Standing guard for American Legion

Adjutant David Yahr of Hope has Sanford American Legion Post 443 growing in membership

Standing on guard for American Legion

DAVE SHANE

for the Daily News

David Yahr, of Hope, spent the first part of his working life serving his country in the U.S. Navy.

Now retired, he is serving local veterans at the Sanford American Legion Post 443 – one of the most popular and growing veterans’ organizations in this part of the state. he admits that, since joining the group in 2013, he has become committed to it.

“I think it was something I needed at the time,” he said. “I pretty much fell in love with it.”

His story began in 1982, when the Eagle Scout and Meridian High School graduate, who was attending Northwood University at the time, did something that many of his family members have done. He decided to serve his country.

“I got that military itch and signed up for the Navy,” Yahr said. “There’s about 30 veterans in my family. I have relatives in every branch of the service.” He said he settled on the Navy because “I couldn’t see myself living in tents.”

After 24 years of service in naval intelligence, he retired, came home, and returned to Northwood University, where he got his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in business administration. He then worked eight