What Is the American Legion?

The American Legion is THE largest veterans' organization in the world, with a membership of over 3,200,000 members in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, and 4 foreign countries.

Founded in 1919, The American Legion has been a moving force for fair treatment of this nations veterans, their families, and especially the disabled veterans.

All members of The American Legion are honorably discharged men and women who have served their country on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States during World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Grenada, Operation Desert Storm, and Operation Enduring Freedom either at military bases in the United States or overseas.

The American Legion was the author of the G.I. Bill of Rights, which has benefited millions of ex-service personnel since its passage in 1944.

The American Legion was the largest contributor to the construction of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. with over $1.5 million dollars donated by American Legion members nationwide to this memorial. The American Legion was a significant contributor to the Vietnam Women's Memorial, Korean Veterans' Memorial, and is a major contributor to the World War II Memorial.

The American Legion conducts programs designed to benefit the youth of our nation. Notable among these programs are: American Legion Baseball, American Legion Boys State, the American Legion High School Oratorical Contest, the American Legion School Awards program, and the American Legion Americanism and Government Test.

The American Legion founded Boys State in 1935. Since that time the American Legion Boys State program has remained a premier youth program in the nation.

The American Legion, Department of Ohio, which .conducts Buckeye.Boys State, is one of the five largest Departments in The American Legion organization with a membership of over 150,000 members in 605 American Legion Posts throughout the state.

The Department of Ohio is a major contributor and sponsor to the Veterans Affairs hospitals in the state, the Dayton National Cemetery, the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery, Ohio Special Olympics, the Ohio Veterans' Home, and the "Gifts for Yanks" program for veterans in Ohio VA hospitals.