American Legion Offers Haven For Veterans

If you’ve entered the Manhattan Beach community, you’ve passed American Legion Post 175. For 89 years, Post 175 has called Severna Park home.

The area’s post now serves approximately 700 members and the greater community at large. For the last six years, the post has been under the leadership of Ambrose Cavegn, a retired 25-year Army combat medic and commander of Post 175. Although Post 175 is an established part of the community, Cavegn said many people, including veterans, don’t know enough about the American Legion or the local post.

According to the organization’s website, the American Legion provides life-changing assistance and guidance for veterans, military personnel, their families and communities around the world.

American Legion offers its members benefits that include advice and representation for those seeking government benefits, career assistance, support for active-duty service members who are transitioning to the civilian world, financial services and planning, and job training.

For Bob Quigel, a U.S. Army infantry veteran who served from 1968-1971 and was injured in an ambush in Vietnam, the camaraderie with the men and women of Post 175 is more valuable than anything else.

“These are my brothers right here, and I love them,” said Quigel, referring to Daniel Cavegn, a 23-year retired U.S. Army recovery specialist and his brother, Ambrose. “We are all part of a bigger family. We understand each other and what we went through.”

Through several branches, including the American Legion, Sons of the American Legion, Legion Riders, and American Legion Auxiliary, the American Legion in total is first and foremost an organization for veterans and their families. Their broader reach goes much deeper into the community, though.

The post holds numerous fundraising events throughout the year. According to the post commander, a large amount of the money the organization takes in goes to multiple local and national charities.

Sponsorship is another area in which the American Legion supports the community. Post 175 sponsors baseball and rugby teams and youth organizations. Christmas and Halloween parties welcome veterans and their families to the post. Friday dinners for veterans and loved ones are a weekly event that usually fills up the facility.

Post 175 offers a bar, a large banquet hall, pool tables, slot machines and dart boards. During the week, members can be seen enjoying trivia nights, music bingo, live music and lunch specials. Outside the main building, a large field that can be used for sports is available as well as a covered pavilion complete with a tiki bar and an area for grilling.

Ambrose Cavegn said the local American Legion post also supports veterans and families through the tougher times.

“When a vet is in the hospital, and it’s determined that their death is imminent, we will get a phone call and come to their bedside,” Cavegn said. “We play their branch-of-service song, give a final salute, and stay with them till they pass away.”

Post 175 leaders also attend state, regional and national training sessions specific to veteran suicide prevention. According to the 2022 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report put out by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, there were 6,146 veteran deaths by suicide in 2020, the lowest total since 2006. Although veteran suicides are down compared to recent years, it’s a topic that Post 175 members are still adamant about.

“We are very focused on veteran suicide prevention, how to intervene and identify a veteran at risk,” Ambrose Cavegn said.

The American Legion post also provides a color guard for funerals in Crownsville or other events when a color guard is requested. Post 175 also serves as the custodial group for the Gold Star pavilion on the B&A Trail in Severna Park.

More information and eligibility requirements for the American Legion are available at www.legionpost175.org.