Our Mission

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. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to community, state and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans.   The Legion stands behind the issues most important to the nation’s veterans community, backed by resolutions passed by volunteer leadership.

American Legion members provided over 4 million volunteer hours last year nationwide, provided almost $8 million dollars for Community Service/Emergency Aid/Troop Support, provided over $15 million dollars for Youth Programs (Baseball, Boys State, Oratorical Contests, Scholarships, Scouting, and Shooting Sports), and helped with the donation of over 70,000 pints of blood.

The success of the Department of Virginia depends entirely on active membership, participation and volunteerism. We are always looking for eligible members to help us continue to build on our legacy, especially the newest generation of Veterans who can help us grow our programs and community involvement.   We hope you will take a few moments to look around our website and learn more about how The American Legion can help you while at the same time you can help The American Legion.   If you are interested in learning more or need help finding your local American Legion Post, please use our contact form so we can have someone reach out to you.

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The preamble of the American Legion Constitution is incorporated into the Department of Virginia Constitution in it’s entirety.   The preamble sets the basic mission of our organization and thus is the backbone of our being.   Our preamble reads:

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• To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America;
• To maintain law and order;
• To foster and perpetuate a one hundred percent Americanism;
• To preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in the Great Wars;
• To inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation;
• To combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses;
• To make right the master of might;
• To promote peace and goodwill on earth;
• To safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy;
• To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

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Still Serving: It’s Who We Are

Since 1919, The American Legion has followed our four foundational pillars: Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children & Youth.   Each of these pillars encompasses a variety of programs that benefit our nation’s veterans, its service members, their families, the youth of America and ordinary citizens.   These programs make a difference in hundreds of thousands of lives each year.   These programs, and the men and women who take the time to perform them, are what allow The American Legion to make a difference locally, and on the state and national levels.   It’s who we are and what we do.

[su_box title=”Pillar I – Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation” box_color=”#cc7908″]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]VA Claims Backlog
Access to VA Health Care
Network of Service Officers
VA Vet Centers
Health-care Funding Formula
Veterans with Special Needs
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Volunteering
Final Respects
Heroes to Hometowns
Careers for Veterans
Homelessness
GI Bill Benefits
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[su_box title=”Pillar II – National Security” box_color=”#cc7908″]
[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Support for the Troops
Size of the Armed Forces
Quality of Life
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Homeland Security
POW/MIAs
Operation Comfort Warriors
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[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Flag Protection
Illegal Immigration
Voter Registration and Participation
Boy Scouts of America
The Pledge of Allegiance
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Establishment-Clause Lawsuits
Legacy Run
Boys Nation
American Legion Baseball
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[su_row][su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Catastrophic Illness
Intellectual Disabilities
Immunization
Family Integrity
Media Violence
Drug Abuse
[/su_column] [su_column size=”1/2″ center=”no” class=””]Child Sexual Exploitation
Family Support Network
Temporary Financial Assistance
Samsung Scholarship
Child Welfare Foundation
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[embeddoc url=”https://dept.16dvalegion.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2015-Dept-CONSTITUTION.pdf” download=”all”]

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