Detachment Commander: Remember U.S. efforts on the homefront, too

“Proud possessors of a priceless heritage.”

Those are the opening words of the Sons of The American Legion Preamble. Those words have a deep meaning to me.

I joined the SAL as a way of honoring my dad’s service in World War II and by way of that honoring the rest of the “Greatest Generation” who fought so bravely to protect our country and our way of life.

And while we honor our predecessors, let us not forget to honor those who also served on the homefront. Without those people, Rosie the Riveter, the farmers, the factory workers, the scientists and all of the rest of those folks, we would not have been victorious in our endeavor to defeat totalitarianism.

That’s the tie-in to the theme of my service as the commander of the Sons of The American Legion Detachment of Minnesota: “Honoring the Past, While Moving Forward.”

As a wise man once said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”

I call on all members of the American Legion Family to remember all of those who have served our country in the many and various ways to protect our freedoms and honor their service.

John Weiss of St Paul Arcade-Phalen Squadron 577 is the commander of the Detachment of Minnesota for the Sons of The American Legion. His theme is “Honoring the Past, While Moving Forward.”