To: Department of Tennessee Legionnaires
The American Legion’s mission statement declares how we intend to fulfill our vision: “The American Legion strengthens our communities, states and nation with programs and services for our veterans, the military and their families.”
The American Legion’s value principles guide our business decisions and actions:
A VETERAN IS A VETERAN – “The American Legion embraces all current and former members of the military and endeavors to help them transition into their communities.”
SELFLESS SERVICE – “The American Legion celebrates all who contribute to something larger than themselves and inspires others to serve and strengthen America.”
AMERICAN VALUES AND PATRIOTISM – “The American Legion advocates for upholding and defending the U.S. Constitution, equal justice and opportunity for everyone and discrimination against no one, youth education, responsible citizenship and honoring military service by observing and participating in patriotic and memorial events.”
FAMILY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT – “The American Legion meets the unique needs of local communities.”
ADVANCING THE VISION – “The American Legion educates, mentors and leads new generations of Americans.”
HONORING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE US – “The American Legion pays perpetual respect for all past military sacrifices to ensure they are never forgotten by new generations.”
Note: The Vision Statement has been fully adopted from the American Legion national organization.
“VOLS: Veterans Offering Lifelong Service”
I’m thankful that “for God and country,” has made a resurgence in the American Legion in recent years, and I plan to continue this momentum.
I urge every Post, District, and Division to appoint a Chaplain, this includes SAL and Riders Chapters. Whoever is appointed must agree to not engage in Legion politics, or any of the negative divisiveness that’s hindered our growth in recent years. I fully believe that our Chaplains should be uniters, a person of trust who can be a peace maker and work to keep minor issues and disputes from becoming more than they should be. I fully expect every Chaplain to work as equals and foster a safe environment in which Legionnaires and our Legion Family members can exercise their religious freedoms accordingly.
Note: When it comes to the Legion and Auxiliary Joint Remembrance Ceremony, these will be 100% co-equal. We will be very diplomatic with the Auxiliary, if they fail, we fail!
Chairmanships & Committees
I will empower everyone who accepts a Chairmanship or any position to do the requisite work without interference if everyone is following the constitution and bylaws as well as state and federal laws. In other words, innovate, grow the programs, or to put it another way, grow the program, grow the Legion, and when we grow the Legion, we ultimately grow the Legion Family.
A special committee called the 21st Century Ad Hoc Committee will be established for the 2025-26 year.
However, I do want to touch on two positions, Legislative and Riders, which will be two areas of special emphasis this year. Bear with me as I go a little in depth, after all, mottos are one thing, it’s everything else that’s important.
Legislative: Within the state, much like national, we need to focus on legislation advocacy. Remember, the American Legion is nonpartisan not “nonpolitical” or “apolitical” as we’ve heard many falsely claim. What does this mean, to put it simply, we don’t back political parties such as the Republican or Democrat Parties. We also don’t endorse political candidates regardless of their political affiliation, which includes incumbents. And we don’t attend political events with any of our Legion clothes or other gear on etc.
However, we do advocate for meaningful and beneficial legislation, which is going to be something we get great at. I don’t see a need to create positions for the sake of having a name next to another on a piece of paper, in other words creating liaisons for state representatives and state senators. With 99 house & 33 senate members, there’s simply too many to think we can approach them through an unwieldy committee. Besides, the easiest way to avoid confusion is to not create it.
Before delving into my plan to ensure we have a reasonable and informed response to federal and state legislation, let me first state that I highly encourage everyone within the entire Legion Family to advocate on any piece of legislation or any issue YOU wish, even if you take a differing approach or stance than the Legion, after all, supporting and defending the Constitution is something this organization stands for. That said, I must ask that if you advocate for an opposing view from that of national or one the department has officially taken, then please let it be known it’s your opinion and not the Legion’s position. I would hope you wouldn’t advocate an opposing point while wearing the Legion cap, a Legion name tag, or anything that would give a false impression, such as using a title or an official/semi-official email address to advocate an opposing point, other than that, advocate away.
When it comes to advocating the Pro-Legion stance on an issue, I fully expect every member of the Department Executive Committee (DEC) to regularly (once a week) login to Voter Voice, and at the same time, keep up the professional and/or personal relationships with their local, state and federal officials, which will come in handy when asked to advocate on behalf of the Legion. After all, when you rise in position in the American Legion, there comes a time when the principles of justice, freedom and democracy must be exercised for the betterment of our communities, state and nation, and there’s no better example than that of the role we play while exercising these basic freedoms we enjoy as a nation.
Additionally, I’ll direct the Chairman to update the DEC at least twice monthly (via email) with regards to proposed legislation affecting Veterans at the national and state levels. I’ll additionally ask the Department Senior Vice Commander to prepare a few points with regards to state level legislation and brief them during the monthly DEC meeting while giving an opinion, in addition to any other comments, then, I’ll call for any motions and go from there. After the meeting, the District Commanders will begin informing Post level leadership about the issues national and the department needs everyone to advocate for or against via Voter Voice, as well as directly contacting one’s respective state legislators.
The way I see it, if we seek a position that requires others to vote for us, in addition to gaining a title such as Commander, etc., we also gain the responsibility to know our respective communities and those in it, and vice-versa. Think of an American Legion Post as a quasi-embassy and the Post Commander and other officers as (dare I say) quasi-ambassadors, who in addition to our duties spelled out in the officer’s manual, we also have implied duties to essentially (for lack of a better term) press the flesh with the public, after all, what’s wrong with being a good neighbor. In fact, one can use the American Legion as the reason to go to places and events they wouldn’t otherwise have attended such as county commission meetings, school board meetings or other civic meetings and events such as parades etc., use your imagination and good judgement.
Doing all these things as well as other innovative tactics will help make the American Legion a household name again, which helps on many fronts. In a hand-in-glove way this helps grow membership, which strengthens our position as an organization when we advocate for or against a piece of legislation. In other words, there’s strength in numbers. This is where local Post leadership can play a significant role by regularly approaching their respective state legislators and Members of Congress to directly advocate for the Legion agenda. That’s why it’s important to ensure everyone’s contact information is up to date with the Department Adjutant, regularly checking emails, text messages and taking phone calls from your District Commanders. I also expect Division Vice Commanders and District Commanders to get to know the elected officials in their area and reach out to them regularly.
Albeit being elected in the American Legion doesn’t necessarily make one a “public official” in the traditional sense, we’re nonetheless “public figures” just the same. That’s why we must work to make certain connections within our respective communities, after all, the American Legion was founded to provide value and service and the best way for us to do this is to be a value-added entity instead of being the group that only shows up to ask for donations. Nothing wrong with any reasonable and legal fundraising efforts, if it works, but if we can make our organization the most recognizable name not only when it comes to Veterans Service Organizations, but as a trusted civic partner, then our membership will grow, and money will follow. But this will require work, it will require buy-in from as many within the Legion Family as we can muster. Please help!
· Every District Commander will be required to discuss Be the One and Voter Voice as they make their Post visits. Please try to make all required visits prior to Department Midwinter 2026, if possible.
· The department will never oppose national’s legislative agenda, so therefore, all items on Voter Voice will be 100% supported and never require a vote of the DEC.
Riders: The 2025-26 Riders Chairman will have my full support to carry out their proposed agenda, which includes supporting a Riders ability to ride with other Post without having to belong to that Post. A resolution was passed with intent by the DEC at the 2025 midwinter conference and it’s one I aim to see implemented. The argument against it is flimsy and therefore it has my full support. I also plan to work with the Chairman to hold a first ever Be the One ride.
· Reaffirm a Great Relationship: Work with our equal and our #1 ally, the American Legion Auxiliary in accomplishing their mission, after all, a prosperous Auxiliary means a successful Legion.
· Charter three (3) American Legion Post: This will be a big lift and require buy-in and work from the District and Division Vice Commanders working in unison.
· Charter three (3) Riders Chapters: I’m not a Legion Rider, but I fully support a major lifeblood of this organization. I will implore all Legionnaires to assist the Riders Chairman in identifying at least three (3) Post that are ready to charter a Riders Chapter in the 2025-26 year.
· Charter three (3) Sons of the American Legion Chapters: This will require SAL leadership working to pinpoint Posts that have a large enough population center to support program growth. I implore all leaders to encourage and support growth of the SAL as this will support overall Legion membership growth.
· Hold three (3) large Be the One walks: I encourage each Division Vice Commander to identify an eager Post to host a Be the One walk. The Post leadership will be tasked with ensuring a media presence as these types of walks not only spread the important message, but they also serve to help make the American Legion a “household name,” and thus assist in growing the Legion. I would also encourage inviting local, state and federal officials as these events can also foster a great relationship and ensure the power of the name “American Legion” which also strengthens our position with regards to our legislative agenda.
· Double the attendance to the Department American Legion College. We may need to approach Post 88 Donelson to play host, I know they can handle it, they’re a fantastic Post.
· Hold three (3) large Basic Training classes. Minimum 100 individuals each.
· Hold three (3) large Be the One classes. Minimum 50 individuals each.
· Hold one (1) Legion Riders College.
· Advocate for the use of technology to expand our reach.
This especially means Post adopting and begin using myLegion.
This also includes the responsible use of popular social media platforms.
· Ensure all Post Constitution & Bylaws are updated and comply with Department and National.
· Ensure all Post incorporate.
· Ensure all Post Officers are bonded.
· Ensure every Post updates their tax-exempt status’.
· Communicate substantively on at least a weekly basis with the Department Senior Vice Commander, Division Vice Commanders, Adjutant and others as needed.
This includes sending a regular informative email Department wide.
Clean up and streamlining the Department website (www.tennesseelegion.org).
Create a blog on the Department website or use my own personal website’s blog (www.toddmckinley.com/blog), where I plan to post an informative semi-weekly blog update.
“VOLS: Veterans Offering Lifelong Service”
American Legion Department of Tennessee
& 1st Vice Commander Hammond Post 3
