The new Commanders’ Task Force (CTF) members have been selected along with their new CTF chair, Denise Milton. Milton has been active in the American Legion for many years, and is a member of Bagley Post 16. She has been Post Commander, Ninth District Commander, Department Chaplain, Department Membership Director, and Department Vice Commander.

Milton served for 28 years in the Army and Army Reserve as a clinical specialist and she was on active duty during the Vietnam War, Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Her theme for the year is “Victory for Veterans” and her project is to work with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans on ending Veteran homelessness in Minnesota.

This is a lofty goal and one that the state and her fellow Commanders have been working toward as well. The varied backgrounds of each commander plays a role in how they come to solutions and how they assist Veterans in the state of Minnesota. American Legion, American Veterans (AMVETS), Disabled American Veterans, Jewish War Veterans, Marine Corps League, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Minnesota Paralyzed Veterans of America; and Vietnam Veterans of America make up the nine congressionally chartered Veterans Service Organizations. These organizations each have individual missions to help Veterans, but come together through the Commanders’ Task Force to make sure that Minnesota Legislation understands the needs of Veterans and works together to pass helpful laws that make sure Minnesota Veterans are provided proper care.

With different backgrounds and different service branches comes a different perspective; these perspectives have been the backbone in providing counsel and a “Board of Directors” input when it comes to Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, Larry Shellito, who refers to the CTF as such. We welcome all our new members for 2016-2017 and hope that they can achieve, “Victory for Veterans.”