*Subject to change.

10/20/2026—————————————————————————————————

It’s that time of year. Here is your yearly reminder—if you receive an email from ANY of the department officers asking for a “favor” but they aren’t available to talk on the phone— it is more than likely a spam email. Please check the email- almost all of our ALA emails start and end with nyala________@gmail.com- with the exception of EGS and our ala college email. Do not reply to these emails just mark them phishing and/or spam. Thank you!

9/30/2026—————————————————————————————————

All County and Unit report forms are available to be downloaded individually HERE or by going to the forms tab at the top of this page and click on the 2026-2027 Unit and County forms page. You can also download the full POA by clicking HERE. Each committee/program page will be updated by the end of the week. All report forms are fillable PDF’s.

The County report forms no longer have the Department chairman’s addresses as of 9/24/2026. If you need the individual chairman’s mailing address, please email the chairman at their department emails listed on the forms.

Any issues with the forms, please email Caitlin at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com

9/24/2026—————————————————————————————————

The September 2026 Empire State News is now available to download by clicking the image below!

 September 2026 Empire State News

UPDATE:

Below is the September 2026 Americanism article that was left out of the Newsletter. Click here to download.

If you wish to subscribe to our Dept. newsletter you can:
Email Caitlin at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com to subscribe by email.

-OR-

Send a check to the Department Office for $15 to subscribe by print/mail. Please include your name and where you would like it to be sent.

This will give you 4 newsletters.

UPDATE: The plan of action has been removed from the website as of 9/24/2026.

Department Officers, Past Dept. Presidents, Dept. Committee Chairman, County Presidents, and Unit Presidents POA’s will be sent to your District Presidents unless otherwise noted. District Presidents will hopefully receive their POA’s prior to your District’s Fall Conference where they will be distributed. If you are not attending your Fall Conference, please contact your District Presidents to make arrangement’s. 

9/11/2026—————————————————————————————————

At the 2026 American Legion National Convention, delegates adopted new membership eligibility language for the American Legion Auxiliary — expanding eligibility and allowing more family members to join the ALA.

The Legion has authority over the ALA’s membership eligibility; this language change allows more people into our organization — strengthening our ability to better serve our veterans, military, and their families.  

Following is the updated text from The American Legion that reflects the updated eligibility provisions for membership in the American Legion Auxiliary:  

OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:

Section 2. Membership in the American Legion Auxiliary shall be limited to: 

(1) grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, and direct or adopted descendants within two degrees of consanguinity of members of The American Legion; and 

(2) grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, and direct or adopted descendants within two degrees of consanguinity of all servicemembers who served in either of the following periods: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918, and any time after December 7, 1941, who, being a citizen of the United States at the time of their entry therein served on active duty in the Armed Forces of any of the governments associated with the United States during either eligibility periods and died in the line of duty or after honorable discharge; 

(3) grandparents, parents, siblings, spouses, and direct or adopted descendants within two degrees of consanguinity of all servicemembers who were in the Armed Forces of the United States during either of the following periods: April 6, 1917, to November 11, 1918; and any time after December 7, 1941, who served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States during either eligibility period and died in the line of duty or after honorable discharge; and

(4) to those women who of their own right are eligible for membership in The American Legion.

The revisions to the ALA’s eligibility mentioned above allow individuals the potential to be members of both the Sons of The American Legion and the American Legion Auxiliary. The Legion’s national judge advocate has confirmed that this dual membership does not constitute a conflict of interest with The American Legion. 

The eligibility changes are effective immediately. Updated membership applications, brochures, and additional membership resources are available at www.ALAforVeterans.org. 

Print off and complete the American Legion Auxiliary Membership Application:

ALA_Membership_Application v.Sept 2026

For any questions related to this eligibility change, please email ALA National Headquarters’ Membership Division at membership@ALAforVeterans.org. 

https://www.legion-aux.org/Blog/New-eligibility-resolution-expands-ALA-membership

9/10/2026—————————————————————————————————

Registration for the ALA Mission training and National Junior Meeting is now available. It will be held at the Albany Marriott on Wolf Rd on Saturday, January 30, 2027*. This year it will be held at the same time as The American Legion National Information Conference and the SAL Regional Meeting. If you plan on staying over night I would highly encourage you to register and make your reservation soon- it did sell out quickly last year! If you use the code “LABOR” before checkout– you will save $5 off your registration fee if used before September 14th!

Click HERE to register now!

If you can’t make it to Albany, you can attend any of the other trainings. Here are the all the dates:

2026-2027 ALA Mission Training & National Junior Meetings

Nov. 14: Omaha, NE*
Jan. 30: Albany, N.Y.*
Jan. 30: Springfield, III.
Feb. 6: Atlanta, Ga.
Feb. 6: Las Vegas, Nev.*

*Events will be held with The American Legion National Information Conference and the SAL Regional Meeting. SAL members between the ages of 8-17 can also attend the National Junior meetings! 

————————

*Please note this is 2 weeks after our Mid-Winter also held at the Albany Marriott.

9/4/2026—————————————————————————————————

As of September 4, we are still missing County Committee lists from the following Counties:

1. Chemung*
2. Clinton (Received Officer form- Committee list will be sent 9/9)
3. Cortland (Received Officer form)
4. Dutchess
5. Essex
6. Franklin
7. Fulton (Received Officer form)
8. Genesee
9. Hamilton
10. Jefferson
11. Lewis
12. Montgomery (Received Officer form)
13. Nassau (Received Officer form)
14. New York
15. Rensselaer
16. Schuyler
17. Sullivan
18. Tioga
19. Westchester (Received Officer form)
20. Yates (Received Officer form)

These lists were due to the Department Office by August 1st.

Please email your County Committee list to me at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com as soon as possible.

If you have already sent your list, please simply forward your original email so we can make sure it was received.

1. 2026-2027 COUNTY FORM (fillable)
2. 2026-2027 County Committee List
   1. EXCEL VERSION
   2. PDF FILLABLE VERSION
      1. * fill in the Year and County at the top of the page.

9/1/2026—————————————————————————————————

UPDATE: The plan of action has been removed from the website as of 9/24/2026.

Department Officers, Past Dept. Presidents, Dept. Committee Chairman, County Presidents, and Unit Presidents POA’s will be sent to your District Presidents unless otherwise noted. District Presidents will hopefully receive their POA’s prior to your District’s Fall Conference where they will be distributed. If you are not attending your Fall Conference, please contact your District Presidents to make arrangement’s. 

If you wish to order an extra plan of action, please contact Dept. Secretary Barbara Corker by email- nyalasecretary@gmail.com. The POA will be $25.

POA request form 2026-2027

Below is the 2026-2027 Plan of Action. You can download in its entirety by clicking HERE. Over the next few weeks, I will be upload the POA broken down by committee with fillable forms for your convenience. 

Please note: The downloadable version includes updates and corrections that are not reflected in the printed version. These changes were discovered after the original had already been sent to the printer. Please refer to the downloadable version for the most current and accurate information.

8/25/2026—————————————————————————————————

Class VII- Hallie Carney Unit 66, Oneida County

Class V- Brooke Muto Unit 1038, Westchester County

Class IV- Gabriella Michelle Oliveira Unit 1038, Westchester County

2026 Award Listing - Membership

Units that reach 100% of their 2026 membership goal by January 31, 2026- All should’ve received a keychain in with their 2027 membership cards!

Important Notice: Membership cards were printed by National as of April 1, 2026. As such, any updates, transfers, or new members submitted after that date will not be reflected on the printed membership rosters or the 2027 membership cards.

Please note that if a change, new member, or transfer was received by the Department Office after April 1, 2026, it may still have been processed; however, it will not appear in the printed materials. We kindly ask that you verify the date your request was submitted or mailed to the Department Office prior to inquiring about its status. 

For an updated membership roster or to confirm whether your changes have been processed, please contact the Department Office via email at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com.

When submitting an application, please remember the Veteran, if living, needs to be a current member of the American Legion with a 9-digit ID#. Please do not submit the application if they are joining at the same time. Wait until they are given an official ID# from their Post. 

Friendly reminder, when sending in membership at this time of year- please remember the following:

• You must submit a transmittal that is:
  • In alphabetical order. The name must be as written on the roster- no nicknames. 
  • 55 seniors or less. The Department cannot exceed $1,000 in a single transaction. If there are 55 seniors it’s a total of $990.00 (55 x $18). This is also the reason why our transmittals only go up to 55.
  • One check per transmittal- please do not submit multiple checks for one transmittal. Make sure your check is filled out correctly and signed.
  • ID#’s are required.
  • Only write “rejoin” for those members who have not paid their dues in 3 or more years. Otherwise they are just a renewal for 2027. If they haven’t paid in 2 years, they’re an expired member. 
  • Make sure you are using the transmittals that have the 2026-2027 year at the top of the paper. Older transmittals are causing the chairman to submit the incorrect payment. The 2024, 2025, 2026 AND 2027 dues year are $28 per senior member. ALL  prior years are $20 per senior. ALL junior dues are $6.25. If you are wishing to pay back dues, just write the year you wish to pay in the prior dues column. No need to send a separate transmittal to pay back dues. 2027 and 2026 has to be paid first at this time of year before we are able to process 2025 and prior back dues.
  • Do not put data changes within the names you have listed on your transmittal. If you must, please skip a few lines, or write it on the back. 
• Make sure your applications are completed:
  • The applicants information is legible.
    • It should be a complete address with a legible zip code. Do not abbreviate the Town/City- We should not have to look up the address in order to enter it into the system.
  • If the member is under 17, we need a correct date of birth. As long as they will be 17 on January 1st, they will be a Junior member for 2027 dues. If no date of birth is listed, they will go in as a senior member. 
  • If the Veteran is deceased, please mark the deceased box. 
  • ONLY list ONE Veterans name.
  • If the Veteran is living, they must be a CURRENT paid member of the American Legion. We need the following information:
    • Post number, City, and State.
    • Their Legion 9-digit number. Please do not submit the application until the Veteran is given an official ID# by the Legion. 
  • FOR ALL VETERANS- WE NEED:
    • When they served.
    • What the applicants relationship to the Veteran is. If they do not fit one of the boxes provided, please do not send it in anyway. We cannot process it if they are not eligible. DO NOT USE OLD APPLICATIONS PRIOR TO OCTOBER 2019. Please stop using applications with “direct descendants”- these applications are outdated and have not been in rotation since Summer of 2019.
  • **The Post Adjutant, Post Officer or now the Unit Officer has reviewed the Veterans paperwork and has signed off on the application.

Membership is heavy for the next 2-3 months, please give us time to process membership in a timely manner. If you put it in the mail on a Thursday, please do not call on a Monday expecting your new member ID#’s. Chances are we only received it in the mail on Monday. Please put a note in with your applications for us to email you the ID#’s once processed. If you have multiple questions, please send an email. 

Here are all the forms you will need to have a successful membership year:

Click the links below to download the transmittal of your choice: 

• 2026-2027 EXCEL TRANSMITTAL (please print in Portrait)
• 2026-2027 PDF TRANSMITTAL
• 2026-2027 WORD TRANSMITTAL

Membership Data Form PDF

1. 1. This form is used for:
      1. Member data changes.
         1. Name changes.
         2. Updating addresses.
         3. Adding contact information.
      2. Marking members deceased.
      3. Transferring members.
      4. Updating members continuous years

---

 

7/24/2026—————————————————————————————————Congratulations to the Newly Elected officers for the 2026-2027 Administration:

Department President Lora Rowe

1st Vice President Yvonne Paccione Brunner

2nd Vice President Julianne C. Barton

3rd Vice President Patricia Galley

 

2026-2027 Department President Lora Rowe

The 2026-2027 Department President Lora Rowe’s Project is

The Veterans Creative Arts Festival

 

For More information about the Presidents Project click HERE!

---

ALA_Membership_Application v. JUNE 2026

TAL_Family_Membership_Brochure v.JUNE 2026

🎉 WE REACHED 95% OF OUR MEMBERSHIP GOAL — AHEAD OF THE JUNE 12th DEADLINE!  

Let’s keep going as we work toward 100%! ⭐

from the National Membership Facebook group

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5/11/2026——————————————————————————————————

C&B Power of Membership Letter-5.11.2026 C

 

 

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2027 UNIT DATA FORM

To check whether your Unit has submitted the 2027 Unit Data Form for Direct Billing (also known as the “blue form”), please click here or the 2027 UNIT DATA tab at the top of this page. We will only update the missing unit forms on the “2027 Unit data form page” to avoid confusion.

If your Unit has not yet submitted the form, it must be received by May 1, 2026.

You will also find answers to frequently asked questions and common issues on that page. The link to the page is also at the top of the page as it’s own tab as well as under the Membership tab.

---

Please note that it is an actual blue piece of paper was mailed.

Please do not scan or take a picture of the actual  blue paper and email/fax it to the Office for printing. Printing these scanned versions, even in black & white, uses an excessive amount of toner. Instead, please send the form back through the mail as originally intended.

For your convenience, you can also download the fillable version of the form from the Department website using the links below. You also don’t need to print it on blue paper once downloaded. Plain paper is sufficient. 

We would suggest you make a copy of this form before submitting it to the office for your records.

Any questions, please email Caitlin at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com. 

 

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5/1/2026——————————————————————————————————

The 2026 Department Convention Call is now available to download by clicking the link below. The full convention call and 2026-2027 officer forms will be mailed next week to all Unit and County Presidents. 

Click the link here for more.

---

Below are the 2026-2026 Unit and County Officer form as a fillable PDF and the County Committee lists as an excel file and now a fillable PDF. 

1. 2026-2027 UNIT FORM (fillable)
2. 2026-2027 COUNTY FORM (fillable)
3. 2026-2027 County Committee List
   1. EXCEL VERSION
   2. PDF FILLABLE VERSION*
      1. * fill in the Year and County at the top of the page.

---

 

4/23/2026——————————————————————————————————

The April 2026 Empire State News is now available to download by clicking the image below!

April 2026 Newsletter

---

 

4/15/2026——————————————————————————————————

Submit Your Department Award Entries by May 1st

 Important: A cover sheet must be attached to each award entry. The information you provide on this sheet will be used to prepare the award certificate, so please print clearly and complete all requested information.

 

2026 AWARD COVER SHEET FOR DEPARTMENT

 

 Deadline:
All entries must be received by the Department Chairman by May 1st. Addresses for each chairman are included in the Plan of Action.

 

Do not mail them to the Department Office.

You can’t win if you don’t apply—good luck

4/8/2026——————————————————————————————————

Below is some snippets from the April 2026 ALA e-News. For more click the banner below.

Ready, set, poppy! It’s time to get active for National Poppy Day®

To honor those who have served and died for the United States, The American Legion Family petitioned Congress for National Poppy Day®. Celebrated Friday prior to Memorial Day, the Legion Family honors the sacrifices of our servicemembers and veterans by wearing a red poppy. The poppy has been recognized and worn by Americans as a symbol of sacrifice since World War I.

National Poppy Day® is May 22 this year. Leading up to this significant day, a virtual 5K will happen throughout the month to raise awareness and support.

ALA members are encouraged to participate however they’re able to: walking, running, swimming, biking, etc.! Be creative!

To participate, make an encouraged $25 donation to your local unit or state department Poppy Fund. Complete the 5K (3.1 miles) in whatever activity you choose between May 1-22. Be sure you’re branded, wear your poppy gear, and take loads of pictures!

Registration closes April 30. For the first 700 registrants, race medals are available. To register, go here!

Don’t forget to post and share in the American Legion Auxiliary Poppy Program Facebook group.

Email high-resolution, actual-size pictures to Poppy@ALAforVeterans.org. Once you’ve emailed, you will receive a certificate of completion to fill out and print.

Keep an eye on our ALA social media accounts @ALAforVeterans for more about the 5K! Let’s make this an unforgettable National Poppy Day!

To learn more about National Poppy Day®, go here!

To read more about the National Poppy Day® Virtual 5K, go to the ALA blog!

Unlock the full potential of your ALA membership with these upcoming ALA Academy webinars

Building a Strong Membership Strategy — Engagement, Retention, and Year-Round Planning

When: April 14 @ 7 p.m. ET

Looking for fresh ideas to strengthen membership in your unit beyond “dues time”? In this ALA Academy Live webinar, ALA national membership leaders share practical strategies to help units engage members year-round, improve retention, and build a welcoming culture focused on mission and connection.

Register here!

*******************************************************************

Promoting The American Legion Legislative Priorities and Engaging ALA Members in Local Advocacy

When: April 21 @ noon ET

Learn about The American Legion’s current legislative agenda priorities and how ALA volunteers can amplify and support those priorities on a local level. In this ALA Academy Live webinar, member and community engagement in advocacy efforts utilizing the Grassroots Action Center will be discussed, as well as understanding the importance of grassroots efforts in affecting change. Use this webinar to help explore ways to motivate and educate members on legislative issues.

Register here!

*******************************************************************

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

When: May 12 @ noon ET

Who doesn’t love a birthday celebration? This July 4, America is celebrating its semi-quincentennial — its 250th birthday! Join us as we commemorate our nation’s past and its future. Happy birthday, America!

Register here!

*******************************************************************

Missed a webinar? Go to ALA Academy to review recordings and see what other webinars are coming up. Click here!

There’s still time to join and be active in the USA 250 Challenge

Join this challenge culminating with America’s birthday on July 4. Participants have three areas — fitness, mental wellness, and/or community service — they can engage in as part of a team, like an ALA unit, or as an individual. You can do one category or go the extra mile and do all three! 

Register here for $30 and get a USA 250 Legion Family T-shirt and donate to a good cause. For more information on ways to fulfill the categories, go to the USA 250 Challenge website. 

With the end of the challenge drawing near, there’s still time to make a difference. American Legion National Commander Dan Wiley is calling on The American Legion Family and friends of the Legion Family to raise $150,000 in donations through the USA 250 Challenge to serve our servicemembers, veterans, and their families.

These funds can be used to help deliver grants to military and veteran parents who face unexpected financial hardships that threaten the stability of their homes and fund training for accredited American Legion service officers who are continuously working more than 750,000 benefits claims for disabled veterans and their families, free of charge.

Read more here!

*******************************************************************

Special awards are available for fundraising

To keep the USA 250 momentum going, awards are available for those who hit certain fundraising goals with three fundraising tiers: 

• For $250 in donations raised, participants receive a USA 250 Challenge hat pin. 
• For $500 in donations raised, participants receive a USA 250 Challenge coin and a personalized certificate of appreciation. 

For $2,500 in donations raised, participants receive a personalized plaque signed by American Legion National Commander Wiley.

SAVE THE DATE

April: Month of the Military Child

April: Children & Youth Month

April: National Volunteer Month

April 9: National Former POW Recognition Day

April 19-25: National Volunteer Week 

April 14: Air Force Reserve Birthday 

April 15: Purple Up! Day

April 22: Earth Day

April 23: Army Reserve Birthday

April 25: American Legion Family Day

May 1: Silver Star Banner Day

May 8: Military Spouse Appreciation Day

May 8: VE Day (Victory in Europe Day)

May 10: Mother’s Day

May 13: Children of Fallen Patriots Day

Anyone with an email listed on ALA Mis should be receiving this information. Otherwise you can sign up to receive the latest news and information from National HQ by clicking here.

4/1/2026——————————————————————————————————

The Month of the Military Child, recognized every April, honors the unique challenges, quiet sacrifices, and selfless contributions of children in military families. Through it all, these children show incredible resilience and strength.

Across the country, communities are encouraged to celebrate military children and raise awareness of their experiences. Make sure to wear your purple this month and on Purple Up! Day — April 15 — to show appreciation for military children and their families. Wearing purple symbolizes unity for military children across all branches of the military, and it’s an easy way to show your support and remind them that they are seen and appreciated.

2027 UNIT DATA FORM————————————————————————-

To check whether your Unit has submitted the 2027 Unit Data Form for Direct Billing (also known as the “blue form”), please click here. This page will be the only location where updates are posted to avoid confusion.

If your Unit has not yet submitted the form, it must be received by May 1, 2026.

You will also find answers to frequently asked questions and common issues on that page. The link to the page is also at the top of the page as it’s own tab as well as under the Membership tab.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE WRITING YOUR UNIT AND COUNTY AT THE TOP OF THE FORM! DO NOT LEAVE THE DUES PORTION BLANK!!!

• 2027 UNIT DATA FORM FOR RENEWAL NOTICES FILLABLE PDF (BLUE FORM) UPDATED 3/4/2026
  1. 2027 Unit Data form (fillable form ONLY)
  2. Senior/Juniors dues rate chart (SAME AS LAST YEAR 2026)

If you need to update your dues amount or the address/remit to person (where your members renewal notices are mailed) please update this form and return to the Dept. Office ASAP. No changes will be accepted by phone.  If you need to change the dues amounts after May 1^st, National HQ charges a $30 fee to update your new rates. 

If there are any updates to the remit to address/name above, you can resubmit this form no later than:

• July 20, 2026 for the September ’26 renewals.

• December 18, 2026 for the February ’27 renewals.

➢ Mail or email only--no changes will be made over the phone.

Be advised that the per capita sent into the Department Office will be the rate of $28 per senior member and $6.25 per junior member for the 2027 membership year. The total due on the form CANNOT be lower than those amounts per Senior or Junior member. Anything above the per capita will be the Unit portion to keep.

We would suggest you make a copy of this form before submitting it to the office for your records.

Any questions, please email Caitlin at nyalamemberdata@gmail.com. 

3/31/2026——————————————————————————————————

From the Department of NY, Sons of the American Legions website or click the links below to download each file:

1. “They Marched for Us, Let’s Walk for Them” 2026 Walk-A-Thon NYS Flyer
2. DOUBLE FLYER (UPDATED BOOTS)
3. 2026 Pledge/Collection Form
4. Sample letter

For more information CLICK HERE.

3/19/2026——————————————————————————————————

The American Legion Auxiliary Dept. of New York Convention will be held

July 15 – July 17, 2026 in Syracuse, NY.

3/12/2026——————————————————————————————————

Important information from the March 2026 National ALA eNEWS:

News from our friends at ShipThrifty! USPS has announced temporary suspensions of all mailing services to several military ZIP codes until further notice. To learn more and see all the suspended codes, go here.

Jot down these webinars to unlock the full potential of your ALA membership

Supporting Military Families

When: March 16 @ 7:30 p.m. ET

This webinar will demonstrate how members can support diverse military families through various activities and community partnerships. Participants will learn practical ideas for recognition, youth support, and collaboration — with Month of the Military Child and Purple Up! Day highlighted as natural entry points into this community.

Register here!

***

KDH2 (Kids of Deployed are Heroes Too)

When: March 31 @ noon ET

Kids of deployed servicemembers carry a unique responsibility — and they deserve to be recognized as heroes too. This webinar will provide practical, step-by-step guidance for implementing the American Legion Auxiliary’s KDH2 (Kids of Deployed are Heroes Too) program at the unit level. Participants will gain a clear understanding of program eligibility, learn how to connect with military families in their community, and walk through planning a meaningful and manageable KDH2 event. Whether you’re near a military base or simply want to strengthen your Children & Youth outreach, this session will equip you with tools, ideas, and confidence to celebrate and support the children who serve alongside their families.

Register here!

***

Building a Strong Membership Strategy: Engagement, Retention, and Year-Round Planning

When: April 14 @ 7 p.m. ET

Looking for fresh ideas to strengthen membership in your unit beyond “dues time?” In this ALA Academy Live webinar, ALA national membership leaders will share practical strategies to help units engage members year-round, improve retention, and build a welcoming culture focused on mission and connection.

In this session, you’ll learn how to:

• Identify key motivation and retention drivers — and why members step away.
• Use mission-based engagement to build loyalty, belonging, and involvement.
• Apply best practices to welcome and retain members across generations and backgrounds.
• Create a simple year-round plan that includes recruitment, engagement, and retention goals.

Go here to register!

Missed a webinar? Go to ALA Academy to review recordings and see what other webinars are coming up. Click here!

Have an idea for an Academy course? Email ALAAcademy@ALAforVeterans.org to send your ideas for potential courses.

Don’t forget to nominate for ALA Salute to Servicemembers Award

We made it easy to submit for the Salute to Servicemembers Award! An ALA member/entity simply makes the nomination to effectively tell the story of why they feel this person is “head and shoulders” above their peers and worthy of this award.  

A simple narrative (no more than 1,000 words), a picture of the servicemember (preferably their official military photograph), and the endorsement from their command group are the only requirements. 

The nomination form is live now, and you have until June 1 to complete. Click here to fill out the form!

This award acknowledges the servicemember’s contributions that go beyond their military career, displaying their impact on their community. The goal is to have every branch of the military represented: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Space Force, along with the National Guard/Reserve. 

The American Legion legislative agenda for the 119^th Congress second session is out

American Legion National Commander Dan K. Wiley testified at a joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs on March 4 about the Legion’s agenda. The Legion Family’s priorities this legislative session:

• Veteran suicide prevention: The expansion of community-based outreach and prevention and funding evidence-based mental health treatment.
• Improve care for female veterans: Investing in gender-specific care at the Department of Defense and VA and increasing research on reproductive health.
• The passage of H.R. 1423 — Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025: This bill aims to grant equal access to earned education benefits.
• End veteran homelessness: Increase project-based HUD/VASH vouchers, permanently authorizing Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program, and fully funding the Grant Per-Diem program as authorized.
• Promote veteran entrepreneurship: Create opportunities to provide veterans with access to capital and prioritize veteran-owned small businesses in federal contracting.
• Strengthen defense and honor service: Pass FY27 NDAA amendments addressing housing, dining facilities, childcare, spouse employment, and education benefits. Correct an inequity for combat-injured, medically retired veterans by authorizing full concurrent receipt of DoD retirement pay and VA disability compensation.

To learn more about the American Legion’s legislative agenda, go here.

To download the legislative agenda brochure, click here.

The American Legion encourages all Legion Family members to reach out to their representatives and senators about these issues.

Go here to find your representatives: house.gov. Go here to find your senators: senate.gov.

To read more from the March 2026 National ALA eNews click HERE.

3/4/2026——————————————————————————————————

The 2027 Unit Data form for direct billing (otherwise known as the “Blue form”) is now available to download. It is due no later than May 1st to the Department Office. Click HERE to download. The actual blue form will be mailed this week to ALL Unit Presidents on file. (MAILED 3/11/2026)

MAKE SURE YOU ARE WRITING YOUR UNIT AND COUNTY AT THE TOP OF THE FORM! DO NOT LEAVE THE DUES PORTION BLANK!!!

• 2027 UNIT DATA FORM FOR RENEWAL NOTICES FILLABLE PDF (BLUE FORM) UPDATED 3/4/2026
  1. 2027 Unit Data form (fillable form ONLY)
  2. Senior/Juniors dues rate chart (SAME AS LAST YEAR 2026)

If you need to update your dues amount or the address/remit to person (where your members renewal notices are mailed) please update this form and return to the Dept. Office ASAP. No changes will be accepted by phone.  If you need to change the dues amounts after May 1^st, National HQ charges a $30 fee to update your new rates. 

If there are any updates to the remit to address/name above, you can resubmit this form no later than:

• July 20, 2026 for the September ’26 renewals.

• December 18, 2026 for the February ’27 renewals.

➢ Mail or email only--no changes will be made over the phone.

Be advised that the per capita sent into the Department Office will be the rate of $28 per senior member and $6.25 per junior member for the 2027 membership year. The total due on the form CANNOT be lower than those amounts per Senior or Junior member. Anything above the per capita will be the Unit portion to keep.

Here is the 2027 Senior/Juniors dues  rates* chart to help you fill out your form:

(THE DEPARTMENT/NATIONAL RATES ARE THE SAME AS 2026*)

*Your 2027 Unit portion (Senior/Junior) can be higher than that shown on the chart. 

If there are any changes to your Unit roster (name or address changes), now is the time to make changes. Please send them into the Department Office no later than March 25^th. National will start printing the 2027 membership rosters and cards after April 1^st; anything submitted/processed after that date will not be reflected in the 2027 rosters or cards.

If you have any questions, please email nyalamemberdata@gmail.com

————————OLDER POSTS left for reference———————–

2/9/2026——————————————————————————————————

ALA DD214 Retention dated 2-4-26

6/1/2023————————————————————————————————————

Guess what?

Your Volunteer Time Counts!
Did you know that throughout the year it is important to report the hours you volunteer and the value of this time.

Each year the National Organization sets the value of our volunteer time. They refer to a website called www.independentsector.org. While there are different values for different states the national organization uses the average rate so that the reports from each department are consistent.

The Current Estimated National Value of Each Volunteer Hour Is

$36.14

Please this when calculating your hours and valued time for any committee report form that requests such information.

In the future you can view the website for more information by clicking HERE.

FROM THE NATIONAL FACEBOOK PAGE:

MISSION OUTREACH VS. MISSION AWARENESS: We’d like to provide some clarity on recent questions we’ve received about counting volunteer hours: