The Four Pillars

• Service Office Community Outreach
• May 5-8, National Spring Meetings – Indianapolis

Four ways you can help a veteran in crisis.s

See what the American Legion is doing for our Veterans.

Retirees and military family members who have identification cards with no expiration date can choose to upgrade to the new Next Generation Uniform Services Identification, or USID, cards whenever it’s convenient—as long as it’s done within the next four years, according to the Defense Department. There is no looming deadline for use of those old non-active-duty cards without expiration dates, but the department expects to completely phase out and replace them with the next-generation IDs, which are more durable and have enhanced security features, by 2026, Maj. Charlie Dietz, a spokesman, told Military.com. 

In the meantime, cards with expiration dates are required to be replaced within 90 days of elapsing. The Defense Department began the effort to update all those IDs to the new format in July 2020, but the changeover was delayed due to the pandemic. “DoD plans to phase out and cancel the existing card forms in 2026 when all existing cards with an actual expiration date will have expired,” Dietz wrote in an email. “After then, only the USID card will be accepted for installation and benefits access.” 

The USID format for military retirees and dependents represents the first change to those identification cards in nearly 30 years; the last update was in 1993. The new design closely resembles the Common Access Card, or CAC, format issued to active-duty troops and department civilians. But there was uncertainty among those with cards that list the expiration as indefinite. The IDs are needed to access military facilities and to confirm eligibility for various military benefits, so missing a deadline or losing the identification could disrupt cardholders’ lives. Expired cards can be confiscated at base gates. Those with cards with no expiration dates “may have the card replaced at their convenience,” according to Dietz.

The department recommends they go to the ID Card Office Online and use the office locator to find a site that issues the new cards and book an appointment. Retirees and their dependents, dependents of active-duty troops, reserve members, and Medal of Honor recipients are among those who will receive the USID cards. A description of the new cards and a complete list of who is eligible can be found here.

• Donating is quick and easy—This is one reason why we’re the best place to donate a car to charity. Once you contact us, we handle all the details.
• Pickup and towing is free—There’s no need to worry about getting your vehicle to us. We pick it up at a time that’s convenient for you.
• You may receive a top tax deduction—If you qualify, you could get a tax deduction for your car donation to Veteran Car Donations.
• We handle all the paperwork—We want to make your donation as simple and convenient as possible.
• Avoid the costs associated with selling your vehicle—Forget about listing, negotiating, showing, or marketing your car. When you donate, you’re free from all those demands.
• Avoid paying for costly repairs—You can donate a vehicle in any condition, so you don’t have to worry about getting any problems fixed.
• Auto donations for veterans transform the lives of our heroes—Veteran Car Donations takes the proceeds of your donation and uses them to help our nation’s veterans. Your donation can help us provide transitioning assistance, family support, legal aid, tutoring, and more.

https://www.veterancardonations.org/

The Legion Act has been signed, you are now eligible for membership in The American Legion. Please contact us to discuss your eligibility and what becoming a member of The American Legion means to you. You can also ask about the achievements of your local Post.

If you are interested in membership, visit our website at www.ctlegion.org and click the “Join Us Today” tab at the top of the page and complete the application. You can also visit your local American Legion Post. Be sure to have your DD4 or other proof of eligibility available and your membership can be processed immediately.

For additional information, please feel free to contact us at (860) 436-9986 or email ctadj@ctlegion.org.

In contrast to other veterans’ organizations, the Legion offers a number of local programs and activities to strengthen its commitment to our nation’s grassroots and the people we serve. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs; it continues to educate youths on the importance of sportsmanship and develops the quality of our country’s citizenship. The Heroes to Hometowns program is the only nationwide reintegration assistance service for wounded veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan. Additionally, millions of dollars in donations have been given to fellow veterans and their families in times of grief, and various scholarship opportunities ensure the future success of our youth.

The American Legion is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization with great political influence perpetuated by its grassroots involvement in the legislative process. Legionnaires’ sense of obligation to their community, state, and nation drives an honest advocacy for veterans in Washington. The Legion stands not behind politics, but behind the issues and people that institute progress by focusing on veterans’ rights and quality of life.

The American Legion’s success depends entirely on active membership, participation, and volunteerism. The organization belongs to the people it serves and the communities in which it thrives. Contact us to join a post of The American Legion in Connecticut.

For God and Country,
We associate ourselves together
For the following purposes:
To uphold and defend
The Constitution of the United States of America;
To maintain law and order;
To foster and perpetuate
A one hundred percent Americanism;
To preserve the memories and incidents
Of our associations in All Wars;

To inculcate a sense of individual obligation
To the community, state and nation;
To combat the autocracy
Of both the classes and the masses;
To make right the master of might;
To promote peace and good will on earth;
To safeguard and transmit to Posterity
The principles of Justice, Freedom and Democracy;
To consecrate and sanctify our comradeship
By our devotion to mutual helpfulness.