The American Legion Conyers Post 77 will receive a highly honored guest this January. American Legion’s new National Commander James E. Koutz will visit on Friday, Jan. 25, at 6 p.m. during his tour of posts throughout the state. 

Koutz was elected national commander of The American Legion on Aug. 30, 2012, during the organization’s 94th National Convention in Indianapolis

Post 77 Commander Zeste Debro said that this was the first time a National Commander has visited in the last two decades.

“This is a big honor for the post to host a National Commander,” said Debro. “They pick the best posts of the state to come to.” 

He said Post 77 received notice because they are “a post on a mission. We follow the national standards and we do the programs. That’s the main thing they look at when they visit a post — is the post doing what the four pillars say?”

The four pillars of the American Legion are Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth, with multiple standards and programs in line with those pillars.

In addition to talking about the national mission of the Legion, another program Koutz promotes is Comfort Warrior, said Debro, which provides comfort items to wounded veterans to help recovery. 

Debro invites anyone from the public who wants to meet the National Commander to come and hear him speak. Dinner is $7 and reservations are required by Jan. 16. For more information, call Zeste Debro at (678) 949-2490

Koutz, an Army veteran and Vietnam veteran from Boonville, Ind., was formerly commissioner of the Department of Veterans Affairs in Indiana.