National Oratorical Contest candidate
ORATORICAL CONTEST

National Oratorical Contest candidate

Independence , KY
A BIG thank you to Hillsdale College for providing their campus again this year for the 2025 National Oratorical Contest...
474 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'A chance to see the world'

Little River, SC
I come from a long line of soldiers. My great-grandfather on my mother's side fought for the Union in the..
474 views
Engineers Lead the Way!
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

Engineers Lead the Way!

Live Oak, FL
I always knew I was going to serve, even as a young boy. My dad was an ROTC officer briefly..
428 views
The nuclear option
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

The nuclear option

DuPont, WA
Between poor grades from goofing off in high school and not knowing what I wanted to study, I decided there..
443 views
Two World War II veterans honored at Armed Forces Day
OTHER

Two World War II veterans honored at Armed Forces Day

Bristol, CT
On May 16, two members of American Legion Post 2, both World War II veterans from Bristol, took part in..
354 views
Post 351 veterans cemetery flags
RALLY AROUND THE FLAG

Post 351 veterans cemetery flags

Holyoke, MA
I recently enjoyed the company of a young group of girls from the Holyoke Youth Cheerleaders. They were a big..
483 views
MEMORIAL DAY

Annual Memorial Day Ceremony

Lexington , KY
Memorial Day 2025 will see the Man O'War Post 8 (Lexington, Ky.) Honor Guard raising the colors and firing a..
583 views
'What I needed to do'
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'What I needed to do'

Milwaukee, WI
I grew up a tail-end baby boomer, as the country was being run by the World War II generation and..
365 views
WHY I LOVE MY POST

'We would do it all over again'

Lexington, TN
I joined the Army because it is what we did in our family. My four brothers and I spent a..
345 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'The person I am today'

Folsom, CA
In 1984, I had flunked out of college, was working a minimum-wage job, was dating a girl, and felt like..
375 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'The Army taught me respect'

Trout Lake, MI
I chose the Army because of my ancestors, who served from the Revolutionary War to Vietnam. The Army taught me..
427 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'I did my best to be all I could be'

Burlington, MA
First of all, I did not choose the Army, I was drafted in 1968. My father fought the Japanese in..
568 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

An uncle's sacrifice

Mitchell, SD
While at San Diego State University in 1965, I failed the hearing test for advanced Air Force ROTC. Upon graduating..
494 views
CSM Gary W. Crisp Post 289 supports Clarksville VA Veterans Expo
VOLUNTEERING

CSM Gary W. Crisp Post 289 supports Clarksville VA Veterans Expo

Clarksville, TN
Clarksville (Tenn.) CSM Gary W. Crisp American Legion Post 289 played a vital role in the success of the 2025..
570 views
Life experience, education and a way to purchase a home
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

Life experience, education and a way to purchase a home

Dunedin, FL
I'm sad to say that doing my patriotic duty was not my reason for going in the Army. During my..
458 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'My honor and privilege'

Deland, FL
I chose the U.S. Army to expeditiously fulfill my military obligation to our country. I had been drafted but used..
414 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

An honor and a privilege

St. Cloud, FL
I am the youngest of seven brothers. All my older brothers served in the Army, beginning with World War II..
333 views
Like father, like son
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

Like father, like son

Waukesha, WI
My uncle served in the Army during the 1930s. My father was a World War II veteran. All my buddies..
396 views
Cordon of American Legion Riders sees Honor Flight #50 off to Washington, D.C.
LEGION RIDERS

Cordon of American Legion Riders sees Honor Flight #50 off to Washington, D.C.

Fort Wayne, IN
A cordon of Indiana Patriot Guard, 4th District American Legion Riders, Chapter 82, Fort Wayne, Ind., greeted veterans of Northeast..
585 views
American Legion national commander visits Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum
COMMUNITY MEMORIALS / MONUMENTS

American Legion national commander visits Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum

Fort Wayne, IN
American Legion National Commander James A. LaCoursiere Jr. accompanied by Department of Indiana Commander Robert Burkhart, visited the Veterans National..
563 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

An Army guarantee

Philadelphia, PA
I planned to join the Navy after high school because my father served in World War II and during the..
541 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'I wouldn't trade that experience for anything'

Abrams, WI
I was drafted into the Army in April 1970 and served 14 months in Vietnam as an infantryman. Even though..
353 views
Woody Bradshaw’s personal rendition of "Hallelujah" pays tribute to courage and resilience
IN YOUR OWN WORDS

Woody Bradshaw’s personal rendition of "Hallelujah" pays tribute to courage and resilience

Singer-songwriter Woody Bradshaw has released an emotionally charged version of Leonard Cohen's iconic “Hallelujah,” offering a tribute to love, loss..
586 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

Money for college, and Sunday duty

La Plata, MD
There are many reasons I chose to join Army Reserve: 1) to get out of my hometown; 2) to earn..
352 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'I loved my time in the Army'

Auburn, WA
I went into the Army in 1967 right out of high school. I chose the service because I wanted someone..
505 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'I knew this was right for me'

Staten Island, NY
My father, William Lawrence Gallagher, served in North Africa during World War II. My great-great-grandfather, Nathaniel Augustus Conklin, was a..
415 views
'Suppose I volunteer for the draft today?'
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'Suppose I volunteer for the draft today?'

Cumming, GA
As a recent high school graduate in the fall of 1957, I knew that the United States government expected every..
394 views
'I wanted to be part of something bigger'
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'I wanted to be part of something bigger'

Land O' Lakes, FL
I grew up on the streets of Baltimore. The area where I lived did not offer much opportunity for success...
640 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

'The heck with it, I'm joining the Army'

Milford, CT
As a male high school senior in 1967, the Selective Service draft was always on my mind. And as a..
398 views
WHY I CHOSE THE ARMY

A knock at the door

Montgomery, AL
My father, William Glen Cornwell, got his Army commission as a second lieutenant in 1937 from Iowa State College and..
547 views