Veterants Post
The American Legion—Veterans to help other Veterans
By FREDDY GROVES

When's the last time you checked out what your local American Legion has to offer? Or what you can do to help?

The American Legion was created by Congress in 1919 to serve as an organization for veterans to help other veterans. The first thing the Legion did was push toward creation of the Veterans Administration in 1921.

Today the Legion's reach is broad. Check this out:

 The Web site www.legion.org has links to a number of companies that hire veterans. One company, TAOnline, lets you post your resume where it can be seen by potential employers, or browse the thousands of job ads.  The American Legion

takes care of families through the Family Support Network while the service member is away. Whether it's grocery shopping, fixing the car or child care, someone will step in to help from one of the 15,000 posts around the country. Call 1-800-504-4098 to learn more. If there's a financial problem, cash grants are sometimes available to cover utilities or food.

 The Legion will review your records when you leave the service to make sure you get all the benefits due you. (Be sure to get a copy of your whole medical file.)

 Scholarships: There are thousands across the country, and the Legion publishes a resource book for students, as well as providing scholarships to the children of service members killed on active duty.

And there's so much more: youth baseball, disaster assistance, the Legion Riders and the Patriot Guard.

If you're not already a member of the American Legion, consider joining as a way to help other veterans, active-duty military and their families. The next National

Convention is in August 2007 in Reno, Nev. Will you be there?

Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475, or send an e-mail to letters.kfws@hearstsc.com.

(c) 2006 King Features Synd., Inc.