Bio:

 Anthony L. Gladden, a resident of Browns Mills, New Jersey, was elected State Commander of The American Legion Department of New Jersey, at its 107th Convention held in Wildwood, New Jersey on Friday, June 12, 2026.

Commander Gladden, a Panama Era veteran, and the first Gulf War Era / Global

War on Terror Era veteran, to serve as the Department Commander, enlisted in the United States Air Force on July 5, 1988, and retired on October 31, 2009.

He attended Basic Training at Lackland AFB, TX and completed additional training at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX and Fort Leonard Wood, MO. He was also stationed at Anderson AFB, Guam, Whiteman AFB, MO, McGuire AFB, NJ, as well as being deployed to Mombasa, Kenya and Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

He is a 17-year member of the McKaig-Test Mullen American Legion Post 455 in

New Egypt, Ocean County, where he is an Honorary Life member and will lead the State's largest wartime Veteran's Organization, with a membership of approximately 30,000, for the next year.

Commander Gladden has held several offices at the Post, County, and Department levels, including Post Commander, County Commander, Department Historian, Department Executive Committeeman, and Department Vice-Commander.

A strong Veterans advocate, his motto for the coming year is:

"GLADDEN TO BE THE LIGHT TO BE THE ONE"

Commander Gladden is looking forward to his year in office and helping Veterans throughout New Jersey.