Dave Rehbein of Ames, Iowa, was elected National Commander of the 2.7 million-member American Legion on Aug. 28, 2008 in Phoenix during the 90th National Convention of the nation's largest veterans organization.

A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam era, Rehbein served as an infantryman with the 4th and 1st Armored Divisions in Germany from 1970 to 1971. After leaving the Army, he attended Wayne State College and Iowa State University, graduating with a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in metallurgy. Following graduation, he accepted a position as research metallurgist at the Ames Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, where he remained until his retirement in July 2008.

American Legion