American Legion invites Albuquerque area veterans to special town hall

Albuquerque, NM (KKOB) — The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans service organization, is bringing its System Worth Saving (SWS) team to Albuquerque to ensure that area veterans are receiving the best health care possible from their local VA.

Now in its 21st year, the SWS program is designed to achieve that goal with on-site visits around the United States during which time a team of American Legion staff members and volunteers work hand-in-hand with VA staff on solutions.

The Albuquerque visit kicks off with a town hall where all local military veterans are invited to attend and share their experiences with the VA. During the town hall, American Legion representatives, VA staff and others will be on hand to address issues and questions raised by veterans related to their health-care experiences at their local VA.

The town hall, which starts at 6 p.m., will be held at American Legion Post 13, 1201 Mountain Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

The event is free, and no prior registration or RSVP is necessary. However, veterans are invited to submit questions beforehand via www.legion.org/systemworthsaving/townhall

American Legion Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission Vice Chairman Alan Cohen will be participating in the event.

“The System Worth Saving program is instrumental in ensuring that every veteran receives the health care they earned through their service to our nation,” he said. “That’s why we are coming to Albuquerque — to listen to what veterans say about the care they receive, to learn from VA staff about the challenges they face, and to forge solutions with VA to ensure that our veterans are receiving the best care possible.”

Each year, the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission conducts a series of site visits to VA medical facilities and regional offices across the country. While on site, American Legion representatives meet with veterans, their families and VA administrators and employees to discuss issues and solutions at each site. These observations are compiled into a System Worth Saving report that is distributed to VA officials, members of Congress and the public.