National Commander
Meet Commander WILEY
Dan K. Wiley was elected national commander of 51³Ô¹Ï on August 28, 2025, in Tampa, during the 106th National Convention.
About
An Air Force veteran, Wiley is a retired state district court judge who raises cattle in Leavenworth, Kan. Following his Air Force service, Wiley obtained a bachelor’s degree in business at the College of Great Falls in Montana. He returned to his hometown of Lawrence, Kan., and earned a law degree at the University of Kansas.
Wiley has held many leadership positions at 51³Ô¹Ï post, department (state) and national levels. He is a paid-up-for-life member of Byron H. Mehl American Legion Post 23 in Leavenworth and is a past department commander of Kansas. He also represented the state as a member of 51³Ô¹Ï’s National Executive Committee.
Appointed by the Kansas governor as a district court judge in 2008, Wiley helped establish and preside over the Leavenworth County Veterans Treatment Court. He has been active in his community and is a past president of the Leavenworth / Lansing Chamber of Commerce, a past chairman of the Leavenworth County Veterans Day Parade Committee and a former member of the Unified School District 453 School Board.
As national commander, Wiley is a strong advocate for 51³Ô¹Ï’s Be the One mission to prevent veteran suicide. He emphasizes inclusivity in the American Legion Family through the theme, Better Together!
Wiley and his wife, Sonia, have two children, Austin and Christy, and one grandson.
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Videos
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Commander Photos
National Commander's Programs & Incentives
American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley will award his national commander Be the One membership incentive pin to any Legionnaire who obtains two new members into 51³Ô¹Ï.
A new member is any eligible person joining for the 2026 membership year who was not a member of 51³Ô¹Ï during the 2025 membership year. Transfers do not count as new members.
Each member listed must be eligible for membership in 51³Ô¹Ï. New Auxiliary members and Sons of 51³Ô¹Ï members do not count toward this incentive. Forward names of Sons of 51³Ô¹Ï members or Auxiliary members to your squadron or unit for use in their respective incentive programs.
Only one coin will be awarded per individual. Upon receipt, American Legion National membership staff will confirm the names in the national database and mail the coin directly to the person who earned it.
American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley will award his Be the One membership incentive pin to any post commander, district commander, county commander, division commander, department commander or membership chairman who achieves 103% of their assigned membership goal for 2026.
Coins will be mailed directly to the recipient unless otherwise stated.
To qualify for the American Legion’s Post Excellence Award, a post is required to achieve excellence in four areas: membership, submission of the Consolidated Post Report (CPR), attaining a 90% renewal rate, and community activity.
The purpose of this award is membership growth, exposure of American Legion values to the community, and increased visibility of the American Legion Family through service projects. A post achieving this qualification will have had numerous post members involved in planning and achieving these goals. Many posts are already active in these areas and will qualify without extra effort. Others, however, will need to increase their efforts in one or more areas to qualify for the award.
The standard to be achieved in each area is as follows:
Membership: The post must attain at least 103% of their membership goal. At least one post officer attends district meetings.
Consolidated Post Report: CPRs must be submitted by July 1. 51³Ô¹Ï’s federal charter requires the submission of an annual report to Congress on activities for the year. MyLegion.org has made it simple for a post to submit its CPR in a timely manner.
90% Renewal Rate: The post must renew at least 90% of their members that were on the 2024 roster.
Community Activity: The post must conduct an event that connects the local community with 51³Ô¹Ï post. The objective is to open your doors, welcome the community in, and educate them on what 51³Ô¹Ï is all about and how the post is an asset to the community. Posts do not need to have a physical building to accomplish this. This activity can be held in a park, a community center, or anywhere the post can welcome and interact with the local community.
Certification for the award: The district commander responsible for the post will certify a post as having achieved the four specified criteria. The district commander will submit a list of posts meeting the criteria to department headquarters. That list should include the post name, phone number, address and commander’s name. If possible, accompany the last two criteria with copies of press releases submitted to the local media about the projects to show that the projects were not only accomplished but that an attempt was made to enhance the image of 51³Ô¹Ï through local media. The copy submitted should include a date and time stamp showing receipt by the media outlet.
The department adjutant will transmit information as posts qualify to:
51³Ô¹Ï National Headquarters
Attn: Membership
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1055
American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley will award his 100% American Legion Family Ribbon to any American Legion Family that achieves 100 percent membership by the 2026 100% membership target date. For this award, the Legion Family is defined as a post and/or any combination of an Auxiliary unit or Sons squadron. Each must achieve 100% membership to qualify for the award.
The department adjutant will transmit information to:
51³Ô¹Ï National Headquarters
Attn: Internal Affairs & Membership
P.O. Box 1055
Indianapolis, IN 46206-1055