Your local American Legion McCullough-Wagner Post 109 is a proud member of the Vail community, or as history would have it, Corona De Tucson. Our membership is made up of over 1,200 community residents from the surrounding areas to include Green Valley, Sahuarita, Sonoita, and Tucson. There are more than 2.3 million members of the American Legion, making it the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization.
Post 109 is the proud home to the F-4e “Thunderbird” that you see sitting out front of American Legion Post 109. This aircraft was awarded to our POST by the United States Air Force and it is our responsibility to maintain the aircraft, which is done by our post members.
The Legion Family is made up of Veterans, Sons of The American Legion, Ladies Auxiliary, and American Legion Riders. Each of our entities are strong organizations that support the American Legion mission in their own ways. Membership is the key to our success followed by fundraising events that help fund outside non-profit charity groups like the VA Hospital, Veterans Home, The Arizona Fisher House as well as community schools and child welfare. Most recently, our members have been involved with support efforts for Camp Conklin Bravo Base, the veterans homeless camp in Tucson
Sons squadron 109 helping at Camp Conklin-Bravo Base
ALR 109 Fisher House Grand Opening
ALR 109 Vail Community Parade.
Our SAL squadron 109 (Sons of the American Legion) has over 260 members. SAL is a program of the American Legion. SAL members include males of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the U.S. military and were eligible for American Legion membership.
Our SAL squadron is over 260 members strong. Statewide, we have over 7,000 members and nationally, over 350,000 members. Squadron 109 host a monthly dinner at Post 109 that feeds the veterans from the Blind Rehab Center at the Tucson VA Hospital. We also feed our area first responders for free in honor of their service to our community.
The American Legion is a non-profit organization and is organized with an executive board of officers. Each of these positions are voted in and are voluntary positions, there are no paid positions. Post commander, vice commanders, finance, adjutant, sergeant at arms, and chaplain. After serving at the local level, some of these members will move up to the state level and then the national level.
An example of this would be our very own Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 109-member Matthew Griffis, also known as Gator. Matt initially signed up in 2012 after retiring from a 30-year career in law enforcement, started as a member that was interested in motorcycle riding. Matt has since moved up in the squadron from communications officer to squadron commander at the local level, then on to the state level known as the Detachment of Arizona and served as the Area A Vice Commander for 2 years and now he is the detachment commander for the state of Arizona. Another long-term member, that has moved up in the American Legion, is Carol Stensby, who has worked her way up to the national level as chaplain.
Sons of The American Legion Detachment Commander, Matt Griffis, with the Sons National Commander Danny Smith
National Chaplain Carol Stensby at National Convention
More information about Post 109 can be found on our website, www.POST109.org
