A Salute
To Veterans A Special Publication of The Addison Independent • November 10, 2016
National Commander visits Vergennes Vt.’s Veterans
Affairs staff is small but it is also mighty
Charles Schmidt spreads the word at Legion posts By ANDY KIRKALDY VERGENNES — Recently elected American Legion National Commander Charles Schmidt of Oregon has several missions as he travels around the nation during his year in office. Schmidt, a retired and decorated 27-and-ahalf year Air Force veteran and 33-year American Legion member, stopped at Vergennes Post 14 on a Monday afternoon last month as part of his four-day visit to Vermont. Schmidt, granting an interview after a Post 14 hot lunch and soda with a hunting story on the side, described one of his basic missions. “I just come out to meet the veterans and tell the veterans that, first of all that they are appreciated and thank them, not only for their military service, but also their service as a Legionnaire taking care of veterans,” he said. “We have a couple mottos: ‘Veterans Serving Veterans’ and ‘Veterans Serving America.’” As far as exactly where that mission takes Schmidt within the states and the four other American Legion “departments” (Puerto Rico, France, the Philippines and Washington, D.C.), he is a good soldier — Schmidt follows orders from local officials, who decide where National Commanders should visit within their borders. In Vermont last month, that meant posts in Vergennes, Castleton, Fair Haven and Poultney as well as veterans’ programs in Northfield and Rutland. “They plan their own internal agenda, and I just fly with that,” Schmidt said, adding, “Part of the job as the American Legion National Commander is to do a lot of traveling.” LEGACY Wherever Schmidt stops, he emphasizes the founding principles of the American Le(See Schmidt, Page 3)
VERMONT — Although the state of Vermont’s Office of Veterans Affairs has only eight staff members, it has built a strong reputation for customer service. All of them work with veterans and their families, so that none of the Veterans Affairs staffers are removed from the challenges and hardships that vets may face. Veterans Affairs officials note that everyone in the office is committed to doing the very best they can for their customers because they are committed to making a difference in the lives of veterans and their families. The members of the Vermont Office of Veterans Affairs are as follows: Office of Veterans Affairs Staff ROBERT E. BURKE, Director Burke directs the day-to-day operations of the Office of Veterans Affairs. He leads the team in ensuring that Vermont’s veterans receive the state and federal benefits they deservedly earned. He is a veteran of the U.S. Navy having retired in 2012 after 28 years of Active and Reserve duty. He has served tours of duty (See Veterans help, Page 2)
State of Vermont, Office of Veterans Affairs 118 State St., Montpelier, VT 05620-4401
CHARLES SCHMIDT, NATIONAL commander of the American Legion, recently visited Post 14 in Vergennes. He says the core principals of the Legion — care for and rehabilitation of veterans who are suffering from wounds or want, care of service members’ dependents, education of young people, and service to community and nation — are as relevant today as when the group was founded almost a century ago. Independent photo/Trent Campbell
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