American Legion Discriminates Against Patriotic Veteran Americans

Posted on May 18, 2012
Filed Under Tradition, Veterans | 2679Leave a Comment2012-05-19+01%3A36%3A41MikesView

With Armed Forces Day tomorrow, the third Saturday in May (5/19/12), I came across one of the most irritating conditions a patriotic veteran could encounter. The eligibility requirements of the American Legion. I wrote the American Legion about their ridiculous position.

My father was in the American Legion. The American Legion provided the flag at my father’s memorial service. He was proud to have been a member of that organization, as he was a WWII vet and could relate to millions of fellow members.

I served four years in the Air Force as a F-111 Integrated Avionics Component Specialist, at Mountain Home AFB, from 1976 to 1980. And yet, the American Legion denies my admittance. My father could never understand this. Neither do I.

As a conservative, I would fit the Legions political perspective on a multitude of issues. Unfortunately, they choose to deny so many like me.

I guess the American Legion is well funded, so they opt to exclude, by specific time periods*, persons that would otherwise be sound members. I honorably served from 4/76 to 4/80. The four years I spent away from home fall in between Vietnam and Lebanon. How many that are eligible did not deploy anywhere during the recognized periods? I’m sure it’s a majority, so I see no difference in what the people I served with had to do and those that did not deploy went through.

I will support other organizations that don’t discriminate against patriotic veteran Americans.

* Eligibility Requirements for American Legion Membership

If you are currently on active duty, or have served honorably during any of the following eligible war eras, then The American Legion will let you join. But it’s screw off to the rest of you fools for having volunteered to serve your country when the limelight of declared war or undeclared war is turned down. The American Legion recognizes no value in a strong deterrence.

April 6, 1917 to Nov. 11, 1918 (World War I)
Dec. 7, 1941 to Dec. 31, 1946 (World War II)
June 25, 1950 to Jan. 31, 1955 (Korean War)
Feb. 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975 (Vietnam War)
Aug. 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984 (Lebanon / Grenada)
Dec. 20, 1989 to Jan. 31, 1990 (Panama)
Aug. 2, 1990 to today (Gulf War / War On Terrorism)

I believe I will make this an annual blog posting, here and on popular military and political blogs. Heck, the American Legion shows me and all of the volunteer patriots I served with no respect.