A Weekend of Affirming My Commitment to Service
There are 54 branches in the District I’m a member of. Our command structure is branch, zone, district and provincial. There are nine branches in my zone, five zones in the district which takes in 54 branches and nine districts in the province taking in 404 branches.
Legion Mission Statement
Our mission is to serve veterans, which includes serving military and RCMP members and their families; to promote Remembrance; and to serve our communities and our country.
Our mission statement is the briefest of statements on what the Legion is. At our core is our duty to our veterans, serving and retired. Fostering remembrance of their service and sacrifice and to render aid to veterans to ensure they can live with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Changing Face of Membership
When I joined the Legion almost fourty years ago, it was dominated by WW1, WW2 and Korea veterans. I was part of the first wave of Associate members. Associates then were the sons and daughters of veterans. We were admitted to membership to support and help the veterans carry the torch of service, not for self, but for those unable to help themselves.
Most of us took that to heart. How could we not, it was the example our veterans provided. It wasn’t acceptable to shirk our responsibilities as members. As the years passed, the vets passed on, the number of associates grew but they were now relatives to veterans. They either embraced the mission statement and served or they treated the branch as a place to play.
To try to counter some of that movement away from the core principles, my own branch is working to reach out to younger veterans and encourage them to join and become involved. We’re a small branch, so it takes a lot of work to find and convince the vets but we’ll persevere.
Convention Reminds Me of Our Core Principles
When I attend district or provincial convention, I’m spending time in the company of those who share my commitment to the core principles. The discussion isn’t about the petty squabbles that take place in branches. They are acknowledged as a time and energy sucking problem but they are not what we’re about.
Instead we learn things like the work of the Leave the Streets Behind program to which we made a donation from our Poppy Fund. This past year they have housed and assisted over 200 homeless veterans in 119 communities get off the streets using $1.5million of the donations they have received from branches across the province. Veterans living in substandard housing or couch surfing are also assisted to transition into independent living.
There are no administrative costs to this program, that is assistance direct to veterans. Those who administer the program do so as volunteers just like we are at branch level.
There is a range of reasons a veteran becomes homeless, it’s not just about addiction and substance abuse. There can be mental health issues the veteran needs help with, difficult adjustment to civilian life, failure of the system to get them their pensions in a timely manner (which happens way too often) etc.
When a veteran is transitioned into housing, their first and last month rent is covered. Before getting them a housing setup, the program determines they are able to financially sustain the housing. Their new housing is furnished with new furniture and they receive a kit that has been developed containing all the basics of housekeeping to get them started.
Service officers continue to work with the veteran to ensure they are getting the help and supports they are entitled to. Veterans Service Officers at all levels of command work tirelessly to help veterans and their dependents get the assistance they are entitled to. For a veteran, especially a veteran struggling with issues, dealing with government bureaucracy can be a daunting task.
There is a lot of ground covered during the two days of the convention. It’s nice to be around people of like mind. Our meeting styles tends to be a mixture of serious and fun. We know when to get down to business and be all business and when to enjoy some laughs.
Moving Above The Branch Level
As this Legion year draws to a close, this weekend has me thinking about what I want to do in the future. I wont be standing as President of the branch this year. All being well, my 1st Vice President will be moving into the President’s chair. As Immediate Past President I will assist and support him.
I think though that I’ve reached a point where it is time for me to start thinking about getting involved at the Zone level of the branch. I would have before now but my financial situation has held me back. Getting involved outside the branch means taking on travel commitments and my finances haven’t been strong enough.
So, over the next year I’ll be continuing to work on building my financial situation toward not only a stronger retirement time for myself but being able to pursue the next levels of the organization I’ve devoted a major portion of my life to.
Should be interesting times.
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I have read many books about WW II, also as big fan about that history. In that war, many soldiers faced a terible situation. I imagine to become one of that soldier and join a terrible battle (Iwo ji ma , Philpphines , Shanghai, Normandi battles field). It is matter dead or a life , Lt. Spear ever said a soldier (Band of Brother ) to realise that once you have joined army it mean you had signed a death certificate and fought as dead man. I ever saw a documentary film about Normandy battle, this film told about two sides story (German and Allies). Yes.. I appreciate and give honour to them, they put their life on gamble of dead and bullets do not have eye and compastion. Anyway nice posting ! :)