Our responsibility to future leaders

Dear American Legion Family members and friends,

The Preamble to The American Legion Constitution states, “To foster and perpetuate a 100 percent Americanism.” As Legionnaires, we achieve this responsibility through our commitment to Americanism programs where we help young men and women become future leaders.  

Two Americanism programs that occur this month on the national level recognize high school youth for their marksmanship and leadership efforts – the 3-Position Junior Air Rifle Championship in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 20-22, and the 77th session of Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., July 21-29. Through these two Americanism programs and others like Boys State and Legion Baseball, we help foster a 100 percent Americanism because we are educating youth on the responsibilities, rights and privileges of American citizenship, service above self, and pride in our nation and the great symbol of our nation, Old Glory.

I can personally attest to this.

A few years ago, I received an email from a young man I helped attend New York Boys State. Lt. Col. Matthew Flynn attended the U.S. Air Force Academy following his time at Boys State in 1998. Among his many accomplishments that he wrote of in service to his country, Flynn flew KC-135s in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan and many other places around the world. 

His reason for writing to me was “to ponder and describe the vast array of amazing opportunities I have had over the course of my USAF career because I could never have done these things elsewhere and it was my dream come true, my honor, and my privilege to have taken each step along the way.  You made this life experience possible.  I deeply appreciate who you are as a person and specifically what you did to help me.  I can never say it enough: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”

When I first read his email, it reminded me about the reason I became active in The American Legion – it was to make a difference in people’s lives. I got a chill when I read his email thinking, “how great is that?”

Last year, 10,597 rising high school seniors participated in 49 American Legion Boys State programs, with 98 of them being selected to attend Boys Nation; 854 shooting sports athletes competed in the Legion’s air rifle program with the top 30 advancing to the national championship in Colorado; and 50,575 youth from 2,975 teams played American Legion Baseball, representing 49 American Legion departments.

These numbers represent the impact Legionnaires across the country are having on perpetuating a 100 percent Americanism. You are making a difference in the lives of our youth, our future leaders.

As 1981 National Commander Michael Kogutek said, “There is no organization whose name is more closely linked in the minds of citizens with genuine Americanism than is The American Legion."

Vincent J. “Jim” Troiola

National Commander