ARLINGTON, VA – MAY 27: Alex Burgess gets emotional while visiting the gravesite of an old friend who was killed in Iraq, in section 60 at Arlington Cemetery, May 27, 2013 in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)r3

“Greater love has no one than this; that someone lay down his life for his friends.”- Jesus the Christ

Last month the people of North Carolina observed Good Friday, a state holiday. For some it was a time of reflection and remembrance of the work accomplished on the cross. Followers of Christ remembered on that day Jesus paid the ultimate price and paid for the sins of the world with his very life. Many local churches held a special memorial service that day. Unfortunately for many though, Christians included, Good Friday has become just another three day weekend.

This month, people across this great nation of ours will observe Memorial Day, a federal holiday. For some it will be a time of remembrance. Some will simply acknowledge that at some point in history a multitude of brave men and women died so we may live free today. For others it will be much more personal. We will remember the faces of our comrades. We will hear their voices, their laughter, and their cries. For some of us Memorial Day will be very real; because for those who have fought for freedom, we know more that anyone one else freedom comes at a high price. It was and continues to be paid for by those we love and those who love us enough to die for us.

My prayer for our nation is simple, that we take a moment to remember the sacrifices of those who paid the ultimate price for freedom. I pray Memorial Day will not just become another three day weekend, the start of summer, or worse yet, “national barbeque day”. I pray we will remember their sacrifice.

And I pray for you, my brothers and sisters in arms, that you would spend some time today not only remembering the loss of our fellow warriors but also the joy they brought into our lives. Raise a glass and toast our fallen heroes with me this Memorial Day. “To us and those like us, damn few left.”

February is typically known as the “Love Month” because of Valentine’s Day. Even though there are other holidays mixed in, Valentine’s Day still takes center stage. But for me, I am always reminded of another V-Day as well, Victory Day at the end of World War II.  That war, like every conflict our nation has been involved in was also about love; love of country, love of right, love of democracy, love of freedom and love of our fellow man.

We also remember the sacrifice made by those who have answered the call to serve; the sacrifice of separation from family, the sacrifice of personal comforts and sometimes even the sacrifice of their very lives.

The Bible tells us about sacrifice as well.  Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” This month let us spend a moment of time remembering our brothers and sisters who loved our country enough and loved us enough to lay down their lives. Bask in the freedom in which we live; paid for by the sacrifice of our friends, our nation’s warriors.

Now Post 232, let us take that one step further and join together as we visit our local veterans who do not get out anymore. This Valentine’s Day Garner American Legion Post 232 will meet at 2pm at North Pointe Assisted Living Home on Aversboro Road. We will once again love on our local vets and remind them they are not forgotten. Won’t you join us? –Brian Rietvelt, Post Commander

Do you know want to know the thing I love most about New Years? No, it not the New Year’s Eve parties (although they can be pretty fun). It is that we get to hit the reset button and start fresh again, we get a blank sheet of paper, a new beginning. Remember all those New Year’s resolutions you made to yourself last year; lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, quit cussing, and smile more? How long did they last? Were you able to keep any of them? If you did then I applaud you.

But if you are like most of us, you look back at those broken promises as crumpled up pieces of paper ready to be tossed in the trash. New Year’s however brings fresh hope and fresh passion to accomplish the things that we could not do in the past. The past six months has been both a privilege and challenge to me as your Post Commander. Over the course of my tour of duty, I have been learning the ropes of navigating through Legion protocol but also seeing the potential of a strong American Legion future.

So bear with me as it put in writing some resolutions I have for Garner American Legion Post 232 for the future.

• To build a strong bond within our Post between the Post, The Legion Riders, The Sons, and the Auxiliary- We will accomplish this through mutual comradeship and service together. (This will mean spending time together instead of apart)
• To serve our local veterans either at the Regional VA Medical Facility, at a local assisted living center, or in our neighborhoods. (Make a friend and be a friend to other veterans)
• To partner with local youth organizations such as JROTC and Scout-like organizations. Thus creating lasting and relational connections which promote citizenship and national pride
• To demonstrate to the local community that the Garner American Legion is alive and well; we can only do this by being proactive in community affairs and participating in positive community service events
• To assist all veterans prepare for their final deployment to Post Everlasting; physically (caring for their needs), mentally (spending time with them one on one), and spiritually (discussing eternal matters)
• To remain true to the foundations of the American Legion while reaching out to the new generation of veterans and inviting them into the Legion Family

Yes, I have learned a lot over the past several months but the thing that I have learned the most is just simply this:

Together, united as one team with one mission, Garner Post 232 can make a difference. I am not naïve enough to think we will change the whole world. I do believe we can change our local community; and together we can leverage the strength of the largest Veteran’s service organization in the world in order to make it a better place to live. The American Legion remains relevant in today’s society and together as one voice we can proudly say “For God and Country We are Legion Strong!”

Brian Rietvelt, Garner American Legion Post 232, Post Commander

I was listening to an interesting commentary and the speaker used a great marketing illustration that I believe is useful to The American Legion. The speaker pointed out, quite accurately I might add, that the McDonald’s Happy Meal has stood the test of time. McDonald’s has used their Happy Meals to target and reach children for decades now and the lure of the Happy Meal does not appear to be waning. Even in the face of childhood obesity attacks, the Happy Meal sales still maintain a sizeable market share. And for the most part, the contents of the Happy Meal have not changed all that much over the years. What does change, with regularity, is the packaging to meet the interest of the current market.

McDonald’s public relations staff and advertising teams are experts at determining what is fresh and relevant and gear their packaging towards that end. They stay abreast of the latest movies and fads of pop culture and know what images resonate with people. I say all that because we could learn a lot from their ability to reach an ever changing market but maintaining a core product.

The American Legion has been serving our nations veterans for almost 100 years. We have steadfastly petitioned our lawmakers to increase benefits for our country’s warriors but sadly our ranks have been dwindling at an unprecedented rate. Even though our core mission has not changed, and remains as relevant today as it did when we began in 1919; the way we package the message must change in order to reach our newest service members. We can either change with the times or fall off the books like Howard Johnson’s restaurant chain. (Who were they? My point exactly.) The question is, “Are we willing to change our packaging in order to reach today’s veterans?”

We, as a service organization, need to take a hard look at the way we do business, and recognize that we have a tremendous amount of work to do in order to repackage our organization. Our core values and principles have stood the test of time however the way we present our goals and mission must change or we will find ourselves irrelevant and obsolete in today’s society. It is not too late to turn this ship around but we must all be willing to put our hands on the wheel to make this happen. Together we can create a bright future of continued service to our communities, our nation and to our fellow service members. For God and Country, We Are Legion Strong!

Brian Rietvelt, Post Commander

Our motto in the military was always “Hurry up and wait.” No matter what we did, no matter what mission or task that lay before us, we always found ourselves rushing around with a supercharged “sense of urgency” and then sitting around waiting for the green light to go and do our job. I must admit that was always one of the most frustrating aspects of serving in the armed forces, “hurry up and wait.”

Powerful scripture verses have been confronting me this week; three times this week, on three separate occasions, I have been reminded of the call to wait upon the Lord.

Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!-Psalm 27:14

From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him.-Isaiah 64:4

but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.-Isaiah 40:31

Perhaps I need to learn more about patience, perhaps I find myself rushing around with a self-imposed “sense of urgency”, or perhaps God is trying to speak to me but in all the commotion of life I have been too busy and preoccupied to listen. Whatever the case, I am ready to wait.

What about you? Are you running around so preoccupied by the busyness of life that you have neglected spending time with your Father? I encourage you to take a few moments and reconnect with your Maker today. Go find a quiet place and just wait. Wait and listen for the “still small voice” and find peace from being in His presence. (1 Kings 19:12)

Lord I pray for my brothers and sisters who are too busy for their own good. I pray they would take time out from their busy schedules and just have a few moments of stillness with you. I pray you would speak into each of their hearts and draw them closer to you than ever before. I pray for a peace that can only come from knowing you as their Lord and Savior to flood over them and they would embrace the stillness and not flee from it. I pray that as they “hurry up and wait”, they would find you are already waiting for them with open arms.-Commander Brian

FOR GOD AND COUNTRY * WE ARE LEGION STRONG!

Fall is finally here and I for one could not be happier. I personally love the fall season; I love the brisk mornings, the leaves turning colors, and of course the State Fair. Like most of you I have my regular routine at the State Fair. It really is not a complete day at the fair unless I have some Al’s French fries, Sunrise Methodist ham biscuits, mini donuts, roasted corn at the Village of Yesteryear, NC State ice cream and of course hot apple cider. Look, it takes a lot of energy to walk all over the fairgrounds in search of your favorites.

Of course every year there is always the “new thing”. You know what I mean, chocolate covered bacon or deep fried Krispy Kreme burgers. But new things are not always the best things. Sometimes the tried and true classics are the best. Not just when it comes to food but also when we look at organizations.

Take the American Legion for instance. We may need a new methodology in order to attract our newest veterans from our most recent conflicts; but it is our core values that must not change. The packaging may need a fresh look to appeal to this modern generation but the ethos of our values found in the Preamble to our National Constitution should remain a constant, a bedrock on which to build a strong and relevant service organization.

The last verse of our Preamble states, “To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.” This is huge! This is what being a war fighting service organization is all about, warrior helping warrior. Our comradeship did not stop when the conflict was over but continues to this day. There is a bond that was forged by serving our nation during a period of conflict whether you served overseas or stateside and that bond continues to flow through the blood of all Legionnaires to this day. Our passion and desire is to continue to serve others because we are devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is what keeps us strong, Legion Strong!

Brian Rietvelt, Post Commander

There are some moments in history that will be forever etched on our souls. Thirteen years ago one of those moments occurred. Ask anyone who was alive back then and they will be able to tell you with stark, vivid recollection the exact place and time they were at when they first heard the news about the 9-11 attacks. The images of horror as the aircraft impacted the Twin Towers, the feeling of desperation as we watched over and over again images of carnage and wreckage. As a nation we cried out loud and mourned over people we did not even know. We hurt because others were hurting. We were frightened and then we became angry. Do you remember? I sure do.

That anger and cry for justice drove many Americans to join the ranks of our military. They felt an overwhelming sense of duty, loyalty and obligation to our country. They felt compelled to do something, to take some action; and consequently their lives were forever changed as well.

During that tumultuous time, over and over again the same question surfaced. “Where was God?” The question came from believers and unbelievers alike. Atheists who did not even believe in the existence of God were quick to blame him; while believers had their faith tested and shaken in the face of tragedy.

Every Sunday morning at 8am, I am privileged to lead a small group study at Hardees on US-70 in Clayton (you are welcome to join us). It was just last week we were discussing that very question. We read something that had a profound impact on me and I want to share that with you now. In The Story of God by Tommy Nelson the author writes, “I heard a man tell of a son who was killed I a motorcycle accident. Somebody came up to my grieving friend and said, “Where was God when your son was killed?” My friend looked that person in the eye and said, “He was in the same place He was when His Son was killed. He was with my son, and He will use his death for His own purposes.” Let that sink in for a minute; now re-read that last part. Let that soak for a little while longer. God is not immune to pain or suffering and He is certainly not oblivious to what we are facing or going through at this present time and He can use even the most tragic events for His purposes even though we may never understand them. He is still God and we are not.

In the end we have a duty and obligation to our fellow warriors and citizens to never forget our past. It is what has forged us as individuals and it is what keeps us strong, Legion Strong!

For God and Country * We are Legion Strong

“Am I my brother’s keeper?”- Cain, Genesis 4:9

Well yes as a matter of fact we are. As American Legionnaires we are joined together with a bond that has been forged by blood, sweat and tears. Our family bond is much deeper than just being born into the same household; our family bond came from serving side by side together in good times and bad. We are able to trust each other with our very lives because we know that when the rest of society lets us down, when our government turns it back on us, and when the “system” fails us; we always have each other to turn to for help and support.

Last week I was visiting one of our brothers in a long term care facility. His mobility is restricted to a wheelchair but every day he manages to push himself outside, enjoy God’s creation, and breathe in some fresh air. He is not a quitter but rather an overcomer. While we were talking I noticed a rather large hole in his shoe from wear and tear. I returned to visit our brother this week with a new pair of shoes from Walmart. It did not break my bank account and meant the world to him. You see, I am my brother’s keeper.

I do not tell you this to draw attention to myself but rather to draw attention to the needs of our brothers and sisters all around us that go unmet day after day. The recent VA debacle is partially our fault. That’s right I said it. It is not often that someone will accept responsibility for their actions or inactions but I will. You see the VA Hospital system began as a direct result of our WWI American Legion members lobbying Congress for better health care and treatment of our nation’s heroes. (On a side note, our Social Security System was modeled after that also as a result of The American Legion)

As an civic organization we have been a leader in bringing positive social programs to the United States of America. However, over the years we have become personally complacent and allowed the “system” to care for our brothers and sisters and not taken a personal interest in their wellbeing.  Had we, The American Legion, been monitoring the VA Hospital situation all along, then we could have spoken out louder and sooner and never let the problems fester into crisis level proportions.

How do we fix the problem at our level? Easy, Adopt a Vet. Decide today to sponsor one of our brothers or sisters and own our portion of the responsibility. Become our brother’s keeper. At Post 232 level we cannot fix all our National woes; we can however make a real impact into the lives of veterans close to home. Join us as we show the world a few determined men and women are still willing to do the right thing and take responsibility for our comrades. – Brian Rietvelt, Post Commander

To take part in on our Garner Post 232 Adopt a Vet Program simply send a check for $30 to :

Garner Post 232 PO Box 252 Garner NC 27529 (write AVP on the memo line) and we will send you the information of the veteran you have personally sponsored. It is just that easy to make a huge difference.

For God and Country* Together We are Legion Strong

Long before there was  a popular movie starring Will Smith our nation’s forefathers gathered together and penned the Declaration of Independence. It is quite a remarkable and well thought out document that served as a stimulus and call to action. I had the privilege to escort one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence while serving as a North Carolina State Trooper. It is amazing at the precautions that are made to protect this well preserved artifact, from the actual bullet proof case in which it is enclosed, to the armed escorts that accompany it when it travels.

One of the driving principles of The American Legion is to promote 100% Americanism where ever we find ourselves. To that end I encourage you to become familiar with the Declaration of Independence and reflect on it this week. I encourage you to find an opportunity to share this magnificent writing with a friend, family member or co-worker. Take a few moments to speak to a child or young person about our nation’s history and educate them on our founding principles.

You may want to open the conversation with a trivia question such as, “Who were the three North Carolinians to sign the Declaration of Independence?” (Answer at the end of this article.) Or you may want to just speak about the first few lines and the importance of what it means.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.

A multitude of American service members have made countless sacrifices fighting for these principles because something’s are worth fighting for and something’s are worth dying for; I submit to you the words of the Declaration of Independence are worth dying for. If that is true for you as well, share what you know with someone else this week. Together we will make a stronger future for America by remembering our past. Together we are Legion Strong!

(North Carolinians William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, and John Penn signed the Declaration of Independence. )

“Time to get back to basics.”  Have you ever heard that phrase? I have several times. The meaning is always the same; somehow over time we have drifted from the actual path that we started on and we need to go back to the fundamentals. The phrase can be applied to entities such as corporations, churches, or civic organizations; but it also applies to us individually.

In my fifty years on this earth I have seen churches lose their way and start following their denominations rather than their God, I have seen businesses lose their way and start chasing profit margin over customer service, I have seen civic organizations lose their way when they sought numerical growth over service to others, and I have seen people lose their way when they chose to satisfy their own desires rather than serve the one who created them in the first place.

At some point in time they all need to hit the reset button and “get back to basics.”  When these drifts occur, churches seeking to get back to basics find themselves in the book of Acts. There they find a biblical model of how church should be done. When businesses lose their way they go back to a fundamental rule of taking care of the customer first, and when civic organizations lose their way they must return to their original mission statement and remember why they came together in the first place.

The Preamble of the American Legion Constitution states, “FOR GOD AND COUNTRY WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER FOR THE FOLLOWING PURPOSES”. Across this great nation of ours Legion Posts meet monthly and recite these words but for some, not all, but for some, they have lost their meaning and power. Some of our Posts have forgotten why they even assemble and that is sad.

National American Legion Headquarters explains it like this: “FOR GOD AND COUNTRY, WE ASSOCIATE OURSELVES TOGETHER…This is the introduction. It declares that The American Legion recognizes the influence of Almighty God in all worthwhile endeavors-and declares the allegiance of Legionnaires to both God and Nation. First things have been put first. All that follows is in conformity.”

In getting back to basics it is important to keep our priorities right. It is important we recognize the blessings and favor the Almighty has shown us; and as we gather together we do so first for His glory and then for the glory of this great country to which we swear our allegiance.

Getting back to basics and keeping our priorities straight will keep us Legion Strong!