Mission
For God and country, we associate ourselves together for the following purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; To Maintain law and order; TO foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism; To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars; To inculate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state, and nation; To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; To make right the master of might; To promote peace and goodwill on Earth; To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy; To conscrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.
Organization Profile
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers, and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. Today, membership stands at over 1.6 million in more than 12,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments: one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Latin America, and the Phillipines.
Over the years, the Legion has built its identity by achieving hundreds of benefits and services for veterans, supporting the U.S. Armed Forces and instilling the values of responsible citizenship among young people. From the nation-changing of The American Legion-drafted GI Bill, to relief for veterans exposed to toxic contamination in the service, veterans of the American Legion have worked for over a century to improve and strengthen the nation they swore with their lives to defend.
Highlights
- Over 1.6 Million active members
- More than 12,000 posts across the globe
- Focus on Veterans Services and Suicide Prevention