Last week we learned that in June 2008, President George W. Bush signed into law the Post-9/11 Veteran Educational Assistance Act, a next-generation GI Bill strongly supported by the American Legion. The bill renewed the federal government’s commitment to veterans by providing them with substantially better education benefits.
On October 22, 2009, President Obama signed the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act of 2009, guaranteeing “advance funding” for Veterans Administration appropriations. This new law sets funding for the VA one year in advance.
This week we find that in December 2010, the Legion officially began a relationship with the United Services Automobile Association (USAA), making the veteranfounded insurance company “the American Legion’s preferred provider of financial services.” Each purchase of the USAA products gains money for Legion programs.
On May 5, 2011, The American Legion National Executive Committee authorized establishment of The American Legion Amateur Radio Club (TALARC) to promote emergency communications and disaster preparedness, engage youth in math and science, and facilitate public communications with our nation’s federally licensed amateur operators who are veterans. TALARC membership opened free for members of The American Legion, The American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of the American Legion who are FCC licensed ham radio operators. In August 2011, The American Legion Baseball World Series was held for the first time in the tournament’s new permanent home in Shelby, North Carolina. Prior to this the tournament had rotated to different cities. Total paid attendance at the Shelby World Series soared to an alltime high of 86,000. Next week we will learn about the VA’s 20 millionth home loan in 2012 and how The American Legion family raised more than $1.1 million for Operation Comfort Warriors in 2013.
Lastly, please keep our military in your prayers, especially those in the Middle East conflict and the war in Ukraine.
