2023-2024 Officers

2023-2024 Officers were installed in at the June 6th, 2023 meeting

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At the May 9, 2023 membership meeting, held at the East Fishkill Community Center, a new slate of officers was elected. As there was only one candidate for each position, Adjutant Don Burns cast a single vote for the entire slate. The vote was approved unanimously by the membership. Board members assumed their posts at the June 5 membership meeting held at the East Fishkill Community Center. Pizza was provided for all attendees by the post.

Commander

Jim Reynolds

Jim Reynolds

Bio:

After receiving his draft notice in November of 1965 Jim chose to enlist in the Army on December 21st. Between his basic training and his MOS (Military Occupation Specialty) course he spent his first year in New Jersey, first at Fort Dix and then at Fort Monmouth.   On his two week leave between basic and the start of his electronics course he and his wife got married.

On December 16th 1966 he was assigned to the 125th Signal Battalion, 25th Infantry Division at Cu Chi, Vietnam.  A year later he returned to the US and was assigned to the 11th Signal Brigade at Fort Huachuca, AZ.  Then in October of 1968 their daughter Teresa was born at Fort Huachuca and Jim left the service in December at the end of his enlistment.

He then worked for AT&T until his retirement in 1998.

Jim has been Post Commander in 2012 and 2013 and from 2018 to the present.  He was also the Post Finance Officer for six years and spent 15 years as Post Historian.

1st Vice Commander

Bill Meyer

Bill Meyer

 

Bio:

Bill joined American Legion Post 1758 in May of 2017. Prior to that, he
belonged to American Legion Post 1 in Washington DC for a number of
years. He served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1972. He
worked as an aircraft crew chief and also supervised in maintenance control
on T-37's, T-38's, and F105's.

After his service in the Air Force, Bill worked as an FAA licensed
aircraft and power plant technician with inspection authorization, and
remained in aircraft maintenance with major corporate flight
departments involved with large aircraft and helicopters.

 

2nd Vice Commander

John

John Polasko

 

Bio:

John enlisted in the Marine Corps while a senior in high school in Ohio. Upon graduation he was sent to boot camp at Parris Island South Carolina, individual combat training at Camp Geigar, North Carolina and specialty schools at camp Pendleton California.

His next assignment was “brig chaser”. Then he went to FMF, 1st Marine Division stationed at Hill 55 in Da Nang, Vietnam. He moved around to several other bases and Operations throughout I Corps during his tour.
John married his wife Mary Ann while stationed at Camp Lejeune North Carolina and when he left the service they moved to the Bronx. They have two children and two grandsons.

John first worked at Con Edison as a Plant Utility worker and then as a supervisor for the New York Power Authority.
He and his family have lived in Hopewell Junction for the past 44 years where John is an active member of American Legion Manny Bacon Post, a member of the Disabled American Veterans, a member of the 1st Marine Division Association and is president of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America as well as other veteran community organizations.

 

Adjutant

Don Burns

Don Burns

Bio:

Don joined the Navy in 1969 and trained as an Electronics Technician (ET). After boot camp and "A" school, he served aboard USS O'Callahan, DE-1051, off the coast of South Vietnam. In 1971, Don attended and graduated from the Navy Nuclear Power School and Nuclear Prototype training, and then was assigned to the pre-commissioning crew of USS California, DLGN 36, and served in the Reactor Control Division. Medals received: Good Conduct, National Defense and Vietnam Service.
 
Don worked at the University of Buffalo as a Sr. Reactor Operator, He also worked in sales and as a sales manager for several corporations. He was self-employed prior to retirement. He also participated in "Operation Gratitude," stuffing "Care Packages" for deployed troops.
 
Don Joined the Legion (and Post 1758) in 2009. He held the positions of Adjutant and Commander prior to First Vice Commander. He has also participated in various committees and organizations in support of veterans.

Finance

John Call

John Call

Bio:

John served in the U.S. Navy from 1961-1965 in Naval Aviation. His service as a flight crew aircrewman  special weapons took him to Alaska, Japan and Vietnam. After leaving the Navy, John went to work for Con Edison and retired in 2007. John has served as post finance officer since 2017.

Chaplain

Jeff Miedowski

Jeff Miedowski

Bio:

Upon graduating from Bayonne High School and completing one year at Pace University, Jeff was drafted into the army in April 1969. He did his basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and his MOS of Combat Engineer at Fort Lenard Wood in Missouri.

He was then assigned to the 23rd Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Division in Hanau, Germany. There he attended a 4-week training session where he completed the MOS for Atomic Demolition Specialist.

He was Honorably Discharged in April 1971 with a rank of Specialist 5. Upon his return from his tour in Germany, he married in 1973, moved to Pomona, New York in 1979, graduated from Saint Peter’s University in 1978 with a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in Business and Marketing. In 1987 they had a son.

He took an early retirement after 33 years from AT&T and Lucent Technologies. He then worked an additional 11 years in the Security and Safety Department of the North Rockland School District until his official retirement in 2017.

He was a member of Leo Ladders Post 130 of Thiells, New York for 10 years and Post Chaplain for 6 of those years.

He and his wife downsized and moved to Wappingers Falls in May of 2017. He has been a Manny Bacon Post member since 2017.

Membership

Kevin Hines

Kevin Hines

Bio:

Kevin enlisted in the U.S.Army and reported for basic training in July 1979 at Ft. Benning, Georgia. He was assigned to E company, 6th battalion, 1st infantry training brigade. Upon graduating in October 1979 from infantry school as an infantryman - anti tank gunner, he then reported to the 2nd infantry division at Camp Hovey, South Korea where he participated in 63 combat patrols on the DMZ between North and South Korea. In October 1980, Kevin left South Korea and reported to C company, 1st infantry division, at Ft. Riley, Kansas.

He left active military service and reported to C company, 10th Mountain Division of the New York State National Guard in Leeds, NY. Kevin left the National guard in 1986 and remained with the U S Army ready reserve until 1992.

Kevin is a retired New York State corrections officer.

He is an active volunteer fireman for 41 years, 38 years with the Bloomington Fire Department and 3 years with the East Fishkill Fire Department Company 4 in Wiccopee. He is also an active member of American Legion post 1758 in Hopewell Junction.

Historian

Bill Kriebel

Bill Kriebel

Bio:

A Pennsylvania native, Bill joined the Navy in '65. He served aboard USS Guadalcanal (LPH-7) while waiting to go to Nuclear Power School at Bainbridge, MD.

After graduating NPS and prototype training in upstate New York, Bill was assigned to USS George C. Marshall (SSBN-654), making 6 patrols on the “Blue” crew.

Bill finished his service aboard USS Fulton (AS-11), a submarine tender out of New London, CT and La Madalena, Spain. Bill left the Navy as MM1 (SS) and moved to New York in 1973, having married a year earlier.

After being discharged, he was hired by Consolidated Edison to work at Indian Point nuclear power plant. Bill became a licensed Senior Reactor Operator and eventually worked in the Training department as Simulator Coordinator. He retired from ConEd in 2000. He joined the American Legion in 2012 and transferred to the Manny Bacon Post a few years ago.

Sergeant-at-Arms

Jeff Boes

Jeff Boes

Bio:

Jeff is a Navy veteran who enlisted in 1984 and served for four years. After boot camp in Orlando, Fla. and "A" school in San Diego, Calif. for Machinery Repairman, Jeff was assigned to USS Puget Sound, AD-38, and was discharged as Petty Officer Third Class (MR-3). He was awarded Sea Service and Battle Excellence Awards.
 
After discharge, Jeff went to work for Metal Container Corp. and has worked there to the present.

Judge Advocate

Jay Livermore

Jay Livermore

Bio:

Jay participated in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom following his enlistment in the Marine Corps in 1998. For his six and a half years of service, he received the following awards: Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Expeditionary Medal, Sea Service Medal, Presidential Unit Citation, Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation, Iraq Campaign Medal, two Letters of Appreciation, two Meritorious Masts, and a Certificate of Commendation (Individual Award).
 
Jay has worked as a farmer, a horse trainer, in a grocery story, as a carpenter, as a mason and as a mechanic.
 
Jeff's other volunteer work includes being PTA President (Noxon Road Elementary), being a youth soccer and basketball coach, and helping out at the VA.