Florida Veteran Elected Leader of The American Legion

CORRECTING and REPLACING Florida Veteran Elected Leader of The American Legion
Wed Sep 2, 2009
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(Business Wire)--
Please replace the correction dated Aug. 27, 2009 with the following corrected
version due to multiple revisions.

The corrected release reads:

FLORIDA VETERAN ELECTED LEADER OF THE AMERICAN LEGION

A retired U.S. Navy captain has been elected national commander of the nation`s
largest veterans organization.

Delegates to The American Legion`s 91st National Convention here chose Clarence
Hill of Jacksonville, Fla., to lead the 2.5 million-member organization of
wartime veterans for a one-year term.

The new national commander plans to increase The American Legion`s outreach
efforts using social media networks and other technologies. His goals also
include diversifying The American Legion by recruiting more minorities and
increasing awareness of issues affecting women veterans. While veterans from any
war era will always be welcome in The American Legion, Hill plans to expand
outreach efforts to Vietnam era, post-Vietnam era and current War on Terrorism
veterans.

A native of Martin`s Ferry, Ohio, Hill graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in
1972 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Heserved 19 of the next 24 years on sea
duty and retired in 1996. His afloat service included one frigate, two
destroyers, two cruisers, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12 in Mayport, Fla, and the
Sixth Fleet in Gaeta, Italy. He served as officer-in-charge of a PT boat,
commanded the Naval Communications Station United Kingdom in Thurso, Scotland,
for three years, and the guided missile frigate USS MCINERNEY (FFG-8) for two
years, including combat operations during Operation Desert Storm. Ashore, he
earned two masters degrees, one from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey,
Calif., and the other from the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.

A 27-year Legionnaire, Hill is a Life Member and three-time Post Commander of
American Legion Post 316 in Atlantic Beach, Fla. He is a dual member belonging
to SAL Squadron 316. He attended the National American Legion College in 2000
and was an instructor in 2001. He was department commander for Florida from July
2002 to July 2003, achieving an all-time-high in membership. Hill earned eight
"Gold Brigade Awards" for recruiting 50 or more members of The American Legion
in a single year. He served for three years as the national chairman of The
American Legion National and Homeland Security Commission and belongs to The
American Legion Riders.

Cmdr. Hill took the oath of office along with five other national officers.
Serving as national vice commanders are Eugene A. Schumacher of Aberdeen, S.D.;
James C. Morris of Cardington, Ohio; Dr. Gordon B. Browning of Chestertown, Md.,
Mark A. Avis of Palmer, Mass., and Morris M. Bentley of Grangeville, Idaho.

National Historian James T. Higuera of Arcadia, Calif., National Chaplain John
L. Beaver of Mobile, Ala., and Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Martel of Pierson, Fla.,
were appointed to their positions by Cmdr. Hill following the close of the
national convention.

Florida Veteran Elected Leader of The American Legion