Make a difference and join our club, whether you’re a veteran or a relative of one!

The American Legion, Inc. is a federally chartered corporation formed in Paris on March 16, 1919 by veterans of the American Expeditionary Forces (A. E. F.).

Eligibility

Eligibility for American Legion membership is limited to those honorably discharged veterans, immediate family members of veterans (such as children and grandchildren), and current personnel of the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard or Air Force who served at least one day of active duty during any of the following periods:

World War I (April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918) were also eligible; the last such member of that group died in 2011.

World War II: December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946 (except that for the U.S. Merchant Marine eligibility dates are December 7, 1941 to August 16, 1945)

Korean War: June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955

Vietnam War: February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975

Lebanon and Grenada: August 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984

Panama: December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990

Persian Gulf War and Global War on Terrorism: August 2, 1990 to present

Membership peaked for the Legion right after World War II, when enrollments doubled from 1.7 million to 3.3 million. After the Korean War, there were 2.5 million Legionnaires. As baby boomers joined, membership increased to 3.1 million in 1992. However, membership has slowly been decreasing since then. In 2013, the Legion reported 2.3 million members.

Mission Statement

“The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. It is the nation’s largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.

Hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. The Operation Comfort Warriors program supports recovering wounded warriors and their families, providing them with “comfort items” and the kind of support that makes a hospital feel a little bit more like home. The Legion also raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, state and national levels to help veterans and their families during times of need and to provide college scholarship opportunities.

The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation’s veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.

The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.”

Quote: www.legion.org