The long road well traveled.

This has been an extremely rewarding year as your National Commander--filled with joy, success and towering moments. I have observed first-hand the care and compassion of our members, the dire needs of our wounded and injured service members and the great successes of our organization's programs to carry out our mission of building better lives for disabled veterans and their families.

Beyond question, one of the most vivid memories of this past year was the dedication of the Center for the Intrepid and two new Fisher Houses at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas. I was pleased to be part of the official gathering there and to meet with the wounded and injured soldiers and their families.

The center is a world-class rehabilitation facility that will give medical and rehabilitative care to those severely injured service members from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is also open to all veterans who need its services. The DAV played a big role in efforts to build this center. The Charitable Service Trust donated $750,000 last year to put the funding over its goal.

Those who obtain rehabilitative care at the Center for the Intrepid will emerge with a greater opportunity to lead productive lives for themselves and their families, and the DAV played a big part in making that happen.

The two new Fisher Houses, which are home to disabled veterans and their families, join the two already there and the 55 others that operate at military and VA medical centers across the country. These are wonderful facilities that allow our service members and veterans to have the love and support of their families while undergoing care and treatment.

I witnessed what the Fisher Houses provide when National Adjutant Art Wilson and I went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. We toured the hospital talking with wounded soldiers, and then visited Mologne House, which is a hotel-like environment for wounded soldiers to recover. It is an impressive program to assist those wounded and injured return to normal and fulfilling lives.

I will always remember and deeply appreciate the tremendous support I received from each of you when I addressed a joint meeting of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees at the conclusion of our Mid-Winter Conference. I enjoyed your whole-hearted backing as we emphatically informed lawmakers that a law to allow attorneys to charge a fee for assisting veterans with their claims to the VA is totally unacceptable.

Together, we urged re-energized efforts on the part of Congress to enact mandatory funding for veterans health care, additional VA staff to resolve a claims backlog of more than 600,000 cases and full and fair concurrent receipt of military longevity retirement pay and disability compensation.

It was such a thrill to hear the cheering support of hundreds of DAV and Auxiliary members as I delivered our fair and reasonable legislative goals. The standing ovations from our members who attended the meeting renewed my strength of purpose and steeled my determination to do my best as National Commander.

It was inspiring to work with our outstanding professional National Service and Legislative staffs. They are the men and women who work diligently for all of us. They provide us with both support and timely information to protect our interests in Congress. They give us the tools we need to ensure that veterans will always remain a national priority.

It is crucial that all our members become better informed and clearly the way to do that is working with the Commander's Action Network. It is the big first step to ensure that our benefits and health care remain intact and whole.

After all, these are the benefits provided by a nation of grateful citizens for our service and sacrifice. Lawmakers should not be allowed to adversely revise, reform and reinvent the system that has for decades served disabled veterans and their families. Through the efforts of our professional staff, the DAV has been able to scuttle outrageous plans to usurp our rights and benefits through the many commissions created to review veterans' benefits.

We are fortunate to have intelligent and insightful leadership at every level to meet the challenges that we have faced this past year and in the future.

National Adjutant Wilson is a close friend and supportive advisor. He is the epitome of leadership and carries with him a treasure of knowledge resulting from his career of service to veterans. Without question, Art is the finest leader of any veterans service organization. His confidence, support and strength greatly helped me through this year.

Supporting us are your outstanding Executive Directors, Rick Patterson in Cold Spring, Ky., and Dave Gorman in Washington, D.C. They provide unparalleled guidance and foresight that enabled to me to serve the needs of the DAV more successfully. Supported by their highly professional staffs, the needs and mission of the DAV are incomparably served every day.

I want to extend my thanks to our outstanding corps of professional National Service Officers who toil each day to ensure that our mission is fulfilled in its most meaningful way. They are outstanding men and women who devote their lives to service and care for veterans. My appreciation goes to the Transition Service Officers who are working with our newest generation of veterans to ensure they receive the care and support they need.

My thanks also go out to our Chapter and Department Service Officers, volunteers, Transportation Network drivers and Hospital Service Coordinators. And I thank each member of the DAV for what they do every day to help our fellow veterans. Without the support of our front-line members, I could not have succeeded.

While we have achieved much in the area of health care funding this year, more must be done. We all must continue to work hard to ensure that our government serves veterans as a national priority.

Our amazing record not only for this year, but throughout our history, is legendary. But we cannot stand on our record. Each of us, from National Commander to Chapter member, has a responsibility to do our best--in the highest traditions of honor and service.

It has been an honor for me to serve as your National Commander. And it has been a wonderful year in my life--one that I would never have believed possible after I was wounded in Vietnam. My contributions and any achievements I've accomplished are the result of your support and the support of our professional staff. Thank you for your trust, your support and your service to our mission.