American Legion Joseph B. Westnedge Post 36 Scholarship
The American Legion Joseph B. Westnedge Post 36 Scholarship is a needs-based scholarship available to American Legion-eligible military students.
Eligibility Criteria
- Must be American Legion or American Legion Family eligible: If you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces during any of the war eras listed below, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving—you are American Legion eligible and your dependents are American Legion family eligible.
| Service | Operation |
|---|---|
| *August 2, 1990 to today | (Persian Gulf/War on Terrorism) |
| December 20, 1989 to January 31, 1990 | (Operation Just Cause—Panama) |
| August 23, 1982 to July 31, 1984 | (Lebanon/Grenada) |
| February 28, 1961 to May 7, 1975 | (Vietnam) |
| June 25, 1950 to January 31, 1955 | (Korea) |
| December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946 | (World War II) |
| April 6, 1917 to November 11, 1918 | (World War I) |
*Because eligibility dates remain open, all members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to join The American Legion at this time, until the end of the hostilities as determined by the government of the United States.
- Military status and proof of service
- 2.5 CGPA (high school or college)
- Financial need as determined by FAFSA EFC#
ABOUT THE AMERICAN LEGION
The American Legion is the nation’s largest network of U.S. wartime veterans, families and communities, with nearly 2.5 million members and 14,000 community posts. Chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veteran’s organization, the Legion has evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States. The American Legion brought into existence the modern VA, the GI Bill, and dozens of health-care benefits. It helped build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. American Legion resolutions continue to shape U.S. policy on many fronts, including veteran’s health care, national security, foreign affairs and the economy.
Each year, hundreds of local American Legion programs and activities strengthen the nation one community at a time. American Legion Baseball is one of the nation’s most successful amateur athletic programs, educating young people about the importance of sportsmanship, citizenship and fitness. The Operation Comfort Warriors program supports recovering wounded warriors and their families, providing them with "comfort items" and the kind of support that makes a hospital feel a little bit more like home. The American Legion also raises millions of dollars in donations at the local, state and national levels to help veterans and their families during times of need and to provide college scholarship opportunities. And the Legion Riders, through the annual Legacy Run, have raised more than $2 million for the Legacy Scholarship, helping ensure the children of U.S. service members killed on or after Sept. 11, 2001, have a chance at a college education. American Legion department service officers help thousands of veterans receive VA benefits they earned through service to their country. The Legion conducts, promotes and supports hundreds of career fairs for veterans and transitioning service members, bringing employers face to face with job hunters.
The Joseph B. Westnedge Post 36 in Kalamazoo includes veterans from many wars and many occupations. What binds us is our sense of duty to our country and to the four pillars of The American Legion. Post 36 has made a priority of giving back to the community and helping local veterans. Annually we sponsor several high school seniors to Boys State and to the Student Trooper program. We sponsor Little League and youth softball. Our donations fund 100 Thanksgiving meals at the Gospel Mission every year. For local veterans we annually donate to the VA Medical Center entertainment fund, to the Blue Star Mothers and to the Pride of Scotts for their soldier care packages. We also give a financial award and achievement medals to two WMU ROTC graduates. Post 36 has now seized this opportunity to fund a WMU veteran scholarship. Add to this the many hours of time that our members volunteer in our community. 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.
The American Legion was founded on these four pillars:
- Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation
- National Security
- Americanism
- Children and Youth