Still time to recruit, earn my pin

My time as your national commander is soon coming to an end and since membership has been a focus of mine all year, I must ask – for all the Legionnaires who are no longer a part of our organization, who’s going to fill their shoes?

 

And who is going to fill all of your shoes – leaders in your communities and departments of The American Legion? The American Legion is better because of what you have contributed.

 

I am asking this because of the decline in American Legion membership.

 

Everywhere I go I tell Legionnaires that if each of them would recruit just one new member, we would double our membership. And when someone recruits three new members, I call or email them, and they are awarded with my Carry the Legacy Forward pin. I still have many left and look forward to awarding them.

 

I called Monica Trujillo, a member of Post 29 in Port Angeles, Wash., for her recruiting efforts and she emailed me back and said, “I’m honored to have served this great nation … I look forward to reinvesting my efforts to garner younger veterans into volunteerism.”

 

I’m glad there are Legionnaires like Monica, who are working to get new members and mentoring younger ones to someday fill our shoes. But what about the rest of us?

 

For all the members that have left our great organization, find out why they left the fold and find a way to fix it. If people feel wanted and appreciated, they will renew.
I have reinforced that  www.mylegion.org is a great avenue for accessing members who are either expired, new in the area or in a holding post. We can provide the information but it is up to all of you, your departments, posts and membership chairs to provide the tender loving care to these members so that they feel part of The American Legion Family.

 

Now, I’m calling on all of you to take action.

 

Since my election as national commander, I have asked Legionnaires to carry the legacy forward. But who is going to fill our shoes in order to do that?