The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness. Post 39 was chartered on August 1, 1920. We are the nation's largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities, advocating patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service-members and veterans. The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grass-roots involvement in the legislation process from local districts to Capitol Hill. We have nearly 3 million members, men and women, with nearly 15,000 American Legion posts worldwide. Members include veterans and active duty members of the US Army, US Navy, USMC, USAF, Coast Guard and WWII Merchant Marines.

The American Legion's success depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives.

If you are not an eligible Veteran, you may still be able to join either:

• The Sons of The American Legion
  Founded in 1932, the Sons honor the service and sacrifice of Legionnaires. There are more than 355,000 members in the United States. Members include males whose parents or grandparents served in the U.S. military and were eligible for American Legion membership.

• The American Legion Auxiliary
  As the largest women's patriotic service organization in the world, the Auxiliary’s membership is around 800,000. With 9,000 units in the United States, members are fiercely dedicated to serving, helping and meeting the needs of veterans, their families and their communities. Non-Veteran Women can join the American Legion Auxiliary only if they are the widow of a Veteran that meets eligibility requirements, or if they are the spouse of a member.

Members of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of The American Legion comprise the Legion Family, which has a combined membership of nearly 4.2 million.