TAMPA, Florida – (Aug. 6) – The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans service organization, and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) are conducting a special claims clinic for all veterans at no cost at the Tampa Convention Center, located at 333 S. Franklin St., Tampa, Florida 33602.
Please review the following information carefully, as logistical information has changed last-minute.
Friday the 22nd through Tuesday the 26th, American Legion service officers will be available to process claims on-site. Veterans should proceed to the Hospitality Office near the South East entrance of the Tampa Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to file their claims. Claims will no longer be processed in the initial West Hall location.
*ONLY* on Monday, Aug. 25th – Tuesday, Aug. 26th, staff from the St. Petersburg VA Regional Office will be on site between 8:30am and 3:00pm conducting examinations related to veteran claims Please see American Legion national staff for directions to the MDEO office.
Veterans attending should bring their ID, pen and paper, and their DD-214, as well as any documents related to their service treatment record.
Veterans do not need to sign up in advance. However, due to expected high attendance, veterans intending to file a new claim or file an increase, are encouraged to contact American Legion veteran service officers Kevin Buckner or Eric Taylor in advance to complete a power of attorney. Buckner can be reached at kbuckner@legion.org or 202-263-5766; Taylor can be reached at etaylor@legion.org or 202-263-5765
About The American Legion
The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans service organization with more than 1.4 million members in roughly 12,000 posts across the nation. Chartered by Congress in 1919, The American Legion is committed to mentoring youth and sponsoring wholesome community programs, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security and continued devotion to servicemembers and veterans. Learn more at legion.org.
Points of contact:
Onsite
Brandon McClain, Benefits Policy Analyst, The American Legion or Kevin Buckner
The 2025 American Legion Baseball All-Academic Team was announced during the American Legion World Series in Shelby, N.C., on Sunday. The team is sponsored by Diamond Sports, a leading manufacturer in baseball merchandise and the official baseball used during American Legion Baseball national tournaments. As the official sponsor, Diamond Sports provides $25,000 in scholarships to the nine players on the All-Academic Team.
Before a player can be considered for the All-Academic Team, he or she must be nominated by their team manager or head coach. Each department baseball committee reviews submitted applications and selects their overall state winner, who receives a $500 scholarship from The American Legion.
Each regional winner named to the All-Academic Team receives a $2,500 scholarship, while the overall top academic player is named the team captain and receives a $5,000 scholarship.
The 2025 American Legion Baseball All-Academic Team is:
All-Academic Team Captain: Tylar Hanley, Post 868, New Kensington, Pa.
Northeast Region: Luca Finton, Post 188, Sandwich, Mass.
Mid-Atlantic Region: Landon Kettles, Post 273, Poquoson, Va.
Southeast Region: Jacob McClintic, Post 250, Middleburg, Fla.
Mid-South Region: Ezekiel Wall, Post 15, Crowley, La.
Great Lakes Region: Benjamin Sullivan, Post 502, Valparaiso, Ind.
Central Plains Region: Tyler Olson, Post 55, Pender, Neb.
Northwest Region: Landon McAnelly, Post 6, Cheyenne, Wyo.
Western Region: McCoy Rippentrop, Post 22, Rapid City, S.D.
(INDIANAPOLIS – August 7, 2025) – American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr., issued the following statement regarding yesterday’s shooting at Fort Stewart, Ga:
“There are heroes among us. I refer to the brave soldiers who subdued and restrained a gunman that shot five of their fellow servicemembers who were injured in a violent and heinous attack on Aug. 6. Thankfully, all the wounded servicemembers have reportedly been treated and are expected to survive. We pray for their full recovery. Without the heroism and quick thinking of soldiers on the scene, the outcome could have been far more tragic. We are pleased that the Army secretary has already presented medals to those who stopped the attack.”
Mariner High School Air Rifle teammates Zoe Enslin and Jakobe Changasie competed in the 2025 American Legion Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship in Hillsdale, Mich. Photo by Chet Strange
Post 90 in Cape Coral and the Mariner High School JROTC marksmanship team formed a partnership that’s resulted in time, talent and treasure.
American Legion Post 90 in Cape Coral, Fla., and the nearby Mariner High School JROTC marksmanship team formed a relationship three years ago that has resulted in the post supporting three Ts – time, talent and treasure – to the young marksmen, as well as a post-sponsored air rifle tournament for five high schools.
“It’s really formed this incredible partnership,” said retired Army Maj. Bryan Williams, senior army instructor and department head for the Mariner High School JROTC Leadership Academy. “We very quickly got integrated with the Legion that got both the (post) tournament and our program off the ground.”
Post 90 Legion Family supports the Mariner High School JROTC cadets by attending practices and tournaments, providing mentorship and coaching skills, presenting colors at air rifle matches, funding travel to tournaments not covered by the high school, or purchasing equipment like rifles, stands, kneeling rolls and special ribbons “that help incentivize the kids and helps us with retention of our athletes,” Williams said. And it’s not just the Mariner High School JROTC marksmanship team that Post 90 sponsors – there are four other area high schools.
“They sponsor all of the teams equally, which is really cool,” said Williams, a member of Post 90, who has sought out talent from the post to help with the team.
“There’s a lot of talent that exist from veterans of the military because almost all veterans have done some type of marksman shooting. We found a couple of guys (from Post 90) that were snipers and had a lot of extensive shooting, and we found a gentleman that used to be part of the Army Marksmanship Unit. They gave us a little bit of mentorship to get us going, some coaching ideas, some training drills and tips to get us moving.
“Coaching youth wasn’t really our issue,” said Williams, whose wife and Army veteran Marybeth also coaches the Mariner High School JROTC marksmanship team. “It was, ‘What are some creative ways to teach shooting sports?’ We got some of that experience from the Legion and those same veterans would come over to meet with the kids, build some confidence in the kids with sports psychology, mental prep, things like that.”
King of the Cape. The air rifle tournament that Post 90 sponsors is called King of the Cape. During the five-week tournament, each of the five schools that the post supports host the other schools for a three-position, shoulder-to-shoulder, match. A traveling trophy with the winning team’s name engraved is brought to each competition and stays with the winning team until the following year.
“It’s presented on a table for everyone to look at and admire,” Williams said. “And it gives them something to sought after that they’re trying to achieve for the year.”
Points are earned each week for the teams that are then accumulated at the end. The top team is the King of the Cape.
Prior to the King of the Cape, Post 90 hosts a coach’s dinner that gives everyone a chance to talk about the tournament schedule and needs the high school teams might have, as well as the needs of the post. The cadets help post members with veteran-related events, like Memorial Day and Veterans Day, by providing color guard support, helping with parking, etc.
“It gives our kids a chance to come and give back so that it’s not a one-way street,” Williams said. “The kids, they love it. They go out and volunteer, put on their cadet uniforms. They’re helping veterans which they love to do. It truly is a partnership.”
Mariner High School JROTC cadet Zoe Enslin enjoys the volunteer opportunity with Post 90.
“I love giving to people. I really love going out and just being hands on with things and taking charge, and that’s what The American Legion gives us a chance to do,” she said.
Shooting Sports and Beyond. The partnership between Mariner High School JROTC and Post 90 has also enabled Williams to learn about the other American Legion youth programs. “It’s gone way beyond just shooting sports,” Williams said. He has sent several cadets to Florida Boys State and Girls State over the past five years. “It’s a game changer for their leadership and self-confidence.”
Williams has also entered cadets in The American Legion’s Junior Shooting Sports postal match for the past three years that has resulted in several attending the Legion’s Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship held in July.
Enslin and Jakobe Changasie, both rising seniors at Mariner High School, competed in the Legion’s Junior 3-Position Air Rifle National Championship in Hillsdale, Mich., last weekend for sporter class. Enslin and Changasie never picked up an air rifle prior to their high school freshman year when they made the team.
“The sport has helped me so much by just getting out of my comfort zone and knowing how to handle my anxiety and stuff,” Enslin said. “Because if you’re going to shoot and your heartbeat is going really fast, you’re not going to have a good outcome. So it’s really helped me to learn how to calm myself down and just help with my stress and my anxiety a lot.”
Enslin and Changasie appreciate the support from Post 90 both on and off the range.
“It’s great to see that there’s still people out there in the world who want to see the youth develop and that’s great for us to see as the youth because it means that still people care and want to see us reach higher goals than we’ve already achieved,” Changasie said.
Enslin agreed.
“It definitely gives us a sense of people are still believing in us,” she said. “And that’s a really big, motivation thing and a confidence booster for sure.”
Get Involved. Williams encourages other American Legion posts wanting to support the shooting sports program to connect with a high school JROTC, 4-H or local club team for sponsorship.
“There’s expertise and resources in the Legion and in those local clubs to work together and enhance one another to grow,” he said. “Time, treasure and talent are the three Ts that anybody can offer. And often with resources in the Legion, there’s guaranteed to be some expertise in shooting that might help a coach that doesn’t have the experience or the know-how to train in the sport of shooting, or the skill of shooting. That expertise is really what it helps get a team off the ground.”
Williams believes Post 90’s why for supporting the Junior Shooting Sports Program is “self-evident – they’re all about investing in the youth who are our future,” he said. “And that may sound cliche, but it really is the mission of the Legion. And because with JROTC our mission is to motivate young people to be better citizens, the mission statements marry up really well. So that’s their motive is just to be that extra part of these kids’ village as they build up and get ready to be our future.”
HILLSDALE. Mich. (May 18, 2025) – A high school senior from Gatlinburg, Tenn., capped a busy weekend of competition by earning a $25,000 college scholarship and first place in The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program – “A Constitutional Speech Contest.” Gina Raj Harjani’s winning prepared oration was titled “The Constitution in the Digital Age.”
Harjani started the weekend as one of 50 state or department champions in the 86th annual contest. She advanced to the championship through three rounds of intense competition. She was sponsored by American Legion Post 202 in Gatlinburg.
Mary Payton Crosby, a home-schooled junior from Burlington, Wash., earned a $22,500 college scholarship with a second-place finish, while Elena May Andrews, a 12th grader from Beresford, S.D., earned $20,000 and third place in the competition. The scholarships account for a small portion of post-secondary scholarships that The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, awards annually.
In her prepared oration, Harjani said that while social media postings are protected by the Constitution, “opaque algorithms” decide which voices get heard.
“The founders may not have foreseen the Internet, but they understood a universal truth: threats to liberty remain constant, even as their forms evolve,” she said. “Our U.S. Constitution is not an artifact of history. It is a living, breathing document that guides us through current challenges.”
In each round of the weekend competition, orators delivered a rehearsed 8- to 10-minute address and a randomly assigned 3- to 5-minute oration on a constitutional topic, each without the benefit of notes and in front of a live audience, including the judges. The 1.5-million-member American Legion developed the contest to encourage young people to improve their communications skills and to study the U.S. Constitution. The American Legion awarded more than $8 million in youth scholarships at the post, state and national levels in 2024.
INDIANAPOLIS (January 9, 2025) – The American Legion has announced its call for entries in the annual Fourth Estate Awards competition for excellence in journalism and its positive impact on society. The deadline for submissions to be received or postmarked is March 15, 2025.
The American Legion presents the awards to recognize the outstanding achievements made in print and broadcast media. Website and podcast submissions are also encouraged to compete in the print or broadcast categories. In addition to the award, the winner in each category will be presented a $2,000 stipend to cover travel and lodging expenses to The American Legion National Convention in Tampa. The presentation will occur at approximately 9 am on August 28, 2025 at the Tampa Convention Center.
Submissions are judged on the quality of the work and the impact that it had in producing a positive result for the community. The work must have been published, posted or broadcast in 2024.
All journalists or media outlets who believe their work improved society in a tangible and way are encouraged to submit their entry. There is no entry fee and no single medium is limited to the number of entries.
Past winners include CBS News, CNN, USA Today, WFTS (Tampa) and the Military Times. The complete list can be found at www.legion.org.
INDIANAPOLIS (January 9, 2025) – The American Legion has announced its call for entries in the annual Fourth Estate Awards competition for excellence in journalism and its positive impact on society. The deadline for submissions to be received or postmarked is March 15, 2025.
The American Legion presents the awards to recognize the outstanding achievements made in print and broadcast media. Website and podcast submissions are also encouraged to compete in the print or broadcast categories. In addition to the award, the winner in each category will be presented a $2,000 stipend to cover travel and lodging expenses to The American Legion National Convention in Tampa. The presentation will occur at approximately 9 am on August 28, 2025 at the Tampa Convention Center.
Submissions are judged on the quality of the work and the impact that it had in producing a positive result for the community. The work must have been published, posted or broadcast in 2024.
All journalists or media outlets who believe their work improved society in a tangible and way are encouraged to submit their entry. There is no entry fee and no single medium is limited to the number of entries.
Past winners include CBS News, CNN, USA Today, WFTS (Tampa) and the Military Times. The complete list can be found at www.legion.org.
(INDIANAPOLIS – January 30, 2025) – American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr., issued the following statement today concerning last night’s collision of a U.S. Army Blackhawk helicopter and a passenger plane attempting to land at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport:
“We don’t know the ‘why’ but the ‘what’ is a heartbreaking tragedy. The American Legion extends its deepest condolences to the families of the souls lost in last night’s horrific crash. We salute the first responders who always rise to such unenviable and difficult challenges. Like nearly all Americans, we call for a full investigation of what occurred.”
(INDIANAPOLIS – December 29, 2024) – American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr., issued the following statement today concerning the passing of former President Jimmy Carter:
“President Carter was a Legionnaire, a distinguished Navy veteran and a devout Christian. His commitment to human rights and community service was respected worldwide. He lived longer than any president in American history and made the most of his post-presidential years by strongly advocating for world peace and improving the lives of the disadvantaged. His energy, integrity and humility were admired by people across the political spectrum. President Carter’s wife, Rosalynn, was a leader in mental health awareness. They will both be missed. Our condolences to the entire Carter family and the many lives that they have touched, especially in their home state of Georgia.”
During an address to The American Legion’s 1980 national convention, President Carter described his vision for America on the world stage. “We do not maintain our power in order to seize power from others. Our goal is to strengthen our own freedom and the freedom of others, to advance the dignity of the individual and the right of all people to justice, to a good life, and to a future secure from tyranny. In choosing our course in the world, America’s strength serves American values,” he said.
(INDIANAPOLIS – December 21, 2024) – American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr. issued the following statement today concerning passage of a continuing resolution to fund the federal government into March:
“The American Legion is glad that sanity has prevailed in Congress and our troops no longer must worry about their pay being delayed, veterans can be confident that their benefits will not be cut, and the American people can receive the government services that their taxes fund. It never should have come to this point. Congress has a constitutional responsibility to fund our government. It should not come down to the final hours. This does not send an image of responsible governance to our adversaries. During the last prolonged shutdown, members of the Coast Guard had their pay delayed. This was a disgrace, and Congress needs to pass legislation ensuring that this never happens again. Continuing resolutions, though better than a shutdown, do not solve the bigger problems of uncertainty and paralysis. Congress needs to put the American people above partisan politics and pass a budget!”
An aisle of 100 American Flags maintained and set up by American Legion Post 303 at Riverside Park in Bonita Springs , Fla, on Monday, November 11. Photo by Hilary Ott / The American Legion
An aspect of patriotic holiday ceremonies in Bonita Springs, Fla., is an aisle of 100 flags which the Legion Family from John F. Murphy Post 303 maintains and sets up for the events at Riverside Park each Memorial Day and Veterans Day.
Each flag is stenciled with the name of a deceased veteran in tribute to those who paid the ultimate price for America’s freedom.
For this Veterans Day, the flags — replacements for those destroyed when Post 303 was deluged with floodwaters from Hurricane Ian in 2022 — served not only as tribute to those veterans but a representation of the post’s and city’s rebuild from the devastating storm.
Post 303 Commander Adam Prentki acknowledged it was “very difficult” when he first saw the case where the flags were stored at the post following Ian.
“It was important (to replace the flags) because it was something we always did,” Prentki said, noting the Aisle of Flags first returned at the Memorial Day event at Riverside Park even as renovations were continuing on the post home. “I think it was important for everyone to see, OK, maybe the Legion’s not there, they’re still working on their building, but they’re still in the community.”
“My partner was one of these flags, along with my brother-in-law, and both those flags were destroyed. That totally destroyed me,” said Jan Farrington, the American Legion Auxiliary Department of Florida membership chairman and a member of Unit 303. “There are many flags flying that I personally know their families, I personally know a lot of the history, and it just destroyed us to know that when we pulled those flags out after Hurricane Ian, and to just watch them disintegrate in front of us, it was just heartbreaking. So to be able to resurrect this … it’s another form of our rebuilding. Our phoenix is rising out of the ashes.”
Farrington is also the Auxiliary representative on Bonita Springs’ veterans advisory committee and talked about the Aisle of Flags during the city’s Veterans Day ceremony. She noted many of the flags had served as burial flags on the caskets of fellow veterans.
“We need to remember and honor (all veterans),” Farrington said.
U.S. Army Lt. Gen (ret.) Steve Blum, the guest speaker at the Veterans Day morning event at Riverside Park, echoed that sentiment. “A nation that does not remember and revere and thank and appreciate its veterans will not long remain a nation,” Blum said.
Veterans and their families — among them 98-year-old World War II veteran Daniel Rossi — gathered in the park for the Veterans Day event, which included Bonita Springs city councilman and Army veteran Nigel Fullick recognizing Rossi and reading a proclamation from Mayor Rick Steinmeyer commemorating the holiday.
Following the morning’s event at Riverside Park, Post 303 hosted a grand reopening ceremony which drew Legion Family and leadership from across the state.
“It’s all about the brotherhood and sisterhood for me,” said Department of Florida Commander Chris Hamrick.
“We had a lot of people donate (to the rebuild),” Prentki said. “We are blessed with a lot of snowbirds in this area. We had a lot of those individuals donate. I wanted them to be a part of it. It was very moving for me to see the support we got, not just from the people that are here every day but from our snowbird community. And when we tried to decide on a date, we looked at what would be available. It was brought up on doing it today, on Veterans Day. That’s what we settled on.
“It’s late enough in the year that a lot of our northern guests are down and could attend; some of them came down specifically for this,” Prentki added.
“It’s been a day we’ve been waiting for, for two years… it’s here, we are open,” Farrington said. “It’s more than just a building. It’s a place we go for our veterans. It’s a safe haven. It’s a community spot where veterans can come, share their stories. We can work our wonderful programs with the American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion can do their programs, we can just enhance our veterans through community service, and children and youth, and Americanism at its best and at its root.”
(INDIANAPOLIS – November 6, 2024) – American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere, Jr., issued the following statement today concerning yesterday’s election results:
“The American people have spoken, and The American Legion congratulates President-elect Trump on his victory. We hope to continue some of the progress that veterans have made during President Trump’s first administration, which included the signing of the Veterans Appeals Improvement and Modernization Act of 2017 on the stage of our 99th National Convention, as well as the VA MISSION Act of 2018. The American Legion is eager to work with the incoming administration to strengthen military readiness, secure our borders, end forever wars and improve VA healthcare. We also welcome the opportunity to work with the incoming Congress and continue to support the current commander-in-chief for the remainder of his administration. We call on Congress and President Biden to pass a budget expeditiously so we can end the practice of governing through congressional resolution. It is time for Americans to unify behind the current and incoming leaders that we have elected. We should also remember that it is America’s veterans, past and present, who have made it possible for us to hold free elections in the greatest nation on earth. ”
(INDIANAPOLIS – October 10, 2024) – American Legion National James A. LaCoursiere pledged his organization’s support for victims impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, as he addressed senior volunteers during two days of meetings in Indianapolis.
“Keep in mind that we are truly an American Legion Family, and we are there for you – hearts, minds, prayers and physically, we are there for you,” LaCoursiere said to The American Legion National Executive Committee, the organization’s board of directors. “The Legion will continue to do what they have always done during emergencies like these. They will put service before self. They will gather supplies, collect donations and give to the areas that are hurting.”
He called for American Legion Family members to conduct buddy checks, an outreach effort in which veterans and friends personally check on the wellbeing of others who have served in the military. LaCoursiere added that The American Legion stands ready to assist Legionnaires, posts, and Sons of The American Legion members, withNational Emergency Fund grants. Since its inception in 1989, the NEF has awarded more than $10 million to veterans and military members impacted by declared natural disasters. The American Legion also offers Temporary Financial Assistance grants, which help Legion members and active duty servicemembers with minor child(ren) in the home. More information about American Legion programs and assistance can be found at www.legion.org.
Ron Zaleski left Key West, Fla., on Sept. 11 for a 2,700-mile mission: to walk across the country in support of ending veteran suicide and advocating for life-saving programs. Zaleski, a Marine veteran and member of American Legion Post 159 in Venice, Fla., is walking to San Diego, Calif., and making stops to Legion posts, churches and other veteran supportive organizations along the way to share his mission.
“It’s going to take all of us to fix this,” said Zaleski, who will walk for 10 months while wearing a sign that displays a list of different names daily of veterans lost to suicide, “so their lives may never be forgotten, and we honor their legacy by believing in a brighter future for the brave veterans of the United States.”
This is not Zaleski’s first walk in support of veteran suicide awareness. In 2010 he walked barefoot to Washington, D.C. During the walk he met a mother of a veteran who died by suicide. “The hardest thing that I’ve done on my walk is to hold the mother who lost a child, and she held me like I’m her son, and say, ‘It’s my fault.’ There are no words to that,” he said. “There is no loss that I know of that’s greater than that.”
That experience led Zaleski to form the nonprofit The Long Walk Home where he has helped veterans with suicide intervention, relationship healing, and the skills needed to live meaningful lives.
“I know our program causes a transformative shift in the trajectory of their lives,” he said. “I have seen first-hand by supporting these veterans and their families we have been able to turn their anger into mindfulness, heal damaged relationships for themselves and their loved ones, and create a new mission. We were warriors (in the military). But now is the time to be leaders in our community and in our family. Our program helps them shift that perception.”
The Long Walk Home has two programs – ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) by LivingWorks that’s a two-day program teaching family members suicidal signs to look for and how to intervene, and a 10 Challenge course for veterans that’s a list of guided questions.
Zaleski said the first set of challenge questions are: What are you grateful for when you wake up? What are you grateful you accomplished at the end of the day? And how do you show gratitude?
“Part of these challenge questions is to go out and have a conversation with your loved ones or a stranger,” Zaleski said. “I had an 80-year-old take this who thought he had no problems. His wife made me a batch of cookies and thanked me for the transformation of her husband.”
Zaleski is taking the 10 Challenge course to incarcerated veterans as well. After his visit with about 15 veterans, he learned that they took the knowledge learned and administered the program to the entire prison.
“I would rather prevent suicide than wait till you’re on the ledge where you’ve got nothing left to lose.” he said.
As Zaleski walks 12 hours a day over the next 10 months, he will share the resources available through The Long Walk Home and the Legion’s Be the One suicide prevention mission to save a life through available resources and training.
“I want to direct veterans the best way I can to get the help they need. My hope is by creating a movement rather than just my own passion and advocacy, together we can help eradicate veteran suicide.”
Since they were unable to attend the 2024 American Legion National Convention in New Orleans, American Legion National Commander Daniel Seehafer had a message for the two presidential candidates: Don’t forget about veterans.
(INDIANAPOLIS –July 14, 2024) – American Legion National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer issued the following statement concerning the assassination attempt on former President Trump:
“The American Legion is deeply saddened about the attack on former President Trump and the shooting of innocent spectators. There is absolutely no justification for violence against any political leader. We are confident that an investigation will reveal any security deficiencies that have occurred but are also grateful for the quick reaction by the brave secret service agents who shielded the president to safety and neutralized the shooter. Our prayers are with President Trump and we wish him a full recovery. We also extend our condolences and prayers to the victims and families of all who have been impacted by this heinous act.”
Seehafer also added his expressed desire that Americans would unify in condemning the violence and tone down hateful rhetoric. “In addition to the shooting at the Trump rally, we have seen horrific attacks on Paul Pelosi, Rep. Steve Scalise and former Rep. Gabby Giffords. We should remind one another that political disagreements do not make us enemies. I pray that civility will become the norm in our discourse.”
Washington and Florida are about as far apart as one can get in the continental United States.
But it didn’t take much effort from Darcy Bockman-Wright to convince Lisa Leathers to give up a week of her summer and fly across the country to join the staff at Florida American Legion Boys State (FALBS).
“When she heard the excitement in my voice about everything, she feels my passion and she wanted to share in this experience with me. It is a gift and a blessing to know that after 32 years, we still are battle buddies,” Bockman-Wright said.
“Long trip, but totally worth it,” Leathers said.
Bockman-Wright is FALBS’ marketing and communications chair. Leathers served as a counselor to the program’s press corps this year. And along with Department of Florida Programs Director Bekki Boarman, they’re a noticeable female presence on the FALBS staff.
It’s a role the women, all veterans and Legionnaires, welcome.
“When they get here and they get to meet all of us, especially the females, they get a different perspective (on what a veteran is),” Leathers said of the rising high school seniors that comprise the delegates at FALBS. “They get to realize that it’s a lot more diverse than that. In real life, they’re going to have female bosses, they’re going to have women that they’re working beside. So I do think it’s very important for them to see us in that way and get our perspective on what it was like to be in the military, what it’s like to be in government, what it’s like in the real world.”
FALBS Director Andy Satterlee said, “I want to get out specifically that the Legion is both women and men, and that they served together, and I want to show that positive impact to the delegates here so that they can recognize there’s a female portion of the Legion that served as well. …
“We need to recognize that a veteran is a veteran. It’s not just a male, it’s also females. Everyone is equal at Boys State, as I said in my opening speech.”
Satterlee called Boarman “the heart and soul of our program.”
“She’s the linchpin that gets the Legion in contact with us, helps administer our administration to Florida State University and the program itself, she sits with us on our board of directors as the secretary, so her input is extremely valuable. She has a voice with me, our program, the board of directors, and the Legion,” Satterlee said.
Boys State has become a passion for Bockman-Wright, who’s also a city counselor in addition to her marketing duties.
“Being retired and being in Florida, you’re supposed to be on the beaches and relaxing. Through the Legion, I’m involved in my post, I’m involved in my district as first vice commander. But Boys State has given me a passion. It gets me up out of bed on the days I don’t want to. I’m marching more than I think I ever did in the last couple years in the military,” she said. “I would do anything to get these boys up over that fence to the next obstacle, and better prepare them as better young men than they were when they got off the bus first thing in the morning on Sunday.”
Bockman-Wright said the impact goes both ways.
“I had a young man that got his Eagle Scout last year. And when he got his Eagle Scout and they put up the American flagpole and he stood there and saluted, he said, ‘Miss Darcy, I thought about you when I did it.’ And for all the female veterans that go into VA hospitals and are asked, ‘Where is your husband?’ time and time again, that was one point for us finally,” she said.
“We’re kind of sharing in those moments now, memory by memory with these young men, and that’s what makes it worthwhile every time we march up to the capitol and we sit in there watching them grow and develop, it’s very impactful. They inspire me to keep doing more because I know there’s more young men in Florida and throughout the country that need this program, and need more Legionnaires to be the boots on the ground doing what needs to be done.”
Leathers said she’d love to come back to serve on the FALBS staff and encouraged others to serve their Boys State programs.
“If you have a chance to support Boys State or be a part of it, I would 100 percent say please do it. Because we are building up our next generation,” she said. “And the example that we give them is going to have a huge influence on what they do in the future and who they become, where their values and morals come from. So if you can contribute at all in any way, do it.”
Not long after the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) first took to the state’s roadways, a group of FHP troopers headed to Tallahassee for a week to support a fledgling program — Florida American Legion Boys State (FALBS).
It certainly helped that the FHP was established by former Department of Florida Commander Neil Kirkman. Eight decades later, FHP troopers are still a key part of the program.
“It helps us in several different ways” to have them here, said FALBS Director Andy Satterlee, himself a sergeant with the Cape Coral Police Department. “The relationship between Florida Highway Patrol and the Legion staying that history connection. Secondfold is, the youth of today, some positive influence and impact with law enforcement in general. So it’s not all negative; they have questions or experiences they’ve heard of, they’re right there.”
“Thirteen troopers from all over the state have volunteered their time to be away from their families over Father’s Day to join you this week. These troopers have dedicated their time to you,” FHP Director Col. Gary Howze told the Boys State delegates during an assembly.
Among those troopers was FHP emergency operations coordinator Capt. Derrick Rahming.
“Sometimes when we meet (young people), we meet them in unfortunate circumstances. But when we get to talk to them in this positive atmosphere, it gives us a chance to actually be one-on-one. I don’t call myself captain when I’m here, I call myself Derrick and ask them to do the same. I want to know them, I want them to know me,” Rahming said.
Rahming acknowledged it’s competitive to get the Boys State assignment.
“When those delegates come here, they’re getting the sharpest troopers that we have as part of this program,” said Rahming, who’s served on the staff 16 of the past 18 years. “When I see all those (Boys Staters in) red shirts come into the Capitol and they get to see what we do on a day-to-day basis to get things done in the state of Florida, just means the world to me. This program is awesome.”
‘A week that shapes a lifetime’
Several FALBS staff and guests who are alumni of the program shared their thoughts on how their time as a delegate influenced them.
“It made a huge difference. I didn’t have any understanding of government or an interest in that, and I found I’ve spent my entire 30-plus-year career in public service in various roles,” said Florida 1st District Court of Appeals Judge Clay Roberts, who attended FALBS and American Legion Boys Nation in 1982. “My legal career throughout the state, lots of times I would show up for a hearing in front of a judge and counsel on the other side would be someone I knew from Boys State.”
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey attended FALBS and has served as a counselor in past years. In accepting a banner from the program commemorating Tallahassee’s 200th anniversary, he said, “Thirty-four years ago I participated as a delegate … in this amazing program, Boys State.”
Satterlee “had so much fun” as a delegate in 1995 despite losing several races before being elected to the House of Representatives.
“So the next year, I saw that the Legion had asked if anyone would like to come back as a counselor, and I applied, and Director George Wehrli said yes. I came back as a counselor, and I was able to serve as a city counselor, and the city counselor is the core, that’s the hands-on with your individual cities. They take your personality on, but you’re also able to step back and watch them actually run it,” Satterlee said. “To me, that made a huge impact. I was actually able to go to college on a military scholarship, and at college, I had several people on my campus that attended Boys State as well, and they had the same experience.”
“Before I went to Boys State and Boys Nation, I was a page in Congress for a year,” said morale officer Bob Knight, a 1974 alum of FALBS and Boys Nation. “And so that gave me even another boost up to understand Washington. But it was life changing. I mean, when I went to Boys State, I really didn’t know which college I wanted to go to. Boys State and Boys Nation defined those decisions. And even as I came back and my second and third and fourth year, there was still a very heavy influence on me and my future. Because of this program; I owe everything to this program.”
And 2024 FALBS Governor Terry Shen was thankful even before his week was complete.
“As I look around this room, I truly see a close family. A family that will stick together because we are the 80th anniversary of Florida American Legion Boys State,” Shen said after his inauguration.
Honoring those who served
Even with the program’s emphasis on the political process, FALBS didn’t forget to thank those who made it all possible.
Shen and his cabinet braved the torrid Florida sun for a brief afternoon service at the Florida Veterans World War II Memorial across the street from the capitol. And all of FALBS gathered in the House chambers Friday morning for a memorial service.
The program’s cities also put together care packages to send to troops stationed overseas.
All in good fun
In an effort to add a little something extra to the rivalry between the political parties, this year’s session featured some bonus accessories for the party chairs — a replica championship belt for the party with the most success in the elections, and fluffy unicorn hats for the other party.
The Federalists left 2024 with the belt and bragging rights after a sweep of the state-level elections.
FALBS morale officer and former assistant director Bob Knight, FALBS Director Andy Satterlee, FALBS Marketing and Communications Chair Darcy Bockman-Wright, 2023 FALBS Governor Martin Seals and 2024 delegate Issa Allison presented former Florida Boys State and Boys Nation Alumni Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey and the city commission with a banner signed by the 450+ delegates and program staff to celebrate the city of Tallahassee’s 200th Anniversary at the Commission Meeting held at City Hall in Tallahassee , Fla., on Wednesday, June 19. Photo by Hilary Ott /The American Legion
In the midst of its own bicentennial, Tallahassee, Fla., welcomed a gift from a longtime resident of the city.
Every session of Florida American Legion Boys State (FALBS) has taken place in the state’s capital city, and with this year’s session being FALBS’ 80th, it seemed only fitting to find a way to commemorate both milestones.
“We made this banner that everyone could sign,” said FALBS morale officer and former assistant director Bob Knight. The 450-some delegates to FALBS 2024 signed the banner, as did program staff, and Knight, FALBS Director Andy Satterlee, FALBS Marketing and Communications Chair Darcy Bockman-Wright, 2023 FALBS Governor Martin Seals and 2024 delegate Issa Allison — a native of Tallahassee — presented the banner to Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey and the city commission at a June 19 city commission meeting.
“The city of Tallahassee will be hanging it the rest of this year in the chambers of the city commission, which there are no other banners in there. So we’re very honored to be a part of that,” Knight said.
The banner presentation is reflective of the program’s embrace of tradition while also pursuing innovative ways to carry FALBS forward and grow its footprint.
Bockman-Wright’s committee is one of those innovations for the program.
“(Social media) has brought a lot more kids to the table, but we’re also getting a lot more older delegates that have forgotten about the program and realize it’s still going on, and we can use the support,” she said. “With the alumni foundation we’re starting in Florida, it would be great to go ahead and get some of those older delegates.
“If you’re a member of the Florida American Legion Boys State, reach out to us on social media, we’ll get you hooked up with where we are. We need that alumni association throughout the United States to connect and wear those buttons proud and shirts and everything else,” she added.
Satterlee acknowledged “the program has to start developing for the future.” In addition to social media campaigns and promotional videos, volunteer staff are developing apps to streamline the Boys State process.
“There is an app for counselors themselves, that has everything. When the boys get off the bus, we can check them in, we can update anything instantaneously, and we can push our schedule, if a guest speaker comes in we can change things immediately. That’s our next step is to get an app for the boys on the other side,” Satterlee said.
“The real big part is the counselor corps created this. Instead of having to spend money, they donated their time, they donated their wisdom in this, and they’ve created it themselves.”
Knight has also been part of that innovation, starring in the program’s promotional videos.
“We’ve been making them for a couple of years, but last year we took it to a more professional level,” Knight said. “And the reason is, because we realized, and we were told directly, that people never see Boys State unless you’re here at Boys State. You don’t have any idea what it looks like to see these boys sitting in those seats in the legislature. … So we said, let’s show the world.”
With the videos, Knight said the program is trying to reach Legionnaires “so that they know what they’re paying for and so that they’ll send us more boys” and the press.
“The press needs to know these are the leaders of our state, even though they only happen to be 17, 18, they are leaders now. And so wouldn’t you like to know what the leaders of the youth think?” Knight said.
The program is also showing the world what it’s doing through Facebook Live streams of various events during the week, including the election results for state office and the memorial service FALBS holds in the House chambers at the state capitol. This year, the program also used technology to interact with other Boys State programs.
“We reached out to Washington Boys State and we asked to do a livestream with them so that Florida Boys State could say hello. We were able to do that and they were able to stream back to us,” Satterlee said. “Right after that, we had Maryland Boys State do the exact same thing. We were able to get a recording as well to Virginia Boys State.”
Even with the innovations, though, tradition remains a powerful component of the week. As they’ve done every year since FALBS’ first session, troopers from the Florida Highway Patrol volunteer on staff. The governor, Supreme Court and other statewide elected officials take the oath of office at the state capitol just blocks from FALBS’ home on the Florida State University campus.
“Before I swore the officers in, one of the young men asked me how much Boys State has changed since 1982,” said Judge Clay Roberts of the Florida 1st District Court of Appeals, a 1982 FALBS and Boys Nation alum who returns each year to swear in the program’s elected officials. “Remarkably it hasn’t changed very much at all.
“You know, you hear in the news, you hear about young people, how they don’t care about service to their country, they don’t care about service to their state, and you come and see this group of 500 young men and you say, ‘No, there are still young men that are just like the young men that I went through it with in 1982, that are now leaders at all levels in the state and nation.’”
HILLSDALE. Mich. (May 19, 2024) – A home-schooled high school sophomore from Renton, Wash., capped a busy weekend of competition by earning a $25,000 college scholarship and first place in The American Legion High School Oratorical Scholarship Program – “A Constitutional Speech Contest.” Aubrey Jane Moore’s winning prepared oration was titled “Why Freedom of Speech is in Danger.”
Moore started the weekend as one of 52 state or department champions in the 85th annual contest. She advanced to the championship through three rounds of intense competition. She was sponsored by American Legion Post 186 in Seattle.
Knox Andrew Boyd, a senior from Lafayette, Ind., earned a $22,500 college scholarship with a second-place finish, while David Eugene Daniel a 12th grader from Owensboro, Ky., earned $20,000 and third place in the competition. The scholarships account for a small portion of post-secondary scholarships that The American Legion, the nation’s largest veterans organization, awards annually.
In her prepared oration, Moore opened with a series of statements from gun policy to immigration that can be considered controversial. “Throughout American history, all kinds of opinions, thoughts and beliefs have been voiced no matter the sentiment because whether or not you approve or hate what I say, you must support my right to say it,” she explained. “This is the power of free speech. And yet in recent years, we have seen a pushback on this fundamental right.”
In each round of the weekend competition, orators delivered a rehearsed 8- to 10-minute address and a randomly assigned 3- to 5-minute oration on a constitutional topic, each without the benefit of notes and in front of a live audience, including the judges. The nearly 1.6-million-member American Legion developed the contest to encourage young people to improve their communications skills and to study the U.S. Constitution. More than $3 million in scholarships have been awarded over the history of the contest.
