The American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard presenting at a March 8 Joint Congressional hearing on veteran service organizations.
On Feb. 2, the House Veterans Affairs Committee introduced the STRONG Veterans Act of 2022, which packages several bills aimed at improving veterans’ quality of life, including the Buddy Check Bill sponsored by The American Legion.
A standalone version of the Buddy Check Bill was introduced and passed in the Senate last October but was tabled until February when the House Veterans’ Affairs committee packaged the bill in with the STRONG Veterans Act. On March 2, the bill was reintroduced to the Senate where it awaits further debate.
Based on a Legion program of the same name, the Buddy Check Bill would establish a national Buddy Check Week in which the Department of Veterans Affairs would extensively conduct welfare checks on veterans across the United States, including here in California, in addition to providing educational resources for veterans wishing to engage in peer support for fellow servicemembers and veterans.
During a March 8 Joint Congressional hearing on veteran services organizations, National Commander Paul E. Dillard voiced support for the Buddy Check bill, noting that over 500,000 veterans have been helped through the Buddy Check program since its inception in 2019, addressing needs such as a lack of food or medicine, providing household repairs, and combating isolation.
“The majority was simply glad to hear a fellow veteran voice during a difficult time. Isolation is no friend to the veteran who may be confronting post-trauma stress disorder, and possibly a risk of suicide, and in need of connection with others who understand.”
During the hearing, The American Legion collectively voiced support for the Honoring Our PACT Act, the Elizabeth Dole Home and Community Based Services for Veterans and Caregivers Act, making VA Home Loans more competitive, attaching VA peer support specialists to American Legion Posts throughout the United States, and more.
Readers can view the entire March 8 House and Senate VSO hearing here. Additionally, The American Legion’s full written testimony for the hearing can be found here.
Paralyzed Veterans of America, Student Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, Gold Star Wives of America, National Guard Association of the United States, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, Modern Military Association of America, and the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor Memorial Society were also in attendance. Their written testimonies can be found here.
Author: Christian Southards
Coming from a family with a proud military background and wanting to contribute his writing skills to a worthy cause, Christian began writing for the California American Legion in August of 2020. His father is a 25-year Army Veteran and his grandfather served in the Navy during Vietnam.
