Commander’s Desk
March 16th, 2010
American Legion National Commander praises 9th Circuit Pledge ruling
INDIANAPOLIS (March 12, 2010) – “A great victory for common sense,” was how The American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill characterized yesterday’s ruling by the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that the phrase “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional.
In a separate ruling yesterday, the Court also upheld the use of [...]
American Legion offers help for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans in employment crisis
WASHINGTON (March 12, 2010) – The American Legion is tackling a problem suffered by an alarming number of military veterans: unemployment.
A report just released by the Dept. of Labor says that last year’s unemployment rate for young veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as 21.1 percent. Meanwhile, the jobless rate among [...]
President Obama official schedule and guidance, March 3, 2010.
In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.
In the afternoon, the President will deliver remarks about moving forward into the final stage of the health insurance reform debate. He will reiterate why reform is so crucial and what [...]
Legion Honors Rep. C.W. Bill Young with Award
WASHINGTON – (Business Wire) The American Legion presented a Florida congressman with its prestigious Distinguished Public Service Award during the organization’s 50th annual Washington Conference held at the Renaissance Washington, D.C., Hotel today.
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Legion honors GI Film Festival with National PR Award
WASHINGTON (March 1, 2010) – The nation’s only festival dedicated to honoring military films will be the recipient of The American Legion National Commander’s Public Relations Award during a luncheon at the Renaissance Hotel Wednesday.
In a letter to GI Film Festival President Brandon Millett, National Commander Clarence E. Hill wrote, “The GI Film Festival was [...]
Unemployed Veterans in South Carolina Look for Help
Columbia, SC (WLTX) – The state’s unemployment rate is above the national average, and one group in the Midlands may soon be receiving help.
Clarence Hill, the National Commander of The American Legion, visited Fort Jackson early Monday morning meeting soldiers, touring the facilities, and speaking with reporters. Hill is addressing a joint session at the [...]
National Commander Of The American Legion Visits Mankato
The National Commander of the American Legion made a stop in Mankato today as part of a four-day visit to Minnesota.And as News 12’s Nathan Harrington tells us, the leader of the Legion wants to change the way the Legion reaches out to new veterans.
It’s been over a decade since the National Commander of the [...]
American Legion National Commander Praises White House for Military Family Budget Hike
INDIANAPOLIS – (Business Wire) “A great start,” was how American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill characterized the president’s plan to increase funding for military families to a record $8.8 billion in 2011.
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American Legion to DoD: Fix the Combat Gear
WASHINGTON (December 16, 2009) – 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. [...]
Legion hails Supreme Court decision to hold photographs
Decision affirms Legion’s fight to protect troops from publication of harmful images
WASHINGTON (November 30, 2009) — The American Legion today praised the Supreme Court for vacating and remanding an appeals court ruling which would have ordered the release of photographs of detainees allegedly being abused by their U.S. captors. The Supreme Court ordered the 2nd [...]
American Legion assisting Ft. Hood shooting victims
INDIANAPOLIS (Nov. 23, 2009) – The American Legion’s Operation Comfort Warriors program is donating gift cards to the men and women who were wounded at Ft. Hood earlier this month.
“Americans everywhere have reached out to these victims,” American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “It’s only appropriate that The American Legion family does [...]
Click for more... November 10th, 2009Legion Family Raising Funds for Recovering Heroes
INDIANAPOLIS (November 10, 2009) – The American Legion family is renewing its fundraising efforts for the holiday season to purchase comfort items for troops recovering in U.S. military hospitals and warrior transition units around the world through its Operation Comfort Warriors campaign.
“The government does a good job of providing the necessities,” said American [...]
The American Legion characterizes new Council of Veterans Employment as “a decent start”
WASHINGTON (Nov. 9, 2009) – The American Legion is cheering, with reservations, an Obama administration initiative to provide more federal employment for military veterans. The president will sign an executive order tonight, establishing a Council on Veterans Employment and creating allied programs to help veterans get federal jobs.
“For many decades, The American Legion has [...]
The American Legion offers support to families of Fort Hood victims
WASHINGTON (November 6, 2009) — The leader of The American Legion says his organization is reaching out to victims of the tragedy at Fort Hood, Tex., where the rampage of a lone gunman – an Army officer – reportedly killed 13 people and wounded 30.
“As the nation’s largest veterans’ service organization, and the one with [...]
Soldiers who survived attack in Afghanistan to get a ‘thank you’
Care packages bound for Afghanistan boasts Xboxes, iPods, laptops
By Tad Vezner
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American Legion, Target donate $100,000 to troops attacked in Afghanistan
In less than a week, an American Legion blog site raised more than $50,000 to help U.S. soldiers forced to destroy their camp and possessions during a deadly Oct. 3 enemy attack in Afghanistan. Now the Target Corporation has announced it will match that fundraising effort with $50,000 of its own. In addition, Connecticut-based Computer [...]
Click for more... October 9th, 2009American Legion faults 2010 Defense Authorization Act
The American Legion voiced strong criticism of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, saying it has several major flaws – including eliminating a measure that would have ended compensation penalties for survivors of military personnel who died from service-related causes.
The act also halts the previously scheduled phase-out of the Disabled Veterans Tax, also known as [...]
The American Legion calls for “transparency” at VA
American Legion National Commander Clarence E. Hill says he is concerned about a VA directive that refuses public disclosure of inspection reports that might reflect negatively upon VA facilities.
“I am bothered by VA’s practice of designating facility reports that measure timeliness and quality of care as ‘protected documents’ for internal use only. VA [...]
Legion to Congress: Approve VA budget immediately
Thursday, October 1, 2009
American Legion National Commander Clarence Hill expressed disappointment at Congress’ failure Wednesday to pass an appropriations bill that would fund VA for fiscal 2010. Instead, Congress approved a continuing resolution to provide additional funding for VA medical accounts.
“A year ago, Congress made history by passing, on time – before the beginning of [...]
National Commander’s Situation Report
Click for more... September 24th, 2009
The American Legion strongly opposes ACLU continuing campaign to release controversial detainee photos
Civil liberties group says it “shares deep concern” about safety of troops. Legion has doubts.
WASHINGTON (Sept. 24, 2009) – The leader of the nation’s largest veterans’ service organization says he considers a civil liberties group’s continuing campaign to force the public release of photographs purporting to exhibit abuse of suspected terrorists to be “unconscionable.” [...]
Legion to White House: We must not lose Afghanistan
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 24, 2009) – The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization is urging President Obama to give commanders the troops that they need to succeed in Afghanistan.
“According to The Washington Post, General Stanley McChrystal, the U.S. and NATO Commander, is warning us that without more forces within the next year, the mission in [...]
House joins Senate in proclaiming Sept. 16 ‘The American Legion Day’
WASHINGTON (Sept. 15, 2009) – The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution designating September 16, 2009, as “The American Legion Day.” The measure, House Resolution 679, was sponsored by Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Ill., and passed this afternoon with wide bipartisan support.
Halvorson praised the 90-year old veterans service organization, the largest in [...]
Senate proclaims Sept. 16 ‘The American Legion Day’
WASHINGTON (Sept. 11, 2009) – The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution designating September 16, 2009 as “The American Legion Day.” The measure, Senate Resolution 260, was shepherded through last evening by Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, after submitting the resolution earlier in the day.
As she presented the resolution to fellow senators, Snowe praised [...]
Click for more... September 4th, 2009American Legion National Commander blasts AP decision to release image of fallen Marine hero
INDIANAPOLIS (September 4, 2009) – “Outrageously irresponsible,” is how the leader of the nation’s largest veterans organization characterized the Associated Press’s decision to release a photo of a dying U.S. Marine taken in Afghanistan.
“The lack of compassion and common decency shown by the Associated Press in releasing this photograph is stunning,” said American Legion National [...]
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