American Legion Auxiliary

Our Role

We take our role as a Veterans Service Organization seriously; meeting the needs of veterans and keeping those needs front and center in the minds of the American public!

Veterans Service Organization

Think about the last time you received what you needed when you needed it. Did you call it a gift or even a miracle? In the American Legion Auxiliary, that “need meeting-gift giving” happens continuously. And it’s possible because as the largest women’s patriotic service organization in the world, our membership of nearly 800,000 is fiercely dedicated to serving, helping, and meeting needs.

Our focus is what it’s always been: servicemembers, veterans and their families. And our members produce annual statistics in the millions. Learn More...

Advocates for Patriotism

We know that freedom isn’t free. For some of us, the sacrifices still have a sting. It is from this place of appreciation that we work to protect our country’s founding values and to honor those who put their lives on the line for us. We do that by telling others about the significance of respecting our flag as a symbol of our great nation.

We do that by providing care and comfort to our veterans. And we do that by encouraging all Americans to live out their patriotism with a sense of pride for this land we call home. Learn More...

For God and Country

If you want your structure to stand the test of time, you’ll exercise great care in choosing your builder and insist on a rock-solid foundation. That’s exactly what the American Legion Auxiliary did more than 90 years ago when we founded our organization… on God and Country. Then and now, everything we’re involved in can be traced back to the purposes in our Preamble that begins with those words, "For God and Country."

Like the sun, moon and stars, our founding principles of justice, freedom and democracy have stood the test of time. Our members can be proud of their association with an organization that puts God and country first. Now, more than ever, we need to stand firm in expressing our belief in God and do all we can to support the men and women who are fighting to keep us free.

Our Organizational Structure

We categorize the nearly 800,000 members who make up the national organization known as the American Legion Auxiliary into units, departments and divisions. And it is with great pride that we recognize it is the individual members that make us the largest women’s patriotic service organization in the world! See below for details on how our structure operates.

Units: 9,000

This is a group of at least 10 individuals—and must be connected with an American Legion post. That requirement has to do with the way The American Legion was chartered by Congress. We also have foreign units in other parts of the world.

Officers are elected annually by unit members and may include president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, chaplain, historian, and sergeant-at-arms (specific officers vary by unit).

Committee chairmen are appointed annually by the incoming unit president and may include the following: Americanism, Auxiliary Emergency Fund, Cavalcade of Memories, Children & Youth, Community Service, Constitution & Bylaws, Education, Finance, ALA Girls State, Junior Activities, Leadership, Legislative, Membership, National Security, Past Presidents Parley, Poppy, Public Relations, and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation.

Typically, the incoming unit president and her appointed chairmen work together to appoint committee members. This practice and specific chairmen appointed may vary by unit.

Departments (States): 52

This is a group of units in a defined geographical area. Typically these correspond with our states, but we do have a Department of Puerto Rico and District of Columbia. Our foreign units are not associated with a department. Find your Department Headquarters website

Officers elected annually by department members include president, vice president, treasurer, chaplain, and historian. The office of department secretary is a paid position, and the same individual may serve in this role for an indefinite number of years. In some departments, the secretary/treasurer is one position.

Typically, upon completion of their terms as department presidents, these women serve for one year on the Board of Directors (known as the National Executive Committee or "NEC") for the national organization.

Committee chairmen appointed annually by the incoming department president may include the following: Americanism, Auxiliary Emergency Fund, Cavalcade of Memories, Children & Youth, Community Service, Constitution & Bylaws, Education, Finance, Girls State, Junior Activities, Leadership, Legislative, Membership, National Security, Past Presidents Parley, Poppy, Public Relations, and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation.

Typically, the incoming department president and her appointed chairmen work together to appoint committee members. This practice and specific chairmen appointed may vary by department.

Divisions: 5

This is a group of departments in a defined geographical area. Our five divisions are Central, Eastern, Southern, Western, Northwestern.  Members elect one national officer per division - a vice president who serves a one-year term.

National

Officers elected annually by national onvention delegates include the president, vice president, chaplain, and historian. Officers nominated by the national president and elected annually by the Board of Directors/NEC are the national secretary and the national treasurer. Serving in paid leadership positions at the National Headquarters office in Indianapolis, Ind., these officers also hold the role and title of executive director and membership director, respectively. Committee chairmen and committee members are appointed annually by the leading candidate for national president and approved by the NEC to serve for a one-year term. The committees include Americanism, Auxiliary Emergency Fund, Cavalcade of Memories, Children & Youth, Community Service, Constitution & Bylaws, Education, Finance, ALA Girls Nation, Junior Activities, Leadership, Legislative, Liaison to the Child Welfare Foundation, Membership, National Security, Past Presidents Parley, Poppy, Public Relations, and Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation.