Spread the word

Barely six weeks into his tenure, National Commander David K. Rehbein is already singing his praises about The American Legion. During the National Executive Committee's Fall Meetings in Indianapolis Oct. 15-16, Rehbein shared his thoughts on what he's seen, and his vision of the Legion's future.

"I've seen some things and had some experiences that you need to know about - and I think, beyond that, you need to go home and talk to your posts about," Rehbein said. "They're the real reason behind some of the experiences we've had."

Rehbein pointed to the new GI Bill and that, before the National Convention in Phoenix, the Legion had received word that VA intended to outsource some or all of its responsibilities for implementing that bill.

"You know that this National Executive Committee passed an emergency resolution so that we could put it into (VA Secretary James Peake's) hands, expressing our opposition to that outsourcing," Rehbein said. "We were fortunate to have that resolution in place as we went to Capitol Hill for testimony. I want to talk to you about that two weeks we were on Capitol Hill. We talked about two things, and we made a difference. We talked about outsourcing of the GI Bill, and as we traveled senators' and representatives' offices, we found sympathy for what we believe in.

"Beyond that, when we started our travels on Capitol Hill, as far as VA appropriations are concerned, (we were told) that there was no chance of an appropriations bill coming out of Congress before they adjourned for the election season. I mean, there was pessimism. (But) day by day, you could see positions changing. By the time we were there at the end of the week of the testimony, (it) had changed from, ‘There will not be a VA appropriations bill - no chance,' to ‘Maybe, we think we might be able to get something out.'"

The end result: VA announced it will not outsource any portion of the GI Bill, and Congress has introduced a bill for the timely approval of VA appropriations.

"What made this important," Rehbein said, "and the point you need to make to your membership back home - it's the people back home that made it happen, because there's 2.7 million of us, and the people on Capitol Hill understand that those 2.7 million members, and the 1 million members of the Auxiliary and 300,000 (Sons of The American Legion) were watching, and cared, and were going to remember what we told them of those two weeks up there. That's what 2.7 million members does for the young men and women who are serving right now, and who will be starting college under that GI Bill."

When talking about membership, Rehbein said the Legion is having an excellent membership year: 48 departments hit the 50-percent mark by the Sept. 10 target date. "Twelve departments have already made the next target date. The momentum is there. People are starting to feel the success," he said. "But now we need to go home and tell them about that experience on Capitol Hill, and feed that success. Make sure they understand they really do have an effect."

Rehbein said having Direct Mail Solicitation (DMS) out of the picture this membership year isn't an excuse for going into a membership slide.

"We can do it without DMS," he said. "We don't have to try to reinvent traditional membership methods. All we have to do is go out there and do them. But we need everybody involved in that effort. One of the ways they can be involved is by letting their people know back home that they're proud to be members of The American Legion family. Wear the emblem. It's easy, and it costs so very little, but it yields so very much."

Rehbein also asked the organization's leadership to reach out all the way to the post level.

"If we get into every American Legion post in this organization this year and tell them our story, and talk about the successes we've had, we will make that target," he said. "Get out there and help them."

Sharing information can also help the membership effort. At the membership workshop, each department was asked to answer two questions in writing: What is your most successful membership tool? And what's your biggest challenge?

"My career as a researcher at Iowa State (University) taught me one thing: that if you can address the right problem, if you can ask the right question, quite often the answer becomes self-evident. It leads you to the answer. That's part of what putting down the challenges is about - to help you to understand what your challenge really is."

Once that knowledge is shared, Rehbein said, the entire organization can benefit.

"Some of you do very unique things. Some of you do very successful things," he said. "Some of those very successful things can be handed off to another department. We're all in this together. What you do well, somebody else can pick up and do well, and make themselves successful."

Spanogle steps down. After serving his country in the U.S. Army, Robert W. Spanogle spent three decades serving America's veterans. On Oct. 16, he retired as national adjutant of The American Legion, a position he'd held for more than 27 years. He was replaced by Daniel S. Wheeler, the Legion's National Headquarters executive director in Indianapolis.

While being honored during the Legion's Fall National Executive Committee Meeting in Indianapolis, Spanogle instead chose to extend those honors to the men and women he's served.

"You honor me, but frankly, I honor you for the great opportunity to serve for and with you in this great endeavor called The American Legion," said Spanogle, who was named honorary past national commander during the 2008 National Convention in Phoenix, effective upon his retirement.

National Commander David K. Rehbein praised Spanogle - the organization's longest-serving national adjutant - for his service to U.S. veterans.

"There's a spirit in this room - a spirit left behind by every individual who has served in these offices, been a part of this National Executive Committee, who's been a past national commander. And that spirit is being added to immeasurably by Bob Spanogle," Rehbein said. "I think there is not a veteran in this nation, nor a veteran's family in this nation, who has not been touched by the work that Bob Spanogle has carried on so capably during his 36 years with The American Legion."

Past National Commander John "Jake" Comer called Spanogle a valuable asset to all who have served as the Legion's national commander. "All national commanders could stand here like me and say, ‘I don't know how I could have gotten through my year without Bob Spanogle.' I couldn't have," Comer said.

Past National Commander William M. Detweiler offered a similar sentiment. "As a past national commander, when I walked out of that office, I appreciated Bob more on the day I left than the day I went in," said Detweiler, who presented four $1,000 checks in honor of Spanogle to the Child Welfare Foundation, National Emergency Fund, American Legion Endowment Fund and American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund. The donations were made by The American Legion First District Convention Corporation of Louisiana.

"You just don't know what he contributes until you have sat with him in good times and tough. Truth and honesty have been the hallmarks of his service," Detweiler said.

Appointed to his position July 1, 1981, Spanogle started working for the Legion at the national level in 1972. He previously served as director of the National Internal Affairs Division in Indianapolis, and as executive director of the Legion's Washington, D.C., office.

A Vietnam War Army veteran and life member of Oldsmobile Post 237 in Lansing, Mich., Spanogle is a graduate of Michigan State University, where he studied economics and mathematics. While at Michigan State, Spanogle was elected president of the National Association of Collegiate Veterans and served as the association's executive director from 1970 to 1971.

Since then, Spanogle has served on various boards, committees and commissions, including the Presidential Commission on Veterans and Military Health Care, and the Children's Miracle Network Board of Governors. He also is a recipient of the Sagamore of the Wabash Award - the highest honor the governor of Indiana can bestow upon an individual. In 2004, he was presented with the Boy Scouts of America Silver Buffalo Award for noteworthy and extraordinary service to youth. The award is Scouting's highest commendation.

Wheeler, a Navy veteran who replaces Spanogle as national adjutant, has been executive director of The American Legion's national headquarters since 1995. He has worked for the Legion since 1979, when he was hired as an assistant magazine editor. He was promoted to publisher and editor-in-chief in 1985, and has served as president of the Citizens Flag Alliance since 1994.

Wheeler lives in Indianapolis with his wife, Kathy. He is a member of American Legion Post 137 in Richmond, Va. He has served as president of the Veterans Day Council of Indianapolis, and is a member of the Rotary Club and Mensa International.

Marty Justis, director of the Americanism/Children and Youth Division, was named as Wheeler's successor.

Additional coverage of the Fall Meetings, along with a list of key resolutions passed, will appear in the November Dispatch.

The American Legion Dispatch