Important Action Message

The following message was sent by National Legislative Commission Chairman Ken Governor to members of the PR Commission and all PR Chairman on the Legion’s PR Reflector following National Commander Wong’s message to leadership yesterday.  We believe Chairman Governor’s message is important to share with all:

Nothing could be more serious or vital to the future security of the United States of America, its citizens and our military service members and their families than National Commander Wong’s memorandum of November 8, 2011. 

Commander Wong is calling on all of us to step up in an important and historically critical moment in time.  Those of us in the public relations arena need to pick up this thread and give it the widest distribution to our mailing lists and fellow Legion Family members.  This is THE big scoop to “word-smith” and rush out to the media and our Members of Congress – they’ll be home in the Districts and States for Veterans Day.  If they hear from us, Congressional Representatives will bring the word back to the “Supercommittee” about what their constituents are telling them, but only if we act and only if we public relations types can get the message out.  

And, make no mistake; we must act for the sake of our service men and women, our veterans, their families and our blessed country.  Not taking action is not an option – we’re The American Legion and that’s why we’re here at this most crucial time in our nation’s history.

Our job is all about the one page Resolution #1, National Defense Funding, that calls for a cessation of all efforts to further reduce the defense budget, and the Drop Sheet, calling on the “supercommittee” to avoid a deadlock.  Both documents are attached to Commander Wong’s memorandum.  All the other attachments are important supporting documentation to the Resolution and Drop Sheet.

Once again, we are being called on to use all the abilities and intellect in our power to make our case to our Members of Congress so they can reinforce our stance to the Joint Special Committee on Deficit Reduction (Supercommittee).  We need to encourage our members and our communities to get involved immediately to keep our country safe.

The lack of comprehension on the part of those who would recklessly decimate an already deteriorating national security base is astonishing. We have to continue to address American Legion positions on military pay, health and pension benefits.  We have to continue to emphasize that the primary function of government is to ensure the security of our nation and that further cuts to the defense budget jeopardizes our ability to accomplish that most basic mission.

History has taught us a tough lesson.  Our freedom has never been free. It was won and held at a terrible cost.  Our freedom and security was earned with the blood of our grandfathers, fathers, brothers, sons, and, more frequently, mothers, sisters and daughters.

We must keep that uppermost in our minds in our approach to Congress and in our media outreach.  We must implant that concept in the minds of those who would jeopardize our precious freedom and security by stripping away the resources and support for our country to maintain our importance and prominence in the world.  A lack of confidence by world nations in the strength of America’s economic and military power would invite catastrophe in the form of challenges to our resolve and the faith and trust in our economic viability.

This is an extremely important, historical and grave moment in time and in the annuals of The American Legion and our nation.  Those Legionnaires who urgently engage in this mission will be making history in what we accomplish with Congress and the media in advocating for a strong national defense.  Our actions are of crucial importance to our great organization and for the ultimate security and welfare of the United States of America and its citizens.  Our country needs us now just as much as it needed us when we served during war.  This is our country, our military, our sons and daughters.  They need us now.

Our country depends on American Legion leadership throughout the land and its strong voice for our service men and women, our veterans and their families.  The Legislators expect to hear from us; they want to hear from us; will we disappoint them?  Together, in communities throughout our great nation, it’s up to Legionnaires like us to make the difference. There’s no other alternative.  These are our soldiers, sailors, marines, air and coast guardsmen.  This is our military; its members are our country’s sons and daughters, our sons and daughters, our children and our grand children.  We have an obligation to protect them and keep them safe. We are The American Legion and if we don’t speak for them, who will?  Will you?  Will you speak for them?

Ken Governor

Chairman, National Legislative Commission The American Legion