Wide world of service.

Traveling and meeting new people are part of being National Commander. Sometimes the traveling becomes international, with Past National Commanders visiting Korea, Vietnam and the battlefields of Europe. My experience included a visit to a battlefield in progress--in Iraq.

One of the few National Commanders to visit an active theater of war, I was deeply impressed with the courage and spirit of the young men and women who are putting their lives on the line in a war against our enemies. I believe each new generation is the Greatest Generation. I can report to you first-hand that this generation serving in Iraq is among the finest in a long line of Greatest Generations.

As my term as National Commander is about to end, I look back on a very active year of solid achievement, hard fought victories and close shaves. I have been to NASCAR races in which the DAV was prominently saluted and baseball games where tributes are paid to disabled veterans for their courage and sacrifice.

The memories will always remain with me of those young service members fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. I visited with men and women involved in a brutal war in Iraq. I sat with wounded soldiers and Marines at Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Bethesda National Naval Medical Center, talking to them about their experiences, their fears and their hopes. I personally witnessed the price paid by young men and women who had willingly sacrificed for our liberty and were recuperating from their wounds.

I vividly remember a woman veteran who lost both legs in combat learning to walk again. Touchingly, she was being assisted by another woman veteran, standing on her own single leg and prosthesis. It was a veteran helping a veteran in the truest sense--just what we do every day. I was struck by the symbolism of this touching moment of physical rehabilitation. If ever there was an experience that lifted my spirits, it was watching these two young Americans building better lives for each other.

It was a momentous year for me, and for the DAV. It was a year in which we reached our goal of one million fully-paid life members. The goal I set at the start of my term was a wonderful accomplishment for the DAV, and for each of you. My year saw the changing of the guard from the World War II and Korean veterans' leadership to the Vietnam generation, now the majority of DAV membership.

In my travels, I have met thousands of our members across this nation, and spoken about the needs of disabled veterans to concerned citizens and members of the Administration and Congress. I have seen pride in the faces of those who hear the story of the DAV, and I have seen their concern when I discuss the issues facing today's disabled veterans.

I remain confident that our citizens will strongly oppose any legislative threats to the well-being of disabled veterans. The people of America are with us--they have our backs. But they need timely knowledge. It falls to us to ensure that the American people know of the plans proposed by the Administration and our elected representatives in Washington to cut veterans health care, benefits and services.

It is incumbent on us, the members of the DAV, to inform the American public and continue our legacy into the future. Membership in the DAV Commander's Action Network is a big first step toward ensuring that our benefits and health care remain intact. After all, these are the benefits provided by a nation of grateful citizens for our service and sacrifice.

Our outstanding professional national legislative staff is the best, and they provide us with both support and timely information to protect our interests in Congress. They provide us with the tools we need to be actively involved in advocating for veterans' rights, top quality health care and accurate, timely claims decisions.

Our DAV is blessed 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 Arthur H. Wilson is my close friend and supportive advisor. His leadership provides a treasure of knowledge that comes from his outstanding career of service to veterans. His confidence, support and strength helped me through this year. Art is one of our nation's great leaders, and a fine man who is dedicated to our mission of building better lives for disabled veterans and their families.

I want to applaud our outstanding corps of professional National Service Officers who each day fulfill our mission in its most meaningful way. They are outstanding young men and women who are devoting their lives to care for veterans. They are at the vanguard of our organization--representing the interests of disabled veterans and ensuring that the promises made by a grateful nation are kept. Our NSOs are truly remarkable individuals who labored each day on behalf of their fellow veterans and have performed magnificently.

I thank our Chapter and Department Service Officers and our dedicated volunteers, who do so much in support of disabled veterans and their families. My appreciation also 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.

Among my list of wonderful personal memories of this year of service is the strong support I received from each of you as I addressed the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee at the conclusion of our Mid-Winter Conference. It is a humbling experience to recognize that the message I delivered during that meeting would significantly affect the future of veterans' services in our country. It is a sad statement of our times that House Veterans' Affairs Committee Chairman Steve Buyer (R-Ind.) cancelled our joint meeting. It is my hope that in the future this valuable forum is restored so that the needs of our nation's disabled veterans can be fully discussed among all our elected representatives charged with stewardship of veterans' affairs.

I witnessed the gratitude of our nation shown at our air shows, ballgames and NASCAR races. Everyone took time out to thank the DAV, and you, for all that you do. America is watching, and we are performing as we always have with excellence and dedication.

Membership in our organization comes at a great price --sacrifice. It is through that sacrifice that we have bonded together to care for all those who have paid the price of liberty. I am so proud of all of you and what you do. This year has been a blessing for me, and one that will be a high point in my life. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your dedication. Thank you for being the DAV.

Keeping Honor Clean ...

Members of Virginia DAV Chapter 20 and the DAVA meet at Virginia Beach's Veterans Memorial Park as part of their community's "Adopt-a-Spot" program. By cleaning the park, the members show their respect for veterans who've passed before.

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Belated Bronze Star WWII ...

DAV member and volunteer Benjamin Blancato, with U.S. Representative Jeb Bradley, and New Hampshire Chapter 13 Commander Junious B. Owens. The congressman presented Blancato with a belated Bronze Star he'd earned in World War II. Blancato had enlisted in 1943 and was honorably discharged from the Army after being injured in 1949.

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