American Legion Elects 2009-2010 Commander

INDIANAPOLIS, July 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A 57-year-old Vietnam Veteran
from Garrett, Indiana, has been elected State Commander of The Indiana
Department of The American Legion.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090713/DC45645)

Robert E. Newman, a 41-year life member of the wartime veterans' organization,
was elected by delegates to the 91st annual state convention in Indianapolis
July 11, 2009.

Newman served as a radar man in the United States Navy from 1965 to 1969
aboard, first, the USS Bonhomme Richard and, subsequently, the USS Long Beach.
The Long Beach was the Navy's first nuclear powered surface ship and was
stationed in Haiphong Harbor off the coast of North Vietnam, where it tracked
Navy bombers into and out of the combat zones, performed rescue operations for
downed airmen, and scored the first ever shoot-down of an enemy aircraft by
missile.

Newman retired from the United States Postal Service after a 33-year career
which included a five-year stint as Postmaster at Butler, Indiana. He is a
41-year member of Aaron Scisinger American Legion Post 178 in Garrett and has
served continuously in Legion offices since 1973.

In a long-standing tradition for newly elected commanders, Newman announced an
ambitious fund-raising objective for his year in office. He hopes to provide a
pair of six-person golf-cart style transporters to the VA Health Care
facilities at both Fort Wayne and Marion.

The Legion historically has supplied VA facilities with a variety of needs
exceeding those routinely provided by the federal government, ranging from
driving test equipment to patient room amenities to vehicles. According to
Newman, none of the estimated $40,000 needed to acquire the transporters will
come from Legion funds; rather he will rely, as he said "on the generosity of
Legionnaires and his own persuasive skills."

Newman will serve as the top executive in the Indiana American Legion until
July 2010.

The Legionnaires also elected four regional vice commanders to serve with
Newman. They are Clyde Colgrove of Munster, James B. May of Bloomington, Mike
Davis of Warsaw, and David Sharber of Mount Vernon.

W. Darrell Hansel of Vevay was elected to a seat on the National
Organization's Board of Directors - the National Executive Committee - and
Paul Steward of Elkhart was elected alternate. Gary Parker of Fort Wayne will
serve as Sergeant at Arms and Anthony Riley of Whitestown was re-elected State
Finance Officer.

SOURCE American Legion Department of Indiana

Hugh Dagley of the American Legion Department of Indiana, +1-317-630-1391
(Office), +1-317-403-266 (Cell)