Below you will see a Resolution from the Department of Indiana that has already been passed cancelling the 2020 Department Convention in July. The Resolution also states that all Department officers, District Commanders & Department Commissions & Committees will remain in place until the 2021 Department Convention, unless there is a resignation. 

The Resolution asked that all Posts follow the same guideline and keep their current officers for the next administrative year. The Department of Indiana strongly recommends that each Post follow this policy.

We, the members of the Post Executive Committee, believe it is in the best interest of Leo F Welch Post 495 to follow the policy put forth in the Resolution and recommended by the Department of Indiana. The Department has also asked that the Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion & American Legion Riders follow the same policy. I have spoken to the leadership of all 3 entities and they have agreed to also conitnue on with the same administration. 

This is an ususual and unprecedented time for Post 495. I hope to have your continued support for the next year. The American Legion is very important to you, the veterans who so bravely served, we want to see it continue for the betterment of all. I know we will come out of this a stronger American Legion. 

Thank you for all you do for American Legion Post 495.

Steven Smith, Post 495 Commander 

Resolution#: 2020E01 Title: Cancellation of the 2020 Department Convention and Continuation of Current Officers Date: April 9, 2020 Origin: Department Adjutant 

WHEREAS, Article VI, Section 1 of The American Legion, Department of Indiana’s Constitution calls for an annual Department Convention and authorizes the Department Executive Committee to establish the site and date; and WHEREAS, The American Legion, National Executive Committee passed Resolution No.: 3, Title: Cancellation of 2020 American Legion Convention in Louisville, Kentucky and Awarding of 2026 National Convention (see Exhibit A); and 

WHEREAS, The NEC Resolution No.: 3’s second-to-last Resolving Claus states, “That due to numerous health and safety reasons and needs of our members, the American Legion National Executive Committee strongly urges that the national Sons of The American Legion, the national American Legion Auxiliary and all American Legion departments follow a similar course of action, to-wit: (1) cancel their 2020 conventions and elections; and (2) maintain the status quo of their officers until next year”; and 

WHEREAS, The United States of America, and the world in general, are currently experiencing a pandemic associated with the spread of Coronavirus (COVID–19) therefore causing communities, cities, states and federal government to enact unprecedented emergency actions in order to contain and combat the impact and risks of spreading the COVID–19; and 

WHEREAS, Upon the recommendations of the President of the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and World Health Organization (WHO) the actions taken include, but are not limited to, restriction of mass gathering sizes, restriction on unnecessary travel, closure of restaurants and other public gathering spaces, implementation of “social distancing” guidelines and overall emphasis on personal hygiene and virus/germ abatement actions; and 

WHEREAS, the governor of the State of Indiana declared a public health emergency as a result of COVID–19 requiring numerous actions to follow including that all mass gatherings adhere to the CDC guidance for large events – which the CDC has currently set at no groups larger than 10 people; and WHEREAS, a gathering of the members of The American Legion, Department of Indiana for the 2020 Department Convention meeting would be in conflict with the actions being imposed by our local and federal authorities, and therefore place our members at an unnecessary medical risk; and 

WHEREAS, Numerous programs of The American Legion, Department of Indiana have been cancelled for the 2020 year to include, but not limited to, American Legion Baseball, Golf, Junior Shooting Sports, Hoosier Boys State, Hoosier Youth Cadet Law Enforcement Academy; and 

WHEREAS, the Commander’s Advisory Committee has thoroughly discussed the situation, weighed all options, and determined that the course of action herein is the correct and prudent course for The American Legion, Department of Indiana at this time; now, therefore, be it 

RESOLVED, by the Department Executive Committee of The American Legion, Department of Indiana by electronic mail vote pursuant to Rule 14 of the Rules of the Department Executive Committee, that due to the uncertainty of the duration of the disease known as Coronavirus (COVID19), the numerous government regulations being enforced to contain it and concern for the safety of all members of the American Legion Family, the Department Executive Committee agrees that present circumstances constitute sufficient reasons to cancel the 2020 Department Convention; and, be it further 

RESOLVED, that due to these serious and sufficient reasons, the following American Legion events in Indianapolis, Indiana are cancelled: (1) the Pre-Convention Department Executive Committee meeting scheduled for Friday, July 10, 2020; (2) The American Legion’s 2020 Department Convention Scheduled for Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, July 12, 2020; (3) the Post-Convention Department Executive Committee Meeting scheduled for July 11, 2020; and (4) all regularly scheduled department commission and committee meetings that would have been held; and (5) all 2020 Department Convention Awards; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that the Department Adjutant is hereby directed to inform the Marriott East Hotel negotiate potential cancellation penalties against The American Legion, Department of Indiana and report them to the Department Finance Committee; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that the department elected and appointed officers continue serving in their current position until the close of the next Department Convention scheduled in Indianapolis from Thursday, July 8 through Sunday, July 11, 2021; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that all department commission and/or committee chairpersons and the current commission and committee members continue serving in their current positions until they resign or are either reassigned or reappointed at the 2021 Department Convention; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that any resolutions needing to come before the Department Executive Committee, including the re-adoption of our legislative agenda, with the exception of those legislative initiatives that the Department Legislative Committee deems to have been fulfilled or are no longer relevant, may be brought forth to the Department Executive Committee and subsequently considered and voted on by electronic mail and any other allowed means prior to the regularly scheduled 2020 Fall Conference scheduled in Indianapolis, Indiana from Thursday, October 1 through Sunday, October 4, 2020; and be it further 

RESOLVED, that due to numerous health and safety reasons and needs of our members, the Department Executive Committee strongly urges that every level, to include the Districts, Posts Units and Squadrons, of the Sons of The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Indiana American Legion Riders follow a similar course of action, to-wit: (1) cancel all nominations and elections; and (2) maintain the status quo of their officers until next year; and be it finally 

RESOLVED, that the Department Adjutant is hereby directed to use all media platforms available to his staff to mass communicate the directives in this resolution both internally and externally and across all facets of the American Legion Family.