Interment for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States Ruth Bader Ginsburg will occur today, Sept. 29, at Arlington National Cemetery in a private ceremony. The United States flag should return to full-staff display at sunset today, with the exception of any states having a governor’s half-staff order in place for other observances.
Flag at half-staff
American Legion service officer’s words help save a veteran from suicide
The American Legion – SEP 23, 2020
Photo courtesy of David Lydon
A phone call routed to a non-crisis line helped save the life of a veteran sitting in a parking lot contemplating suicide.
“I was the right person at the right time for him to reach,” said Dave Lydon, a 16-year Legionnaire and a four-year service officer at Flagler County Veterans Services in Bunnell, Fla. “My life experiences helped me that day. Because if you get that call, it can be shocking. It’s a lot of responsibility to make sure he doesn’t take that firearm and end it there.”
The Vietnam veteran making the distress call was unfortunately on the phone for 15 minutes being transferred several times, “which could mean life or death,” Lydon said, before the final transfer to veterans service office – Lydon’s phone. “It may be divine intervention that I was the right person on that day to pick up. I feel blessed that I was able to help him that day. He needed somebody to listen to him.”
The veteran in distress served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. He shared that hearing the numbers of those deceased from COVID-19 over the radio and news reminded him of hearing the body counts of American servicemembers from the war. That, along with having to quarantine because of the virus and other life issues became too much for him.
“He didn’t feel like he was of use to anybody anymore,” Lydon said. “That’s what I hear a lot of people who are suicidal is that they don’t feel like they’re valued anymore, and I think he was feeling that way. Part of our discussion was letting him know that there’s people who need you in their life. He had a jovial attitude once we started talking, he was a funny guy. I said you know, you’ve got a good sense of humor and how do you know you’re not still on this earth – even if it’s just somebody at the gas pump that you say a kind word to who may be having a bad day thinking they have no value – but because you say a kind word it changes their whole trajectory. How do you know that’s not what you’re still here to do? Or to tell your grandkids how to live a good life.
“Fortunately, I got him past that point of what he was contemplating.”
Lydon knew the caller was in distress. “I didn’t want to scare him off the phone so I let him keep talking and little by little I would ask him, ‘Where are you?’” That’s when Lydon learned they were in the same county. The caller thought he had reached a call center in another state.
Lydon invited the caller to his office to talk. About 20 minutes later, the two were sitting together and talking about family, life, their military service and more for nearly three hours.
“He left here in much better spirits, with a different outlook,” Lydon said. “I checked with him by text that evening. He wrote back saying he was doing OK.”
The veteran made another visit recently to Lydon’s office to file a VA claim.
Lydon used life experiences when speaking with the veteran in distress – he’s a retired New York state police officer, entering his 36th year in the Air Force Reserve, and returned home earlier this year from a deployment to the Middle East where he visited 21 U.S. bases to meet the troops and check on their morale.
Lydon said the caller appreciated that he was speaking to another veteran, “that I understood. I understood the military and what veterans experience.”
Lydon shared a few reminders when you receive a call from a veteran in distress.
- Be positive and be a good listener.
- Keep them talking until you know you have them past that period of time where they are thinking about doing it.
- Give them your time.
“Are you ready? Are you ready to get that call?” Lydon asks. “In today’s climate we talk about what are you going to do for a distressed veteran to prevent suicide. But do you really give it some thought about how are you are going to react. What are you going to say. What are you going to do if you get that call. I just feel fortunate that I have enough experience in life that I was able to handle it the way I did.
“In cases like this, they are looking for someone to convince them why not to.”
VA’s Crisis Line
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and veterans, servicemembers and their loved ones can connect in confidence with VA responders 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Here’s how:
- Call toll-free at (800) 273-8255 and then press 1;
- Text the number 838255; or
- Chat online at www.veteranscrisisline.net/chat.
Consolidated Post Reporting: ‘Every post has a story to share’
The American Legion – SEP 17, 2020 | The American Legion’s federal charter requires the submission of an annual report to Congress on activities for the year. More than 8,840 of the 12,637 American Legion posts submitted a Consolidated Post Report (CPR) for the 2019-2020 membership year by its deadline of July 1. That’s an average completion rate of 70 percent. American Legion National Commander Bill Oxford challenged and encouraged departments to hit 100 percent reporting. One hundred percent reporting is one of four requirements to achieve the Post Excellence Award.
Nine departments answered Oxford’s challenge and achieved 100 percent reporting – Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Oregon. A few department leaders share how they did it.
Department of North Carolina. “Every post has a story to share,” said Department Adjutant Randy Cash. “The American Legion Department of North Carolina had a special incentive to reach 100 percent Consolidated Post Reporting for 2019-2020. National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford hails from the ‘Tarheel’ state. Having served at the post, district, division and department level, as well as on committees and commissions at the national level, Commander Oxford understands the critical importance of these reports. Through his encouragement and leadership, the Department of North Carolina mapped out a plan to achieve 100 percent post participation.
“Soon after the 2019 National Convention in Indianapolis, department leadership began sending out information to posts emphasizing the importance of the CPR. Electronic newsletters, emails, bulletins, the NC Legion newspaper, and district, division and department meetings were all utilized to help emphasize the role the CPR plays in shaping The American Legion at the local and national level.
“The CPR is a barometer to measure the impact and effectiveness of the Legion, and a checklist for the individual post to determine if they are fulfilling the vision of our founders. We emphasized that the CPR is more than a ‘paper drill.’ It is a significant tool to use in support of our nation’s veterans.
“Administratively, district commanders are required to visit a post at least once a year and record all programs and community support. The department designed a new district commander form to better capture post activity and to make it more compatible with the CPR. The form helps facilitate a more seamless transfer of information to the CPR and better highlight the significant accomplishments of the individual post.
“In addition, department staff and the Membership, Post Activity, Post Organization and Revitalization Committee, and district commanders worked together as a team to collect information, confirm activity or events, and assist posts in capturing relevant data. Other tools such as department-level Buddy Checks, post websites and Facebook pages were additional resources in telling the Legion story in North Carolina. District commanders, the Membership Committee and department staff directly supported the 30 to 40 percent of posts needing assistance with the process.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presents many challenges. At the same time, it presents many opportunities. Even though we are having to adjust some of our day-to-day operating procedures, it reinforces the need for communication, teamwork and creativity.”
Department of Florida. “The Department of Florida recognized that while the unprecedented event of a world pandemic brought months of uncertainty as posts closed their doors and members remained in lockdown, it is in moments like these that Legionnaires may need a reminder of the great work they had done for their communities,” said Department of Florida Commander William “Rick” Johnson. “It is also in moments like these that Florida’s membership continues to rise to the occasion, by not only contacting fellow members via Buddy Checks, but collecting food and goods to distribute to the children and families also hit hard by COVID. And while we knew that large-scale events were out of the question, it is small actions like these that can and should be reflected on the Consolidated Post Reports and needs to be celebrated.
“The department also knew that nine months’ worth of dedication and support of the Legion’s Four Pillars should not be wiped away just because a post had to shut its doors. We decided to make it a priority to collect the Consolidated Post Reports from all Legion posts in the state so that each and every member could view the final statistics and feel pride in knowing that they had a hand in reaching those goals. The CPR is one small puzzle piece that when put together shows the greater picture of a year’s worth of work and dedication the men and women of The American Legion have done without expecting a word of thanks or recognition.
“We accomplished 100 percent reporting through sending weekly updates reminding post, district and area officers of the deadline date and the importance of what the statistics mean not only to Florida veterans and the communities they serve, but to veterans across the nation. District commanders were also instrumental in collecting the CPRs, prompting post adjutants and commanders to complete their end of year reports and submit it to state headquarters.
“Finally, in the weeks leading up to national’s July 1 deadline, Department of Florida personnel called posts that had not yet reported to offer assistance and guidance to complete and turn in their Consolidated Post Report.”
Department of Indiana. “Achieving 100 percent reporting took a concerted effort between our department headquarters staff and leadership in the field,” said John Crosby, Department of Indiana adjutant. “First, the department commander and leadership stressed the importance of the Consolidated Post Report, explaining that this document is our report card to Congress, statehouse, and local officials detailing who we are and how we change lives in our communities across the Hoosier state. Incentivized programs, to include the U.S. Minted American Legion centennial coins for district commanders that reported 100 percent by deadline, were communicated as early as October of last membership year. Constant communication between department down through districts and posts continued throughout the year using every tool necessary to us including our department publication “Hoosier Legionnaire”, digital newsletter, social media, internal email, and word of mouth from conferences, district and post meetings. Without the hard work of our blue cap Legionnaires in the field, this success would not have been possible.”
Department of Maryland. Department Commander Philip Dorsey gave Second Vice Commander Ronald Holcombe the role of calling all post commanders and adjutants to remind them that June 30 was the cutoff date to have CPRs in to the department. “Thanks to my second vice commander, he stayed on top of it. He didn’t let it rest (until all CPRs were in),” Dorsey said. For the 2020-2021 membership year, completing a CPR is one of three requirements for posts in Maryland to receive membership awards.
Legion National Commander Pledges Support to Storm Victims
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 27, 2020) – American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford issued the following statement regarding Hurricane Laura’s destructive path along the Gulf Coast:
“The American Legion extends its support and prayers to those impacted by Hurricane Laura. Right now, priority one is saving lives. When the danger subsides, the clean-up and recovery begins. The American Legion Family has a number of support programs for our members to include Temporary Financial Assistance and a National Emergency Fund. TFA grants are also available to eligible active-duty servicemembers with minor children in the home. We have American Legion posts across the country that will offer their own forms of assistance as well. I have directed our national staff to maintain regular communications with the impacted departments to ensure that we do everything we can to help those in need. For now, people with inquiries can call our Louisiana American Legion Department Adjutant, Tony Betts (337) 652-5072 or email tonyb_la@hotmail.com or adjutant@lalegion.org. The Texas American Legion can be contacted at (512) 472-4138 or billw@txlegion.org. More details will be released at www.legion.org during the coming days.”
Oxford also pointed out that Americans can contribute to charities which help recovery efforts by donating to The American Legion National Emergency Fund or Veterans & Children Foundation at legion.org/donate or by sending a check to either of those charities at The American Legion, P.O. Box 361626, Indianapolis, IN 46236.
OUR VOICES WERE HEARD: All Posts Can Be OPEN Once Again
ALL POSTS CAN BE OPEN ONCE AGAIN!
Department of Florida American Legion Family Members,
After a lot of hard work by so many people, too many to mention, I am happy to report to you that our Social Quarters can be open and serve alcoholic beverages with food under the below mentioned specified guidelines. Of course this does not apply to the three counties that are still under Phase 1.
We explained to our elected officials that our Post Homes that have Social Quarters (canteens) are much more than a “bar” they are where our members meet, exchange pleasantries, discuss our programs, develop strategies for our community involvement and at the same time raise money to take care of our veterans, their families and the communities in which we live. It was explained that all of our funding is from these grass roots activities and keeping our Posts with Social Quarters closed was prohibiting us from accomplishing our Mission.
Below, you will be able to click on a document from the Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Mr. Michael B. Johnston. Posts with a valid Liquor License may serve alcoholic beverages with food (as long as you have a food service license or permit from a regulatory authority – (DoH, FDACS or your county) on premises while observing 50% or below capacity, and observing other state and local guidance on sanitation and social distancing to prevent the risk and exposure and spread of illness during this pandemic (i.e. masks, sanitizing, temperature taking, etc.)
Should any Post experience a problem with an ABT Inspector, please give them the attached document and immediately call either myself or the Department Adjutant Michael McDaniel so we can help to resolve the issue.
You can view the document either by clicking on the button below or the document displayed below. Once you have the document displayed on your screen you can right click on it to save it to your computer. If you have problems saving it to your computer, you can email distribution@floridalegion.org and a copy will be emailed to you.
Service, Honor, Sacrifice.
William “Rick” Johnson, Commander
The American Legion
Department of Florida
Join special American Legion-VBA town hall
Dear American Legion members,
I wanted to let you know of a special opportunity this week for American Legion members.
On Wednesday, you are invited to participate in a tele-town hall that will allow Legionnaires to ask questions directly to Dr. Paul R. Lawrence, the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Under Secretary for Benefits.
American Legion Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission Chairman Ralph Bozella will serve as a special guest host for the town hall that will take place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday. Legionnaires can participate by calling (833) 380-0417; and press *3 to ask a question.
Topics to be covered include how VBA is operating through the pandemic, and updates on Blue Water Navy veterans and the Veterans Benefits Banking Program.
This is a great opportunity and I look forward to as many American Legion members participating as possible.
Stay safe, my friends and comrades.
For God and country,
James W. “Bill” Oxford
National Commander
2019–2020 National History Book Contest Postponed
From: National Historian James “Jim” A. Mariner
To: Department Historians, Department Adjutants, Past National Historians and
NADHAL Members
Date: June 22, 2020
First, I hope everyone is doing well and keeping safe with our worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. Just imagine what our founding members would think returning from WWI with the worldwide flu pandemic from 1918 through 1920. As we continue with our Buddy Checks and what we do to serve America’s communities, states, and nation we are laying a “A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.”
With cancellations and postponement of many programs, conventions and events and considering some departments do their judging at the Department Convention and others do not, we wanted to be fair to all for our 2019–2020 National History Book Contest. A recently received e-mail from National Adjutant Daniel Wheeler included a revised schedule for the 2020 October Meetings in Indianapolis, Indiana due to COVID-19 Social Distancing. These changes have been made for the safety of everyone.
The 2019–2020 National History Book Contest will be postponed until the Spring 2021 NEC Meeting and will still be using the 2019 Officer’s Guide (hard copy or online copy) criteria for the 2019–2020 timeframe. The new deadline for National History Book Certification Forms will be April 2, 2021. The New Historians Workshop has also been cancelled as part of the 2020 October Meetings.
In our Department of New Mexico, we plan to have the 2019-2020 history books mailed before and/or hand carried to our Mid-Winter Conference in early February 2021 where we can hold the judging and declaring winners before the May 2021 Spring NEC Meetings for our National History Book Contests. Again, this will be using the 2019 Officer’s Guide (hard copy or online copy) for the 2019–2020 timeline for the year history. All our departments have different ways of holding their Department History Book Contests, so this is a change but as U.S.A. military, veterans and Legionnaires we adapt and go forth to carry on our American Legion history tradition.
NADHAL will meet electronically for the Fall 2020 Indianapolis, Indiana meetings at a time yet to be determined. As NADHAL we need a big thank you to all our national staff working on our Fall 2020 Meetings with electronic meetings and social distancing keeping all of us safe. NADHAL committees are currently working on electronic history books judging, logistics and rules for any future national disasters or future national pandemics. Currently, we need to carry on our tradition of our hard copy history books. We look forward to our NADHAL electronic meeting.
More details and information on the Spring 2021 Meetings to include our National History Book Contest judging will be coming closer to the meeting dates.
In closing, while keeping safe with adaption and change during these unprecedented times please remember preserving and recording our history is important as we are building “A FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE.”
“For God and Country”
James “Jim” A. Mariner
The American Legion
National Historian
That Other Virus
That Other Virus
By James W. “Bill” Oxford
There is a virus in America that could cause more long-term destruction than COVID-19. Just as the novel coronavirus can quickly devastate a healthy body this other virus threatens lives, neighborhoods and infrastructures. No person or place is truly safe. It can embed itself inside a peaceful protest and turn it into a nightmare of violent rioting and retribution. It turns Americans against Americans. This virus is called anarchy.
Perhaps no one should be more concerned about this virus than those who justly fight for civil rights and equality. Their cause has been hijacked. George Floyd and Breonna Taylor receive only occasional mentions on the evening news while footage of statue-toppling, tear gas and batons dominates. One network’s description of a live event will usually have the opposite perspective of another network. Division is a symptom of this virus and its cancer has reached a stage unseen since the Civil War. The patient is quickly approaching stage 4.
At our 1962 National Convention, American Legion delegates defined “Americanism” in such an eloquent manner that we still adhere to it. It stated that the essence of Americanism is class, religious and racial tolerance. Written as if it were a vaccine against our current anarchy virus, it further states “law and order are essential to the preservation of Americanism while lawlessness and violence are distinctly un-American.”
That’s worth repeating. “Lawlessness and violence are distinctly un-American.” Peaceful protests against racism are just, admirable and constitutionally protected. It’s ok if protests make people feel uncomfortable. A good protest is supposed to do that. But many people feel unsafe. This is what distinguishes protestors from anarchists and rioters.
Whether generated from the extreme left or the extreme right, the cracked skulls and burning buildings don’t care. They are damaged, sometimes permanently.
Instead of fighting this virus like good scientists, public officials are failing us. People are being killed while local, state and federal agencies fight over jurisdiction. Add partisan politics to the growing list of symptoms.
Most police officers are brave and honorable. Some are not and those who abuse their positions should be held accountable. In the fog of a riot, it is sometimes difficult for officers to distinguish between a peaceful protestor and a violent anarchist. Again, police officers who commit crimes should be prosecuted. Same with a brick-throwing anarchist.
Federal agents are charged with enforcing federal law and protecting federal property. State and local law enforcement officers have parallel responsibilities in their respective areas. Mayors, governors and the federal government must work as one when it comes to public safety. Agencies at every level must collaborate. People are dying. The enemy is not each other. It’s the violent anarchist. Unity is the cure.
James W. “Bill” Oxford is national commander of The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, www.legion.org.
An Earned Benefit
An Earned Benefit
By National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford
Imagine the absurdity of an argument that states that the Department of Education employs too many ex-teachers. Or that the Center for Disease Control has too many doctors. That was my reaction to the recent War on the Rocks commentary “Is Veterans’ Preference Bad for the National Security Workforce?”
The authors’ primary objection to veterans’ preference seems to be rooted in their desire to maintain civilian control of the military. Indeed, Article II, Section 2, of the U.S. Constitution states among many other powers, “The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States...” But the framers recognized the difference between an active-duty soldier and a veteran or else they would have found someone other than a former general to practically anoint as our first president.
While most Americans approve of President Washington’s performance in office, it is not senior officers who benefit from veterans’ preference anyway. It’s the junior enlisted, NCOs and company grade officers. When I left the Marine Corps as sergeant, I could have benefited from veterans’ preference. When I later retired from the North Carolina National Guard as a colonel, I could not. Unless one incurs a service-connected disability, retired field grade and flag officers are ineligible, making it very difficult for them to be in an in home senior care agency after they retire, but if they may like they can move anytime to Chelsea Senior Living. But this isn’t about taking care of the top brass. It’s about the troops. Who better to serve the U.S. government than those who at some time in their lives pledged a willingness to die for it?
Lost in the civilian control of the military argument is the simple fact that with the exception of those still in the service, veterans are civilians. Those that are in the military already have fulltime jobs.
In spite of unfair stereotypes of veterans as war-mongers, it is Dwight D. Eisenhower who said, “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” And it is still our elected officials rather than our federal workers who determine if or when military force should be used.
As the nation’s largest veterans’ organization, The American Legion has a long history of advocating for the occupational and educational advancement of those who answered our country’s call. At our national convention in 2016, delegates unanimously passed Resolution No. 358, “Support for Veterans’ Preference in Public Employment.”
Our delegates proudly went on record stating, in part, “That The American Legion deplores each and every attempt to degrade, dilute, or modify the historical precedence of giving job eligibility preference to those who are taken from their communities to serve their country in time of war…”
The delegates further resolved, “That all executives at every level of government are urged to enforce veterans’ preference in their government agencies.”
During a time when the military was almost entirely male, Alexander Hamilton said, “Justice and humanity forbid the abandoning to want and misery men who have spent their best years in the military service of a country or who in that service had contracted infirmities which disqualify them to earn their bread in other modes.”
It is in this spirit that additional veterans’ preference points and benefits are awarded to those who incur a 30-percent or more disability rating.
While some veterans’ preference critics lament that the beneficiaries are mostly male, the solution would be to better incentivize women to join the military. If they do, they would find no better advocate for their interests than The American Legion.
Our organization recognizes that there are many outstanding civil servants who haven’t served in the military and we have never advocated that veteran-status be the only factor in federal hiring. But it should be an important factor.
According to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), 69 percent of the federal workforce are not veterans. It is also worth noting that the well-earned veterans’ preference benefit does not apply to Senior Executive Service jobs or executive branch positions for which Senate confirmation is required. Moreover, the legislative and judicial branches are exempt from the Veterans’ Preference Act unless the positions are in the competitive service.
Veterans are already at a disadvantage when it comes to occupational advancement. While serving in the military, young men and women remove themselves from the civilian workforce. Many postpone or cancel opportunities for academic or vocational education. As their former high school or college classmates climb corporate ladders, the military men and women risk life and limb climbing mountains in Afghanistan or dodging explosives in Iraq.
But when their military obligation ends, the experienced veterans are more often than not physically fit, highly disciplined, professional and equipped with a skill set obtained through some of the best training in the world.
There is a simple solution for workers who oppose leveling the federal playing field with veterans’ preference policies. They can visit their local recruiting offices, dedicate a few years of their lives to serving their country, and become veterans. They should be warned that the training is challenging and the hardships are numerous. But in the end they will see that the benefits obtained are well-deserved.
Veterans’ preference is a tie-breaker among a pool of qualified applicants. Nobody is suggesting filling air traffic controller positions with truck drivers. But it does make sense to heavily staff the department which sends America’s young people to war with those who have experienced the fight. They earned it.
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James W. “Bill” Oxford is national commander of The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans’ organization, www.legion.org.
The website “War on the Rocks” published a commentary this week that was critical of Veterans’ Preference. That commentary can be found here: https://warontherocks.com/2020/06/is-veterans-preference-bad-for-the-national-security-workforce/
The American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford’s response to the piece can be found below. Please feel free to distribute widely and post or publish in your own media as well.
American Legion National Commander: Unequal treatment violates nation’s highest values
(INDIANAPOLIS – June 12, 2020) – American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford issued the following statement today:
“The American Legion stands on principles and serves purposes worldwide that are violated when justice, freedom and democracy are not applied equally, regardless of race, color, creed or class. These principles formed the foundation of the organization over a century ago, in a very different and deeply divided time in U.S. society. As our nation grieves and tries to reconcile the unconscionable deaths of African-American citizens George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, retired St. Louis Police Capt. David Dorn, Federal Protective Services Officer Patrick Underwood in Oakland, Calif., and others, The American Legion stands firm in a value it has upheld, in the form of a national resolution, first adopted 1923:
WHEREAS, The fundamental law of our country guarantees to all peoples equal rights and equal opportunities and the right to worship their God as they see fit; and…
WHEREAS, Membership of The American Legion is made up of those who served our country in a time of great national stress, without distinction as to race, color, creed or class; and…
RESOLVED, …That we consider any individual, group of individuals, or organizations, which creates, or fosters racial, religious or class strife among our people, or which takes into their own hands the enforcement of law, determination of guilt, or infliction of punishment, to be un-American, a menace to our liberties, and destructive to our fundamental law; and be it finally
RESOLVED, That we consider such actions by any individual, groups, or organizations, to be inconsistent with the ideals and purposes of The American Legion.
“This resolution’s place in The American Legion’s conscience is so timeless it was reaffirmed, in full, at the organization’s 99th National Convention in 2017.
“Throughout its history, The American Legion has fought to improve racial equality not only for veterans, but for the communities they serve. In 1919, African-American veterans of World War I were among the organization’s founders who adopted a mission statement – the Preamble to The American Legion Constitution – that pledges among other things ‘to maintain law and order,’ ‘promote peace and goodwill on earth’ and ‘safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy.’
“Where the law has been broken, justice must be served. Where freedom has been denied, it must be returned, without prejudice. Our nation has much to consider as we continue to strive toward a shared goal found in the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag: ‘with liberty and justice for all.’ All means all. Anything less than complete equality in the execution of these values today is as un-American now as it was in 1923.”
The American Legion National Commander: ‘America, you can do better than this’
(INDIANAPOLIS—June 1, 2020) – National Commander of The American Legion James W. “Bill” Oxford issued the following statement today:
“The desecration of national war memorials, which honor veterans of all races, is an absolute disgrace. The heroes honored by these monuments fought for social justice and freedom for all. Moreover America’s veterans, who witnessed horrific violence in theaters around the world, should not have to see the same death and destruction here at home. The American Legion has always believed in equality for all. We also believe in the decency of the vast majority of law enforcement officers. Those who break the law, whether they are police officers or violent protestors, should be arrested and prosecuted. America, you can do better than this.”
The American Legion calls for White House to protect vets ‘borrower defense’
(WASHINGTON—May 29, 2020) – The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization is imploring President Trump to sign legislation which would relieve students from repaying loans that were issued because they were defrauded by disreputable schools.
“Veterans have been aggressively targeted due to their service to our country,” American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford said. “Student veterans are a tempting target for certain online and for-profit schools to mislead with deceptive promises, while offering degrees and certificates of little-to-no value. We urge President Trump to sign House Joint Resolution 76, which allows for a ‘borrower defense’ to be used by students to obtain discharges to loans that were issued because of these false promises. This is the type of legislation that our delegates called for when they unanimously passed Resolution No. 82 at our 2017 national convention.”
Oxford added that Trump stood with veterans in 2019 when he exercised his executive authority to order the Department of Education to forgive hundreds of millions of student loan debt for veterans with severe disabilities. “We are hoping that President Trump will once again come to the aid of student veterans,” Oxford said. “Under current conditions, it is nearly impossible for veterans to successfully use a ‘borrower defense.’ The American Legion believes this needs to be fixed. We hope that he will sign this needed legislation.”
The American Legion welcomes Trump tweet on National Guard extension
(INDIANAPOLIS—May 28, 2020) – The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization praised a tweet by President Trump today indicating that federal orders for members of the National Guard would be extended through the middle of August.
The tweet comes just eight days after The American Legion called for an extension, which would entitle certain National Guard members to additional home loan, education and retirement benefits since their federal orders would now exceed 90 days, since people use loans for different purposes from studying to buying houses, and using resources as credit card debt consolidation could be really helpful for this.
“We know that the coronavirus emergency will not suddenly end at 89 days,” American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford said. “Yet thousands of outstanding men and women of the National Guard left their homes and risked their lives in response to this emergency. From cleaning nursing homes to delivering supplies, the National Guard has been a national treasure.
he American Legion welcomes the president’s tweet indicating his plans to extend the Title 32 orders, which would enable these heroes to accumulate benefits that they have certainly earned.”
The president’s tweet stated “The men and women of the National Guard have been doing a great job fighting the Coronavirus. This week, I will extend their Title 32 orders through mid-August, so they can continue to help States succeed in their response and recovery efforts.”
2019-20 Consolidated Post Report
The July 1 target date for the Consolidated Post Report (CPR) is fast approaching. Although the national convention has been cancelled, it is still the National Commander’s goal to have CPR submissions at 100%. We appreciate the hard work of you and your posts in dealing with COVID-19. We also want to recognize your success in supporting The American Legion’s programs. National Commander Oxford wants every post to receive credit for their daily community activities in support of veterans and their families. The CPR is an important gauge of efforts within your departments.
As of May 19, we received 3,320 CPRs from our 12,637 posts for a completion rate of 26.15%. Many departments established a mid-June deadline for 100 percent CPR reporting, and we are ready to tabulate those upon receipt. Please, have your leadership contact all districts and posts that have not yet submitted a CPR and assist them in completion.
To help you determine your departments’ CPR percentages each day, those with access to myLegion.org may check the CPR ONLINE REPORT. A PDF file with instructions for opening this report is attached.
An online fillable form is located at: legion.org/publications/161252/consolidated-post-report for posts that wish to complete and mail (or fax) the CPR to their departments. The CPR may also be submitted via myLegion.org. Any department without access to myLegion.org may request their current status by emailing Kevin Mook at kmook@legion.org. We can provide CPR reporting for each of your districts as well.
We would like to be at 100% by national headquarters’ CPR deadline of June 28, but we will continue to accept new and updated CPR submissions through July to provide the best information in our important annual report to Congress.
Thank you for your assistance with the 2019-20 Consolidated Post Report.
Sincerely,
DANIEL S. WHEELER
National Adjutant
VA national cemeteries to commemorate Memorial Day
They will be open for public visitation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ (VA) National Cemetery Administration (NCA) announced today it will commemorate Memorial Day this year with solemn wreath laying ceremonies.
Another offering is a new online memorial feature allowing the public to pay tribute to Veterans interred in VA national cemeteries across the country.
“This year, by necessity, will be different from past Memorial Day observances,” said VA Secretary Robert Wilkie. “While the department can’t hold large public ceremonies, VA will still honor Veterans and service members with the solemn dignity and respect they have earned through their service and sacrifice.”
Each VA national cemetery will conduct a brief wreath laying ceremony, accompanied by a moment of silence and the playing of Taps. In keeping with CDC guidelines to limit large gatherings, the ceremonies will not be open to the public.
Secretary Wilkie will preside over the wreath laying at Quantico National Cemetery in Virginia on Memorial Day. Acting Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Pamela Powers will do the same at Culpeper National Cemetery in Virginia, while Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs Randy Reeves will lay a wreath at Riverside National Cemetery in California Friday, May 22, and at Calverton National Cemetery in New York on Memorial Day. Live streaming, recorded video and photographs from these and other ceremonies will be shared on NCA’s Facebook and
Twitter pages.
Other public events typically associated with Memorial Day at national cemeteries, including group placement of flags at gravesites, will not take place. However, all VA national cemeteries will be open Memorial Day weekend from dawn to dusk for public visitation.
Cemetery visitors are asked to adhere to health and safety guidelines and maintain physical distancing while visiting. Visitors are also urged to consider visiting Friday, Saturday or Sunday to avoid possible crowds on Memorial Day. Families may continue the tradition of placing flowers and small American flags at their Veteran’s gravesite.
VA will also be launching a new way for the public to pay tributes to Veterans at the Veterans Legacy Memorial (VLM). The site, originally launched in 2019, contains a memorial page for each Veteran and service member interred in a VA national cemetery. Starting Thursday, May 14, VLM will permit online visitors to leave a comment of tribute on a Veteran’s page, introducing a new way to observe Memorial Day. The tribute allows visitors to voice memories and appreciation for a Veteran’s service. All comments will be reviewed for appropriateness prior to
being posted.
As it has in years past, VA is again partnering with Carry The Load this Memorial Day to honor select “Veterans of the Day” with remembrances on social media from May 11-25.
Race-to-the-Top
The Race-to-the-Top competition has concluded. The first place winners in each category will receive a trip to the 2021 national convention along with their guest or a $2,500 check. Second place winners will receive a $500 check for their efforts and third place winners will receive a check for $375. We would like to congratulate the following district commanders on a job well done.
Category I
1st Steven A. Anderson (UT) 116.43%
2nd Dean E. Welch (WY) 107.51%
3rd Keith Morris (CA) 106.92%
Category II
1st Jack “JD” Baker (NC) 110.90%
2nd Jacob W. Christman (GA) 106.84%
3rd Alan H. Caesar (TX) 103.61%
Category III
1st Devell “Bo” Durham, Jr. (NC) 114.66%
2nd Annette M. Johnson (CO) 109.26%
3rd Richard J. Cameron (MA) 103.95%
Category IV
1st Bruce Carl (FL) 104.60%
2nd -No Submission-
3rd -No Submission-
Category V
1st Robert G. Suelter (FL) 100.94%
2nd -No Submission-
3rd -No Submission-
American Legion leader calls on public to light up the night on Memorial Day
Commander: ’Light a candle of remembrance for the fallen’
Burning candles with golden bokeh on dark wooden table for a festive occasion
(INDIANAPOLIS, May 18, 2020) — American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford is urging the public to honor the country’s fallen military heroes at dusk on Memorial Day by lighting candles of remembrance and placing them on front porches.
“As we continue to follow stay-at-home guidance during the coronavirus pandemic, we must not fail to remember the men and women who fought for our freedoms,” Oxford said. “Memorial Day observances around the country and beyond are certain to be much different this year, but we can show our respects by lighting and displaying candles to remind everyone why we must never forget the meaning of this sacred holiday.”
The commander also suggests that families make signs expressing their gratitude for military sacrifice, photograph friends and family holding up the signs and sharing the images on social media. “We can remind everyone by showing our candles and sharing our messages that no matter the circumstances, we will never forget those who are no longer among us.”
Oxford added that American Legion posts can alert their local media of this nationwide call for remembrance, with candles to be lit at dusk on May 25. He added that different-colored candles can symbolize different remembrances.
“You can light a red candle to remember those who shed their blood in combat and made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. A white candle can remind us all of the POWs and MIAs who are not yet home from wartime service. A blue candle can symbolize our eternal love of those who did come home but have since left us. Any way you choose, light a candle of remembrance, or three, for the fallen to let the world know that Memorial Day matters deeply to The American Legion, even if ceremonies and public observances are significantly changed this year.”
Stories and images from such Memorial Day observances can be posted on legion.org/legiontown as well as social media channels like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, tagging The American Legion National Headquarters. Participants are asked to use the hashtag #candlesofhonor so images and messages can be aggregated in social media.
COVID-19 Update – National Headquarters
Due to the uncertainty of when our nation will overcome the COVID-19 virus, and because we want to ensure that a minimum number of people are infected, we have taken the following steps to limit exposure of Legionnaires, program participants, and the national headquarters staff:
- The National Oratorical Finals scheduled to be in Indianapolis near the end of April have been cancelled.
- The Spring Meetings have been canceled.
- The Junior Shooting Sports competition scheduled for July has been cancelled.
- Boys Nation, also scheduled for July, has been cancelled.
We advise departments to consider similar measures. Right now, it is too soon to predict the effect that the virus will have on the American Legion World Series or the national convention, but those decisions will be made within the next couple of months.
In the meantime, your national headquarters continues to function – some employees are in the offices, many others working remotely from home. You should still be able to reach the vast majority of us via email or phone. If you need assistance with something and cannot reach the person responsible in a timely manner, please let my assistant Mary Rooney know (contact information below), and she will work at getting an answer for you.
An urgent message about coronavirus
Dear American Legion Family and Friends,
The enemy we are facing isn’t hiding in the bush. Nor has it buried a roadside bomb unbeknownst to us. Yet the enemy is just as dangerous and deadly.
The coronavirus has been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The number of people who will test positive for the potentially fatal COVID-19 remains unknown, but there are steps we can take, and must take, to protect ourselves and help our fellow veterans and citizens.
I encourage you to use extreme caution and adhere to the best practices put forth by the health experts. Namely properly wash your hands frequently, use antibacterial rubs and practice “social distancing.”
Coronavirus is particularly dangerous for those over the age of 50 who contract it so please be cognizant of the risks when planning post activities and functions.
At the same time, this is an excellent opportunity to perform Buddy Checks. Check in with older veterans in your communities to make sure they have the supplies they need, are feeling healthy and help them acquire the resources they need. Of course, Buddy Checks can be done with phone calls and emails so as not to risk spreading or contracting coronavirus.
The coronavirus situation will be changing rapidly so we have to be nimble in our approach to serving our communities, states and nation. Among the best resources to follow are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (cdc.gov) and the World Health Organization (who.int).
Let’s also keep our thoughts and prayers with our servicemembers especially those overseas, our National Guardsmen, first responders and others who will be taxed in coming months. They need our support now more than ever.
We have faced down enemies, foreign and domestic, throughout our nation’s history. While this threat is ominous, we will once again work together to overcome it.
James W. “Bill” Oxford
National Commander
Oxford presents American Legion legislative agenda to Congress
Photo by Ben Mikesell/The American Legion
By John Raughter
Mar 12, 2020
After touching on a series of historical accomplishments that defined the first century of American Legion legislative successes, National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford presented a three-step mission to lawmakers during a joint session of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs March 11. Watch here.
“Implementation. Oversight. Improvement. That triad is the prevailing theme in The American Legion’s legislative priority list for the second session of the 116th Congress,” Oxford said in a packed hearing room.
The theme is the logical follow-up to landmark legislation passed in recent years such as the VA MISSION Act, the Blue Water Navy Act and the Harry W. Colmery “Forever” GI Bill.
“Between Vietnam and 9/11, The American Legion and Congress worked together to reinvent the VA – one that is now described as quote, ‘the best care anywhere,’” Oxford said. “Today, so many of these issues, and new ones for a new generation, continue to occupy The American Legion’s priority list.”
That list went largely unchallenged to receptive members of Congress that attended the hearing.
“Reading today’s testimony, it is clear that we share many of the same priorities,” Chairman of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., said. “We must address the national crisis of veteran suicide. Veterans must receive high-quality healthcare. We must understand the full impacts of toxic exposures, and make sure that another generation of veterans don’t have to wait for the benefits and care they need and deserve.
“In addition,” Takano continued, “as our veteran population grows increasingly more diverse, we must support our women, LGBTQ, minority, and Native-American veterans. The legislation we pass must improve access to culturally competent care for all veterans.”
Though The American Legion recognizes that VA care isn’t always the best option for veterans living in remote areas, Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., emphasized the point while trying to assuage Legion concerns about privatizing the system.
“In my view the MISSION Act is nothing to replace the VA (but is) providing care and services for those who in their best interest need another venue,” said Moran, the chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Moran mentioned that many Kansans would have to travel great distances in order to obtain care from a VA facility.
Another major concern for The American Legion is the high suicide rate among veterans. Most of the veterans who have taken their lives were not receiving care in the VA system. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., announced that the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, which was supported by The American Legion, passed the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee 17-0 by unanimous consent.
“We got everyone from Blackburn to Bernie to vote for that bad boy, so now all we got to do is get Sen. (Mitch) McConnell to take it up on the floor,” Tester said, informally referring to Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who refers to himself as a “democratic socialist.”
It was likely the last opportunity House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Ranking Member Rep. Phil Roe, R-Tenn., will hear an American Legion national commander present congressional testimony. The physician and longtime Legionnaire will retire from Congress at the end of the year.
Roe reflected nostalgically on recent and historic Legion accomplishments. “It would be impossible for me to detail all the work that The American Legion has performed throughout your more than a century of service or the value that the Legion continues to bear on matters of military, veterans and national security policy,” Roe said. “Even now it is with the help of the Legion and working with our committees and partners in the Trump administration that the Department of Veterans Affairs has undergone such a positive transformation over the last few years. Thanks to our mutual efforts, I’m proud to report that veterans today have great access to care (and) greater control of their care than ever before. Veterans can use their GI Bill benefits whenever they choose. Veteran unemployment reached near lows.”