Each year, American Legion department service officers help thousands of veterans receive VA benefits they earned through service to their country. The Legion conducts, promotes and supports hundreds of career fairs for veterans and transitioning servicemembers, bringing employers face to face with job hunters. Through Operation Comfort Warriors, the Legion raises funds to provide comfort items for U.S. troops recovering in military hospitals and transition units worldwide. Legion staff lobbies Congress for better quality of life for U.S. military personnel.

Through American Legion Baseball, nearly 100,000 young men get to experience teamwork and competition each year. The Legion provides more than $138,000 in scholarships through The National American Legion High School Oratorical Contest. And Legion Riders, through the annual Legacy Run, have raised more than $2 million for the Legacy Scholarship, helping ensure the children of U.S. servicemembers killed on or after Sept. 11, 2001, have a chance at a college education.

None of these facts may be news to active Legionnaires, but chances are most prospective members do not realize all The American Legion does for people of all ages at the local, state and national levels. Now, it’s much easier to share that information with those prospective members.

The Legion’s “Why You Should Belong” booklet, available for download here or by contacting your department headquarters is a one-stop recruiting tool that provides information on dozens of Legion programs, as well as the impact of those programs. It’s a valuable asset for any Legionnaire on the recruiting trail.