Ask most people what the American Legion Auxiliary does and you’ll hear something about baking pies for veterans. That’s not wrong — but it badly undersells an organization of roughly three-quarters of a million members whose volunteer hours are valued at around $2 billion a year.
Here’s what the Auxiliary actually does, the flagship program it runs for high school students, and how Unit #51 fits into Lebanon.
Founded the Same Year as the Legion Itself
The American Legion Auxiliary was established on November 10, 1919 — the same year the Legion was founded — in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Legion formally sanctioned it at its 1920 convention.
One early decision still shapes the organization’s identity: at its first convention in 1921, members voted to drop the word “women’s” from the name, becoming simply the American Legion Auxiliary. They were building a service organization, not a ladies’ committee attached to one.
Who Can Join Today
Eligibility broadened in 2019, and a lot of people haven’t caught up with the change.
| Relationship to an Eligible Veteran | Eligible for the Auxiliary? |
|---|---|
| Spouse — male or female | Yes (male spouses became eligible in 2019) |
| Mother, grandmother | Yes |
| Sister | Yes |
| Daughter, granddaughter, great-granddaughter (including adopted) | Yes |
| Father, brother, son, grandson | No — but the Sons of The American Legion covers male descendants |
The 2019 change came from replacing the word “wife” with “spouse” in the organization’s bylaws — a small edit with real consequences, since it opened membership to the husbands of women veterans for the first time.
ALA Girls State: The Program That Defines the Auxiliary
If the Auxiliary has a signature program, it’s Girls State — and it’s far more substantial than a summer camp.
Girls State is a week-long leadership and citizenship program for high school juniors. Participants don’t study government abstractly; they build one. Delegates campaign, elect officials at every level of a mock state government, pass legislation, and run the thing themselves.
According to the American Legion Auxiliary’s Girls State program, nearly one million young women have taken part since 1937, and programs now operate in every state with roughly 20,000 participants annually.
How Students Get In
- Students are competitively selected, typically after completing their junior year.
- Local Auxiliary units sponsor delegates — meaning a unit like Lebanon’s is the pathway for local students.
- Selection generally weighs leadership, academics, and community involvement.
The Rest of the Auxiliary’s Work
Girls State is the headline, but it’s a fraction of the annual workload.
| Program Area | What Members Actually Do |
|---|---|
| Veterans support | VA hospital volunteering, serving meals, writing to wounded veterans, transporting veterans to appointments |
| Military families | Care packages to deployed troops, support for families during deployments |
| Poppy program | Distributing memorial poppies and funding veteran assistance — see our history of Poppy Day |
| Youth & education | Girls State, scholarships, and youth mentorship |
| Advocacy | Legislative advocacy for veterans’ benefits and services |
Why Girls State Alumnae Take It So Seriously
Girls State has an unusually strong alumni identity for a one-week high school program, and the reason is structural: participants aren’t observers.
A delegate might arrive knowing nothing about parliamentary procedure and leave having run a campaign, lost or won an election, drafted legislation, and argued it in session. For many, it’s the first time they’ve held actual responsibility in a formal governing structure rather than reading about one.
Two delegates from each state program advance to ALA Girls Nation in Washington, D.C., where participants are known as senators. They submit bills and resolutions, hold senate sessions, and elect a president and vice president among themselves.
The week includes visits to Capitol Hill, national monuments, and Arlington National Cemetery — and often concludes with a meeting with the President of the United States at the White House. For a program funded by local units selling poppies and hosting fundraisers, that’s a remarkable pipeline.
About Those Pies
The domestic image isn’t a stereotype to be defensive about — it’s a real and deliberately chosen tactic. Auxiliary members still bake, still serve dinners at veterans homes, and still hand-write notes to hospitalized veterans.
It’s worth understanding why that work persists in an era of digital everything. A veteran in a VA facility may go weeks without a visitor. A handwritten card from a stranger who bothered to learn their name lands differently than an institutional mailing, and the people delivering it know that.
The reason is simple: a hot meal and a personal note reach an isolated veteran in ways a policy resolution never will. The Auxiliary does the advocacy too — it just doesn’t treat the kitchen work as lesser.
What Membership Actually Asks of You
The most common hesitation people voice is time — the assumption that joining means committing evenings you don’t have. In practice, units run on flexible participation.
- Attend what you can. Units meet monthly, and no one tracks perfect attendance.
- Pick a program that fits you. Someone who loves working with students gravitates to Girls State sponsorship; someone who’d rather cook helps with meals; someone with a car drives veterans to appointments.
- Dues are modest and set locally — ask the unit for the current amount.
- You don’t need experience. Most members arrive knowing nothing about the organization beyond a relative’s service.
Unit #51 in Lebanon, Oregon
American Legion Auxiliary Unit #51 operates alongside Post 51 with its own officer structure — President, Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplain, Historian, and a dedicated Poppy Chairman, plus an executive board.
The unit’s own motto captures the pitch better than any recruiting copy could: “Get Involved Today! With Your Participation Everyone Wins!”
Unit #51 works alongside the Post’s other programs — the Honor Guard, bingo fundraising, and the Memorial Day observance at I.O.O.F. Cemetery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can men join the American Legion Auxiliary?
Male spouses of eligible veterans can, following a 2019 bylaw change replacing “wife” with “spouse.” Fathers, brothers, sons, and grandsons are not eligible for the Auxiliary, but may qualify for the Sons of The American Legion.
Do I have to be related to a Post 51 member?
No. Eligibility is based on your relationship to any veteran who meets American Legion membership requirements, living or deceased.
What is ALA Girls State?
A week-long leadership and citizenship program for high school juniors, run since 1937, where delegates build and run a mock state government. Nearly one million young women have participated.
How does a student get selected for Girls State?
Students are competitively selected and sponsored by a local Auxiliary unit, generally after completing their junior year. Contact Unit #51 through Post 51 to ask about local sponsorship.
How large is the American Legion Auxiliary?
Roughly three-quarters of a million members across more than 8,000 communities, contributing millions of volunteer hours annually.
How do I join Unit #51?
Call Post 51 at (541) 451-1351 and ask about Auxiliary membership.
Worth a Conversation
If a parent, grandparent, or spouse served, you may be eligible without ever having realized it. Our Lebanon membership guide compares all four Legion Family paths, or call (541) 451-1351 to ask about Unit #51 directly.