‘What you can do as a member’

Membership recruitment was discussed greatly early last month during The American Legion’s National Membership & Post Activities Committee in Indianapolis.

Young Army Iraq/Afghanistan veteran Edgar Morales of Bryan, Texas, said he joined the Legion when he was introduced and encouraged to participate in Legion programs at the local level.

"We need to promote our programs," said Morales, a member of Post 159. "If we do our programs and serve our community, we are going to end up serving veterans and those veterans are going to find out who we are and what we stand for. And that’s going to bring in our membership."

Post 159 is very active in the local community by sponsoring a Junior Shooting Sports club and Boy Scout troop, sending high school rising seniors to Boys State and Girls State, hosting an Oratorical contest, and having an active Legion Riders chapter and honor guard. The post also serves coffee every Thursday morning for all veterans, not just members.

"Are we looking to just increase membership or are we looking for actual service?" Morales asked the committee members. "The new generation of veterans want to continue to serve. They want to find somewhere where they can reunite with the community and serve as a veteran for their community."

Morales said that when recruiting new members he is often asked by veterans what the Legion can do for them. "I think we need to change that message to, ‘Let me tell you what you can do as a Legionnaire,’" he said.

Committee Chairman Ken Orrock added that "sometimes you need to tell (veterans) what the Legion has already done for them. Did you go to school on the GI Bill? Did you use the GI Bill to buy a home? Do you use the services of VA? All of those things exist because of this organization.

"Now let’s talk about what you can do as a member."