The national commander of the American Legion urged members of Posts 3 and 213 in Vicksburg Tuesday to “work together” because “at the end of the day we are all veterans.”

Jimmie L. Foster, a Marine for three years before joining the U.S. Army for 17 years, has been national commander since Sept. 2 and travels over the world to address veterans’ organizations.

“Part of what we strive to do is promote Americanism in the community,” the Anchorage, Alaska, native told about 75 people at the luncheon. “I call it Hometown U.S.A. and we’ve got to make sure Americanism is happening at home.

“We’ve got to work together for everything these days,” Foster said. “You have to give a little and take a little, and remember that we all have a common bond — no matter what branch of the military we were a part of, at the end of the day we are all veterans.

“I look at the American Legion like I do my life,” Foster said. “You’ve got to stay positive and focused no matter what and it’ll be a win-win situation.”

Foster praised the two Vicksburg American Legion posts, saying they are “very engaged and the public knows what they’re doing.”

Wardell Wince, a 78-year-old member of Post 213 who served in Korea and Vietnam, said Foster’s visit was “something big for all of us.”