Every acronym, every slang word tells a story. Every tradition preserves a legacy. Learn the history and customs that honor those who answered the call to serve.
Refers to immediate family members of service members currently serving on active duty during a war or conflict. The term comes from the traditional Service Flags flown in windows, which display a blue star for each family member in the armed forces.
Refers to families who have lost a loved one who died in the line of duty, either in combat or during a qualifying conflict. When a service member makes the ultimate sacrifice, their family replaces the blue star on their service flag with a gold star.
The American Legion played the leading role in creating and standardizing the U.S. Flag Code. On Flag Day, June 14, 1923, the American Legion hosted a National Flag Conference in Washington, D.C., convening delegates from over 60 patriotic, civic, and military organizations to draft a comprehensive set of rules for the respectful display and care of the U.S. flag. These foundational guidelines, published by the American Legion, were formally adopted into federal law by Congress nearly two decades later on June 22, 1942.
The American Legion's advocacy has shaped federal law for over a century: securing landmark benefits, reforming the VA, and protecting veterans' rights across generations.
Widely considered the Legion's single greatest accomplishment. The Legion wrote and lobbied heavily for this landmark legislation, which provided World War II veterans with tuition for college and vocational training, low-cost mortgages, and unemployment benefits: profoundly reshaping the American middle class.
Early lobbying efforts resulted in the consolidation of various federal agencies, creating the U.S. Veterans Bureau: which eventually evolved into today's Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Legion was a driving force in updating GI Bill benefits for the modern era, securing expanded educational assistance, living stipends, and the ability to transfer unused benefits to family members.
The Legion heavily advocated for this historic legislation — the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act — which expanded VA healthcare benefits and disability compensation to millions of veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.
The Legion championed this bill, which consolidated and expanded community care programs, allowing veterans to receive medical treatments from private doctors outside the VA system when necessary.
Officially named the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act: in honor of the Legionnaire who drafted the original GI Bill. This legislation eliminated the time limit for veterans to use their GI Bill benefits and expanded coverage for vocational and STEM programs.
Backed by the Legion, this act modernized the VA's notoriously backlogged appeals process, giving veterans more options to resolve their disability claims.
Championed to improve the quality of the VA, this bill granted the VA Secretary greater authority to remove, demote, or suspend poorly performing or negligent employees.
Interesting military fun facts from across the ages.
The U.S. Army was established by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775 — more than a year before the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.
During World War II, a Syrian brown bear named Wojtek was officially adopted and enlisted as a private in the 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish army. He helped carry heavy artillery shells and loved drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.
A tactical deception unit in WWII used inflatable tanks, sound effects trucks, and fake radio transmissions to trick the enemy, saving an estimated 15,000 to 30,000 human lives.
During World War II, the U.S. Navy spent $1 million to build a floating ice cream barge for the Pacific Theater because morale was so important — it could produce 500 gallons of ice cream per hour.
The U.S. Army owns over 15 million acres of land in the United States. If it were a state, it would be the 42nd largest by area — beating out Maryland and Hawaii.
During WWII, the Marine Corps Women's Reserve collaborated with Elizabeth Arden to create "Montezuma Red" lipstick to match their uniform accessories, making a coordinated look part of the standard issue.
More surprising historical stories and little-known facts about armed forces around the world are coming soon!
From the barracks to the battlefield: the unofficial vocabulary of the U.S. Armed Forces.
1.Candy, snacks, or junk food: especially the kind stashed in a pack or locker for personal consumption. The term dates back to at least World War II. "Pogue" (also spelled "pogy") was slang for a rear-echelon or non-combat service member, and the snacks were said to be what lured them away from the front. Today it's used affectionately by all ranks for any unauthorized or personal treat food.
1.Military shorthand for "minute," derived from the NATO Phonetic Alphabet where "Mike" is the code word for the letter M. Shortening words to single syllables keeps radio communication fast, clear, and unambiguous. Common uses: "Wait one mike" (hold on for one minute), "Five mikes out" (arriving in five minutes), "Three mikes" (three minutes). The plural is simply "mikes."
1.An all-purpose expression of acknowledgment, enthusiasm, agreement, or motivation. Used to convey anything from "yes" and "understood" to "let's go" — as long as it isn't "no."
1.The Marine Corps battle cry and motivational exclamation. Similar in use to the Army's "Hooah," it signals enthusiasm, readiness, and esprit de corps. Never to be confused with the Navy's "Hooyah."
1.The Navy and Coast Guard equivalent of a battle cry. Widely used by Navy SEALs and other special operations forces to signal motivation, agreement, or acknowledgment.
1.Describes a person, place, or thing that is organized, prepared, and in perfect order. A squared-away Marine has a clean uniform, shined boots, and a sharp bearing. High praise in military culture.
1.Military slang for one kilometer (approximately 0.62 miles). Derived from the metric system used in military navigation. "The objective is two klicks north" means the target is two kilometers away.
1.An informal time expression meaning very early in the morning — well before dawn. In the 24-hour military clock, "zero" denotes midnight hours, and "dark thirty" emphasizes the pitch-black pre-dawn hour. Often used to describe brutally early wake-up times.
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