Legion looks fantastic at 100 years old

The American Legion family is 3 million strong.

And we do mean strong.

With an estimated 2 million Legion members complemented by American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion, this powerful organization has long been much more than a place for military personnel and veterans who have served on active duty in wartime to sit around, sip some beer and tell stories. One century ago this month, the American Legion was born — much to the betterment of our nation.

This is just a wild guess, but we’re willing to bet you didn’t know the Legion played a major hand in creating the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Flag Code. The GI Bill would not have been born without Legion initiative. Did you know that last year alone, the GI Bill assisted roughly three quarters of a million veterans with their education?

The organization’s influence makes a positive impact on many levels. Every year, according to its website, American Legion posts:

- Donate more than 3.7 million hours of volunteer service in their communities

- Provide assistance on more than 181,000 VA benefits claims and cases

- Donate more than 80,000 pints of blood to collection centers nationwide, which makes the Legion the nation’s single largest blood donor

- Award more than 8,000 medals to Junior ROTC students

- Sponsor more than 2,500 Scouting units serving more than 64,000 young people

- Award more than $4 million in college scholarships

Among its distinguished alumni over the past 100 years are a fistful of presidents, including Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Richard Nixon.

In March 1919, the American Legion was founded on four pillars, each essential to the organization’s overall mission: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth. Old guys swapping war stories? Sure, that’s part of it, but actually it’s a small part.

The Press salutes the American Legion on its first century and commends its membership, past and present. With abiding respect, we also note that we look forward to the day perhaps another century away, when there are no more Legion members because our planet has finally learned to live in peace.