View a video of the 2009/2010 year in review.
The 2010 Department Convention held at the Harrisburg Hilton Hotel was a great success. View the great pictures below.
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 veterans service organization, committed to mentoring and sponsorship of youth programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting a strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow servicemembers and veterans.
In contrast to other veterans organizations, the Legion offers a number of local programs and activities to strengthen its commitment to our nation’s grass roots and the people we serve. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs; it continues to educate youths on the importance of sportsmanship and develops the quality of our country’s citizenship. The Heroes to Hometowns program is the only nationwide reintegration assistance service for wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, millions of dollars in donations have been given to fellow veterans and their families in times of grief, and various scholarship opportunities ensure the future success of our youth.
The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvements in the legislation process. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to their community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands not behind politics, but the issues and people that institute progress by focusing on veterans rights and quality of life.
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.
The Four Pillars of The American Legion Booklet (PDF)
Need a Lift? To educational opportunities, scholarships, grants, student loans, careers and employment.
The American Legion publishes a comprehensive roundup of educational opportunities – including state and federal education benefits for veterans – in a booklet titled “Need a Lift?” Nearly 30,000 copies are distributed to educational institutions each year. It contains up-to-date information on:
- The basics of higher-education funding
- A listing of federal education benefits and programs, including loans, grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, tax benefits and educational IRAs
- A listing of state education benefits and programs
- Scholarships, grants and loans administered or supported by The American Legion
- Military resources
- Private funding sources
- An index of books and e-newsletters on education benefits
- Basic information on four-year colleges around the United States
- Contact information
The American Legion is again competing for $250,000 for the Legacy Scholarship Fund in July. Additionally, we are entered for August on behalf of job fairs, in which we are quite active. Let’s make it a point to let our “address books” know that we need them to vote every day for the next two months in order to win $500,000 for American Legion Charities. Go to www.legion.org and click on the Pepsi Refresh icon.
Portion of proceeds will benefit Legion programs
INDIANAPOLIS (June 9, 2010) – A new documentary detailing the 91-year history of The American Legion has just been released and is currently available through the organization’s Web site and Flag & Emblem Sales division.
“History of The American Legion: A National Legacy” was produced by Blackhorse Productions, a California-based company that specializes in military documentaries. Narrated by actor Neal McDonough (Band of Brothers), the movie traces the World War I roots of The American Legion and follows its history from its founding through its support for the military during the Global War on Terrorism.
“The American Legion has been the leading voice for veterans and the military since 1919,” National Commander Clarence E. Hill said. “While many people know that The American Legion played a pivotal role in the creation of the GI Bill, they don’t necessarily know the fascinating history behind it. From the elevation of the VA to cabinet-status to the administration of some of the most successful youth programs in the country, The American Legion has too many noteworthy accomplishments for me to mention here. I am pleased that we now have a DVD that brings the illustrious history of The American Legion to life. This would make a great gift for any Legionnaire and a great educational tool for the general public.
“The National Executive Committee passed Resolution 6 during its October 2008 meetings, which authorized The American Legion to cooperate with Blackhorse Productions in the creation of the documentary. The project was completed at no cost to The American Legion, with a portion of the sales proceeds being allocated to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, Child Welfare Foundation and National Emergency Fund.
“Preserving history and teaching viewers about the contributions and sacrifices made by our veterans is a passion for Blackhorse Productions,” said Jason Heit, Executive Producer and CEO. “We were extremely excited to not just tell the great story of The American Legion, but to include the American Legion Auxiliary, Sons of the American Legion and the American Legion Riders.”
The DVDs cost $19.95 each and are available online at www.emblem.legion.org or by calling 1-888-453-4466. The stock number is 755.906.
With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and the mentoring of youth. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.
As the department convention is approaching, I’m preparing several mini-movies to be shown before, during, or even right after the convention sessions. The mini-movies will be pictures of our Pennsylvania American Legion “Posts-in-Action” set to patriotic music. And I want to include pictures from your Post, your District, your programs!
This year’s Pennsylvania American Legion Department Convention will be held at the Hilton Hotel in Harrisburg from July 15th to the 18th. After the convention, I will post the mini-movies to Department’s website for everyone to view.
The mini-movies will be made from pictures of the events involving our Pennsylvania Legion Posts. You can send pictures of your Post meetings, Christmas party, Oratorical contest, summer picnic, Legion baseball, testimonial dinner, the front of your Post building, Memorial Day parade, Veterans Day event, visiting a local school, welcoming home our current military, flag burning ceremony, or any other event held by your American Legion Post supporting your community, children & youth, Americanism and of course our veterans.
The mini-movies will be similar to the movie shown at the January Housing for Homeless Veterans benefit dinner. If you did not see the movie you can go to Department’s website to view the movie.
You can:
Send me your pictures taken during the 2009 -2010 membership year via email no later than June 15, 2010
Send as many as 25 pictures to be included as part of the mini-movies – you can send as many emails as necessary to send the 25 pictures
Write your Post # on the subject line of the email
Or mail a CD with the 25 pictures on it to Shannon Kyle, 2072 Rockfield Road, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15243 – please include your Post number with the CD
Do Not send the actual pictures – I need the pictures by email or CD only
If you don’t have pictures then ask around; you may have a Post Historian, Post Adjutant, Post Commander, or even any other members from your Post can have pictures from this current membership year 2009-2010.
An effort to increase the number of fans of the Legion’s Facebook site has resulted in more than 2,300 people signing on as fans in less than two days. But we’re not finished.
Since November, the number of fans on the Legion’s official Facebook page, The American Legion Online Update, has seen steady growth, topping more than 6,500 members this week. Launched in June 2008, the page showed modest growth until the launch of the new American Legion Web site Nov. 8. In the past two days alone, the amount of fans has grown from just over 6,500 to more than 8,800.
While we’re happy with the growth, we’re not satisfied. The Legion has a goal of hitting 10,000 fans before the national convention in August. On the current pace, that goal could be surpassed within the next week. So why not set a goal of 20,000 by the national convention? With your help, we can do it.
The American Legion Online Update is a great source of information, providing direct links to the biggest stories on the Legion’s Web site and the Burn Pit blog site, as well as to news stories from all over the Internet that are of interest to Legion family members. And it’s also a great place to interact with your fellow Legionnaires; on two separate days in March, there were 178 and 139 comments, respectively, posted by fans to the page.
To become a fan, simply click here and then click “Become a fan.” Help us hit 20,000 fans.
On our Twitter page, The American Legion has experienced a similar rapid growth since the Nov. 8 launching of the organization’s new Web site. In about five months, the Legion’s number of followers has nearly doubled, almost amassing 2,000 followers - a rather significant milestone. Help continue the growth by signing up for Twitter and following the Legion. The interactive feed gives up-to-the-minute updates on Legion events, military news and veterans concerns.
Don’t forget your Department is also on facebook.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 26, 2009) - Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano says her agency wants to be identified as a resource for preparedness rather than a purveyor of fear. In an address before thousands gathered at The American Legion’s 91st national convention in Louisville, Ky. today, she said that members of the nation’s largest veterans service organization can play an important role in that mission.
With its disaster preparedness education programs already in place, “the Legion is in a unique position to help,” she said. Napolitano appealed for the Legion’s assistance in meeting not just threats posed by terrorists, but by weather - and evidenced by recent flooding in Louisville itself - and disease, such as the expected outbreak of the H1N1 or “swine” flu this fall. “The Legion and its Auxiliary (have) been supporters (of our efforts) in the past and I am asking you to re-energize that participation and that partnership with us,” she said.
The DHS Secretary also delivered a status report on what her agency is doing to benefit military veterans. “We have now 2,100 service disabled veterans that we are employing at the Department of Homeland Security,” she announced to warm applause. She then vowed to have 50-thousand vets in the DHS work force by 2012. “But wait, there’s more, she continued, “.and this was an idea we hatched in a meeting with your commander — we held our first ever job fair for veterans. We had 745 veterans and their spouses attend.and I am pleased to report that we were able to actively assist (many) in getting employment or improving their current employment situation.” She said her agency was also working with the veteran-owned small business and the service-disabled small business communities assist their members in securing government work contracts.
As Napolitano intimated, her department’s assertive actions to assist job-seeking veterans were prompted, in part, by a meeting last spring with The American Legion’s national commander, David K. Rehbein. The meeting was convened after the Legion objected to the tone of a hastily released DHS report which some interpreted as characterizing military veterans as possible threats to national security. The Secretary apologized for the errant document at the time and reiterated her explanation and regret today.
Napolitano is no stranger to The American Legion. As a young woman she was very actively involved in the Legion’s Girls State and related programs. The former Arizona governor credits that participation with inspiring her career in public service.
With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded in 1919 on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism,
and youth programs. Legionnaires work for the betterment of their communities through more than 14,000 posts across the nation.