New City American Legion Member Becomes State Commander

Don't try to tell U.S. Navy veteran V. James Troiola that organizations like the American Legion are a dying breed.

He is so convinced of the importance and continued need of groups such as the 2.5 million-member American Legion, the member of American Legion William E. DeBevoise Post 1682 in New City has become statewide commander of the veterans organization.

Troiola was elected to the post over the weekend at the American Legion's convention in Syracuse. An honor guard from the Clarkstown Police Department accompanied him as he was sworn in.

"A lot of volunteer time goes into this. I am lucky I have a family that is very supportive," said Troiola, 60, who lives in Nanuet with his wife, Saveria. They have two daughters, Laura and Jeanette.

Troiola has been a leader in the American Legion organization for years. He served as commander of the New City post, was the county commander and the district commander. Additionally, he has served on national committees of the American Legion. He has also served as the statewide organization's membership chairman.

To get to the level of commander of the Legion's "Department of New York," Troiola said work that led to his election Saturday began three years ago.

As part of his one-year term as state commander, Troiola said he will be traveling to every county in New York – a trip that will keep him on the road for at least 130 days out of the coming year. During that journey, Troiola said he'll be talking with other veterans about two key American Legion programs: The National Emergency Fund; and, the Legacy Scholarship Fund.

The emergency fund assists Legion posts throughout the nation that have been affected by disasters, and the scholarship fund supports the education of the children of soldiers who have been killed in the line of duty. Troiola said he'll also be advocating Legion youth programs.

As state commander, Troiola gets to throw out the first pitch for the upcoming American Legion Baseball tournament finals in Newburgh.

Troiola has worked as a service manager in the automobile industry for the past 35 years and currently is service manager for Estate Motors in Goldens Bridge. He served six years in the Navy, from 1968 to 1976 and was aboard the ammunition ship USS Nitro in the North Atlantic.

Although most Legion members are veterans of conflicts from years past, Troiola said a key mission of the organization is supporting the troops who are currently deployed around the world. That support can range from sending personal supplies for coping with life in the mountains of Afghanistan, to helping the family of a soldier who is deployed take care of problems that might have arisen at home.

"Local legions posts donate a lot of their time and money to support those who are deployed," said Troiola.

The Legion does not actively recruit new members from the ranks of returning soldiers, but Troiola said many veterans of modern-day conflicts become Legion members because they remember the support they received from a Legion post or how they benefitted from a Legion program.

"My task will be mentoring people to continue the legacy," said Troiola.

As American soldiers continue to confront death in war zones on a daily basis, Troiola said the work of the American Legion helps show troops that they are not forgotten – and that their service is appreciated.

Troiola recalled a recent instance in Afghanistan, in which a group of American soldiers had to have their own base bombed and destroyed because sensitive materials were in danger. As a result, those soldiers lost all of their personal possessions that helped them survive the daily grind. Afterwards, one of the soldiers wrote a blog posting suggesting that no one cared about what had happened to them.

The posting, Troiola said, drew immediate attention from American Legion members, who in turn began an effort that led to the collection of donated supplies and equipment that more than replaced everything the soldiers had lost.

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 and sponsorship of youth programs in the community, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to fellow service members and veterans.