Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Eligibility Questions

How can I join Post 132?

Complete the membership request form and our membership director will contact you.  Click here for membership request form

When does Post 132 meet?

The Post meets at 6:30PM every third Thursday of each month September through June. Click for more details

Where does Post 132 meet?

Vistoso Memorial Chapel

2285 E. Rancho Vistoso Blvd.

Oro Valley, AZ

Click for more Details

How do I order American Legion mechandise?

Go to emblem.legion.org. For uniform cap, go to Legion listing and cap ordering. Step 1-enter “Arizona”, step 2-style select “city” and “lined”, step 3– crown select “regular” or “women’s”, step 4– cap size, step 5– left side lettering “Oro Valley, AZ”, step 6– Post # “132”. Be certain to order correct cap size. If interested in ordering a Legion polo, consider the Jazz Polo or Aqua-Dry pocket polo for men and the Lady Legion 3/4 Sleeve Dress Blouse or the Lady Legion V-neck polo for women.

How is Post 132 involved in the community

Post 132 participates in many service events in our community, which support veterans, service members and their families. Click here to see how and where you can get involved.

Does Post 132 offer any social events?

Yes. While we as a Post do not have a building and therefore do not have a bar, there are opportunities almost every month to meet and socialize with fellow legionaries from Post 132. Click here for upcoming events.

Does Post 132 hav an American Legion Riders Chapter?

Yes. Click here for more details about the Post 132 Riders Chapter.

I’m currently on Active Duty. Am I eligible?

Yes.  The current eligibility period from is from August, 1990 – Present, and includes the current war campaigns.  All current active duty military are eligible for membership.

I didn’t retire from the military, but was on active duty during one of the qualifying time periods. Am I eligible?

Yes.  As long as you have served at least one day of federal active duty during any of the qualifying periods, you are eligible for membership.

I served during one of the qualifying periods, but was never in a combat zone. Am I eligible?

Yes. Location of active duty service is not a consideration for membership.

I am currently in the National Guard/Reserve. My unit was activated under Title 10 orders during a qualifying time period. Am I eligible?

Yes.  Title 10 orders are issued by the Secretary of Defense and therefore are federal orders.

My National Guard unit was activated for crowd control under Title 32 orders during one of the qualifying periods. Am I eligible?

No. Title 32 orders are issued under a governor’s authority, whereas Title 10 orders are issued from the Secretary of Defense.

I am currently a cadet at one of the U.S. Military, Naval, Air Force or Coast Guard Academies. Am I eligible?

Yes. The American Legion has considered service in the military academies as eligible for membership since WWI.

Can I be an honorary or social member of The American Legion?

No. Per American Legion National Constitution and By-laws, no form or class of membership is authorized except regular active or paid up for life.

I served my entire military career in the National Guard/Reserves, and only have a DD214 from my Active Duty for Training that I was in during one of the qualifying dates. Am I eligible?

Yes. In the mid-60’s all basic training and occupational training schools were considered federal active duty service.

I served active duty as a SPAR, WAC, WASP, or WAVES during the one of the qualifying periods. Am I eligible?

Yes.  Even though women served separately than men, their service is equal.

I served with allied military forces during one of the qualifying periods. Am I eligible?

Yes, only if you were a U.S. citizen at the time of entry.

I served with the Civil Air Patrol/Civilian Technical Corps/USPHS as a civilian during two qualifying periods. Am I eligible?

No. Eligible members must have federal military service during a qualifying period and received an honorable discharge or discharge under honorable conditions.

I enlisted and went to basic training, but received an uncharacterized discharge due to a medical condition. Am I eligible?

Yes.  Uncharacterized discharges are assumed to be under honorable conditions unless specifically stated otherwise.

I served on active duty but my dates of service don’t appear on your membership application. Can I join?

No. The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as an organization for war time veterans. Membership is open only to men and women who served active duty in the US Armed Forces during specific periods designated as “war time” by the US Congress, and who have received an honorable discharge, or are still serving honorably. Eligible veterans would be able to provide a Form DD214 (or similar) to verify their eligibility. If you don’t meet these requirements, then we’re sorry, but you’re not eligible for membership.

My family member served on active duty so can I join under his/her service?

No. However, It’s possible that you may be able to join one of the other organizations in the “Legion Family.” The Sons of The American Legion (SAL) is comprised of male descendants, adopted sons and step-sons of American Legion members. (There are no age limitations.) Many posts have an active SAL program and you can contact one near you to learn more. (Visit www.legion.org/sons for more information.)

Our sister organization is the American Legion Auxiliary. Eligibility is open to mothers, wives, daughters, sisters, grand-daughters, great-grand-daughters, or grandmothers of members of The American Legion, or of deceased veterans who served in the United States Armed Forces during the listed war eras. (Women who are eligible for membership in The American Legion are also eligible to join the Auxiliary.) Visit their website at www.alaforveterans.org or you can reach their National Headquarters office by calling 317-569-4500.

I am eligible for The American Legion, but do not have a copy of my DD214 to show as proof of eligibility. How can I get one?

You can go to www.archives.gov/veterans/military-service-records to request another copy of your discharge papers. A copy of orders putting you on federal active duty can be used as proof of eligibility as well.

Membership Questions

Can I manage my personal membership information online?

Yes, you can set-up a myLegion account and manage your membership information anytime. The myLegion site allows members to see their information on file at National Headquarters, view messages and events published through the department and post myLegion sites, and even network with other myLegion members using networking tools. Go to mylegion.org to create your account

I paid my dues a while ago so why did I get another renewal notice?

Renewal notices are mailed from National Headquarters based the information on our records at the time the notices are printed. So, although you may have paid your dues a month ago, or even longer, the National portion of your dues may not have reached our offices yet. Briefly, when you pay your dues to the Post, they process your payment and keep a portion for the Post; the balance is sent to your Department Headquarters with your membership card; and finally, the Department deducts its portion of your dues and then forwards the remaining balance and your membership card to National. Once we receive your dues and card, we usually have renewals processed within 48 hours of receipt. (New memberships take a little longer since they have to be hand-processed.)

If you look at the bottom right-hand corner of the renewal notice, you’ll see there is an “as of” date which tells you when the notice was printed. If you paid your dues sometime around that date, your dues and the renewal probably just crossed in the mail, and you shouldn’t receive another one for that membership year. BUT, if you paid well in advance of that “as of” date, then you should contact your Post Adjutant to verify the status of your renewal payment.

Why doesn’t my membership card reflect the total number of years I’ve been a member?

The annual card reflects your continuous years of membership… “continuous” being the key word here. If you miss even a single year of paying dues, your continuous years start over at one. However, if you think there’s a mistake, contact your Post Adjutant and if it’s confirmed there is an error, he/she can submit a request to correct your record.[/vc_toggle][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_toggle title=”When does my membership expire?”]Your membership actually expires on December 31st of the paid year shown on your card. It can be a little confusing sometimes because your annual dues are supposed to be paid by January 1st each year so National starts accepting dues for the upcoming year on July 1st. The goal is to have everyone renewed for the new year by January 1st, when it begins.

What if I still have questions about the American Legion?

If you still have unanswered questions, you may contact the post at ovpost132@gmail.com or visit the American Legions FAQ

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