How old is Legion College?

The concept of a formalized program to help teach new member veterans about The American Legion is 68 years old, having been first put forward in Resolution No. 138 at the 1944 National Convention. Sessions were held off and on from 1946 to 1954, training hundreds of future Legion leaders in the history and platforms of the organization, as well as improving management and communication skills.

By the mid-1950s, however, budgetary concerns and the desire to democratize the process led to such education being mostly offered through individual departments. In 1997, the 21st Century Ad Hoc Committee recommended the restoration of the national program, and the first of the modern Legion College was held in 1999.

This year’s Legion College will be held in Indianapolis Oct. 28 to Nov. 2. The deadline to apply was July 31; but consider starting now on an application for 2013. You can download that document here.