Elected at the national convention, five vice commanders act as representatives of the national commander. They may preside over meetings of the National Executive Committee or the national convention, and perform other duties for the commander. No two vice commanders can be chosen from the same department during the same year.

Current national vice commanders:

 

Robert “Mark” Shreve

Robert “Mark” Shreve has been a member of American Legion Post 189 in Pine Mountain Valley, Ga., since 2007. He is eligible for membership in The American Legion through his service in the U.S. Army from 1979 to 2001. He served with the Military Police Corps in Europe, Korea, Southeast Asia and various units within the United States. After serving in the military, Shreve worked for Aflac Worldwide Headquarters in Columbus, Ga.

Shreve is a 2016 National American Legion College graduate and holds a bachelor’s degree from West Virginia University and an associate’s degree from Saint Leo University. He served as the Department of Georgia commander from 2021 to 2022 and is the current chairman of the American Legion Department of Georgia Medical Research Foundation. Shreve also serves as an instructor for the New District Commander’s course held annually at The American Legion national convention. Shreve earned the District Commander Race to the Top award in 2015 and in 2016. He is a six-time Gold Brigade recipient for recruiting 50 or more new members.

Shreve and his wife Robyn enjoy camping and hiking. Robyn serves as the chairperson for Quilts of Valor for West Georgia. They have two adult sons, Robbie is married to Kristen and serves as an Army nurse in Hawaii; Mathew is married to Tiffany and serves as an operations analyst for a Fortune 200 company in Columbus, Ga. Mark and Robyn are blessed with eight grandchildren.


Raymond L. Vail

Raymond L. "Ray" Vail joined the U.S. Army in January 1964. He was stationed in West Germany in the 7th Army, 1st Infantry Maintenance Battalion as an infantry field radio repairman. He was awarded the Detachment Soldier of the Month and graduated from the 7th Army NCO Academy in February 1966. He completed his enlistment in November 1966 with an honorable discharge at the rank of E-5.

He joined The American Legion in 1986 and is a Paid-Up-For-Life member of Lon M. Helm Jr. Post 182 in Arma, Kan. He served in many post positions including commander for three years. At the district level, he has served as third district vice commander from 2011-2012 and as district commander from 2012-2013. At the department level, Vail was master-of-arms in 2013-2014, vice commander in 2014-2015 and the Kansas department commander in 2015-2016. He has served as a member of the Department Cadet Law Enforcement Academy Committee and the Oratorical and Scholarship Committee. He is also a member of the National Security and Foreign Relations committees, and he served on the Arma City Council from 2013 to 2020.

Vail retired in 2000 after working 34 years in the pet food and can manufacturing industry. In August 2000 he started a home repair and maintenance business which continued until 2016. He has been married to his wife, Linda, since December 1970 and together they have four boys, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He enjoys playing golf, crafts and refurbishing vintage tools.


Charles D. Aucoin    

Charles D. “Charlie” Aucoin is a Paid Up For Life member of the William A. (Bill) Guillory American Legion Post 370 in Westlake, La., since 1970. He served on active duty in the Navy from 1967 to 1968.

Aucoin has been a post, district and department (state) commander in Louisiana and has been a member and chairman of the department’s Americanism Commission for many years. He is also serving on the department Internal Affairs Commission. At the national level, Aucoin served on the Membership & Post Activities Committee and the Foreign Relations Commission before being elected as Louisiana’s National Executive Committeeman in 2005, where he served for 18 years. He served as The American Legion’s national sergeant-at-arms from 1994 to 1995.

Aucoin also served on the Louisiana Veterans Affairs Commission from 1992 to 2005, with appointments from three different governors. He is a member of the Sons of The American Legion and is eligible through the service of his World War II veteran father. Aucoin enjoys gardening in his spare time.

Aucoin has been married to his wife, Ann, since 1994. He has two children, five grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter, Sadie Jane.


Bill Roy

Bill Roy joined the U.S. Navy in 1967 and was honorably discharged in 1971 as a boatswains mate petty officer second class.

Roy joined The American Legion in 1985 and is a gold card life member of Henry J Sweeny Post 2 in Manchester, N.H. He has held every office in his post and served as the 4th District commander in 2006, department vice commander in 2007, department membership chairman, New Hampshire department commander from 2009-2010 and 2021-2022.  He was the Alternate National Executive Committeeman (NEC) for New Hampshire from 2011-2015 and NECman from 2015-2019. He has also served on numerous department committees.

Roy has been married to his wife Mary since 1973. They have two children, Reba and Joanne, and three grandsons.


Randy D. Edwards

Randy D. Edwards is a retired Army veteran who served in Special Forces, the Utah National Guard and the Army Reserve. Edwards is a Paid Up For Life member of The American Legion and has held offices at every level of the organization. He has served as the department (state) commander of Utah and chaired the Americanism Commission, Citizenship and Naturalization Sub-Committee, and the 1919 Society Charities for Utah. He was also an associate representative for the Veterans Affairs Volunteer Services.

Edwards is the first veterans treatment coordinator mentor of District 4 Court in Provo, Utah. He wrote the Mentors Handbook for District 4 and earned the Utah prestigious Court Volunteer of the Year Award in 2015. He served on the Governor’s Military Advisory Board (2012-2013), earned the National Daughter of the American Revolution Volunteers Award (2022) and the Utah County Veterans Voluntary Award (2022). He serves as the State Funeral for All Wars chairman for Utah, honoring the last living Medal of Honor recipients for all wars. He previously served as southern chairman of fundraising for the Utah Veterans and Military Affairs State Cemetery. Edwards has served as the Utah County Veterans Services Coordinator for the Utah County Commissioners since 2009. He founded and chairs the Utah County Veterans Services Community Partnership monthly meetings. He enjoys and displays historic national flags for all community events for the Freedom Festival in Provo and is the chairman for the Freedom Festival Flag Retirement Ceremony.

Edwards enjoys cruises with his wife, Linda. He is a father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He enjoys reading, history and vexillology (study of flags).