What The American Legion Does
• Processes more than 600 disability claim appeals per month for veterans trying to get
their VA medical benefits.
• Gives emergency financial assistance to Legion families hit by hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and other disasters.
• Urges Congress to provide enough VA funding to take care of veterans’ medical needs – and provide it in advance.
• Awards college scholarships to children whose mothers or fathers have sacrificed their lives in the global war on terrorism.
• Volunteers about one million hours every year at about 160 VA medical facilities nationwide.
• Helps families of deployed troops through its Family Support Network and Operation Military Family Outreach.
• Through its Temporary Financial Assistance program, helps the children of veterans who are suffering hardships.
• Donates about 100,000 pints of blood annually to the American Red Cross.
• Lobbies Congress to upgrade and improve Post-9/11 GI Bill education benefits (the Legion wrote the original 1944 GI Bill that educated 8 million veterans).
• Through its Heroes To Hometowns program, works with communities to welcome back their returning veterans and help them make the transition to civilian life.
• Sponsors more than 5,000 American Legion Baseball teams, which are made up by more than 100,000 ballplayers.
• Raises funds to improve the quality of life for active-duty troops, with the Wounded Warrior Recognition Program and Operation Comfort Warriors.
• Offers community programs that encourage the intellectual and social growth of America’s children (Boys State, National Oratorical Competition, Boy Scouts).