top of page
Search

Dept. CDR's Update (November 23rd)

  • Writer: Todd McKinley
    Todd McKinley
  • 1 day ago
  • 3 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

ree

Happy Thanksgiving!


Before begining this week's update, I'm asking for everyone who reads this to also share it. You can simply copy and paste this link anywhere.


This week's shoutout goes to our members with 30+ years of membership as well as our number one ally the American Legion Auxiliary and those who participate in the American Legion through the Sons of the American Legion.


Weekly Schedule


November 25th: Tennessee Commander's Chat: www.facebook.com/commanderchat


Membership

The higher we rise in percentage, the slower the rise is becoming. Presently we're at 68.88% and the next membership deadline is December 10th, where we need to be at or exceeding the 75% mark. Over the past several weeks, we've began to slip out of the top 20 and now find ourselves at 25th out of 55 departments and this is the lowest we should ever hope to be. We've now fallen to 5th out of 8 departments in the central region. We're also 698 members behind where we were last year.


Before hibernating for the winter season, let's dedicate ourselves to finish 2025 strong. If we strive to exceed our membership goals, it will reduce the headaches at the end of the membership year.


Mark Your Calendars

Well, don't exactly mark a specific date just yet, but next spring we're planning a Tennessee Legion Family Day on the Hill in Nashville. Don't confuse this with a Veterans Day on the Hill that have been held in the past. This event will be specific to the American Legion Family, which includes the Legion, the Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of the American Legion.


National Legion College

Congratulations to East Tennessee Vice Commander Dwight Woodcock on graduating National American Legion College (NALC).


Help Needed

We need about 30 volunteers per day across the entire Legion Family. We also need several from across the Legion Family to step up and serve on the planning board for this wonderful event, and NO...you don't have to be a Rider to serve. I'll say that again, you don't need to be a Rider to serve on this board nor do you need to be a Rider to volunteer.


ree

Voter Voice

We finished last week 3rd again. Thank you to everyone who had your vice heard, please keep up the work.


ree

Be The One Resolution

Here is a copy of a resolution I wrote that the Sullivan County Commission (my home county) passed last Thursday. Thank you to my County Commissioner Zane Vanover for his interest in the American Legion's Be The One mission and Commissioner Gary Stidham (past East TN Vice Commander and others) in his commitment to the Be The One mission. You can watch my remarks by fast forwarding to 1:55:20.


The resolution is simply written and gets to the point regarding our Be The One mission. My hope is that out of the remainder of Tennessee's 95 counties that haven't passed a similar resolution will look to do so soon. I'm making this one available to anyone who would like to use it. If your home county has more than one Legion Post please recognize all of them, given this resolution isn't about turf, this is about "changing lives and saving lives."


ree

WHEREAS on June 1st, 2023, the American Legion began an initiative called Be The One with the mission to end Veteran suicide,

WHEREAS an average of 22 Veterans a day commit suicide,

WHEREAS suicide is the second leading cause of death for children and young adults aged 10-24, behind unintentional injuries, with an estimated 6,500 individuals in this demographic taking their own life annually,

WHEREAS individuals commit suicide for many reasons, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the Sullivan County Commission in partnership with the American Legion Department of Tennessee, American Legion Post 3 in Kingsport and Post 145 in Bristol commits itself to end suicide in every demographic from the young to the old alike, therefore, be it further

RESOLVED that the Sullivan County Commission urges every county government entity and private organizations alike to promote the 988-suicide prevention hotline and encourage all to host annual suicide prevention training.


Happy Thanksgiving!

In case you need some post dinner/pre-nap reading this week.


I'm thankful to be a member of an organization that at its core isn't about the programs, the titles, the positions one holds or has held, but the people.


What are you thankful for? Message me and let me know:




“VOLS: Veterans Offering Lifelong Service”

 

Todd A. McKinley

Department Commander

American Legion Department of Tennessee

 
 

Commissioner Joe Carr Must Go Now

  • Writer: Todd McKinley
    Todd McKinley
  • Nov 3
  • 4 min read

Updated: Nov 7

ree

Memorandum For: Northeast, TN Media Outlets

SUBJECT: Joe Carr Must Go Now!

 

Kingsport - Sullivan County 5th District Board of Education representative Todd A. McKinley, a Republican, calls for the resignation of 9th District County Commissioner Joe Carr.

 

I arrived at this conclusion rather easily, after all, Commissioner Carr has a pattern of sick conduct towards women and others.  In fact, I was going to call for his resignation back in September just after Charlie Kirk’s assassination after a post he made on social media was brought to my attention where he called for someone who opposed him and Charlie Kirk to also be assassinated in a nutshell.  When I saw that post on social media, I had to investigate it further to see if it was true.  It was true, and I sent it to several Sullivan County Commissioners and sadly got nothing out of them except to say, “that’s Joe,” like that’s an acceptable reply.

 

This is not merely a political disagreement with Mr. Carr.  After we all witnessed the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September, and many other instances of senseless violence in our nation and throughout the world, the last thing we should expect from our elected representatives is for them to wish murder on private citizens just because we disagree with them politically.  Real Republicans who purportedly support the Second Amendment (as I do), do so because we believe in the right to protect ourselves, our families, our homes, our businesses, our communities, our states, and our nation against government, should it become necessary - and if needed, aid in defense of our nation, etc.  Calling for violence against our political opponents is nothing more than inciting even more political violence against those we disagree with.  This is in fact, exactly what happened against Charlie Kirk.  In effect here, Mr. Carr is advocating for domestic terrorism and should not be tolerated by anyone in Sullivan County or anyone in the State of Tennessee and let me be the first common sense Republican to call for the ouster of Mr. Carr for these reasons, and more.


ree

ree

 

The late President Ronald Reagan had an 11th Commandment, “Thou shall not speak ill of another Republican.” However, this has nothing to do with attacking another Republican over a campaign disagreement.  This goes beyond politics at this point.  I’ll be honest, when I first met Mr. Carr while he was running for Kingsport BMA, I said to myself, “Here’s a young upstart who has some good ideas, who seemed to comport himself well.”  I had no problem driving him around to knock on some doors to assist him, which I did on one occasion.  Since then, we’ve run into each other at occasional Republican functions.  Outside of that, I’ve rarely had any dealings with him.  However, in recent years there have been several occasions when I’ve had to scratch my head and say, “Where’s the guy I drove around a few years ago?  What happened to him?”

 

The next three incidents are in chronological order as to why I have arrived at this decision.

 

First, during a May 2023 county commission meeting, he called Juneteenth a “woke holiday” and claimed, “We shouldn’t give these people an inch.”  While I believe he’s talking about the Left when he says these people, he certainly leaves it a bit ambiguous that he could be speaking of black people in general as well, but let’s not get hung up on that just yet.

 

While I believe we should celebrate either or both the implementation of the Emancipation Proclamation (January 1, 1863) and the ratification of the 13th Amendment (December 6, 1865), before Juneteenth.  Here’s why that’s not happening, and it boils down to the fact we live in the Northern Hemisphere and June falls right in the heart of the summer months, whereas December and January don’t and most people would rather have a holiday in the summer versus winter, so I get it.  However, we shouldn’t be celebrating holidays just to have a day off, it should be about remembering the history of what’s being celebrated so we don’t repeat it, but I digress.  In a nutshell the state of Tennessee and the Sullivan County Commission voted to implement Juneteenth as a holiday and what was once a Texas holiday is now a national holiday, that’s fine.  It’s not ‘woke’, we are just giving hard working Americans a day off to remember and reflect for a good reason.  Additionally, voters should look at the commissioners who were on the video cackling and howling as he was saying this.  They should also be suspect when it comes to re-election.  When the county commission voted on this measure, it only made Juneteenth a holiday one year prior to what the state had already mandated. 

 

Secondly, in June 2024 I saw several posts on a credible individuals social media post that Mr. Carr was involved in an incident at Michael Waltrip brewery.  I did not see it happen, but I spoke to several commissioners who corroborated this story.  I’m sure the truth could come out regarding this issue, but it would require further investigation.  This, coupled with other statements he has made, boggles the mind. 

 

Third, on December 19, 2024 at a Sullivan County Commission meeting, Mr. Carr said, “I will be knocking on the door of every registered Republican in 2030 and telling them that Judge Katie Priester forced our school system to hire back a communist, and not just any communist, but a communist that forced his students to read an article that said their white skin is, and I quote, an existential danger, not just to our country, but to the world and all of humanity.” 

 

My reply to Commissioner Carr at the January School Board meeting was to state that Mr. Hawn is not, in fact, a Communist, and he was due an apology for that accusation.  Mr. Hawn is a fellow Sullivan County resident who many may disagree with on many things politically (me included), but no sitting County Commissioner or elected representative for that matter should be calling out a private citizen at an official meeting for simple political disagreements.  It’s not the platform for it and it was uncalled for.  

 

Finally, this arrest, thankfully Asheville (at least temporarily) got a predator of the streets.

ree

 

 


Todd A. McKinley, BA, MSL

SFC, USA-Ret.

 

 
 

Board of Education Self Assessment

  • Writer: Todd McKinley
    Todd McKinley
  • Oct 17
  • 2 min read

Updated: 2 days ago

ree

To the residents and voters of the 5th Sullivan County (TN) Board of Education District,


In the coming weeks, I plan to publish 1-2 self assessment videos, each video will pertain to each point contained in the link below. In each video, I'll state the pledge, give an assessment of how I truly feel I've done and will give a letter grade then I'll offer some ways how I plan to improve moving forward. I'll then publish a final video where I give an overall assessment then announce upcoming town halls where everyone can participate, after all, you have that right as a citizen of this great nation.


This self assessment will not be glossy, I plan to be brutal and put it out there for everyone. I certainly know I have a lot of room for improvement, those who say they don't or won't admit it should be avoided like the "Black Death," as they're toxic. That said, I'll endeavor to improve moving forward as we all should in our daily work. God bless!



Announcement Video


Q & A, aka more information:


Q: Where will the videos be made available?

A: On my personal and public Facebook pages (links below).


Q: What if I'm not on Facebook or social media?

A: No problem, I'll send you a link to download and watch at your convenience, just message me your name and email address and once published I'll send your way.


Schedule

FYI, this section was updated on November 20th.

I plan to publish the video in the coming week.




Todd A. McKinley

Sullivan County School Board

District 5 Representative

 
 

Disclaimer: Organizations and individuals listed on this website don't denote an endorsement of me or my website.

bottom of page