One year, $18.8 billion in veterans benefits claims 

There are more than 18 billion reasons why our nation’s veterans gave thanks to The American Legion during Fiscal Year 2023, which ended in September. 

That’s because American Legion accredited service officers secured nearly 19 billion dollars — $18,800,997,141.62 to be precise — in benefits claims for veterans. That amount exceeds the $16 billion that veterans received in the previous fiscal year. 

Three sites secured more than $1 billion in FY 2023: 

• St. Petersburg, Fla., $2.4 billion. 

• Columbia, S.C., $1.1 billion. 

• Montgomery, Ala., $1.1 billion. 

Also, in the most recent fiscal year, the Legion’s Board of Veterans’ Appeals Unit represented more than 11,234 appellants – helping them to secure more than $89,616,242 in retroactive VA claims benefits. 

The American Legion’s 3,000 accredited service officers provide this expertise at no cost to any veteran, whether they are a Legionnaire or not. Some organizations charge for this service but do not get better results. 

“I could not be more pleased with the extraordinary and selfless work of our team of service officers,” American Legion National Commander Daniel J. Seehafer said. “This represents one of the core values of our organization: assisting our brothers and sisters. It is, in fact, a value that changes lives and saves lives.”