AMVETS NATIONAL COMMANDER TESTIFIES BEFORE CONGRESS ON BEHALF OF NATION’S VETERANS

Cmdr. Duane J. Miskulin speaks out on the VA claims backlog and military mental health while delivering AMVETS’ legislative agenda for 2010

WASHINGTON, March 18, 2010— AMVETS National Commander Duane J. Miskulin testified before a special joint session of the Senate and House Committees on Veterans’ Affairs on Capitol Hill this morning in Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. Miskulin’s testimony outlined the top priorities in the 2010 legislative agenda for AMVETS, one of the nation’s leading veterans’ service organizations.

This year, AMVETS’ top priority is alleviated the daunting VA claims backlog, which approached one million claims and appeals awaiting adjudication last summer. During his testimony, Miskulin also addressed military mental health issues—a personal priority for his term as national commander.

“The invisible wounds of war have a lasting effect on our veterans and the ones they love,” said Miskulin. “It saddens me to hear of men and women losing their battles with these wounds when they’ve already survived the battlefield. It’s a national tragedy that we need to address very quickly.”

Miskulin, an Air Force veteran and life member of Stevens Point AMVETS Post No. 1051 in Wisconsin, was selected to lead AMVETS as national commander at last summer’s national convention in New Orleans. Since taking office, he has looked for new ways to address the military mental health issue, leveraging AMVETS’ assets and partnerships. Miskulin hopes to have a new national program in place to address the invisible wounds of war before his term ends in August.

For 2010, the AMVETS legislative team published its first comprehensive legislative agenda, outlining AMVETS’ top priorities, as voted on by AMVETS membership at the most recent national convention.

In addition to the claims backlog, this year’s top priorities include improving services for the growing female veterans' community, improving rural and remote veterans’ access to VA care, ensuring equitable delivery of education benefits, and developing comprehensive reintegration programs to better serve today’s military families. Miskulin addressed each of these in his written testimony, which was submitted for the Congressional record.

During the hearing, Congressman Tim Walz (D-Minn.) said that this was a historic time for the veterans’ community, as many legislators and national leaders had made a concerted effort to improve veterans’ services through measures such as the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill and advance VA appropriations. However, Walz was quick to note that the work must continue and that the Federal Government owed it to the nation’s veterans to provide all necessary care and benefits when they return from war.

More than 100 AMVETS leaders from around the country joined Cmdr. Miskulin in Dirksen for his testimony.

Photos from this morning’s testimony will be available on the official blog of American Veteran magazine, 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. To learn more visit www.amvets.org.