American Legion Post No. 24 on 25th Street in Columbus has rebounded to consistently give back to the community since its struggles nine years earlier.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — A veterans organization that has maintained a presence in Columbus for over a century is in danger of being forced to close their doors permanently.
The American Legion Post 24 will have a 6 p.m. meeting this evening at their post, located at 2515 25th St. Those in attendance will discuss possible options in the wake of declining membership and a lack of volunteers, spokesman Charles Ping said.
The post received its charter from the national organization on Aug. 11, 1920, shortly after the end of World War I. But if younger members don’t begin to volunteer time and effort to fill the spaces left by elderly members, Ping said the local organization may not be able to carry on its activities.
Over the last decade, the American Legion has lost more than 700,000 members, according to their national website. The Veterans of Foreign War has seen a similar decline. Between 2017 and 2021, membership dropped from 1.2 million to just over 1 million, according to VFW data.
The decrease is primarily tied to a shrinking pool of veterans. In 1945, there were around 12.2 million people in the U.S. military. Today, there are about 1.3 million active duty service members, the legion’s website states.
