Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.

The Purpose of the Americanism Committee is to develop the spirit of Americanism among The American Legion and citizens and residents of the State of Wisconsin. To put into effect Americanism policies and programs of The American Legion. To coordinate any overlapping of programs dealing with Americanism. To oversee and report on programs that relate to Americanism and many youth programs. The Committee meets 3 times a year at Fall Meetings, Midwinter and Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Jerry Lauby, Chair - Fond du Lac

John Cumicek, Vice Chair - Seymour

Andrew Minch, Member - West Allis

Jim Foster, A&G Scholarship Chairman - Waukesha

Bill Cosh, Badger Boys State Representative - Lodi

Roger Mathison, Baseball Commissioner - Westby

John Edelblute, IV, Boy Scout Chairman - Cudahy

Candace Rothering, County Youth Government Chairman - Racine

Michael Hellquist, Department SAL Chairman - Cottage Grove

Norm Bednarek, Education & Scholarship Chairman - Portage

Robert Stone, Oratorical Chairman - Sheldon

DuWayne Wieck, Shooting Sports Chairman - Plymouth

Corey Doehrmann, American Legion Riders Director - Racine

John Wolfe, WALLECA Chairman - DePere

Steve Kohnke, DEC Liaison

The purpose of the Camp American Legion Committee is to oversee and make recommendations on the operations of Camp American Legion, located at Lake Tomahawk, Wisconsin, to the Department Executive Committee. The Committee meets 3 times a year at Fall Meetings, Midwinter and Spring Meetings. 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Jeff Zwiers, Chair - Fremont

Denise Jamrozy, Vice Chair - Saukville

Bill Crowe, Member - Fremont

George Heck, Member - Green Bay

Victor Ambrose, Member - Park Falls

Kathryn Vander Molen, Member - Cornell

Jerry Hook, DEC Liaison

Consultants: Department Service Officer, VA&R Chairman, Camp Director

The purpose of the Children & Youth Committee is to insure that any child of a veteran in need of care and protection shall receive proper and timely service and aid; to strengthen the family unit; extend support; extend support to sound organizations and facilities that provide services for children and youth; and to maintain a well-rounded program that meets the needs of the young people in their respective communities. The Committee meets 2 times a year at Midwinter and Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Lisa Fauster, Chair - Eagle

Annastasia 'YiaYia' Wischki, Vice Chair - Jackson

Laurene “Susie” Krueger, Member - Norwalk

Robert Borszich, Member - Neenah

Nick Berg, Member - Oak Creek

Ginny Russell, Member - Green Bay

Deb Thomas, DEC Liaison

This commission shall be empowered to make the necessary investigation and recommendations for the holding of the annual Department Convention and shall make such further investigation and recommendations for such other annual events of the Department as requested by the Department Executive Committee, and shall make their recommendations after such investigation to the Department Executive Committee, which shall be empowered thereafter to select the time and place for such annual Conventions and annual events. The Commission meets 4 times a year, at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMISSION MEMBERS

Jim Schmidt, Chair - Burlington

Chris Chinander, Vice Chair - St Croix Falls

Tom Carlson, Member - Green Bay

Mark Lesko, Member - LaValle

Tom Strey, Member - Oconomowoc

Phil Ingwell, Member - Madison

Adam Klapperich, DEC Liaison - Rosholt

The purpose of The Department Finance Committee shall be to approve, budget and audit the expenditures of the Department, its decisions being final unless overruled by a majority of the members present at a regular or special meeting of the Department Executive Committee. The Department Finance Committee shall have the authority to engage the auditors for Department Funds. The committee meets at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings, Department Convention, Annual Budget Meeting and at the call of the Commander.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Tom Lay, Chair - Pewaukee

Ken Rynes, Vice Chair - Richland Center

Renee Jackson, Member - DePere

Paul Reilly, Member - Madison

Mike Feirer, Member - Marshfield

Gail Johnson-Daveau, Member - Fond du Lac

Fundraising Chair is a consultant.

Scott Markle, DEC Liaison - Duluth

The purpose of the Fundraising committee is to oversee accounting and reporting of all fundraising activities within the Department as directed by the Department Executive Committee. The Committee meets 4 times a year, at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Larry Larson, Chair - River Falls

Gene Hembrook, Vice Chair - West Salem

Jerrold Schultz, Member - Madison

Jeremy Nordie, Member - Ettrick

David Fuller, Member - Grand Marsh

Miguel Babino, Member - Appleton

Gerry Johnson, DEC Liaison

The purpose of the Hospital Committee is to provide entertainment and recreational programs at all Federal VA Hospitals and State Veteran’s Homes in Wisconsin, to work in close cooperation with the Department Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Committee, and to assist existing hospital facilities to aid in making the Veteran’s stay in the hospital as pleasant as possible. The committee meets 2 times a year, at Midwinter and Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Dan Jakubczyk , Chair, Zablocki VA Representative - Oak Creek

Kelly Townsend, Vice Chair - Beaver Dam

Felicia Decker, Member - Cochrane

James Young, King Representative - New London

Ken Schoolcraft, Tomah Representative - Black River Falls

Joseph Hodgson, Middleton Representative - Barneveld

Donna Swenson, Minneapolis VA Representative - Ellsworth

Carl Krenn, Iron Mountain VA Representative - Porterfield

Brad Cramlet, Union Grove Representative - Kenosha

Ross Auna, Chippewa Falls Representative - Eau Claire

Craig Ellis, DEC Liaison - Milwaukee

The Department Service Officer is a Consultant to the Committee.

The purpose of the Internal Affairs Committee is to study, recommend, and formulate policies that will be beneficial to the Department on all matters that will tend to increase the prestige of The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin and to advance the best interests of The American Legion. No recommendation shall be considered as final unless approved by the Department Executive Committee or a Department Convention. The Committee meets at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings, Resolution Meeting, the Department Convention and at the call of the Commander.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Bob Batty, Chair - Cedarburg

Ted DeMicchi, Vice Chair - Kenosha

Roy Helms, Member - Oshkosh

Wayne Jensen, Member - Milwaukee

Al Richards, Member - Grafton

David Gough, Member - Darlington

Denise Rohan, PNC, Ex-Officio - Verona

Bob Shappell, NECman, DEC Liaison - Cedarburg

The Department Judge Advocate is a Consultant to this committee.

The purpose of the Legislative Committee is to represent The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin with the State Legislature, and contact Congress on matters of interest to Wisconsin Veterans as long as the contact does not conflict with the National American Legion policy. This committee shall make recommendations to the Department Convention and to the Department Executive Committee, and in general supervise the legislative program of the Department. This committee has exclusive responsibility for petitioning the State Legislature on behalf of or in opposition to all legislation in which The American Legion, Department of Wisconsin is interested. This committee shall select the Department Legislator of the Year. The Committee meets 3 times a year, at the Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Paul Fisk, Chair - Lodi

Cathy Gorst, Vice Chair - Marshfield

Ed Cooper, Member - New Richmond

Mark Degner, Member - Plymouth

Harold Rihn, Member - Mineral Point

Chuck Roessler, Member - Waukesha

Nathan Bond, DEC Liaison - Williams Bay

The Department Judge Advocate is a Consultant to the Committee.

The Marketing & Communications Committee shall work with all Department Wisconsin American Legion commissions and committees to build awareness and support for the mission and programs of The American Legion. Promote the same to active-duty military, Guard and Reserve components, military veterans and retirees, and the general public; to strategize and execute the organization’s activities to promote membership growth, strengthen the fundraising program, maximize merchandising opportunities, nurture corporate alliances and achieve greater brand awareness. The Committee serves as the voice of Veterans by enhancing public perceptions of The American Legion, America’s Veterans and their families. It is the responsibility of the committee to maintain the image of The American Legion and to communicate our various messages to the public promoting and publicizing projects, events, programs and accomplishments of The American Legion. The committee will be responsible for recommending policy changes in the publication of the official Department paper, “The Badger Legionnaire”. The Department Historian will serve as a consultant to the Committee, and there will be one (1) Auxiliary Liaison Member.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Chet Faith, Chair - Tomah

Nancy Rivera, Vice Chair - Valders

Kelly Clobes, Member - Beloit

Allen Nohl, Member - Sheboygan

Becky Stankevitz, Member - Suamico

Jim Schmidt, Member - Saukville

Michelle Adams, Department Historian - Mukwonago

Bonnie Dorniak, Auxiliary Liaison - Portage

Phil Green, DEC Liaison - Sparta

The purpose of the Membership Committee is to promote an increase of membership in the Department, to ascertain the causes for failure of former members to renew their membership, and generally, to assist the Posts in a program working toward increasing the numerical strength of the Department. Also, to recommend programs to Posts for the promotion of such activities as would stimulate interest in The American Legion and its programs in all communities. The Committee meets 4 times a year, at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Joe Leone, Chair - Hubertus

Tom Visintainer, Vice Chair - Kenosha

James Waltich, Member - Beaver Dam

John Stoczynski, Member - Solon Springs

Jay Anderson, Member - Jackson

John Polzin, Member - Medford

Jim Johnson, Member, Department Vice Commander

Harry Bauer, Member, Department Vice Commander

Gale Minks, Member, Department Vice Commander

Linda Pfeiffer, Member, Department Vice Commander

Charlie Young, Member, 2nd District Commander

Steve Kohnke, Member, 4th District Commander

Dave Steinert, Member, 6th District Commander

Adam Klapperich, Member, 8th District Commander

Rita Rindahl, Member, 10th District Commander

Scott Markle, Member, 12th District Commander

The purpose of the National & Homeland Security Committee is to organize the membership in support of national or civilian defense projects in the communities. To organize the department and to assist in organizing the communities for readiness to meet any emergency. The Committee meets 4 times a year, at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Bob Bohr, Chair - Clintonville

Steve Isensee, Vice Chair, Blood Donor Chairman - Boyd

Thomas Stolarczyk, Member - Madison

Ben Van Horn, Member - West Salem

Richard Vander Molen, Member - POW/MIA Chair - Cornel

Jeff Puddy, Member - Fond du Lac

Rita Rindahl, DEC Liaison - Osseo

The purpose of the Religious Emphasis Committee is to promote Spiritual growth of our membership at all levels of The American Legion,  Department of Wisconsin and to provide training and mentors to Legionnaires who desire to be a Chaplain. The Committee meets 2 times a year, at the Midwinter and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Dennis Jaeger, Chair - Cedarburg

John Gessner, Vice Chair - Sparta

Donald Hildebrandt, Member - Wausau

Virgil Smith, DEC Liaison

The purpose of the Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Committee is to formulate policies in coordination with the Department Service Officer, subject to approval by the Department Executive Committee or a Department Convention, of all the different phases of the rehabilitation problems of veterans and their dependents of all wartime conflict as defined by the U.S. Congress. The Committee meets 4 times a year, at the Department Fall Meetings, Midwinter, Department Spring Meetings and the Department Convention.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Steve Krueger, Chair - Norwalk

Steve Conto, Vice Chair - Sheboygan

Ron Kuta, Member - Grafton

Julie Atkinson, Members - Menomonee Falls

Rich Ruland, Member - Blanchardville

Dale Oatman, Member - Antigo

Gary Meyer, Employment Chair - Oshkosh

Tim Baranzyk, Homeless Vets Task Force Chair - Oak Creek

Dan Jakubczyk, Hospital Chair - Oak Creek

Dave Steinert, DEC Liaison

The Camp American Legion Committee Chair and the Department Service Officer are both Consultant's to this committee.