The American Legion: By the numbers

Approximately 60 percent of American Legion posts submit annual reports to National Headquarters quantifying local activities that support the organization's mission and values. Across the country and beyond, the Legion helps hundreds of thousands of veterans, military families, schools and young people. The report presents that involvement in terms of dollars raised, volunteer hours put in, events coordinated and people affected.

A snapshot of that activity appears in the 2011 Consolidated Post Report, recently summarized by the Legion's Internal Affairs Division. "Every year, this report shows just how important The American Legion family is to local communities," immediate Past American Legion National Commander Jimmie L. Foster said. "Even with only 60 percent of posts reporting, it's a very impressive set of numbers."

American Legion posts are encouraged to submit their Consolidated Post Reports online using myLegion.org. Paper report forms are mailed annually to departments' headquarters and distributed to local posts for completion.

Highlights of the 2011 American Legion Consolidated Post Report include:

• 3,899,125: Hours of community service performed by post members
• $4,249,713: Money spent performing community service by American Legion posts
• 159,187: Number of veterans benefits cases handled by American Legion post service officers
• $2,319,797: Money spent by posts providing emergency aid in their communities
• 968,233: Volunteer hours Legionnaires spent providing emergency aid
• $208,486: Money raised locally for the National Emergency Fund, which provides cash grants to veteran and military families who have suffered hardship due to a natural disaster
• $1,953,108: Dollars raised by local posts for VA hospitals
• 34,621: Number of Legionnaires who are registered in VA Volunteer Services
• 830: Number of local Heroes to Hometowns coordinators, who assist wounded warriors and newly discharged veterans as they adjust to civilian life
• 3,619: Number of veterans placed in jobs with help from the Legion
• 811: Number of veteran job fairs with local post involvement
• 80,097: Number of pints of blood donated by 45,457 Legionnaires
• 7,209: Number of ROTC medals presented by Legionnaires
• 21,074: Number of school medals presented to students by local posts
• 109,475: Number of funeral honors provided by local Legion posts for veterans and military personnel
• 16,105: Number of American Legion Boys State participants sponsored by Legion posts at a cost of $3,059,628
• $1,037,926: Local donations to The American Legion Legacy Scholarship Fund, to help the children of military personnel killed on duty after 9/11
• 314: Number of citizenship and naturalization activities conducted by local Legion posts nationwide
• 2,058: Number of local posts with websites
• 2,786: Number of local posts with publications
• 47,508: Number of youths participating in Legion-sponsored Scouting units at a cost of $1,833,442
• 3,599: Number of competitors participating in local American Legion Oratorical contests
• 13,934: Number of college scholarships granted by local American Legion posts at a cost of $4,039,834
• 875: Number of posts that have Vets in the Classroom programs
• 39,048: Number of U.S. flag presentations by Legion posts
• 1,464: Number of local Legion events to recognize the anniversary of 9/11
• 4,401: Number of posts with local Flag Day activities
• 6,899: Number of posts with local Veterans Day activities
• 7,317: Number of posts with local Memorial Day activities
• 1,506: Number of posts with local Get Out the Vote programs to encourage registration and participation in the electoral process
• 2,272: Number of American Legion Baseball teams sponsored at a cost of $5,989,272.
• 6,943: Number of participants in post-sponsored Junior Shooting Sports clubs at a cost of $245,030
• 719: Number of posts with Family Support Network programs, which help military families during the deployment of a parent
• $211,946: Money donated locally for the Family Support Network
• $288,949: Money donated locally for the Legion's Temporary Financial Assistance program, which helps military and veteran families with minor children at home
• $202,486: Money donated by local posts to help children's hospitals
• 8,334: Number of American Legion posts submitting Consolidated Post Reports in 2011
• 13,807: Number of American Legion posts worldwide