The Department of California convention was very successful despite being held virtually on June 26-27, 2021.
These 11 resolutions were adopted:
From Post 77, Resolution 2021-001, Past Department Commanders/Alternate National Executive Committee and DEC Status, proposes to “Change to the 2021 DOC Proposed Bylaws revision in Article X, Department Executive Committee, Section 1, subparagraph b, to better define the status of the Past Department Commanders and Alt NEC Representative’s status withing the Department Executive Committee.”
From ALR Chapter 595, Resolution 2021-002 (Revised), Reassignment of the American Legion Riders Officer Titles, seeks to have the NEC reconsider the title change directive because “The NEC in October passed a resolution (NEC Resolution 19, October 2020) which in part required that the Titles of the offices of President / Vice-President be changed to either Director / Vice-Director or Chairman / Assistant Chairman.
From Post 161, Resolution 2021-003, Medical Malpractice, proposes to give Service members the option to file medical malpractice suits against Departent of Defense medical facilities/physicians for injuries/death occurring as a result of gross medical malpractice. This was authored by Manuel Vega of Post 731 as a result of his son Patrick dying during USMC boot camp – https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2019/01/31/boot-camp-casualty-the-story-inside-one-recruits-mysterious-death-that-triggered-big-boot-camp-changes/
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-004, Support Funding to Expand Vet Centers, urges the VA to fund and expand Vet Centers, Mobile Vet Centers, and Vet Center Outstations, to provide child care at Vet Centers just like other VA facilities, and to provide VA transportation to fixed Vet Centers and Outstations.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-005, Naming of a Combat Ship, urges the United States Navy and Secretary of the Navy to name a U.S. Navy warship in honor of Fireman Petty Officer Second Class Telesforo Trinidad, a Medal of Honor recipient.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-006, Support for Veteran Support and Outreach Act, urges Congress to immediate pass the Commitment to Veteran Support and Outreach Act, to amend title 38, United States Code, to authorize the U.S. Department Veterans Affairs (USDVA) to enter into contracts with and award grants to States to promote health and wellness, prevent suicide, and improve outreach to veterans, and for other purposes.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-007, Support for the Expansion of VA Technologies for Continuous Buddy Checks, urges the Department of Veterans Affairs to utilize and leverage existing programs to improve overall communications with Veterans that will decrease mental health issues while improving metrics on other collateral issues.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-008, Decrease Veteran Homelessness Utilizing Veteran Empty Nesters, urges the VA to query empty-nest Veterans who may be willing to rent out their empty-rooms, and for VA to collaborate with other GOs and NGOs to find outside-the-box and innovative ways to compassionately end Veterans homelessness.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-011, Support Suicide Prevention using DHHS and VA Services, urges the entire federal government to fully utilize existing safety net services from the Departments of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and expanding Veterans Affairs (VA) services and benefits.
From Post 77, Resolution 2021-012, Put into the Bylaw to Allow Technical Advisors for Department Commissions, adds a Section to the 2021 DOC Proposed Bylaws revision in Article XI, to authorize the use of Technical Advisors by all the Commissions.
From Post 731, Resolution 2021-013, Add the Department Service to the Personnel Committee, proposes to add to the Department Bylaws in Article XI, Section 11 to add the Department Service Officer to the Personnel Committee as an ex officio member with no vote.
These two resolutions did not get approved:
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-009, Translation of Veterans Affairs Literature, would improve the minority veterans utilization rate because the veterans’ loved-ones – who are sometimes NOT fluent in English – are usually the ones that encourage/help the veteran to pursue their benefits. Interestingly, the House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 2093, “Providing Benefits Information in Spanish and Tagalog for Veterans and Families Act” by REP Hakeem Jeffries.
From Post 603, Resolution 2021-010, Funding For Visits To National Cemeteries, urges the VA to reimburse mileage for grieving families – similar to the Veterans Health Administration reimbursing mileage for appointments – as this would increase the low percentage (currently only 15%) of Veterans and eligibles that choose to buried at national cemeteries.
To read the verbiage for each resolution passed during the June 26-27, 2021 Department of California convention, visit the resolutions page.
Author: Nestor Aliga
Nestor Aliga was born in the Philippines and migrated to Vallejo, CA in 1967. He was in the US Marine Corps from 1974 to 1976 then in the US Army from 1976 to 2008. He is a life-member of the Big-Three, www.CALEGION.org, www.VFWCA.org, and www.DAVCAL.org.