November 10, 2023

Top 5: Veterans Day celebrations, a military journey at age 30, a heartfelt thank you

By The American Legion
News
Top 5: Veterans Day celebrations, a military journey at age 30, a heartfelt thank you
Top 5: Veterans Day celebrations, a military journey at age 30, a heartfelt thank you

American Legion Family members across the nation plan events honoring Nov. 11; Tango Alpha Lima podcast welcomes retired Army Maj. Lisa Bass who joined the military at age 30 and went to Airborne School as a grandmother; Legion Riders provide gloves and hats to students in need; and more.

1. Veterans Day across the nation

American Legion Family members nationwide will commemorate Veterans Day this weekend and use the day to raise awareness about the Legion’s Be the One suicide prevention initiative.

For example, the Department of Oregon is staging a mental health summit in Eagle Point that’s sponsored by American Legion Post 192 in nearby White City. The department is bringing in staff from state agencies and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to assist veterans with benefits, healthcare and more. A component of the summit is Be the One.

Representatives of The American Legion also will be in Las Vegas for the inaugural MCON, which will feature various speakers, physical activities and other experiences for today’s veterans, servicemembers and their families. One of the sessions will focus on the Legion’s Be the One mission.

In the nation’s capital, American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer will attend breakfast at the White House before heading to the Veterans Day Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery to take part in a wreath laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Click here to see how Legion Family members across the country will observe Veterans Day. If your post is conducting a Veterans Day event, please share on Legiontown.org.

Your service recognized: See the Legion’s list of Veterans Day deals and discounts for veterans, servicemembers, their families and caregivers. 

2. A heartfelt thank you

Members of American Legion Riders Chapter 55 in Hannibal, Mo., wanted to do something to make a stronger impact on its community. Through its “Hats and Gloves with Love” program, the chapter set out to provide hats and gloves to pre-k through Grade 5 students in the Hannibal Public School District.

In the end, over 1,700 hats and another 500 pairs of gloves and mittens were received through donations and fundraising efforts. Members of Chapter 55 delivered some in person recently, giving the Riders a chance to interact with the students.

“That was a blast,” said Chapter Road Captain Steve “Gumbie” Gumble. “We went in there, and it was fun. It was like a little party. The kids had fun. It was amazing. I wish I had started doing this stuff 20 years ago.”

On its Facebook page, the Hannibal Public School District wrote, “A heartfelt thank you to the American Legion Riders for generously supplying hats and gloves to all HPS students from PreK to 5th grade for added warmth this winter!! We also honor and appreciate your service to our country. THANK YOU.”

Another good deed: Read how a Legion Riders chapter in Iowa stepped up for a veteran battling cancer. 

3. A call to Be the One

The American Legion has a mission from the post to the national level to end veteran suicide and destigmatize the need to ask for mental help. That mission is Be the One.

The American Legion is calling on everyone to Be the One to save the life of a veteran. And the Department of Arizona American Legion Family is answering that call.

During its fall conference in Oro Valley, Ariz., Nov. 4, the department held a Be the One walk as well as a fireside chat with National Security Commission Chairman Matt Shuman and National Executive Director/Chief Marketing Officer Dean Kessel to learn more about Be the One and how everyone can save a life.

“We are trying to push this out into the community because the reality is anybody, anybody can check in on a veteran,” Shuman said. “If we can better educate the community that anyone can be the one to call a veteran, call a friend, check in on them, invite them to an event, see how they’re doing, what we like to call a Buddy Check at The American Legion … that’s how all of us singlehandedly will put an end to this pandemic of veteran suicide.”

Answer the call: Visit legion.org/betheone to learn more about the mission and how you can help save the life of a veteran. 

4. A female’s military journey at age 30

Lisa Bass took an unusual route to the military when she joined the Army as a 30-year-old single parent with three kids. She began in the JAG Corps, then got her bachelor’s degree and was commissioned as an engineer. But that’s not all. 

“As a grandmother, I went to Airborne School,” said Bass, who did two tours in Iraq before retiring in 2012 as a major. “And then became the first female commander in the 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team.” 

Bass shares her military journey, how she launched her own business and more as the special guest on this week’s American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast. She is the founder and owner of Combat Boots Jewelry and TF SASA (Task Force Sisterhood Against Sexual Assault).

Keep listening: Also in the episode, co-hosts Amy Forsythe and Ashley Gutermuth discuss: a World War II Marine and his duck who both enjoyed drinking beer and fighting the Japanese; the first female mortician to be promoted to a Navy senior chief petty officer; and how the Air Force is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint. 

5. Legion’s impact in October

The American Legion’s monthly Membership Impact Report is now out and highlights the effort of the Legion in October. Download and share it with others.

A few highlights from the report include:

- $4,500: Amount donated by Tucson, Ariz., American Legion Post 109 to the Greater Vail Community ReSources Food Pantry Weekend Backpack Program, which provides easy-to-fix weekend and vacation meals for children whose families are facing financial hardship and food insecurity. The donation is expected to provide some 450 weekend meal bags for children in the community.

- 9,705: Congressional advocacy actions registered by The American Legion Legislative Division in October, an increase of 154 from the previous month. Most active states were Wisconsin, New York, Indiana, North Carolina and Florida

- 50: Number of American Legion members and crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche who worked together Oct. 17 to clean up a park in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, following Hurricane Lidia a week earlier.

- 2: New American Legion posts chartered in October, one in Tucson, Ariz., and another in Kalamazoo, Mich.

There’s more: Visit legion.org/membership/impact to view all Membership Impact Reports.

  • News