RATHDRUM - Rathdrum's new and only veterans group is marching to serve the community.

Rathdrum American Legion Post 154 held its first meeting on Wednesday night at the Rathdrum Lions Club hall.

"We've got a great group of people who have come together who want to work with the community of Rathdrum," Cmdr. Dee Sasse said. "We want to help veterans and serve the community at the deck plate level."

The American Legion had a post in Rathdrum in the 1980s before it dissolved. In more recent years, there was also a Veterans of Foreign Wars post.

The new Legion group has been granted a temporary 90-day charter and, if it proves that it's established with regular meetings, it will be granted a permanent charter.

Sixteen veterans signed the charter to get the group off the ground.

Assisting Sasse in leadership will be: Mike Warren, first vice commander; Margaret Ogram, second vice commander; Bryan Bledsoe, adjutant; Al Ogram, historian; Charlie Till, service officer; Len Crosby, finance officer; Paul Atwood, chaplain; Jeffrey Broadhead, judge advocate; Bill Kinder, sergeant-at-arms; and Lew Allert, Helen Kinder and Rod Engel, members at large.

Sasse said about 15 other veterans have already expressed an interest in becoming members.

Sasse said the post is expected to be named after Manuel Schneidmiller, who served in the Marines during World War II and retired as a lieutenant colonel. The Schneidmiller family has deep roots on the Rathdrum Prairie in both agriculture and real estate.

"I think that it's wonderful what the Schneidmillers have done for the prairie," said Sasse, who recently served as first vice commander for American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls.

Sasse said the Rathdrum Legion will assist the city with Veterans Day and Memorial Day services, work with youth on programs including flag etiquette, support legislation, provide burial services, help veteran families in need, participate in parades and other community events and work alongside other groups in the community.

Rathdrum Mayor Vic Holmes and the city council signed a letter of support to create a Legion post in Rathdrum.

"It is exciting news for our community to once again have a veterans group in the city," said Brett Boyer, city administrator.

Some residents were interested in forming a new VFW post in Rathdrum last year, Boyer said. In the meantime, some Legion members approached the city in November and said they were interested in starting a Legion post in Rathdrum.

"Having an American Legion post does not preclude having a VFW and it is possible that one could still be formed if there is interest, but much of the interest and energy is now going to the American Legion post as they get started here," Boyer said.

The Rathdrum Legion meets at 6 p.m. on the last Wednesday of every month at the Lions Club at Highway 53 and Meyer Road. Meetings are open to the public.

In another recent development involving the American Legion, the organization agreed to allow Rathdrum and Spirit Lake to have a Legion baseball program separate from the Prairie program that also included players from Post Falls, Sasse said.