Legion Forward

Every day, approximately 17-20 Veterans and Service Members lose the war within. That's more than 6,000 lives lost every year. Suicide is a national emergency, and The American Legion must lead the charge in ending it.

This is personal. Every generation of Legionnaires has fought for the one that followed. The WWI generation gave WWII Veterans the G.I. Bill. WWII Veterans fought for Agent Orange relief. Now, it's our time. The current generation of Legion leadership, primarily Korea and Vietnam-era Veterans, must fight with equal passion to end Veteran suicide.

Here is a fact: Every time The American Legion has decided to do something, to wade into a battle, we have won! Every single time! So, let's channel that energy and leverage the history and strength of The American Legion to put an abrupt end to Veteran suicide. Another fact is that our federal government has spent nearly $50 billion attempting to attack this issue. Over the last 10 years, Congress has allocated billions of dollars to VA, yet we are still seeing Veterans and Service Members continue to make these horrible decisions. Where is the money going? How can The American Legion step up?

Key Strategies

• Be The One

Continue championing this initiative. Be the one to stay. Be the one to check in. Be the one to ask for help. Be the one to serve your community. Be the one to mentor a new member. Be the one to save a life. But let's also take it further: Be The One to Recruit One. Reorganize and properly fund the BTO program to underscore the Legion's commitment to this problem (more below).

• Be The One to Recruit One

Every single member of The American Legion Family recruiting one Veteran/member creates a movement, not just a message.

• Buddy Checks

Reinforce and expand this life-saving initiative started by Past National Commander Bill Oxford (2019-2021). Invest in infrastructure to track calls, encourage digital platforms for reminders, and create a streamlined system for Posts to report engagement. Add optional weekly "Battle Buddy" pairings to create ongoing accountability and connection.

• Eliminate the Stigma of Asking for Help

Launch a Legion-wide culture change campaign that encourages open conversations around mental health. Normalize therapy and counseling, especially among men and older generations. Feature stories of Legionnaires who sought help and came out stronger.

• Complimentary & Alternative Therapies

Advocate for full VA support of non-traditional treatments such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy, equine therapy, service dogs, meditation retreats, art therapy, and family-based healing. Work with Congress and VA to expand program availability and accessibility nationwide.

• Hire a Mental Health Director for the Washington HQ

The Legion must invest in a full-time, credentialed mental health professional to lead strategy and coordinate suicide prevention initiatives, working closely with the VA, NIH, CDC and other government, think-tank and non-profit partners. This person will work closely with Departments and Posts and evaluate partnerships and best practices. The American Legion could potentially fund this role through the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program, which provides up to $750,000 per year.

• Establish Post-Level Community Resource Officers

Just as VA Medical Centers have dedicated suicide prevention staff, every American Legion Post should have a trained, empowered point-of-contact that can refer Veterans to community, state or national resources and can report to the BTO program coordinator to identify new partnership opportunities. Their job is to maintain relationships with local VA coordinators, provide education, and activate post-level response networks for at-risk Veterans.

• Enroll Veterans in VA

Veterans enrolled in VA are less likely to die by suicide. Only 9 million of the 17.4 million Veterans in the U.S. are enrolled. Launch a nationwide outreach initiative to identify non-enrolled Veterans, assist with applications, and ensure they know the resources available to them. Every Post should be trained and equipped to help Veterans enroll in VA and explain why it matters.

• Expand Grant Participation

Ensure The Legion aggressively applies for and utilizes VA suicide prevention grant programs at the local and national level. Departments and Posts should be trained on how to apply, build programs, and report outcomes to maintain funding and save lives.

The American Legion is respected but has a perception problem. The American Legion should be a household name, a national voice, and a cultural icon. To grow our influence, we must re-enter the American story and change how we market to the next generation of Veterans. We must make a visceral change to signify our commitment to reaching them.

Key Strategies

• Return to Hollywood & Television

For decades, Legion Posts were featured in TV shows and movies, not just as sets, but as symbols of American community. Today, that visibility has all but disappeared. We must reengage with film and TV producers, pitch stories involving Legionnaires, and reestablish cultural relevance by appearing in content again.

• Partner with the Entertainment Industry

Create a Hollywood Liaison Program to build relationships with screenwriters, producers, and studios. Offer support for authentic military representation. Consider partnerships with Veteran film organizations and festivals.

• Veteran Angles in National News

From trade and tariffs to healthcare and elections, nearly every major national news story has a Veteran component. Hire a strategic media placement firm to proactively pitch Legionnaire experts to cable news, radio, podcasts and national publications. Create a network of media-trained spokespeople across generations and backgrounds, aiming to place The American Legion back in the homes of all Americans.

• Engage Veteran Influencers

Many Post-9/11 Veterans are building meaningful online communities that The Legion has not tapped into. Partner with them, co-host events, support their content, and invite them into our mission. They are the new generation of cultural conveners.

• Modern Commander Tour Strategy

Shift the model from mostly visiting established Posts to deliberately including high-impact outreach: Campuses, Veteran-owned businesses, major events and media appearances.

The American Legion is the premier Veterans Service Organization, but our membership systems must reflect that status. Let's make it easier, more flexible, and more rewarding to be part of the Legion.

Key Strategies

• Rolling Membership Dates

Let a member's renewal date reflect their join date, not a fixed calendar deadline. This reduces frustration and increases retention.

• Flexible Multi-Year Membership Options

Now that we offer a 3-year membership option, continue evaluating and expanding options (e.g. 5-year). Market these options widely and create incentives for multi-year renewals.

• Digital Membership Cards

Create fully integrated digital cards compatible with Apple Wallet and Google Wallet. Offer optional physical cards for those who still prefer them.

• Modernize PUFL Pricing

Conduct a comparative pricing review. Offer discounts or payment plans for younger and disabled Veterans. Consider promotional PUFL campaigns tied to milestone events (e.g. The Legion's 110th anniversary). We also must do a better job of explaining how our PUFL program is better than other VSOs, for example, the TAL PUFL program works the way you would want: The funds go into an escrow account that pays out your Post, Department and National every year. PUFL was not designed to be a "discount," it was designed to be convenient. The Legion PUFL program is different than other VSOs because we actually ensure your Post and Department receive their portion of your membership dollars every year, allowing your membership dollars to be put to work.

Corporate America wants to serve Veterans. Let's make it easy for them to serve through the Legion and do it in a way that benefits everyone.

Key Strategies

• Create a National Corporate Partnership Committee

Include Legionnaires with experience in fundraising, branding and business development. Build strategic alliances and establish standard partnership tiers.

• Tech & Mobility Partners

Partner with companies like Microsoft, Uber, Amazon and Google to bring real value to our Posts. Offer Veteran access to donated tech, rides to appointments, or digital literacy classes.

• Local Sponsor Templates

Provide Posts with turnkey toolkits for approaching local businesses, including letters, partnership levels, event ideas, and recognition tactics.

• Revenue Diversification

Move beyond membership dues. Build a pipeline of social impact funding tied to mission delivery, not just organizational survival.

Corporate Veteran Employee Resource Groups (VERGs) are growing, and many mirror what our Posts already offer. Let's integrate instead of competing. Many corporations in the U.S. either already offer a Veterans employee group or are on the verge of creating one. Many of these VERGs offer the same things as American Legion Posts. Let's work with corporations to establish American Legion groups within their companies. The Legion already has established rules, benefits and processes in place that would allow for companies to establish an American Legion Post within their company that comes almost with a turnkey approach.

Key Strategy

• VERG-to-Legion Pilot Program

Launch a pilot with a Fortune 500 company to convert a VERG into a chartered American Legion Post. Provide resources, support and guidance.

We cannot grow The American Legion if we don't serve, attract and empower the newest generation of Veterans.

Key Strategies

• Redefine "The Post"

A Post is not a building, it's a community. Encourage mobile, hybrid, and community-based Posts, mirroring successful 21st century online connection tools like Reddit. Highlight that if you meet in a brewery, a hiking trail, or a college union, that is a Post.

• Mission-Driven Posts

Veterans are purpose-driven. Empower Posts to lead local service missions, such as feeding the homeless, mentoring students, responding to disasters, or cleaning parks. Create a national registry of Veterans who wish to engage in local, regional or national disaster response that are certified to help. Veterans are, by nature, service-oriented people: Lean into that desire to serve and create opportunities for Veterans and their families to engage, volunteer and serve. Offering opportunities like this allows for Veterans to see the Legion in action, breaking away from the "smoky old bar" mental image.

• Mentor Model

Ask every member to mentor just one new member. Create connection, loyalty, and long-term engagement through meaningful relationships.

• Engage SVA Chapters & Younger Veterans

Build formal bridges between Student Veterans of America (SVA) chapters and local Posts. Host joint events, panels and projects.

• Be the One to Recruit One

Be The One is a mission to end Veteran suicide. That is the most noble mission before The American Legion. That said, it's proven that getting Veterans involved in a community reduces the risk of them making a permanent decision on a tepmorary problem. If every member of The American Legion family recruited one person, we would reduce suicide in America while literally doubling the size of our organization overnight.

• Make it personal.
• Make it achievable.