American Legion’s 104th birthday March 15

The American Legion is turning 104 on Wednesday, March 15 – the day in 1919 when the first American Legion caucus, held by members of the American Expeditionary Force, convened in Paris.

Each year, Legion posts across the country hold events – public, private or both – to commemorate this anniversary. Posts are encouraged to upload recaps and photos of their birthday celebrations (and other community activities) to legiontown.org. 

A 104th birthday speech has been drafted by the Legion’s Media and Communications staff as a way for Legionnaires to emphasize what the Legion represents, both to themselves and to the community at large. They are not meant to be recited verbatim; members are encouraged to amend them to taste and audience. The speech can be downloaded here. 

As The American Legion prepares to celebrate its birthday, a perfect way to celebrate is to make Buddy Checks. The American Legion’s Buddy Check program initially started for posts to conduct them twice a year — the week of American Legion Birthday and Veterans Day. Since the program has demonstrated success, posts conduct them year-round.

Buddy Checks are an opportunity to ask your members and other veterans about their wellbeing and how the post can support them. To get started, check out the resources available to assist in performing Buddy Checks, or download our toolkit here. And share your Buddy Check stories on legiontown.org.