Published: May 15, 2008 05:23 pm            

National Legion commander says posts need to tout horns

Like many members of many groups, Marty Conatser wasn’t active in his American Legion post for many years.

Baseball changed all that, he said Wednesday.

“I didn’t go to a Legion meeting for 15 years after I joined,” Conatser recalled. “But I had a son playing baseball and my post ended up sponsoring a Little League baseball team.

“Through that, I found out about all the other things the Legion did.”

Conatser, who lives in Champaign, has come a long way from the young veteran who wasn’t involved. He’s now the National Commander for the Legion, traveling the country talking about patriotism and good works.

“I’ve been home about eight nights this year,” Conatser said.

Conatser, who still belongs to his hometown Post 102 in DeLand, spent 26 years split between active Army and National Guard duty before retiring as a sergeant major in 1996. Wednesday, he was in Effingham talking to a group of mostly post and division commanders about the need to spread the news among Legion members about what the group is involved in.

“We need to reach out to young veterans,” Conatser told the group. “I grew into it, and they will too.

“I don’t think the average Legion member understands the value of their membership card,” he said.

Conatser noted the Legion not only sponsors baseball teams, but it provides college scholarships for the offspring of those killed in the ongoing war on terror and provides financial aid for Legion members victimized by natural disasters, among other things.

Conatser questioned whether the typical Legion member has a clue about the assortment of programs run through the organization.

“Why don’t we let people know what we do?” he said. “Are we explaining to our card-carrying members what our money does for our country?”

Conatser said the current push to upgrade GI Bill benefits is one example of a Legion lobbying effort the rank-and-file member may not be aware of.

“Do you suppose our members know that?” he said. “We complain about our image, but I wish everybody could be in my shoes for 15 days and see the great things that are being done.”

Other speakers at Wednesday’s gathering included Illinois State Commander Myron Kirby of Farmer City, and state Vice-Commander Bill Hudson of Evergreen Park.

Bill Grimes can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 131 or bill.grimes@effinghamdailynews.com.