The recently elected National Commander of the American Legion made his way through the central part of Kansas Tuesday on day two of his three-day tour of the state and made stops at two local American Legion Posts.

Dale Barnett of Douglasville, Georgia, was elected National Commander of the American Legion on September 3rd. Two of his stops Tuesday included one at American Legion Post #240 in Chapman and one at American Legion Post #45 in junction City.

During his stops he spoke about a number of topics from membership, to spreading awareness of the American Legion and the need for stability throughout the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

He explained that the American Legion and VA are not enemies and that the American Legion see’s the VA as an organization worth saving, but there needs to be some reform.

“Even the VA Secretary, Bob McDonald has talked about reforming the VA. For to long it’s been to big of a bureaucracy and there have been a few that have taken advantage of it,” said Barnett. “One of the things that we’re going to highlight is those people who have taken advantage of the system. We want to hold people accountable to provide the best healthcare possible to our Veterans. They earned it, they deserve it and our nation has a sacred obligation to provide it.”

Barnett’s stop in Junction City was the first time American Legion Post #45 hosted a National Commander in about ten years.

He is currently completing a three-day tour of Kansas which includes stops at 15 American Legion Posts, Fort Riley and the Kansas Veterans’ Home.