MENUMENU
- Home
- About
- Membership
Membership Links
District Standings
Legion Family Standings
- Department
- Events
- Programs
Students & Youth
Community
Emblem Sales & Veteran Support
- Service Officers
- Blog
A 2021 resolution adopted by The American Legion’s National Executive Committee (NEC) encourages “every American Legion Baseball team to observe a moment of silence before their game(s) each year on June 2 in memory of Major League Baseball’s great Lou Gehrig and all veterans who suffer or have died from ALS.”
The current CWF program year began June 1, 2025, and runs through May 31, 2026. Departments, posts, detachments and squadrons that wish to donate and receive credit for the 2025-2026 program year should ensure donations are received at National Headquarters no later than May 31, 2026, or donations can be made online a legion.org/donate.
Memorial Day
On Memorial Day, the American Legion Family honor the more than 1 million men and women who have lost their lives defending America since the Revolutionary War.
The red poppy is a nationally recognized symbol of sacrifice worn by Americans since World War I to honor those who served and died for our country in all wars. It reminds Americans of the sacrifices made by our veterans while protecting our freedoms. On Sept. 27, 1920, the poppy became the official flower of the American Legion Family to memorialize the soldiers who fought and died during the war. In 1924, the distribution of poppies became a national program of The American Legion. Read more about the poppy.
Armed Forces Day
The American Legion celebrates Armed Forces Day on to honor all active and former members of the United States military. Armed Forces Day is different from Veterans Day, which honors those who have served, and Memorial Day, which honors those who died while serving.
American Legion Family members celebrate Armed Forces Day to honor the men and women who serve in the United States military.
The American Legion National Oratorical Contest, a high school speech contest on the U.S. Constitution, awards $203,500 in scholarships each year at the national contest. The contest is held in Hillsdale, Mich., on the campus of Hillsdale College, May 15-17, 2026. The contestants will present a rehearsed eight- to 10-minute oration on an aspect of the Constitution in front of judges, as well as a three- to five-minute speech on an assigned topic discourse — a phase of the Constitution selected from its Articles and Sections. Learn more here
The American Legion Auxiliary unit is where grassroots work of the Auxiliary takes place. There are more than 7,400 ALA units nationwide. At the local level, The American Legion is called a post, and the Auxiliary is called a unit.
All ALA units are attached to a Legion post, taking its name, location, and number (e.g., John P. Hand American Legion Auxiliary Unit 250), but units are not obligated to meet at the Legion post. If the post is no longer active, a unit may continue to function as what’s called a widow unit. Sons of The American Legion groups within Legion posts at the community level are referred to as squadrons.
The first step in the organization of an American Legion Auxiliary unit is to create interest among those in the community who are eligible for Auxiliary membership and to secure authorization for the creation of an Auxiliary unit from the post. Charter application forms, individual membership applications, suggested Constitution & Bylaws and any other needed supplies or information may be obtained from department headquarters. Department officers are always ready to assist in installations and in providing expertise when needed.
Electronic units (eUnits) allow members to communicate and hold meetings via teleconferencing, email, an online group or other e-meeting software. Designed for working members and students attending college, the eUnit format also provides a great opportunity for those unable to leave their home to remain involved in the American Legion Auxiliary. In addition to electronic communication, eUnit members do meet in person occasionally as required by their unit’s Constitution & Bylaws.
The American Legion Child Well-being Foundation (CWF) accepts funding proposals from nonprofits for projects that contribute to the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual welfare of children. Grants are only given to entities that help U.S. children in a large geographic area; they are not awarded for day-to-day or special operating expenses. Learn more at the CWF website.
The American Legion Auxiliary Foundation positively impacts the lives of our veterans, military, and their families by funding programs of the American Legion Auxiliary today and for future generations.
More details available here: www.ALAFoundation.org
About
Founded in 2007, the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation assists in carrying out the educational, charitable, and other exempt purposes of the Auxiliary by raising funds for, assisting in conduct of, and providing support to Auxiliary programs. As a 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, the ALA Foundation provides a resource to engage additional investors interested in supporting our mission. It is a way to secure our legacy and heritage of Service Not Self, ultimately enhancing the quality of life for future generations of veterans, military, and their families.
Grants to help mission outreach grow | Learn more
To assist ALA units, districts/counties, and departments in their efforts to support local veterans, military, and their families, the ALA Foundation offers three different grants.
