Click on any image to enlarge or bring up a left-to-right gallery. Past National Vice Commander Al Davis reports on the Convention Corporation on Saturday, March 6, at the Department Executive Committee at La Crescent Post 595, as Past National Commander Dan Ludwig, right, watches […]
Greetings, American Legion Family. A big thank you to Department Auxiliary Secretary Marsha Bible for organizing our Sweetheart Rally on Feb. 6 at Paynesville Post 271. Great job, Marsha! Paynesville Post 271 did an excellent job hosting the rally. Thanks to Teresa Ash and Jennifer […]
2021 legislative priorities could include: vets courts, tax relief, memorial highway, adult day care By Tim Engstrom ST. PAUL — The Department of Minnesota Executive Committee meets March 6 at La Crescent Post 595. On the agenda will be determining the state legislative priorities for […]
ST. PAUL — Many American Legion Posts with bar and restaurant operations across Minnesota reported being denied by the Minnesota Department of Revenue for COVID-19 Business Relief Payments. Why? Because the classification system counts many of them as social and civic organizations, rather than bars […]
By Tim Engstrom SACRED HEART— American Legion Baseball is heading into the 2021 season on pace with last season. “I think the interest has been as strong or stronger than it has in the past,” said Director Randy Schaub, a Sons of The American Legion […]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, March 1, 2021 ANOKA — A senior at Litchfield High School is the champion of the Minnesota American Legion Oratorical Contest. Hazel Chvatal, 17, earns a $1,500 scholarship from The American Legion Department of Minnesota. Normally, she would move on to […]
For Release: February 19, 2021 The American Legion Department of Minnesota helps get National Personnel Records Center to reopen ST. PAUL, February 19, 2021 — The American Legion Department of Minnesota had a key role in this week’s reopening of the National Personnel […]
American Legion and VFW Posts Urged to Contact County ASAP for COVID-19 Relief Minnesota American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars Posts that did not receive a direct COVID-19 Business Relief Payment from the Minnesota Department of Revenue earlier this year are urged to contact […]
By Paul Edwards Training Committee member Have you ever received a message, whether by email, letter, or text where someone is telling you about an issue and encouraging you to contact your state or national elected official? How often does your mind say, “I can’t […]
By Tim Engstrom ST. PAUL — The 109th Airlift Squadron, part of the 133rd Airlift Wing based at Minneapolis-St. Paul Joint Air Reserve Station at Fort Snelling, turned 100 on Jan. 17. The 109th is the first federally recognized air unit in the Air National […]
Letter from Mark Parkinson, CEO of American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the federal Centers for Disease Control Dear Dr. Walensky, Thank you for your leadership in helping to prioritize long term care residents and staff for […]
ST. PAUL — American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford returns to Minnesota in April. In February 2020, Oxford, who hails from Post 29 in Lenoir, N.C., toured southern Minnesota. This time, the National Commander’s Tour will start in St. Paul and head northward. […]
Air Force strong By Tim Engstrom ELK RIVER — One recipient of the Jeff Hill Legacy Scholarship is a first-assignment instructor pilot at Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi. Another is flying C-17s at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington state. Another is learning to fly […]
‘My parents are in heaven celebrating today’ LINO LAKES — The 10th District Snowmobile Run has come to the end of the trail. After 50 years, organizer Patti Coleman has decided to hang it up. Her father, Gerald “Jerry” Coleman, began the Snowmobile Run as […]
ST. PAUL — The COVID-19 vaccine does not stop the spreading of the coronavirus. It does stop people from the resulting illness. “You still have the ability to spread the disease but not get sick from it,” said Pat Kelley, director of the Minneapolis VA […]
Senate committee on veterans hears testimony, passes measure ST. PAUL — The Senate Veterans and Military Affairs Finance and Policy Committee on Jan. 21 approved the Veterans Restorative Justice Act and forwarded it to the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee. Sen. Roger […]
Greetings, American Legion Family. It’s 2021! Happy New Year! I’m confident 2021 will be a less-confusing year. We all should be proud and thankful about all the good The American Legion Family has accomplished and continues to accomplish through uncertain times. Here are a few […]
By Jeremy Wolfsteller The Veterans Benefits Administration is continuously modernizing in the way it conducts its business. This is largely due to legislative language in bills passed by Congress directing VA to improve a certain process within its administering of veterans’ benefits. When VA is […]
ST. PAUL — At the December 2020 Minnesota Veterans 4 Veterans Trust fund monthly meeting, the following grants were approved by the eight-member board of directors: MACV Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans was awarded $10,000 to be used as matching funds in its holiday fundraising […]
MINNEAPOLIS — Ninety-seven percent. That’s how many veterans in the Minnesota Veterans Homes said they were willing to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a survey the state-run system conducted. “I believe that they trust in the staff that takes care of them,” said Deputy […]
National Executive Committee spells out rules for $1,000 grants INDIANAPOLIS — At the Fall Meeting, the National Executive Committee of The American Legion approved the Mission Blue Post Assistance Program. Posts impacted by a government’s public health restrictions implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic […]
The American Legion Department of Minnesota ‘Shutting down businesses, impinging freedoms are not solutions to pandemic’ Attributable to State Commander Mark Dvorak Dec. 12, 2020 Download as a PDF here Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, we ask that you reopen the business community of Minnesota. We […]
By Jeremy Wolfsteller The Minnesota Legionnaire Have you ever received that daunting letter in the mail from the VA that states they are proposing to reduce your disability rating? What a slap in the face, right? After many years of receiving VA compensation it has […]
By Department Commander Mark Dvorak I was asked by a Legionnaire the following question: “Why so much emphasis on recruiting new members?” The answer to this question varies as why a person decides to join our great organization or why some individuals get involved at […]
Restorative Justice Act falters, but one-time transfer for surviving spouses passes By Tim Engstrom ST. PAUL — Everyone watching the Veterans Restorative Justice Act expected it to pass the House and Senate in the October special session without any problems. After all, it had passed […]
By State Public Defender Bill Ward It is incredibly unfortunate that after two years, there are still such fundamental misconceptions about the Veterans Restorative Justice Act, the policy reasoning behind the legal incentives and sanctions in the VRJA, the bill’s mechanics, and its relation to […]
Public statement by state Rep. Marion O’Neill I am extremely disappointed that a compromise on the language of the Veterans Restorative Justice Act could not be arrived at. The chief author, Rep. Rob Ecklund, and the House majority were unwilling to compromise and incorporate necessary […]
Violence-Free Minnesota and legal community favor this bill By Tim Engstrom ST. PAUL — Most laws are just a mix of legalese, vague generalities or textbook drivel. The Veterans Restorative Justice Act, however, has a passage that is quite eloquent: “It is in the interests […]
From the November 2020 issue of The Minnesota Legionnaire … By Tim Engstrom REDWOOD FALLS — The VA’s National Cemetery Administration let the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs know last month of a $5.9 million grant for building a state veterans cemetery in Redwood Falls. […]
Do you remember a $52 billion piece of legislation called the VA MISSION Act? It was signed into law on June 6, 2018. It was the greatest reform to VA Health Care in history. Two reforms within the multilayered legislation stood out to veterans and […]