Effort introduces active-duty servicemembers to Legion while providing safe space to relax, unwind and game.
It was a two-pronged mission for American Legion Gaming (ALG) during LA Fleet Week 2026: introduce active-duty service members to The American Legion while providing a welcoming space where troops could relax, unwind, and connect through gaming. As part of Southern California’s America 250 Summer Kickoff Event, LA Fleet Week brought thousands of sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen into the Port of Los Angeles aboard vessels, including the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2), Coast Guard patrol boat USCGC Halibut (WPB 87340) and Fast Response Cutter USCGC Terrell Horne (WPC-1131).
Adjacent to the battleship USS Iowa, American Legion Gaming established an exhibit area featuring multiple gaming consoles and a racing simulator. The shaded space quickly became a popular destination for servicemembers and veterans looking for a break from the crowds. ALG volunteers used the opportunity to introduce troops to Legion programs while demonstrating how gaming can foster camaraderie and community. At the same time, the organization partnered with the USO, which operated a large entertainment area near the Essex where sailors could relax after coming ashore.
Within the USO area, American Legion Gaming provided three PlayStation consoles and a racing simulator available to servicemembers around the clock throughout the event. Comfortable couches and gaming stations gave troops a chance to socialize, compete and decompress.
Ryan Okita, executive director of the USO in California, said the partnership enhanced the experience for visiting servicemembers. “Having the opportunities to play games out here has really enhanced what we’re doing,” he said. Many of the sailors visiting Fleet Week had been at sea for extended periods, while others were experiencing Los Angeles for the first time.
The event also served as a successful recruiting opportunity for The American Legion. Jeff Sterling, incoming commander of Vanguard Post 1337—The American Legion’s online gaming-focused post — said the response from servicemembers exceeded expectations. “A lot of servicemembers are not aware of The American Legion, and they are now becoming aware of The American Legion, and so far we are at 25 new members,” Sterling said.
He believes online communities such as Post 1337 represent an important evolution for the organization. “It’s the future,” he said. “Every day we are changing, and to have this online post, this connectability where it’s not community based other than a global community, it’s going to allow us to make great changes to help the veterans in The American Legion.”
For many volunteers, Fleet Week highlighted the growing role gaming can play in veteran engagement and wellness. Steven Travali, incoming commander of Pacific Palisades Post 283, sees gaming as a tool to combat issues such as PTSD, depression and isolation among veterans.
Meanwhile, ALG Senior Team Lead for Development and Operations Jacob Hammersmith connected servicemembers to both Legion membership applications and the organization’s active Discord community, which includes thousands of veterans, active-duty personnel and military family members. “It’s a really small world,” Hammersmith said,while recounting how he unexpectedly reconnected with a former Army colleague through the platform.
That sense of connection was echoed by ALG Director of Logistics and Planning Medic Always, who emphasized the organization's mission: “The sense of community and camaraderie that we lose when we get out is never gone. You just have to find it. And we’re here.”
Through gaming, online communities, and events like LA Fleet Week, American Legion Gaming continues to help veterans and servicemembers find that connection.
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