Arizona post wins national award

American Legion Post and Auxiliary Unit 132 of Oro Valley, Ariz., are the recipients of the U.S. National Guard’s Family Program Community Purple Award for 2013 – a national award presented to a community group or organization that works with Army and/or Air Guard activities.

The post and unit were nominated for the award by Arizona Army National Guard 1st of the 285 Attack Reconnaissance Battalion (ARB) for their "outstanding support to the battalion’s soldiers and families." For the award, Post and Unit 132 were credited with raising more than $13,000 for 285th ARB activities and for contributing more than 1,500 volunteer hours in support of the servicemembers and their families. The Legion Family members showed their support by attending deployment meetings, sending monthly care packages to the deployed soldiers, staffing battalion family picnics, participating in battle update briefs for family members and more.

"Our relationship with the dedicated and professional men and women of the Arizona National Guard for the past several years has been especially rewarding," said Ed Davis, commander of Post 132. "To receive their gratitude in this manner is truly heartwarming. Some of the (battalion’s) family activities would not have been possible without (Unit 132’s) support. We have found that a team approach yields better results."

Arizona National Guard Chief of Staff Col. Len Dyer presented the award to Post 132 Commander Ed Davis and Auxiliary Unit President Onita Davis on Dec. 8, 2013.