American Legion News

Riders chapter bringing Be the One, suicide awareness to its community

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

During the past two years, American Legion Riders Chapter 53 in Hillsdale, Mich., has participated in Suicide Prevention Month projects in other area communities. But this year the chapter wanted to bring the issue of veteran suicide directly to local residents.

So since Sept. 1, its Legion Riders have been placing 22 flags and 22 solar lights each day on Post 53's property to represent the number of veteran suicides that have occurred nationwide for years. The same number of flags and lights will be placed daily by Post 53 American Legion Family members.

The Chapter's The Ongoing Cost of War display will stay up through Oct. 1 and is an opportunity to create a discussion about veteran suicide, as well as the Legion's Be the One program to reduce the number of veteran suicides.

Chapter 53 had assisted with similar light displays in Hudson in 2022 and in Clayton in 2023. "It was after helping in Clayton that I knew that I wanted to bring the light display to our Legion in Hillsdale," Chapter 53 Director and American Legion Auxiliary Unit 53 member Angela Snyder said. "It was so moving. When you see that yard filled with 660 lights and make that connection – that's 660 souls that has been lost this month. It resonates throughout the month, but when you see that final count, it just really hits home."

Chapter 53 has received support from the post's Legion Family, Michigan nonprofits, a local business and other anonymous donors to supply the lights and flags. Each light represents a person who has died by suicide, while the flag represents that person's military service.

In addition to placing the flags and lights daily, every Tuesday at dusk throughout the month the chapter invites the community to come watch the lights come on and then discuss veteran suicides and ways to reduce them.

"That's kind of why we're out here doing this: to elevate this communication," Snyder said. "I think it's important for each of us, as a Legion member – and it doesn't matter what hat you wear, whether you're a veteran, you're a Son, you're an Auxiliary member, a Rider member – I think it's all of our responsibility to Be the One. Each one of us are responsible for anyone we come into contact with. That's kind of our job within the Legion: to be there. To truly be setting the tone."

But the display also is meant to start a conversation with Post 53. "I feel it's important for our Riders chapter to be doing this, sponsoring this as our contribution to our post home, because I wanted our living vets to see the lights and know that we see them," Snyder said. ""I feel it's especially difficult for the older generation: whatever World War II veterans we may have and our Vietnam War vets. These guys came from that quiet era. They weren't treated well when they came home, and they don't talk about what happened … as much as the younger vets.

"Our commander's a (Global War on Terror) vet, and those guys were trained to decompress, if you will. They were trained to talk about things. But our older guys, I think it's harder for them to get to open up. That's why I felt it was important for us to have something like this to open up that conversation for our older veterans, to get them to feel safe talking about things."

When Suicide Prevention Month comes to an end, Post 53 will host a ceremony on Oct. 1 in front of the display. The ceremony will end with a retirement of unserviceable American flags.

To learn more about The American Legion's Be the One veteran suicide prevention program, click here.

Next article: An expanded MCON conference highlights Be the One

An expanded MCON conference highlights Be the One

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

The second annual MCON conference will take place in Las Vegas at the end of October. As a founding sponsor, The American Legion has a special 100% off discount for members.

The mission of MCON is to create community, facilitate connection and improve the well-being of those who served and their families.

MCON will be held Oct. 24-27 at The Expo at World Market Center, 435 S. Grand Central Parkway in Las Vegas. The schedule is being updated regularly at this link. The event will also be livestreamed. Use code LegionMCON to register here for free.

A daylong Military Impact Summit will take place on Friday, Oct. 25. Separate registration is required (click here to do so). Among the highlights will be a presentation by American Legion Chief Marketing Officer Dean Kessel on Be the One, the organization's primary mission to reduce the number of suicides among veterans and servicemembers. Topics of other presentations during the summit include career transitioning, veteran entrepreneurship, corporate branding and more.

Over the weekend, the conference will feature various speakers, panel discussions and activities for military families. Among the speakers scheduled to appear:

• Rudy Reyes, a conservationist, writer, actor, motivational speaker and former Force Reconnaissance Marine. He is best known for portraying himself in the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill."

• Connor Matthews, also known as "The Controller," embodies the American hustle. His transition from six years as a distinguished Air Force combat controller to a formidable UFC fighter showcases his resilience, persistence and heart.

• Marcus and Amber Capone. Marcus, a retired Navy SEAL, is the co-founder and CEO of TARA Mind, a public benefit corporation whose mission is to expand safe and equitable access to psychedelic-assisted therapy for anyone struggling with a mental health condition. Amber, his wife, is the co-founder and executive director of VETS Inc., a pioneering 501(c)(3) organization providing resources, research, and advocacy for U.S. Special Operations veterans seeking psychedelic assisted therapies abroad.

• Ramón Colón-López, who served in the Air Force for 33 years. In December 2019, he became the fourth Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior enlisted servicemember in the U.S. Armed Forces.

• Tish Stropes, an Air Force spouse, is the vice president of Strategic Initiatives for Fisher House Foundation. The foundation oversees a network of comfort homes where military and veteran families can stay at no cost while a loved one receives medical treatment. Tish is responsible for Fisher House's involvement with Warrior Games and Invictus Games.

• Former Army Ranger Dave Reid, a symbol of resilience, leadership and relentless pursuit of excellence. As the Vice President for the Robert Irvine Foundation, he channels his extensive military experience into aiding veterans and first responders, serving as an influential advocate and key connector to the community he holds dear.

Next article: Looking forward to another great SAL year

Looking forward to another great SAL year

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

Hello, American Legion Family.

When I took the stage in New Orleans as the new National Commander of the Sons of The American Legion, I was honored to have so many members of my family there with me to celebrate. But I was also honored to have so many members of my Legion Family celebrating with me as well.

My slogan is "Todo es posible con Dios y la familia," or "Everything is possible with God and family." I firmly believe that emphasis on family is going to make this year a great one for the Legion Family as a whole.

I look forward to serving with and supporting American Legion National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr. and American Legion Auxiliary National President Trish Ward this year. As Commander LaCoursiere said in his speech at the National Convention, we will let the world know that we are the voice for veterans.

I look forward to visiting detachments across the country over the next year and seeing how the SAL is supporting our veterans and our communities. I can't wait to see your stories and successes in person, but also to follow those stories and successes through our monthly national e-newsletter, which includes the printable Millennium; online at Legiontown.org/Sons and Legion.org/Headlines/Sons; and on the SAL Facebook page. Remember, it's important we share our stories so that the Legion Family and those outside our walls realize all we do for our veterans and communities.

And I look forward to all of us continuing to find ways to Be The One to end veteran suicide. If you haven't taken the Be The One training being offered by The American Legion and Columbia University, I encourage you to look at the upcoming schedule and find a session that works for you. Ninety minutes to save a life. Go to Legion.org/BeTheOne to register for a session.

Let us continue to grow. Let us continue to contribute to the Veterans & Children Foundation, the Child Welfare Foundation, and The American Legion's other programs that help our veterans and youth. And let us make 2024-25 yet another historic year for the Sons of The American Legion.

"Everything is possible with God and family"

Joseph Navarrete

SAL National Commander

Next article: Senators push $15M bill to study birth defects in children of veterans exposed to toxic chemicals

Senators push $15M bill to study birth defects in children of veterans exposed to toxic chemicals

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

The generational effects of chemical warfare agents and other hazardous materials on the descendants of service members would be evaluated under a bill to fund $15 million in research on birth defects identified in the children and grandchildren of toxic-exposed veterans.

The Molly R. Loomis Research for Descendants of Toxic Exposed Veterans Act would commission multiple studies that look at the connections between toxic exposures of service members in combat zones and severe disabilities that were later diagnosed in their descendants.

The bill is included in two separate appropriations bills for the Defense Department and the Interior Department that have advanced in the Senate. House lawmakers have not offered a companion bill.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee's subpanel on defense, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., co-sponsored the research legislation, which would fund multiple studies by federal agencies and nonprofit organizations.

"While there has been some research on the link between birth defects and generational exposure to toxins and chemicals, there has yet to be comprehensive, government-led studies into the effects of toxic exposure on descendants of toxic-exposed veterans," according to a statement from Tester's office.

The funds would support the Toxic Exposures Research Program and build knowledge on the generational impact of chemical exposures on military members and their descendants, according to Tester, who also is chairman of the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee.

"This bill aims to empower the toxic exposures research group to conduct more vital research related to toxic exposure," Rubio said.

The legislation is named after the daughter of a Vietnam-era Navy veteran exposed to Agent Orange during military service aboard the USS Ogden, an amphibious transport dock ship.

Molly Loomis of Bozeman, Mont., was born with spina bifida, a presumptive disability that has been diagnosed in the biological children of Vietnam War veterans. Spina bifida is a condition where the spine and spinal cord do not grow properly during pregnancy. Her father, Richard Loomis, died in 2013 from bladder cancer, which was presumed to be connected to his exposure to Agent Orange, according to the family.

"I try putting myself in my dad's shoes and how it might feel to face toxic exposure health issues. But then to learn your exposure could have resulted in the birth defects, disabilities, even shortened lifespans of your own children, perhaps grandchildren, too — I don't think I can fully imagine the nightmare of that," Loomis said. "Not everyone chooses to protect their country, but I'd say everyone wants to protect their children."

Service members exposed to toxic substances are more likely than the general population to develop rare cancers, heart conditions and chronic lung conditions, according to the legislation. Descendants of toxic-exposed service members also can experience lifelong medical conditions related to their parents' or grandparents' exposure to toxic substances, the legislation said.

Mokie Porter, communications director for the advocacy group Vietnam Veterans of America, described the legislation as another mechanism for funding an area that historically has been overlooked in research by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

"Before these Vietnam veterans pass on, they want to ensure their children are taken care of. The children and grandchildren of toxic-exposed veterans have health conditions that have not been fully addressed," Porter said. "Most of the evidence linking exposure to birth defects is anecdotal because the research isn't being done."

Porter said new research dollars also would enable studies to be done outside the VA, including universities, medical centers and other nonprofit organizations with a background in studying birth defects and chemical exposures.

The VA presumes spina bifida in biological children of certain Vietnam-era veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and other herbicides was caused by military service. People with spinal bifida can have paralysis and require extensive surgeries and medical care. But Porter said while spina bifida is the most recognized birth defect associated with military chemical exposure, the link is still considered limited for lack of scientific evidence.

A previous bill — the Toxic Exposure Research Act — that Congress adopted in 2016 had authorized research into birth defects associated with chemical exposures during military service. But the VA has refused to act on it, said Jack McManus, an Air Force veteran and president of the Vietnam Veterans Association of America.

The VA determined research was not feasible because it would focus on the descendants and not the veterans themselves, he said. McManus, a former sergeant who served from 1965-1969, said he was a crew member on planes that sprayed herbicides in Vietnam and has experienced multiple health effects, including several types of cancer, neuropathy and diabetes. He does not have children.

The new legislation would require an interagency group on toxic exposures to work to raise awareness about associations between toxic exposures and birth defects, McManus said.

The bill also would require research and current treatments for serious health conditions identified in the descendants of toxic-exposed veterans to be published on a dedicated website.

The interagency group was established two years ago under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act, or PACT Act. The PACT Act awards disability benefits for veterans with diseases and injuries that are presumed to be linked to toxic exposures during military service, including from burn pits, radiation and other hazardous materials.

Next article: Educators return to school, deduct $300

Educators return to school, deduct $300

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

LEARN HOW YOUR PLANNED GIFT CAN HELP THE AMERICAN LEGION

As students return to the classroom, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) reminds educators that they should consider the deduction for classroom expenses. During the next few weeks, both parents and teachers face back-to-school expenses. Many parents will spend over $500 on clothes, books, computers and other supplies. Similarly, teachers who teach kindergarten through 12th grade will be purchasing many classroom materials for their students. A survey indicated that most teachers spend over $600 per year to support their students with educational supplies.

An important benefit for teachers and other educators is the above-the-line deduction for classroom expenses. The deduction for 2024 and 2023 is $300, an increase from $250 in earlier tax years. Teachers are permitted to take the standard deduction and still deduct expenses. If a teacher is married to another qualified educator and they file jointly, they may deduct up to $600 of classroom expenses. Each individually, however, is limited to the $300 amount.

Who Is an Educator? The IRS defines an "eligible educator" as a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide at a school with students from kindergarten through 12th grade. This could be a public or private school. A teacher must work at least 900 hours per year to qualify.

What Expenses Are Qualified? There are many classroom expenses that qualify. These could include books, teaching supplies, computers and software. Because there are still COVID-19 cases, the expense also may include masks, disinfectant, sanitizer and disposable gloves.

What is Not a Qualified Expense? Some types of expenses do not qualify. Expenses for homeschooling, or expenses by athletic instructors not related to their class, are not qualified.

Are Professional Development Expenses Qualified? If the teacher is qualified and spends funds on professional development courses related to their teaching area, those expenses can be counted. However, they are still subject to the $300 limit. There may be other deductions or credits (such as the lifetime learning credit) that provide greater benefits.

The American Legion's Planned Giving program is a way of establishing your legacy of support for the organization while providing for your current financial needs. Learn more about the process, and the variety of charitable programs you can benefit, at legion.org/plannedgiving. Clicking on "Learn more" will bring up an "E-newsletter" button, where you can sign up for regular information from Planned Giving.

Next article: ‘Soldier's Journey' unveiling completes National World War I Memorial

‘Soldier's Journey' unveiling completes National World War I Memorial

Source: September 5, 2024

Articles

On Sept. 13, at sunset, sculptor Sabin Howard's "A Soldier's Journey" will be unveiled during a "First Illumination" ceremony at the National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The epic 38-figure, 60-foot-long bronze relief will be lighted scene by scene during a "wonderful night of music and narration," says Jari Villanueva, executive director of the Doughboy Foundation, the nonprofit partner to the U.S. World War One Centennial Commission and steward of the memorial.

The event will start at 7:15 p.m. Eastern time. The public is invited to watch in person at the adjacent Freedom Plaza, 1325 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, or online via livestream at ww1cc.org.

The U.S. Army Band, "Pershing's Own," will perform, followed by the ringing of a bell by Howard in tribute to the fallen. Twenty buglers dressed in World War I uniforms will play an opening fanfare.

"First Illumination" opens WWI Living History Weekend, a series of immersive events hosted by the Doughboy Foundation. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 14 and 15, visitors to the memorial can see displays of World War I vehicles by the National WWI Mobile Museum, historical presentations by authors and World War I reenactors, Douglas Taurel's one-man play "A Soldier's Journey Home" and more. The lineup also includes musical performances by the American Expeditionary Forces Headquarters Band, the Community Bands of Westmoreland County, Pa., and the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. Belgium's Last Post Association will conclude each day with a ceremonial playing of bugle calls.

With the installation of "A Soldier's Journey," the National World War I Memorial is complete. And thanks to the Doughboy Foundation, it's something to experience as well as see, with the daily sounding of taps, augmented-reality mobile apps and more.

"We leave you our deaths. Give them their meaning .... Remember us." For Dan Dayton, the foundation's chairman, these words by poet Archibald MacLeish on the memorial's Peace Fountain gave him an idea about how they might remember veterans daily, in a consistent way. That led him to Villanueva, America's foremost expert on the revered bugle call.

"He looked at me and said, ‘So you want to play taps at the World War I Memorial every night at 5 o'clock, rain or shine or whatever it might be, for the rest of time?'" Dayton recalls. "I said, ‘That's right.' And he said, ‘I got it.'"

Villanueva organized a Daily Taps program, recruiting buglers through the nonprofit Taps for Veterans. Volunteers have included active-duty and retired servicemembers, and even Cuban-born jazz trumpeter Arturo Sandoval. Feb. 19 marked the 1,000th consecutive sounding of taps.

The inspiration came from Ypres, Belgium, where buglers have performed "The Last Post" at the Menin Gate for nearly a century. "It's a wonderful tradition, and now we do it here," Villanueva says.

Anyone can dedicate a Daily Taps to a veteran, on a day of their choosing, at doughboy.org.

Other ways to engage with the National World War I Memorial include the WWI Memorial Virtual Explorer and Visitor Guide apps. The first allows users to walk through a digital 3D model of the memorial from anywhere in the world. With the second, visitors can access the memorial's augmented-reality features to "place" a timeline and World War I planes, ships, tanks and other vehicles over the reflecting pool to get a sense of size and scale.

Built into both apps are Stories of Service, based on letters, memories and anecdotes about those who served in the Great War. "You can learn what they experienced, in their own words," Dayton says.

Next article: August Impact: Commander's call generates 17,000+ emails

August Impact: Commander's call generates 17,000+ emails

Source: September 4, 2024

Articles

The American Legion's 105th National Convention in New Orleans produced some big results in the area of veteran employment, small business development, suicide prevention, blood donation and more. But when outgoing National Commander Daniel Seehafer called for action to help prevent delays in VA disability payments, members responded in droves.

In a matter of four days, the American Legion's Grassroots Advocacy Center delivered more than 17,000 emails to Congress imploring passage of legislation to cover a $3 billion budget shortfall on the horizon before the end of the fiscal year this month.

During the national convention, VA Secretary Denis McDonough told thousands that massive increases in VA enrollment, claims and health care provided through the 2022 Legion-backed PACT Act have generated unprecedented demand for VA services. "We've exceeded our most aggressive projections," he told convention delegates Aug. 27, adding that a $12 billion increase in the fiscal 2024-25 budget is also necessary to provide care for the spike in VA patients, the majority of whom are now getting VA treatment for service-connected conditions related to toxic exposure; the PACT Act was expected to bring relief to some 3.5 million veterans who were previously ineligible for VA care, despite diseases and illnesses related to toxic exposure in the service.

Meanwhile, more than $400,000 in national American Legion youth scholarships were awarded in August, an American Legion Baseball World Series champion was crowned, and the American Legion Riders delivered more than $930,000 to the stage in New Orleans from the five-day Legacy Run, in support of The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation.

Click here to see all of the August 2024 Membership Impact Report, as well as reports from previous months.

Next article: September is National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month

Source: September 4, 2024

Articles

September is National Preparedness Month, aimed at encouraging everyone to prepare for emergencies and disasters. The American Legion's National Emergency Fund Preparation Guide is one resource the Legion Family can use to be prepared.

The guide provides guidance on what American Legion departments and posts need to do before, during, and after an emergency or natural disaster.

The National Emergency Fund, created in response to Hurricane Hugo in 1989, has provided more than $10 million in direct financial assistance to American Legion Family members and posts. By providing this emergency funding, NEF has prevented damaged posts from closing and enabled American Legion Family members to recover from tragedy.

The fund provides up to $3,000 for qualified Legionnaires and SAL members and up to $10,000 for posts. The eligibility requirements are:

Applicant must have been displaced from their primary residence due to damage sustained during a declared natural disaster. Applicant must provide copies of receipts of items required to meet immediate needs (such as temporary housing, food, water, clothing, diapers, etc.) during the period immediately following the disaster. Membership must be active at time of disaster and the time of application. For more information, go to Legion.org/Emergency.

Next article: Finish Ukraine's ‘bridge' to NATO membership

Finish Ukraine's ‘bridge' to NATO membership

Source: September 4, 2024

Articles

Defense officials, diplomats, researchers and reporters are all talking about Ukraine's "bridge to NATO membership" – something Kyiv was promised in 2008. With Ukraine mutilated by Vladimir Putin's invasion forces, that promise and that bridge seem broken. However, where there's a will, there's a way to bring Ukraine into the NATO alliance – the only source of security in Europe.

Tomorrow. First things first: As I've argued since 2022, NATO's objective should be to help Ukrainians secure what they define as victory. In other words, the Ukrainian people shouldn't be forced into signing a peace deal they oppose.

The good news in this regard is that all 32 members of the alliance declared during NATO's Washington Summit in July that they "will never recognize Russia's illegal annexations of Ukrainian territory, including Crimea" and that "Ukraine's future is in NATO."

Toward that end, the alliance has stood up the NATO-Ukraine Council (NUC), which gives Kyiv a seat at the NATO table, ensures joint consultations, and enhances decision-making and coordination. The alliance has established a Security Assistance and Training Command to "coordinate the provision of military equipment and training for Ukraine" and thus cement the work of the U.S.-led Ukraine Defense Contract Group – an ad hoc coalition of 50 nations that have sent economic and military aid to Ukraine since 2022. Finally, the alliance has encouraged its members to hammer out bilateral security agreements with Ukraine.

Taken together, these initiatives "constitute a bridge to Ukraine's membership in NATO," as NATO's political leaders explained at the close of the July summit.

Each of these efforts is important in carrying Ukraine beyond the hell of today to a brighter tomorrow. The NUC, for instance, formalizes and institutionalizes Ukraine's interaction with NATO. According to NATO's military headquarters, the 700-strong assistance-and-training command utilizes NATO structures to put delivery of military aid to Ukraine "on a firmer footing" and to "provide more predictability" to Kyiv. And the bilateral security arrangements serve as the supporting pillars for that bridge to NATO membership.

More than a dozen NATO members have forged such agreements. Britain promises "security assistance and military equipment across the land, air, sea, space and cyber domains." Poland vows to continue "equipping and training Ukraine's security and defense forces" and "to maintain its leading role in ensuring efficient supply of armaments and equipment to Ukraine" via the air-road-railway logistics hub in Rzeszów (80% of Ukraine-bound military aid travels through Poland). Germany pledges "air defense, artillery, armored vehicles … ammunition" and "cooperation in the field of intelligence." France is delivering "sustained security assistance (and) modern military equipment across all domains." Italy is providing "air defense, artillery, long-range firepower, armored vehicles, demining, reconnaissance means, unmanned systems, engineer means, information technologies, electronic warfare, air force and maritime capabilities."

Under the U.S.-Ukraine security agreement, the United States pledges "support … in developing a modern NATO-interoperable force," "a credible defense and deterrence capability," "combined military maneuvers and exercises," "defense industrial cooperation," "joint planning to confront threats," "cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure," "procurement of squadrons of modern fighter aircraft," coastal defense systems, unmanned watercraft, surface vessels, and air-defense systems. The 10-year agreement, signed in June, pointedly declares, "Ukraine's future is in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization."

Importantly, this agreement doesn't commit U.S. troops to fight Putin's mercenaries and soldiers in the mud of eastern Ukraine. In fact, it does the opposite: The better equipped, better trained and better prepared the Ukrainians are, the more successful they will be on the battlefield, the more secure NATO's easternmost members will be, and the less likely it will be that U.S. troops will have to engage Putin's army directly. That underscores how arming Ukraine is in the national interest.

These bilateral agreements are crucial because, even when the fighting stops, postwar Ukraine – whether it's a NATO member or still in NATO's waiting room – will need help deterring and defending against the enduring threat posed by a revisionist-imperialist Russia. This thick thatch of bilateral security partnerships bolsters Ukraine's defense capabilities in the near term, while pulling Ukraine closer to the goal of NATO membership over the long term.

Yesterday. "Long" is the operative word. As noted earlier, NATO promised membership to Ukraine in April of 2008. Recognizing that NATO is the only guarantor of security in Europe, President George W. Bush led a bloc within NATO pushing to bring Ukraine (and Georgia) into the alliance. France and Germany opposed that effort. And since NATO operates by consensus, Ukraine and Georgia were left on the outside looking in – with a dangled promise of NATO membership but no pathway or bridge to that goal.

Some view that decision as a bullet dodged for NATO. But it was actually an opportunity missed – and a green light for Putin, who proceeded to lop off part of Georgia in late 2008 and part of Ukraine in early 2014, before trying to finish the job in 2022.

There's growing momentum within the alliance to correct the mistake of 2008, as NATO members finally recognize that what the North Atlantic Treaty calls the "stability and … security of the North Atlantic area" is threatened by instability and insecurity in Ukraine. NATO won't be secure if Ukraine is left unsecured. The best way to ensure Ukraine's security is NATO membership.

Of course, bringing a country at war into the alliance is not an option. But Ukraine won't be at war forever.

There are signals from both Kyiv and Moscow that they are willing to meet at the negotiating table. Ukraine's foreign minister visited Beijing in July to discuss with Russia's chief ally the prospects for peace talks. Putin leaked word that he would accept a ceasefire recognizing the current frontlines as the new borderlines. With 83,000 casualties this year alone, an estimated 550,000 total casualties, thousands of tanks, armored vehicles, planes, helicopters and ships destroyed, and almost a million of his subjects having fled the country since 2022, Putin may grasp that his planned three-day blitzkrieg to capture Kyiv – now in its 31st month – will never succeed.

While Russia has been in a position to dictate terms for the past year, the fortunes of war appear to be shifting back in Ukraine's favor: Ukraine's long-range drone attacks are torching Russia's combat-critical infrastructure. Ongoing strikes with precision rocket systems are targeting Russian military assets in occupied Crimea – the center of gravity for Putin's army. FPV drone assaults are taking a heavy toll of on Russia's frontline positions. And Ukraine's surprising ground assaults into Russia proper have yielded land and leverage Kyiv can use in any peace talks.

In short, with Ukraine tearing through Russian troops, territory and tanks, Kyiv may find itself in the position to dictate terms.

What seems most likely is that Moscow and Kyiv will stagger to some sort of compromise representing less than what Russia wants (the subjugation of all of Ukraine) and less than what Ukraine wants (the liberation of all of Ukraine). This would be less than ideal: We must guard against exposing ourselves to the backend consequences of appeasing aggression, and, again, victory must be defined by Ukraine. But wherever the Russia-Ukraine border is ultimately drawn, history reminds us that neither lingering territorial disputes nor simmering hostilities are dealbreakers when it comes to providing security to allies and partners in the crosshairs – and that the free world can make an imperfect peace sustainable.

Consider post-World War II Germany. After an initial period of disarmament and occupation, the country's western half was reinvented, renamed, rearmed and invited into the NATO alliance as a full member in 1955 – all despite massive Soviet bloc armies ringing West Berlin, despite West Germany facing an overwhelming military disadvantage across a heavily armed border, despite profound disagreements between the superpowers. In fact, the United States didn't formally recognize the post-World War II territorial-political settlement in Germany and across Europe until 1975 – 30 years after the war's end – and the people of West Germany never abandoned their hopes for the reunification of East and West Germany. Those hopes weren't realized until 1990.

Consider post-World War II Japan. The Red Army seized Japanese islands at the end of the war. To this day, Tokyo does not recognize Russian control over those islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories. Despite this territorial disagreement, the United States entered into a security treaty with Japan in 1951 and a full-fledged mutual-defense treaty in 1960. That treaty is still in force today.

Finally, consider the Korean Peninsula. Despite territorial disagreements, despite the absence of a peace treaty, despite – or perhaps because of – the threat posed by a massive hostile army north of the 38th Parallel, the United States provided security guarantees to South Korea in the autumn of 1953. Those security guarantees are still in force. The people and government of South Korea, to this day, look forward to the full unification of the two Koreas under the banner of freedom. South Korea even has a cabinet-level government ministry focused on unification.

Each of these security solutions reminds us that where there's a will to do difficult things, there's a way to do them.

NATO membership is the way to secure Ukraine and enhance the security of every NATO member. "There is an antidote to chaos," President Reagan observed after the free world won Cold War I. "Its name is NATO … We must extend NATO protections and the NATO framework to those who desire to be part of our alliance. Room must be made in NATO for the democracies of Central and Eastern Europe."

When the guns fall silent, NATO must summon the will to finish this bridge-building project and bring Ukraine into the alliance.

Next article: 2024 national convention award recipients