National adjutant announces retirement

U.S. Navy veteran Daniel S. Wheeler announced his retirement Wednesday, effective May 9, from his constitutional office. He was the 13th national adjutant of The American Legion, chief administrative officer of the nation’s largest organization of U.S. military veterans.

Wheeler’s announcement before The American Legion National Executive Committee and American Legion National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer ends a 45-year career at The American Legion National Headquarters.

Following his 2008 appointment as national adjutant, Wheeler led and oversaw hundreds of breakthroughs for the organization – from massive advances in communications technology to legislative victories that delivered relief, care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic contamination in military service. He guided national staff in the development of programs, services and advocacy to address post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury and veteran suicide at the same time he led initiatives to establish a permanent home for The American Legion Baseball World Series and raise awareness of such causes as The American Legion Veterans & Children Foundation, Operation Comfort Warriors and the Be the One mission to reduce veteran suicide. His leadership over nearly 15 years as national adjutant also ushered in a new Post-9/11 GI Bill and multiple improvements in education benefits for the newest generation of wartime veterans that followed.

A member of American Legion Post 137 in Richmond, Va., Wheeler served as president of the Citizens Flag Alliance between 1994 and 2009, fighting for a constitutional amendment to protect the U.S. flag from deliberate acts of desecration.

Wheeler’s first position at National Headquarters was as an assistant editor at The American Legion Magazine in 1979. Following promotions, ultimately to editor and publisher, he was named executive director of the Indianapolis-based National Headquarters in 1995.

Surrounded by American Legion volunteer leaders, national staff and his family, he told the NEC that “It has been the greatest honor of my life to be selected to serve in this capacity for the last 15 years.”

Wheeler told those gathered at National Headquarters in Indianapolis about the mentors who have helped him throughout his career. “I sincerely thank all of those for their mentorship and much more so, for their friendship. There have been good times, and there have been not-so-good times, some of them right here in this room. But my long-suffering wife Kathy has been by my side through it all, and I want to thank her for that and ensure her that I love her even more because of it.”

He thanked national staff who he described as “best in the business who have faithfully carried out all of your directives.

“it’s been a fantastic journey,” Wheeler added, choking back emotions. “The memories will last a lifetime.”

Following the announcement, the NEC passed two resolutions in honor of the long-serving officer of the organization, one electing him as a Past National Commander of The American Legion, another to name Room 301 – the main third-floor conference room at National Headquarters in Indianapolis – as the Daniel S. Wheeler Conference Room.

Past National Commander Daniel M. Dellinger thanked Wheeler Wednesday “for your dedicated service, loyalty and leadership, that have elevated the bar for all that follow.”

Past National Commander John P. “Jake” Comer of Massachusetts administered the oath of office to Wheeler on his election as a past national commander.

“This is the greatest honor of my life, and I want to thank all of you,” Wheeler said following the unanimous vote to elect him to the office of past national commander.

National Commander Seehafer helped bring the announcement proceedings to a close by congratulating Wheeler for having “joined the national staff 45 years ago, giving you the longest combined tenure on staff of any national adjutant. These honors are well, well deserved.”

“This has been the greatest day of my life, other than the day my wife said, ‘Yeah, I’ll marry you, you rascal,’” Wheeler told the crowd before the NEC adjourned. “I just thank you all very much, from the bottom of my heart.”