National legion commander visiting area

The national commander of the American Legion will spend several days in Southeast Missouri next week visiting legion posts and speaking on issues important to veterans.

Thomas L. Bock of Aurora, Colo., an Air Force veteran of the Vietnam era, will make the first-ever visit of an American Legion commander to Post 63 in Cape Girardeau.

The post is excited at the chance to showcase its new home at 2731 Thomas Drive, said Dean Monahan, public relations officer for Post 63. Bock will be the featured guest at a dinner at the post Monday evening.

"We were told he'd be available because he was visiting Missouri, and we certainly spoke up to have him come here," Monahan said.

In addition to legion posts, Bock will visit veterans facilities, including the Missouri Veterans Home off U.S. 61 in Cape Girardeau, said Richard Heigert, a spokesman for the state American Legion organization.

Legion commanders, who are elected for one-year terms, spend a great deal of their time visiting local posts, Heigert said. Last year's commander visited northwest Missouri.

"This year his main agenda is support for the troops and support for U.S. policy regarding Iraq and Afghanistan," Heigert said.

Bock is expected to touch on other issues, such as support for veterans' health-care needs and immigration reform. In a recent statement on immigration posted on the American Legion's national Internet site, Bock questioned the wisdom of any amnesty program for illegal immigrants and urged stronger border controls.

Deporting the 12 million people here illegally "is logistically, economically and diplomatically unwise and inhumane," Bock wrote. Any program to make those immigrants legal residents must include efforts to assimilate them into the mainstream of America and build loyalty, he wrote.

But in an era of terrorism and the prospect of a nuclear weapon being smuggled in a backpack, increased border security is essential, Bock wrote. "Border security, not amnesty, must be the first step," he said.

In addition to the stops in Cape Girardeau, Bock will visit posts in Ste. Genevieve, Malden, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston and Caruthersville, Heigert said.

rkeller@semissourian.com

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