Legion now sponsoring veteran gaming community

Since first collaborating for an online Call of Duty tournament in late 2021, The American Legion and REGIMENT Gaming have teamed up multiple times, including an in-person Memorial Day tournament and REGIMENT setting up a gaming station display during the 2022 National Convention in Milwaukee. REGIMENT also teamed with Paradox Customs to provide a gaming station to American Legion Post 3 in Moundsville, W.Va.

But the relationship between the nation’s largest veterans service organization and the nation’s largest veteran gaming community has now reached a new level. On July 1, it was announced that The American Legion is now the official veteran service organization of REGIMENT Gaming.

“This is a great opportunity for The American Legion to team with a growing entity in the veteran community, and one with a younger demographic,” said Dean Kessel, The American Legion’s Chief Marketing Officer. “While they joined as gamers, members of REGIMENT also are about looking out for each other and supporting each other. That’s the mission of The American Legion, especially through our Be the One suicide-prevention initiative, so this is a great way to share that mission across both organization’s platforms.”

REGIMENT co-founder and CEO Chris Earl said having the Legion partnered with his creation “is surreal. Everyone knows who The American Legion is and having them watching our six brings a lot of validity to what we’re doing here. We are beyond grateful and excited for this opportunity.

“REGIMENT has done an amazing job at uniting veterans through the power of gaming, but now it’s time to get these guys and girls to put down the controller and go outside and connect with veterans in person. Working with The American Legion and their posts is going to help us accomplish that.”

Similar thoughts were shared by Regiment co-owner and President Brandon Hatfield, who called the partnership “a huge accomplishment for REGIMENT and something we have been working towards since the start of the organization. The American Legion is a name that I’ve known since I was young, so it’s personally really cool to see our brands working together.

“The American Legion was a brand on our radar since the start of REGIMENT, so I was hopeful to see an official partnership working together. We are working towards some of the same goals, and it’s cool to see the Legion recognize gaming as a viable tool to unite veterans and servicemembers.”

Earl said the average age of a REGIMENT member is 24 years old; both he and Hatfield feel the relationship between the gaming community and The American Legion can assist in the Legion’s effort to bring in younger members.

“Gaming is a powerful industry that brings people together, and this community helps people overcome obstacles in their life,” Hatfield said. “It’s a unique way to allow REGIMENT to grow The American Legion. REGIMENT started from nothing just a few years ago to becoming one of the largest gaming communities in the industry, and we aim to help bridge the gap for the Legion and veteran gamers.

“The Legion’s resources and connections will help REGIMENT expand and offer even better support for our veterans. I look forward to the collaboration of our two brands and can’t wait to see veteran lives changed because of this partnership.”

Already, members of REGIMENT have taken to social media to share news of them joining a local American Legion post. The goal, Earl said, is to grow that relationship.

“Both organizations are extremely different, but at the end of the day, we all have the same mission,” Earl said. “I look forward to working with post commanders to bring gaming to posts across the country.”

While growing membership is one goal of the Legion within this partnership, it’s also an opportunity to share the mission and work of the Legion across a new audience.

“REGIMENT will be sharing American Legion-related messaging across their social channels as a way of amplifying the important work of The American Legion and our Be The One mission, while encouraging veterans and servicemembers to join us,” Kessel said. “This is a win-win for both sides of this partnership, and we look forward to seeing it flourish.”