Notes from the Adjutant's Desk

The Legion office will be open again beginning the 6th of January 2026.

2026 Renewals: We are running ahead of last year as we start the New Year. As of this date, we have 779 paid members. Department Life Members currently are down to 44 members. Current membership breakdown, WWII – 11; ROK – 113; Vietnam – 485; the remainder is made up of current war eras. These are estimates as some members do not have a war era listed.

Membership: We need to talk with our younger members that have served since the Gulf War. They will become the backbone of our VSOs in a few years. Without these younger veterans we will no longer have a strong voice in Congress.  Without a strong voice in Congress, we will keep losing funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the VA Health Care System.

If you are a member of this group of veterans or know a veteran from these conflicts, please ask them if they are a member of a VSO (veteran service organization) and if not, ask them to please join.  They may not be using VA service now, and may wish to in the future, may find that VA services have been cut back due to a lack of a strong voice in Congress.

Legion Insurance: It is easy to sign up, just go to their website and enroll. Legion Insurance covers you while you are traveling to and from a Legion Activity. Remember, if you have not paid your 2025 dues, you are now listed as expired. This means that your insurance lapsed on the 31st of December. Same for Legion Magazine.

Military Service: We still are trying to update our membership roster as to branch of service and the war era that you served. National has been printing on back of renewal slips the data that is in the Legion database.  Please check and add as needed so we can correct our database.  Thanks, it makes it so much easier to reach out to you if needed. 

VSO Web Sites to visit:Nebraska’s Department of Veterans Affairs, VFW, DAV, AMVETS web sites are agreat places to find current and helpful information on what Congress is currently working on and how it could affect you as a veteran.  The VA website has many tips on filing claims and links to other VA services to which you are entitled. These agencies do an excellent job of keeping track of Congressional activities that can or will affect veterans.  

VA News: (veteransaffairs@messages.va.gov). The Nebraska Department of Veterans Affairs and your local County Service Office are here to serve you.  They can pull up your records of military service and help track your claims you may have filed. If you have not visited with your service officer, now  would be a great time to stop and visit with him/her. The 2025 Nebraska Legislature may have passed legislation that may have affected you and your benefits.

2026 Auto Renewals: A new law is in effect. As you renew your auto for 2026, you should be able to get a discount on 2026 auto taxes for one car. Check it out.

This will be my last report, as I plan to retire as Adjutant for Post 3. It has been a pleasure to serve you as your Adjutant for the last 8 plus years.

Happy New year,

Ed Schnabel  Adjutant 

Your local Community Clinic and VA Hospital should be back to normal operations on January 5th, 2026.

The Lincoln Clinic is now closing at 5:00 pm. Be sure you double check appointment times, if you have one that shows a time after 5:00 pm.

Flu shots are now being given through walk-ins, or urgent care. When you have an appointment, you will be asked if you wish a flu shot, or to update any other vaccines that show up as overdue on your VA Health records. Covid shots are being given by appointment only. If you wish a Covid shot, call your clinic and request an appointment.

Remember that most community clinics do not have a Finance Office. The Lincoln CBOC does not have a finance office on site. If you have a billing question, you need to call the number that is listed on the Copay notice you might have received. You should find a finance office in most of the VA Hospitals, but they may have limited hours. This is true for the Omaha VA hospital.

Currently there are no mask requirements at VA clinics and hospitals. 

Masks are available for those who wish to wear them at the front doors of the clinics.

Express Care Walk-in service is for those who wish to have a nurse check out minor items. Times might be different at your local clinic, so give them a call and see if they offer Express Care Walk-in service. This care is available to those who might wish to see a VA nurse without an appointment during normal hours. The Lincoln Clinic treats 300 a month as walk-ins.

With the signing of the PAC act, more veterans have become eligible for services, not only for those who served “boots on the ground”, but anyone who has served since the Gulf War.

If you have any questions, call your local service officer, VSO, county, or state. It only takes a few minutes to see if you might qualify for an increase, or a new VA disability rating. The Veteran Affairs web site is a great place to visit. You can find out the latest information affecting Veterans. You can track claim status, file for travel pay, view your VA account, payments received, or Co-pay owed. You can make the Co-pay payments online.

The Lincoln Clinic does not have an Advocate on site. If you need to talk to an Advocate, you will need to contact their office by phone. The numbers to call are posted on the door of the Advocate Office in the Lincoln Clinic based on your questions. 

There are many ways to serve your fellow veterans. The VA systems has the need for volunteers. The local clinics or hospitals can always use volunteers for greeters or escorts. Hours given by the volunteers are credited with saving the VA Health System at Omaha, Lincoln, and GI are the equivalent of 25 full-time staff employees. This is based on an hour of service being credited at the rate of $31.50 dollars per hour.

Food drive to collect food items for our homeless veterans in the Lincoln

area is still ongoing. Items requested are shelf ready, power bars, easy to

open items (pull tabs), etc. Please do not bring in food items that are past

their expiration date, they just must be thrown away. A can opener would be nice. Other items that our Homeless Veterans could use are hygiene care items. They should be the small size that would fit easily into a backpack.

As the weather has changed from fall to winter, our homeless veterans could use warm clothing, hats, gloves, underwear, etc. Volunteer Services has a list of the most requested items. In Lincoln, they can be reached by calling 402-486-7938 or texting Ty.Andrews@va. Gov

The VA can use more volunteers at your local clinic or hospital. You can volunteer to help veterans in local clinic or hospital, or a veteran home. They can always use a monetary donation, or you can donate activities bags for younger kids to have when they come to the clinic or hospital with a parent for their appointments. There is always a need for the younger kids who come with parents, or grandparents, when too young to be left at home alone. 

Clinics and hospitals can always use books or magazines for patients. You would need to check with your local hospital, clinic or veteran’s home volunteer office to see what items they need or allow. This would be a great project for your church, school, or youth group.

The only animals that should be brought into a VA Health clinic or hospital are trained service animals that quality under DAV requirements. Other pets or comfort dogs do not qualify and should be left at home.

Thanks for your service to your fellow Veterans and thanks for your service to this great country.

Ed Schnabel

American Legion Rep

For the Lincoln CBOC