Paul E. Dillard Elected National Commander
Paul E. Dillard was elected national commander of
The American Legion on Sept. 2, 2021, in Phoenix during the
organization’s 102nd national convention. His theme as
national commander is “No Veteran Left Behind.” He first joined The
American Legion in 1969.
A native Texan, Dillard graduated from Whitesboro
High School in 1965 before joining the U.S. Navy and serving in
Vietnam through four campaigns including the Tet offensive. He later
received an honorable discharge as a radarman second class petty
officer from the Navy Reserve before attending Grayson County Junior
College and East Texas State University.
Dillard worked several years in the manufacturing
business as an engineer, plant manager and director of manufacturing
in Tennessee. Upon returning to Texas, he accepted a sales
representative position with Sherman Foundry and became its airplane
pilot. A career change was made when he and his wife, Donna, began
their family and he entered the insurance business specializing in
employee benefits and later forming Dillard & Gann Insurance.
As a paid-up-for-life member of American Legion
Post 265 in Lake Kiowa, Texas, Dillard served as post commander, vice
commander, adjutant and judge advocate. He coached American Legion
Baseball for more than 10 years and served as his post’s Boys State
chairman.
Dillard served the 4th District as commander and vice commander
and served the department as sergeant-at-arms, Membership &
Organization chairman, National Security chairman, Uniformed
Organization chairman, Board of Trustees chairman, and he served on
the Finance Committee and the Long-Range Planning Committee. He was
elected as Department of Texas commander in 2007.
On the national level, Dillard has served as
Alternate National Executive Committeeman, consultant to the Insurance
Committee, Distinguished Guest Committee, Children & Youth Committee,
and Media and Communications Council. He has served as chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee, chairman of the Veterans Employment &
Education Commission and chairman of the Legislative Commission. He
was elected as national vice commander in 2013.
Dillard married Donna in 1983. They have two
sons, William and his wife Allison, and Jonathon and his wife Karri,
and two grandsons Jarrett and Lukas. All are members of the American
Legion Family. Donna has been an active and dedicated member of The
American Legion Auxiliary for several years and has served in numerous
positions of leadership at all levels of the organization, including
department president in 2017-2018.