Atlanta - (04/10/15): The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) invites the public to hear from the authors of a group of health studies conducted to understand the impact of exposure to contaminated drinking water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina.

Spring has come to South Carolina.  I can tell because the dandelions are starting to pop on the lawns.  Can summer and the heat and humidity be far behind?  Our trip to Camp Pendleton was interesting and eventful.  The vendors and public had increased this year. 

With all the negative news surrounding the Department of Veterans Affairs over the past two years, it is very easy to overlook the tremendous improvements that have taken place.  While we are not saying all the problems are resolved and everything is back on track, it is worthwhile to note that things are improving in many areas and recognize some of the programs where great gains have been made.

As the CTO, I am responsible for all technology at National Headquarters and beyond.  A much overlooked topic I would like to share with you is "The Marine Corps League as a Machine"!

What the League Locator Does for YOU and How to Get Started!

Each Detachment, Department and Division in the Marine Corps League has its own web page provided by National Headquarters, located here in the League Locator Block on the left-hand side of all pages of our National Website. It is designed to, and does, help with recruitment, retention and communication.

Americas Military and Veterans have had no better friend, no stronger ally than Secretary Hagel.  The past two years have brought an openness and transparency to the Department of Defense not often seen in Washington.  Secretary Hagel has chaired at least six round-table discussions with more than twenty of the Nations largest Military and Veterans organizations.  He encouraged dialogue and exchange of views between his most senior staff and the VSO/MSO community.  He encouraged questions and suggestions. If he didnt have a ready response, he would make notes and respond at a later time.  He engaged the Joint Chiefs in our discussions so that they too could hear and address the concerns of the active duty and veteran community.

Washington, DC: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) today announced that it began mailing Veterans Choice Cards on November 17 to Veterans currently waiting more than 30-days from their preferred date or the date that is medically determined by their physician for an appointment at a VA facility.

As many of you know, each year many companies provide discounts for food and fun on Veteran's Day.  This year there are many participating and you find the list from the link below.

Trivia Fact: The Marine Corps League's own PNC Jack Ryan and our National Executive Director. Michael Blum had the honor of being prominently featured in Applebee's Veteran's Day commercial for several years now (without pay).
Video Link

Full List

November 4, 2014: An Open Letter to Americas Veterans

At the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), we have one of the most noble and inspiring missions in Government.  I accepted this job and joined this mission to better serve youour Veteransand improve the delivery of the care and benefits you have earned.  It is our privilege to serve you, and I have made clear that as we move forward as a Department, we will judge the success of all our efforts against a single metricthe outcomes we provide for Veterans.

October 31st 2014: Birthday Message - Commandant of the Marine Corps League

Marines, Sailors and Friends of the Marine Corps -
I wish to extend a Happy Birthday to all our Corps. It was just 239 years ago that we became the U. S. Marine Corps.

In his birthday greeting 70 years ago, General Alexandar Vandegrift, our 18th Commandant note that, "A birthday is a fitting time to peer backward - and forward.

The 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps accepted the Battle Colors of the Corps in the Passage of Command Ceremony at 8th & I on Friday - October 17th, 2014.
First order: "Continue to march!". General Joseph Dunford, 58, became Commandant of the Marine Corps at Marine Barracks in Washington D.C. Friday morning with V.I.P.s  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and close friend General John Kelly in attendance. In honor were Commandant Dunfords wife, Ellyn, and children, Joseph Jr., Patrick, and Kathleen.

General Amos also received a citation and letter of gratitude for his 44 years of service to the Nation from President Obama. The First Lady of the Corps Mrs. Bonnie Amos also received a Distinguished Service Medal for her tireless work on behalf of all Marines over many years of service.

General and Mrs. Amos have been great friends and supporters of the Marine Corps League for many years and will be missed.  We wish them fair winds and following seas as they move to the next chapter of their lives.

General and Mrs. Dunford have always been great supporters and we look forward to working closely with them as the Corps and the League move forward.

As you read this column, many departments are concluding their annual department conventions. Some of those departments will see an influx of newly elected and appointed officers. Those officers will be responsible for leading their members for at least the next 12 months. I hope these Marines have reviewed all of the modules of the Professional Development Program (PDP), especially the one titled Leadership Principles.
Since many of you are going to be in the forefront of working with members to keep the department on a steadfast course, you need to have a good knowledge of the Marine Corps League and the duties of the Board of Trustees. It's also important to conduct meetings in a manner that ensures your audience is getting your message loud and clear.

Aside from the current events in Iraq and the potential issues that raises, nothing has rocked our world more than the problems that have recently come to light with the Veterans Administration and more specifically the VA healthcare system. Rather than rehashing the details that have been in the national news, I thought it most Important to share with you what the Marine Corps League is doing and the position we have taken.
On 17 June, we joined with many of our sister Veterans Service Organizations and signed the following letter that was delivered to both the House and Senate Committees on Veterans Affairs, specifically Chairman Bernie Sanders, Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs; Chairman Jeff Miller, Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs; Ranking Member Richard Burr, Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs; and Ranking Member Mike Michaud, House Committee on Veterans Affairs.

On Tuesday, 20 May 2014, before the House puts H.R. 4435, the Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on the floor, AUSN and the Marine Corps League hosted a roundtable discussion for the Congressional Navy and Marine Corps Caucus.  Held by its co-chairs, Representative J. Randy Forbes (R-VA-04) and Representative Susan Davis (D-CA-53), the Caucus, with AUSN and the Marine Corps League, hosted Admiral Jonathan Greenert, USN, the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) and General John Paxton, USMC, Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps (ACMC) emphasizing that the importance of hearing from the CNO and ACMC on the future readiness of our Navy and Marine Corps.  Admiral Greenert remarked how he still hopes to achieve his goal of a 306 ship Navy, despite the current challenges this fiscal environment presents.