January 13th, 2014: American Legion Post #18 Officers Installed

The following is a release from the American Legion Post #18 

At the January 11^th general membership meeting of The American Legion Post #18 newly elected officers were installed.

Department of NM District #7 Vice Commander Dale Heiligential presided over the installation ceremony. The following officers were installed for the 2014 year:

Commander:                                 Ray Davis

Adjutant:                                        Susie Jutson

1^st Vice Commander:                   John Sterle

2^nd Vice Commander:                  John Robbins

Judge Advocate:                           Bill Harrison

Historian:                                        Karen Young

Finance Officer:                             Al Candelaria

Chaplain:                                        James Knight

Sergeant-At-Arms                        Gilbert Choquette

Also, the following Executive Committee Members participated in the swearing-in ceremony:

Hal Halbedel

Arnold Wagner

Charles Wenzel

Albert Wranek

Along with regular Post #18 members, Department of NM Commander, Paul Espinosa; National Executive Committeeman, Felix Trujillo, Dept. of NM Oratorical Chairman, Clarence Ortega and Dept. of NM Children and Youth Services Chairman, Ed Cheetham were in attendance.

The American Legion Post #18 is located at 409 W. College Ave., Silver City, NM. The Post also has an active Woman’s Auxiliary as well as an American Legion Riders Chapter #13.

The American Legion Post #18, Women’s Auxiliary and Riders Chapter #13 promote veterans awareness through Memorial Day, POW/MIA and Veterans Day ceremonies. Also, Post #18 was proud to lead the 2013 July 4^th Grand Marshall’s Float honoring 15 WWII Veterans. The Annual Post #18 Golf Tournament is a much-anticipated event throughout the Southwest, bringing a wide cross section of the surrounding communities together for friendly competition and recreation. Post #18 is also involved in youth and children programs such as Boys/Girls State, Junior Shooting Sports and the High School Oratorical Scholarship Contest. The Woman’s Auxiliary compiles and sends care packages to military members serving overseas. Additionally, Post #18 has a used cell phone collection program which, when turned in for recycling, generates calling cards for GI’s serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. The American Legion Riders Chapter #13 is heavily involved in the Operation Wounded Warrior and Operation Comfort Warrior Projects. They conduct an annual beef raffle which in 2013 raised over $6,000.00, which was personally presented to Brooks Army Medical Center and the Fisher House, San Antonio, TX for OWW and OCW purposes. Legion Riders also raise funds to purchase much needed items such as blankets and other toiletry items for veterans residing at area medical facilities.