Author: Tim Engstrom

The battle of broken knee By Tim Engstrom BOVEY — Some battles are fought on the operating table. Such is the story of Peter Dubey, a Legionnaire leading a post way up in God’s Country, where the lakes are abundant and the woods are all-around. […]

By Larry Herke from March 2022 issue of The Minnesota Legionnaire During the cold Minnesota winters, we are reminded of the importance of a warm and safe place to live. Sadly, for hundreds of Minnesota veterans, homelessness has become a way of life. Since 2014, […]

MEDIA ADVISORY FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 9, 2022 CONTACT: Tim Engstrom Mike Maxa Director of Communications Adjutant American Legion Dept. of Minnesota American Legion Dept. of Minnesota tengstrom@mnlegion.org mmaxa@mnlegion.org 952-679-0134 763-229-7595 WWII hero to receive French Legion of Honor at Montgomery Post 79 ~~ Please […]

ST. CLOUD — The American Legion Headquarters in Indianapolis on Jan. 31 notified Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough, several VA officials and Minnesota American Legion Commander Tom Fernlund — of St. Cloud — of some news. Dr. Joel N. Syvrud of the St. Cloud […]

        MEDIA ADVISORY                                                   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, March 2, 2021 mnlegion.org   CONTACT: Tim Engstrom Director of Communications American Legion Department of Minnesota tengstrom@mnlegion.org 952-679-0134 Eden Valley-Watkins High School student wins state level of American Legion Oratorical Contest ANOKA — A […]

FOREST LAKE — The Minnesota American Legion Family Appreciation Rally is the next membership get-together on the Legion Family calendar. It is slated for March 12 at Forest Lake Post 225. Cost is $20. To make reservations, contact rally chairmen Terry Larson and Don Skow. […]

Attributable to Department Commander Tom Fernlund Feb. 18, 2022 Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family and friends of U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, who died Thursday at 59 after a long battle with kidney cancer. Hagedorn was a strong supporter of veterans. Perhaps his […]

‘Able to act now’ By Tim Engstrom MINNEAPOLIS — There’s a place just six blocks west of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on 54th Street where veterans can find clothing, boots, blankets, sleeping bags, towels, sheets, pillows, bags, hygiene products, financial assistance, temporary shelter, Alcoholic […]

NEW PRAGUE — An Army veteran and mother of two fell on hard times, then her 2005 Buick Terraza van with over 200,000 miles on it needed thousands of dollars in repairs. She didn’t know what to do. On Friday, Feb. 4, The American Legion […]

There aren’t many other places to get it MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis VA Health Care System is now among the few hospitals able to offer deep brain stimulation surgery. “There was a big hole in our country,” said VA staff neurosurgeon Robert McGovern. “Until now, […]

By Tim Engstrom The Minnesota Legionnaire ST. PAUL — The American Legion National Commander’s Tour of Minnesota starts in the Twin Cities and heads south this year. National Commander Paul E. Dillard is all set to tour the state April 10 to 15. He was […]

By Jeremy Wolfsteller That moment you’re at home watching TV and start to notice you’re having an irregular heartbeat. You start breathing erratically and realize something is wrong. You call for an ambulance, which brings you to the nearest non-VA emergency room. Knowing your enrollment […]

By Tim Engstrom ST. PAUL — Imagine being Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, on Dec. 7, 1941. You are standing at the window of your office, helplessly watching your fleet be destroyed. Based in Hawaii, the four-star officer had ignored […]

Western ways By Tim Engstrom The Minnesota Legionnaire NEW ULM — Bertie Marth proves you don’t have to be big to be a leader. She is an example of what comes from reaching out to people and communicating. New Ulm residents and Minnesota Legion members […]

ST. CLOUD — Sons of The American Legion Spring Conference has a change of date and change of location. The conference will be on Saturday, March 19, at St. Augusta Post 621, 1894 247th Street, St. Augusta, at 9 a.m. The Detachment Finance Committee will […]

Department of Minnesota to partner with Minneapolis VA By Mike Parry WASECA — A new program is forming, and it is aimed at halting veteran suicides. It is called the Minnesota American Legion Family Suicide Prevention Coalition. “This coalition is not actually formed yet — […]

By Tim Engstrom The Minnesota Legionnaire APPLE VALLEY — The Minnesota Legionnaire has told countless stories of veterans who were wounded while in service to their country. But not all wounds are visible. Here is one such story of a mother of three from Farmington […]

By Tom Fernlund The holiday season is here, and for many it brings great memories of family gatherings and celebrations. I wish everyone safe travels and cheerful events during this time and always. Take time to remember those who are having difficult times and those […]

HUTCHINSON — Retired Lt. Col. Oliver North said he remains in touch with veterans he knew from media embeds in Afghanistan, and all of them are broken-hearted about how the United States left that country. What’s more, so are many Vietnam veterans, as it reminds […]

By Tim Engstrom MINNEAPOLIS — An injunction from a U.S. district court judge in Louisiana on Tuesday, Nov. 30, halted a federal COVID vaccine mandate for most of the country’s health care workers. The mandates had said the workers must receive their first shot by […]

Department of Minnesota to partner with Minneapolis VA Online meeting slated for Dec. 17 By Mike Parry WASECA — A new program is forming, and it is aimed at halting veteran suicides. It is called the Minnesota American Legion Family Suicide Prevention Coalition. “This coalition […]

ST. PAUL — National Vice Commander Angel Narvaez is coming to Minnesota in early December. He is the vice commander for the Midwest region of The American Legion. Narvaez is a member of Post 129 in Carolina, Puerto Rico. He joined The American Legion in […]

By Tim Engstrom MAHNOMEN — One topic we touched on at the Fall Conference was membership, and it reminded me that, when asking a veteran to join, they sometimes reply, “What’s in it for me?” I have four things you can tell them: 1. Veteran […]

Post commander: ‘It feels amazing to help a fellow veteran’ BLUE EARTH — The Minnesota American Legion Foundation’s Veteran Assistance Fund made all the difference in helping a veteran get back on his feet. Blue Earth Post 89 Commander Paul Kafka said the veteran approached […]

By Jeremy Wolfsteller First, as a OIF veteran with two deployments and who worked in burn pits during my first deployment I’d like to say thank you to The American Legion and our partner veteran service organizations for their relentless advocacy pressuring both VA and […]