American Legion volunteerism: Are you a servant leader?

Note: This was published in the March 2019 issue of Cathay Dispatch.

Every Legionnaire at some point is asked, “Why did you join The American Legion?”  It could have been at a membership roundtable discussing ways on how to recruit new members or it could have been during a leadership training session.  It doesn’t really matter the where or the when, but the answer to the question that is most important.   

Why did you join The American Legion, a veteran membership-driven volunteer organization lead by volunteer leaders?  Was it the opportunity to help support your veteran and their families in your communities?  Was it the prospect of helping out high school students in activities that develop discipline, teamwork, sportsmanship, leadership or communication skills?  Maybe you joined the Legion to educate others why voting matters, or how to fly and fold the U.S. flag correctly, or to how to march in parades to demonstrate patriotism. Perhaps The American Legion presented an avenue you needed to continue to serve your fellow veterans by relentlessly pursing legislation to ensure your comrades are afforded the rights and benefits they deserve.  For whatever reasons you joined The American Legion, it may not be why you are still a member today. 

If you’ve been an active member, then you may have noticed and encountered in your experience at any of the hierarchal levels of this organization different types of volunteer Legionnaires.  They are members wearing blue caps all the way up to the red national officer Legion caps. You’ve probably seen those that are go-getters, many that feel entitled, some don’t know what they’re supposed to do and accept the position regardless, more that fill a role intentionally don’t do anything, and several that didn’t want the role and got it anyway. 

Furthermore, there are those that are outspoken, passionate visionaries who boasts about having solutions to everything, but yet solve nothing.  Then there are those less boisterous members that are always relied upon who are diligently getting the work done. We also understand these members give varying levels of participation due to many reasons such as personal and family obligations, work, health, transportation, and or amount of time they choose to dedicate.  Regardless of the amount of time one is able to dedicate to the Legion for the benefit of others, those should be appreciated, applauded, and respected.           

What is volunteering? Volunteering is generally considered an altruistic activity where an individual or group provides services for no financial or social gain "to benefit another person, group or organization," according to Wikipedia.

As a volunteer, are you volunteering for altruistic, “the belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others;” or egoistic, “the practice of talking and thinking about oneself excessively because of an undue sense of self-importance’ reasons?”

And what does it mean to be a servant leader? According to the Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership, a servant leader “focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. The servant leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.”

So, whatever type of volunteer listed here that may apply to you, what type of volunteer are you really? What is your motivation to be a volunteer member of The American Legion? Moreover, if you were asked or chosen to take on a leadership role, what were your reason(s) for taking it and why? Were they altruistic or egoistic reasons?

So, you’re likely asking yourself, “What does any of this have to do with being a member of The American Legion?” The answer to that solely depends on your own knowledge, beliefs and perceptions of what being a volunteer member of the largest volunteer led war time veteran’s organization means to you.  Your organization is led by volunteers, not paid employees, Legionnaire or not.  Your elected volunteer leaders are tasked with making intelligent, strategic and educated legally-binding decisions based on verifiable facts and supporting documentation on your behalf for the successful operation of this non-profit corporation.  You, as a member have a voice and a vote.  What you do or do not do in an elected or appointed position affects the future of this organization. Collectively, all your voices and votes determine the direction the organization heads. 

Here is an excerpt from the “Mission” page on the Legion’s website that addresses what The American Legion is. “The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation's veterans’ community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.

“The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.”

Now that you are reminded on what it is, let us remember why veterans started and joined The American Legion 100 years ago. 

For God and country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes:

To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America;

To maintain law and order;

To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism;

To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars;

To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation;

To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;

To make right the master of might;

To promote peace and goodwill on earth;

To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy;

To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

Since these questions are being posed, will The American Legion be around for another 100 years with your type and level of involvement?  Are you or do you subscribe to the traits of a servant leader looking to further the causes and missions of The American Legion that were founded 100 years ago; or are you one of those other types of Legionnaires that just want the titles and the recognition that goes along with those titles without really doing or understanding the purpose of the job?  What kind of volunteer member do you want to be recognized and known as being?