Reason To Join The American Legion
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  1. #1

    Reason To Join The American Legion

    SIGNIFICANT DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN LEGION
    Month & Day
    Year
    Event
    March 15-17 1919 The American Legion is founded in Paris by members of the American Expeditionary Force.
    September 16 1919 The U S. Congress charters The American Legion.
    November 10-12 1919 First national convention of The American Legion convenes in Minneapolis, Minn. Organization's Constitution and Preamble are adopted. Resolution adopted supporting the Boy Scouts of American as first youth program.
    August 9 1921 U.S. Veterans Bureau, forerunner of the Veterans Administration, is created as a result of efforts by The American Legion.
    June 15 1923 First "Flag Code" is drafted during conference called by The American Legion. Congress adopted the code in 1942.
    July 17 1925 American Legion Baseball program is created.
    June 23 1935 First American Legion Boys State convenes in Springfield, Ill.
    June 1 1938 First American Legion National High School Oratorical Championship held in Norman, Okla.
    September 19-21 1942 Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion is changed for the first and only time since it was written in 1919. The word "War" is changed to "Wars."
    December 15 1943 Harry W. Colmery, past national commander of The American Legion, writes in longhand on hotel stationery the first draft of what will become the "GI Bill of Rights."
    June 22 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt signs The GI Bill into law.
    May 29 1946 A $50,000 grant from the American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary is presented to a small, struggling organization - the American Heart Association - to inaugurate a nationwide program for the study, prevention and treatment of rheumatic heart disease.
    May 4 1950 The American Legion votes to contribute funds to the field of mental health with the provision that the three major mental health organizations then in existence be amalgamated into one. They accepted this provision and the National Association for Mental Health was born.
    July 9 1954 The American Legion Child Welfare Foundation is formed.
    September 1 1966 The American Legion voices great concern over the fate of POWs in Vietnam.
    August 26 1982 The American Legion presents a $1million check to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund toward the construction of 'The Wall' in Washington, D.C.
    July 21 1983 The American Legion announces its sponsorship of an independent study of the effects of exposure to Agent Orange on Vietnam veterans. (The results of "The American Legion Columbia University Study of Vietnam-era Veterans' were presented to Congress in 1989.)
    January 1 1989 The Department of Veterans Affairs begins operations. The American Legion fought for the VA to become a cabinet-level department, arguing that veterans deserved representation in the highest conuncils fo government.
    October 16 1989 Longstanding objective of The American Legion is achieved as the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals begins operations.
    October 11 1990 The Family Support Netword of The American Legion is formed to assist the families of military personnel deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.
    June 15 1991 The American Legion's first Junior Shooting Sports National Air Rifle Championships are held at the Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs, Colo.
    April 5 1993 The First class of recently discharged veterans begins training in Sterling, VA for eventual placement in well-paying jobs in the construction industry. The landmark training and job-placement program is a joint effort by The American Legion and the Laborers' International Union of North America.
    August 24 1994 The American Legion announces creation of the Citizens Flag Alliance to work for a constitutional amendment to protect the American flag from physical desecration.
    September 24 1994 The American Legion announces partnership with the Smithsonian Institute's Air and Space Museum to develop an exhibit for the bomber Enola Gay, which droped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. Previous museum plans and drawn intense criticism from veterans, scholars and the public.
    January 30 1995 The American Legion announces acceptance of scaled-down exhibit "without political commentary" for the Enola Gay, ending the greatest controversy in the Smithsonian Institute's 149-year history.
    October 1 1995 The American Legion forms a Persian Gulf Tast Force to enhance the organization's service to these veterans.
    September 16 1996 The first $20,000 postsecondary scholarship in the Samsung - American Legion High School Scholars program are granted to 10 students.
    June 11 1997 The American Legion National Emergency Fund exceeds the $1 million mark in grants to flood victims in Ohio, Kentrucky, Indiana, Minnesota, and North Dakota.
    September 3 1997 The first National Law Enforcement Office of the Year award is presented during the 79th National Convention in Orlando, Fla.
    March 28 2000 The American Legion, the American Legion Auxiliary and the Sons of The American Legion donate $2.7 million to the World War II Memorial Fund. Donations exceed 3.4 million by year end.
    September 5 2000 The American Legion presents the first "Spirit of Service" Award to active duty service members for their off-duty volunteer activities.
    August 28-30 2001 The American Legion passes resolution to rekindle Blue Star Service Banner program.
    September 12 2001 The American Legion reactivates the Family Support Network following terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, D.C.
    October 10-11 2001 The American Legion creates the American Legacy Scholarship Fund for children of military members killed on active duty on or after September 11, 2001
    September 11 2002 The American Legion takes lead in conducting "A Day To Remember" events to mark the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the nation.
    November 8 2002 The American Legion launches national "I Am Not A Number" campaign to identify and document the delays veterans face in obtaining earned medical care benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    October 17 2003 American Legion efforts on Capitol Hill break the deadlock on the Disabled Veterans Tax when Congress creates a 10-year phase-in for service-connected disabled retirees to receive military retired pay and VA disability compensation without subtraction from either. Legion efforts also result in passage of the Military Family Tax Relief Act.
    September 3 2004 American Legion lobbying leads to more progress in elimination of the Disabled Veterans Tax with passage of PL 108-375 that eliminates the 10-year phase-in for 100 percent service-connected retirees, allowing them to immediately begin receiving both retired pay and VA disability payments.
    September 19 2004 The American Legion launches a national program, the Blue Star Salute, where posts across the country hold public events to recognize troops, their families and local businesses on Armed Forces Day.
    May 7 2005 The American Legion lobbied successfully to remove from VA funding legislation administration-proposed increases in VA prescription co-payments and institution of user fee for Priority Group 8 veterans using VA health facilities. Efforts focus on legislation to provide mandatory, vice discretionary, funding of VA health care.
    June 30 2008 President George W. Bush signs the Post-911 Veterans Education Assistance Act, a modern GI Bill strongly supported by The American Legion, which lobbied on its behalf.
    October 22 2009 President Barack Obama signs the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform Act of 2009, guaranteeing "advance funding" for VA appropriations, a formula that The American Legion has strongly supported for many years. The new law sets funding for VA on year in advance.
    It's little unknown fact the the V.F.W. Tried to lobby against the G.I. Bill at first but now they do support the G.I. Bill So if not a Member of the American Legion or The V.F.W. you need to join our program help so many young kids and Servicemen and Women...

    Last edited by Marine1955; 09-24-12 at 07:54 PM. Reason: editing out items

  2. #2
    Marine Free Member Kenneth Havelka's Avatar
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    The American Legion is a great outfit for Veterans.My post 489 in Yorkville,Ill helps a lot of Vets comming home and needing help.


  3. #3
    I get great pleasure in knowing that the dues I pay truly go to help protect and promote programs for fellow Marines and other service members. I think everyone who is a veteran should be a member.


  4. #4
    Not to hijack your thread, but there's also the Marine Corps League you can join who help out our Veterans just as much.


  5. #5
    I really want to join, but just can't afford membership fees right now.


  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by SoftballCatch23 View Post
    Not to hijack your thread, but there's also the Marine Corps League you can join who help out our Veterans just as much.
    the Legion has a free $5000 dollar Life insurance policy, Marine Corps League doesn't



  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Marine1955 View Post
    the Legion has a free $5000 dollar Life insurance policy, Marine Corps League doesn't
    I am a member of the Legion and didnt know of the free $5000 dollar Life Insurance policy. Where does it show at the Legion?


  8. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by gys View Post
    I am a member of the Legion and didnt know of the free $5000 dollar Life Insurance policy. Where does it show at the Legion?

    You have to ask for it from your post commander. He should have the form to fill out and then you send it in...


  9. #9
    Let me correct my self Oops I made a little booboo. The life insurance is a $1000 dollar policy all the time now if your attending a Legion function and you get killed or dismember it will raise up to $5,000 Dollars .. But it's free and all you need to do is ask your post commander for the form to fill out..


  10. #10

    Alittle know fact !

    I'm a member of the American Legion and it's by far the best and biggest veteran's organization to belong to ! I'm a member of the local VFW also and have been a past member of the Marine Corps League , but that was a long drive and there are few Marines where I live !


  11. #11
    None near my area, don't want to drink and drive, no time for this nor ambition. Navy Federal and Pentagon Federal offer complimentary life insurance, so does my IBT union membership.
    If I lived in a military town where there were several of these around....like on Guam. Guam had a nice American Legion, military town, lots of retirees, and a lot of fun there. Been to the ones in Angeles City in Philippines where again, lots of retirees. You can get a good American burger in there, but you can get a good burger anywhere in the Philippines to be truthful. Everything they got here, they got there. And I know its an old thread.


  12. #12
    I've checked out CHINA POST 1 years ago on their web site, but they seem so covert and don't display much information on their membership. A few years ago, I sent them some email asking about joining up with their post, but they replied that one had to be asked to join.....(On top of having American Legion) qualified dates. They claim to operate in exile. Meaning they have no home post but consider their SHANGHAI post which is no longer there their historical home.


  13. #13
    Phantom Blooper
    Guest Free Member
    American Legion Harrisburg Post # 472
    • 7599 Ave C
    • Houston, Texas 77012


    Phone (713) 926-2420
    Email al472info@gmail.com
    Website http://www.al472.com



  14. #14
    Baker1971
    Guest Free Member
    Nice !!! Now he could have done that yes ???


  15. #15
    joseywales
    Guest Free Member
    I have an idea lets all go back and bring back very old posts, like some have been doing lately. The older the better.


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