American Legion to conduct town hall meeting and crisis center in Fayetteville, N.C.

American Legion to conduct town hall meeting and crisis center in Fayetteville, N.C.

The American Legion is sending a team of its experts to Fayetteville, N.C. next week, responding to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) audit that shows long wait-times for veterans seeking treatment at the city’s VA medical center.

Members of the Legion’s System Worth Saving Task Force will hold a town hall meeting and operate a crisis center in the city for local veterans and family members affected by delays in getting access to their VA health care.

The town hall meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, June 16, at American Legion Post 202 on 834 Ramsey St. in Fayetteville. The meeting is open to the general public and local veterans are encouraged to attend, especially those affected by wait-time delays.

The American Legion will also set up a Veterans Crisis Command Center at Post 202 from Tuesday, June 17, to Friday, June 20. Members of the Legion’s national staff, along with volunteers from other organizations will be on hand to assist veterans and family members affected by delayed VA health care. Services provided will include assistance in filing for VA benefits claims, counseling on legal issues, and help with enrollment in VA health care.

Operating hours for the crisis center at Post 202 are noon to 8 p.m. on Tuesday the 17th, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday the 18th and Thursday the 19th, and 8 a.m. to noon on Friday the 20th.

The American Legion is currently operating a crisis center this week at Post 1 in Phoenix. During its first two days of operation, the center assisted 328 veterans or family members affected by long delays in health care access at the Phoenix VA Healthcare System.

For more information on the town hall meeting or crisis center, contact Ed Lilley at elilley@legion.org.