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The American Legion of Orange County, NY

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About

The American Legion of Orange County, NY - or "OC Legion" - is a veterans and community service organization the helps strengthen America from the bottom up. The OC Legion looks to enhance the well-being of veterans in Orange County, their families, our military, and our communities through our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

The preamble to the American Legion Constitution reads:

For God and Country, we associate ourselves together for the following   purposes: To uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America; to maintain law and order; to foster and perpetuate a 100-percent Americanism; to preserve the memories and incidents of our associations in all wars; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to combat the autocracy of both the classes and the masses; to make right the master of might; to promote peace and good will on earth; to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom and democracy; to consecrate and sanctify our comradeship by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.

As "veterans strengthening America," we are committed to veterans and communities based on the "Four Pillars Plus One" formula:

  • Veterans Affairs - looking out for the welfare of fellow veterans, including "Being the One" to prevent veteran suicides and advocating and assisting veterans in receiving their benefits;
  • National Security - remaining current on foreign and national security affairs to be a source of knowledge to the community on these affairs as well as advocate polices that promote peace through strength;
  • Americanism - making sure that patriotism and honor remain living values in our society;
  • Children and Youth - preparing the next generation of Americans to take the baton of leadership, with a strong understanding of the principles and values upon which our great Nation are founded; and
  • Community Service - providing veteran leadership and support to community service and encouraging especially our youth to service their country through their community.

Our American Legion Family consists of:

  • Legionnaires - Veterans who served honorably regardless of branch, in wartime or peacetime, and length of service;
  • Sons of the American Legion (SAL) - Boys and men of all ages whose parents or grandparents are veterans eligible for membership in the American Legion. The SAL helps with both veterans and community service support activities. 
  • Auxiliary - Mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, granddaughters or great-granddaughters of Legionnaires or deceased veterans. The Auxiliary is a vital part of the Legion's community service and outreach. 
  • Legion Riders - Any member of the Legion Family who currently or previously has owned or ridden a motorcycle or whose spouse, likewise a Legion Family member, does. Also an Orange County Chamber of Commerce member, the Orange County American Legion Riders support the OC Legion's youth initiatives.



Our major focus is on Children and Youth, because we believe in the vital importance of preparing our youth to take the baton of generational leadership, with an understanding of the principles and values upon which our great nation is founded and grounded, enabling them to move American forward into the future – just as previous generations did for us. In partnership with numerous organizations, our programs of emphasis include:

  • Boys’ State and Girls’ State American Legion Boys’ State and Girls’ State offers qualified high school juniors citizenship training on democratic governance and how citizens are integral to and responsible for the character and success of their government. The program involves a week-long civics camp at SUNY Morrisville in June-July that immerses youth in the practical operation of government modeled on New York State. Orange County is New York State's third largest contributor to this program.
  • Hudson Valley Honor Flight Youth Guardians. The Orange County American Legion and Legion Riders fund select high school seniors and young veterans to escort Vietnam-era and other veterans on Hudson Valley Honor Flight missions to see the monuments in our nation’s capital in their honor and receive a “welcome home” they have deserved for over a half-century. This gives these youth guardians a unique, first-hand opportunity to meet these heroes and gain a greater understanding of the meaning and value of patriotism and service, helping to pass the baton of leadership to the next generation of Americans.
  • Service-Learning Seminars and Support to Volunteer Fairs. The OC Legion and Legion Riders support the National Service Ride Project, partnered with the Orange County Youth Bureau. In support of New York State’s Seal of Civic Readiness Program, it is an adaptive, community-based initiative to help mobilize youth to better themselves, their community, and their country through service-learning - at assemblies, social studies and health classrooms, volunteer fairs, a virtual volunteer portal, etc.
  • Support to Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC). The OC Legion is a strong supporter of JROTC in Orange County high schools. Legion posts present medals to the top JROTC students in their area. To learn more, contact your school JROTC coordinator or your local American Legion Post.

The OC Legion meets every third Wednesday of the month at 6:15pm at various locations in Orange County.

Our Posts include (click on the Post of interest below to get in touch with them):

To learn more about what we do, come to one of our meetings, join our American Legion Family, or donate to one of our programs, contact a local Post or the OC Legion through the contact information above. 

And follow the OC Legion on Facebook!

 



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