Concentrated action

Representatives from three American Legion posts across the country gathered at the Wisconsin Center in Milwaukee on Aug. 26 for the annual Color Guard Contest to kick off the 103rd National Convention. Competing in three different categories, they were:

Newport Harbor Post 291 of Newport Beach, Calif.;

Harrisburg Post 472 of Houston;

and Post (and Squadron) 260 of South Hadley, Mass.

Each year’s contest features a “saluting officer,” an area active-duty servicemember who provides a live focus for the competing squads. This year’s saluting officer was Army Master Sgt. Keyon Boens, a 20-plus-year veteran who is also senior military instructor of the Army ROTC at nearby Marquette University … and a new Legionnaire. He stated of his presence, “We always support The American Legion,” and found the competition “extremely nice.”

Roger Mathison, contest announcer and National Convention Commission member, called attention before the awards ceremony to the squads’ “… giving their practice, their time, to develop their craft,” which involves precision marching, flag-carrying and sometimes amazing displays of equipment. National Commander Paul E. Dillard added of the work that goes into the performances, “nothing comes easy – just like freedom doesn’t come easy.”

The scores by category:

Advancing/Retrieving Colors:

Newport Harbor, 93.20

Harrisburg, 90.05

South Hadley, 87.35

Military:

Newport Harbor, 92.85

South Hadley, 83.10

Open:

Harrisburg, 88.15

South Hadley Squadron, 81.15

Newport Harbor repeated as overall champion and color guard for the 2023 convention in Charlotte.