WE HAVE MOVED! ALL MEETINGS WILL BE AT THE APEX MASONIC LODGE, 408 E WILLIAMS ST.
MEETINGS
Monthly Meetings
Meetings are always the first
Monday of every month.
All Veterans are invited to attend.
Socializing: 5:30pm
Dinner: 6:15pm
Meeting: 7:00 PM
Location: Apex Masonic Lodge
408 E. Williams Street
Apex
Executive Committee Meetings
Executive Committee Meetings are the third Monday of each month
(subject to change due to holidays)
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Apex Masonic Lodge
408 E. Williams Street
Apex
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COME EARLY: DINNER IS ON US!
COMMANDER
LEE HARRIS
LEE SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY AS AN ELECTRICIAN'S MATE IN THE U.S. NAVY'S SUBMARINE SERVICE FROM 1970 TO 1976.
HE EARNED HIS U.S. NAVY ENLISTED SUBMARINE QUALIFICATION BADGE (DOLPHINS) AS A CREW MEMBER ABOARD USS VON STEUBEN (SSBN-632), A JAMES MADISON-CLASS BALLISTIC MISSILE SUBMARINE AND COMPLETED SIX PATROLS.
LEE HAS BEEN A LEGION MEMBER FOR 4 YEARS.
HE GREW UP ON A WISCONSIN DAIRY FARM AND IS THE OLDEST OF TEN CHILDREN. HE HAS A B.S. IN TECHNOLOGY AND HAS HAD SEVERAL CAREERS IN ADDITION TO HIS MILITARY SERVICE: INDUSTRIAL TECHNICIAN, HEALTH PHYSICIST AND PICKLEBALL COACH.
LEE LOVES TO PLAY AND TEACH PICKLEBALL
LEE ALSO SERVES AS OUR LIAISON TO THE AMERICAN LEGION RIDERS, THE LEGION'S MOTORCYCLE CLUB THAT SUPPORTS IT'S CHARITABLE WORK. THE ALR IS MADE UP OF MEMBERS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION, THE AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY, AND THE SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION.
post first vice COMMANDER
Dennis Schmidt
DENNIS SERVED IN THE US NAVY FROM 1970 TO 1995. HE STARTED AS AN ENLISTED AVIATION ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN AND WAS LATER SELECTED FOR A NAVY SPONSORED COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN. AFTER GRADUATION HE OBTAINED A COMMISSION AND ENTERED PILOT TRAINING. HE FLEW P-3C ANTISUBMARINE WARFARE AIRCRAFT, PRIMARILY ON THE WEST COAST, DEPLOYING TO ALASKA AND JAPAN. HE RETIRED AS A COMMANDER IN 1995 WHILE ATTACHED TO THE JOINT SPECIAL OPERATIONS COMMAND AT FORT BRAGG, NC. (YES, A NAVY GUY AT AN ARMY BASE!)
AFTER RETIRING FROM THE NAVY, DENNIS WORKED FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA FOR 24 YEARS, SERVING IN IT EXECUTIVE POSITIONS, BECOMING THE CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER FOR THE UNIVERSITY.
DENNIS BECAME A LEGION MEMBER IN NOVEMBER 2024. HE HAS BEEN MARRIED TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL SWEETHEART, MARSHA, FOR 55 YEARS. THEY HAVE TWO ADULT DAUGHTERS WHO BOTH WORK AT UNC AND A THREE-YEAR-OLD GRANDSON. DENNIS AND MARSHA LOVE TO SPEND TIME WITH THEIR HORSES AND GOING ON CRUISES. HE IS ALSO AN FAA CERTIFIED DRONE PILOT.
POST sECOND VICE COMMANDER
JOSH HERALD
JOSH GREW UP IN HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA. HE ENLISTED IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN 1997, TRAINING AND SERVING AS A CH-46 HELICOPTER MECHANIC (061) ASSIGNED TO THE MARINE MEDIUM HELICOPTER SQUADRON 266, “FIGHTING GRIFFINS.”
JOSH IS EMPLOYED AS A LOGISTICS SPECIALIST BY A LOCAL VEHICLE PARTS SUPPLIER.
Past COMMANDER
SANDRA EDEN
SANDRA IS A RETIRED U.S. AIR FORCE MAJOR. SHE SERVED AT MANY AIR FORCE BASES AND FINISHED HER CAREER AT THE PENTAGON, WHERE SHE WAS ON 11 SEPTEMBER 2001 WHEN IT WAS STRUCK BY AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT 77 AT 0937 HOURS
POST adjutant
phil prinzi
PHIL SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMY WITH THE 519TH MILITARY POLICE BATTALION (“VIPERS”) FROM 1968 TO 1970 AND IN THE ARMY RESERVE FROM 1970 TO 1974, REACHING THE PAY GRADE OF SPECIALIST 5 (E-5). AFTER ACTIVE DUTY HE EARNED HIS BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT GENESEO AND COMPLETED ADVANCED STUDIES FROM MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND MIT.
PHIL HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION FOR TWENTY-SEVEN YEARS AND IS A LIFE MEMBER OF VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA. PHIL RETIRED AFTER THIRTY-TWO YEARS WITH EXXONMOBIL CHEMICAL (NOW PACTIV EVERGREEN) AS CHIEF LOGISTICS OFFICER, FIVE YEARS WITH BALL CORPORATION AS CHIEF LOGISTICS OFFICER AND THIRTEEN YEARS WITH FULING PLASTIC USA AS VICE-PRESIDENT FOR LOGISTICS. HE HAS BEEN MARRIED TO WIFE JAN FOR FIFTY-THREE YEARS.
PHIL'S VOLUNTEER SERVICE INCLUDES: WEBMASTER OF AL POST 124. PAST WEBMASTER FOR US ARMY SPECIAL FORCES ASSOCIATION, VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS AND THE LEE COUNTY SHERIFF'S CIVILIAN SUPPORT UNIT. IN ADDITION TO HIS POST ACTIVITIES, IS AN EXPERT PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEOGRAPHY HOBBYIST AND IS A FAA- CERTIFIED SUAS DRONE PILOT.
POST finance officer
tim muhs
TIM SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE U.S. AIR FORCE AS A SECURITY FORCE SPECIALIST AND SECURITY FORCE OFFICER FROM 1991 TO 1997 AND IN THE AIR NATIONAL GUARD FROM 1997 TO 2000.
TIM HAS BEEN IN THE AMERICAN LEGION FOR TWENTY-THREE YEARS. HE IS MARRIED WITH TWO ADULT CHILDREN AND HAS EARNED A.A.S., B.S, AND M.B.A. DEGREES. TIM IS EMPLOYED AS AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA.
TIM ENJOYS RUNNING AND FISHING.
"It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up." Vince Lombardi.
POST JUDGE ADVOCATE
Barry H. Bloch
A NATIVE OF AKRON, OHIO, BARRY EARNED A B.A. IN ECONOMICS FROM BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY (1982) AND A LAW DEGREE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH SCHOOL OF LAW (1985)
BARRY WAS COMMISSIONED AS A LIEUTENANT JUNIOR GRADE, JAG CORPS, U.S. NAVAL RESERVE, IN 1985 AND SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY FROM 1986-1988 AT NLSO GREAT LAKES AND, FROM 1988-1990, AS DISCIPLINE OFFICER, USS CORAL SEA (CV-43). HE WAS RECALLED FOR OPERATION DESERT STORM IN 1991. FROM 2002 UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 2006 HE SERVED AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF NR VTU (LAW) 0207 RALEIGH.
FROM 2004-2021, BARRY SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL IN THE NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE WHERE HE REPRESENTED THE N.C. DEPARTMENTS OF AGRICULTURE AND PUBLIC SAFETY AND SEVERAL OCCUPATIONAL LICENSING BOARDS IN CIVIL MATTERS AND THE STATE IN CRIMINAL CASES BEFORE THE NORTH CAROLINA COURT OF APPEALS.
IN ADDITION TO HIS SERVICE TO POST 124, BARRY HAS SERVED AS AN INSTRUCTOR AT THE NC LEGION COLLEGE AND AS A CUB SCOUT AND BOY SCOUT LEADER.
POST CHAPLAIN
LASHONDA HARRIS
LASHONDA HARRIS WAS BORN IN NEW JERSEY AND RAISED IN NASH COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. SHE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY RESERVE IN 1991 AND COMPLETED ONE STATION UNIT TRAINING, COMBINING BASIC COMBAT TRAINING AND ADVANCED INDIVIDUAL TRAINING, AT FORT MCCLELLAN, ALABAMA. SHE EARNED A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN JUSTICE STUDIES FROM NORTH CAROLINA WESLEYAN COLLEGE IN 2000.
LASHONDA'S PRIMARY MOS WAS MILITARY POLICE, 31-B. SHE LATER QUALIFIED FOR A SECONDARY MOS, MILITARY CORRECTIONS, 31-E. SHE COMPLETED A TWENTY-TWO YEAR CAREER SERVING IN THE 805TH MILITARY POLICE COMPANY (COMBAT SUPPORT), IN RALEIGH, N.C. SHE GRADUATED FROM ALL LEADERSHIP SCHOOLS FOR HER MOS AND PERFORMED ANNUAL TRAINING ASSIGNMENTS AT FORT BRAGG, MOTSU (N.C.), FORT STEWART, FORT IRWIN, FORT BLISS, FORT POLK, AND FORT MCCOY. SHE ALSO DEPLOYED OVERSEAS TO HUNGARY, BOSNIA AND CROATIA, 1997-8, TO EL SALVADOR FOR HURRICANE MITCH RELIEF, 1999, AND TO KUWAIT AND IRAQ, 2003-4. LASHONDA SERVED AS 805TH REAR DETACHMENT NCOIC WHILE THE MAIN BODY WAS DEPLOYED TO IRAQ IN 2011.
DURING HER NINETEEN YEARS AS A LEGIONNAIRE, LASHONDA HAS SERVED AS POST 124 ADJUTANT, IN OFFICES AT ALL DISTRICT AND DIVISION LEVELS AND AS A MEMBER OF NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT LAW ENFORCEMENT, LEGISLATIVE, AND FINANCE COMMITTEES. SHE IS A 2014 NATIONAL AMERICAN LEGION COLLEGE ALUM AND AMERICAN LEGION AUXILIARY MEMBER.
POST service officer
BRANDON BAKER
BRANDON BAKER GREW UP AS A MILITARY BRAT AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT PLACES WORLD-WIDE. HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN JUNE, 1993, AND SERVED WITH THE FIRST SIGNAL BRIGADE, SECOND BATTALION, SIXTY-THIRD ARMORED REGIMENT, FIRST INFANTRY DIVISION (“BIG RED ONE”), AT CAMP COBURN, SOUTH KOREA AND AT HQ, FORT EUSTIS, VA. HE COMPLETED HIS SECOND ENLISTMENT AND WAS DISCHARGED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IN 2001.
BRANDON IS NOW EMPLOYED AT THE VA MEDICAL CENTER, DURHAM, N.C., AS AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALTY NURSE
pOST Sergeant at Arms
CARL HELTON
CARL ROBERT HELTON HAS SERVED AS THE POST’S SERGEANT AT ARMS SINCE 2021 AND HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE POST SINCE 2015. CARL HAS BEEN A GENERAL CONTRACTOR AND DEVELOPER FOR OVER FORTY YEARS, HOLDING AN UNLIMITED LICENSE AND SPECIALIZING IN COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION. HE IS ALSO A LICENSED AUCTIONEER AND CONDUCTS AUCTIONS AND ESTATE TAG SALES.
CARL SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE U. S. ARMY FROM 1962 TO 1964 AT FORT BRAGG, N.C., WITH THE 82ND AIRBORNE DIVISION. HE REACHED THE RANK OF SERGEANT (E-5) AND WAS ATTACHED TO THE 325TH INFANTRY REGIMENT.
CARL SERVED ON THE APEX TOWN COUNCIL FROM 1998 TO 2000 UNTIL HE MOVED TO NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE, PAT, RESIDED FOR TWELVE YEARS BEFORE RETURNING HOME TO APEX. HE ALSO SERVED AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE APEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND WAS NAMED THE APEX CITIZEN OF THE YEAR IN 1994. IN 2022, HE WAS INDUCTED INTO THE LOUIS C. SMITH HALL OF FAME, WHICH HE FEELS IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS HE HAS RECEIVED. CARL IS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE APEX ROTARY CLUB. HE COACHED GIRLS’ SOFTBALL FOR TEN YEARS WITH THE APEX RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND SEVERAL LOCAL SCHOOLS AND JUST RETIRED FROM COACHING THIS YEAR.
CARL IS MARRIED TO A THIRD GENERATION APEX NATIVE, PATRICE (PAT) BAKER HELTON. THEY RESIDE IN DOWNTOWN APEX. THEY HAVE FOUR CHILDREN, EIGHT GRANDCHILDREN, AND ONE GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER.
pOST Sergeant at Arms
JIM SPEIDEL
JIM SPIEDEL IS A RALEIGH NATIVE. HE WAS DRAFTED IN 1969 AND LEFT HIS BUDDING CAREER AS A PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN TO SERVE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE ARMY UNTIL SEPTEMBER, 1971. JIM WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CASUALTY BRANCH, HQ COMPANY, FORT STEWART, GEORGIA, WHERE HIS MOS WAS 30H20, CLERK-TYPIST. HOWEVER, JIM'S PRIMARY DUTY WAS AS BUGLER FOR 316 MILITARY FUNERALS IN GEORGIA AND FLORIDA IN EIGHTEEN MONTHS.
AFTER RETURNING TO CIVILIAN LIFE, JIM OPERATED A FURNITURE BUSINESS IN PENNSYLVANIA FOR FIFTEEN YEARS BEFORE BECOMING A MULTI-TALENTED CRAFTSMAN IN LEATHER, SPECIALIZING IN DUAL LAYER BULLHIDE GUN BELTS.
POST HISTORIAN
GARY WARD
GARY WAS RAISED IN NEW JERSEY AND ENLISTED IN THE U.S. NAVY IN 1976. HIS MILITARY SPECIALTY WAS NUCLEAR PROPULSION. HE LEFT ACTIVE DUTY, SETTLED IN APEX AND JOINED THE NAVAL RESERVES, RISING TO THE RANK OF COMMANDER.
HE HAS BEEN IN THE LEGION FOR 5 YEARS AND CONTINUES AS A VOLUNTEER EVERY SUMMER AS A LEADERSHIP INSTRUCTOR AT NCSU SHELTON LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE. HE HAS THREE DAUGHTERS SERVING THE US COAST GUARD.
HIS QUOTE: "I REMAIN INSPIRED BY GOOD PEOPLE DONG GREAT WORK FOR VETERANS"
AMERICANISM CHAIR
MIKE D'AURELIO
MIKE WAS BORN IN UPSTATE NY AND GREW UP OUTSIDE CHARLOTTE, N.C.
HE JOINED THE NAVY AND SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY AS AN ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN (ET), FROM 1997 TO 2003. HIS FIRST ASSIGNMENT WAS SPECOM (SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS), AT THE NAVAL SECURITY GROUP ACTIVITY NW IN CHESAPEAKE, VA. AFTER SPECOM WAS OUTSOURCED TO CIVILIANS HE COMPLETED HIS TOUR OF DUTY AT THE SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS FACILITY ON THE SAME STATION. MIKE THEN TRANSFERRED TO RECOMMISSIONING UNIT - USS BULKELEY (DDG-84) WHERE HE JOINED THAT SHIP'S FIRST CREW FOR ITS COMMISSIONING ON 8 DECEMBER 2001. MIKE IS A PROUD "PLANKOWNER" OF THAT SHIP.
MIKE NOW WORKS FOR SIGNALSCAPE AS A SENIOR ENGINEER. HE IS MARRIED AND HAS TWO DAUGHTERS. IN ADDITION TO SERVICE WITH THE POST, HE IS A VOLUNTEER SOFTBALL AND VOLLEYBALL COACH. HE ENJOYS MOUNTAIN BIKING AND HIKING.
ceremony and color guard chair
JIM O'MALLEY
JIM IS A NATIVE OF SCRANTON, PA. HE ENLISTED IN THE ARMY IN APRIL, 1969, AND COMPLETED US ARMY BASIC TRAINING AT FORT DIX, NJ, IN JUNE, 1969. FROM JULY 1969 TO FEBRUARY 1970 JIM WAS ASSIGNED TO REDSTONE ARSENAL, HUNTSVILLE, AL. FOR PERSHING MISSILE GUIDANCE AND CONTROL (G&C) TRAINING (21L). KEY ASPECTS OF TRAINING INCLUDED MASTERING SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY, UNDERSTANDING, PERSHING MISSILE TACTICAL EMPLOYMENT AND MAINTAINING COMBAT READINESS.
AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING JIM SERVED WITH THE THIRD BATTALION 84TH ARTILLERY (FA), ARTILLERY KASERNE NECKARSULM, WEST GERMANY, FROM FEBRUARY TO NOVEMBER 1970. HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING G&C SECTIONS OF PERSHING MISSILES.
FROM DECEMBER 1970 TO JANUARY 1972 JIM SERVED WITH THE 52ND AIR DEFENSE ARTILLERY BRIGADE POSTED AT HIGHLANDS, NJ. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE S-2 SECTION AS CLASSIFIED DOCUMENT SPECIALIST WHERE HE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCEPTING, LOGGING AND DISTRIBUTING ALL CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS SENT TO BRIGADE, FOR MAINTAINING LOCATIONS OF ALL DOCUMENTS AND DESTROYING DOCUMENTS AS REQUIRED.
JIM WORKED FOR IBM FOR FORTY-SEVEN AND A HALF YEARS, FROM JULY 1,1968, TO OCTOBER 30, 2015. HE HAS BEEN RETIRED FOR 10 YEARS. HIS WORK WITH IBM INCLUDED A YEAR OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, THREE YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY IN THE US ARMY, TWELVE YEARS WITH SERVICE DELIVERY, DOING REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE OF IBM EQUIPMENT, FROM TYPEWRITERS TO WATER-COOLED COMPUTERS, THIRTY-ONE AND A HALF YEARS OF FIRST- AND SECOND-LINE MANAGEMENT OF SERVICE DELIVERY TEAMS WITH FROM 18 TO 250 DIRECT REPORTS.
JIM HAS ALSO SERVED AS THE POST'S ADJUTANT
proud member
POST 124 IS A PROUD MEMBER OF
THE APEX CHAMBER OF COMMERCE