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The American Legion Department of West Virginia
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The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.

Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. The Heroes to Hometowns program connects local Legionnaires with recovering wounded warriors and their families, providing a variety of support activities. The Legion raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, state and national levels to help veterans and their families and to provide college scholarship opportunities.

The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation's veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.

The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.

Find out more information about our organization on https://legion.org.

2023-2024 Department Officers

Department Commander Jeff Wisley

Department Commander Jeff Wisley

2024-2025 Department Commander Jeff Wisley

Jeff Wisley was born in Sacramento, California, and grew up in the Northern California area until he graduated high school on his 18th birthday in June 1983.

In October 1983, Jeff signed a contract to join the United States Air Force Reserve as a Loadmaster on the largest aircraft in the US inventory, the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy. Jeff flew as a Loadmaster in the 312th Military Airlift Squadron at Travis AFB, California, for just over 3 years when he decided to go active duty.

In January 1987, he started over as an Airman First Class on Active Duty at Dover AFB. Jeff was stationed in Delaware for around 7 years, becoming a SOLL II Loadmaster (Special Operations, Low Level, Low Light) and an Instructor Loadmaster. He then moved to the schoolhouse for C-5 Loadmasters in Altus, Oklahoma, where he would run the Standardization and Evaluation section in his unit. Assignments followed that led Jeff and his family back to California, Oklahoma, and a 3-year stint in Yokota, Japan, as part of the PACAF TALCE (Pacific Air Forces Tanker Airlift Control Element), where he managed airfield operations and conducted mobile command and control at designated hot spots around the world.

When MSgt. Wisley was due to retire from the Air Force in 2010, he was looking for a way to assist Veterans and found an opening in West Virginia for a Veterans Service Representative. He applied, interviewed, took a test, and was offered the job as a Veterans Service Representative in the Huntington Regional Office for the US Department of Veterans Affairs. Jeff has worked for the VA for the past 14 years, where he works today as a Public Contact Outreach Specialist, assisting Veterans with benefits every day.

Jeff has held various offices in the American Legion at the Post, District, and Department levels. He is currently also a consultant to the National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission. Jeff is also a 2017 graduate of the National American Legion College.

Jeff is a life member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Disabled American Veterans, and the 40&8.

He and his wife, Donna, have six children and 11 grandchildren living in four states. Jeff and Donna currently call Lavalette, West Virginia, home. They also welcome you to their business in Huntington at any time, “Scratch’s Bar & Grill.”

Department Officers

Commander – Jeff Wisley
Vice Commanders – Keith Brown
Vice Commanders – Donnie Lambert
Vice Commanders – Jimmy Slaughter
Judge Advocate – Richard H. Davison
Historian – Robin Shingleton
Chaplain – Tony Setley, Morgantown
Sgt.-at-Arms – Ed Walker
Asst. Sgt.-at-Arms – Tom Mirabella
Asst. Sgt.-at-Arms – Joe Malcolm
Asst. Sgt.-at-Arms – John George
Membership Chairman – Rich Crumm
Membership Vice-Chairmen – Mike Wallace
Membership Vice-Chairmen – Rich Fraysier
Membership Vice-Chairmen – James "JP" Florentz
NEC – William Kile
Alternate NEC – Frank Cooley
Service Officer - Mike Immel
Asst. Service Officer – David "Robbie" Robinson
Asst. Service Officer – Doug Robinson
Adjutant – Tom Hicks

2024-2025 District Officers

Commanders

First District – Thomas Mirabella, Colliers
Second District – John Rossana, Morgantown
Third District – Mike Wallace, Buckhannon
Fourth District – Stu Bennett, Parkersburg
Fifth District - Robert “Rob” Dunlap, Barboursville
Sixth District – John George, Lerona
Eighth District – Andrea Hammock, Charleston
Ninth District – Rick Hinchman, Elkins
Tenth District – Joe Malcolm, Harpers Ferry

Vice Commanders

First District – Robert Pope, Newell
Second District - Elaine Sampson, Morgantown
Third District – Clifford Shingleton, Shinnston
Fourth District – Jim Viers, Washington
Sixth District – Jimmy Slaughter, Princeton
Eighth District – James Florentz, Whitesville
Ninth District – Edward Hawkins, Richwood
Tenth District – Jon Rubenstein, Capon Bridge

Past Department Commanders

  • 1910s
  • 1920s
  • 1930s
  • 1940s
  • 1950s
  • 1960s
  • 1970s
  • 1980s
  • 1990s
  • 2000s
  • 2010s
  • 2020s

1910s

1919 Past Department Commander

  • 1919 *Jackson Arnold, Weston

*Deceased

1920s

1920-1929 Past Department Commanders

  • 1921 *J. B. Nickerson, Wheeling
  • 1922 *A. Edmiston, Jr., Weston
  • 1923 *Spiller Hicks, Bluefield
  • 1924 *R. E. O’Connor, Elkins
  • 1925 *J. H. MCGinnis, Beckley
  • 1926 *A. G. Yates, Grafton
  • 1927 *R. B. McDougle, Parkersburg
  • 1928 *A. E. Haan, Huntington
  • 1929 *S. C. Morris, Clarksburg

*Deceased

1930s

1930-1939 Past Department Commanders

  • 1930 *J. A. Duff, Martinsburg
  • 1931 *L. A. Johnson, Clarksburg
  • 1932 *J. H. Thornton, Sistersville
  • 1933 *H. S. Pownall, Moorefield
  • 1934 *H. S. Ellis, Huntington
  • 1935 *C. L. Smith, St. Albans
  • 1936 *W. G. Stathers, Clarksburg
  • 1937 *C. E. Booth, Huntington
  • 1938 *F. W. Turner, Charleston
  • 1939 *W. E. Nefflen, Keyser

* Deceased

1940s

1940-1949 Past Department Commanders

  • 1940 *F. B. Poling, Philippi
    *T. F. Williams, Logan
  • 1941 *R. C. Hall, Elkins
  • 1942 *R. H. Patterson, Wellsburg
    *E. Mck. Hardesty, Mt Hope
  • 1943 *Heatherington, Clarksburg
  • 1944 *T. H. MCGovran, Charleston
  • 1945 *P. E. Kercheval, Kingwood
  • 1946 *R. C. Burg, Piedmont
  • 1947 *E. L. Jones, Wheeling
  • 1948 *W. R. Fugitt, Beckley
  • 1949 *D. R. Wilson, Clarksburg

* Deceased

1950s

1950-1959 Past Department Commanders

  • 1950 *Walker Long, Huntington
  • 1951 *Frank Everhart, Kingwood
  • 1952 *Tommy E. Jones, Beckley
  • 1953 *Harry W. Miller, Fayetteville
  • 1954 *Gaujot Bias, Williamson
  • 1955 *L. O. Bickel, Fairmont
  • 1956 *Chester Phillips, Elkins
  • 1957 *E. D. Hardman, Charleston
  • 1958 *W. Dewey Mentz, Welch
  • 1959 *Lincoln Cox, Kirby

* Deceased

1960s

1960-1969 Past Department Commanders

  • 1960 *Bonn Brown, Elkins
  • 1961 *Robert Lester, St. Albans
  • 1962 *Jack R. Adams, Wheeling
  • 1963 *Chester M. Matney, Welch
  • 1964 *H. Paige Bell, Parkersburg
  • 1965 *Isaac Mayfield, Bridgeport
  • 1966 *William T. Black, Bartley
  • 1967 *Richard Davies,Morgantown
  • 1968 *John A. Jones, Weirton
  • 1969 *Charles A. Kuhn, Fairmont

* Deceased

1970s

1970-1979 Past Department Commanders

  • 1970 *Thomas Malloy, Parkersburg
  • 1971 *J. H. Ashcraft, Hundred
  • 1972 *George Siehl, Fayetteville
  • 1973 *Charles Forsythe, Clarksburg
  • 1974 *Harry Slaughter, St. Albans
  • 1975 *M. D. Herzburn, Welch
  • 1976 *Jack Miller, Parkersburg
  • 1977 *Jack T. Gribben, Hurricane
  • 1978 *Roderick Devison, Fairmont
  • 1979 *Robert Vass, Sr, Barboursville

*Deceased

1980s

1980-1989 Past Department Commanders

  • 1980 *George Zanos,Sr.,Wellsburg
  • 1981 *Dana Orndorff, St. Albans
  • 1982 *James Shade, Martinsburg
  • 1983 *Paul Brewster, Welch
  • 1984 Miles S. Epling, Pt. Pleasant
  • 1985 *Olin Wharton, Parkersburg
  • 1986 *George Vickers, Ranson
  • 1987 *Eugene Billmeyer, Rio
  • 1988 *J. Carl Durhan, Newell
  • 1989 *Thomas Wimmer, Bradshaw

* Deceased

1990s

1990-1999 Past Department Commanders

  • 1990 William Kile, Petersburg
  • 1991 *Robert Rulen, Mason
  • 1992 *John E. Shumate, Beckley
  • 1993 *Glenwood Burton, Capon Bridge
  • 1994 *Donal Squires, Fairmont
  • 1995 *Dale E. Hoover, Keyser
  • 1996 William Burkett, Moundsville
    Honorary *David Baker, Huntington
  • 1997 *Forrest Simpson, Bridgeport
  • 1998 *Jack P. McConnell, Mannington
  • 1999 *Dale Lutman, Berkeley Springs

* Deceased

2000s

2000-2009 Past Department Commanders

  • 2000 *Arthur P. Oger, Paden City
  • 2001 *Ada Henderson, Ceredo
  • 2002 Billy Karnes, Huntington
  • 2003 James Davis, McMechen
  • 2004 W. A. “Webb” Holley, Vienna
  • 2005 *Joseph Grahame, Elkins
  • 2006 Robert Mayo, Williamstown
  • 2007 *Harold Plants, Capon Bridge
  • 2008 *George Sinkewitz, Huntington
  • 2009 David R. Hall, New Haven

* Deceased

2010s

2010-2019 Past Department Commanders

  • 2010 Gary Wolfe, McMechen
  • 2011 *Robert “Greek” Fochalis, Augusta
  • 2012 Tom Hayes, Kenova
  • 2013 Jack Gerrard, Clarksburg
  • 2014 Frank Nicholson, Shinnston
  • 2015 Fred Buchanan, Ona
    Honorary C. William Harris, Glen Easton
  • 2016 Kenneth Smith, Barboursville
  • 2017 Sherman W. Baxa Jr., Buckhannon
  • 2018 Frank Cooley, Welch
  • 2019 William “Bill” Combs, Pt. Pleasant

* Deceased

2020s

2020-2029 Past Department Commanders

  • 2020 Barbara Burdette, Lewisburg
  • 2021 John A. Powell, Wheeling
  • 2022 William Haught, Follansbee
  • 2023 Tom Hicks, Moundsville
  • 2024 Matthew Sampson, Morgantown
  • 2025 Jeff Wisley, Huntington
  • 2026
  • 2027
  • 2028
  • 2029

* Deceased

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