Charitable group’s principles have salaries surpassing half-million dollars

Dear Editor

As a veteran, from a family of veterans, I always watch and listen closely when I see an ad on television asking for “just $19 a day” to help wounded veterans. Before doing so, I decided to do some investigation.

On my computer, I Googled DAV form 990. This is the tax return that most charitable organizations have to file every year, and it has to list the compensation of its leadership.

Much to my disgust, it appears that the top half-dozen or so of the officials who run DAV each have total compensation exceeding half a million dollars a year.

I then Googled compensation for generals. The computer responded that the average compensation of a United States Army general is about $100,000 a year.

Apparently, the leadership of DAV thinks that each of them is worth five times as much as a United States Army general. I find that extremely doubtful, as well as really offensive.

It may or may not be that these leaders have come to do good. It is obvious, however, that they have done well.

I do not think that I will be sending DAV money any time soon.

— Michael C. Hall

Albany

Michael C. Hall is a partner in the Albany-based Hall & Williamson PC law firm.