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Veterans Turn To American Legion For Medical Help

  EL PASO, Texas (AP) — The American Legion is hosting crisis centers to help veterans get doctor's appointments and benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

More than 1,800 people in Arizona, North Carolina and Texas have been helped so far. The Legion will set up the temporary centers in seven more cities that also saw the longest waiting times.

The centers come in the wake of the VA scandal that brought to light long wait times and false record-keeping.

The American Legion also holds a town-hall meeting, where veterans can air their grievances.

Verna Jones, who is the director of the Legion's Veterans affairs, says the centers provide experts who hear the veterans' cases and help them present their issue to VA employees.

The crisis centers are staffed with VA doctors, nurses and schedulers.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.