American Legion Post 34 installs officers, looks to future News Staff Tue, 04/30/2024 - 10:12 am
- (THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) American Legion Post 34 had its officers installed Saturday, April 27 at the Young County Warrior Ranch by American Legion District 13 Vice Commander Chris Garcia (at right). Shown from left to right are Jim Dorgan, David Gann, Chris Hunnewell, Stan Burnett, Sarah Curd and Bud Lowrance.
- (THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) American Legion Post 34 Commander Stan Burnett speaks to the group during a meeting held Saturday, April 27 at the Young County Warrior Ranch. During the meeting officers were installed for the local organization. Shown from left to right are Post 34 Chaplain Bud Lowrance, Post Commander Burnett and Post Adjutant David Gann.
Thomas Wallner editor@grahamleader.com
It was a time of celebration this weekend as the American Legion Post 34 installed its officers and moved onto the next chapter of service to the community. After a push to reactivate the post by two local veterans last summer, the post has seen new life and new membership.
The American Legion is the largest veterans service organization in the United States. The mission of the organization is to enhance the well-being of America’s veterans, its families, its military and its communities through the devotion to mutual helpfulness.
Navy veteran Stan Burnett and Air Force veteran David Gann spearheaded the effort to reactivate the Graham post in summer 2023.
“(Gann) was the main thrust behind that. In December it became a little bit more active. I contacted (Gann) in December last year (and) then we (started) going through and building some momentum, getting some other people interested,” Post 34 Commander Burnett said. “January was the first opportunity for talking and getting ideas down. …February was our first official meeting. So now it is the end of April and we’re just now installing officers.”
The officers were sworn in Saturday, April 27 at the Young County Warrior Ranch by American Legion Post 414 Commander and District 13 Vice Commander Chris Garcia. Officers installed were Burnett as Commander, Chris Hunnewell as 1st Vice Commander, Sarah Curd as 2nd Vice Commander, Gann as Adjutant, Bud Lowrance as Chaplain and Jim Dorgan as Sergeant of Arms.
Now that the Ligon Daniel Post 34 has installed its officers it can move on following the efforts of the organization.
“Our post is going to follow the American Legion and their pillars,” Burnett said. “The four pillars are veteran affairs and rehabilitation, Americanism, national security and children and youth. So the things that we do are going to be under the idea of any one of those four pillars.”
One of the programs through the national organization is called ‘Be the One,’ which seeks to destigmatize asking for mental health support, provides peer-to-peer support resources and educates those on how they can speak with veterans.
“Be the One is a national program that has become a mission… to be the one that goes to a fellow veteran and asks them how they’re doing. To ask that veteran what their challenges or concerns are, to ask that veteran how their family is doing, do they have any concerns or any needs,” Burnett said. “Ultimately, what you’re trying to do is to be the one that helps bring that veteran back from the brink of disaster. Be the One is a mission of the national platform of the American Legion, but it can certainly be something here in Graham.”
The post commander said among other concerns that impact veterans in the area, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one they can work to address.
“We do have issues with veterans and PTSD, veterans with challenges, veterans with certain other things that happen and we can be a part of the solution,” he said. “That’s what I’m striving for and hopefully Post 34 is a solution for the challenges of our community when it applies to Americanism, veterans, national security and children.”
Including the officers, the post has 20 active members and is actively recruiting. Membership can be obtained by visiting legion.org/join.
Membership is $45 per year and veterans are eligible if they served at least one day of active military duty since Dec. 7, 1941 and were honorably discharged or are still serving active military duty honorably.
“We are an active post... and as long as we can keep our minimal membership, keep ourselves active to the point where we can stay active, then we will then stay this way, we will stay active,” Burnett said. “...This is one of those things that will not stay alive if we don’t put energy into it.”
Another means of joining the organization is to attend their monthly meeting held the last Tuesday of every month at the Young County Warrior Ranch at 1889 Turtle Hole Road in Graham.
The post commander said in following the pillars of the organization the local Graham post will attempt to tackle issues locally.
“The endpoint with us is... helping a veteran, the reward of helping a child or youth (or) the reward of planting the seeds of Americanism in those that are around us,” Burnett said. “Americanism and national defense is under great threat. So how we combat that is by offering a different perspective.”
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