The Resolution: Great ideas grow from the ground up

Our posts are the backbone of our Department and National Headquarters because they are our “boots-on-the-ground” and they witness the challenges as well as triumphs that our fellow Legionnaires face every day.

It is no wonder that most of the best ideas for improving outreach and services for veterans have originated from posts.

Let us remember the old saying, “knowledge is power when it is shared and acted upon…” So, if you know or see something that can improve the lives of our veterans, then please write a resolution as it is the initial step to identify a problem and to suggest a solution.

This year, American Legion Manuel L. Quezon Post 603 of Vallejo submitted 13 resolutions. Each went through District 5, then Area 1, then to our Department. Three of the 13 eventually went to national and they are among the 37 resolutions passed by the National Executive Committee in its Oct. 14-15, 2020 meeting.

Two of the three resolutions are shown below as a sample for each post to submit their own resolutions.

Resolution No. 10: Stellate Ganglion Block (SGB) Research for Treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), 

WHEREAS, Every June is designated as “National Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month” to help raise public awareness, reduce the associated stigma, and help ensure that those individuals suffering from the invisible wounds of war promptly receive proper treatment; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that approximately 20% Iraqi Freedom, 12% Persian Gulf and 30% Vietnam War servicemembers and veterans have posttraumatic stress; and

WHEREAS, Both government and non-government organizations have made significant advances in their identification, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of post-traumatic stress; and

WHEREAS, One of the most promising post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatments is stellate ganglion block (SGB) and the VA Long Beach Healthcare System, in California, and the Veterans Affairs Center for Compassionate Care Innovation are leading an effort to offer stellate ganglion block to a subset of veterans who have not experienced relief from traditional PTSD treatments; and

WHEREAS, There is growing evidence that stellate ganglion block may alleviate certain PTSD symptoms such as hyperarousal, exaggerated startle responses and anxiety, and it appears to calm an exaggerated “fight or flight” survival reflex in people having PTSD, which can become triggered by various events that do not warrant it; and

WHEREAS, Veterans who received stellate ganglion block for other health conditions like nerve pain, report positive effects for the PTSD symptoms including reduced anxiety and hypervigilance; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled virtually on October 14-15, 2020, That The American Legion urges the federal government to accelerate stellate ganglion block (SGB) research and that the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) advertise SGB in all VA health-care facilities; and be it finally

RESOLVED, That The American Legion supports the expansion of the VA’s Center for Compassionate Care Innovation program nationwide and throughout VA facilities and to further the Center for Compassionate Care Innovation program’s mission to provide veterans a wide array of state-of-the-art treatments and evidence-based therapies with further research, innovation and access.

Resolution No. 14: Post 9/11 Transfer of Educational Benefits

WHEREAS, Our servicemembers and our veterans have risked their lives to protect our freedom, and their families who collaterally sacrificed, deserve every possible resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental and educational well-being as more than 2,770,000 of our troops have deployed overseas since September 11, 2001; and

WHEREAS, In the military operations after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, over 959,701 reservists have been involuntarily and/or were voluntarily placed on active duty according to the Congressional Research Service; and

WHEREAS, The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, also known as the “Forever GI Bill,” was signed into law on August 17, 2017, and it brought significant changes to veterans education benefits; and

WHEREAS, The Forever GI Bill states, that as of August 1, 2018, veterans who transferred entitlement to a dependent can now designate a new dependent if the original dependent dies, and if the veteran dies, a dependent who received transferred entitlement can now designate a new eligible dependent of the veteran to transfer any of the dependent’s remaining entitlement; and

WHEREAS, The Forever GI Bill states that even though a veteran may be eligible for Post9/11 GI Bill, they must also be a current member of the armed forces (active duty or selected reserve, officer or enlisted) on or after August 1, 2009; and

WHEREAS, The Forever GI Bill did not address the transfer of educational benefits for veterans that served after 9/11 but were separated before August 1, 2009, because those veterans did not transfer their educational benefits; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, By the National Executive Committee of The American Legion in regular meeting assembled virtually on October 14-15, 2020, That The American Legion urges Congress to pass legislation that must allow the hundreds of thousands of veterans that served after September 11, 2001, but were separated before August 1, 2009 to transfer their educational benefits.

You can review Resolution No. 11, Mare Island Naval Cemetery and all other active American Legion resolutions at https://archive.legion.org/handle/20.500.12203/1