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The American Legion Family Department of West Virginia

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A Week That Shapes A Lifetime!

ALMBS State Logo

The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State

The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State (ALMBS) is the West Virginia version of The American Legion's Boys State program. The American Legion Boys State has been a program of The American Legion since 1935. ALMBS was founded in 1936 and holds the second oldest charter in the nation. ALMBS is the only program in the nation that is still held in the same location (WVU Jackson's Mill) where it was founded. Mountaineer Boys State typically has approximately 400 citizens that graduate from the program annually. ALMBS has numerous career paths Citizen participation. The camp is held annually and typically the second full week of June.

The American Legion Boys State is among the most respected educational programs of government instruction for high school students. Each participant becomes a part of the operation of his city, county and state government.

At the American Legion Boys State, participants are exposed to the rights and privileges, the duties and the responsibilities of a franchised citizen. The training is objective and practical with city, county and state governments operated by the students elected to the various offices. Activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, chorus and recreational programs.

High school juniors are selected by local American Legion Posts to attend the program. In most cases, expenses associated with attending this program are paid by a sponsoring American Legion Post, a local business or another community-based organization; however, individuals may sponsor an eligible candidate to the program.

The American Legion Mountaineer Boys State Leadership

Robbie Robinson
Director
Matt Sampson
Assistant Director
Randall Kocsis
Program Administrator
Bob Wines
Operations Administrator
Jacob McCarty
Technology Administrator

Governors

  • 2020: Program Cancelled
  • 2021: Program Cancelled
  • 2022: William Behrens (N)
  • 2023: Samuel Dodson (N)
  • 2024: Haden Hodge (F)
  • 2025:
  • 2026:
  • 2027:
  • 2028:
  • 2029:

Attendance

  • June 7-13, 2020: Cancelled COVID-19 Pandemic
  • June 13-19, 2021: Cancelled COVID-19 Pandemic
  • June 12-18, 2022: 198
  • June 11-17, 2023: 217
  • June 9-15, 2024: 217
  • June 8-14, 2025:
  • 2026:
  • 2027:
  • 2028:
  • 2029:

2025 Manual

  • Manual of Government

2025 Newspapers

  • Volume 86, Issue 1
  • Volume 86, Issue 2
  • Volume 86, Issue 3
  • Volume 86, Issue 4
  • Volume 86, Issue 5
  • Volume 86, Issue 6
  • Volume 86, Issue 7

Governors

  • 2010: George Capel
  • 2011: Nima Ronaghi
  • 2012: Damian Cooke
  • 2013: Eric Finch
  • 2014: Dante McCarroll
  • 2015: Carlo Perri
  • 2016: Niall Diehl
  • 2017: Angelo Cocchiaro
  • 2018: Connor Wickline
  • 2019: Carson Winkie

Attendance

  • June 13-19, 2010: 295
  • June 12-18, 2011: 307
  • June 10-16, 2012: 366
  • June 9-15, 2013: 371
  • June 8-14, 2014: 352
  • June 7-13, 2015: 387
  • June 12-18, 2016: 411
  • June 11-17, 2017: 364
  • June 10-16, 2018: 372
  • June 9-15, 2019: 349

2019 Manual

2019 Newspapers

  • Volume 82, Issue 1
  • Volume 82, Issue 2
  • Volume 82, Issue 3
  • Volume 82, Issue 4
  • Volume 82, Issue 5
  • Volume 82, Issue 6
  • Volume 82, Issue 7

Governors

Attendance

  • June 11-17, 2000: 392
  • June 10-16, 2001: 385
  • June 9-15, 2002: 405
  • June 8-14, 2003: 364
  • June 6-12, 2004: 333
  • June 12-18, 2005: 342
  • June 11-17, 2006: 318
  • June 10-16, 2007: 325
  • June 8-14, 2008: 351
  • June 14-20, 2009: 307

Governors

  • 1990: Joseph Limer
  • 1991: Joseph Tennant
  • 1992: Randall A. Campbell
  • 1993: Blair Bush
  • 1994: Ronnie Wells
  • 1995: Brandon Craft
  • 1996: Walter Greenhowe, Jr.
  • 1997: Major Newsom
    Phil Hancock - Installed June 8, 1998
  • 1998: Dwan Perry
  • 1999: Steven O'Chap

Attendance

  • June 10-15, 1990: 408
  • June 9-14, 1991: 409
  • June 7-12, 1992: 373
  • June 6-12, 1993: 264
  • June 5-11, 1994: 410
  • June 11-17, 1995: 349
  • June 9-15, 1996: 358
  • June 8-14, 1997:
  • June 7-13, 1998: 403
  • June 6-12, 1999:

Governors

  • 1980: Mark Zachwieja
  • 1981: Brent Walker
  • 1982: James Goots
  • 1983: John Gemondo
  • 1984: William Robert Spencer, Jr.
  • 1985: Anthony J. Webster
  • 1986: Timothy Absten
  • 1987: Greg Lunsford
  • 1988: Stephen Redd
  • 1989: Coy Flowers

Attendance

  • June 15-21, 1980: 378
  • June 14-20, 1981: 374
  • June 13-19, 1982: 382
  • June 12-18, 1983:
  • June 17-23, 1984:
  • June 16-22, 1985: 414
  • June 15-20, 1986: 395
  • June 14-19, 1987:
  • June 12-18, 1988: 390
  • June 11-16, 1989: 406

1986 Newspapers

  • Volume 49, Issue 1
  • Volume 49, Issue 2
  • Volume 49, Issue 3
  • Volume 49, Issue 4
  • Volume 49, Issue 5
  • Volume 49, Issue 6

1983 Newspapers

  • Volume 46, Issue 1
  • Volume 46, Issue 2
  • Volume 46, Issue 3
  • Volume 46, Issue 4
  • Volume 46, Issue 5
  • Volume 46, Issue 6

Governors

  • 1970: Van Jetson Daniels
  • 1971: Donald Franklin Copenhaver
  • 1972: Steve Anthony Hill
  • 1973: Elliot Hicks
  • 1974: Charles William Loeb, Jr.
  • 1975: Sam Matthew Spenia
  • 1976: Charles Hughie Smith
  • 1977: John Alan Willis
  • 1978: Timmy Dean Wheeler
  • 1979: Joseph Caro

Attendance

  • 1970: 358
  • 1971: 360
  • June 18-24, 1972: 371
  • June 17-23, 1973: 386
  • 1974: 369
  • June 15-21, 1975: 362
  • June 13-19, 1976:
  • June 12-18, 1977: 380
  • June 18-24, 1978:
  • June 17-23, 1979: 370

1977 Newspapers

1976 Newspapers

1974 Newspapers

  • Volume 37, Issue 1
  • Volume 37, Issue 2
  • Volume 37, Issue 3
  • Volume 37, Issue 4
  • Volume 37, Issue 5
  • Volume 37, Issue 6

1973 Newspapers

  • Volume 36, Issue 1
  • Volume 36, Issue 2
  • Volume 36, Issue 3
  • Volume 36, Issue 4
  • Volume 36, Issue 5
  • Volume 36, Issue 6

1971 Newspapers

  • Volume 34, Issue 1
  • Volume 34, Issue 2
  • Volume 34, Issue 3
  • Volume 34, Issue 4
  • Volume 34, Issue 5
  • Volume 34, Issue 6

1970 Newspapers

  • Volume 33, Issue 1
  • Volume 33, Issue 2
  • Volume 33, Issue 3
  • Volume 33, Issue 4
  • Volume 33, Issue 5
  • Volume 33, Issue 6

Governors

  • 1960: Dean Thompson
  • 1961: Glenn Kiger
  • 1962: Phillip J. Peters
  • 1963: Thomas I. Craig, Jr.
  • 1964: Tom Stewart Way
  • 1965: Kerry Bethel Jarrell
  • 1966: Carl Michael Akers
  • 1967: Malcolm Barrett Louden
  • 1968: Charles Michael Connor
  • 1969: Harry Layne Hull

Attendance

  • 1960: 346
  • June 4-10, 1961: 348
  • June 3-9, 1962: 347
  • 1963: 351
  • 1964: 348
  • 1965: 352
  • 1966: 350
  • 1967: 353
  • 1968:
  • 1969: 429

1969 Newspapers

  • Volume 32, Issue 1
  • Volume 32, Issue 2
  • Volume 32, Issue 3
  • Volume 32, Issue 4
  • Volume 32, Issue 5
  • Volume 32, Issue 6

1968 Newspapers

  • Volume 31, Issue 1
  • Volume 31, Issue 2
  • Volume 31, Issue 3
  • Volume 31, Issue 4
  • Volume 31, Issue 5
  • Volume 31, Issue 6

1967 Newspapers

  • Volume 30, Issue 1
  • Volume 30, Issue 2
  • Volume 30, Issue 3
  • Volume 30, Issue 4
  • Volume 30, Issue 5
  • Volume 30, Issue 6

1966 Newspapers

  • Volume 29, Issue 1
  • Volume 29, Issue 2
  • Volume 29, Issue 3
  • Volume 29, Issue 4
  • Volume 29, Issue 5
  • Volume 29, Issue 6

1965 Newspapers

  • Volume 28, Issue 1
  • Volume 28, Issue 2
  • Volume 28, Issue 3
  • Volume 28, Issue 4
  • Volume 28, Issue 5
  • Volume 28, Issue 6

1964 Newspapers

  • Volume 27, Issue 1
  • Volume 27, Issue 2
  • Volume 27, Issue 3
  • Volume 27, Issue 4
  • Volume 27, Issue 5
  • Volume 27, Issue 6

1963 Newspapers

  • Volume 26, Issue 1
  • Volume 26, Issue 2
  • Volume 26, Issue 3
  • Volume 26, Issue 4
  • Volume 26, Issue 5
  • Volume 26, Issue 6

1961 Newspapers

  • Volume 24, Issue 1
  • Volume 24, Issue 2
  • Volume 24, Issue 3
  • Volume 24, Issue 4
  • Volume 24, Issue 5
  • Volume 24, Issue 6
  • Volume 24, Issue 7

1960 Newspapers

  • Volume 23, Issue 1
  • Volume 23, Issue 2
  • Volume 23, Issue 3
  • Volume 23, Issue 4
  • Volume 23, Issue 5
  • Volume 23, Issue 6
  • Volume 23, Issue 7

Governors

  • 1950: Ted Rake
  • 1951: Robert Morgan
  • 1952: Jim St. Clair
  • 1953: Russel A. Thom, Jr.
  • 1954: Charles F. Lucas
  • 1955: Burton A. Dudding
  • 1956: John Frye
  • 1957: John F. Kile
  • 1958: Dean Hunneshagen
  • 1959: William D. Shaffer

Attendance

  • 1950: 331
  • 1951: 319
  • 1952: 329
  • 1953: 329
  • 1954: 339
  • 1955: 336
  • June 3-9, 1956: 347
  • June 2-8, 1957: 349
  • 1958: 345
  • 1959: 342

1959 Newspapers

  • Volume 22, Issue 1
  • Volume 22, Issue 2
  • Volume 22, Issue 3
  • Volume 22, Issue 4
  • Volume 22, Issue 5
  • Volume 22, Issue 6
  • Volume 22, Issue 7

1958 Newspapers

  • Volume 21, Issue 1
  • Volume 21, Issue 2
  • Volume 21, Issue 3
  • Volume 21, Issue 4
  • Volume 21, Issue 5
  • Volume 21, Issue 6

1955 Newspapers

  • Volume 18, Issue 1
  • Volume 18, Issue 2
  • Volume 18, Issue 3
  • Volume 18, Issue 4
  • Volume 18, Issue 5
  • Volume 18, Issue 6

1954 Newspapers

  • Volume 17, Issue 1
  • Volume 17, Issue 2
  • Volume 17, Issue 3
  • Volume 17, Issue 4
  • Volume 17, Issue 5
  • Volume 17, Issue 6

1953 Newspapers

  • Volume 16, Issue 1
  • Volume 16, Issue 2
  • Volume 16, Issue 3
  • Volume 16, Issue 4
  • Volume 16, Issue 5
  • Volume 16, Issue 6

1952 Newspapers

  • Volume 15, Issue 1
  • Volume 15, Issue 2
  • Volume 15, Issue 3
  • Volume 15, Issue 4
  • Volume 15, Issue 5
  • Volume 15, Issue 6

1951 Newspapers

  • Volume 14, Issue 1
  • Volume 14, Issue 2
  • Volume 14, Issue 3
  • Volume 14, Issue 4
  • Volume 14, Issue 5
  • Volume 14, Issue 6

1950 Newspapers

  • Volume 13, Issue 1
  • Volume 13, Issue 2
  • Volume 13, Issue 3
  • Volume 13, Issue 4
  • Volume 13, Issue 5
  • Volume 13, Issue 6

Governors

  • 1940: James H. Fresh
  • 1941: Jack Lee
  • 1942: Richard Turner
  • 1943: Program Cancelled
  • 1944: Tom Langfih
  • 1945: Program Cancelled
  • 1946: Dave Daugherty
  • 1947: Elmer H. Freese
  • 1948: David Hermansdorfer
  • 1949: Henry "Hoppy" Shores

Attendance

  • 1940: 404
  • 1941: 404
  • 1942: 400
  • 1943: Cancelled WWII Rationing
  • 1944: 363
  • 1945: Cancelled WWII Rationing
  • 1946: 298
  • 1947: 323
  • 1948: 337
  • 1949: 324

1949 Newspapers

  • Volume 12, Issue 1
  • Volume 12, Issue 2
  • Volume 12, Issue 3
  • Volume 12, Issue 4
  • Volume 12, Issue 5
  • Volume 12, Issue 6

1948 Newspapers

  • Volume 11, Issue 1
  • Volume 11, Issue 2
  • Volume 11, Issue 3
  • Volume 11, Issue 4
  • Volume 11, Issue 5
  • Volume 11, Issue 6

1947 Newspapers

  • Volume 10, Issue 1
  • Volume 10, Issue 2
  • Volume 10, Issue 3
  • Volume 10, Issue 4
  • Volume 10, Issue 5
  • Volume 10, Issue 6

1946 Newspapers

  • Volume 9, Issue 1
  • Volume 9, Issue 2
  • Volume 9, Issue 3
  • Volume 9, Issue 4
  • Volume 9, Issue 5
  • Volume 9, Issue 6

1944 Newspapers

  • Volume 8, Issue 1
  • Volume 8, Issue 2
  • Volume 8, Issue 3
  • Volume 8, Issue 4
  • Volume 8, Issue 5
  • Volume 8, Issue 6

1942 Newspapers

  • Volume 7, Issue 1
  • Volume 7, Issue 2
  • Volume 7, Issue 3
  • Volume 7, Issue 4
  • Volume 7, Issue 5
  • Volume 7, Issue 6

1941 Newspapers

  • Volume 6, Issue 1
  • Volume 6, Issue 2
  • Volume 6, Issue 3
  • Volume 6, Issue 4
  • Volume 6, Issue 5
  • Volume 6, Issue 6

1940 Newspapers

  • Volume 5, Issue 1
  • Volume 5, Issue 2
  • Volume 5, Issue 3
  • Volume 5, Issue 4
  • Volume 5, Issue 5
  • Volume 5, Issue 6

Governors

  • 1936: Leslie G. Reed
  • 1937: Paul Cronin
  • 1938: William G. Miller
  • 1939: Rodney Wolford

Attendance

  • 1936: 300
  • 1937: 413
  • 1938: 337
  • 1939: 380

1939 Newspapers

  • Volume 4, Issue 1
  • Volume 4, Issue 2
  • Volume 4, Issue 3
  • Volume 4, Issue 4
  • Volume 4, Issue 5
  • Volume 4, Issue 6

1938 Newspapers

  • Volume 3, Issue 1
  • Volume 3, Issue 2
  • Volume 3, Issue 3
  • Volume 3, Issue 4
  • Volume 3, Issue 5
  • Volume 3, Issue 6

1937 Newspapers

  • Volume 2, Issue 1
  • Volume 2, Issue 2
  • Volume 2, Issue 3
  • Volume 2, Issue 4
  • Volume 2, Issue 5
  • Volume 2, Issue 6

1936 Newspapers

  • Volume 1, Issue 1
  • Volume 1, Issue 2
  • Volume 1, Issue 3
  • Volume 1, Issue 4
  • Volume 1, Issue 5
  • Volume 1, Issue 6

Past Directors

  • 1938-1941: R. Worth Shumaker
  • 1941-1943: Allen Simmons
  • 1943-1945: M. R. Dodd
  • 1945-1960: W. R. Fugitt
  • 1960-1981: Tommy Jones
  • 1981-2002: Robert Lee Stine
  • 2002-2011: Clarence Walton
  • 2011-2021: James W. Davis
  • 2021-Current: David L. "Robbie" Robinson

National Awards

  • 2014: National American Legion Press Association Robert L. Morril Social Media Award First Place - Administered by Jacob McCarty, Michael Sluss and Luke Kopp
  • 2014: National American Legion Press Association Mary B. Howard Website Award Third Place - Administered by Jacob McCarty, Michael Sluss and Luke Kopp

WV SAL Squadron 200

Commanders

  • 2001-2009: Steve Sluss
  • 2009-2010: Randall K. Kocsis
  • 2010-2019: James Dague
  • 2019-Current: Josh Smith