AMERICAN LEGION MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS
SADDLEBACK VALLEY POST 862
The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic, mutual-help, war-time veterans organization. A community-service organization which now numbers nearly 3 million members -- men and women -- in nearly 15,000 American Legion Posts worldwide. These Posts are organized into 55 departments -- one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The American Legion's national headquarters is in Indianapolis, Indiana, with additional offices in Washington, DC.
In order to join the American Legion you will have to show your proof of service. In most cases this means producing a copy of your Form DD214.
The following form from the National Personnel Records Center (Request for Military Records Form 180, Front and Back) can be used to obtain a copy of your DD214 or other military records.**
In order to read the form, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer.
**Please note that the NPRC form can be used for a number of requests, such as: verification of all (or issuance of) awards, corrections to your DD-214, or a copy of your records. Send NPRC the completed form along with a copy of your DD-214, and spell out exactly what actions you want them to do. For example, upon review of your records and verification of awards entitlement, they will respond to you. Every veteran is entitled to ONE replacement set of awards. Since they receive many requests, it may take them some time to reply.
Click on the logo to download the latest version of the FREE Adobe Acrobat .PDF Reader:
Then click on the Standard Form 180 hyperlink to get Form 180:
Additional Information concerning the purpose and programs of the American Legion can be seen at their National Web Site located at http://www.legion.org.
AMERICAN LEGION POST 862 MEMBERSHIP
The Saddleback Valley American Legion wants you!
Eligibility in The American Legion is based on honorable service with the U.S. Armed Forces between --
April 6, 1917 and November 11, 1918 (World War I)
December 7, 1941 and December 31, 1946 (World War II)
December 7, 1941 to August 15, 1945 (U.S. Merchant Marines)
June 25, 1950 and January 31, 1955 (Korean War)
February 28, 1961 and May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War)
August 24, 1982 and July 31, 1984 (Lebanon/Grenada)
December 20, 1989 and January 31, 1990 (Operation Just Cause - Panama)
*Operation Desert Shield/August 2, 1990 to today (Persian Gulf)
*Because eligibility dates remain open, all members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to join The American Legion at this time, until cessation of hostilities as determined by the U.S. Government.
For
God and Country
we associate ourselves
together for the following purposes:
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.
DOWNLOAD APPLICATION FOR POST or SQUADRON 862
- CLICK HERE to download an application in Adobe format
(You will need the free Acrobat Reader. Click on Icon to get free reader.)
Please call, write or e-mail for additional information
MAIL ADDRESS:
- The American Legion
- Post 862
- P.O. Box 2831
- Mission Viejo, CA 92690-0831
- 949-635-9369
