Adjutant's Outlook
Meet the New Adjutant, Same as the Old Adjutant
Greetings, Legionnaires!
After a brief sabbatical over the last few months, I have returned for a limited engagement as the Adjutant here at Post 43.
In keeping with the tone established by our Commander this week, I am going to get serious.
The Post has a great many issues: organizational, operational, financial, and spiritual. Let’s talk about them:
Organizational
When I first became the Adjutant in 2021, a Past Commander of Post 43 told me, “lean on your committees.” The Committee system has, for decades, been the backbone of our Post. Time was that every major holiday had its own planning subcommittee under the Events Committee. Today, we have needs across the entire gamut of Post committees. If you have volunteered and are waiting to hear back, we thank you for your patience. If you still need to sign up for a committee, please do so. This Post can only truly thrive when its members get engaged and put boots on the ground, either physically or digitally.
Operational
For the last decade, the Post has worked towards a goal of separating its American Legion membership and leadership from the day-to-day operations of the business operations whose revenues support the Post. These efforts met with mixed results, and now the Commander and Board are determined to pursue a path where we, the Legion, handle our business for ourselves. This represents a significant shift in mandate and priorities for all of the employees who work at the Post and the Legion leaders tasked with providing them guidance. The shift will not be swift, but it is underway.
Financial
The Post faces serious financial challenges. With economic circumstances undergoing major shifts and the event industry in Los Angeles feeling the pressure created by the ongoing dispute between studios and the unions, the Post leadership is in the process of a complete review and restructuring of our business plan and budget. The budget for the remainder of the year will be presented at the July Business Meeting, and I hope to see many of you there and ready to ask questions.
Spiritual
This is one of the hardest areas to talk about. While I’ve only been a part of this Post since the pandemic, I have watched closely during my time and have seen the fractures that exist in our community. I have seen people who used to be friends hurl insults and hands at one another over some of the issues mentioned above. I’ve seen passionate people argue into the wee hours of the morning over points of policy, and I love that. What I cannot stand is the hatred and anger that so many carry away from those conversations.
If we are to tackle the challenges ahead of us, then we have to do so together. We cannot be a team divided by differing agendas or beset by personal squabbles. The problems we face are too large and complex for us to waste time bickering.
Looking to the Future
I’m here for a good time, not a long time. While I am tremendously excited to be asked back to assist with this transition, I’m not looking to measure any offices for drapes. The Post is actively seeking candidates to become the new, permanent, full-time Adjutant. It is a monumentally big job with an incredibly broad scope, which will consume all the time one gives it and always be hungry for more. If you want to make the Legion your life and dedicate your work time, your free time, and every moment in between to the service of this great organization and its mission, then please reach out to the office.
Yours in Service,
Josh Epstein
Post Adjutant
Hollywood Post 43