Department senior vice commander proposed

By Tim Engstrom
Legionnaires enjoy each other's company during the Fall Conference in late October in St. Cloud.

ST. CLOUD — At the Department Executive Committee in St. Cloud on Oct. 23, Commander Linda Dvorak wanted to readdress the forming of a department officer position called “senior vice commander.”

The person elected would spend a year training to be the department commander. Dvorak said she doesn’t like how Department of Minnesota commanders end up learning on the job instead of in advance, especially after contested elections. She drew on the example of when her husband, Mark, became department commander in 2019 after a contested election.

Not all American Legion departments are structured like Minnesota. Many other departments have a senior vice commander who generally becomes commander or ladder-climbing system of 2nd vice, then 1st vice, then commander.

“It would be an additional vice commander whose job would be to follow the department commander around and learn what he’s doing, although anyone can run off the floor at the department convention,” she said.

Dvorak added that it would cost the department no additional money. The matter will return for consideration at the Appreciation Rally on March 14 in Bloomington.

How other Midwest departments are structured

Editor’s note: This list illustrates commander-and-vice-commander structure in selected Midwestern states. It doesn’t show the typical positions of adjutant, chaplain, historian, sergeant-at-arms, treasurer or finance officer, judge advocate, membership director, NECman and alternate NECman. Also, it is interesting to note that, if there is a senior vice commander or 1st vice commander, he or she often serves in a dual role as the membership director/chairman.

Minnesota
Commander
5 vice commanders

North Dakota
Commander
Commander-elect
3 vice commanders

South Dakota
Commander
2 vice commanders

Nebraska
Commander
Senior vice commander
4 vice commanders

Iowa
Commander
5 vice commanders

Wisconsin
Commander
4 vice commanders

Illinois
Commander
Senior vice commander
5 division commanders

Colorado
Commander
Senior vice commander
6 junior vice commanders

Missouri
Commander
Senior vice commander
4 vice commanders

Kansas
Commander
Vice commander
2 area vice commanders (1 east, 1 west)

Michigan
Commander
1st vice commander
2nd vice commander

Indiana
Commander
4 vice commanders