Latest posts
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What Happens at an American Legion Post Meeting
What to expect at your first Legion post meeting — the opening ceremony, who the officers are, the order of business, and what is actually expected of new members.
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The Four Pillars of The American Legion (and the 1919 Preamble)
The American Legion’s four pillars — Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, National Security, Americanism, and Children and Youth — plus the ten-clause Preamble adopted in 1919.
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VA Health Care: Eligibility, Priority Groups, and How to Enroll
You do not need a disability rating to qualify for VA health care. How eligibility works, what the eight priority groups mean, and why enrolling is worth it even with other insurance.
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Oregon Veteran Benefits: State Programs Beyond the VA
Oregon offers veterans a property tax exemption, its own home loan program, state veterans homes and more — on top of federal VA benefits. What is available and how to claim it.
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How to Get a Copy of Your DD-214 (For Free)
Replacing a lost DD-214 is free through official channels. The three request methods, who can apply, and what to do if your records burned in the 1973 St. Louis fire.
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Veterans Day: Why November 11, and Why No Apostrophe
Veterans Day history from the 1918 armistice to the 1954 renaming — including the seven years it was not on November 11, why there is no apostrophe, and how to observe it meaningfully.
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Who Wrote the GI Bill? The American Legion and the 1944 Law
The GI Bill was drafted by hand in a hotel room by Harry Colmery, a past American Legion national commander — and nearly died in committee. How it happened and what it changed.
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Be the One: Veteran Suicide Prevention and Buddy Checks
Veterans Crisis Line: dial 988, press 1. The American Legion’s Be the One initiative explained — warning signs, what to say when you are worried about a veteran, and how Buddy Checks work.
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Veterans Burial Benefits: Headstones, Allowances, and How to Apply
A government headstone is free even in a private cemetery, and national cemetery burial costs families nothing. What veterans burial benefits cover, who qualifies, and how to claim them.
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How The American Legion Was Founded in 1919
The American Legion was founded in Paris in March 1919 by soldiers awaiting discharge. The full 1919 timeline, the first convention’s resolutions, and the 140 women veterans who were delegates.