POST 149 ADJUTANT | BILL STINTSMAN
What’s your “WHY?” Why are you a member of the American Legion? Why are you part of the largest veteran’s organization in the country? Why does the adjutant ask these silly questions? Well, it’s because the organization is suffering from a severe lack of participation from paid Post members across the country. Go back five to six years, and the membership was closer to 1200 people and activities and participation in events was strong. Fast forward to the present, we had 800 members last year and are sitting at 530 at the moment. Why? There’s that word again. Revitalization efforts only garner so many renewals. Renewals that are only good for this year, then those same members slowly disappear again and we have to start prodding them anew to get them back for the next year. It’s a never-ending cycle of futility and a vicious cycle where effort does not equal reward.
Posts don’t survive on membership renewals. For example, our Post dues are currently $50.00 until June 30th, 2024. After the Department of California and National Headquarters take their cut, the Post receives $16.50 of that $50.00. At the 2023 National Convention, a resolution passed to raise the National per capita by $5.00 starting July 1st 2024. That means the Post income drops to $11.50 unless we do something. And Department of California won’t be far behind this move as they seek their share. Therefore, the Post had no choice but to raise our dues to $60.00 effective July 1st, 2024. So, the initial question still stands – What’s your “why?” We wouldn’t have to keep raising rates if there was involvement from the very people that this organization exists for in the first place. The Post needs your help, the National organization needs your help, and the veteran’s that we are supposed to be here supporting need our help.
