American Legion Department Commander Beth Linn

Story by Sadie DeJonge 

Beth Linn is the first American Legion Department Commander. She was elected on

June 26, 2016 and is the first woman to serve this position.


Before Linn was elected as Legion Department Commander she served in the Regular

Army and National Guard. Linn started training at base in Fort McClellan, Alabama and then she

was stationed to Fort Gordon, Georgia and later on she moved to Wharton Barracks, Heilbronn,

West Germany. Linn has also served many posts and many chairs. The posts she’s served are

Post Commander and Post Adjutant. Chair positions Linn has held are Children and Youth

Chair, Finance Officer, POW/MIA chair and Public Relations Chair.


“Being elected as American Legion Department Commander is an honor, but honestly I

wasn’t expecting it,” said Linn. As Department Commander, Linn wanted to focus the

department on being there for veterans and being able to help them after returning home.


Her motto is “Don’t give up we got this” The meaning behind the motto has been with

Linn and her family for years. “We simply need to inform the public of what veterans go through,

and the motto is inspiration to push through and know that the legion is here for them,” said

Linn.


Linn had the chance this year to be able to visit the delegates from Girls State and Boys

State for the week. “It was a humbling experience to be able to visit some of the best kids in the

state, and it just shows that the next generation can lead us in the right direction,” said Linn.


As first woman commander Linn left some inspiring words for the next generation of

women. Linn said, “Sometimes you have to go out of the box to make a statement and to make

a movement, and I’m hoping more women and girls see that and keep pushing and keep going

toward what they want.”