Elected at the national convention, five vice commanders act as representatives of the national commander. They may preside over meetings of the National Executive Committee or the national convention, and perform other duties for the commander. No two vice commanders can be chosen from the same department during the same year.
Current national vice commanders:
James Kellogg
James Kellogg was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during 105th National Convention in New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2024.
Kellogg served as an aircraft radio repairman in the U.S. Air Force from 1969 to 1973. Following his military service, Kellogg returned to his home in Minnesota and began farming. He has been a member of American Legion Post 146 in Adams, Minn., since 1977 and has held numerous post offices including commander, chaplain and executive board member. He also serves on the honor guard. Kellogg was awarded a life membership after serving as a district commander.
He has served as a department (state) commander, vice commander, historian and sergeant-at-arms, in addition to numerous chairmanships and committee assignments.
A member of ANAVICUS and the Knights of Columbus, Kellogg served at the national level on the American Legion National Security Council. He also serves on his county’s Soil and Water Conservation Board and the Corn and Soybean Growers.
Married since 1970, Kellogg and his wife Brenda have four children, Lynn, Eric, Edward and Luann, and 12 grandchildren. All are Legion Family members. His daughter, Luann, is also an Air Force veteran. The family enjoys hunting, fishing and boating.
Charles "Chuck" Robbins
Charles “Chuck” Robbins was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during the 105th National Convention in New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2024.
Robbins eligibility in The American Legion comes from his service in the U.S. Army from 1975-1978 where he served with both the 3rd Infantry Division and 18th Airborne Corps. He was honorably discharged as a sergeant.
He is a member of Shore Boros American Legion Post 351 in Seaside Heights, N.J., and has held or served on many of the American Legion offices or committees at the post, county, department (state) and national levels. These include New Jersey department commander from 2006 to 2007, alternate National Executive Committeeman from 2013 to 2017, and National Executive Committeeman from 2017-2021.
Robbins is employed by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs in Lawrenceville, N.J., where he serves as the veterans outreach coordinator and assistant to the deputy commissioner of Veterans Affairs.
He has been married to his wife Nancy for 39 years and has five children, 11 grandchildren and four great grandchildren. He enjoys cruising, everything about the Jersey Shore to include boating, fishing and swimming. He also enjoys playing golf and watching baseball, football and soccer. He is an avid sea glass collector with collections from areas all around the world including his favorite spot on the island of Aruba.
Gary B. Leach
Gary B. Leach was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during the 105th National Convention in New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2024.
Leach is a Vietnam veteran who retired from the U.S. Navy as a senior chief petty officer in 1989. He joined The American Legion in 1993 and is a Paid-up-for-Life member of Yolo Post 77 in Woodland, Calif.
He has held offices at every level of The American Legion, including post commander in 2005; 6th District commander in 2010; department vice commander in 2011; and department commander from 2017-2018. He also served as alternate National Executive Committeeman for the Department of California from 2014 to 2016. In 2012, he was appointed to the department Boys State Commission and has been the director of the program since 2020.
Leach also serves as a facilitator for the California American Legion College, and is a charter member of Sons of The American Legion Squadron 77 based on his father’s service in the Marine Corps during World War II. His son is a Navy veteran who now serves in the California National Guard, and his grandson is currently serving with the U.S. Army’s 4th Infantry Division.
Leach has a daughter and seven grandchildren. He is certified as a registered parliamentarian from the National Association of Parliamentarians, and has served as president of the Epsilon (Sacramento) Unit of the National Association of Parliamentarians and as the Northern Area director of the California State Association of Parliamentarians.
Joseph "Joe" Lysaght
Joseph "Joe" Lysaght was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during the 105th National Convention in New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2024.
Lysaght has been a Paid Up For Life member of the Ralph H. Johnson American Legion Post 147 in James Island, S.C., since 1998. He has served in many post and department positions that include district commander (2014-15) and department of South Carolina commander (2015-16). He has served on the South Carolina Department Executive Committee for 11 years. At the national level he has served on the Legislative Council (2018-2022), Security Council (2018-2019), Security Commission (2019-2020), alternate National Executive Committeeman (2022-2024), NEC liaison to the Legislative Commission (2022-2024) and NEC liaison to the Americanism Commission (2023-2024).
Lysaght served in the U.S. Air Force from 1964-1968, which included a tour of duty in Vietnam in 1965. He continued his military service in the South Carolina State Guard and retired from the South Carolina State Guard in 2014 as a lieutenant colonel. He also served eight years as the deputy director of Veterans Affairs for Charleston County, S.C., the third largest veteran claims processing center in the state.
He is very active in his community and state and has been recognized with numerous awards. His state awarded him the Order of the Silver Crest, the highest award given to any citizen for exemplary service to the state.
Lysaght has been married to his wife, Letha, since 2001 and together they have six children, 11 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Roger Mathison
Roger Mathison was elected as a national vice commander of The American Legion during the 105th National Convention in New Orleans on Aug. 29, 2024.
Mathison has been a Paid up for Life member of the Coon Valley American Legion Post 116 in Coon Valley, Wis., since 1972. He served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1973 as an EOD specialist in the 88th Ord Det (EOD).
Mathison has held many positions at the post, county, district, department and national level of The American Legion. He was a two-time 100% post commander and served as a county, district and department (state) commander. He has had several committee appointments within the department. Mathison is currently the Wisconsin American Legion Baseball & Softball Commissioner, a position he has held since 2013. He has more than 35 years of experience in American Legion Baseball as a player, coach and commissioner. Mathison has been a member of the National Convention Commission since 2000.
A rural mail carrier, he retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2017. Mathison was also a dairy farmer and still resides on his home farm.
He has been married to his wife, Sandra, since 1973. Sandra retired from nursing at the Norseland Nursing Home in Westby, Wis. They have two children and five grandchildren. Mathison and his wife enjoy sporting events and being spectators at their grandchildren’s activities. They remain active in local community organizations and functions.