New veterans coalition to study vital issues.

The DAV and four other major veteran service organizations have joined to create a new nonprofit research group to define and study critical issues facing our nation's veterans. The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, AMVETS and the Paralyzed Veterans of America have joined the DAV in forming the Veterans Coalition, Inc., which is located in Washington, D.C.

Former VA Administrator Harry N. Waiters serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Veterans Coalition, Inc. The board of directors includes representatives from each of the founding organizations. David M. Sevier has been appointed as Executive Director of the Commission on the Future for America's Veterans.

In recent years, several congressional commissions and presidential task forces have studied veterans health and benefit policies and programs with very little resulting from their re ports and recommendations.

"A number of recommendations from these various task forces have fallen by the wayside as the political winds and public policy priorities shift," said Washington Headquarters Executive Director David W. Gorman.

"One of the key roles the coalition will play is to conduct an objective and independent review of the most challenging issues facing veterans and report its findings to Congress, the Administration and the American people," Gorman said. "It will focus attention on the issues facing America's veterans and the need to move ahead with some of these recommended changes to improve health care and benefits for disabled veterans."

In order to bring new forward motion and solutions to problems, the commission will hold hearings in cities across America. The commissioners will be distinguished individuals who have been selected for their knowledge and understanding of these critical subjects. "They will not be politically partisan," Waiters explained. "The commission will solicit and consider input from congressional and Executive agency representatives and address that input openly."

Political parties will receive the findings and recommendations of the independent commission; however, the commission's actions will not represent a political perspective,