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.
The American Legion
The American Legion is the nation’s largest and most powerful organization of U.S. wartime veterans and their families. Today, it counts 2.3 million members who operate through more than 13,000 posts across the United States and beyond.
Since its inception by Congress in 1919, The American Legion has delivered substantial improvements for veterans, families and communities. The Legion ushered in the modern VA. The Legion drafted and drove home passage of the GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill. The Legion has brought into existence dozens of health-care benefits for veterans and programs designed to provide civilian careers after discharge.
The Legion works every day on behalf of U.S. servicemen and women. It is a recognized as a leader in transition assistance from military to civilian life, providing resources for careers, education, child care and more.
The Legion is active every day. Examples include:
- VA volunteers: Millions of community service hours are logged by VA-trained volunteers, and more than $1.5 million is raised annually to assist VA hospitals in local communities.
- Charities: The Legion’s robust fundraising program collects donations and turns them into grants for disaster victims, sports adaptive therapy equipment for wounded service members and scholarships for children of military members who died since 9/11.
For those looking to make an impact in local communities, The American Legion has endless opportunities.
The Legion’s services can be classified under the organization’s four pillars:
- Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation
- National Security
- Children & Youth.