At the “Annual Trails to Leadership” event last week, Department Commander Ross Bergstresser and PDC Gary Vaughan had a special reunion with former Secretary of the USAF and Ambassador to Finland, the Honorable Barbara Barrett. They had first met while serving at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia for Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Barbara Barrett, namesake of Barrett – The Honors College at Arizona State University, was a keynote speaker at the Scout fundraising event. She spoke on key leadership principles to over 500 prominent community leaders, including several pictured below from our Department of Arizona.
The American Legion has engaged in Scouting since 1919 and currently sponsors about 50 units across Arizona, with nearly 1000 youth and several hundred veteran and community adult volunteers. Scouting involvement has helped tremendously with retention efforts, as Legion Members find self-value in helping develop tomorrow’s leaders from our youth today.
If you are interested in assisting in Scouting, please contact PDC Vaughan at gary.vaughan@scoutingaz.org, of the Department Scouting Committee, and the Executive Board of the Grand Canyon Council. Opportunities include unit leadership, merit badge counselors, unit coaches, and Commissioners.
Pictured (l to r): Paul Johnson, Vice Commander Area B, Deborah Pfeil, Americanism Commission Chair, PDC Manny Beltran, Department Commander Ross Bergstresser, Vice Commander DAV and Member TAL Rod Hage, PDC Gary Vaughan, and Commander Robert Colony, Post 145.
