TODAY THERE IS NO ACCURATE RECORD OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VETERANS' ORGANIZATIONS, BUT AMONG THEM ALL, NONE HAS GROWN SO LARGE OR HAS EXERCISED SUCH WIDE INFLUENCE AS THE AMERICAN LEGION. NONE IS SO INTIMATELY IDENTIFIED WITH THE WORD "VETERAN". CONGRESS CHARTERED THE AMERICAN LEGION IN 1919 AS A PATRIOTIC, MUTUAL-HELP, WAR-TIME VETERANS ORGANIZATION. A COMMUNITY-SERVICE ORGANIZATION WHICH NOW NUMBERS NEARLY 3 MILLION MEMBERS -- MEN AND WOMEN -- IN NEARLY 15,000 AMERICAN LEGION POSTS WORLDWIDE. THESE POSTS ARE ORGANIZED INTO 55 DEPARTMENTS -- ONE EACH FOR THE 50 STATES, THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, PUERTO RICO, FRANCE, MEXICO, AND THE PHILIPPINES. THE AMERICAN LEGION'S NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS IS IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, WITH ADDITIONAL OFFICES IN WASHINGTON, DC. IN ADDITION TO THOUSANDS OF VOLUNTEERS SERVING IN LEADERSHIP AND PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION CAPACITIES IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO THE LEGION'S STANDING NATIONAL COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION HAS A REGULAR FULL-TIME