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Photo courtesy of Post 911 |
BY JOHN RAUGHTER
SAN FRANCISCO – With its progressive politics, high cost of living and lack of military bases, San Francisco is not a place one would assume to find the newest generation of Legionnaires. Yet the Bay Area is now home to one of the fastest growing and unique posts in The American Legion.
“If The American Legion can succeed in San Francisco, and we are proving that it can, it can succeed anywhere,” said Michael Gerold, Commander of American Legion Post 911.
As its moniker suggests, the new post was born in the aftermath of the worst terrorist attack in American history. Fittingly, its membership ranks are dominated by veterans of the War on Terror.
Chartered on Sept. 11, 2007, the post already had more than 100 Legionnaires by spring. Moreover, 84 percent of its membership is under 27 years old. It also has a rapidly growing Auxiliary unit and Sons of the American Legion squadron.
Gerold, a “post elder” at 39, and his post adjutant, Yon-Teo Seeger, 31, served in combat together with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force [in] Afghanistan. After returning home, Gerold said that he was unable to find a single American Legion post that was dedicated specifically to veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom or Operation Iraqi Freedom.
“Post 911 is dedicated to acknowledging the selfless service, sacrifice and bravery of American heroes answering the call of our generation,” Gerold said. “We are assisting these honored veterans in their return home by providing a conduit for educational, medical, vocational, and social support and benefits; and giving true meaning to their continued success by encouraging the same selfless service in our community at home that they have already demonstrated to the country while serving.”
“Our vision for Post 911 revolves around family,” said Seeger. “We do not view our Sons squadron, Auxiliary unit and Legion members as three separate units. We are one family and we are all emotionally invested in succeeding as one family.”
Its website,
www.legionpost911.org, reflects the interests of the current generation of veterans. “We have created a new series of activities and programs tailored to the current interests of the new generation. The first of its kind Legion SCUBA, paintball, triathlon, Skydiving, and Expedition Adventure League are now available to the new generation of high adventure seekers,” it proclaims. “We are also dedicated to getting needed information to our members and sponsors faster and more effectively than ever by reaching out to our returning heroes via Internet, blogs, Podcasts, billboards, taxi tops, and radio media.”
If Post 911 defies stereotypes, it should come as no surprise since the leadership of the post itself is anything but typical. Gerold, who still serves on active-duty as a U.S. Army captain, drives a BMW convertible and lives on the 33rd floor of a swanky high rise in San Francisco’s financial district. The few military residents of his complex tend to wear stars on their shoulders, not captain bars.
A successful investor, Gerold was able to live entirely off his California real estate holdings and portfolio by the time he was 26. “My brother and I reached the point where we could just enjoy life, so we joined the Army. I was very fortunate with my investments and wanted to give something back to this country,” he said.
That “something back” included having been injured during a 2006 firefight in Afghanistan, which resulted in an air medical evacuation to the Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany where he was treated for three months in the Poly Trauma ward. At Landstuhl, he met a translator in the hospital who would become his wife and president of the Post 911 Auxiliary. At age 29, Carita Ronin Gerold is hoping to begin her own Army career.
“I want to join the Army,” Carita said. “Being around all of these soldiers is an inspiration. I also want to remain an active Auxiliary leader because we have big plans here including the rejuvenation of veterans services and activities of the San Francisco War Memorial Veterans Building.”
Oh yes, the War Memorial Veterans Building. The full name of the magnificent structure is the San Francisco War Memorial & Performing Arts Center. It houses Post 911, along with several other local American Legion posts and the Department of California headquarters. Usage of the 7 and ½ acre building is becoming a point of contention between San Francisco’s thriving arts community and the veterans. The renovations will come as a result of a $120-million grant awarded by the City of San Francisco.
“There are some, certainly not all, in this city who would love to relegate the Legion presence to just one office in the back of the building,” Michael said. “The city is willing to fund renovations and upgrades but unless we want this great memorial to veterans to be dominated by art rooms and performing studios, it is up to us to show usage. I would love to see all of The American Legion posts in the area be active and shatter the anti-military reputation that San Francisco does not entirely deserve but definitely has. There are a lot of patriotic people in this city and the business community is solidly behind us.”
Gerold has been able to use his business connections to form the Post 911 “Torch Bearer’s Society,” an informal network of business leaders willing to mentor young veterans. “Careers, not just jobs, and education are the top priorities for Post 911’s young veterans,” Gerold said. “If we can help provide these services, we are performing a key mission of The American Legion. Most people who have served in the military, can excel at colleges and universities.” Gerold speaks three to four times a week to various audiences about what he campaigns for as “serving the next Generation of Heroes.”
Gerold fulfills his Army obligation by teaching ROTC at the University of San Francisco, a campus that has been fertile ground for Post 911 membership. Gerold emphatically states, “University of San Francisco’s mission of educating the hearts and minds to change the world, is our shared mission as the new face of the American Legion. Post 911 is educating the hearts and minds to change the world’s perception, treatment and understanding of who we are and why we volunteer for military service.”
“Every officer in the post is a college student,” Gerold said. “It’s not a requirement but I insist on educational development in whichever form one elects. We strongly encourage returning veterans to pursue higher education. We have several people working on MBAs. We have Legionnaires attending school at Stanford, U.C. Berkeley, USF, San Francisco State, and Santa Clara University.”
Thirty-four members of Post 911 serve as leaders in the Boy Scouts – an unpopular move in some San Francisco quarters. “One post was pretty upset because of their policy (prohibiting homosexual Scout leaders and requiring a belief in God). They said we shouldn’t support the Scouts. I believe Scouting is one of the best youth leadership development programs in the world.” Gerold said. “I’m an Eagle Scout and we have other Eagle Scouts as post officers. The Boy Scouts are a great organization and we are happy to support them.” Post 911 has sponsored a Venture Crew 911 as well as a Cub Pack 911.
While the younger veterans may have created Post 911, the emphasis on youth does not come at the expense of older members. The post includes retired Gen. John Abizaid in its ranks as “Honorary Commander,” as well as Gerold’s father, a World War II veteran. “Any veteran who is eligible to join The American Legion is welcome in our post,” Gerold said. “Just because we reach out to OIF and OEF veterans does not mean that we don’t appreciate the service of earlier veterans.”
One way the post has been reaching the younger veterans is through its X-Box Live network. “At any given time 70,000-80,000 people are on this network playing,” Seeger said of the Call of Duty IV: Modern Warfare game. “Through our group screen name ‘P911’ we have been able to recruit members from out of state that we would not otherwise meet.”
Gerold said the game has enabled the post to recruit members from Puerto Rico, New York, Massachusetts and even Iraq. “It’s also a lot of fun with realistic combat graphics. We plan to expand our outreach through new media. We have an information officer who will put our footprint on MySpace, Facebook, SecondLife.com, Yahoo, our Virtual Post 911, and podcasts.”
While the post has been rapidly expanding since its founding, it is still just “Phase I” according to its leaders. “Phase I is building a strong post in San Francisco,” Gerold said. “Phase II will include satellite posts or annexes throughout the region and state. Phase III will be an expansion of Post 911 members throughout all 50 states. This can be done by cyber-recruiting and Internet activities and our P911 Mobile Training Teams (P911MTT’s).” These four person training teams will travel nationwide with funding and resourcing provided by several airlines, corporations and hotel chains currently supporting Post 911.
Post 911 will hold a semi-annual gala May 9, to display to the city that there are indeed veterans in San Francisco and that they deserve the respect and thanks for their service. Gerold is adamant about his copyrighted tag line that the time for “We Support the Troops” needs to replaced with Post 911’s “We DO for the Troops. We are reshaping the messaging and brand management of veterans.”
And when will Phase II begin? Sept. 11, 2008. While the years change, the month and day will always burn in the hearts of these veterans of the War on Terror.
