VA Suicide Prevention Hotline If you are a veteran in emotional crisis and need help RIGHT NOW, call this toll-free number, 1-800-273-8255, available 24/7, and tell them you are a veteran. All calls are confidential. |
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AMVETS National Commander John C. Hapner meets with former Sec. Def. Donald Rumsfeld following the dedication of
the Pentagon's September 11 memorial. |
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National Commander's Sept. 11th Message
At 8:46 a.m., on Sept. 11, 2001, American Airlines flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. At that moment, we were under attack.
As the morning progressed, we can all remember feeling uneasy, vulnerable, scared, as we tried to make sense of the situation. Somebody had come onto our doorstep and wrought unimaginable havoc on the innocent. For the first time in many of our lives, our nation was the victim of a devastating act of war on our soil. READ MORE
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AMVETS MOURNS COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND JERRY REED, 71
“Guitar Man” worked tirelessly to serve Nashville’s veterans in his final years
WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2008—Jerry “Reed” Hubbard, the country music legend and champion of the veterans’ community, died Monday morning at his home in Nashville due to complications with emphysema. Hubbard was 71.
Reed, an Army veteran, was presented with the AMVETS prestigious Silver Helmet award in 2008 for his tireless work with the Murfreesboro Veterans Hospital and his support to last year’s National Salute to Hospitalized Veterans, where he performed his song “The American Veteran.” His final studio album, “The Gallant Few” is dedicated to all members of the U.S. military in support of wounded warriors. READ MORE |
AMVETS ELECTS NEW LEADERS
FOR 2008-2009
Navy veteran John “Chad” Hapner elected
National Commander
WASHINGTON, August 14, 2008—Grand Rapids native John “Chad” Hapner was elected as the next national commander of AMVETS, one of the nation’s leading veterans’ service organizations, during the 64th annual AMVETS National Convention in Orlando. Hapner will take over as AMVETS National Commander for 2008-2009 on Sept. 1, when he reports to the National Headquarters in Lanham, Md.
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Download 2008 Convention photos here.
Share your convention photos with your
fellow AMVETS by e-mailing them to the Web master: ljimenez@amvets.org. |
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AMVETS RACING UNVEILS CAR AT NATIONAL CONVENTION IN ORLANDO
AMVETS Racing’s Mathew Williams arrived at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando Aug. 6 for the 64th annual AMVETS National Convention with his 2008 No. 74 AMVETS Chevrolet Impala in tow. The car, which bears the AMVETS logo emblazoned across its hood, was on display at the entrance of the Rosen Centre throughout the conference with Mathew alongside, signing autographs for his newest fans.
The newly established AMVETS Racing is a partnership between family-owned M.A.T. Williams Racing out of Tucson, Ariz., and AMVETS. Mathew, the 19-year-old driving phenomenon and son of Air Force veteran Tony Williams, hopes to debut in the ARCA stock car series this season, on his way to a potential berth into NASCAR’s top three series.
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 Photo By Jay Agg
AMVETS National leaders unveil AMVETS Racing's #74 Chevrolet Impala during the 64th Annual National Convention in Orlando last week.
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AMVETS, LOWCOUNTRYDIRECT PROVIDE ONLINE ACCESS FOR ALL
MEMBERS, POSTS, AND DEPARTMENTS
Veterans’ group and Web hosting firm sign long-term deal offering access to veterans
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2008—AMVETS and LowcountryDirect Web hosting have agreed to provide low-cost, user-friendly Web opportunities to all AMVETS posts and departments across the country. The deal, which will allow all AMVETS to easily update their Web sites, will provide hosting and individual site management through LowcountryDirect’s EasySite system. READ MORE |
AMVETS RIDERS HONOR WWI ‘DOUGHBOY’ FRANK BUCKLES
War hero welcomes Tennessee and Pennsylvania riders to his West Virginia farm
WASHINGTON, July 11, 2008—AMVETS Riders from the Department of Tennessee recently embarked on an epic ride to visit one of this nation’s most revered combat veterans, Frank Buckles. Buckles, the last surviving “Doughboy” of World War I, happily hosted Tennessee’s riders, along with a contingent from nearby Pennsylvania at his farm in Charles Town, W.V.
“We never dreamed that within 42 hours and 1,001 total miles on our motorcycles that this would be one of the most moving experiences in all our lives,” said Jason Anders, AMVETS Department of Tennessee Riders First Vice President.
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 Frank Buckles, the last remaining American WWI veteran, meets with AMVETS Riders from Tennessee and Pennsylvania at his family farm in Charles Town, W.V. The Riders presented Buckles with numerous honors recounting his military service, as well as a customized AMVETS Riders vest. |
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AMVETS PARTNERS WITH MERCY MEDICAL AIRLIFT OFFERING ASSISTANCE TO WOUNDED WARRIORS AND THEIR FAMILIES
WASHINGTON, July 18, 2008—Recently, AMVETS signed a memorandum of understanding with Mercy Medical Airlift at the AMVETS National Headquarters, allowing both organizations to partner in providing assistance to the veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The partnership between AMVETS and Mercy Medical Airlift allows AMVETS Healing Heroes program to work with Mercy Medical Airlift’s Air Compassion for Veterans to provide support to the families of wounded warriors through a variety of comprehensive programs.
“Our wounded warriors have given so much of themselves in the Global War on Terrorism, it is our responsibility to see to it that they can see their loved ones and receive their earned benefits in a timely manner once they return stateside,” said AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III. “
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AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III signs the memorandum of understanding with Mercy Medical Airlift, in the USS Arizona Room at AMVETS National Headquarters in Lanham, Md. The memorandum will help AMVETS and Mercy Medical Airlift provide a wide range of services to wounded warriors and their family members.
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BUSH SIGNS NEW G.I. BILL INTO LAW
AMVETS applauds Congress and the Bush Administration for landmark veterans' education benefits
WASHINGTON, June 30, 2008—On Monday morning, President Bush signed the new G.I. Bill Into law as an integral part of the war supplemental request, which overwhelmingly passed Congress last week. AMVETS was on Capitol Hill on Thursday to voice support for the new G.I. Bill prior to the Senate vote.
“Today’s veterans deserve the same access to a quality education that my generation and those who came before me were entitled to,” said AMVETS National Commander and Vietnam veteran John P. “JP” Brown III. READ MORE
New GI Bill Pamphlet Download |
Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia addresses his Congressional peers, veterans, and guests during a press conference on Capitol Hill shortly before the Senate approved the new bipartisan G.I. Bill by a vote of 92-6. Photo by Ryan Gallucci
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AMVETS, NAMI PARTNER TO ASSIST VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES
Offer education and guidance for veterans coping with mental illness WASHINGTON, June 24, 2008—AMVETS, one of the nation’s leading veterans’ service organizations, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) signed a memorandum of understanding this morning at the NAMI National Headquarters in Arlington, Va. The memorandum will allow both AMVETS and NAMI to share resources in assisting veterans and their families to identify and cope with mental illness through more than 1,300 AMVETS Posts and 1,200 NAMI affiliates nationwide. READ MORE |
 Commander John P. "JP" Brown III, signs a memorandum of understanding that solidifies a partneship between the National Alliance on Mental Illness and AMVETS, June 24. |
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| Charlie Summerall looks onto his screen porch at his Lakeland home on Friday. Sumerall has hepatitis C and now needs a liver transplant.Photo by Ernst Peters, The Ledger |
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Champion for Ailing Vets Needs Help of His Own
By Rick Rousos The Ledger
LAKELAND, FLA. | Charlie Summerall, whose longtime habit is collecting and delivering supplies to ailing military veterans, has hepatitis C and needs a liver transplant.
Summerall is a retired Lakeland Electric lineman who worked for the utility for 31 years. He got involved with Sons of AMVETS because his late father was a World War II veteran.
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DONATE TO THE SUMMERALL FUND |
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AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III presents Frank Buckles, the last American WWI veteran, with a new American flag and a plaque honoring his service during a special ceremony at the U.S. Capitol Building. Photo by Ryan Gallucci
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CONGRESS HONORS FRANK BUCKLES, LAST ‘DOUGHBOY’ OF WWI
WASHINGTON, June 18, 2008 - Congress honored West Virginia’s Frank Buckles, the last surviving American veteran of World War I in the LBJ Room of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Notable leaders such as Sens. Robert Byrd, Jay Rockefeller, John Warner, Harry Reid, retired Sen. Bob Dole and Rep. Shelley Moore Capito were on hand to honor the 107-year-old combat veteran, along with AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III, VFW Commander-in-Chief George Lisicki, and representatives from the American Legion and American Gold Star Mothers.
Following the ceremony and a champagne toast in Buckles’ honor, AMVETS presented Buckles with a plaque honoring his service and a new American flag to fly over his farm in West Virginia. READ MORE |
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Retired Sen. Bob Dole, speaks with Indiana veterans at the National WWII Memorial during the May 21 Honor Flight sponsored by Indiana AMVETS Post 99. Post 99 raised more than $80,000 to sponsor the trip for nearly 150 WWII veterans and chaperones.
Photo by Jay Agg |
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INDIANA AMVETS BRING WWII VETS TO VISIT THEIR MEMORIAL
By Ryan Gallucci
More than 150 WWII veterans and their chaperones came to visit the National WWII Memorial this spring thanks to a generous donation by Indianapolis AMVETS Post 99. AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III greeted the veterans as they arrived at the memorial for their tour of the Nation’s Capitol.
“It’s a touching moment, welcoming the veterans to their memorial,” said Brown. READ MORE |
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AMVETS National Commander John P. “JP” Brown III speaks with WWII veteran and retired Sen. Bob Dole at the National WWII Memorial during recent Honor Flight visits on Wednesday, May 21.
Photo by Jay Agg |
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AMVETS, SHEERBLISS ICE CREAM ANNOUNCE FIVE YEAR PARTNERSHIP
Ice cream company looks to raise
awareness of
veterans’ service
WASHINGTON, May 22, 2008—SheerBliss Ultra Super Premium Ice Cream Company recently renewed its partnership with AMVETS to build awareness of one of the nation’s leading veterans’ service organizations. The new five-year agreement will allow SheerBliss to prominently display the AMVETS logo on packaging and collateral material nationwide. READ MORE |
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