FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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        INDIANAPOLIS  (July 31, 2009) – The nation’s largest veterans organization has launched a campaign to increase the visibility and local activities of posts in communities throughout the United States and even overseas.

“American Legion posts have been serving their communities since the founding of our organization in 1919,” said American Legion National Commander David K. Rehbein. “Unfortunately, as is the case with many unsung heroes, most people don’t know about all of the great things Legion family members do. By highlighting the accomplishments and activities of our volunteers, our programs will only grow stronger and be able to do even more. That is the purpose behind Legiontown and American Legion Day.”

The National Headquarters has recently published a full-color, 32-page booklet highlighting various American Legion activities titled “Legiontown, U.S.A.” Rehbein said it is the goal of the organization to make every town in America a “Legiontown.”

“For instance, one American Legion post in California runs an ambulance service and another has a yacht club,” Rehbein said. “There are two posts in Louisiana that operate community hospitals. We have a post in North Carolina that sponsors four American Legion Baseball teams. It is impossible to list the many accomplishments and programs of our 14,000 posts in a single booklet, but we broke it down to examples of service to youth, service to veterans, service to troops and service to community.”

American Legion officials are encouraging community leaders to recognize September 16, the anniversary of the organization’s congressional charter, as American Legion Day.

           “Community gatherings, civic proclamations and celebrations are wonderful and we are encouraging communities to do that, but it is not what this is all about,” said American Legion Internal Affairs Chairman  Larry J. Besson. “Most successful programs do not revolve around a single day or an event. They are ongoing. Some posts may choose to use American Legion Day

as a kick-off for a series of events that bring together veterans and their communities. There are events that posts could be organizing for every season.”

Rehbein added that while many people are somewhat familiar with programs such as Boys State, Boys Nation, Girls State and Girls Nation, few realize that these premiere programs are run by The American Legion and The American Legion Auxiliary.

“The American Legion conducts the top constitutional speech contest in the country,” Rehbein said. “We award hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, have raised hundreds of thousands more to purchase comfort items for hospitalized troops, and administer a junior shooting sports contest that is first rate. The American Legion family offers something for everyone.”

Visitors can learn more about the campaign by visiting www.legion.org/legiontown.  As the campaign progresses, Legion family members will be able to submit their own stories to the web site.

On a national level, The American Legion is the most effective veterans advocacy organization in Washington. The American Legion wrote the original draft of the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, more famously known as the GI Bill. The organization released a booklet called “The Four Pillars of The American Legion,” which highlights The American Legions national accomplishments and programs. To order a copy of The Four Pillars or Legiontown, e-mail pr@legion.org or call (317) 630-1253.

With a current membership of 2.5-million wartime veterans, The American Legion was founded on the four pillars of a strong national security, veterans affairs, Americanism, and youth programs.

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Contact: Joe March or John Raughter, (317) 630-1253.