By American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein, American Legion Auxiliary National President Desiree´ A. Stoy, and Sons of the American Legion National Commander Tommie Cisna

We need your help. Most importantly they need you. They are our warriors, our guardians, our protectors. They are liberators, peacekeepers and nation-builders. They are our neighbors, friends and family members. They are the men and women of the United States Armed Forces. And now they are hurting.

The U.S. government does a good job providing for the essential needs of the men and women recovering from war injuries in hospitals like Walter Reed, Brooke Army Medical Center and Bethesda Naval Medical Center, just to name a few. But what about the so-called nonessentials, the items that don't show up as a budget-line on a government spreadsheet? Nonessential comfort items such as loose-fitting sweat suits that can cover a soldier's healing body without adding pressure to the burns he suffered during an RPG attack in Ramadi? Or an I-Pod to help drown out the tinnitus that has plagued the medic ever since she drove too close to a roadside bomb in Afghanistan? Or a gripping novel that provides a welcome distraction from PTSD?

On July 11, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., led a bipartisan effort to encourage the U.S. Postal Service to issue a Purple Heart Forever Stamp to permanently honor U.S. military members wounded or killed in combat. Clinton and King were joined by 12 senators and 80 representatives in sending a letter to the USPS' Citizens' Stamp Advisory Council, requesting the "forever" stamp.

Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid was presented with the Nevada American Legion Award to recognize his leadership and tireless efforts to ensure that veterans receive the care they need and deserve.

“I am honored to receive this award from the Nevada American Legion,” said Reid. “For years, I have made it my mission to fight for the benefits our veterans, servicemen and women, and their families deserve. I am glad that Senate Democrats were able to provide the Veterans Administration with the largest budget in its history. I will continue to leverage my position as Majority Leader to ensure our veterans receive the retirement and health care benefits they were promised when they enlisted. It’s the right thing to do and anything less is an injustice.”