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THE AMERICAN LEGION

THE AMERICAN LEGION. A LOOK INTO THE PAST THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS. THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION. HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN WORLD WAR I AFTER THE WAR WHAT?.

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THE AMERICAN LEGION

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  1. THE AMERICAN LEGION A LOOK INTO THE PAST THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS

  2. THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION HOW DID IT ALL BEGIN WORLD WAR I AFTER THE WAR WHAT?

  3. WORLD WAR I • GROUPS OF MEN SENT OVERSEAS • COMRADSHIP AND NEW EXPERIENCES • A SENSE OF BELONGING • CONCERN FOR THEIR FELLOW SOLDIERS • LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE • A SENSE OF PATRIOTISM

  4. 1919 THE BEGINNINGS • MARCH 15-17 MEMBERS OF AEF CONVENE CAUCUS IN PARIS • MAY 8-10 ST LOUIS CAUCUS • AMERICAN LEGION NAME • DRAFT PREAMBLE AND CONSTITUTION JUNE 9 NEC ADOPTS LEGION EMBLEM SEPT 16 US CONGRESS CHARTERS THE AMERICAN LEGION NOV 10-12 FIRST CONVENTION MINNEAPOLIS • --RESOLUTION SUPPORT FOR BOY SCOUTS

  5. ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE YEARS • AUG 1921 EFFORTS RESULT IN CREATION OF US VETERANS BUREAU LATER THE VA • JUL 1925 LEGION CREATES AMERICAN LEGION BASEBALL PROGRAM • JUNE 1935 FIRST AMERICAN LEGION BOYS STATE IN ILLINOIS • JUNE 1938 FIRST NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL ORATORICAL CONTEST • DEC 1943 DRAFT OF GI BILL OF RIGHTS BY NATIONAL COMMANDER HARRY COLMERY • LEGIONS SINGLE GREATEST LEGISLATIVE ACHIEVEMENT

  6. JUNE 1944 PRES ROOSEVELT SIGNS SERVICEMEN’S READJUSTMENT ACT/GI BILL OF RIGHTS • JULY 1954 AMERICAN LEGION CHILD WELFARE FOUNDATION FORMED • AUG 1969 NEC ESTABLISHED NATIONAL EMERGENCY FUND • JAN 1989 VA ELEVATED TO CABINET-LEVEL STATUS • OCT 1990 LEGION CREATES THE FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK

  7. JUNE 1991 LEGION HOST FIRST JUNIOR SHOOTING SPORTS NATIONAL AIR RIFLE CHAMPIONSHIPS • JUNE 2008 PRES BUSH SIGNS INTO LAW POST 9/11 VETERANS EDUCATION ASSISTANCE ACT

  8. KEY ELEMENTS • PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION • TELLS WHAT WE ARE ALL ABOUT THE AMERICAN LEGION EMBLEM -SYMBOLIZES WHAT WE DO

  9. DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS A LONG AND ILLUSTRIOUS HISTORY

  10. IN THE BEGINNING • -21 APRIL 1919 SAN ANTONIO CAUCUS • ST ANTHONY HOTEL • CLAUDE BIRKHEAD CHAIRMAN • SET RULES • ESTABLISHED COMMITTEES • MEMBERSHIP/CREDENTIALS/EMPLOYMENT • DELEGATES TO ST LOUIS CAUCUS HENRY LINDSEY OF TEXAS CHAIRMAN AT ST LOUIS

  11. TEXAS LEGION • CLAUDE BIRKHEAD FIRST COMMANDER • OCT 1919 FIRST CONVENTION IN DALLAS • 18 DISTRICTS AND 78 POSTS • CONSTITUTION ADOPTED • NAME THE AMERICAN LEGION TEXAS BRANCH • RAISING FUNDS FOR HOSPITALS • REHABILITATION ONE OF THE EARLIEST PROGRAMS • HENRY HUTCHINGS ELECTED COMMANDER

  12. 1920’SA TIME OF UNCERTAINTY • 1 AUG 1920 DEPARTMENT CHARTER ISSUED BY NATIONAL HQ • NOW THE AMERICAN LEGION DEPARTMENT OF TEXAS • KERRVILLE HOSPITAL • LEGION ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS OF TEXAS MANDATED AT 1920 CONVENTION • 1920 AUXILIARY LAUNCHED IN SAN ANTONIO • 1920 HQ GUNTER BLDG MOVED TO DALLAS • 1921 JUDGE ADVOCATE POSITION CREATED • 1922 VETERANS’ LAWS OF TEXAS • DISCHARGES FILED AT NO COST • SUSPEND STATUTES OF LIMITATION 12 MONTHS AFTER DISCHARGE

  13. 1923 INTEREST IN BOY SCOUTS • COMMUNITY SERVICE ATTITUDE OF POSTS • 1923 KERRVILLE HOSPITAL COMPLETED • IDEA OF NATIONAL SECURITY RISING • 1924 JUNIOR BASEBALL CAUGHT ATTENTION OF LEGION • 1925 BOARD OF TRUSTEES CREATED BY AMENDMENT TO BYLAWS • 1926 HQ MOVED TO LAND OFFICE BLDG IN AUSTIN • 1927 HQ MOVED TO 2ND FLOOR STATE CAPITOL • 24,592 MEMBERS AND 331 POSTS

  14. 1930’STHE WORLD IN TURMOIL • 1931 BASEBALL 125 TEAMS • 1931 LEGION HEIRS RESOLUTION • 1932 WACO VETERANS FACILITY DEDICATED • 1933 HEIRS BECOME SONS OF THE AMERICAN LEGION-NATIONAL APPROVED • 1933-34 DISTRICTS SET AT 21 TO CONFORM WITH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS • 1935 STATE HIGHWAY 66 THE AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL HIGHWAY

  15. 1937 BOYS STATE IN TEXAS CREATION • 1939 AL PROJECT HOUSE AT TEXAS A&M APPROVED • 1939 CAR FOR COMMANDER • MEMBERSHIP 26,838

  16. 1940’S WAR AGAIN • PROGRAMS TO ORGANIZE BLACK VETERANS • RESOLUTION TO ADD WWII VETERANS INTO AMERICAN LEGION • 1941 HQ MOVED TO TRIBUNE TOWER BLDG IN AUSTIN • 1943 HQ MOVED TO LITTLEFIELD BLDG 6TH AND CONGRESS • 1944 HIGHWAY 80 DEDICATED TO WWII VETERANS • 1945 NEW VETERAN OFFICES IN DALAS, LUBBOCK, HOUSTON, WACO, AND SAN ANTONIO • 1946 FIRST AL COLLEGE • 1947 TX VETERANS AFFAIRS COMMISSION ENACTED INTO LAW

  17. 1949 BOXCARS DONATED FROM FRANCE • MERCI BOXCAR FOR TEXAS • INITIALLY AT CAMP MABRY IN AUSTIN MOVED TO TRAVIS POST NO 76 • 40&8 GIVEN CARE OF BOXCAR • 1949 MEMBERSHIP 100,043 END OF DECADE 94,244

  18. 1950’SA NEW ADVERSARY • HQ MOVED TO BASEMENT OF COMMODORE PERRY HOTEL IN AUSTIN • 1951 PURCHASED LAND ON CONGRESS AND 15TH • 1953 HQ MOVED 15TH AND CONGRESS NEW BUILDING DEDICATED • 1954 LONE STAR BOYS STATE BECOMES BOYS STATE • 1956 BLACK DISTRICTS ADDED TO DEPARTMENT BRINGING THE TOTAL TO 26 • 1957 EMPLOYMENT RETIREMENT PLAN ESTABLISHED

  19. 1959 LEGISLATURE PURCHASES LAND ON CONGRESS –DEPARTMENT TO MOVE • MEMBERSHIP 76,837

  20. 1960’SAN UNPOPULAR WAR • STABILIZED COMMITTEES WITH FOUR: AMERICANISM, MEMBERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION, NATIONAL SECURITY, AND REHABILITATION • 1962 BLACK YOUTHS AUTHORIZED FOR ADMISSION TO BOYS STATE • 1964 HQ MOVED TO EAST AVE AND EAST 10TH STREET IN AUSTIN

  21. 1965 SERVICE OFFICERS EXPANDED TO 4 2/WACO 2/HOUSTON • 1965 TEXALPA ESTABLISHED • 1966 HQ MOVED 10TH AND I-35 • 1966 OIL WELL DRILLED AT BIG LAKE ON LEGION LAND • DOUGHBOY • 1967 20 & 4 FORMED • 1969 GNUTS FORMED • MEMBERSHIP 73,598

  22. 1970’SPOW/MIA QUESTION • 1976 LIBERTY BELL PURCHASED • 1977 VICE COMMANDER NOW RESPONSIBLE FOR MEMBERSHIP • MEMBERSHIP 79,747

  23. 1980’S • 1983 US HIGHWAY 83 NAMED VIET NAM VETERAN MEMORIAL HIGHWAY • 1984 15TH DISTRICT DIVIDED NEW DISTRICT 23RD • 1985 MEDIA AWARDS • 1986 DIRECT MEMBERSHIP SOLICITATION • 1987 POW/MIA FLAG FLYING ENCOURAGED • 1987 JOE MATTHEWS NATIONAL COMMANDER

  24. 1990’S • 1990 BOYS STATE 50TH ANNIVERSARY • NON PROFIT ORGANIZATION RAFFLES • 1991 POST HOMES EXEMPT FROM VALOREM TAX • 1991 FAMILY SUPPORT NETWORK • 1991 HOUSTON VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER • 1991 BUY A CHEVY GET A PUFL

  25. 1991 100,300 MEMBERS • 1991 PATSY PALMQUIST COMMANDER • 1992 ACTIVE TEXAS LEGIONNAIRE IN SPACE KEVIN CHILTON • 1992 VA OUTPATIENT CLINIC IN FORT WORTH

  26. 2000 AND BEYONDA NEW CENTURY • 2002 HQ MOVES TO 3401 BLUESTEIN BLVD • 2003 LEGION COLLEGE IN TEXAS • 2003 JOHN BRIEDON III ELECTED NAT COM • 2003 DISCUSSION ON LEGION RIDERS • 2003 REDISTRICTING DISCUSSIONS • 2005 VET EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM MOVED FROM TX WORKFORCE COMM TO TX VETERANS COMM

  27. 2006 HQ BLDG UP FOR SALE • 2007 FALLEN SOLDIER PLAQUES • 2007 HQ MOVES TO 7901 CAMERON BLDG 3 SUITE 210 • 2007 LEGION TIMES ON WEB SITE • 2007 WWII MEMORIAL ON CAPITOL GROUNDS • 2007 #1 PINS INITIATED

  28. 2007 TX STATE CEMETERY –MONUMENT TO VIETNAM WAR VETS • 2007 MEMBERSHIP 93,500 • 2008 HQ MOVED TO 1624 E. ANDERSON LN

  29. THE FUTURE • DEPT OF TEXAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A LEADER IN NATIONAL AFFAIRS • FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN WITH LOSS OF WWII AND KOREAN VETS • AFGHANISTAN AND IRAQ VETS WILL BE THE FUTURE OF THE AMERICAN LEGION • HISTORY FOR THE FUTURE IS IN THE HANDS OF TODAYS MEMBERS

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