American Legion Department of Pennsylvania

The American Legion was founded March 15-17, 1919, by members of the American Expeditionary Forces still stationed in Europe awaiting passage home from World War I. The American Legion’s emergence and rise to prominence was based on a mission to strengthen the nation through programs, services and advocacy that helped millions throughout the organization’s first century. The American Legion built its legacy with a vision to make the nation prouder, stronger, smarter and more respectful of those who have sacrificed some, or all, in defense of the nation. Following are only some The American Legion’s achievements during its first century. **Veterans** - Formed a network of service officers in 1919 that now exceeds 3,500 to help disabled veterans, free of charge, file for government benefits - Successfully campaigned to put all veterans services under one federal authority, the Veterans Bureau in 1921, predecessor to the Veterans Administration in 1930 and the Department of Veterans Affairs in 1989? - Assisted millions of veterans in pursuit of rewarding careers; by June 1922 had already placed more than 500,000 veterans in permanent jobs and 200,000 more in temporary positions? - Successfully lobbied Congress to protect veterans benefits, VA hospitals, training programs and services on the federal budget chopping block over the decades? - Developed programs and advanced research into what became post-traumatic stress disorder as early as 1921, when it was mischaracterized as “shell shock”? - Produced studies that led to official diagnosis of PTSD in 1980 and proved that service-connected exposure to Agent Orange and atomic radiation caused diseases that demanded government accountability? - Achieved Veterans Preference Hiring for federal jobs? - Drafted, presented, promoted and pushed to passage the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, the original GI Bill that transformed U.S. economy and culture in the second half of the 20th century? - Worked to improve the GI Bill for post-9/11 veterans, including the 2017 Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act, the “Forever GI Bill”? **National Security** - Lobbied persistently for a better-funded and more efficient national system of defense? - Called for the establishment of a separate service branch for aeronautics as early as 1919, which helped give birth to the U.S. Air Force in 1947? - Pushed Congress for “universal military training” for decades, culminating in the Reserve Forces Act of 1955? - Conducted thousands of troop-support programs, including deployment ceremonies, welcome-home events and provision of needed items in theater? - Established and staffed thousands of local first-response units and civil patrols during World War II? - Provided financial and volunteer aid for military parents through American Legion Temporary Financial Assistance and Family Support Network programs established during the Gulf War? - Began The American Legion Blood Donor Program in 1942, and became the largest organizational blood donor to the Red Cross in the nation? - Re-established the Blue Star Banner program to recognize military families with deployed loved ones after 9/11 - Launched a program to provide comfort items for U.S. military personnel recovering from wounds in DoD hospitals or transition units, ultimately named Operation Comfort Warriors in 2008; has distributed millions of dollars of goods, games, books, music, recreational equipment and event passes for troops and their families? - Provided emergency grants for members of the U.S. Coast Guard who had pay delays due to the January 2019 federal government shutdown - Fought to protect military retirement benefits and TRICARE insurance? - Stood as a national leader in the recovery and repatriation of all U.S. POWs and MIAs? - Passed and reaffirmed national resolutions, beginning in 2005, supporting the troops and their mission in the global war on terrorism