The start of something good

Executives from USAA, The American Legion's new preferred provider of insurance and financial services, gathered Tuesday beside a display case containing the original handwritten GI Bill and presented a check for $1 million to support Legion programs that help U.S. military veterans, their families, children and youth.

The member-based insurance and financial services organization expanded eligibility in November 2009 to anyone who honorably served in the U.S. military, regardless of rank or date of service. Legionnaires who establish USAA membership can extend the benefits to their qualified family members, many of whom make up the nearly 1.4 million members of the Sons of The American Legion and American Legion Auxiliary. This week, an official "preferred provider" relationship united USAA and The American Legion - two of the nation's largest military-based organizations - in an effort to advance the missions of both organizations.

"We are excited the benefits of our relationship will enable The American Legion to better pursue its many programs for veterans and their families," said Maj. Gen. Jason Kamiya (U.S. Army, retired), a member of Texas Post 345 and USAA's senior vice president of member experience. "The relationship also allows USAA to expand awareness of its many services to more veterans and their families as well as the larger military community. This is the culmination of more than a year of hard work by our two organizations, but it was work made easier because of the commonality of mission and interests between USAA and The American Legion."

Both organizations were founded by World War I veterans, the Legion in 1919 and USAA in 1922, in order to support and serve military and veteran communities. Today, with more than 2.4 million members, The American Legion is the nation's largest veterans service organization. USAA has more than 7.8 million members, mostly made up of current and former officers, enlisted members and their families, and boasts some of the highest customer-service rankings in the financial services industry.

American Legion National Adjutant Daniel S. Wheeler said the USAA funds will flow directly to programs and services that benefit veterans, military families, children and youth. "Very much in keeping with the spirit behind the GI Bill, which educated millions of veterans and improved countless lives over a half-century, this relationship with USAA will help us continue to help a new generation of veterans go to college, find good jobs, get the health care they deserve, understand their benefits and improve communities nationwide," Wheeler said.

"The new relationship gives The American Legion the ability to multiply the services we offer to our members," American Legion National Treasurer George A. Buskirk, Jr., added. "USAA has a wide array of more than 140 financial products and services that will now be available to the members of our organization. We think this is a dynamic opportunity for us to expand membership benefits. USAA is an ideal fit for us because of their understanding of veterans and the military community and even created a dedicated toll-free phone number - (877) 699-2654 - and a special website at www.usaa.com/legion for our members."

American Legion National Commander Jimmie Foster formally announces the relationship, now in effect, in the January issue of The American Legion Magazine. "As we work for our country and community, USAA is dedicated to working for its members, delivering competitive products backed by award-winning customer service," Foster writes in the forthcoming issue. "USAA has catered to military personnel since 1922, and today you will not find a provider with a prouder legacy of serving the military community."