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Proclamation honoring the efforts of the American Legion National Commander Brett P. Reistad.
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WHEREAS, Allegheny County Council welcomes American Legion Department National Commander Brett P. Reistad upon the momentous occasion of his visit to Springdale American Legion Post 764; and
WHEREAS, National Commander Reistad, of Manassas, Virginia, has been a member of the nation’s largest veterans organization since 1981; and
WHEREAS, with bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Bluefield College, National Commander Reistad is a retired lieutenant with the Fairfax County Police Department following twenty-six years of service. After retirement, he began his second career as a law service coordinator for the Regional Organized Crime Information Center of the Regional Information Sharing Systems Program, a congressionally funded law enforcement investigative assistance program of the U.S. Department of Justice; and
WHEREAS, National Commander Reistad is a life member and past commander of Post 270 in McLean, Virgina and has served as department (state) commander from 2005 to 2006; and
WHEREAS, National Commander Reistad’s Legion membership eligibility is through his honorable Vietnam War-era service (1974-78) as an active duty U.S. Army infantryman, where he served with the Presidential Salute Battery of the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) at the historic Fort Myer, Virginia. He has since been honored as a Distinguished Member of the Regiment; and
WHEREAS, National Commander Reistad recently completed a six-year appointment as chairman of the Department Legislative Committee and two three-year terms as a gubernatorial appointee to the Commonwealth of Virginia's Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizatios. In those roles, he helped coordinate the input of 23 veterans service organizations in crafting veteran-friendly legislation and advocating the proposed legislation before the governor and General Assembly. He is also a tenured past department historian and was recently bestowed an honorary life membership by the National Association of Department Historians of the American Legion; and
WHEREAS, this year, National Commander Reistad has selected the theme of “Celebrating Our Legacy," with special emphasis on the organization's centennial;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that I, Allegheny County Council Member Nicholas Futules, do hereby commend and honor the efforts of the American Legion National Commander Brett P. Reistad, and on behalf of Allegheny County Council, we thank him for his outstanding service and exceptional leadership benefitting our Nation’s service members, veterans and their families.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto caused the Seal of the County of Allegheny to be affixed this 3rd day of April 2019.