By Jerry D. Esmay, Stevensville
I want to take this opportunity to inform the public about a recent change to the eligibility requirements for membership in the American Legion. On July 30th of this year, President Trump signed the bill declaring that the United States has been in a state of war since December 7, 1941. The American Legion sought the declaration to honor approximately 1,600 U.S. servicemembers killed or wounded in previously undeclared periods of war.
This declaration opens the way for up to 4.2 million veterans to access American Legion programs and benefits for which they previously had not been eligible. Thus veterans who were honorably discharged but whose service did not fall under the previously defined war eras may now join the American Legion.
We encourage all veterans to check into our local Post, Fort Owen Post #94, to see how the programs we sponsor support the local community. We are very proud of our Post and what we do. For further information please contact our Commander Brad Smith at 206-719-5139 (email: brad9720@yahoo.com ), or Adjutant John Meacham at 799-7406 (email: felixyeager@gmail.com ).