Spirit of Freedom Post 76 in Las Vegas

2020-2021

Jim Stewart

DEPARTMENT COMMANDER

Our Legion Youth is Our Legion’s Future

Every year, you hear The American Legion pushing membership as the focus for every Department. However, the real challenge is; how do we go about gaining in membership? In order for The American Legion to grow, we must highlight all of our Legion programs, which include our Legion Youth Programs. In order to attract veterans to join our organization, we must give them a reason to join. Let’s also remember that taking care of our Veterans must include taking care of their families as well. If we provide a place for their families to participate, we can encourage the Veterans to join our organization. That is why I am promoting all of The American Legion Youth Programs:

Boy Scouts of America

Nevada Boys State

Oratorical Contest

Legion Baseball

ROTC Program

Hear Today Learn Tomorrow

Junior Shooting Sports

Youth Cadet Law Enforcement

Sons of The American Legion

If we promote these programs locally, we can exhibit to our communities that The American Legion is not only a veteran’s organization but an organization that inspires and supports our youth. I am encouraging every post and every Legionnaire to participate in each of the youth programs. It will be through their families that we can motivate these Veterans to join our organization.

So, let’s make The American Legion Family just that,

a Veteran and Family organization.

Since our charter, our American Legion Department of Nevada has been welcoming VETERANS from all branches of our Armed Forces. Today, we continue to welcome all military personnel serving our country. Joining a Post in our state enables you to continue serving your God, Country, and Community. Our mission is to implement the goals, aspirations, dreams, peace, and blessings for our country, friends, and families embodied in our preamble.

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James W. Oxford, National Commander of The American Legion 

James W. "Bill" Oxford was elected national commander of The American Legion on Aug. 29, 2019, in Indianapolis, during the organization's 101st national convention. He has been a member of the nation's largest veterans organization since 1986.

A native of Lenoir, N.C., Oxford is a paid-up-for-life member and past commander of Post 29 in Lenoir. He served as department (state) commander of the North Carolina American Legion from 2010 to 2011. A veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, Oxford was an aviation electronic technician for the A-6 Intruder and served in Vietnam during his initial enlistment.

 After being discharged as a sergeant in 1970, Oxford joined the North Carolina National Guard. He subsequently attended officer's candidate school and transferred to the U.S. Army Reserve, where he ultimately retired as a colonel after more than 34 years of military service.

Oxford has served at every level of The American Legion. A former mayor and city council of Cajah's Mountain, N.C., he has worked since he was a high school student, with most of his career choices being in the maintenance and engineering field. He earned a bachelor's degree in environmental studies and multiple safety and environmental certificates.

Oxford has volunteered as a coach, umpire, referee, and administrator in several youth athletic programs, including service as the public address announcer for the Post 29 American Legion Baseball team.

An active volunteer with several organizations, Oxford is a member of Masonic Lodge-York Scottish Rite and the North Carolina Army Retirees Council. His theme as national commander of The American Legion is "A Foundation for the Future," as the organization enters its second century of service.

Oxford and his wife, Frances, have been married since 1967. They have a son, Charles (married to Deah Reid), and a daughter, Jackie (married to Mike Carr). They also have four grandsons, Isiah, Micah, Jaggar, and Dawson

To Visit the Western Region Web Site Click here

To our World War II & Korean Veterans who are interested in visiting the War Era Memorial

please click on the link to apply~

www.honorflightnv.org

What The American Legion Does:

In a Nutshell: If you're a Veteran, The American Legion will help you. It will help you with VA health care, GI Bill benefits, sudden emergencies, and the needs of your children. And The American Legion does it all for free because we have an army of volunteers - each one a wartime veteran. So we understand. That's why we're here now - helping veterans, service members, and their families.

• Processes more than 600 disability claims appeals per month for veterans trying to get their VA medical benefits.

• Gives emergency financial assistance to Legion Families hit by Hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, and other disasters.

• Urges Congress to provide enough VA funding to take care of veterans' medical needs - and provide it in advance.

• Awards college scholarships to children whose mothers or fathers have sacrificed their lives in the global war on terrorism.

• Volunteers about one million hours every year at about 160 VA Medical Facilities nationwide.

• Helps families of deployed troops through the Family Support Network and Operation Military Family Outreach.

• Through its Temporary Financial Assistance program helps the children of veterans who are suffering hardships.

• Donates about 100,000 pints of blood annually to the American Red Cross.

• Lobbies Congress to upgrade and improve Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits (Legion wrote the original 1944 GI Bill that educated 8 million veterans).

• Through its Heroes To Hometowns program works with communities to welcome back their returning veterans and help them make the transition to civilian life.

• Sponsors more than 5,000 American Legion Baseball Teams, which are made up by more than 100,000 ballplayers.

• Raises funds to improve quality of life for active-duty troops with the Wounded Warrior Recognition Program and Operation Comfort Warriors.

• Offers community programs that encourage the intellectual and social growth of America's children (Boys State, National Oratorical Competition, Boy Scouts).

To find out much more about what The American Legion does, please visit www.legion.org

To the wonderful patriotic citizens of Nevada Thank You. Join in the support of a Post as a Booster or sponsor. 100% of the monies raised is given back to the community. Help us to continue sponsoring Scholarships for our children; give aid and assistance to our local needy Veterans and their families. Help us to continue to support financially worthy community programs and projects.