EMMIE BOESE
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — American Legion Auxiliary National President Lisa Williamson visited American Legion Lysle Rishel Post 68 in Hutchinson Friday morning. The role of national auxiliary president is to lead the American Legion Auxiliary and its programs.
"I am traveling throughout the country," said Williamson. "I will be traveling 310 days this year. Only 50 days home and so the auxilary members from Kansas are doing mostly it looks like Eastern Kansas so I landed in Kansas City. We were in Wichita, Topeka and now we are heading all across."
Williamson said she has been in office for a little over a month. She is originally from Alaska and her membership to the auxiliary stems from her son Kyle, who serves in the Alaska Air Guard. Her adoptive father and step-dad also served in the military.
While in Kansas, Williamson had the chance to visit the Harry W. Colmery Plaza which is one block from the State Capitol Building in Topeka.
The memorial honors Colmery and his successful effort to author the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944 which is referred to as the G.I. Bill of Rights. The bill helped the middle class access higher education and home loans for families of those in combat.
"He actually credits the auxiliary for making that happen because you know back in the day it wasn't as easy as picking up a phone it was a lot of letter writing and so he credits the auxiliary as being an integral part of getting those bills passed," Williamson said.
Each year, the national president has the opportunity to lead the auxiliary in an area of focus for the organization. Williamson said at least according to historical documents, all three legions will focus on the same topic for the first time.
The legions chose to focus on increasing awareness for the veteran and military suicide epidemic. The focus is titled "Be the One to Save One."
"So it's kind of like allowing that service member or that veteran to let them know it's okay to not be okay and to reach out for help because that's the thing you know they've been told and ingrained in them to soldier on, to suck it up," Williamson said. "Sometimes you just have things in your head that you need to get out and that's what we are trying to do and so it's all about being the one and that's our big focus this year."
The American Legion Auxiliary was formed in 1919. Members of the auxiliary must be a direct relative or female descendant of a member of the American Legion.
They may also be related to a male or female who served in active duty and died in the line of duty or was honorably discharged anytime from April 6, 1917 - Nov. 11, 1918 and after Dec. 7, 1941. Williamson said male spouse of a female in the military is also be eligible.
The American Legion Auxiliary elects a new national president every year. More information about Williamson and the auxiliary is available at legion-aux.org.
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