Legion Commander visits Sisters

Sisters hosted a distinguished guest on Sunday: American Legion National Commander Charles E. Schmidt.

Commander Schmidt is the first national commander to hail from Oregon, and as such his visit to Sisters was a kind of "welcome home" event for Oregon American Legion members.

Legionnaires golfed, visited the High Desert Museum, and strolled the streets of Sisters

"My wife contributed a bit to the local economy," Schmidt joked.

A banquet at FivePine Lodge & Conference Center capped the visit, and included such distinguished guests as Medal of Honor recipient Robert Maxwell, of Bend. American Legion veterans in attendance hailed from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, New Mexico and Colorado.

Schmidt is an Air Force veteran who enlisted in 1965 and served active duty until retirement in 1993.

"I had a big brother who was a post commander (in Missouri) and he said I ought to join the American Legion," Schmidt told The Nugget. "I just wanted to get involved in a post and give back."

Legionnaires have been giving back to their country and fellow veterans since the organization was founded in 1919. Schmidt noted that it was a legionnaire who crafted the GI Bill, which enabled so many veterans to achieve home-ownership and college education. The American Legion is also a significant advocate for veterans' health issues and supports the Veterans Administration in providing health services.

Schmidt recently testified before the U.S. Congress to promote the American Legion's legislative priorities.

Schmidt transferred his American Legion membership to Harney County Post 63 in Burns,when he moved to Oregon for a 15-year career at the Greater Oregon Federal Credit Union. He retired from the credit union as the executive vice president.

For Schmidt, his high degree of commitment and level of service boil down to the simple principles of the American Legion: Veterans service veterans and veterans continuing to serve America.

"I think there's still that love of country, in addition to making sure your buddies are taken care of," he said.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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