the american legion department of west virginia

What the american legion department of west virginia does

The American Legion Department of West Virginia is a 501(c)-style state-level chartered department of The American Legion, founded in 1919 and headquartered in Charleston, WV. It serves honorably discharged veterans of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, and Merchant Marine whose service falls within specified wartime eras, as well as affiliated family members (Auxiliary, Sons of The American Legion) and high-school participants in youth leadership programs. Core products and programs include the My Legion Member Portal for membership management, the American Legion Grassroots Action Center for legislative advocacy, the Be The One suicide-prevention initiative tied to the 988 Crisis Lifeline, the Mountaineer Boys State and Rhododendron Girls State civic-education programs (which award up to three $18,000-per-year scholarships and $1,000 county-level scholarships), a Constitutional Oratorical Contest, American Legion Riders motorcycle chapters (18 across the state), specialty license plates, and a Post Locator service. The organization distributes services through more than 100 local posts organized into 10+ districts, covering all 55 West Virginia counties.

The business model is membership-dues driven (subscription/recurring), with revenue not publicly disclosed. GTM is sales-led and grassroots-oriented, relying on local posts, district conferences, membership workshops, and an online application portal to acquire and retain members. Marketing uses the wvlegion.org website, email communications, Facebook and X/Twitter, and community events. The Department operates under the national American Legion charter and shares infrastructure (Action Center, My Legion portal, Be The One) with other state departments, while maintaining separately chartered Auxiliary, Sons, and Riders entities in West Virginia. Current leadership is Department Commander H. Keith Brown for the 2026-2027 term.

Name

the american legion department of west virginia

Legal name

The American Legion Department of West Virginia

Website

https://wvlegion.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The American Legion Department of West Virginia is a Charleston-based, 1919-founded nonprofit veterans service organization delivering advocacy, membership services, youth civic-education programs (Boys State and Girls State), scholarship funding, and community activities to West Virginia veterans and their families across 100+ local posts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterans Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAHAL

Veterans Affairs & Military Family Services

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Defense & National Security

SECONDARYBPAGADAD

Youth Mentoring & Positive Youth Development Nonprofits

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Education & Youth Development Nonprofits

Keywords

• Veterans services
• Membership organization
• Veterans advocacy
• Youth leadership programs
• Community service

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Others, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from eligible veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who served during specified wartime periods. Members include those who served from August 2, 1990 to present, December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990, August 24, 1982 to July 31, 1984, February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975, June 25, 1850 to January 31, 1955, December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946, and April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The American Legion Department of West Virginia is a nonprofit, membership-based veterans service organization that recruits eligible wartime veterans, collects annual membership dues, and delivers advocacy, benefits assistance, and community fellowship through a network of over 100 local posts and affiliated Auxiliary, Sons, and Riders chapters. It runs structured youth civic-leadership programs (Mountaineer Boys State, Rhododendron Girls State, and an Oratorical Contest) and administers scholarship awards including three four-year scholarships up to $18,000 per year plus $1,000 county-level scholarships across all 55 West Virginia counties.

Product overview

The American Legion Department of West Virginia operates as a membership-based veterans service organization offering a unified platform of programs and services. The core offering includes the My Legion Member Portal for member management, the American Legion Action Center for grassroots advocacy, and the Be The One suicide prevention initiative. The organization runs structured youth programs including the American Legion Mountaineer Boys State (ALMBS) and American Legion Auxiliary Rhododendron Girls State (ALARGS), which award scholarships up to $18,000 per year. Additional offerings include a Constitutional Oratorical Contest Program at district and state levels, specialty license plates, a Post Locator service, and American Legion Riders chapters for motorcycle enthusiasts. The organization is part of the broader American Legion Family including the American Legion Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion, with membership eligibility based on U.S. military service dates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• My Legion Member Portal Online member portal that allows American Legion members to manage their membership, access resources, and engage with the organization.
• American Legion Action Center Grassroots advocacy platform providing information on legislative issues and tools to communicate online with lawmakers and the media about the organization's veterans' priorities.
• Be The One Suicide prevention and mental health initiative aimed at reducing veteran suicides, featuring the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
• Post Locator Tool to find local American Legion posts and chapters throughout West Virginia.
• American Legion Mountaineer Boys State (ALMBS) Week-long civic education program for high school males focusing on government, leadership, and citizenship, with scholarship opportunities up to $18,000 per year.
• American Legion Auxiliary Rhododendron Girls State (ALARGS) Week-long civic education program for high school females focused on government, leadership, and citizenship, with scholarship opportunities.
• Oratorical Contest Program Constitutional oratorical competition for high school students held at district, sectional, and state levels to develop public speaking and understanding of the U.S. Constitution.
• American Legion License Plates Specialty vehicle license plate program supporting veterans and the American Legion in West Virginia.
• Online Membership Application Digital membership application form allowing veterans to join the American Legion with eligibility based on dates of service for various military branches.
• American Legion Riders Motorcycle riding component of the American Legion with 18 chapters across West Virginia, organized at individual posts.

Quantifiable outcome

• Three complete four-year scholarships up to $18,000 per year awarded annually plus county-level $1,000 scholarships
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The State JournalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual partnership with The State Journal to publish and promote the EQT Foundation Students of Excellence program, highlighting exceptional graduates from American Legion Mountaineer Boys State and Rhododendron Girls State with scholarship awards.
• American Legion Auxiliary (West Virginia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated organization supporting the American Legion's mission through separate membership for female veterans and relatives. Partners on youth programs including Rhododendron Girls State.
• Sons of The American Legion (West Virginia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliated organization for male descendants of eligible American Legion members. Supports department activities and youth programs.
• American Legion Riders (West Virginia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMotorcycle enthusiast organization with 18 chapters across West Virginia including Wheeling, Parkersburg, Charleston, Point Pleasant, Elkins, Shinnston, Morgantown, and Barboursville. Conducts rides and community service events supporting veterans.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• AMVETS (American Veterans): Another congressionally chartered VSO with state departments and local posts offering veteran advocacy, scholarships, and community service programs. Comparable membership model and benefit-claims assistance focus.
• Military Order of the Purple Heart: Veterans service organization with state chapters serving combat-wounded veterans, offering advocacy, benefits assistance, and community programs. Structurally analogous as a chartered VSO with department-level governance.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America: Congressional-chartered VSO organized by state chapters focused on benefits, advocacy, and rehabilitation services for veterans with spinal cord injuries. Comparable member-services and advocacy operating model.
• Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW): The most direct peer: a congressionally chartered wartime veterans service organization with state departments, local posts, membership dues, advocacy programs, and youth scholarships. VFW and the American Legion are the two dominant VSO competitors at the local-post level.
• Disabled American Veterans (DAV): National veterans service organization with state-level chapters focused on benefits assistance, advocacy, and member services for disabled veterans. Comparable structure of state departments delivering benefits navigation and grassroots advocacy.

Emerging players

• Wounded Warrior Project: Larger, better-funded post-9/11 VSO that has overtaken traditional VSOs in younger-veteran engagement. Comparable mission of veteran support but contrasts sharply with the Legion's traditional post-based model.
• Team Rubicon: Veteran-led nonprofit engaging post-9/11 veterans through disaster response and community service — the modern equivalent of the Legion's community-service mission and a growing competitor for younger-veteran mindshare.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA): Membership-based advocacy organization for post-9/11 veterans with strong digital engagement and policy focus. Comparable membership-dues revenue model but targets the demographic the Legion struggles to recruit.

Regional players

• American Legion Department of Ohio: Sister state department of the same national American Legion organization. Direct operational peer in structure, programs, and member services, but serves a different state geography and does not directly compete for WV members.

Broad incumbents

• The American Legion (National Organization): The parent national organization that charters the West Virginia department. Directly comparable as the umbrella entity for the same membership model, advocacy infrastructure, and Be The One initiative referenced in the company's products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about the american legion department of west virginia