INDIANAPOLIS
(August 12, 2010)

Calling a plan to build a casino on the footprint of America's bloodiest domestic battle site  a "national disgrace," the head of the nation's largest veterans organization urged Pennsylvania officials to quash the project and protect the sanctity of Gettysburg.

The American Legion's National Commander Clarence E. Hill reflected on the historical significance of the field where 160,000 Union and Confederate troops fought and nearly 8,000 died.

"When Abraham Lincoln dedicated the cemetery at Gettysburg, he said, '...we cannot dedicate - we cannot consecrate - we cannot hallow - this ground,'" Hill said.   "Lincoln recognized then that it was beyond the power of men and women to consecrate this land any more than had already been done by the brave men who struggled there.  Surely, he nor anyone else envisioned that someday this cemetery would be proposed as the site for a casino."

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4TROOPS will be performing a concert on Monday, August 30th at the National Convention and during the Convention Opening on Tuesday, August 31st. In addition a portion of their CD and music sales are designated for The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. For more information on the 4TROOPS music and appearances please visit www.4troopsmusic.com

After the National Convention, the 4TROOPS will be starting their fall tour to over 25 states and 45 cities. Their managing agency has asked if the local The American Legion Posts in the cities they are performing would like to be involved with their performances. Level of involvement would vary from location to location but  could range from assisting in local community promotion to getting veterans and Wounded Warriors to the performance. Each local promoter listed on the schedule has the capability to work with the local post on promotions to include possible benefits to the local post. The local promoter would just have to be contacted or a list of local post point of contacts could be provided to them and in turn they would contact the post.
 
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Thursday, August 19th 2010
11AM to 3PM

EverBank Field
(formerly Jacksonville Municipal Stadium)
1 Stadium Place - Jacksonville, FL 32202

WASHINGTON
(VA Media Relations)

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has selected its regional benefits office in Providence, R.I., to test a paperless system and new procedures to improve processing of Veterans' claims for disability compensation.

"This test program marks a major milestone in VA's move to paperless processing," said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki.  "It supports VA's transformation of the claims process to ensure speedy delivery of benefits to Veterans, their families and their survivors."

The pilot, which initially focuses on compensation benefits, is expected to start at the Providence facility in November, with completion in May 2011.  Additional pilots are expected before the new claims system is deployed to all 57 VA regional benefits offices.
           
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