Veteran's Voice

With over 2.7 million members, The American Legion is the world’s largest
veteran’s organization. That strength in membership has gotten significantly smaller throughout the
past decade. Why? The majority of the American Legion members
come from “the greatest generation”, World War II veterans who are passing on
at an average of 1000 per day. These members were key in the creation
of benefits that most of us now take for granted.
Programs such as the GI Bill (originally authored by the Legion),
which allowed 10 million veterans to attend college for free and which has
been shown to have created a 700% benefit to the United States.
Though the cost of the original GI Bill was thought to be staggering,
the earning power of those 10 million veterans created seven times
the amount invested in increased tax revenue.

Included in those 10 million veterans who received a college education
and home loans included:

Two presidents, 238,000 teachers, 14 Nobel Prize winners, 11 Pulitzer Prize winners,
38 US congressmen, numerous US senators, and most likely, the vast
majority of those reading this, their fathers and/or grandfathers.

The American Legion continues to press on with these efforts every day,
in town councils, in government boards, in state legislatures, and on Capitol Hill in Washington DC.
This organization works tirelessly for the maintenance of ongoing veteran’s benefits and ensuring
new benefits as needs arise. The strength of their persuasion with the lawmakers is directly related
to the strength of the membership they represent. As the opinions of society become more diversified,
that intransigent power of a common goal and without political party affiliation echoes loudly
in the meeting rooms and chambers of Congress.

This is why it is important for each and every veteran should seek membership in
The American Legion. To continue to fight for their comrades in arms,
to aid those in need, to educate the youth of this country about the principles
of justice and freedom and democracy. That by assisting others they will help themselves.
And, that the small cost of membership is an investment that ultimately pays
very large dividends indeed...

Thanks for your support,

Greg Rowley

Adjutant

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