Who We Are
We are nearly 800,000 spouses, daughters, sisters, mothers, grandmothers and granddaughters of members of The American Legion. Some of us are veterans ourselves. There are over 7,000 Auxiliary Units supporting American Legion Posts in local communities in the USA. If you value patriotism, responsible citizenship, volunteerism and advocacy for veterans, the military and their families, you will feel right at home in the American Legion Auxiliary. Visit us at the American Legion Hall at 1412 4th Street in Floresville, Texas on the 2nd Thursday of the month at 7PM.
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility for membership in the American Legion Auxiliary is determined by The American Legion. Membership in the American Legion Auxiliary shall be limited to the:
(1) Grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of members of The American Legion; and
(2) grandmothers, mothers, sisters, spouses, and direct and adopted female descendants of all men and women who served in either of the following periods: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, and any time after December 7, 1941, who being a citizen of the United States at the time of their entry therein served on active duty in the Armed Forces of any of the governments associated with the United States during either eligibility period and died in the line of duty or after honorable discharge; and
(3) to those women who of their own right are eligible for membership in The American Legion.
To find out if you are eligible for membership and to join online go to: https://www.legion-aux.org/joining
History
With the cessation of World War I, the Great War, the men and women of the armed forces banded together in The American Legion to carry forward their services to the country in peacetime. It was only natural that the women of their families should desire to continue to serve with them. The result was the American Legion Auxiliary.
The establishment of an Auxiliary to The American Legion was provided for by the first National Convention of The American Legion in 1919. By the 1920 National Convention, 1,342 local units of this Auxiliary had been formed and intensive organizational efforts were authorized. The first National Convention of the Auxiliary was held in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1921. At that time, the name "American Legion Auxiliary" was adopted, and the first national officers elected.
The Auxiliary grew from a first-year enrollment of 121,000 to approximately 500,000 at the beginning of WWII. After the women of WWII families became eligible, enrollment rose rapidly to a record of 1,001,545 in 1955. In 2019, in recognition of the rising number of women in military service, membership eligibility in the American Legion Auxiliary to male spouses opened.
Purposes
In fulfillment of our mission, the American Legion Auxiliary adheres to the following purposes:
- To support and advocate for veterans, military, and their families.
- To support the initiatives and programs of The American Legion.
- To foster patriotism and responsible citizenship.
- To award scholarships and promote quality education and literacy.
- To provide educational and leadership opportunities that uphold the ideals of freedom and democracy and encourage good citizenship and patriotism in government.
- To increase our capacity to deliver our mission by providing volunteer opportunities within our communities.
- To empower our membership to achieve personal fulfillment through Service Not Self.
Values
Our statement of values is predicated on the founding purposes:
- Commitment to the four founding principles: justice, freedom, democracy, loyalty.
- Service to God, our country, its veterans, and their families.
- Tradition of patriotism and citizenship.
- Personal integrity and family values.
- Respect for the uniqueness of individual members.
- Truthful, open communication in dealing with the public and our members.
- Adherence to the adopted policies and rules.
Mission Statement
In the spirit of Service Not Self, the mission of the American Legion Auxiliary is to support The American Legion and honor the sacrifice of those who serve by enhancing the lives of our veterans, military, and their families, both at home and abroad. For God and Country, we advocate for veterans, educate our citizens, mentor youth, and promote patriotism, good citizenship, peace, and security.