Top 5: celebrate Old Glory, tell us your experiences, the power of three
1. Celebrate Old Glory
Flag Day is June 14. On this day, American Legion posts preserve the history and respect of our nation’s symbol by holding a proper flag retirement ceremony or participating in community celebrations. A prepared Flag Day speech by the National Media & Communications Division is available for posts to use for Flag Day events.
The speech is available for download here.
And at 7 p.m. Eastern time on June 14 is the annual Pause for the Pledge.
There’s more: The American Legion’s flag web page has several resources for posts and members to use on Flag Day and every day. These include downloadable social media graphics, comic books for purchase, flag FAQs and more. Visit legion.org/flag.
2. We want to hear about your VA care
If you live in the Tuscaloosa, Ala., area, The American Legion is hosting a System Worth Saving (SWS) town hall June 12 for military veterans. During the town hall, veterans and their family members will be able to share their VA health-care experiences with American Legion officials, VA staff and others.
The town hall starts at 6 p.m. and will take place in the Belk Activity Center community room at Bowers Park. The address is 2101 Bowers Park Drive, Tuscaloosa, Ala., 35405. The event is free, and no prior registration or RSVP is necessary.
Did you know?: Each year, the Legion’s Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Commission conducts a series of site visits to VA medical facilities and regional offices across the country to meet with veterans, their families and VA administrators and employees to discuss issues and solutions at each site. These observations are compiled into a System Worth Saving report that is distributed to VA officials, members of Congress and the public. Stay tuned for more town hall visits coming up.
3. Your key to membership growth: community engagement
In 2017, American Legion Post 257 in Battle Creek, Mich., had 55 members. Since then, the post has grown each year thanks to its community outreach and engagement efforts. For 2023, Post 257 has about 268 members. During the May Training Tuesday session, Brian Mohlman, Department of Michigan membership director and a member of Post 257, spoke about the success the post has had and how other American Legion posts can get involved in their community and in return, get the community involved in their post.
“Once the community becomes involved in your post, what you're doing means something to that community,” he said. “Then it's all about visibility. It's all about letting the community know what you're doing and letting them see the valuable contributions that you're making.”
Save the date: The next Training Tuesday is June 27 at 7 p.m. Eastern time. Scott French, a veteran who found a unique path to healing through Diamond Dallas Page Yoga (DDPY), will share his journey and insights on how physical fitness can be used to support mental health resilience. Join here.
4. Three principles to growing a business
Air Force veteran April Shprintz is this week’s special guest in a new episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast where she gives advice to entrepreneurs and corporations about growing their businesses. Named one of the Top 22 Entrepreneurs of 2023 by New York Weekly, Shprintz is a business accelerator and leading sales expert who helps entrepreneurs and companies obtain increases in revenue while working less hours. Her approach is akin to not working harder, but smarter.
Shprintz left corporate America and developed her process, The Generosity Culture®. It has three principles:
• Pour into your people.
• Pour into your clients.
• Pour into your community.
Listen to the episode with Shprintz here.
Find a career: The American Legion keeps a list of upcoming career fairs for veterans and their spouses. Visit the site to find one nearest you.
5. Report the great work of your Legion post
Does your Legion post conduct a flag retirement ceremony or teach flag etiquette in schools, invite the community to the post for food or events, provide scholarships for higher education, provide an honor guard for a fallen comrade, fundraise for a cause that supports veterans, hosts a Veterans Day or Memorial Day ceremony?
“The heart and soul of The American Legion is found at the post level,” said National Commander Vincent J. “Jim” Troiola. “That is why it is so important to have as complete of a Consolidated Post Report (CPR) as possible. These are not just to record what large posts do in their communities. Small- and medium-sized posts also have great successes to share.”
June 30 is the target date for finishing CPRs. As of today, National Headquarters has only received and recorded 3,567 CPRs from our 12,112 American Legion posts, for a completion rate of 29.5%. The goal is 100% reporting. Post adjutants can access the CPR form at MyLegion or download this form and then mail (or fax) the CPR to your departments.
More ways to share: The American Legion wants to hear what your post, district or department is doing to serve veterans, families, youth and community. Share on legiontown.org.