Veterans coming to Spokane

As many as 1,000 members of the veterans service organization AMVETS are expected in Spokane next week for their annual national convention.

Among the dignitaries scheduled to address the convention at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park is retired Army Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady, a Medal of Honor recipient of the Vietnam War and chairman of the Citizens Flag Alliance, which joins with AMVETS in supporting a constitutional amendment to protect the U.S. flag from desecration.

Brady will be the keynote speaker at the convention’s opening ceremony at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Other speakers include retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught, president of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation Inc., who will speak on Wednesday, and Jerry D. Jennings, deputy assistant secretary of Defense for POW/MIA affairs on Friday.

AMVETS chose Spokane five years ago as the site of its convention after city officials made a presentation to the veterans group, said Dick Flanagan, communications director. The convention begins today and ends Friday after the delegates vote on as many as 40 resolutions of interest to veterans, including legislation to make Veterans Affairs health-care funding permanent.

“It’s better all the way around if we know the VA has the funding to provide adequate health care to this country’s veterans,” Flanagan said.