met several times and heard from national experts on mental health, and military, VA and private-sector specialists to consider new strategies to meet the needs of veterans suffering from either condition.

“If this American Legion committee has learned one thing, it’s that there is no magic bullet for curing post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury, and if the treatment works, regardless of what the treatment is, it should be used to help the suffering veteran,” Wong said. “Prescriptions are not always the only answer, and sometimes, drugs only make the condition worse, especially if they are drugs issued under a ‘fail first’ philosophy when medical science is absolutely sure of the efficiency of other drugs.

“Other options need to be explored. And the cost of researching and implementing those options shouldn’t be an issue. The toll of war does not end at discharge. For those who are disabled, physically or mentally, it is a lifelong engagement.”

For a transcript of the hearing, as well as the Legion’s written testimony, go to http://veterans.house.gov/hearing/joint-house-and-senate-veterans-affairs-committees-hearing-receive-legislative-american.

Following Commander Wong’s testimony, Legionnaires are expected to meet with members of Congress to discuss issues of importance to the Legion.

National Commander Fang A. Wong will address a joint session of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees today, touching on issues such as veteran’s unemployment, the claims backlog, and post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.

Any member of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary or Sons of The American Legion can attend the national commander’s testimony, which is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21, in Room G-50 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building on 1st and C St. NE.

Those who cannot attend the testimony in person can get video highlights on www.legion.org. Point papers and other documents will also be available on the Legion website.

After Wong testifies, Legionnaires will descend upon Capitol Hill to meet with their respective senators and representatives, sharing issues of concern that the Legion has, including veterans benefits and a double-digit unemployment rate among veterans.

“What’s very important for us is what happens after (Wong’s testimony),” the national commander told Legionnaires during a Tuesday legislative briefing. “You all need to carry the ball to the finish line. Stick to the basic issues … and remember that all politics are local. Remind them that you represent a large portion of their voting bloc. Let them know that we will support them if they support us.

“When they see The American Legion cap, they know you represent 2.4 million members of The American Legion and 24 million veterans. You speak with a very big stick.”

Commander says higher premiums, annual fees for military retirees are ultimately a threat to national security.

The American Legion sternly opposes plans to increase out-of-pocket health-care costs for military retirees, American Legion National Commander Fang A. Wong said after learning that the White House recommends increasing TRICARE premiums and charging new annual fees to help reduce the federal deficit.

“President Obama told more than 10,000 Legionnaires at our national convention less than a month ago that the budget would not be balanced on the backs of veterans,” Wong said. “Military retirees are veterans. And their benefits, including TRICARE medical insurance, cannot be milked to make ends meet. Make no mistake about it. This is an attempt to balance the budget on the backs of veterans. Military retirees are a small target in the middle of a big problem. They should not be asked to forfeit any of their health-care benefits to solve it. “

The Washington Post reported this week that the administration’s deficit-reduction plan would raise TRICARE co-payments for pharmaceuticals to put them more in line with coverage provided to other federal employees and begin charging a first-ever $200 annual enrollment fees for TRICARE For Life, a Medicare supplement, beginning in 2013.

“We fully understand the federal deficit crisis, but when you start stripping benefits for military retirees, you affect more than the budget – you affect national security,” Wong said. “Not only is such a reduction a breach of contract with our current military retirees, it is a disincentive for anyone willing to make a career of military service. Those who serve our nation in uniform, and swear with their lives to protect our freedoms, are not the same as ordinary government employees.”

Wong added that the same argument applies to plans for a new commission to examine ways to change the current military retirement system and bring it more in line with other federal careers.

“These are not ordinary government jobs,” Wong said, a retired U.S. Army chief warrant officer. “The sacrifices of those who make careers in the Armed Forces include life-threatening combat, long deployments separated from family, multiple transitions from duty station to duty station, and anything else the nation asks. America has the world’s strongest military because good men and women have made commitments to careers in the military knowing they will be rewarded with a decent retirement in the end.

“Any commission examining this issue in order to reduce the cost of military retirement will inherently search for ways to reduce the value of the benefit,” Wong added. “That’s not good for military retirees. Moreover, it’s not good for America’s national security.”

By Craig Roberts

A disgraced Navy veteran rebuilds his life with help from The American Legion.

NOTE: For the sake of confidentiality, the name of this story’s subject is fictitious. The narrative, however, is true.

On the morning of May 22, 1997, Navy Chief Petty Officer Montford Willson had a meltdown. The Navy lifer, a yeoman, had been nabbed for giving away “basket leave” to a few sailors – an under-the-table method of beating the system, whereby paperwork authorizing leave is allowed to languish unprocessed in a yeoman’s “in” basket while personnel are away for a few days.

If sailors return as promised, the paperwork gets tossed; no leave is charged and no one’s the wiser. But if they are delayed, the paperwork is processed to cover their absence.

Though, things didn’t go according to plan for Willson. An unnamed informant caught on to the ploy and not only reported Willson but also an officer who alledgedly gave Willson permission to fudge the records. While the officer got a slap on the wrist, Willson was demoted to E5 – petty officer second class. He was not happy.

The incident only dug Willson deeper into dire straits. A psychiatric evaluation a few months earlier had found him suffering from a major depressive disorder – and understandably so. His marriage was falling apart. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, went blind in one eye and was having debilitating headaches. And now, he’d been punished severely for “failure to properly maintain his command’s leave log.” This was rock bottom.

Official Navy records of the May 22 episode relate that, in a morning phone call to his psychiatrist, Willson threatened to “blow up” his unit and “shoot everyone” in his command. He also said that he felt suicidal and had a gun in the trunk of his car.

In certain circumstances, violating the doctor-patient confidentiality rule is warranted. This was one of them. The psychiatrist tipped off the Navy and, seven months later, 36-year-old Willson received an “under other than honorable conditions” discharge (commonly referred to as OTH – other than honorable) – after serving more than 18 years.

An OTH discharge isn’t as detrimental as a dishonorable or poor conduct dismissal. But an OTH is far from graduating with honors; it’s enough to deny you most VA benefits. This was especially problematic for Monty Willson, a newly minted civilian with MS and depression disorder who needed serious health-care assistance.

About two years after his special court martial, Monty filed an appeal to the Navy to re-evaluate his case. Maybe they would reconsider, Monty thought, and grant him a general discharge. It would be better than the damning OTH.

So Monty wrote to the Naval Discharge Review Board (NDRB) in Washington about having been an honorable sailor until that unfortunate morning when he went ballistic. He pointed to his good service record – one so good, he argued, that he’d been made a chief petty officer. He also told them about his MS, depression, headaches and difficult divorce. Monty thought the Navy might understand the manic morning episode that cost him his Navy career, veterans benefits, dignity and reputation. He explained that he was reformend, becoming a community-minded citizen in his new Midwestern hometown and member of the local Optimist Club.

The NDRB considered Monty’s plea for a year, finally replying in the summer of 1999. The answer was in cold military-speak, but translated roughly to: “Sorry for your tough circumstances, but you acted in a manner that required decisive action from the Navy.”

The NDRB, however, was not entirely chilly in its decision that the “discharge was proper.” There was hinting of a possible reversal in the ruling’s closing paragraphs. In rather complicated terms, it asked him to refile his appeal when he obtained “evidence of continuing educational pursuits (transcripts, diplomas, degrees, vocational-technical certificates), a verifiable employment record (Letter of Recommendation from an employer), documentation of community service (letter from the activity/community group), certification of non-involving with civil authorities (police records check) and proof of not using drugs (detoxification certificate, AA meeting attendance or letter documenting participation in the program) in order for consideration for clemency based on post-service conduct.”

Then, at the very end of the decision was a flash of hope: “The applicant is encouraged to continue with his pursuits and is reminded that he is eligible for a personal appearance hearing, provided the application is received within 15 years from the date of discharge.”

Encouraged, Monty carried on. Over the subsequent decade, he earned two college degrees and became a Bible school minister and Cub Scout leader. He obtained three management training certificates, including one from the Small Business Administration, and started his own enterprise.

Monty became heavily involved in MS Society volunteer work, writing and speaking in support of others with multiple sclerosis. He published articles and a book and, as a Freemason, achieved the exalted rank of Master Mason. He remarried, too.

By the end of 2009, Monty had amassed evidence of his achievements plus character reference letters, including one from his local police chief, and was ready to, once again, face the NDRB. On Feb. 1, 2010, after learning that The American Legion helps with such appeals, Monty called David J. Michael, Jr., the Legion’s military review boards representative in Washington. Michael, a retired Navy master chief petty officer, was intrigued and touched by Monty’s story.

Over the next few months, Michael reviewed Monty’s service records and began gathering evidence to support a discharge-upgrade plea, making suggestions for the submission of additional documentation. In the spring, Dave submitted the package to the NDRB and got word in July that its members were willing to see Monty in a personal appearance hearing later in the year. The documentation assembly continued until Sept. 29, when Monty – with Michael at his side – sat before five members of the NDRB.

In a letter dated Oct. 19, 2010, the board informed Monty that his OTH discharge, the dishonor that had disgraced him and withheld his veterans benefits for more than a decade, had been upgraded to honorable. Michael emailed his congratulations.

Monty Willson is an individual who, under a tremendous amount of strain, acted out dramatically and alarmingly. He acknowledges his wrongdoing and expresses remorse for it. In a personal statement that accompanied all the official and unofficial records of his post-service good deeds and good conduct, Monty said: “I fully understand that my discharge due to my misconduct was proper and fair. I have had a little over 12 years to reflect back on my misconduct.

“Not a day goes by that I’ve wished I would have done things differently and not done some things that I did. I mean, I was a CPO for God’s sake, and I should have known better to begin with. One does not obtain the rank of CPO by chance.

“I cannot change my past, but I can change my present and future. Am I sorry for what I’ve said and done that led up to my misconduct and subsequent discharge? Yes I am.”

In the end, Monty’s actions spoke louder than his words. His charity to his friends, neighbors, family and community conveyed a valuable truth. Through a sympathetic ear at the Navy, and a little help from a true friend at The American Legion, the true character of former Chief Petty Officer Montford Willson has been not just recognized, but certified.

It was a familiar position for The American Legion. The organization has long advocated for processes that allow servicemembers to clear their names, playing a key role in convincing Congress to create discharge review boards in 1944 and panels to correct military records in 1946. Since then, the Legion’s Military Review Boards Unit has provided counsel, guidance and representation to veterans seeking to upgrade their discharges or correct their service records; in 2010, the unit logged 42 discharge upgrades and 85 service-record corrections.

Not long ago, Dave Michael contacted Monty to see how he was doing. “So nice to hear from you,” came the reply. “Please know that my wife and I are doing well. Since my discharge was upgraded, my lord, it is so wonderful. I live five miles from the VA Hospital and they are servicing all of my medical needs and medicine with minimal out-of-pocket co-pays. They mail me my medicine. It is so awesome.

“I have applied for ‘service related disability’ (as you suggested). The American Legion rep at the VA Hospital has been a great help, too. He complimented me on my attention to detail when I took him my paperwork. He told me that in all his years that he has been working, helping people file their disability claims, mine was the best prepared he has ever seen.”

Monty went on to tell Dave of the publication of his second book and his plans, should he ever become “rich and famous through my writing” to create a statue in tribute to young mothers awaiting their sailor husbands’ return home.

Despite it all, Monty Willson’s still a Navy man at heart.

In a recent press release, the National Association of Drug Court Professionals’ Justice For Vets said it was “honored” that support for the Veterans Treatment Courts was included in one of the 23 passed by The American Legion during its 2011 National Convention in Minneapolis.

Among other things, Resolution No. 109 urges Congress to continue to fund the establishment and expansion of Veterans Treatment Courts, and recommends the various Legion departments and posts provide non-monetary assistance and support to veteran treatment courts by having department service officers serve on the Veteran Treatment Court or having volunteers provide information on VA benefits and services.

“The American Legion is committed to help returning servicemembers in Veterans Treatment Courts to access their VA benefits,” said Jacob Gadd, deputy director of the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Division. “We have more than 2,000 professionally trained service officers across the country, and we look forward to working with Justice For Vets to provide valuable training for our service officers to be active with Veteran Treatment Courts in their communities.”

Veterans Treatment Courts operate similar to Drug Courts but serve only military veterans suffering from substance abuse and/or mental illness. They promote sobriety, recovery and stability through a coordinated response that involves cooperation and collaboration with the traditional community and criminal justice partners found in Drug Courts, with the addition of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care networks, the Veterans’ Benefits Administration, state veterans agencies/departments, volunteer veteran mentors, veterans service organizations and veterans’ family support groups. Since the first Veterans Treatment Court launched in January 2008, approximately 80 programs have been created with hundreds more being planned.

“The American Legion has been one of the mainstays of Veterans Treatment Court,” said former Tulsa County Veterans Treatment Court Judge Sarah Smith. “Their members have enthusiastically embraced our program since its inception and helped numerous participants file claims, reinstate benefits and navigate the VA. Their encouragement, professionalism, and support have been a tremendous asset to our veterans and our team. All courts should reach out to The American Legion and other veterans service organizations in their community.”

“So many veterans benefit by having Service Officers in court navigate and cut the red tape to receive the disability compensation, vocational rehabilitation, education benefits and other services earned through their time in our Armed Forces,” said Matt Stiner, Justice For Vets Director of Development and Outreach. “With 14,000 posts worldwide, I have no doubt that all Veterans Treatment Courts have an American Legion Post within reach. We are profoundly proud of their support and look forward to seeing more Veterans Treatment Courts partnering with The American Legion to better serve our veterans.”

For questions about Veteran Treatment Courts, please contact the VA&R Division at (202)861-2700 or via var@legion.org.

Legion family members who attended the fifth annual Children &Youth Conference walked away with instructions on how to better support our nation’s youth.

The American Legion’s fifth annual Children & Youth Conference, held September 16-18 in Indianapolis, focused on the overall well-being of today’s youth, especially military children. Between presentations from Child Welfare grant recipients to Legion financial assistance programs, Legion family attendees walked away with ideas on how to better protect and support our nation’s children and youth.

In particular, thanks to Sesame Workshop, attendees became aware of ways to assist the more than 12,000 military children grieving the loss of a parent.

Sesame Workshop’s program, “Talk, Listen, Connect,” is a bilingual multimedia initiative that helps military children through challenging transitions such as deployments, homecomings, changes and grief. During the conference, attendees were educated on “Talk, Listen, Connect: When Families Grieve.”

“When Families Grieve” is an outreach kit that helps children reduce anxiety, sadness and/or confusion they may be experiencing with the loss of a parent. The kit comes in two family versions, military and non-military, and contains a parent/caregiver guide, a children’s storybook and a DVD that features a Muppet story and live-action family documentaries. To order a free kit, please email grief@sesame.org and specify which version is needed. For additional materials on sharing and talking, finding comfort and moving forward, visit www.sesamestreet.org/grief.

Further presentations were conducted on how to fill out the Legion’s Temporary Financial Assistance forms, help military children become involved in extracurricular activities, prevent Internet crimes against children, and educate childhood cancer survivors of long-term effects. Visit www.legion.org in the coming weeks to read more about these presentations.

For those unable to attend the 2011 Children & Youth Conference, PowerPoint presentations can be downloaded at http://www.legion.org/youth/conference.