Membership: ‘We are in this together’

During The American Legion’s Membership Workshop in early August, then leading candidate for 2015-2016 national commander Dale Barnett noted that the majority of the Legion Family members in the room were wearing 2015-2016 membership team shirts.

"For many of you, you put your name on there," he said. "You put your name on something, it should be personal. It should mean something to you about your responsibilities to this great organization of The American Legion." Barnett stressed the need to build membership as a family. "The (Sons of The American Legion), the Legion Riders, the Auxiliary – we are in this together," he said. "We need to push membership in all aspects because we are a team."

Barnett told members of the Legion’s membership team that they are "the heart and the soul of this organization, and the success of this organization depends on how well you perform your duties and your responsibilities this next year. It should be very, very personal to each and every one of you."

Oregon National Executive Committeeman Charles Schmidt, a consultant to the National Legislative Commission, told the workshop that membership falls on the entire organization’s shoulders. "I look at the meeting here in Indianapolis as a meeting of stakeholders: stakeholders in The American Legion," Schmidt said. "If you don’t think you’re a stakeholder, look at your membership card. With these cards come a voice and a vote. But also with these cards comes a responsibility to grow membership. Our voice needs to be strong because there are veterans everyday that need The American Legion. There are communities every day that need The American Legion. And our country always needs The American Legion."