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Greetings,

If you haven’t signed up for the Digital Dispatch yet, I urge you to do so.  There is always interesting information!

This dispatch includes a “ROAD MAP TO MYLEGION” that every Legionnaire should read and take action on.

Membership: Numbers don’t matter, its the people that they represent that matter!  Our numbers don’t lie though.  County Commanders, please look at those Posts that are falling back.  We can’t wait for Legionnaires to come to us.  We must go out and recruit them, and we must remind our current members why they joined.

Regards,
Bond
D1 Commander

Do you know what myLegion.org is? If you don’t you are really missing out on some great information about your membership. There are five main sections of the website:

  1. My Account – This is where you update the personal information that you would like to share with the Legion. Among many other things, you can print your membership card.
  2. Member Discounts – Discounts have never been easier to research as they are organized by type, for example Medical, Auto Rental, Moving & Relocation, Travel, and other sections
  3. Subscriptions – You can view a digital version of The American Legion Magazine, The Dispatch, and you can Opt in or out of email for various merchandise offers, media newsletters, and Membership news. You can even sign up for a Flag Alert that lets you know when the US Flag should be lowered to half mast.
  4. There is a section that allows you to Donate to your favorite Legion initiative. There are probably a few that you didn’t know about.
  5. There is also a Contact section that has all the important Legion phone numbers and email addresses.

Click this link to get started. It’s Free with your membership.

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This isn’t about numbers of members, but it is about what the numbers represent.  This is about serving our fellow Veterans and their families.  This is about maintaining the Legacy that has been passed on to us.  This is about service to our communities, the State, and Nation.

The Good News: We are on track and actually ahead of National’s membership goals for us.

The “Bad” News: We have less than 4% “market penetration.” Even when we hit the goals that Department and National have set for us, we will only have 7% of the Veterans in our 5 Counties belonging to this OUTSTANDING organization.  There are about 72,400 Veterans living in Kenosha, Racine, Rock, Walworth, and Waukesha Counties.  Those veterans and their families need us to lead them into this Legacy.  They need us to tell them the story of The American Legion.  They need us to remind them of their obligations to their community, State, and Nation.  They need us to bring them along into the future of The American Legion and the future of “…the real America, the America worth fighting for.”

So, NOW IS THE TIME! Now is the time to call and talk to our current members.  Challenge them to maintain their commitment to this organization.  Now is the time to call and talk to those who recently joined and are being carried on the 2930 list.  Now is the time to call those on the 2930 list from 2022 and 2021 and challenge them to renew their commitment; to remind them of the WIN that The American Legion just got for them out of Congress and the VA with the passage of the PACT Act.  Send letters, call on the phone, text message, and even knock on doors.

County Commanders, please elicit from your Posts the dates of their membership rallies that are to be held NLT November 13TH.  This can also be done by your County as a whole at the same time and location.  I am happy to be present and make calls along with the rest of your leadership team.  The more wins we have NOW, the easier March, April, and May will be.

Thank you for your hard work to date.  It isn’t about the membership numbers to me, except that they reflect our impact on the lives of Veterans, on the community, on America.  “To whom much is given, much is expected.” We have been given a legacy and we must not only maintain it, we must strengthen it and pass it on.

Bond

D1 Commander

262-215-3481

PS: Thanks again to all of you who were at the POW/MIA Silent March.  

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Installation Ceremony Speech, August 13, 2022, Lake Geneva Post 24

Greetings Fellow Legionnaires,

No group has invested more in The United States of America than her military veterans and their families.  We are the ones who have risked life and limb. We are the ones who have given blood, sweat, and tears. We are the ones who have been witness to the sacrifices of our comrades, even the ultimate sacrifice.  No one is more invested in America than we are.

LEGACY: “To whom much is given, much is expected.” Since even before World War One, the idea of The American Legion began to take shape.  Theodore Roosevelt Jr recognized the need to not only prepare America for the coming war in Europe, but for its aftermath as well.  The American Legion has led the way in not only caring for veterans and their families, but in promoting a strong National Defense, maintaining Law and Order, and preparing our Nation’s youth to be the leaders of tomorrow.  We have been given a tremendously successful organization. Now what will we do to ensure it remains successful after we are gone?  How are we preparing future veterans take on the duties of the American Legion? What systems are we putting in place at each of our Posts so the next leader can take over and carry the organization forward?  What are YOU doing to make sure the next Legionnaire is ready and has the tools to be successful?

EDUCATION: Whether you have been a Legionnaire for 5 days or 55 years, there is always more to learn about The American Legion. There is always more to learn about how to adapt past successes and make them future successes. There is always more to learn; there is always more to teach.  We must educate ourselves.  Everyone should take the “Basic Training Course” and the Wisconsin American Legion College’s “Basic—Intermediate—Advance” courses, plus look into the other courses available through the College.  Just as important as educating ourselves, we must educate our communities about who we are and what we do.  “Acta non Verba” Deeds not Words! It is by doing Legion Programs in our communities that we best educate our friends, neighbors, and fellow veterans about The American Legion.  But, we must also learn to share our story. We must “be ready both in season and out” to teach our communities who we are and what we do.  “Words without deeds are hollow and useless, but deeds without words are forgotten.”

ASSISTANCE: “…to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.” If we don’t take care of our fellow veterans and their families, how can we expect anyone else to?  I joined the American Legion to do just that, take care of my fellow veterans and their families. This is my priority.  I ask that you make it yours as well.

DUTY: We are, of course, all volunteers.  We have taken on these obligations of our own free will.  Your fellow Legionnaires are counting on YOU and me to keep our programs strong; to keep The American Legion Legacy alive.  The most important duty YOU have is finding and preparing your replacement. I suggest you start by making a list of all the things you personally do for your Post.  Then make a checklist of the tasks you take to get those things done. Then share that checklist with others, so the duties you have assumed can be passed on.

So the bottom line is this: I am asking each of you to LEAD!

Lead by example.  Take the Basic Training Course (https://www.legion.org/alei).  Send me your Certificate and paid invoice for your pin and I will pay—out of my own pocket—for it.  Then take the Wisconsin American Legion College courses.

Lead by example.  Make sure your contact information is up to date; that you have a functioning email account that you routinely check.  Younger veterans consider email a normal (old fashion) way of communicating and expect to get emails from you.  If you can’t communicate, you can’t lead.

Lead by example. Download the Administrative Manual (https://wilegion.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2021-2022-Admin-Membership-Manual-Final-2.pdf), and use it.  Be sure to courtesy copy both your County Adjutant and the District Adjutant on your communications with Department.

Lead by example.  Treat your American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion as equal partners in achieving the mission.  They want your Post to be successful!  Help them to help you by including them in the planning of your events and the decision making about what direction to go in.

Lead by example. Attend your County Council meetings.  If you as the Commander can’t make it—none of us can make every meeting—be sure to send one of your Vice-Commanders or your Adjutant.  You should also plan to host a County Council meeting.

Lead by example.  Get your house in order first. There are many problems at the County, District, Department, and National levels of the American Legion.  We are aware of them.  Let’s get our houses in order first, before we complain about what is going wrong elsewhere.  We can’t fix other people’s problems, but we can make sure that we fix our own.  “Remove the spec of sawdust from your own eye before trying to remove the log from your brother’s eye.”

Lead by example. I could go on, but I think you get the point.

“To whom much is given, much is expected.”  I expect great things from you.  I believe in your ability to keep the American Legion Legacy alive and well.  I believe in your ability to be educated and educate others about the American Legion.  I believe you will do great things to provide for the needs of our fellow veterans and their loved ones.  I believe you will rise to the challenges your Duty poses.  

Now, please share with me your expectations of ME and my officers.  I respond best to emails (nmorganbond@gmail.com), and I can be reached at my cell-phone too (262-215-3481).

Thank you,

Nathan M. Bond
District 1 Commander

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Doing Great!

Not only are we on track, but considering that it does take time for Department and National to process the hundreds (and even thousands) of transmittals they get every week, we are most likely ahead of schedule.

THE GOOD NEWS: Department is on-boarding a new membership coordinator starting next week.  There will be a learning curve, but this means we will start to see some of the challenges we have been facing resolved.

I want to single out a couple of Posts that I see doing some great stuff!
•Kenosha County Post 361 Wilmont: Dewy Cates and Adjutant Tim Rittmer are not just holding the Post together, they are maintaining the LEGACY with their core group of members.

•Racine County Post 310 City of Racine: John Capriotti and his Adjutant, Bob Jorgensen are working the 2930 list and they know that membership happens because of our PROGRAMS!

•Rock County Post 237 Footville: Susan Knudson and Bill Babb, two experienced Legionnaires who are fostering new leaders.

•Walworth County Post 102 Village of Walworth: Peter Kahl, Mike Long, and Past Post Commander, Joni Sallee, bringing in 8 new members!

•Waukesha County Post 91 Oconomowoc: Jerry Wendt, Dale Saeger, and crew bringing in 9 new members!

I know that all of you are doing your part to LEAD The American Legion, and you have my thanks.

Let’s keep up the good work.

Bond
D1 Commander