Dugout November 2015 - Veterans Day Edition

VA on Appointments and Veterans Suicide

Veteran Administration area suicide prevention coordinator James Bastien says Clay Hunt act recognizes veterans need 'a lot more' in area of mental health services

The Senate, joining earlier similar action by the House, unanimously approved the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act. President Obama has signed the legislation into law. Its provisions include incentives to help expand mental health staff at the VA's 800 hospitals and clinics, outside evaluations of its mental health programs to target best practices and areas for improvement, and creation of a one-stop website of related resources.

This is significant.  Many older Veterans in previous conflicts have also experienced much the same distress as the OEF/OIF Veterans with one exception:  The Veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have been sent on multiple deployments and have not have had the same access to mental health professionals as in previous conflicts.

Some Veterans from previous conflicts think that the Veterans of the most recent conflicts are somehow "weak willed" or 'soft' as I myself have heard from Veterans in their 70' and older.  But the grim reality is that lip service has been given to Veterans services and support and real efforts have been severely lacking.

 Go to http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2015/02/veteran_administration_area_suicide_prevention_coordinator_james_bastien_says_clay_hunt_act_recognizes_veterans_need_a_lot_more_in_area_of_mental_health.html#incart_story_package

Post 342 American Legion Veterans Day Program

Freeport American Legion Veterans Day Program
November 11, 2014 @ 10:00 AM

This Veterans Day the Freeport American Legion will honor all Veterans with a program that will include Singing performances from Freeport's Atkinson School Chorus led by Stephanie Arnell.

There will also be a Video Presentation for Veterans produced for the American Legion for this event. 

Major Donald R. Moore, USMC (Ret.)
Commander of the Freeport High School JROTC will be our guest speaker.

Veterans Day is the time we celebrate with the Veterans among us the freedoms we take for granted day by day, among these freedoms are;.......

the right to Assemble, the right to petition your government, the freedom of the press, the right to have possessions and home to keep them in, and you have the right to possess and bear arms.  

Veterans Day is the day we also observe those no longer with us, brothers who slogged through the ranks with us or sisters who had their aircraft shot out of combatant skies or were killed providing medical attention in overgrown forested regions or frozen lands.

When you Pledge Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America you are not worshiping a country. You keep faith with every farm boy from Iowa, every city kid from Brooklyn, every girl from North Carolina, every Old Man who's head turned grey serving his nation and every woman who sent a son off to war.  You pledge allegiance to every American soul who lifted a hand or fired a weapon to save someone else on this planet from fear, torture and tyranny.  

Celebrate with the William Clinton Story Post No. 342 of the American Legion as we recognize in an observance of Americanism the Veterans of the United States of America.

footnotes:
http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/bill-of-rights/
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/constitution.html
http://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp
http://www.army.mil/
http://www.navy.mil/
http://www.af.mil/
http://www.marines.mil/

S.2230 New York State Gun Laws and You, a Veteran

From: David N. Cockerel;

To My Comrades, Legionnaires all, Veterans and Citizens.

Recently the Governor signed into law S.2230.  I got a copy of this law from the State Assembly’s Web Site. 

After reading the law I was alarmed, dismayed and angry because with a signature on legislation that was passed in the darkness of night, I may have become a criminal.

I was a good citizen before yesterday, before this “law” was signed by Governor Cuomo.

I now with authorization from Commander Paul Nehrich, present to the Freeport Legion as a Post, also to concerned Citizens of Freeport and New York, my Letter to the Commander of the Nassau County American Legion.

"http://open.nysenate.gov/legislation/bill/S2230-2013" is the web site to read the law as enacted.

It is my hope and prayer that the American Legion act with responsible legislators to protect Veterans who have served their country with honor.

"The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy." — Robert E. Lee 

For God and Country

I Am

Semper Fidelis

David N. Cockerel, 2nd Vice Cmdr. 

Post 342 William Clinton Story

With Consent