The American Legion Auxiliary Greer Unit #11 is honoring Clayton Rados as their December Veteran of the Month.

Rados is a Veteran of the Vietnam War. He was to be drafted, but chose to enlist with the National Guard in 1970. Clayton did his basic training at Fort Ord, a former Army base on the Pacific Ocean coast in California. That is also where he did his advanced individual training (AIT) as a basic field wireman. His job was a part of communications and involved climbing poles and wiring together switchboards. As a part of his training, his pole climbing class had a test and Rados placed second. Clayton was a part of the National Guard until 1986 when his father passed away from a heart attack and Clayton needed to completely take over the family farm.

Rados attended his training in California; there were eight other soldiers from South Dakota that did their basic and AIT in the same class as Rados including Jerry Seiner. Clayton enjoyed his four months in California as he had never experienced anywhere but South Dakota. Rados held the same AIT job his entire military career.

Clayton was born and raised on a farm just west of Dante. He attended the Lone Tree #100 Country School through eighth grade and graduated from Wagner High School in 1967. He has one brother, Allen (deceased), and sister, JoAnne. In addition to farming, Clayton sold Producer, Northrup King and Golden Harvest seed corn for over 50 years. Over the years, Clayton has enjoyed bowling, gardening and playing cards as his favorite hobbies.

Rados has been an extraordinarily active member of the Wagner and Dante communities. Clayton has been an active member of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Dante, where he served as the President of the Parish Council for four years, chairmen of the renew program, and an usher for many years. He served as President of the Dante First Ladies Slovak (Catholic Workmen); Knights of Columbus member; member of the Dante Farmers Union Oil Co. board of directors; member of the board of directors for the Bohemian Farmers Mutual Insurance; member of the Dante elevator board; 38 year member, supervisor and treasurer of the Lone Tree Township board; Lone Tree Township’s weed board; Charles-Mix county weed board; president and secretary-treasurer of Dante Lake Club; member of the Dante Fire Department; Dante Development LLC secretary-treasurer; and member of the Communities that Care. Clayton was also named 2010 Volunteer of the Year at the Good Samaritan Center in Wagner and 2015 Modern Woodmen’s Hometown Hero.

Clayton has been a very active 36-year member of the Wagner American Legion Greer Post #11. He currently holds the Commander position and has for the past three years. Previously he had been the post adjutant for 28 years. He has also been the membership chairman and the annual sweepstakes chairman for numerous years. Rados is also a member of the Wagner American Legion Honor Guard.

As the Wagner American Legion Commander, Clayton does an amazing job, but it is his personality and demeanor that make Clayton a remarkable man. Clayton is never without a smile or a joke for anyone he crosses paths with. He is an incredible man that has made his communities a better place to live and raise a family, continuing to do service for his country even after his time in the military ended. Thank you, Clayton, for all that you have given the community, your service to our country, and for being the December Veteran of the Month.