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Middleburg American Legion Post 295 Has Proud Past
Middleburg American Legion Post 295 Has Proud Past
By Ronen Feldman
When Gary Nickelson returned to civilian life in 2015, he’d spent most of his adult life as either a soldier or a contractor for the U.S. Army. Once a soldier, always a soldier, however, and to Gary that meant helping veterans, the reason he decided to join the American Legion.
Nationally, the Legion is known for advocating for veterans through lobbying and promoting beneficial legislation. There are hundreds of posts nationwide, each dedicated to serving their communities, and Middleburg is no exception.
The post dates back almost a century when its founders purchased the first facility, making it one of the only posts in Loudoun with a physical location. Between World War II and the Vietnam War, it was among the most popular Legion posts in the country, with over 200 members.
“We’re here to help veterans navigate through civilian life,” Gary said. “There are dark paths people can go down, and the red tape in organizations like the Department of Veteran Affairs isn’t much help. With us, these fine men and women have someone who can relate to their struggles, support their families, help them navigate the job market and even provide them with an open kitchen.”
The Middleburg Post 295 conducts monthly meetings and is funded by donations, including WWII veteran and member Franklin Payne He donated the money for a new sound system when he had trouble hearing what was being said during meetings.
“When my folks got me a membership at first I thought it was going to be a depressing discussion group filled with old men,” Gary said. “Instead I found a group of the most incredible people hoping to use their expertise and influence to better their community and inspire patriotism and service.”
Gary became the post’s commander in 2022 after serving as Vice Commander for two years. Software engineer by day, some of his life’s most important milestones happened when he was in the service.
He enlisted immediately after graduating college, and met his wife during basic training. He was deployed to Afghanistan with the 101st Airborne, where they later had their daughter. The family became adept at moving because of his work, splitting time between Afghanistan, Iraq and Virginia. When he finally retired, moving to Loudoun County was the obvious choice.
Membership in the Middleburg post has fallen off to about 60, with the pandemic being one contributing factor. Gary hopes to increase that closer to 100 and also wants to build up the post’ s partnerships around Loudoun.
One such partnership is with the Virginia Piedmont Heritage Area Association. Historical education and preservation are of the utmost importance to the American Legion. Partnering with schools, the Scouts and other organizations to teach children about tradition, flag etiquette, and sending girls to the American Legion Auxiliary Virginia Girls State program are a source of pride.
Other major post contributions include helping to conserve parks and other natural areas and protecting them from development. And recently, the post hosted the event to mark the promotion of Shaun Jones to Middleburg’s Chief of Police.
Gary frequently attends town council meetings, and even though commanders are expected to commit to two years, he doesn’t rule out staying longer.
“Middleburg is famous nationwide for a number of reasons,” he said. “It’s time to have the best American Legion post, too.”
