National Commander
Meet Commander Bowen
Jay Bowen, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was elected National Commander of the country’s largest veterans organization on September 3, 2026, during The American Legion’s 107th National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky.
About
A retired chief warrant officer three, Bowen worked in radar and missile maintenance on HAWK and Patriot systems. His 20-year Army career included service in Operation Desert Shield.
Following his military service, Bowen worked in the private sector in roles including distribution management and telecommunications engineering. He built a preventive maintenance program for baked beans manufacturer Bush Brothers & Company. He later worked in federal defense contracting. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Southern Arkansas University, graduating summa cum laude, and a Master of Arts degree from Webster University.
Bowen has held numerous leadership positions within The American Legion at the post, district, department (state), and national levels. A Paid Up For Life member of Neal Thomas Jr.-Centennial Post 209 in Colorado Springs, Colo., he is a past commander of the Department of Colorado. At the national level, he has served as chairman of the Veterans Employment and Education Commission, chairman of the Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission, and chairman of the Membership and Post Activities Committee, among other roles.
As national commander, Bowen emphasizes The American Legion’s mission of service through his theme, “Be Part of the Solution (B.P.O.T.S.),” encouraging members to engage actively in their communities, support veterans, and their families, and advance the organization’s legislative priorities. He is a staunch advocate for The American Legion “Be the One” mission to prevent veteran suicide.
Bowen and his wife, Jackie, have two sons and four grandchildren, all members of The American Legion Family. Their oldest grandson recently married a very nice lady with three sons, so they are now great-grandparents.
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Videos
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National Commander's Programs & Incentives
American Legion National Commander Jay Bowen will award his national commander “Be Part of the Solution (B.P.O.T.S.)” membership incentive pin to any Legionnaire who obtains two new members into The American Legion.
A new member is any eligible person joining for the 2027 membership year who was not a member of The American Legion during the 2026 membership year. Transfers do not count as new members.
Each member listed must be eligible for membership in The American Legion. New Auxiliary members and Sons of The American Legion members do not count toward this incentive. Forward names of Sons of The American Legion members or Auxiliary members to your squadron or unit for use in their respective incentive programs.
Only one coin will be awarded per individual. Upon receipt, American Legion National membership staff will confirm the names in the national database and mail the coin directly to the person who earned it.
American Legion National Commander Jay Bowen will award his “Be Part of the Solution (B.P.O.T.S.)” membership incentive pin to any post commander, district commander, county commander, division commander, department commander or membership chairman who achieves 103% of their assigned membership goal for 2026.
Coins will be mailed directly to the recipient unless otherwise stated.
To qualify for the American Legion’s Post Excellence Award, a post is required to achieve excellence in four areas: membership, submission of the Consolidated Post Report (CPR), attaining a 90% renewal rate, and community activity.
The purpose of this award is membership growth, exposure of American Legion values to the community, and increased visibility of the American Legion Family through service projects. A post achieving this qualification will have had numerous post members involved in planning and achieving these goals. Many posts are already active in these areas and will qualify without extra effort. Others, however, will need to increase their efforts in one or more areas to qualify for the award.
The standard to be achieved in each area is as follows:
Membership: The post must attain at least 103% of their membership goal. At least one post officer attends district meetings.
Consolidated Post Report: CPRs must be submitted by July 1. The American Legion’s federal charter requires the submission of an annual report to Congress on activities for the year. MyLegion.org has made it simple for a post to submit its CPR in a timely manner.
90% Renewal Rate: The post must renew at least 90% of their members that were on the 2026 roster.
Community Activity: The post must conduct an event that connects the local community with The American Legion post. The objective is to open your doors, welcome the community in, and educate them on what The American Legion is all about and how the post is an asset to the community. Posts do not need to have a physical building to accomplish this. This activity can be held in a park, a community center, or anywhere the post can welcome and interact with the local community.
Certification for the award: The district commander responsible for the post will certify a post as having achieved the four specified criteria. The district commander will submit a list of posts meeting the criteria to department headquarters. That list should include the post name, phone number, address and commander’s name. If possible, accompany the last two criteria with copies of press releases submitted to the local media about the projects to show that the projects were not only accomplished but that an attempt was made to enhance the image of The American Legion through local media. The copy submitted should include a date and time stamp showing receipt by the media outlet.
The department adjutant will transmit information as posts qualify to:
The American Legion National Headquarters
Attn: Membership
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1055
American Legion National Commander Jay Bowen will award his 100% American Legion Family Ribbon to any American Legion Family that achieves 100 percent membership by the 2027 100% membership target date. For this award, the Legion Family is defined as a post and/or any combination of an Auxiliary unit or Sons squadron. Each must achieve 100% membership to qualify for the award.
The department adjutant will transmit information to:
The American Legion National Headquarters
Attn: Internal Affairs & Membership
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1055