Columbus American Legion post’s charter suspended, commander locked in building
Editor’s note: This story originally reported the American Legion Post 35 in Columbus was owned by the members. Caprice Green, the 3rd District Veterans Service Officer for the American Legion State of Georgia, informed the Ledger-Enquirer and provided documentation that shows, as of Jan. 1, 2025, the building was owned by Post 35 and the American Legion Department of Georgia.
The charter for an American Legion post in Columbus has been suspended — and its commander was locked inside the buliding.
Damone Turner, commander of American Legion Post 35 at 3361 N. Lumpkin Road, told the Ledger-Enquirer he went to the post Saturday morning after receiving a call to turn off an alarm at the building. Upon arriving, Turner said, he noticed some people locking the building
Turner said the Department of Georgia American Legion closed the building without warning.
“I think a lack of communication caused a big misunderstanding,” he said.
“I was locked inside, so I didn’t know that the padlocks were on there until I tried to leave out the door,” Turner said.
Turner said he got out of the building after the Muscogee County Sheriff’s Office told the state legion officials to take the locks off the doors.
Jim Fultz, adjutant for the Department of Georgia American Legion, told the Ledger-Enquirer the charter for Post 35 has been suspended. He wouldn’t explain why.
Lakesha Stringer, a former commander of Post 35, told the L-E the building is owned by the members.
“I think that’s where the issues come in is that the rights of higher entities to come in and make such an action towards the building,” Turner said.
Concern for membership
Turner expressed concern for the membership of Post 35.
“Our membership is a little older,” he said. “This is where they come to receive service because we are a service organization.”
“This is where they come to get out of the house because their kids are older and leave the house,” Turner said, “and this is where they can come communicate with people of like mind and like backgrounds.”
“When you take something away from them and this community because there’s not a lot of places for older veterans to go or older veterans to seek help here,” he said, “you kind of just subtract a big plus or a positive that’s in this community.”
‘Clarity’ but not disclosed
Turner provided an update after a meeting with the department Tuesday night.
“I think we got some clarity,” he said. “It’s good to understand their thought process and their reason behind doing it as an ambush instead of just calling and talking to us about it.”
“I think we worked out a way forward and from here on out,” Turner said. “I think we both understand each other’s concerns.”
Turner confirmed Post 35 is under suspension.
“Now, how long the suspension lasts, whether it’s a week or two weeks or a month, they expressed they wanted it to be as short as possible,” he said.
When asked for the reason for the suspension, Turner wasn’t specific but said, “They have concerns.”
“I think we addressed most of their concerns in it,” he said, “and now it’s just time to move forward and figure out how to make the future a little bit easier, where we don’t have to deal with drama.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 1:16 PM.