DAV Magazine — March/April 2017
Work to be done
From the AUXILIARY NATIONAL COMMANDER
Famed author and lecturer Marianne Williamson once said, “In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.”
We in the veterans community have much work to do for those who served, and it can be done if we work together in our units and departments. Fortunately, the passion we hold in our hearts makes the work of our hands lighter. I read an article recently that said we leave a tradition for the future in caring for human beings, and we cannot let those traditions become obsolete.
Our veterans and their families need to be restored, renewed, revived and reclaimed. We can never throw anyone away. We need our older members to impart their knowledge of the workings of the DAV Auxiliary and instill our mission and goals in newer members. We desperately need our newer or inactive members to keep us moving forward by getting and staying involved. We must use the knowledge and guidelines that we are mandated to follow to keep our organization in the forefront for the needs of our veterans and their families.
Despite the pace and pressure of everyday life, our members quietly take time to reach out and help those who have the least and need the most. These are the members who leave an impression on our veterans, our legislators and the community. They are the standard-bearers who have made a difference in the lives of veterans.
We must keep an ever-vigilant watch on legislation that affects veterans, especially disabled veterans and their families—particularly when it comes to the fight to extend caregivers’ benefits for all eras of veterans, not just post-9/11 veterans. While keeping abreast of this piece of legislation, we must keep in mind that not all caregivers are women. Too often, we think of caregivers as being wives, mothers and daughters.
We have so many disabled women veterans whose husbands, sons, fathers and brothers are their primary caregivers, and they need our help as well. So when you think of veterans’ caregivers, remember they can be any of the above. We cannot let this piece of legislation become lost and must work closely with our comrades in DAV to support legislation to keep this moving forward.
As always, there is much to be done. But with the spirit of cooperation and the passion to make a difference, there is much that can be accomplished, too. Thank you for your membership and for the inspiration you give me and the families of those who have been changed by war. I encourage you to join me in supporting DAV CAN (Commander’s Action Network). By doing so, you can stay up to date and make the most of our opportunities to speak with a united voice.
Learn more about DAV’s legislative priorities and join DAV CAN by visiting davcan.org.
Famed author and lecturer Marianne Williamson once said, “In every community, there is work to be done. In every nation, there are wounds to heal. In every heart, there is the power to do it.”
We in the veterans community have much work to do for those who served, and it can be done if we work together in our units and departments. Fortunately, the passion we hold in our hearts makes the work of our hands lighter. I read an article recently that said we leave a tradition for the future in caring for human beings, and we cannot let those traditions become obsolete.
Our veterans and their families need to be restored, renewed, revived and reclaimed. We can never throw anyone away. We need our older members to impart their knowledge of the workings of the DAV Auxiliary and instill our mission and goals in newer members. We desperately need our newer or inactive members to keep us moving forward by getting and staying involved. We must use the knowledge and guidelines that we are mandated to follow to keep our organization in the forefront for the needs of our veterans and their families.
Despite the pace and pressure of everyday life, our members quietly take time to reach out and help those who have the least and need the most. These are the members who leave an impression on our veterans, our legislators and the community. They are the standard-bearers who have made a difference in the lives of veterans.
We must keep an ever-vigilant watch on legislation that affects veterans, especially disabled veterans and their families—particularly when it comes to the fight to extend caregivers’ benefits for all eras of veterans, not just post-9/11 veterans. While keeping abreast of this piece of legislation, we must keep in mind that not all caregivers are women. Too often, we think of caregivers as being wives, mothers and daughters.
We have so many disabled women veterans whose husbands, sons, fathers and brothers are their primary caregivers, and they need our help as well. So when you think of veterans’ caregivers, remember they can be any of the above. We cannot let this piece of legislation become lost and must work closely with our comrades in DAV to support legislation to keep this moving forward.
As always, there is much to be done. But with the spirit of cooperation and the passion to make a difference, there is much that can be accomplished, too. Thank you for your membership and for the inspiration you give me and the families of those who have been changed by war. I encourage you to join me in supporting DAV CAN (Commander’s Action Network). By doing so, you can stay up to date and make the most of our opportunities to speak with a united voice.
Learn more about DAV’s legislative priorities and join DAV CAN by visiting davcan.org.
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