To my Comrades, According to the Legion’s National HQ, last year 4,456 posts conducted “Buddy Checks” of their membership. I am pleased to say that Post 68 was one of the many. I am more proud that many within our Post stepped up to volunteer their time and participated in the calls and checks of our valued members. Post 68 has shown that we can and will lead in this effort. Our most sacred responsibility and duty is to care for our fellow men and women who served this

A Certificate of Congressional Recognition honors individuals or organizations for significant contributions or service to their community. Congressman Rouzer recently presented one to Leland’s John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 for its leadership in North Carolina through the Be The One suicide awareness and prevention program. In June 2022, following the lead of the American Legion’s National Headquarters, Post 68 launched a suicide awareness program for law enforcement

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), a Department of War organization established in 1972, promotes cooperation and understanding between service members and their civilian employers and helps resolve conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment. To recognize employers who support their Guard and Reserve employees, ESGR presents a series of Department of War awards, including the Patriotic Employer Award. This award honors business owners who support

Specially trained service dogs can significantly enhance the lives of service-connected disabled veterans. Strengthening its role as a veterans’ organization with the motto "Veterans Serving Veterans," members of the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 in Leland played a key role in the Canines for Service (CFS) Battleship Partnership Ceremony on Friday, October 23, 2026. Held on the fantail of the Battleship North Carolina under the brilliant blue skies of coastal North C

As veterans near the end of life, they should feel appreciated and valued for their service to our country. One way to express gratitude for their service and sacrifice is to hold a commemorative ceremony for the veteran. In 2023, recognizing the importance of honoring veterans at the end of life, the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 in Leland, under the leadership of Past Commanders Dan Fortini and John Hacker and Veterans Resource Officer Lane Adrian, began participat

It’s been a busy time recently for the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 in Leland. In addition to its recent Memorial Tribute honoring John E. Jacobs, the Post’s namesake and the only son of Leland killed in Vietnam on October 1, 1968, the Post has been engaged in several other visible and impactful community activities. Veterans Exposition To honor veterans and connect them and their families with valuable resources, WWAY TV-3 hosted its 2nd Annual Veterans Expo at Ind

58 years after his death, a community pays tribute On Saturday, October 3, more than 60 veterans and community members gathered at Leland’s Founders Park to honor Private First Class John E. Jacobs, the only son of Leland, who was killed in action in Quang Tri Province, Republic of South Vietnam, on Tuesday, October 1, 1968. Members of Jacobs’ immediate and extended family attended, as did several local town officials. American Legion Post 68 members Tom Powers, Commander; Jo

“To be killed in war is not the worst that can happen. To be lost is not the worst that can happen… to be forgotten is the worst.” Pierre Claeyssens (1909-2003) Over the 34 years since Morrill Worcester, owner of Worcester Wreath Company of Harrington, Maine, first conceived the idea of paying tribute to America’s fallen heroes by placing surplus wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery, much has changed, making his dream far larger than he originally imagined. With support fro

We still need donors for the upcoming blood drive on Friday, September 25th! Please help address a critical shortage in the American Red Cross blood supply, now at a 4-year low. Join the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 and WWAY TV3 for an urgent community blood drive. All blood types are needed! When: Friday, September 25, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Where: WWAY TV3 Community Room (1224 Magnolia Village Way, Leland, NC) To schedule an appointment, visit...

Veterans, community members, local law enforcement officers, and First Responders recently participated in a 9/11 Roundtable moderated by Gerald Decker, Commander of Leland’s Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Chapter 12196. The 2-hour event, held on September 11, 2026, honored the nearly three thousand victims who lost their lives 25 years ago at the Twin Towers in New York City, the Pentagon, and in Shanksville, PA. Participants discussed the events of that day and the inevitab

The mission of the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68 in Leland is: “To enhance the wellbeing of America’s veterans, their families, our military, and our communities through our devotion to mutual helpfulness.” As a nonprofit veterans’ organization under 501(c)(19) of the Internal Revenue Code, Post 68’s mission, which aims to connect and collaborate with veterans and other service organizations, aligns closely with Wilmington’s Veterans Business Collective (VBC). The VB

On September 11, 2026, in the packed gymnasium at Lincoln Elementary School in Leland, Principal Evan Roush recalled that it all began with a simple request to properly dispose of an unserviceable American flag. With help from School Resource Officer Brunswick County Deputy Raul Brewster and Dale Todd, head of the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68’s Americanism program, the request grew into a remembrance event marking the 25th anniversary of September 11, 2001—the trage

Our new American Legion National Commander, Jay Bowen, is A Paid-Up-For-Life member of Neal Thomas Jr.-Centennial Post 209 in Colorado Springs and a retired U.S. Army warrant officer. Commander Bowen is a staunch supporter of The American Legion’s Be The One suicide awareness and prevention message. https://www.legion.org/about/leadership/nationalcommander “The past four national commanders’ themes have been of Be The One. Be the one to help prevent veteran suicide,” Bowen s

At the August 2026 meeting of the Belville Board of Commissioners, Belville Mayor Charles Bost appointed and swore in Thomas M. Powers (Tom) as a new member of the Belville Parks & Recreation Board. In that role, Powers will serve as a bridge between town residents and local government and provide recommendations to the town commissioners on park development, improvements, and community recreational events and needs. His new role dovetails with the role Powers assumed in May,

For many years, suicide was rarely discussed openly. In 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO), in partnership with the International Association for Suicide Prevention, established World Suicide Prevention Day, observed annually on September 10. According to WHO statistics, suicide claims more than 720,000 lives worldwide each year. In 2008, to align U.S. efforts with the alarming rise in suicides nationwide, Congress designated September as National Suicide Prevention Aw

On Friday, August 21, 2026, the John E. Jacobs American Legion Post 68, represented by Jim McAvoy, 1st Vice Commander, presented a $1,500 check to the East Carolina University (ECU) ‘Smiles for Veterans’ program. Legion Post 68 members have supported this program for several years. Held annually, the ‘Smiles for Veterans’ event serves pre-screened veterans who do not qualify for Veterans Administration dental care or cannot afford their own care but need a variety of dental p

Supporting Veterans · Provide direct quality of life assistance to local veterans in need. · Honor veterans in local nursing homes, including end-of-life pinning ceremonies and funeral services at the request of the family. · Support veterans’ healthcare through donations to the “Vet Smiles” free dental care program and other veteran-specific support programs. · Help connect area veterans with VA benefits, healthcare, and other resources by engaging l

A Great day for Leland and our post. Was it warm? Yeah just a little, But we had a breeze! Over 30 members attended. Thank you Elliot for your great camper trailer thing, it looked like it was a trailer from the future! Very impressive! Thank you Lane and Debbie Adrian for the trailer and the decorations, "IT WON the first annual FLOAT AWARD! Thanks to Jeremy and Billie Gunn for pulling the Post trailer. Always there for us, I thanked him and told him we would paint any hous

Good morning my fellow brothers and sisters, As we have done during the past year, the Post is conducting "Buddy Checks" for this Memorial Day season. As a member of the Post, you will be contacted via telephone (or email if you haven’t listed a phone number with us) to check on your overall health and welfare. A simple phone call will allow the Post’s leadership to identify our members that might need connection and/or assistance. It is our responsibility to continue to w

To Post 68 Legion Members and Friends, This morning, as I enjoyed my morning walk, taking in the bright colors and listening to the myriad sounds of our Leland Community, I continued to feel somewhat dazed and humbled after yesterday evening. It was a totally unexpected honor to be selected by Mayor Bozeman as the Leland Citizen of the Year for 2025 for my work on the Legion’s Be the One (BTO) program. I am grateful and humbled beyond words to receive this recognition. The B