It’s now some time between 1:30 and 2:00 in the afternoon and not only do I not know what time it is, I don’t know what town I’m in.  Jon Powers’ busy schedule is impressive.  As we wind through the streets in the district, Powers’ father Bill talks freely about the history of the town and his family’s ties to seemingly every place we stop. A cousin works here, a grandfather ran this gas station on that street, Bill worked there too, and Jon ties the history to the current economic troubles in the country.

Whereas Bill Powers remembers a vibrant economy that supported a local machinery plant, Jon Powers came home from Iraq to see much of the America he grew up with gone.  When I asked Powers his thoughts on NAFTA, he said he, like most Americans, is frustrated.  He pointed out the closing of two American Axle plants. He acknowledged that globalization is a reality but if we don’t make changes we will continue to see the decline of Western New York.

We arrived at American Legion Post 332 in Batavia, the Glenn S. Loomis Post.  I spoke with Steve Burg, president of the Post Home Association, about meeting Jon Powers for the first time only moments earlier. Burg said he liked Powers immediately and said “It is very important to have vets in Congress. I get emotinal about veterans.” Burg served in the Air Force during the Cold War era, from 1981-1986. By the end of the meeting with Powers, Burg offered to screen Gunner Palace in the Post.

Powers spoke with each person in the Post, discussing the difficulties in getting records from the regular Army to the Veterans Administration.  He also discussed an article in the Washington Post from May 16th about the military doctors being advised not to diagnose PTSD because the tests are becoming too costly. Instead they are told to diagnose mental disorders. This was sent via e-mail and the writer of the e-mail did not get fired.

After shaking everyone’s hands, Powers told the room full of veterans “If it wasn’t for your work I think it would be a lot worse, which is one of the reasons I’m doing this.”

And with that compliment Powers left the Post. My day with Powers was done but he was headed to yet another event in the evening, his work nowhere near over, his energy, smile and dedication still intact.