The National Security Division of The American Legion represents the organization’s positions on national defense, homeland security and quality of life for our servicemembers and their families. Since its inception, The American Legion has steadfastly supported a strong national defense. The American Legion closely monitors issues that are most relevant to our nation’s vital security interests. The American Legion works closely with each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces in an effort to stay well informed about issues that affect our troops and our military families. As such, The American Legion continues to make troop strength and military quality of life a top priority.
The American Legion’s national-security position is multifaceted. Key aspects include:
• A well-funded, well-equipped and well-trained military.
• Awareness and surveillance of rogue nations, terrorist groups and global threats to U.S. security around the world.
• Support for the Department of Homeland Security and urging protection of U.S. borders, ports and other points of access.
• Comprehensive disaster preparedness.
• Decent quality of life for troops and their families – active-duty and reserve components alike – that includes reasonable compensation, benefits, health care, child care and family-support programs; and an efficient and compassionate healing and transition program for wounded and ill warriors.
• Matters such as transition to civilian life and using the VA health-care system, TRICARE or TRICARE For Life also fall within the realm of national security. The American Legion represents military members during the medical-discharge process and assists in their pursuit of education benefits, employment counseling, training and health care.
• The American Legion works as an advocate for an improved disability-evaluation system within the Department of Defense by providing counseling, guidance and representation for servicemembers through the proceedings of the medical-evaluation and physical-evaluation boards. Staff regularly meets with military personnel one-on-one and in group settings to alert them about the resources and opportunities available as they prepare to return home. Based on current conflicts and their residual effects on U.S. military servicemembers and their families, The American Legion’s National Security Division has made the following issues legislative priorities.
Support for the troops
The American Legion has always lobbied for quality-of-life improvements for U.S. servicemembers. But when it comes to troop support, the organization puts its money where its mouth is, thanks to volunteers and contributors at every level. Case in point: the COP Keating Relief Fund. Last fall, when U.S. soldiers were ambushed at a combat outpost in a remote region of Afghanistan, they were forced to turn artillery on their own position. They destroyed all of their personal belongings, including cameras, videos, computers, games, books and other items. They escaped with their weapons and the uniforms on their backs. The American Legion blog site The Burn Pit reported the story and asked for support. Within days, more than $50,000 in cash, $50,000 in gift cards donated by Target Corp., and more than $60,000 in laptop computers from Computer Sciences Corp. were contributed to the COP Keating Relief Fund. By Christmas, the soldiers had had many of their personal items replaced through the effort. That is just one example of hundreds of grass-roots troop support efforts by Legionnaires around the country.
Increase the Size of the Armed Forces
The American Legion recognizes that a strain exists on many servicemembers in the active-duty, National Guard and Reserve components, as well as equipment and training needs caused by continuing overseas contingencies conducted against global terrorism. The American Legion urges Congress to fully fund the armed forces; to re-set units with new equipment and replacement parts; and to provide training for specific skills required for critical mission performance across the full spectrum of conflict. The American Legion urges an increase in military personnel end strengths to levels that reduce the frequency of deployments on servicemembers, the stress on families, and the risk to national security that results from conventional warfare missions being relegated to a lower priority for training, planning and resourcing purposes.
Quality of Life for Servicemembers, Retirees and Military Families
Qualified disabled military retirees earned and deserve full concurrent receipt of their DoD retirement pay and VA disability compensation, which come from separate budgets for separate purposes. Today, most disabled military retirees are forced to choose one or the other in what has become known as the “disabled veterans’ tax.” Military health-care programs must also be fully funded, without additional enrollment fees or co-payment increases for beneficiaries. TRICARE coverage should be made permanent for members of the Reserve components, as well. Military personnel who sustain injuries or illnesses while on duty must be given fair and timely discharge processing, and their transition to civilian life and/or VA health care made seamless and effective for rejoining civilian society and the work force. The American Legion strongly supports a continuum of care for disabled veterans after they re-integrate.
Homeland Security
The threat of terrorist attacks or other catastrophic disasters in the United States came painfully to light on Sept. 11, 2001, and following the devastating hurricane season of 2005. The American Legion works closely with government at all levels to improve disaster readiness in local communities and, at the national level, to ensure that a well-funded and efficient Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is prepared for any contingency. Since the DHS’ creation after the terrorist attacks of 2001, The American Legion has supported its intent, purpose and arrangement: to harmonize myriad agencies, offices, businesses, community groups and others with readiness responsibilities and quick-response capabilities. The Legion concurs with DHS’ mission to coordinate domestic security, including effective customs operations, increased security of the border and improved drug interdiction. To help with that effort, the Legion supports funding for the U.S. Coast Guard’s “Deepwater” initiatives to rebuild its fleet and modernize assets.
Foreign Relations
Also within the Legion’s national-security pillar is a Foreign Relations Commission that works closely with the Department of State to seek peaceful solutions to various world conflicts and to advance U.S. foreign policy. The American Legion supports policies and legislation that enhance funding for the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and seeks use of that funding toward targeted states whose failure to provide for their people could result in the expansion of international terrorism. The American Legion encourages increased federal funding for foreign relations and international affairs and for the Department of State’s continuous efforts to seek peaceful and diplomatic solutions to world conflicts, as well as its initiative for the creation of the Civilian Response Corps for deployment before, during or after military campaigns.
Full Accounting of POW/MIAs
A sacred value of The American Legion is the full accounting and repatriation of fallen U.S. service personnel. The American Legion is dedicated to keep this cause in the forefront of the minds of elected officials and America at large. The Legion supports Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command activities to locate and repatriate all recoverable remains of U.S. military personnel who have died in captivity or are missing in action.
Operation Comfort Warriors
Operation Comfort Warriors has raised more than $500,000 to provide comfort items for wounded U.S. troops in military hospitals around the world. In February 2010, the program received first-place honors in the Pepsi Refresh Everything grant competition and raised $250,000 thanks to online voting by Legionnaires and their friends. All donated dollars are used to purchase items. None of the money is used for administrative or promotional expenses. The National Security/Foreign Relations staff at the Legion’s Washington office works with the American Red Cross and various military hospitals to coordinate the program. Comfort items provided include sweatsuits, puzzles, video games, DVDs, iTunes gift cards, hats, gloves, portable electronics, laptops, and a biofeedback system for the Madigan Army Hospital at Fort Lewis, Wash. The American Legion has delivered comfort items to Walter Reed; Bethesda; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Bragg, N.C.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Portsmouth, Va.; Fort Carson, Colo.; Fort Drum, N.Y.; Fort Stewart, Ga.; Twentynine Palms, Calif.; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; Fort Campbell, Ky.; Fort Riley, Kan.; Fort Gordon, Ga.; Fort Knox, Ky.; Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Fort Bliss, Texas; Fort Dix, N.J.; Fort Belvoir, Va.; Fort Lee, Va.; and Landstuhl, Germany, among others. www.legion.org/donate
