Roy E. Smith was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during the 107th National Convention in Louisville, Ky on Sept. 3, 2026.
A resident of Louisville, Ill., Smith is a veteran of Desert Shield and served 21 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a chief warrant officer. During his civilian career, Smith was a maintenance supervisor and an outage manager at a power plant. He has held offices at every level in The American Legion and was elected department (state) commander of Illinois in 2025. At the national level, Smith served on the National Security Council and the Internal Affairs Commission.
Smith, and his wife, Tena, have two children, Katie and Roy W., and three grandchildren. He is a member of Post 914 in Louisville and has been a member of The American Legion since 1993. He is also the son of a World War II veteran and a member of Sons of The American Legion Squadron 914.
