POST 375 OFFICERS

Post 375 Officers

The officers of American Legion Palo Alto Post 375 embody the spirit of service, dedication, and patriotism.

They work to support and advocate for local Veterans and their families, making American Legion Palo Alto Post 375 a vital and growing force for Veterans within the community.

Raymond Powell

COMMANDER

Raymond Powell concluded a 35-year career in the United States Air Force in November 2021. After enlisting in 1986 he was trained as a Vietnamese linguist, then served tours in the Philippines and Hawaii before receiving his commission in 1993 through Officer Training School. He went on to serve in various operations management and cyber communications roles.

Ray commanded the Air Force Honor Guard in Washington DC from 2009 to 2011, then entered training to become a foreign area officer. He served as the Air Attaché to Vietnam from 2013 to 2016, and the Senior Defense Official/Defense Attaché to Australia from 2017 to 2020. His other assignments have included Japan, Germany, two tours in Qatar and three in the Pentagon. He also deployed to combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ray was a 2021 Fellow at the Distinguished Careers Institute at Stanford University, and is currently working on a project for Stanford’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation.

William von Kaenel

FIRST VICE COMMANDER

William von Kaenel served in the Air Force as an Anesthesiologist 1990-1993, and was deployed to RAF Fairford in support of Operation Desert Storm. A 1980 graduate of Stanford, lives in his home town of Los Gatos, and practices interventional pain in private practice.