About Us

American Legion, Inc. is a congressionally chartered corporation formed in Paris on March 15, 1919 by veterans of the American Expeditionary Forces.

Legionaires sponsor initiatives designed to improve veterans' well-being, such as scholarships, veterans' help programs (i.e. ending veterans homelessness), and youth sports. They also promote national security, patriotism and devotion to Veterans!

The four pillars of The American Legion are:

Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation: Includes programs related to VA claims, access to VA health care, and service officers.
National Security: Supports the troops, focuses on the size and quality of the armed forces, and addresses homeland security.
Americanism: Involves flag protection, voter registration, and support for organizations like the Boy Scouts of America.
Children & Youth: Addresses issues such as child pornography, catastrophic illness, and intellectual disabilities.

Programs

At the state level, The American Legion is organized into "departments", which run annual civic training events for high school juniors called Boys State. Two members from each Boys State are selected for Boys Nation. The American Legion Auxiliary runs Girls State and Girls Nation. In addition to Boys State, The American Legion features numerous programs including American Legion Baseball, Scouting, Oratorical Contests, Junior Shooting Sports, Youth Alumni, Sons of The American Legion, The American Legion Riders, and Scholarships at every level of the organization.

Keystone Boys State

The American Legion has certain qualifications for prospective Boys State citizens. Following are the recommended guidelines employed by most Boys State programs:

Students in high school are considered. Previous participants of a Boys State competition are not allowed to attend a second session. Only those who illustrate leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service in their schools and community should be considered. Merit and ability are the basis for evaluation during the actual citizens selection process.

Boys State competitions are in compliance with federal handicap laws. Most programs require a medical/parental consent certificate signed by a parent and registered doctor.

The selection process often differs in Legion departments.

The ideal method is for schools to recommend lists of eligible candidates to local Legion posts. The post would then conduct interviews and select their representative(s) for the program.