October 2026

We are in the height of the tropical storm season! I hope everyone made it through Hurricane Isaias with no injuries and little or no property damage! I see that Hurricane Trudy is moving up the west coast! If it continues on its current course, it will head out into the Pacific Ocean and should not affect us!

I would like to thank all who have worked on membership and are keeping us on schedule! We have the opportunity to hit our 2026 – 2027 membership goal! Remember, if you recruit 5 new or expired members, we have a special pin for you! If you get 10 people on your Post to recruit 5, I will come to your Post or District meeting and personally present the pins!

I would like to take the time to give Post 11 in Blakely, GA, a shout-out! They have brought their Post back from the brink of closure to a position of strong leadership in Early County! They recently got their city declared a Purple Heart City and are working to do the same with their County! I would like for every Post to get their Post City and County declared a Purple Heart City! It is just a small recognition for the sacrifice that so many of our brothers and sisters made! We at my Post make our Purple Heart members Honoree Life Members!

Some dates to remember:
October 31st – Halloween! Don’t let the goblins get you! Make sure that your kids and grandkids practice Halloween safety!
November 5th – The 2026 Ga. Veterans Ceremony will be held in the north wing of the State Capitol at 10 am!
November 7th – Service Officer training will be held in Warner Robins at Post 172!
November 12th – 15th – Our Ga Legion College will be held at Post 160 in Smyrna Ga.
The sharing of ideas and programs makes us better! They also get us recognition in our local communities! If you have ideas, please share them!
“Personal effort may get you a trophy! But teamwork will win you the Championship!”

Ray Humphrey Commander, Dept of Georgia

September 2026

We just returned from the National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky! There was a lot to be learned and our new National Officers were elected! I actually believe it was as hotter there as it has been here!
We are now entering the fall season with football, back-to-school activities and hopefully cooler weather!
September is another active month for the American Legion! The 7th was our Labor Day Holiday!
The 11th is Patriots Day and a time to remember those lost 25 years ago during the attack on the worlds Trade Center! Almost 3,000 were lost in the initial attack! Many more have been lost due to complications from the clean-up operations!
The 16th is American Legion Day! Take the time to let your community know that you are there and what we stand for!
The 18th is National POW/MIA Remembrance Day! We should all have a program, big or small, for those still unaccounted for!
It is also the Birthday of our United States Air Force!
The 26th Post 595 will host a District Commanders’ training session, from 9 to 11 am, at their Post in Warner Robins! If you have never visited 594, I assure you that you will not be disappointed! They have a great Post home, great food, and last but definitely not least, great and welcoming members!
Let’s close with membership, which should always be on our mind! If we do not attract new and younger members, we will not survive! We are off to a very good start! Last year we climbed from the high 40s to 20th place in the Nation! We will continue that climb this year! We are “Georgia Strong and 1st Place is where we Belong”! Remember that our “I Recruited 5 to keep us alive Pins are now available for all who recruit 5 new or delinquent members! I have the pins, and you can earn them!

Ray Humphrey

August 2026

We are already a month into the new year, and things are going well! This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend the 9th District’s District meeting! I was met and escorted to Post 23 by their Legion Riders! (Who needs MapQuest with that group around!) While there, I had the privilege of installing their new District officers!  I also attended the Riders and Sons Meetings! I was impressed with the professional manner in which all of the meetings were conducted!

Tuesday, August 4th, I will travel to Post 515 in the 12th District to present a couple of our new, “I recruited five to keep us alive!” pins! This looks like it is going to be a success! I also have to deliver pins to the 6th District!  I was not able to make their meeting on Saturday due to my prior obligation in the 9th!  

On Thursday, August 6th we will head up to Indianapolis for our annual membership training! These will be two full days of classes with our return on Sunday, August 9th! 

On Thursday, August 27th we will travel to the National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky! This will be a week of fun, fellowship, meetings, and training! We will depart for our return home on Thursday, September 3rd!

Remember that September 18th will be National POW/MIA Remembrance Day!  I would like to ask every Post to do something no matter how big or small to honor these missing heroes! Contact your local media and have them run an article making people aware of the Day and its significance! You can also put out American and POW/MIA flags! Get local businesses involved; the ideas are endless! Remember the day is to recognize the pain and sacrifice that the lost and their families had to pay!

Get with your District Commanders and see which Districts / Posts can come up with the best programs!

Remember the cardinal principles of the American Legion are; The rehabilitation of all disabled Veterans; The care of the dependents of those that have answered the final call! (Recognition of this Day should fall in this category); The care of those suffering from wounds, disease, and want; The education of our children; and the service to the Community, State, and Nation! These principles originated with those that came before us, forming our great organization! They are the same principles that govern us today!

Pass Down Log (July 26)

We have just completed another successful year, capping it off with the 107th Department Convention! Over the past year, under Commander Michael Schwartz’s leadership, the Department improved in so many ways. We have been, and continue to operate under, a balanced budget; our membership percentage ended the year higher than where it began, and our Constitution and By-Laws were updated and approved! Many thanks to Commander Schwartz and his team for their hard work and efforts to leave The Department of Georgia in good shape!
We are now entering a new era with our 250th Year of American Freedom! Let us not forget that freedom is not free; it is a price that was paid by the American Veteran Family! The responsibility now falls on us, the Department leadership, our members, and our families, to continue to improve upon the past year’s success! As the Commander of the Department of Georgia, I want to hear your thoughts, ideas, and vision on where you want to see the Department of Georgia go next!  We must all take ownership in the continued success or failure of our organization!  We can’t fix it if we don’t know it is broken!  Also, remember that membership is the lifeblood of our organization!  We have the people and we have the power to make Legion Year 2026 – 2027 one of the best in the Department’s history! Join us in making our quest another success!