Legionnaires Graduate from the 2009 National American Legion College
October 30, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS -- A new generation of leaders came to Indianapolis from 31 departments (states) of The American Legion. The 51 students of the National American Legion College honed their leadership, team building, communications and mentoring skills to pass the intensive course. They received diplomas from National Commander Clarence E. Hill during a ceremony held here this morning.
Members of the class completed the six-day crash course of the nation's largest veterans organization that saw them lay a solid foundation for Legion post revitalization in a variety of geographical settings to include a rural area, the inner city, suburban communities, a metropolitan area and a cyber post. They were also provided the instruction and tools to construct resolutions for American Legion activities at their respective posts for presentation at a mock district meeting. Commencement took place this morning at The American Legion national headquarters. The National American Legion College is designed to reinforce a volunteer's leadership, management and communication skills. This helps prepare young members of The American Legion to lead the nation's largest wartime veterans organization on the local and state level. The importance of mentorship for both other members and special groups in the community was a central point to several of the activities for the class.
"This organization doesn't have a reputation if you don't publicize it," American Legion National Commander Clarence Hill told the graduating class. "It's only when you are in the game that we can be successful. Take all you have learned back home and make it a priority to tell The American Legion story to those within your communities. You are all leaders. Make the organization be for the next 90 years what it has been for the last 90 years."
Wayne A. Campbell Birmingham Alabama 347 Judith S. Beischel Fountain Hills Arizona 58 Michelle A. Tremblay Phoenix Arizona 75 Matthew Shea San Francisco California 911 Louis V. Brackett Fruita Colorado 2006 Steven A. Carter Aurora Colorado 1976 George A. Sheehy, IV Oxford Connecticut 174 Michael Addis Seminole Florida 252 Jacinth Conti, Sr. Inverness Florida 155 Ryan D. Gonzales Lakeland Florida 208 Martha Harris-Davis Pensacola Florida 340 Fletcher Williams Crestview Florida 75 Sherry L. Davis Stone Mountain Georgia 147 Charles A. Patterson Waianae Hawaii 17 Ronald Herr Nampa Idaho 18 Barry C. Cicero Western Springs Illinois 1941 Denise A. Fields Atlanta Illinois 341 Thomas H. Naragon Lisbon Falls Maine 158 Louis E. Brault Chicopee Massachusetts 275 Teresa A. Ash St. Paul Minnesota 406 Dennis L. Woeltje Cape Girardeau Missouri 63 Michelle D. Harada Wolf Point Montana 61 William J. Kerns Crete Nebraska 294 John H. Pearcy Papillion Nebraska 32 David S. Evans Reno Nevada 12 Gary W. Wayman Nashua New Hampshire 43 Warren F. Kaiser Northvale New York 1044 John R. Venturina Ossining New York 1123 James D. Moore Pikeville North Carolina 11 Robert L. Krause Fargo North Dakota 191 Kevin J. Semmens New Rockford North Dakota 30 Kenneth K. Wiederholt Gwinner North Dakota 191 Gerald H. Pope Covington Oklahoma 190 Jay C. Richardson Weatherford Oklahoma 91 Troy T. Michaels Dallastown Pennsylvania 605 Michael D. Strauss North Augusta South Carolina 71 Byron I. Callies Watertown South Dakota 17 Kenneth E. Orrock Rapid City South Dakota 22 James L. Beck Seimer Tennessee 162 George Harper Memphis Tennessee 27 Bruce A. Lamb Big Sandy Tennessee 228 Michael A. Simon Blanco Texas 352 Glen Bradford Spanish Fork Utah 68 Wesley H. Latchford Virginia Beach Virginia 110 Christopher T. Brock Sedro Wooley Washington 43 James M. Narovich Sedro Wooley Washington 43 Gary W. Roach, Jr. Chewelah Washington 54 Barbara J. Belmont Menasha Wisconsin 33 Victoria L. Duncan West Bend Wisconsin 36 Ronald J. Hessil Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin 21 Michael Novak Indianapolis Indiana 777
Mentors for the 2008 National American Legion College included Kenneth M. Romero of Post 70 in Johnstown, Colorado; Paul A. L'Heureux of Post 153 in Auburn, Maine; Patricia A. Harris of Post 124 in Raleigh, North Carolina; Robert S. White of Post 703 in Parma, Ohio; Sean Sparks, National Staff in Indianapolis, Indiana and Bill Sloan of Post 67 in Sheridan, Indiana
-- 30 --
To contact a graduate for an interview, call Matt Herndon at (317) 630-1406.