Three members of VFW Post 7764 travelled to Post 660 in Savannah on Saturday, October 28, 2023, and picked up the rewards for achieving All-American status for the third time in three years. Commander Ronnie McCall, Quartermaster Ronnie Thomas, and Adjutant William "Billy" Morgan represented the VFW, and Guard-Trustee Elaine Wallace represented the VFW Auxiliary.
Among other business matters for the day, State Commander Patsey Schreiber and 6th District Commander Curtis Talley presented the All-American Commander’s cap to Ronnie McCall along with the Commander’s certificate and the Post certificate. Post 7764 first made All-American and All-State in 2020-21, although the post narrowly missed All-State in 2019-20. Additionally, Post 7764 received the 2022-23 National Outstanding Community Service Award for the State of Georgia in August of 2023.
“We are proud of becoming an All State-All American Post three times in a row,” Commander McCall said. “In reality, we should have been an All-State and/or All-American Post since 2015, because we were doing just about everything necessary to achieve that status. But changing over from reporting via pencil and paper to reporting by computer was not easy for some of us. Quartermaster Ronnie Thomas is truly computer literate, and that is instrumental in getting the things we do reported to State and National. He leaves no stone unturned, and as a former Navy recruiter, he knows how to recruit. I tell potential recruits that I’m giving their name and phone number to Ronnie Thomas, and he will aggravate the pure Hades out of them until they join. It usually works. Soon enough, they give up and join. Additionally, Ronnie enjoyed military life, and it naturally meshes with his job as Quartermaster and doing those things necessary to make All State-All American. He enjoys what he is doing, and he’s a really good fit for his job.”
Quartermaster Thomas realizes that he has the support and cooperation of a strong membership. Coach Erk Russell often said that “Good luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity.” Perhaps it could also be said that VFW All-State and All-American honors occur when a good post meets a dedicated Quartermaster.