SAL Detachment Commander: Learn something new every day

Hello American Legion Family. Hopefully spring has finally sprung.

As I’ve gone through this year as detachment commander, I’ve become aware of something.

I’ve noticed that there’s been a lack of mentoring as people come up through the offices and chairmanships. Leadership and mentorship go hand in hand with each other.

We need to be aware of the new members coming into our organization and encourage them to be involved in the organization. My thought about new members is, if you are going to be attending a meeting and you see someone who you don’t know, approach them and introduce yourself and welcome them to whatever meeting that will be taking place.

I was taught this lesson by the man who became one of my mentors and best friends. RIP, Bud!

As an all-volunteer organization, we can’t demand anything from our people, but we can encourage and support these new people to help them become active and vibrant members of the organization. We in leadership also need to be aware that learning about the organization and the programs is an ongoing process.

I, for one, am still learning about the programs, and I strive to keep learning as I go along in service to our veterans and their families.

Knowledge is the key to great leadership. I’m pretty sure that I have not met anyone in the Legion Family that knows everything about the programs and workings of our great organizations.

I assure you that I do not have even half of the knowledge that I should probably possess. A very wise woman (my mother) once told me that if you don’t learn something new every day you’ve wasted the day.

So, in closing, I would like to ask of you my family to please keep learning.

Looking forward to seeing you as I travel our wonderful state. Be well and be safe in your travels.

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.”