Legion College class members share why they joined
Dean Erck of Post 904 in New York is part of the 2018 National American Legion College class. Photo by Lucas Carter/The American Legion

Legion College class members share why they joined

When David Miller’s flight landed in Indianapolis after his deployment in Afghanistan, his family was there waiting to greet him. So were members of the Department of Indiana American Legion Family. Their support was Miller’s “why” to join The American Legion.

“They immediately became my family,” Miller, a 2018 Legion College student and a member of Post 241 in Indiana, shared with the class as they gathered at National Headquarters in Indianapolis Oct. 31. “My son is now in service. So when Past National Commander (and Legion College chancellor) Dave Rehbein was talking about our why, it’s because I want to make sure that there’s always an American Legion for my son to come home to. And when he’s ready to assume his role (in the organization), that I’ve done my job to make sure it’s ready for the next 100 years.”

Many of the 55 Legion College students shared their why of joining The American Legion during a discussion on the subject with Legion College Chancellor Rehbein.

After going back into the reserves following the terrorist attacks on 9/11, Karl Stuvengen of Post 209 in Wisconsin saw what The American Legion was doing for active-duty troops and “I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to continue that when they came home to make sure they remembered that we’re here and we’re behind them, supporting them. We are still a family.”

Rehbein added that, “I don’t know what would happen to me if that feeling of family went away.” He shared that a World War II veteran of his post comes in every day to spend a few minutes with his family. His wife has passed and his children live away. “(Family) is part of what we provide.”

Dean Erck of Post 904 in New York has been fortunate to have people in The American Legion mentor him. “My why is to always look for that next person, to help that next person because it made a huge difference for me.”

Kurt Gies is a 25-year Navy veteran but he didn’t know if he was eligible to join The American Legion until he spoke with a Legionnaire. That Legionnaire signed him up. “The first thing they did was invited me to a meeting. The person who invited me made an effort to welcome me and introduce me. Had they not done that, I probably would have never come back,” said Gies, a member of Post 63 in Florida. They then introduced him to the Legion's Basic Training course. “The American Legion’s four pillars are what defines me. I never would have gotten there if somebody hadn’t invited me, if somebody hadn’t led me to the training.”

“These are conversations you may never get a chance to have with your folks back home,” Rehbein said. “You are here because you want to be leaders and these are the kinds of things that you need to think about if you’re going to be a leader.”

 


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