Department of TN — Squadron 104 (Sevierville, Tenn.) Sons of The American Legion member Landon “Reed” Bull is a remarkable young man, and in his 18 years he’s accomplished more than some will in their lifetime. Reed is currently a freshman at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) in Johnson City, attending on a prestigious Roan Scholars Leadership Program scholarship.

In November 2024, he attended Tennessee Intercollegiate State Legislature (TISL), a college-sponsored club designed very similar to Boys and Girls State. While there, he had to present a bill to a mock House and Senate for the club. The bill he presented (if implemented) would ensure quality end-of-life care for our veterans through the Tennessee State Veterans Homes system. It was fortuitous that his bill caught the attention of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett, who invited Reed along with East Tennessee Vice Commander (DVC) James McLaughlin to Nashville to meet with him in his office to discuss this matter further, which they happily did on Jan. 17, 2025.

While there, Reed presented Hargett with a proposal for a bill based on a real case where an honorably discharged veteran in the last four months of his life was denied the care he desperately needed and deserved. I’ll forgo the full story as this isn’t a wag-the-finger type of article, but this proposal was one Reed decided on himself after soliciting advice from several Legionnaires, especially one of his mentors McLaughlin. The proposed legislation (if passed and implemented) in the Volunteer State would go a long way to ensure that every honorably discharged veteran in Tennessee would get the end-of-life care needed, be treated with the utmost of care and given the dignity they deserve. Certainly, as Legionnaires, we can all appreciate the hard work this young 18-year-old is putting into veteran care, and we should all double down on our efforts to recruit for Boys and Girls State. After all, Reed realized how much he cared about our nation's veterans while attending Tennessee Boys State in 2023, held at Tennessee Tech in Cookeville.

I would be remiss if I didn’t brag on some of his other accomplishments. While a senior at Seymour High School in Sevier County (home of Dolly Parton), he served as student body president and played on the golf team. He also served as the 2023 National Senior Beta Club president, elected by his peers from all 50 states.