As a Legionnaire, how many of you see a veteran and ask them, “Are you a veteran?”

“First mistake,” said Terry Hanson from the Department of South Dakota during the National Membership Workshop recruitment and retention track last month. “Here is why I’m going to say that. Some National Guardsman don’t consider themselves a veteran. (Instead) ask them, ‘Did you serve in the military?’ If they say yes, ask what branch. I start building a report. Because he might be an Army like I was. Build the report. Talk to them. Ask them, ‘Do you know about The American Legion? We are the worlds largest veterans organization, and we are protecting your benefits.’ That’s what we’re here for; that’s what every one of us are here for to protect veterans serving veterans. That’s what it’s all about.”

National Recruiter of the Year for 2024 Patricia Liddell of Georgia shared that she is always looking for veteran license plates or people wearing a military hat or shirt. Then “I ask them, ‘Who is the veteran? Is it you, your wife, or both of you?’ I’m always wearing an American Legion shirt. They ask me to tell them about the emblem. Tell me about The American Legion. I’ll ask them, have you used the GI Bill? They’ll say, ‘Of course I used the GI Bill.’ You wouldn’t have the GI Bill without The American Legion. Then they’ll say, ‘Tell me how to join.’”

Other membership recruitment and retention best practices that was shared by Hanson and Laurie Bowman from the Department of Indiana include:

• Know what you’re going to share with a potential new member about why they should join before you approach them.
• Know The American Legion programs – they drive membership.
• Give post leadership names to the new member that you sign up.
• Take your recruit to their first post meeting.
• Sit down with new post members to take the online Basic Training course.
• Go where younger veterans are – at youth sporting events. Ask the athletic directors if you can set up a membership table.
• Give special incentives for recruiting. In South Dakota, every time a Sons member recruits a Legion member they received a special Legion shirt. “The first day of our state convention, all SAL members who recruited a Legionnaire came to the general session wearing these green shirts. We had a sea of green; it was awesome to see,” Hanson said. 
• Conduct a new member initiation ceremony found in the Officer’s Guide and Manual of Ceremonies book.

The 2023 National Membership Workshop PowerPoints for this membership and recruiting track, along with the others, are available online.

The NEC passed Resolution #1 which would establish the following: A pilot program offering purchase of three consecutive 12-month American Legion member terms at the then-current dues rate.