The American Legion national commander will pay a first-ever visit to Northwest Colorado, and longtime local rancher Jim Stanko, adjutant for American Legion Post 44 in Steamboat Springs, expressed excitement about weekend events that include a local meet-and-greet on Sunday.

“We’ve never had a national commander come to the Western Slope in the 106 years that the American Legion has existed,” said Stanko, who served in the U.S. Army from 1970-1972. “This is kind of neat.”

Stanko said he is thrilled that the new national commander, Dan Wiley, a retired Kansas district court judge and an Air Force veteran, will visit the newly renovated Veterans Center at 924 Lincoln Ave.

Wiley was elected national commander at the American Legion’s 106^th national convention in August. He served 28 years as a judge in Leavenworth, Kansas and is a past department commander of the Kansas American Legion. He is also a cattle rancher in Leavenworth and has served in numerous roles at every level of The American Legion, including terms on the board of directors of the National Executive Committee. He is a member of Byron H. Mehl American Legion Post 23.

At 3 p.m. Sunday, the commander will visit the Elks Lodge in Craig. He will arrive in Hayden at 4 p.m. where he will meet with members from American Legion posts in Craig, Steamboat, Hayden, Meeker, Yampa and Granby and have dinner. Following his stop at Hayden American Legion Post 89, he will travel to the Veterans Center in Steamboat Springs and host a Sunday meet-and-greet from 6:30-7:30 p.m.

“I’m excited they’re coming,” said Jeff Steck, Veterans Center president. “I was happy that Jim (Stanko) wanted to bring him out and we could show him (the newly renovated Veterans Center) and see what he thinks of the idea of some of the other American Legions doing the same thing to protect their buildings.”

This corner of the state is just one stop for the newly elected national commander, who plans to visit other Colorado veterans and communities after leaving Steamboat. On Monday, Wiley will visit Buena Vista and Colorado Springs. On Sept. 16 he will visit Trinidad Post 11 and Walsenburg Post 16 before heading back to Colorado Springs for dinner.

On Sept. 17 the commander is slated to take part in several other events including a visit to the Bruce McCandless Veterans Community Living Center in Florence and dinner at an American Legion Post in Colorado Springs.

“It means a lot to us because it shows that we’re finally being recognized,” Stanko said. “Our posts have been some of the top posts through the state over the years … so it just kind of shows that they are finally recognizing that the Western Slope exists.”