LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
SAL REPORTS
*SAL reports are currently the only available reports available through MyLegion.
Weekly Reports October 28, 2021
Weekly Reports October 22, 2021
Jack F. Stanley
With deep regret, we report the passing of Past Department National Cemetery Chairman Jack F. Stanley of Daytona Beach, Florida, who passed away on Sunday, October 17, 2021, at the age of 88. He is survived by his wife, Eileen. There are no details regarding services at this time, but any new information will be communicated to you through email as well as posted on the website.
Jack was a U.S. Navy Korean War Era Veteran. He was a member of Holly Hill Post 120 with 38 continuous years of membership. Jack served as Department National Cemetery Chairman for 7 years (2013-17 & 2018-21).
If you would like to send your condolences, you may do so through his wife, Eileen Stanley, at 276 Gala Cir., Daytona Beach, FL 32124-2012.
U.S. Flag Half-Staff Alert Notification
As a mark of respect upon the death of former U.S. Secretary of State General Colin L. Powell and his life of service to our nation, the White House has directed that the United States flag shall be flown at half-staff until sunset Oct. 22, 2021.
White House proclamations are available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/
The American Legion Mourns Passing of Colin Powell
(INDIANAPOLIS—October 18, 2021) – American Legion National Commander Paul E. Dillard expressed condolences today concerning the passing of former Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Powell was recognized by The American Legion in 1993, with the organization’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal. As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Powell addressed delegates at the 72nd National Convention of The American Legion in 1990.
“While our values have nurtured us, our power has protected us,” Powell told The American Legion. “Purpose and power, it’s an unbeatable combination, one that fascism could not destroy, one that communism could not defeat, one that has always been ready to meet aggression.”
Dillard added today that Powell’s leadership will be missed. “Colin Powell was not only a general, but a statesman and leader in every sense. He was a groundbreaker in so many ways,” Dillard said. “Not only was he the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, but he was also America’s National Security Advisor as the Cold War ended. He served with distinction in Republican and Democratic administrations. We extend our condolences to his family and many friends. America is better because of his service.”
Weekly Reports October 15, 2021
LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
SAL REPORTS
*SAL reports are currently the only available reports available through MyLegion.
Weekly Reports October 8, 2021
LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
SAL REPORTS
*SAL reports are not available at this time.
Department Announces New Raffle
The American Legion, Department of Florida is pleased to announce two raffles that are currently underway. We hope that you will show your support in participating for your chance to win $$$.
The “Veterans United Raffle” is Department’s annual Fall raffle, where you have an opportunity to win a grand prize of $10,000 or smaller prizes. Tickets are available online at www.floridalegion.org/enter. No purchase is necessary to enter, donations are always appreciated but not required. All proceeds will go towards sponsoring the Department of Florida for things like our outreach and numerous programs.
Additionally, we are excited to share with you a new opportunity, “Holiday Raffle”, an ambitious fundraising program designed to help our Posts and the Department of Florida meet fundraising objectives to better serve Veterans across the state. Posts may purchase tickets in advance to sell to their veteran families, as well as the general public. Tickets are a suggetted $5 donation for each, and the post keeps $2 for every ticket they sell. The remainder is divided with $2 to Department and $1 to the jackpot. Posts may purchase tickets in advance (for $3/ticket) to sell to their membership, as well as the general public.
The deadline for Posts to pre-purchase tickets is November 26, 2021. After the deadline, the Raffle will be made available to the general public for online purchases. Make sure your Post takes advantage of this excellent fundraising opportunity, while there is still time.
The entire month of December, a winner will be drawn each day to win the jackpot raised since the last drawing. Funds raised from Posts pre-sales, will be divided throughout the entire month to up the ante. There will be 31 DAYS OF WINNERS! Visit www.floridalegion.org/win.
We hope that you will join us in making both raffles a success. The more funds raised, the more we can do to help our veterans and our communities across the state of Florida.
Please contact our Fundraising Director, Jennifer Cooper with any questions at donate@floridalegion.org or 407-295-2631.
Remember, the more tickets purchased the more everyone wins!!!
Luther “Jay” L. Allen, Jr.
With deep regret, we report the passing of Past Central Area Commander Luther “Jay” L. Allen, Jr. of Apollo Beach, Florida, who passed away on Sunday, October 3, 2021, at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife, Rebecca Allen; 2 sons: Owen and Jayson; and three daughters: Raquel, Stephanie and Victoria. There are no details regarding services at this time, but any new information will be communicated to you through email as well as posted on the website.
Jay was a U.S. Army and U.S. Navy Veteran of the Vietnam War Era. He was a member of Ruskin Post 389 with 13 continuous years of membership. Jay served as Post Commander (2012-16 & 2018-21), 15th District Vice Commander (2015-16), 15th District Commander (2016-17), and Central Area Commander (2017-19).
If you would like to send your condolences, you may do so through his wife, Rebecca Allen, at 5340 Clover Mist Dr., Apollo Beach, FL 33572-3421.
Korean Veteran PVT Albert Hall, and Vietnam Veteran PFC Emanuel Fluke
Please join the Honor Mission on October 7, 2021
For Korean Veteran PVT Albert Hall, and Vietnam Veteran PFC Emanuel Fluker who will be laid to rest, side-by-side, at 2:30 PM Sarasota National Cemetery, 9810 State Rd 72, Sarasota, FL. We will depart from the Christopher Cobb American Legion Post 312, 1610 67th Ave E., Bradenton, FL at 1:30 PM. Albert Hall passed away in May 2021, without family. PFC Fluker passed away September 5, 2021, at the time, he was homeless and had had an unknown family. The community support has been amazing! Mayor Brown, the Department of Florida American Legion, the Sheriff’s Department of Bradenton and Sarasota, Browns & Sons and Groover Funeral Home, and many more, are supporting this mission to honor PVT Hall and PFC Fluker. If you have any questions, please call (402) 431-3307, Sandy Gessler, Historian for Christopher Cobb Memorial American Legion Post 312, Bradenton, FL
Weekly Reports September 24, 2021
LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
SAL REPORTS
*SAL reports are not available at this time.
Anthony R. Rizzo
With deep regret, we report the passing of Bay Pines VAVS Deputy Rep. Anthony R. Rizzo of Inverness, Florida, who passed away on Friday, September 17, 2021, at the age of 74. Anthony is survived by his wife, Kim; sons: Anthony Rizzo, Jr. and Allan Hernandez; and daughter, Nicey Rizzo. A Funeral Service of Remembrance will be held at 11:30 AM on Friday, September 24, 2021, at Chas E. Davis Funeral Home, 3075 S. Florida Ave., Inverness, FL. Following the service, full military honors will be rendered by Inverness VFW Post #4337 Honor Guard.
Anthony was a member of Madeira Beach Post 273 with 27 continuous years of membership. He proudly served his country as a member of the 173rd Airborne Division of the United States Army and was a Veteran of the Vietnam War. In 1970, following his military service, he began a career in law enforcement working at Lake County Sherriff’s Office in Lake County, IN and most recently was a Deputy for the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department. Anthony dedicated much of his life to serving his community and his fellow veterans. He is the former Vice President-Director of the Pinellas County Veterans Liaison Council VAVS Deputy Representative for the Bay Pines Veterans Administration. He also served as Council Representative for the Veterans Congressional Advisory Council with Gus Bilirakis.
If you would like to send your condolences, you may do so through his wife, Kim Rizzo, at 975 N. Man O War Dr., Inverness, FL 34453.
Department of Florida Assistant Adjutant Position
The American Legion, Department of Florida is currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of Department Assistant Adjutant.
The Department Assistant Adjutant is responsible for managing staff and assisting to ensure an efficient, effective, and financially sound management protocol of all aspects of the organization. In addition, the Assistant Adjutant supports the Department Adjutant and must be able to step in when the Adjutant is away from the office or otherwise unavailable.
If you think you have what it takes, please email your resume to rcastleberry@floridalegion.org.
Constitution and By-Laws Review Committee Meets
The Constitution and By-Laws Review Committee, established by the authority of the Department Executive Committee on July 4, 2021. This committee is tasked with reviewing Florida’s Department Constitution and By-Laws for recommended changes.
Members: PDC Gene Smith (Chairman), PNC Clarence Hill, NEC Dennis Boland, Dept. JA Bob Jaegers, PDC Jay Conti, Sr., Kurt Gies, Cherie Korn, Bob Sussan
Others: Dept Commander Jerry Brandt, Dept Adjutant Bruce Comer
‘We don’t want it to be forgotten’
Formal American Legion meeting normally include a reference to U.S. servicemembers either consider prisoners of war or missing in action, as noted in Resolution 288.
And they should, says Atlantic Beach, Fla., Post 316 Commander Denny Luke. But the American Legion Rider also believes the POW/MIA issue needs to be shared outside of The American Legion community as often as possible.
That’s why Luke helped organize the Florida American Legion Riders’ first POW/MIA Remembrance Ride on Sept. 18, one day after National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Around 160 motorcycles and more than 200 participants took part in the ride.
Referencing the POW/MIA table and flag “is kind of like preaching to the choir,” Luke said. “But a lot of the general public doesn’t even know there’s a national POW/MIA Recognition Day. So I said ‘let’s take it out into the streets and just try to get it publicized.’ So there’s what we did.”
Two years ago during a state ALR leadership meeting, it was discussed riding to Andersonville, the former site of the Camp Sumter military prison – one of the largest Confederate military prisons during the Civil War – to observe POW/MIA Recognition Day. At that time Luke pointed out that a POW/MIA memorial was being built at the former Naval Air Station Cecil Field in Jacksonville, so the decision was made to ride there instead.
“I stood up and said ‘why do we want to go out of state when we can stay in-state and promote the ride for the state of Florida,’” said Luke, who previously served as Florida’s District 5 ALR chairman. “The response was overwhelming. Everyone there said ‘absolutely.’”
The pandemic pushed the ride back to 2021; planning started around nine months ago and included promoting the ride via social media, traditional media and by reaching out to department districts throughout the state; and working with local law enforcement and staff at the National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum.
Costs were covered by the Department of Florida’s ALR, but Department ALR Chairman Jim Wineland credited Luke with making the ride the success it was. “(Luke) gets 99 percent of the credit,” he said. “He’s the one that went out and beat all the bushes. He’s the one that jumped over the political fences to get this all together.”
The ride was able to coincide with Jacksonville’s POW/MIA ceremony and started at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall, traveling over the city’s seven bridges and crossing the St. Johns River before ending at the National POW/MIA Memorial near the Chapel of the High Speed Pass at the former Cecil Field.
Wineland said the goal of the ride was to keep the POW/MIA issue in the minds of the nation. “We don’t want it to get lost. We don’t it to be forgotten,” he said. “The only way you can keep it going is to keep it in front of people. We figured this was the best way to do it.
“There are a lot of people out there who don’t have closure with one of their relatives. We can just never forget what this all means.”
Hundreds of photos and videos of the ride were shared on social media. Click here to watch a video of the ride and here to see more photos.
“We had a wonderful event. Everyone had a good time,” Luke said. “Next year we hope to get it publicized a little bit more and double our attendance. We want to make this a premiere Southeast USA event.”
Flag at half-staff
By a joint resolution approved Dec. 18, 2001, Public Law 107-89 designates Sept. 11 as “Patriot Day” and requests the United States president issue a proclamation each year calling for display of the United States flag at half-staff on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. This year Patriot Day is observed on Saturday, Sept. 11, marking the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
A section of the law is below:
”§ 144. Patriot Day”(a) DESIGNATION.-September 11 is Patriot Day.”(b) PROCLAMATION.-The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation calling on-
(1) State and local governments and the people of the United States to observe Patriot Day with appropriate programs and activities;
(2) all departments, agencies, and instrumentalities of the United States and interested organizations and individuals to display the flag of the United States at half-staff on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001; and’
(3) the people of the United States to observe a moment of silence on Patriot Day in honor of the individuals who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks against the United States that occurred on September 11, 2001.”
Weekly Reports September 9, 2021
LEGION REPORTS
Department Membership Summary
Post Membership Summary
*CORRECTED QUOTAS WILL CHANGE SOME POSTS SLIGHTLY ONCE RECEIVED FROM NATIONAL. YOUR 2022 QUOTA IS YOUR FINAL TOTAL CARDS FROM LAST YEAR PLUS 3% (ROUNDED UP).
SAL REPORTS
*SAL reports are not available at this time.
New National Officers
National Commander
- Paul E. Dillard, Texas
Vice Commanders
- James T. Higuera, California
- Jerry Wilson, Ohio
- Angel O. Narvaez, Puerto Rico
- Cory D. Bates, Rhode Island
- Michael Mitrione, Virginia
Veteran from Lake Kiowa, Texas, Elected National Commander of The American Legion
PHOENIX (Sept. 2, 2021) – Paul E. Dillard was elected national commander of the nearly two-million member American Legion today in Phoenix, during the organization’s 102nd national convention. He first joined the nation’s largest veterans organization in 1969.
A native Texan, Dillard graduated from Whitesboro High School in 1965 before joining the U.S. Navy and serving in Vietnam through four campaigns including the Tet offensive. He later received an honorable discharge as a radarman second class petty officer from the Navy Reserve before attending Grayson County Junior College and East Texas State University.
Dillard worked several years in the manufacturing business as an Engineer, Plant Manager and Director of Manufacturing in Tennessee. Upon returning to Texas, he accepted a sales representative position with Sherman Foundry and became its airplane pilot. A career change was made when he and his wife, Donna, began their family and he entered into the insurance business specializing in Employee Benefits and later forming Dillard & Gann Insurance.
As a paid-up-for-life member of Post 265, Lake Kiowa, Texas, Dillard served as post commander, vice commander, adjutant and judge advocate. He coached American Legion Baseball for more than 10 years and served as his post’s Boys State chairman.
He served the 4th District as commander and vice commander and served the department as sergeant-at-arms, Membership & Organization chairman, National Security chairman, Uniformed Organization chairman, Board of Trustees chairman, and he served on the Finance Committee and the Long-Range Planning Committee. He was elected as Department of Texas (state) commander in 2007. His theme as national commander is “No Veteran Left Behind.”
On the national level, Paul has served as Alternate National Executive Committeeman, consultant to the Insurance Committee, Distinguished Guest Committee, Children and Youth Committee, Media and Communications Council. He has served as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, chairman of the Veterans Employment & Education Commission and chairman of the Legislative Commission. He was elected as national vice commander in 2013.
He married Donna in 1983. They have two sons, William and his wife Allison, and Jonathon and his wife Karri and two grandsons Jarrett and Lukas. All are members of the American Legion Family. Donna has been an active and dedicated member of the American Legion Auxiliary for several years and has served in numerous positions of leadership at all levels of the organization, including department president in 2017 – 2018.
National Awards Florida
National awards Florida with the J O’Connor Americanism Trophy, The Garland D. Murphy Jr. Award, and the U.S. “Udie” Grant Legacy Award.
