Legion Department Headquarters

Please call or email your local Post Leadership before initiating contact with Department Officers

Department Commander

Keith Coster
1304 Park Boulevard
Troy, NY 12180
518-463-2215
commander@nylegion.org

U.S. Navy veteran Keith Koster is a cancer survivor who climbed all 46 Adirondack peaks to commemorate The American Legion Centennial in 2019. His election concluded the 106th Annual Department Convention, held July 17-19, 2024 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. While in the U.S. Navy, Koster served as an electronic warfare technician aboard the USS Suribaci during the 1980s. His service included deployment to the Mediterranean.  After his honorable discharge, Koster eventually joined Xerox Corporation as a technician and became an area service manager, retiring after 33 years in 2021.  He has been a member of Adirondack Post 70 in Saratoga Springs for more than 26 years, serving in a variety of positions, including post commander. Koster also served as commander on the county and district levels before serving a term as department vice commander. His Legion involvement extends to the national level where he served on four committees.  In 2021 State Sen. Daphne Jordan, R-Halfmoon, inducted him into Senate Veterans Hall of Fame.  A native of Schenectady, Koster resides in Saratoga Springs with his wife of 39 years, Cindy. The couple has two children and two grandchildren.  A graduate of Shenendehowa High School, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in applied arts and sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).  Other than his family, in his spare time he enjoys mountaineering, pickleball, and ballroom dancing. 

Department Vice Commander, Districts 1 & 9:

Rod Rederick
 

Department Vice Commander, Districts 2 & 10:

Thomas Wagner

Department Vice Commander, Districts 3 & 4:

Gene Morrissey

Department Vice Commander, Districts 5 & 6:

Paul Douglass

Department Vice Commander, Districts 7 & 8:

Holly Trueman

Department Adjutant:

James W. Casey
1304 Park Boulevard
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 463-2215
jim@nylegion.org

National Executive Committeeman:

Timothy VanPatten

Alternate National Executive Committeeman:

Frank Peters

Treasurer 

Catherine E. Erwin

Chaplain 

Rev. Robert J. Sweeney

Judge Advocate 

W. Patrick Falvey

Judge Advocate Emeritus 

Charles G. Mills

Master-at-Arms 

Richard F. Calbo

Department Historian

David Lockhart

Department Historian Emeritus 

Raphael J. Blevins