Sun going down on Terlingua American Legion

That's right folks. According to the district Commander he will be pulling the charter for Terlingua American Legion Post 653 around the first part of February. I was given one option to save it and that option is NOT possible! We would have to sign up 2 new members a month to keep the legion going and at most we MIGHT be able to sign up one or two people a year. If this happens and evidently is going to the legion will be shut down and the National American Legion will seize the building and land it is on making it impossible to convert it to some other type veterans group or even turn it in to a much needed community center for this area. The legion here has been a community meeting place for well over 40 years now, but the powers that be don't care what they will do to this community when they close it.

Facts are that the population for South Brewster county is only 857 people to begin with.

85% are Hispanic and never served in the military (Can't be members).
15% White, Black and others.
1% war time veterans. Some of which are dying off each year.

Some are already members, but don't participate in the legion and don't want to because of the idiotic and antiquated American Legion rules. Any younger vets moving in to the area (Not many) have had all of the military type rules they want and they don't want any part of the legion for that reason.

Now it would be possible to solicit new members from other parts of the state or country, but that would only benefit the corporate American legion and do nothing for helping our legion or community.

On top of all of this the District commander also told me that if I resigned he would shut it down anyway so one way or the other it will be shut down because I refuse to allow him to hold our post hostage using me. I will be resigning at the February 9th meeting because of this and because of getting tired of the district commander calling me from time to time and chewing my ass out for very long times when he calls. Being Commander for me is strictly a volunteer job (no pay what so ever for me) On top of that I support it with my business and use my own gas to run errands like taking care of the banking, getting supplies and so on.

The post is far better of than it has been many years despite an attempted, but failed coup that occurred shortly after I became the commander and the survivors of the attempted coup having to struggle just to keep the doors open. Now that it is starting to do good they want to shut it down. All I can say is that I will pull all support for the legion and when my membership expires in 2015 I will never renew it again.

BTW you can bet this will not be the last post about this.

Of course part of this has to do with the National American Legion who are phasing out non profitable legion posts across the country.

Thanks go out to Robert Dawson (Acting finance officer), Lee Penland (Historian and major supporter), Melinda Simmons, (Assistant bar manager and bar tender), Donna Koon (part time bar tender) for helping me along the way. I couldn't have gotten the post where it is without them. Also thanks for those who have volunteered their time and effort to help clean up and fix up the post.

BTW the bar tenders only work for 20% commission and tips and then spend a good portion of what they make supporting the legion and providing food for the community.