182 Legionnaires awarded for recruiting 11,078 new members

Legionnaires who recruit 50 or more new members (transfers do not count) into The American Legion by the May membership target date qualify for enrollment in The American Legion’s elite Gold Brigade.

For the 2015-16 membership year, 9,197 new American Legion members were recruited by 116 Legionnaires representing 25 departments. The members received the Gold Brigade award for their exceptional recruiting efforts.

Patricia Liddell, a member of Post 333 in Columbus, Ga., earned her 13th Gold Brigade and first Recruiter of the Year award for recrutiing 818 new members.

Another 1,881 new members were recruited by 66 Legionnaires who earned the Silver Brigade award for their efforts. A Legionnaire who recruits 25-49 new members (transfers do not count) into The American Legion by the May target date qualifies for this award.

The Gold Brigade recipients will be awarded unique gifts that designate affiliation with the Gold Brigade of The American Legion. First-time Gold Brigade members will receive a Gold Brigade patch, a special Gold Brigade cap pin, a Gold Brigade certificate, and a designer jacket, polo shirt or sweater with a Gold Brigade logo. Second time/repeat Gold Brigaders will receive a Gold Brigade patch and certificate, a hash mark for a jacket sleeve, and a designer jacket, polo shirt or sweater with a Gold Brigade logo. A Gold Brigader who has won the award for five consecutive years is eligible for a distinctive Gold Brigade blazer. A Legionnaire may only qualify once every five years. And a Gold Brigader who has earned the award for at least six consecutive years or more is eligible for a $150 check and a Legion cap with the inscription “Master Recruiter.”