Methow Valley Legion Post Commander Keith Morden, left, met with National Commander Paul Dillard.
Paul Dillard, the National Commander of the American Legion, stopped by the Twisp post last week, part of a tour that’s taken him from his home in Texas to some of the legion’s 12,600 posts across the country, to meet active-duty members and veterans and get to know their interests and concerns.
Dillard’s top priority is No Veteran Left Behind, a project that supports vets in a wide range of areas, among them benefits, housing and employment. The central focus is the “Buddy Check” bill, currently pending in Congress, which would build a network at posts across the country to develop social contacts and support members who may be dealing with isolation, loneliness and depression. Dillard pointed to a grim statistic – veterans have a 50% higher risk of suicide than their non-serving peers.
Dillard will share insights from his tour when he testifies in Congress next March.
