Boys State, Boys Nation alum receives Legion Patriot Award
Photo by Ben Mikesell/The American Legion

Boys State, Boys Nation alum receives Legion Patriot Award

Mitch Daniels, former Indiana governor and current Purdue University president, was appreciative to have the opportunity to express his gratitude to The American Legion Aug. 28 on stage at the 101st National Convention in Indianapolis after receiving the organization’s Patriot Award.

Between visiting his World War I grandfather’s Legion post in Pennsylvania, representing the Department of Indiana in 1966 at Hoosier American Legion Boys State and then Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., “I saw this organization always as one of the great emblems of our country and a great asset to our country,” said Daniels, a member of The American Legion 100th Anniversary Committee.

The American Legion's Patriot Award is presented to outstanding citizens who perform great deeds and acts of exemplary service. Daniels was given the award for his advocacy of patriotic values during his career in public service. During his two terms as the 49th governor of Indiana, Daniels said his No. 1 responsibility was to support the Indiana National Guard. He visited U.S. military troops deployed overseas, appeared at Blue Star Salute events and met with Gold Star family members. As president of Purdue University in Lafayette, Ind., he has created a veteran-friendly campus with a thriving reserve officer training corps program. And through his leadership at Purdue, tuition has not increased since 2012.

Daniels said Boys State and Boys Nation is his most vivid and memorable encounter with The American Legion, and for that he shared in his speech to Legion delegates why he was appreciative to show his gratitude, as well as leave the Legionnaires with a thought.

While attending one of the Legion’s prestige youth programs, Daniels said “our country had its arguments and had its divisions but in general Americans were patriotic and grateful. They understood how incredibly fortunate we all have been to live in this country and the freedoms we enjoy. As important and as valuable as the programs like (Boys State and Boys Nation) have been and the example that the Legion sets has been, we’ve never needed it more than today.”

Daniels said the results of a recent survey showed that currently only 60 percent of Americans say that patriotism is important to them. That number is a low 40 percent among young people. He believes the lack of patriotism is from youth not having been taught enough about American history, and even misinformed, as well as not knowing about civic traditions.

“It’s not their fault that they don’t have as much appreciation as they should for the wonders that this country has meant to the world and for the great gift it has given to each of us,” Daniels said. “Ignorance of that kind can lead to ingratitude, and in combination those are two very dangerous character traits for a country of free people trying to govern themselves.

“So I want to say thank you for this award … and more so for the chance to encourage you to press on. The example of this organization, individuals in your communities, what you represent in your local communities … what you do as a national organization, all of these things, have always been throughout your century an incredibly important part of American life. Never more so than today.”