Diane J. Franz, Auxiliary National Commander

We need to be there for each other

This pandemic has all of us feeling our way forward through uncertainty. It is an unexpected honor to be serving a second term as your Auxiliary national commander due to these unprecedented circumstances, and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly.

My first year as your commander was as unorthodox as they come and came with some frustrating setbacks and unavoidable road bumps, so I could not be more excited to have the opportunity to be your DAV Auxiliary national commander for another year!

In my second term, I hope to focus once again on helping the brave men and women who have sacrificed so much for this country. It is imperative that we continue to fight for the promises made by our country to the men and women who signed up to protect our freedoms.

This year, DAV marks 100 years of giving back. In the span of a century, so many dedicated men and women have helped millions of Americans and their families. The services you provide today are essential—maybe now more than ever.

One way I would encourage you to mark DAV’s centennial is by continuing to look for ways to give back as your individual circumstances allow.

These gestures can be both big and small acts of honor: Provide veterans and their families with groceries, by either picking them up for them so they do not have to leave their homes or paying for a week’s supply so they may have one less hurdle to jump over. Cook a meal or pick one up and deliver it to a veteran who may rely on food delivery services. Help do lawn maintenance or other yard work. Offer rides to veterans who may not have anyone to provide them with a safe form of transportation.

Something all of these gestures have in common is the simple act of calling to check in on a veteran. This may be the most important act we can do right now to make sure veterans are doing all right or to check if they have an unmet need. That is how we are going to get through this difficult time, by being there for one another.

I am still hopeful and optimistic for the future. We have gotten through difficult times, and I believe as a nation, we will come out of this stronger and more unified. We must make the best of this situation, otherwise we cannot move forward with our purpose, to help those brave men and women who fought for our nation.