National commander tours Kerrville, where American Legion Post 208 has stepped up to serve as a relief center for first responders.
During his official visit to the Department of Texas for its convention, American Legion National Commander James LaCoursiere Jr. was asked if he wanted to tour Kerr County, which on July 4 experienced massive and sudden flooding that has so far left 134 people dead and more than 100 still missing.
LaCoursiere immediately said yes, and he, American Legion Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission Director Cole Lyle and Texas Legionnaires took the more than two-hour drive to Kerrville to see firsthand the devastation – and the work being done on the ground by American Legion Family members.
Since shortly after the flooding occurred, American Legion Post 208 in Kerrville has been serving as a relief center for first responders and others there performing rescue and recovery missions.
“That was very heart-warming to see, how The American Legion Family stepped up and really took control of the situation in their area,” LaCoursiere said. “It’s like a command center for the communities. And adjacent to their property is where FEMA is set up. And to see the Legion Family embraced by the community is fantastic.”
But seeing the efforts of Post 208 – as well as the support for the post’s effort coming from throughout the Department of Texas and other stations nationwide – wasn’t a surprise to LaCoursiere. He said he’s seen similar efforts as he’s toured the country and seen the results of natural disasters, from hurricane damage in Florida and North Carolina, to other weather-related damage in Georgia, Tennessee and West Virginia.
“I’m going on my 31st year with the Legion, and it does not surprise me how the Legion Family steps up and takes a very proactive role,” he said. “We’ve seen that all year in all of the areas we’ve gone into, with the Legion Family stepping up. These posts that have stepped up, you can see that they are an integral part of the community. And when you speak with the leadership in the community, they make you fully aware of that: how The American Legion is always there for them, and not just in times of disaster.”
Though it wasn’t the first time he’s toured an area impacted by storm devastation, each time remains equally jarring. “It’s heart-breaking when you see some of the scenes that you see when you’re right there on the ground,” LaCoursiere said. “You see a lot of things that you don’t see on the media. The true destruction. You still see them out there during the recovery efforts.
“It makes you think twice about what Mother Nature is capable of doing. It’s hard to talk about. You get some of those emotional stories when you speak to people in the community. They lost their homes. They’ve lost vehicles. They can’t find their pets. Things like that. But they’re right there holding each other up.”
A reminder that Legionnaires and posts in Texas impacted by the flooding are eligible for National Emergency Fund grants. Click here for more information.
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