May 2026 Newsletter
- May 1
- 4 min read
Read the Highlights or Download the Full PDF Version below.
District Commander Thomas Behrends
Greetings from the Sensational 2nd District!
Twenty Minnesota American Legion Family members just completed The American Legion College Department of Minnesota, myself included. I didn’t know the college existed for many years of my membership. When I found out about it, the timing for a farmer just didn’t quite fit. Last year I decided that getting educated by some of my American Legion mentors would help me be a better Legionnaire. I would be able to spread the knowledge attained there to anyone in my midst. What a great team of volunteers on the Training Committee that came together to help us learn! Salute to you all!
One of the prerequisites of the course is to complete American Legion Basic Training.
I was humbled as I started Basic Training learning the history of our great organization and what our fellow servicemembers did in the formative years of our organization. It made this old war horse a little misty-eyed learning about what WWI veterans went though, fighting for veteran’s rights. We learned about the Four Pillars, Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, Children & Youth. The programs that make up the Four Pillars are broken down from their history to their current operations.
Basic Training is free, just create an account using the link above and sign in.
The American Legion College has a nominal cost of $200.00 which includes lodging. You can dine with Soldiers in the Dining Facility (Air Force for Mess Hall) for around 10 bucks for each meal. Many posts will foot the bill for the course. Sign up early for 2027, the class will fill up fast.
Unbelievable education opportunities, highly recommended for all to learn about us and who we are!
Our district convention is coming up fast, mark your calendars, May 16th. Register with Jim Mertens of the Redwood Falls Post to attend this event. There will be lots of information and comradery!
May is also a good month to review your Constitution and Bylaws. With the changing times, our documents need to be reviewed to make sure we are keeping up with the times. At Legion College one of the posts represented there had not updated their Constitution and Bylaws since 1959. This should be done yearly, not every 50 years!
For God & Country,
Tom Behrends
Commander
2nd District American Legion
Department of Minnesota
2nd District President Kristen Donnelly
Recently, emails have been sent out claiming to be myself or Commander Tom. They ask for people to send gift cards and other things that are purchased online and send them to me.
THIS IS A SCAM!!
No officer of the American Legion Family will ever ask you as a member to send us gift cards, Amazon cards, gas cards or anything else. Please do not respond to these emails. Delete them and block those addresses.
2nd District Sons of the American Legion Commander
Randy Olson
Hello to all of our S.A.L. members!
We should have all turned in our Squadron Data Reports (SDR) by now! If you have not please do, as it is a very important document! Elections are in the process for each Squadron & as soon as they are elected & officers installed please turn in your Officer lists, to include names, emails, & contact numbers! Please include the Membership Directors information also. mylegion.org access is granted to Commanders & Adjutants automatically & they need to authorize your Membership Directors so they have access as soon as possible!
We still need to renew or bring in new members for Brewster (3), Currie (1), Eagle Lake (3), Fairmont (1), Redwood Falls (3), Lake Wilson (7), New Ulm (3), & Wells (7). If we work together we can achieve a full 100% membership in each Squadron! I am here to help if you need anything! So proud of our 2nd District Suadrons & our sister 7th District as we lead the Detachment this year! Congratulations go out to every Squadron!
I apologize if you tried to contact me recently & I never got back to you as I have been under the weather this last month. Double ear infection & the loss of hearing in my left ear made it miserable. Please contact me if you need help with forms, Membership, mylegion.org, or installations at you Squadrons! I will try to do my best to help you all.
The weather sure has not cooperated with us recently. We had a good showing on Veterans on the Hill this year! I personally went with members of Post #36 & the Martin County Veterans Service Officer. Our National Commander of the Legion Spoke there! We had appointments with Bjorn Olson & were updated on current Veteran benefits & he asked us what was important to Veterans & their families! This is the way to get things done! Contacts Legislators & persist they take priority of Veterans health care for male & female, disabled Veterans Homestead Credit, seeking solutions to rural Veterans long drives for care, "Pay our Troops Act of 2026" to insure pay during Government Shut downs! Eliminating Claim Sharks! Elimination Permit Fees for Veterans with disabilities! Ending Food Security by increasing base pay to competitive levels in food insecurity in the Military! Military Quality of life, housing, child care, spouse employment & educational benefits! Statutory Recognition, to modify CTF SF4560 & HF4492 & pass the 2026 OMNIBUS Bill Veterans & Military Affairs Bill!
You as Sons of the American Legion can join in on the fight to help push our Legislators to do their job! Contact them about these items!
I hope that each & everyone of you are working on ways to improve your Squadrons, your communities, those in need! Have a great May!
Best Regards
2nd District S.A.L. Commander
Randy R. Olson
734 Cleveland Ave W, Winnebago, MN 56098
507-525-6532
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