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| By G. Michael Dobbs Managing Editor It took several days to track down Paul Morin of Chicopee. Morin, elected as the national commander of the American Legion in August, was in Kansas recently and the American Legion public relations office said that cell phone reception wasn't reliable while Morin was traveling across the Great Plains region. Reminder Publications caught up with Morin in the American Legion's Washington, D.C. office. "I will be on the road for the next year," Morin said. Most recently Morin was in Montana, Kansas, and Oregon visiting American Legion pots. "I get to see all of the great things posts are doing. It's heart-warming," he said. If he is back home in Chicopee for 25 days in the next year, he said he would be "lucky." He will be spending Thanksgiving in Japan and Korea visiting American troops and will then travel back to Hawaii in time for Pearl Harbor Day on Dec. 7. That will be followed by a swing through California and then he will spend Christmas in Iraq. He plans to celebrate the New Year back in Chicopee with his family. Morin is on a leave of absence as the executive director of the Holyoke Soldiers Home. The Vietnam veteran has served as the commander of the American Legion Post 337 in the Aldenville section of Chicopee and was the department, or state commander, for Massachusetts. He has also served on various national committees of the Legion. While in the nation's capitol, Morin visited wounded troops at the Walter Reed Army Hospital, met with the staff of the Joint Chiefs, and testified before the Veterans Affairs Committees of the House and the Senate. He said the American Legion, which is the nation's largest veterans organization, is fighting for mandatory funding for the health services provided by the Veterans Administration. Morin said he was also "very fortunate" to have a one-on-one meeting with President Bush. He said that around the country American Legion members are present for both the departure and return of troops in a new program called "Hometown Heroes." He said this war is different than the Vietnam War as more and more reserved and National Guard personnel have been deployed and that it is important to show these men and women support. The American Legion also offers support services for the families of military men and women deployed overseas. He said one result of the war on terror is an increased number of young men and women who are joining the American Legion. Morin said that as the National Commander he is learning more about the impact the organization has had. He received one e-mail from a woman in California who explained the travel costs for her and her sister to leave Germany at the end of World War II were paid by the American Legion and thanked the organization for its help. While Morin is in California he intends to visit her. *** The American Legion has announced a free, easy way to thank American military personnel for their service on the eve of Veterans Day, Nov. 11: electronic greeting cards. Anyone who has an e-mail address can receive the special cards. Creating the card is quick and easy at The American Legion's web site http://www.legion.org click on Veterans Day E-greeting cards. The American Legion site offers e-mail cards representing each military service along with the service song that plays when the card is opened. Each card provides plenty of space to compose a personal message. Cards may be sent now through Nov. 12. |