Legionnaires Graduate from the 2009 National American Legion College

Press Release

INDIANAPOLIS -- A new generation of leaders came to Indianapolis from 31 departments (states) of The American Legion. The 51 students of the National American Legion College honed their leadership, team building, communications and mentoring skills to pass the intensive course. They received diplomas from National Commander Clarence E. Hill during a ceremony held here this morning.

INDIANAPOLIS -- A new generation of leaders came to Indianapolis from 31 departments (states) of The American Legion. The 51 students of the National American Legion College honed their leadership, team building, communications and mentoring skills to pass the intensive course. They received diplomas from National Commander Clarence E. Hill during a ceremony held here this morning.Members of the class completed the six-day crash course of the nation's largest veterans organization that saw them lay a solid foundation for Legion post revitalization in a variety of geographical settings to include a rural area, the inner city, suburban communities, a metropolitan area and a cyber post. They were also provided the instruction and tools to construct resolutions for American Legion activities at their respective posts for presentation at a mock district meeting. Commencement took place this morning at The American Legion national headquarters. The National American Legion College is designed to reinforce a volunteer's leadership, management and communication skills. This helps prepare young members of The American Legion to lead the nation's largest wartime veterans organization on the local and state level. The importance of mentorship for both other members and special groups in the community was a central point to several of the activities for the class. "This organization doesn't have a reputation if you don't publicize it," American Legion National Commander Clarence Hill told the graduating class. "It's only when you are in the game that we can be successful. Take all you have learned back home and make it a priority to tell The American Legion story to those within your communities. You are all leaders. Make the organization be for the next 90 years what it has been for the last 90 years."Wayne A. Campbell Birmingham Alabama 347Judith S. Beischel Fountain Hills Arizona 58Michelle A. Tremblay Phoenix Arizona 75Matthew Shea San Francisco California 911Louis V. Brackett Fruita Colorado 2006Steven A. Carter Aurora Colorado 1976George A. Sheehy, IV Oxford Connecticut 174Michael Addis Seminole Florida 252Jacinth Conti, Sr. Inverness Florida 155Ryan D. Gonzales Lakeland Florida 208Martha Harris-Davis Pensacola Florida 340Fletcher Williams Crestview Florida 75Sherry L. Davis Stone Mountain Georgia 147Charles A. Patterson Waianae Hawaii 17Ronald Herr Nampa Idaho 18Barry C. Cicero Western Springs Illinois 1941Denise A. Fields Atlanta Illinois 341Thomas H. Naragon Lisbon Falls Maine 158Louis E. Brault Chicopee Massachusetts 275Teresa A. Ash St. Paul Minnesota 406Dennis L. Woeltje Cape Girardeau Missouri 63Michelle D. Harada Wolf Point Montana 61William J. Kerns Crete Nebraska 294John H. Pearcy Papillion Nebraska 32David S. Evans Reno Nevada 12Gary W. Wayman Nashua New Hampshire 43Warren F. Kaiser Northvale New York 1044John R. Venturina Ossining New York 1123James D. Moore Pikeville North Carolina 11Robert L. Krause Fargo North Dakota 191Kevin J. Semmens New Rockford North Dakota 30Kenneth K. Wiederholt Gwinner North Dakota 191Gerald H. Pope Covington Oklahoma 190Jay C. Richardson Weatherford Oklahoma 91Troy T. Michaels Dallastown Pennsylvania 605Michael D. Strauss North Augusta South Carolina 71Byron I. Callies Watertown South Dakota 17Kenneth E. Orrock Rapid City South Dakota 22James L. Beck Seimer Tennessee 162George Harper Memphis Tennessee 27Bruce A. Lamb Big Sandy Tennessee 228Michael A. Simon Blanco Texas 352Glen Bradford Spanish Fork Utah 68Wesley H. Latchford Virginia Beach Virginia 110Christopher T. Brock Sedro Wooley Washington 43James M. Narovich Sedro Wooley Washington 43Gary W. Roach, Jr. Chewelah Washington 54Barbara J. Belmont Menasha Wisconsin 33Victoria L. Duncan West Bend Wisconsin 36Ronald J. Hessil Pleasant Prairie Wisconsin 21Michael Novak Indianapolis Indiana 777

Mentors for the 2008 National American Legion College included Kenneth M. Romero of Post 70 in Johnstown, Colorado; Paul A. L'Heureux of Post 153 in Auburn, Maine; Patricia A. Harris of Post 124 in Raleigh, North Carolina; Robert S. White of Post 703 in Parma, Ohio; Sean Sparks, National Staff in Indianapolis, Indiana and Bill Sloan of Post 67 in Sheridan, Indiana

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To contact a graduate for an interview, call Matt Herndon at (317) 630-1406.

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