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The American Legion - Legion Riders - Sons of the American Legion - American Legion Auxiliary

There are four seperate branches within the American Legion.

The American Legion -

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. The American Legion is a prominent voice of support for U.S. military personnel and reserve components, particularly in the area of quality of life, and benefits. Within this pillar are: Troop support and Family Support for military and veteran families during deployment. Whether helping local Veterans, supporting seniors, providing youth sports programs, raising funds, volunteering to help those in need, or simply offering a place to gather for fun and celebration, Legionnaires provide essential services in their communities.

Legion Riders -

American Legion Riders chapters are well known for their charitable work, which has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local children's hospitals, schools, veterans homes, severely wounded servicemembers and scholarships. Since 2006, Riders nationwide have participated in The American Legion Legacy Run to annually raise money for the Legacy Scholarship Fund, established to provide scholarships to children of U.S. military personnel killed since Sept. 11, 2001. Currently, over 110,000 American Legion Riders meet in over 2,000 chapters in every domestic department and in at least three foreign countries. Riders in Iowa have formed an honor guard called The Five Star Freedom Riders, and Riders in Mulvane, Kan., founded the Patriot Guard to protect the sanctity of military funerals from protesters. Riders in all states have escorted military units returning home from combat tours overseas, conducted massive cross-country fundraising events for wounded warriors from all services, and have raised millions of dollars for countless local, state and national charities.

Sons of the American Legion -

SAL members include males of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the U.S. military and were eligible for American Legion membership. Founded in 1932, the Sons of The American Legion (SAL) exists to honor the service and sacrifice of Legionnaires. SAL members include males of all ages whose parents or grandparents served in the U.S. military and were eligible for American Legion membership. Although SAL has its own membership, the organization is not a separate entity. Rather, the SAL is a program of The American Legion. Many Legionnaires hold dual membership in SAL The Sons of The American Legion is divided into detachments at the state level and squadrons at the local level. A squadron pairs with a local American Legion post; a squadron's charter is contingent upon its parent post's charter. However, squadrons can determine the extent of their services to the community, state and nation. They are permitted flexibility in planning programs and activities to meet their needs, but must remember SAL's mission: to strengthen the four pillars of The American Legion. Therefore, squadrons' campaigns place an emphasis on preserving American traditions and values, improving the quality of life for our nation's children, caring for veterans and their families, and teaching the fundamentals of good citizenship.

American Legion Auxiliary -

We are the male and female spouses, grandmothers, mothers, sisters, and direct and adopted female descendants of members of The American Legion. Some of us are veterans ourselves. In the spirit of Service, Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and to honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and Country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace and security. The vision of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion while becoming the premier service organization and foundation of every community providing support for our veterans, our military, and their families by shaping a positive future in an atmosphere of fellowship, patriotism, peace and security.