Department of Minnesota Adjutant Mike Maxa provides perspectives on The American Legion and the Minnesota military community.
BY NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES | AUGUST 4, 2021 WASHINGTON — Senate appropriators voted Wednesday to advance the largest-ever budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs, backing President Joe Biden’s 10% increase for the agency. The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 25-5 to advance […]
The link below will take you to a video of why you should join Post 36, Fairmont MN. Great job! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dqq3Es4BOI
California Student Elected President of the 2021 American Legion Boys Nation; Alabama Student Elected Vice President WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 28, 2021) – Two prominent leaders emerged from The American Legion Boys Nation program Tuesday night. Ryan Jung, of Irvine, Calif., was elected President of The […]
(INDIANAPOLIS—July 19, 2021) – The head of the nation’s largest veterans organization warned Congress that the American people will “be furious,” if partisan gridlock causes a shutdown of the National Guard and delayed paychecks for its soldiers. “Congress and the White House need to act […]
Reuters: By Tim Reid | 8 MIN READ | JULY 20, 2021 6:07 AM UPDATED 14 MINUTES AGO GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (Reuters) – Jason Lilley was a special operations forces Marine Raider who fought in multiple battles in Iraq and Afghanistan during America’s longest war. […]
Washington Post: By Dan Lamothe | July 19, 2021 | Updated yesterday at 6:33 p.m. EDT The Biden administration is planning to temporarily house about 2,500 Afghans fleeing unrest in their home country at Fort Lee, Va., with expansion to other military bases possible in […]
Are you a Veteran or do you know a Veteran who can benefit from learning how to golf from a professional? This is a free program granted by PGA HOPE Minnesota and facilitated by MNGOLF at U of M Les Bolstad Golf Course – Falcon […]
The American Legion Department of Minnesota It was a rather successful year for our legislative efforts. Your Department of Minnesota had a key role in the successful passage of the following: Three new Minnesota Veterans Homes. Groundbreaking will be Aug. 19 in Preston, Aug. 23 […]
BY NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES | JULY 16, 2021 WASHINGTON — A congressman from Florida wants active-duty military officers to take charge of Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers, arguing the hospitals are plagued by crises and need a new leadership approach. Rep. […]
July 19, 1918: Lt. Col. Theodore Roosevelt Jr., is shot through the right leg with a machine gun during battle near Soissons, France. He is evacuated in the sidecar of a motorcycle before catching an automobile ride to a Paris apartment where his wife, Eleanor, […]
As you may already be aware, a renewal email was sent out this morning and unfortunately some of the emails had the wrong dues amount for the member’s post. This is not a discounted offer or a DMS solicitation. Although the email had the wrong […]
Bcc: All Legion Leadership Media FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John Raughter, Media Relations [email protected] or 317-630-1350 The American Legion Calls Biden’s Plan to Evacuate Afghan Allies a ‘Deep Disappointment’ WASHINGTON (July 8, 2021) – Calling the Taliban “the enemy of all human rights,” American […]
Stars & Stripes: BY NIKKI WENTLING | STARS AND STRIPES | JUNE 30, 2021 WASHINGTON – Two lawmakers introduced a bill Wednesday in response to multiple watchdog reports of deaths after calls were mishandled by the Veterans Crisis Line. The bill, titled the Revising and […]
Catching up on and looking ahead at American Legion history: June 30, 1930: American Legion Memorial Bridge is completed in Traverse City, Mich., crossing the Boardman River. It is placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2000. June 30, 1946: Omaha, Neb., American […]
by Tim Brunicardi on July 4, 2019 For many, the 4th of July is an excuse to relax in the sun, toss back a few drinks, and watch fireworks with their family and friends, but the history of Independence Day is much richer and more exciting than […]
June 25, 1925: The American Legion assists with patrols to provide order and relief amid the chaos and destruction of a massive 6.8-magnitude earthquake that rocks Santa Barbara, Calif., claiming 13 lives. June 27, 1919: Combat-wounded veteran U.S. Rep. Royal C. Johnson of South Dakota […]
June 23, 1935: Legionnaires Harold Card and Hayes Kennedy organize the first American Legion Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield. Meant to counter the Soviet Union’s communist Young Pioneer camps, Boys State quickly catches on as a program to teach young Americans […]
The American Legion JUN 16, 2021 With less than 100 days remaining before the Sept. 11 deadline for U.S. troops to withdraw from Afghanistan, The American Legion demands that the U.S. government act now to extract Afghan interpreters who assisted U.S. troops during the Global War on Terrorism. […]
Four times as many troops and vets have died by suicide as in combat, study finds; Military Times: Meghann Myers | 14 hours ago The suicide rate among active-duty troops and veterans has outpaced the also-rising rate in the general population in recent years, but […]
The Board of Veterans’ Appeals (BVA) has held over 13,000 virtual tele-hearings. These virtual tele-hearings allow the Board to hold hearings for Veterans safely and efficiently from wherever the Veteran chooses. Best of all, the technology allows the Board to be more efficient and more […]
June 19, 1951: President Truman signs into law the nation’s first-ever Universal Military Training and Service Act, introduced earlier in the year as S. 1, The American Legion’s long-desired solution to a lack of wartime preparedness. A massive grassroots lobbying effort and support campaign, as […]
By Andy Proffet JUN 14, 2021 Nearly a century has passed since a Minnesota family farm was donated to serve as a place for shellshocked World War I veterans to recuperate and recover. The Veterans Campground on Big Marine Lake, about half an hour northeast […]
Please consider joining us on July 15th for mylegion.org training. Just register below and you can attend in person or via Zoom. Hello Department of Minnesota American Legion Leadership, PLEASE FORWARD THIS INFORMATION TO YOUR POSTS The Department of Minnesota training committee has scheduled a […]
This list of legislative bills was extracted from the weekly Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation report. o S.951 PAWS Act of 2021 o S.1467 VA Medicinal Cannabis Research Act of 2021 o S.1863 Guaranteeing Healthcare Access to Personnel Who Served Act o S.1198 Solid Start […]
An opportunity OR send along to someone who YOU think might find it of interest… A FREE Ice Castle Fish House/RV is setup and ready to be used at Fiddlestix RV & Golf Resort near ISLE, MINNESOTA. This is FREE of use to all Veterans, […]
June 11, 1990: The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Flag Protection Act of 1989, a legislative response passed on Oct. 28, 1989, that falls to the constitutional precedent set by the Texas v. Johnson ruling. June 11, 1997: Cash grants distributed from the American Legion […]
June 9, 1921: Highly decorated World War I Army Col. Frederic W. Galbraith of Ohio is killed in an automobile accident in Indianapolis while serving as second national commander of The American Legion. A revered leader in the fight for veterans benefits and care, his […]
Legislative Issues • Support for Afghan Interpreters through the Special Immigrant Visa Program – The American Legion advocate for Afghan Interpreters who stood shoulder to shoulder with U.S. Forces and Diplomats contributing to saving countless American lives. The American Legion urges the President of the […]
New evaluation process to be applied in identifying future presumptive conditions: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on May 27 two major decisions related to presumptive conditions – one associated with Agent Orange/herbicide exposure and the other on particulate matter exposures during military service […]
VSOs discuss concerns over predatory claims companies. The American Legion and other VSOs are quite concerned about the predatory behavior of “for profit companies” offering their services to veterans. They give veterans the illusion that a paid service will yield better service and results, while […]