AMVETS NATIONAL CONVENTION WELCOMES KENTUCKIANA VETS

AMVETS gather to discuss issues facing today’s veterans

LOUISVILLE, Ky., Aug. 5, 2010—AMVETS welcomes veterans from across northern Kentucky and southern Indiana to the Galt House Hotel for the 66th annual AMVETS National Convention and Veterans’ Expo. During this year’s convention, AMVETS will also host its 2010 Symposium for 21st-Century Veterans, bringing in Iraq and Afghanistan-era veterans from around the country to discuss issues critical to their generation.

The 2010 symposium is a follow-up to the 2006 AMVETS National Symposium for the Needs of Young Veterans, which identified hundreds of issues facing today’s warfighters. Since 2006, some issues have been resolved through the hard work of AMVETS and the veterans’ community, but in that time, many issues remain outstanding and others have arisen.

“AMVETS thought this year in Louisville would be the perfect time to once again revisit our symposium report and identify new ways we can better serve the brave men and women defending our nation,” said AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin, who was elected at last year’s convention in New Orleans. “The last symposium helped to guide the work of AMVETS and our nation’s leaders in Washington, so it is important to keep these ideas fresh, identifying persistent shortcomings and proposing new solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of a diverse veterans’ community.”

For the third year in a row, AMVETS and AMVETS’ partners will offer a “one-stop shop” for veterans and the surrounding community to learn what AMVETS and its supporters have to offer.

The AMVETS Veterans’ Expo is free of charge and will be open to the public on Wednesday, Aug. 11 from noon to 5 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 12 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday, Aug. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon. During the expo, AMVETS and AMVETS’ partners will highlight the unique programs offered through the organization, as well as the services available through the nationally-acclaimed cadre of AMVETS National Service Officers.

“Every year, we gather and tend to the business of our great organization; so what better time to showcase what we offer to the community,” said Cmdr. Miskulin. “The Louisville area—including nearby Fort Knox—offers a vast veterans population, many of whom may wish to take advantage of our services. What easier way could there be for these vets, young and old, to learn about the AMVETS family.”

At the annual convention, members of AMVETS and its umbrella organizations, AMVETS Ladies’ Auxiliary, Sons of AMVETS, Junior AMVETS and AMVETS Riders, gather to elect officials and discuss the way forward for the organization. AMVETS members also gather to vote on critical resolutions to guide the organization’s work in Washington, D.C., helping to secure improved benefits for veterans, past and present, such as improved mental health screening and care, reducing the VA claims backlog, or better serving today’s female combat veterans.

AMVETS has provided a critical voice on Capitol Hill for more than 65 years, most recently helping to secure advance appropriations for VA health care, passage of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill, establishment of a family caregiver benefit for wounded warriors, and expansion of presumptive conditions related to Agent Orange exposure. AMVETS looks to continue its hard work in the coming year advocating for America’s heroes.

For more information on the convention, visit www.amvets.org. To follow the convention live, visit the blog for American Veteran magazine, the official publication of AMVETS, at http://americanveteranmagazine.blogspot.com.

About AMVETS:
A leader since 1944 in preserving the freedoms secured by America’s armed forces, AMVETS provides support for veterans and the active military in procuring their earned entitlements, as well as community service and legislative reform that enhances the quality of life for this nation’s citizens and veterans alike. AMVETS is one of the largest congressionally-chartered veterans’ service organizations in the United States, and includes members from each branch of the military, including the National Guard and Reserves.