Thank you to our heroes!

Friday, Nov. 11, is Veterans Day. Auxiliary members nationwide will be sharing their extreme gratitude for those who served our country, past and present. Thank you to our veterans for their service, sacrifices, and for protecting our freedom. You are our heroes.

Several businesses will offer special discounts for veterans. Find offers near you.

103 celebratory candles on the cake

Tomorrow, Nov. 10, the American Legion Auxiliary celebrates 103 years of service! We thank our members, volunteers, and donors for all they have done to allow our organization to serve veterans, military, and their families for more than a century. Because of your commitment, the ALA will continue to serve into the future.

Our future branding has a new look

Set against a gold background with symbolic rays of the sun, the ALA’s traditional emblem has remained a fixture during our 103 years of service. In our next era, complete with new brand marks courtesy of The American Legion, our organization will still be represented as the go-to support for military, veterans, and their families — but with a different look. Because the blue star emblem is as much of a legacy as the Auxiliary itself, it will not be going away … it will simply be used in specific applications. Be sure to check back right here in ALA eNews for more updates, follow us on social media @ALAforVeterans, and watch your mailbox for the February 2023 issue of Auxiliary for further details. We’re excited to promote the ALA with a refreshed look and feel, which will help our members in recruiting efforts and publicizing our mission outreach to an audience we haven’t touched yet.

Eventually, the ALA Branding Guide will be updated with the new information, but you can go here in the meantime for guidelines.

Apply by Dec. 15 to serve on a 2023-2024 national ALA committee 

The application process for 2023-2024 national committee appointments is now open. National committee chairs and members are appointed annually and confirmed by the National Executive Committee to serve on a wide variety of ALA committees for you to explore. The goal is to match skill sets and talents that best complement the Auxiliary’s mission of serving veterans, the military, and their families. You need not have served as an officer in your district or department to be eligible for an appointment, and male spouse ALA members are welcome to apply. The application window is through Dec. 15. Apply now! 

We are thankful for you!

Your membership has made a difference in the lives of veterans, military, and their families. Continue showing your support by renewing your membership before it expires on Dec. 31. We know the holidays can be a busy time, so renew today and cross it off your to-do list. You can renew your membership in three easy ways: by phone, online, or mail. Go to www.ALAforVeterans.org, call (317) 569-4570, or mail in your renewal notice. Help your ALA unit keep your membership strong by reminding fellow members to renew before the end of the year. 

Want to join other ALA members for a fun, interactive day of learning and socializing?

Register for an ALA Mission Training 101 in the new year!

During these one-day events, you’ll be inspired while learning more about working the ALA’s core programs in an interactive and fun environment. Many of the American Legion Auxiliary mission outreach programs will be covered during this conference — including Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation, Children & Youth, and National Security — plus a segment on public relations, branding, and social media.

How to tell if Mission Training 101 right for you: 

• You’ve never attended a Mission Training event and you’re interested in meeting ALA members and national leaders outside of your local area who share your passion for helping veterans. 
• You want to share great ideas with other members across the country and renew your enthusiasm for our mission. 
• You find yourself growing more involved and don’t know where to turn for the information you need, or you’ve been doing the same activities for years and you want a fresh approach.

2023 ALA Mission Training 101 events

• Jan. 21 – Indianapolis
• Jan. 28 – Nashville
• Feb. 4 – Las Vegas

Register now: https://cvent.me/q3lb5V?RefId=Enews

Get your ALA Juniors involved too! 

ALA national Junior meetings are a great opportunity for our Junior members to spend a day together learning about the importance of our mission, developing leadership skills, and doing fun activities that will create a bond. These meetings are held at the same time and in the same city as Mission Training. Junior members who have celebrated their 8th birthday or older may attend the national Junior meetings. 

These events aren’t like school or even unit meetings. Kids who attend these one-day events learn leadership skills and why we do things the way we do in the ALA. They also participate in crafty service projects as an added element of entertainment.  

2023 ALA National Junior Meetings 

• Jan. 21 – Indianapolis
• Jan. 28 – Nashville
• Feb. 4 – Las Vegas

Register now: https://cvent.me/q3lb5V?RefId=Enews

Mark your calendar for #GivingTuesday on Nov. 29! Support the American Legion Auxiliary Foundation on the global day of giving to ensure our mission of service endures. The ALA Foundation Board of Directors will match your gift, up to $10,000, so don’t miss this opportunity to double your donation! Gifts to the ALA Foundation positively impact the lives of our veterans, military, and their families by funding programs of the American Legion Auxiliary today and for future generations.

Start your Christmas shopping early this year and give back to veterans, military, and their families with Kendra Scott on Nov. 16-17. 20% of your purchase will be donated to the ALA Foundation when you shop at www.kendrascott.com and use the code GIVEBACK-VETERAN at checkout!

Watch this video from our partners at ShipThrifty to see how you can lower your holiday shipping expenses and use their military shipping platform with ease.

The November issue of Auxiliary magazine is hitting mailboxes. If you haven’t received your copy yet, you can view it online. In this issue, learn about two Auxiliary units’ successful care package programs, look back at two of our largest national events, and much more! Did an article stand out to you, or did you learn something new in this issue? Let us know! 

Scholarship applications for 2022-2023 are available:

• Children of Warriors National Presidents’ Scholarship 
• Spirit of Youth Scholarship 
• Non-traditional Student Scholarship 
• Junior Member Loyalty Scholarship 

American Education Week is Nov. 14-20. American Legion Family members are encouraged to participate in the weeklong celebration to support America’s youth.

Are you on Instagram? We are and would love for you to follow us! Just search for @ALAforVeterans. 

National Poppy Day® is May 26, 2023. It’s never too early to start planning! ALA National Headquarters staff are already preparing! We’d love to hear from you and make your unit/post home a part of our ALA media coverage. Send us an email and tell us about one, two, or all of the following:

• What are your plans for National Poppy Day?
• How have you used poppy funds to help veterans, military, and their families?
• Share a success story about how poppy funds helped someone in your community.

ALA California Girls State teaches importance of honoring veterans

Units share tips for successful care package programs

Each year, citizens and staff wear Honoring Their Service buttons during the session in June. The program asks that “Everyone Honors Someone.” Even if they do not have a family member who served, citizens choose people who served and who inspire them.

The Honoring Their Service buttons were started when I was ALA national Membership Committee chairman under National President Kris Nelson in 2011-2012, and the project continues today,” said Trish Ward, ALA California Girls State city liaison and 2022-2023 national Veterans Affairs & Rehabilitation Committee chair.

The sights and smells of the holiday season are what make it such a wonderful time of year — presents neatly wrapped and nestled under the tree, twinkling lights reflecting off the snow, the smell of freshly baked cookies filling the house, and family members gathering together to watch the next Hallmark movie or bundle up to sing Christmas carols outside.

For our servicemembers who are away from home during this time of year, missing out on traditions can be difficult.

To help give them a taste of home and much needed items while deployed, American Legion Auxiliary units across the country make it their mission to send care packages.

Nov. 10 – American Legion Auxiliary’s 103rd birthday 

Nov. 10 – U.S. Marine Corps birthday

Nov. 11 – Veterans Day (ALA National Headquarters and most department offices closed) 

Nov. 14-20 – American Education Week

Nov. 24 – Thanksgiving

Nov. 29 – #GivingTuesday

Dec. 7 – Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day

“Every member who contributed to the aims, purposes, and principles of the American Legion Auxiliary has had a part in making history. We share in the pride of our magnificent record of loyalty to God and country, unselfish service to humanity.”

— Dorothy Kellerman, 1947 ALA National Historian

The American Legion Dispatch is now available for American Legion Auxiliary members to receive. Dispatch provides post leaders with information, resources, and tools related to membership, post activities, Legion programs, and new initiatives. 

Starting in January, the print Dispatch will be terminated. In its place, a digital newsletter will be expanded from monthly to twice a month and contain even more information for all officers of The American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Sons of The American Legion.

The ability to go fully digital expands the audience reach to ensure that more American Legion Family officers have access to information they need. It also offers the ability to deliver important information in a timelier manner.

Be a part of this exciting opportunity to receive American Legion membership, training, promotions, and more in your email inbox. Sign up for the free Digital Dispatch by visiting legion.org/newsletters. 

Resources available to promote ‘Be the One.’ American Legion National Headquarters has created promotional materials and made them available for American Legion Auxiliary units participating in suicide awareness events and other community activities related to Be the One.



Materials are available for American Legion Family members on betheone.org. The webpage will continue to be updated with a variety of resources. Among what is currently available:

• A set of brochures. One brochure is a PDF that can be downloaded, printed, and used to educate local agencies with mental health services, community partners, government leaders, and others about Be the One. The other brochure is a Word document that can be downloaded and customized for American Legion Family members to use at suicide awareness events. The entire back page of the trifold is intentionally left blank (other than directions, which can be deleted) so posts or units can fill it with local resources.
• Branding materials. A variety of approved American Legion Be the One promotional materials that can be used to promote the initiative.
• Videos: There is a YouTube playlist, which is regularly updated, with videos related to Be the One. Additionally, a Vimeo playlist includes videos that can be downloaded and played while offline. They can be shared on social media, posted to the web, and played at post events.
• QR code: This can be used to direct others to find information and resources related to the campaign.