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  • Thursday, September 03, 2015

    It’s About ‘Duty, Honor, Country’

    Dale Barnett

    National Commander Dale Barnett is sworn in. Photo by Lucas Carter / American Legion.

    By Steve B. Brooks / American Legion

    Legion family members will have no trouble remembering newly elected American Legion National Commander Dale Barnett’s motto. The Department of Georgia Legionnaire made sure to have it placed on this year’s membership shirt.

    “Duty, honor, country – these three words have great meaning to my life, and I hope this year will have great meaning to you,” Barnett told Legionnaires Thursday on the finral day of the 97th National Convention in Baltimore. He then broke down what each word means to him.

    Duty. “The first lesson of basic training was to know your job and do your job to the best you could,” Barnett said. “Your life depended upon it, and the life of your buddies. In The American Legion, people depend on us each and every day to do the right thing. To get them to appointments. To mentor the youth. To help families in need.”

    Honor. “It was an honor to wear the military uniform, and I’m sure many of you still have your uniforms and you’re proud to share those stories,” he said. “But I’m also proud to wear the uniform of The American Legion. It’s an honor to be in this organization and to serve alongside you. I guarantee you your communities respect what you do, and they understand what you do each and every day. That makes their communities a better place.”

    Country. “Our country needs us,” he said. “It’s the greatest country on earth. I’m so proud to be an American, but I’m so proud to be standing before you today to say I’m part of the greatest organization that, since 1919, has been fighting for the principles that have made this country great. We will continue to fight for those principles. Our country needs us, and we must step forward now.”

    “So this year, when you see those words, I want to challenge you,” Barnett added. “When you see them with your eyes, I want you to live it in your heart, and I want you to execute it with your body and soul.”