For veterans: Marion's American Legion service officer, commander receive state honors
Past Commander of Virginia Les Clevenger presents the Paul Laskey Service Award to Chris Dutton.
Chris Dutton told Post 18 members about the purpose he finds in helping care for his fellow veterans.
Post 18 Commander Mark Chaney received multiple awards at the recent American Legion state convention, including being named the 2026 Post Commander of the Year for Virginia.
A few of Commander Mark Chaney's awards.
Commander Mark Chaney, right, swears in Bill Veselik as the Sons of the American Legion squadron commander for Post 18.
Not a day goes by when Chris Dutton isn’t on the phone or otherwise trying to help one of his fellow veterans.
Dutton serves as the service officer for Marion’s American Legion Post 18. In that role, he works to provide support to veterans and help them connect with the right person to get help from the Veterans Administration or elsewhere.
Post Commander Mark Chaney said the work can be cumbersome and involves considerable paperwork.
Yet, Chaney said Dutton has never balked, saying he can’t get the work done.
“I know how hard he works,” Chaney said, adding, “Every step of the way he’s fought to veterans.”
When he considered nominating someone for the Paul Laskey Service Award, Chaney said Dutton was the first person who came to mind.
The late Paul Laskey served as an American Legion Service Officer for the state. Toward the end of his life, he put his focus on developing a Service Officer Training Program for the American Legion.
Following his 2011 death, his American Legion post established an award in his memory to continue his legacy. Each year, one individual is chosen to receive the service award bearing his name.
Monday night, Past Commander of Virginia Les Clevenger said Laskey “spent a lot of time with veterans” as he presented the award to Dutton.
The award, Clevenger said, is a small token for what a service officer does.
Dutton told the gathering of Post 18, “It’s really about taking care of veterans. That’s it.”
He also shared that when he retired something was missing in his life. “It was taking care of service members,” he said.
That wasn’t the only award that Dutton received for his work for and with veterans.
Chaney also presented him with the Post18 Legionnaire of the Year award.
Chaney said this award is presented to the “person who goes above and beyond.”
Dutton was also honored for being the 2026 New Member High Recruiter 7th District and the Top New Recruiter Post 18.
Last year, Chaney said Dutton recruited five members.
At the recent American Legion state convention, Chaney also received multiple honors, including being named the 2026 District Commander of the Year - Western Region, the 2026 Post 18 Commander of the Year, and the 2026 Post Commander of the Year for Virginia.
Chaney didn’t include his awards in Monday’s presentations, but he did speak with passion about being involved whether it’s in post activities or national matters.
He also celebrated Post 18’s growing involvement in the community and state American Legion efforts. This year, he said that five members of Post 18 attended the state convention while four years ago just one person did.
“That shows strength,” Chaney said and a commitment to the future. It’s easy to stay in a post and never grow, he observed. However, Chaney said, “What we are doing at the end of the day is for veterans.”
The work is undertaken for awards, but they are sweet, he said.
The post received multiple awards related to membership.
2026 Post 18 100% Membership Pins were presented to Chaney and Adjutant/Membership Director Brenda Chaney. While seven districts in the state achieved 100% membership, this district won first place in the state for membership, achieving 101.5%, said Brenda Chaney.
American Legion Post 18 also received the Membership Bronze Medal for Category 2, District 7 and the Dan Daniel Award for 110 % Membership for 2026.
Additionally, ALR Quest – District 7 Completion Patches went to Dutton, Jordan Richey, Lester Owens, Dean Wagner and Bruce Brown.
The Department of Virginia American Legion College certificate and hat pins were presented to Jeffery Karriker, Mark Chaney and Brenda Chaney.
Welcome to the American Legion Initiation Certificate were given to Ashley Bare and Ed Hagy, Post 18’s newest members.
POW/MIA Flag Display Certificate of Appreciation were awarded to Lynn Bowlin and Owens.
The post also honored members who helped install the post’s new flagpole and those who organized and helped with a recent Family Fun Day.
Ride for 22
On July 18, Post 18 welcomed more than 100 motorcycle riders who were taking part in Ride for 22.
The nonprofit organization Ride for 22 notes that every day an average of 22 veterans lose their lives to suicide. The group describes the situation as a crisis.
“At Ride for 22, we are dedicated to raising awareness, honoring the fallen, and supporting those who continue to struggle. Our mission is to break the silence, remove the stigma, and provide hope for our veterans and their families.”
For this event, the American Legion teamed up with the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.
Sons of the American Legion
Post 18 is relaunching its Sons of the American Legion program, which was first chartered in 1957, according to Mark Chaney.
SAL’s mission is to “place an emphasis on preserving American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation’s children, caring for veterans and their families, and teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.”
Monday evening, Marion resident Bill Veselik was sworn in as the new squadron commander for Post 18’s SAL.
Veselik said he hopes for the program to have a presence at community events, especially those with a patriotic purpose.
The program, Veselik said, is welcoming new members.
