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National commander delivers remarks to joint assembly of South Carolina legislature.

American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley praised South Carolina’s longtime support for veterans as he delivered remarks to a joint assembly of the state’s lawmakers in its historic capitol Feb. 25.

After citing a series of veterans benefits to include exempting military pensions from state income tax, property tax relief and the funding of state-of-the-art nursing homes, Wiley said, “South Carolina has always honored the service of veterans, regardless of whether they are a teenager training today at Fort Jackson or a soldier who served long before any of us were born.”

History was a major theme for Wiley’s address as he saluted the state’s contribution to the birth of the United States 250 years ago. “South Carolina was the scene of over 200 Revolutionary War battles and engagements. Recording history and the education of future generations are the most tangible methods to keep the legacies of our long-departed veterans alive. We salute this state’s efforts to preserve key sites such as the battlefields of Cowpens, Camden, Kings Mountain and Fort Moultrie, just to name a few. You simply cannot celebrate a great nation without remembering its greatest heroes. And South Carolina has produced them in abundance.”

Wiley also shared the story of 103-year-old World War II veteran Paul O’Dell, a life member of American Legion Post 25 in Laurens, S.C. “As he was being awarded his well-deserved French Legion of Honor in Laurens on Jan. 27, Sgt. O’Dell told the local Fox news station, ‘Now I’m serving the Lord. I’m serving Him. I’ve been serving; we are to serve others. That’s what it’s all about.’ Service to others is what our military is all about,” Wiley said to the legislature.

The testimony came a day after Wiley led a delegation from the Department of South Carolina to Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter. The delegation was briefed  by Lt. Col. Joseph Mitchell, commander of the 20^th Force Support Squadron (FSS). Mitchell mentioned child youth services as one of the biggest quality of life issues facing the FSS. “What makes our Child Youth (services) a little bit more challenging at the moment is we have serval vacancies that we’ve been unable to fill because of hiring freezes and policy that is way beyond our level.”

Prior to Wiley’s testimony, Department of South Carolina Commander Jim Rabon emphasized the importance of the national commander’s appearance before lawmakers. “They just don’t know what we want them to do, and its necessary for 91Ӱ���ƽ�� to give that information to them and help them understand that we need their help in order to make things better for veterans in this state,” said Rabon.

While Wiley said that 91Ӱ���ƽ�� has no issue with veterans choosing to pay VA-accredited firms to manage appeals for disability claims, he praised the legislature’s attempts to rein in predatory companies that are unqualified and charge excessive fees. “Criminal penalties to bad actors are the best way to keep out malevolent sharks that do not represent the best interest of the veteran,” he said, after pointing out that Legion-accredited  service officers obtained more than $29.5 billion of benefits in 2025, “without charging a penny to the veteran or their families, whether they were members of 91Ӱ���ƽ�� or not.”

After noting the varying statistics on veteran suicide, Wiley mentioned the importance of gathering accurate data. “We welcome measures that you are considering to improve coordination with your county coroners in collaboration with the veterans community to help identify and mitigate these tragedies.”

South Carolina Adjutant Bob Renner recommended that other departments follow the example set by the Palmetto State. “I think the voice of the national commander in front of any legislature carries a lot of weight. It makes the legislators more aware of what we’re  doing and what issues are important to veterans.”

Wiley concluded his remarks at the statehouse by recognizing South Carolina State Sen. Jeff Zell and State Rep. Cody Mitchell as 91Ӱ���ƽ�� Department of South Carolina 2026 Outstanding Members of the Legislature.

Wiley said Zell and Mitchell are veterans who have proven that they are “not only great lawmakers, but they are effective advocates for those who have served.”