​Recalling the popular “What Would Jesus Do?” bracelets, American Legion National Commander James W. “Bill” Oxford paraphrased those words during remarks at the 86th Annual President Abraham Lincoln Pilgrimage in Springfield, Ill., on Feb. 12.

“Now the Constitution prohibits having religious tests to hold office, but might I suggest that our elected leaders occasionally ask, ‘W.W.L.D. - What would Lincoln do?” Oxford said at a luncheon hosted by American Legion Post 32 in honor of the 16th president’s birthday. “As we look at the Global War on Terrorism, the threats represented by North Korea, China and Russia…as we look at domestic problems such as racism, drug abuse and polarization, we should all ask, ‘W.W.L.D. What would Lincoln do? In most cases, the answer would lead to a bold, morally correct and sensible solution.”

Earlier that morning, Oxford and American Legion Family leaders from several Midwestern departments paid their respects by laying wreaths at Lincoln’s tomb. Oxford pointed out the challenges Lincoln faced not only in preserving the Union, but in lobbying for the 13th Amendment and authoring the Emancipation Proclamation.

“Until slavery was eliminated, there could never be civil rights and clearly not ALL men and, or, women, could be considered equal,” he said.

American Legion Auxiliary National President Nicole Clapp referenced Lincoln’s first inaugural address during her remarks at his tomb. “President Lincoln knew who his enemies were and what their objective was. Today the rules of engagement are constantly changing,” she said. “We are well aware that not everyone in the world wants to be friends of the United States. So it is our responsibility to maintain collective strength for our troops at home, abroad and always.”

The current mayor of Lincoln’s hometown compared the president to fallen servicemembers. “Like our veterans and military, who risk their lives for the belief in our country’s freedoms, Abraham Lincoln paid the ultimate sacrifice so we may live as one nation, under God and share in this freedom today,” Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder said.
It was Lincoln’s promise made to veterans and their families that has become the motto of the Department of Veterans Affairs. The words, from Lincoln’s second inaugural address, were recalled by many speakers including Sons of the American Legion National Commander Clint Bolt. “Let us always live up to ideals and principles of President Lincoln so that we can continue to carry out his mission and that of The American Legion’s, ‘to care for him who shall have borne the battle,” Bolt said.

Oxford continued the theme. “Among other things, ‘we care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan’” Oxford added. “We do this not just because it’s right, but because it’s also necessary that our ‘government of the people, by people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.’ Through the service of our brave men and women in uniform, it never will.”

​Veterans are a highly diverse group of people—from their military background to their civilian career, from their education to their household income, from their age to their marital status. A new study found that veterans who are on-track or ahead in meeting their financial goals cut across these demographics, and they also hold 5 attributes in common.
 
The Veterans Financial Preparedness Report 2019 is the very first study to examine how well-equipped U.S. military veterans are to meet their financial goals after leaving the military. Prepared by the Legionnaire Insurance Trust for the departments of the American Legion in honor of the Legion’s 100th anniversary, the study includes key findings from a survey of more than 1,500 veterans, representing a wide variety of backgrounds.
 
Overall, more than one-half of veterans said they are behind on saving for retirement, while just over one-third said they are on-track and just 8% said they are ahead of schedule.

​Which veterans are financially prepared
Given that so many veterans are behind in saving, what sets apart those who are on-track and ahead of schedule from their peers? According to the report, 5 attributes were common among these veterans:
 

1. They are knowledgeable about personal finances

Personal financial issues may not be an area of interest or expertise for you, but doing your research and becoming educated on topics such as retirement planning, investments and insurance can be an important element of financial preparedness.
 
Most veterans who are ahead or on-track say they are knowledgeable about personal finances, while those who are behind are much more likely to say they do not consider themselves knowledgeable.

​

1. They started saving early

Veterans who started saving early were more likely to be in a strong financial position, according to the report. While 38% of those who say they are behind haven’t started saving for retirement yet, 60% of veterans who are ahead and 34% of those who are on-track started saving immediately after high school or within the first 2 years of joining the military.
 
>>More in the report: Certain age groups were more likely to start saving early. Read the report to find out which veterans follow this trend and to discover the mean portfolio values of veterans.
 

1. They understand the importance of frequent planning for the future

For financially prepared veterans, retirement planning is a continuous process. While those who are behind tend to only address their personal financial plans as the need arises, the vast majority of veterans who are ahead or on-track work on their retirement planning on a quarterly basis at minimum.

​

1. They work with a professional financial advisor for expert advice

Partnering with a professional financial advisor is another important aspect of veterans’ financial preparedness success. Three-quarters of veterans who are ahead of schedule and nearly one-half of those who are on-track work with an advisor, compared to just 13% of those who are behind.
 
The vast majority of veterans who work with an advisor say they are satisfied with them and that they are confident they are making the best financial decisions for their family.
 
5. They protect their family with an emergency fund and life insurance
Alongside diligent saving and planning, veterans who are financially prepared also maintain an emergency fund and invest in life insurance to safeguard the nest eggs they have built.
 
93% of veterans who are ahead have an emergency fund, as do 75% of those who are on-track. In comparison, only 32% of veterans who are behind have an emergency fund.
 
Similarly, 75% of those who are ahead have life insurance, compared to just 44% of veterans who are behind. Those with life insurance are more likely to be confident they are making the best financial decisions for their family.
 
>>More in the report: How much do veterans keep in their emergency funds? Read the report at www.theLIT.com to learn more.
 
5 attributes, 1 mindset
At the heart of these 5 attributes of financially prepared veterans is a single mindset of personal responsibility. Not surprisingly, those who took the principles that made their military service successful and carried them through to their personal finances tend to be in a stronger financial position.
 
Veterans who take charge of their finances through personal education, saving early and working with a financial advisor are confident about their family’s financial future.
 
Learn more about what you can do to strengthen your financial position by reading the Veterans Financial Preparedness Report 2019. It offers key findings, practical benchmarks, advice from veterans who have been in your shoes and insights from a financial professional who has served in the military.

​INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Leading state lawmakers reached across the aisle Wednesday to launch a new initiative aimed at helping homeless Hoosier veterans.

60-year-old US Navy veteran Jeffery Alan Johnson said he spent months living on the streets three years ago.

“In and out of shelters, family,” Johnson said.

He served aboard the U.S.S. New Jersey in the 1980s and served in Lebanon. But, he fell on hard times.

“Probably the lowest point of my life. One of the lowest points,” Johnson explained. “It was bad.”

His story, and the stories of all homeless veterans are resonating with state lawmakers.
Federal data shows there were 572 homeless veterans in Indiana last year, a 6% increase from 2018.

“We talk a lot about the differences between House Republicans and House Democrats. But I think one thing we can agree on is helping our veterans.” said Indiana House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta.

House Democrats and Republicans teamed up with the Indiana American Legion on Wednesday to launch the “Helping our Hoosier Heroes” donation drive.

“To try to bring attention to this worthy cause of supporting those who have supported us overseas and here at home for our security. Such an illustration as to what’s going on in the Middle East right now,” said Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives Brian Bosma.

“I think it’s terrific. I think it’s something that’s much needed,” Johnson said.

​More than 3,000 items have been collected so far.

They are asking for the public’s help with collecting things like razors, toothbrushes, shampoo and soap.

“It’s outstanding. It really helps to shine a light on the veteran community and problems with the homeless,” said Allen Connelly, who is the American Legion, Department of Indiana state commander.

Johnson is now enrolled in college and he owns a small business. In his eyes, the donation drive provides hope for homeless veterans.

“They need a helping hand. They need some hope. Basically they just need some hope, like I needed,” said Johnson.

If you are interested in donating items, you can do so at the statehouse located at 200 W Washington St through mid-March. If you have questions about the initiative or donations, call Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives Brian Bosma’s office at (317) 232-9609.

To view this article on the original source, Click Here.

​Reba James was “flabbergasted” when she saw all the gifts Dec. 14 at Choices Foster Care Solutions in Indianapolis.

There were toys, games, shoes, even football jerseys wrapped up in festive paper, gifts from American Legion Post 341 in Cicero, Ind., for 33 foster children served by Choices.

“It’s just such a generous, wonderful thing to see so much giving — and all the time, it’s not just the time here, it’s the time that was spent gathering the names, making sure everyone was taken care of, doing all the shopping, doing all the wrapping, and it’s not a little five-minute trip from where everyone is coming from to drive down here. It’s just a really joyful thing to see,” said James, the program director for Choices.

Dave Baughman, the director of Post 341’s Legion Riders chapter, said the event stemmed from a social media post he saw in August from a friend who works at Choices asking for school supplies for foster children.

“It was already taken care of, she said get back to me closer to Christmas. I reached out in October because we have to plan this stuff out. We jumped onboard with this and had a lot of fun,” Baughman said.

Post 341 Commander Jody Brown said Legion Family members spent over $2,000 on the gifts for the foster children, enough for at least three gifts for each child.

“Our Auxiliary unit, our Legion, our Legion Riders, our whole Legion Family participated in this, and it was just really great,” Brown said. “We had individuals handing us $100 bills and $20 bills, it was just fantastic to see the response to this. It says a lot about our post, it says a lot about our American Legion Family in general.”

Brown said some 40-50 Legion Family members showed up at the post earlier in the week to wrap all the gifts.

Foster families with children from toddlers to teens filled a room at Choices Saturday morning for the event, which included pizza and desserts. Legion Riders from Post 341 handed out the gifts.

“It just brings a real joy to your heart to see these kids, to see their smiles; it’s just amazing,” Brown said.

James said, “A lot of times kids, especially the kids that are in foster care, they come from hard places. They’ve seen a lot of things that most grownups don’t see in their lifetimes. It’s just a good thing for them to be able to have some laughter and some joy and to really let loose and have fun.”

​To view this article on the original source, Click Here.

​BUNKER HILL – American Legion Post 555 is normal in a lot of ways. Members gather every month for a meeting, where Legionnaires present the colors and vote on important decisions. They organize fundraisers and donate money to a slew of local causes.

Like many Legion posts, there are bars in the meeting hall, but not the kind serving drinks. These bars are prison bars, and they’re what make the group one of the most unique in the state.

Post 555 is located inside the Miami Correctional Facility. Its entire membership is made up of inmates housed inside the maximum-security prison.
​
And those inmates represent the last American Legion post still operating in Miami County.
At one time, both Peru and Amboy had posts, but those closed around five years ago due to dwindling membership. Now, the veterans at the prison are the last ones carrying out the Legion’s mission of advocating for patriotism and community service.

Ed Trice, alternate national executive committee member for the American Legion and a past state commander, helped found the post 10 years ago inside Miami Correctional during a major push to get the organization inside all the state’s prisons.

Today, there are posts in up to 15 correctional facilities across Indiana, including an all-women’s prison in Madison.

But Post 555 at Miami Correctional is still one-of-a-kind, Trice said.

“Miami County is kind of an oddball considering there aren’t any posts there outside the prison,” he said. “It’s really unusual to have only one post in a county, and it’s at a prison. I’d say that’s the only one like it in the state.”

The post may be unusual, but to the 32 inmates who are members of it, the American Legion has been a godsend.

​Army Veteran Gawaine Allen Sr. served four years in the 1990s during Desert Storm, but never had time to join the Legion after his service. But that changed when he was incarcerated nine years ago at Miami Correctional.

Allen said he was surprised to find the prison had a post, so he decided to show up for a few meetings to see what it was all about.

“Once I got in here and saw the camaraderie, I felt like it would be a good way to keep myself in line,” he said.

And it has. In June, Allen was elected commander of Post 555 – which members have nicknamed the Triple Nickel – and now runs the group that has helped him stay out of trouble and turn his life around.

“With us being part of the Legion, we try to hold ourselves to a higher standard,” he said. “We’re representing them at the same time we’re trying to shine a good light.”

Army Veteran Willie Walton, who serves as the post’s sergeant at arms, said the biggest way joining the Legion has helped him was giving him a sense of purpose and something bigger than himself to live for while he served out his sentence.

“It can really turn a light on inside you,” he said. “You never know, under our circumstances, what can turn that light on. It could be something, a small gesture, to make people realize that we’re not just criminals. Some of us are really trying to change our lives.”

That sense of purpose comes in part from the annual fundraisers the Legion holds inside the prison. At least twice a year, they bring in outside delicacies such as White Castle, Krispy Kreme donuts or Papa John’s pizza to sell to inmates to raise money for local causes.

Just this year, the post was able to donate $3,500 to the new all-inclusive, handicap-accessible playground built in Peru. They also gave money to local nursing homes to buy gifts for veteran residents and donated over $500 to the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

But there are other tasks which give Legion members something to live for, Walton said.

Every morning, a Legionnaire raises the flag at the prison, and every evening, another takes it down. Allen said they try to time the twice-daily ceremony with the one going on just down the road at Grissom Air Reserve Base, which plays “Taps” during its flag ceremony that can be heard at the prison.
​
There’s also a greenhouse at Miami Correctional which is almost exclusively operated by veterans. In the past, they’ve grown marigolds and other flowers, which they donated to the Miami County Chamber of Commerce to use in a beautification project in downtown Peru. They’re currently growing tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables there.

​Post 555 1st Vice Commander David Turner said all the outreaches go a long way in helping members stay busy and stay positive during their time in prison.
​
“Each post has its own, individual uniqueness to it,” he said. “ ... Here, we can coordinate outreaches to help people out on the outside, and it gives us something to do on the inside.”

​Commander Allen said inmates can be suspended or barred from being a Legion member if they get written up or have disciplinary issues. And that’s an incentive to stay out of trouble and do the right thing.

Andrew White, the prison’s veteran service coordinator and a liaison between the facility and the Legion, said that also means post members are some of the most well-behaved inmates at the prison, which has its own veterans housing unit where Legion members stay.

And that good behavior means members have some extra freedoms. During meetings, they are allowed to change out of their prison jumpsuits and wear polo shirts, khakis and Legion-issued caps.

Members are completely in charge of their meetings and determine their own affairs. They even put out an occasional newsletter called the “Triple Nickel.”

Walton said it all works to keep post members on the straight-and-narrow path and inspire them to something greater.

“We don’t tolerate any foolery, because this is something we want to see succeed,” he said. “We hold our members accountable and try to have them follow all our rules of decorum, by the book, to a ‘T.’”

But in the end, one of the biggest things the Legion gives to inmates is the camaraderie that comes from working with other veterans.

​Stephen Sherwood, the commander of the prison’s Sons of the American Legion post, which includes inmates whose fathers or grandfathers were veterans, said it makes it easier to do the right thing when there are others around who understand what they’ve been through.

“We’re more apt here to understanding why someone might need a little more extra help of where they got off the path and found ourselves in prison,” he said. “I like it because we’re all here together to help each other.”

That’s why the group meets to talk about any issues members are struggling with, whether its drug addiction or family problems.

Sherwood said with the help from fellow veterans and the sense of purpose that comes with being a Legion member, every inmate has a better shot of staying out of prison once they’re released.

And even more importantly, he said, they have a better chance of actually making the world a better place.
​
“I think once guys realize they can help out and give back, they realize once they’re on the outside they don’t have to go down that same path,” Sherwood said. “They can take a different path and make their communities better.”

​To view this article on the original source, Click Here.

​A Wednesday shooting at Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard left at least two victims dead and another injured before the gunman took his own life, military and medical officials told Navy Times.

Rear Adm. Robert B. Chadwick II, commander of Navy Region Hawaii, said that the shooting spree occurred near the Los Angeles-class attack submarine Columbia, which was undergoing repairs while in dry dock, and the suspected gunman was a Navy sailor assigned to the boat.

Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam officials previously told Navy Times that he was reported to have gunned down three Department of Defense civilian workers near the shipyard’s Dry Dock 2 around 2:30 p.m. local time (7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time) before taking his own life.

Navy Times has been unable to independently confirm from area hospitals if all three victims were shot or suffered other injuries connected to the gunfire.

Although one patient reportedly was transported to Tripler Army Medical Center, for example, public affairs officers there said they were not allowed to discuss anything related to the shooting and referred reporters to Navy officials.

The media team at Pali Momi Medical Center confirmed that a patient was transported there but could give no update on his or her condition.

Queens Medical Center spokesman Cedric Yamanaka told Navy Times that one male passenger was transported to the Honolulu hospital. He described the patient as “in guarded condition.” Navy officials categorized him as in “stable condition.”

The installation was placed on lockdown while Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam security forces responded to the gunfire.

​At 4:09 p.m. local time (9:09 p.m. Eastern Standard Time), officials declared the active shooter incident over and the base reopened all gates, which had become clogged with traffic.

Officials at Naval Sea Systems Command, which oversees Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, referred all questions about the incident to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam authorities.

It’s the nation’s largest fleet repair and maintenance facility between the west coast of the United States and Japan.

A probe into the shooting is being conducted by Naval Criminal Investigative Services and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam security forces.

Names of both the apparent shooter and the three victims are being withheld until their next of kin can be notified.

In a prepared statement, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said that the White House reached out to offer assistance from federal agencies.

The governor added that his state authorities also are "standing by to assist where necessary” if Pearl Harbor asks for help.

Base officials will keep the Emergency Family Assistance Center open until further notice. It’s located at 4827 Bougainville Drive (same building as the Personnel Support Detachment). The Center’s telephone number is 866-525-6676.
​
Any personnel or family members who wish to meet with a chaplain or obtain counseling services on Wednesday are asked to visit Room 130 at Building 2 or call 808-285-7447.

​​Those who need support on Thursday morning are asked to visit the Military Family Support Center beginning at 7 a.m. It’s located at 4827 Bougainville Drive on the second floor.
​
If you, a friend or a loved one is in crisis, please connect with a trained counselor now. Confidential, immediate help is available 24/7 at no cost to active duty, Guard and reserve members, their families and friends. Contact the Military Crisis Line at 800-273-8255, then press 1, or access online chat by texting 838255. Your life matters.

​To view this story on the original source, Click Here.

​WASHINGTON— The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today U.S. Army Air Forces Tech. Sgt. Charles G. Ruble, 20, of Parker City, Indiana, killed during World War II, was accounted for May 31, 2019.
 
In September 1944, Ruble was a member of the 99th Troop Carrier Squadron, 441st Troop Carrier Group, serving as an aerial engineer aboard a C-47A aircraft, nicknamed the Celia L. On September 17, 1944, the Celia L, which operated out of U.S. Army Air Forces Station 490, Langar, Nottinghamshire, England, participated in Operation MARKET GARDEN, the Allied invasion of the German-occupied Netherlands. The aircraft was carrying a crew of five and transporting 10 paratroopers from the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment to a drop-zone near Groesbeek, Netherlands. Anti-aircraft fire struck the plane’s wing and ignited its gas tanks. The paratroopers successfully exited the plane, as did two of the crewmembers. The pilot crash landed the plane several hundred yards inside the German border. Three crewmembers survived, but two, including Ruble, could not be accounted for and were believed to have been killed in the crash.
 
In April 1946, members of the 606th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company recovered eight sets of remains from isolated burials near Zyfflich, Germany, close to the Netherlands border. One set of remains, designated X-2565 Neuville, was buried about 500 yards from a downed C-47 aircraft in a grave marked with an uninscribed wooden cross. U.S. authorities interred X-2565 at what is today the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium after they had been declared unidentifiable.
 
After thorough research and analysis, historians from DPAA determined that Ruble was a strong candidate for association with X-2565. In June 2018, X-2565 was disinterred and the remains were sent to the DPAA laboratory at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, for analysis.
 
To identify Ruble’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis.
 
DPAA is grateful to the American Battle Monuments Commission and to the U.S. Army Regional Mortuary-Europe/Africa for their partnership in this mission.
 
Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war. Currently there are 72,635 service members still unaccounted for from World War II with approximately 30,000 assessed as possibly recoverable. Ruble’s name is recorded on the Walls of the Missing at the Netherlands American Cemetery, an American Battle Monuments Commission site in Margraten, Netherlands, along with the others missing from WWII. Although interred as an "unknown", his grave was meticulously cared for over the past 70 years by the American Battle Monuments Commission. A rosette will be placed next to his name to indicate he has been accounted for.
 
For family information, call the Army Service Casualty Office at (800) 892-2490.
 
Ruble will be buried March 2, 2020 at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.
 
For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil, find us on social media at www.facebook.com/dodpaa or call (703) 699-1420/1169.

Ruble’s personnel profile can be viewed Here.

ANGOLA — At its 100th birthday celebration Wednesday, the Angola American Legion got a name.

Post No. 31, chartered in October 1920 after being initially formed in 1919 by 40 World War I veterans, is now officially known as the Billy Crouse American Legion.

Marine Cpl. William H. Crouse IV, 22, and his bomb-sniffing dog, Cane, were killed Dec. 21, 2010, while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. Assigned to 1st Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Crouse was in his first six weeks of his first tour of duty. He lived his childhood days in Angola.

His mother, Nancy Siders of Fort Wayne, has kept his memory alive and in the process, bolsters area soldiers.

“I want you to know how much the veterans mean to me,” Siders said Wednesday evening during the Legion event. “You guys are the thread of society.”

Siders has two other sons, one who served in the U.S. Navy, a daughter and five grandchildren. She said she hopes they continue to properly honor those who give their all for their country.

In naming the post after Crouse, said Indiana Legion’s State Commander Allen Connelly, LaGrange, the Angola post continues to look toward the future.

“It’s a new century and these are the people that we have to attract,” Connelly said.

In its 100 years, Post No. 31 has marked times of youth and vibrancy. Notably, said Connelly, it swelled to around 1,100 members after World War II, presumably because young veterans were seeking degrees at Tri-State College.

Angola Legion Commander Jim Penick said the post “still strives to maintain high standards of service.” In the final moments of Wednesday’s celebration, Penick officially dedicated the post to Crouse “and to all those who have died in service of our country.”

Crouse lived in Angola as a child before moving to South Carolina and eventually joining the Marines. He was the 161st Marine killed in Afghanistan in 2010.

“I’ve tried to use my voice for a catalyst for help and healing,” said Siders. “I have not walked in your boots but I have given and shared in your sacrifice.”

​​Referring to the Bible’s book of James, Nancy posed the question, “What is faith without deed?”

Every soldier’s, every veteran’s commitment shows the extreme faith and the extreme actions of one dedicated to the country and fellow men, said Siders.

“It’s everything to me,” she said. “Every day, I learn something from a veteran.”

In particular she thanked Russ Bauer and the Patriot Guard Riders. Though she still suffers sadness, she said Bauer showed her how to keep moving.
​
“Do not fear what someone else thinks,” she said. She encouraged those gathered Wednesday to continue to act on their good intentions. She said the Legion is there to provide a place for them to be with others like themselves and to just be themselves.

It is a place for “hope, healing, laughter, a beer now and then, and refuge in the storm,” said Siders.

Connelly said the Legion continues to be proactive at a national level. It is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. Nationally, the American Legion was founded in 1919 on four pillars: veterans affairs and rehabilitation, national security, Americanism and children and youth.

To view this article on the original source, Click Here.

MOROCCO — Honoring its World War II veterans who still live in the community, the Morocco American Legion Post 146 celebrated its 100th anniversary Nov. 16 with a brief ceremony and a light dinner.

“We wanted to do something to celebrate 100 years as a post, while also recognizing our World War II veterans,” said Morocco American Legion Commander Ron Hoaks Jr., “These are the guys who passed the torch to us and made this legion what it is today.”

Being recognized for their service to the Legion were WW II vets Victor Carlson, Warren “Bud” Johnson, Gordan White, William Miller, and Ed Camblin.

The William Chizum Post 146 in Morocco was chartered on Oct. 24, 1919.

100 Years of Community Service

The American Legion is celebrating 100 years since its establishment by an act of Congress. The American Legion is the largest wartime veterans service organization, with nearly 2 million members and 12,700 posts worldwide.

In 1919, the American Legion was chartered by Congress as a patriotic veterans organization. The American Legion’s efforts in the 1920s resulted in the creation of the U.S. Veterans Bureau, the forerunner of Veterans Affairs that we know today. Today, the American Legion is involved in many aspects of your community. It lobbies for veterans, sponsors baseball leagues, Boy Scouts and an annual summer camp for civics education in 49 states.
 
Notable Events

1919 March 15-17: Americans who fought in World War I convene in Paris for the first American Legion caucus.

• Sept. 16: Congress charters the American Legion.

• Nov. 10-12: First Legion convention convenes in Minneapolis. A resolution is passed in support of Boy Scouts of America.

1921: Efforts result in the creation of the U.S. Veterans Bureau, forerunner of the Veterans Affairs.

1923: The first “Flag Code” is drafted during a Legion conference in Washington. Congress adopts the code in 1942.

1925: The American Legion baseball program is created.

1935: The first American Legion Boys State convenes in Springfield, Ill., to help boys gain an understanding of government and civics.

1938: The National High School Oratorical Contest is held to promote a greater understanding of the U.S. Constitution.

1944: President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs into law the original GI Bill. The bill is considered the Legion’s single greatest legislative achievement.

1966: The Legion urges a full accounting of all POWs and troops missing in action.
1969: The National Emergency Fund is established.

1972: The Legion starts a Halloween safety program for children.
​
1982: The Legion presents a$1 million check to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund for construction of the wall in Washington.
To view this article on the original source, Click Here.