Assembly Resolution No. 790
BY: M. of A. Barrett
COMMEMORATING the 101st Anniversary of The
American Legion
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize
veterans organizations which have positively impacted and substantially
contributed to the vitality of their communities; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 101st Anniversary of The American Legion; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion is a veteran's organization founded in
Paris on March 15, 1919, by three officers of the American Expeditionary
Forces, who fought in World War I; and
WHEREAS, On May 8, 1919, the St. Louis Caucus was held to organize
the soldiers and sailors in every state to become members of this new
organization known as The American Legion; about 97 delegates from New
York State organized the Department of New York while at the St. Louis
Caucus; and
WHEREAS, On May 24, 1919, the national organization issued the
Department of New York American Legion its charter, recognizing New
York's founding roots to both Paris and St. Louis Caucus; and
WHEREAS, The Department of New York issued its first Post charter on
June 2, 1919, and exactly two months later, issued a charter for its
200th post; and
WHEREAS, On September 16, 1919, the United States Congress charted
The American Legion; and
WHEREAS, Nine New Yorkers were among some 20 "founders" at the
organizational meeting in Paris on February 15-16 1919, which set the
stage for the Paris Caucus (March 15-17) and the St. Louis Caucus (May
8-19); they included Theodore Roosevelt Jr, the son of the 26th United
States President; and
WHEREAS, The focus of The American Legion is on securing services
and benefits for veterans, the families of service members, and the
communities where the veterans live and work; and
WHEREAS, Among the programs The American Legion sponsor include
baseball teams, Boys State, Legion Riders, Operation Comfort Warriors,
National Emergency Fund, and Oratorical Contest for students under the
age of 20; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion has departments in all 50 states, as
well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the
Philippines; and
WHEREAS, Starting in the late 1930s, The American Legion was
instrumental in prodding the federal government to create the United
States Veterans' Bureau, which later became the Veterans Administration,
and in 1989, the Department of Veterans Affairs, a cabinet level
department to give veterans representation at the highest level of
government; and
WHEREAS, In 1944, The American Legion was the moving force behind
the drafting and enacting of the Servicemen's Readjustment Act, which is
commonly known as the GI Bill; and
WHEREAS, This landmark legislation provided for low-cost mortgages,
low-interest loans to start a business, cash payments to attend high
school, college or vocational/technical school and one year of
unemployment compensation; and
WHEREAS, Since World War II, The American Legion has been in the
forefront of supporting additional veterans' benefits including in the
1950s mental health treatment which led to the National Association of
Mental Health, and in the 1980s the Legion sponsored and funded studies
assessing the effects of Agent Orange; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion created the American Legion Scholarship
Fund for children of military members killed in active duty on or after
September 11, 2001, and in 2016, the scholarship criteria were amended
to include the children of veterans with 50 percent or greater
disability ratings granted from the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
WHEREAS, In August of 2018, The American Legion began its centennial
recognition at the 100th National Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota,
the site of the first American Legion National Convention; and
WHEREAS, The American Legion Department of New York State will have
its 102nd Annual Convention in Binghamton, New York on July 16-18, 2020;
Binghamton will be hosting at the same time the 100th Annual Auxiliary
Convention and the 46th Annual Sons of The American Legion (SAL)
Convention; and
WHEREAS, It is with great pleasure that this Legislative Body
acknowledges this important milestone in the history of The American
Legion; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 101st Anniversary of The American Legion; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The American Legion Department of New York Commander
Michael McDermott, New York Past Commanders Gary M. Schacher and Rene
Nessler, Department of New York Adjutant James W. Casey, and Department
of New York Historian Frank Carletta.