Indiana Veterans Posts

About Veterans Organizations in Indiana

A deep look at the history, oldest posts, membership process, and notable veterans connected to Indiana.

History of Veterans Organizations in Indiana

Indiana occupies a singular place in American veteran history because the American Legion's National Headquarters has been located in Indianapolis since 1925. The original headquarters building, completed in 1925 and known as the World War Memorial Plaza, sits at the heart of a five-block memorial complex in downtown Indianapolis that includes the Indiana World War Memorial, the Veterans Memorial Plaza, the Cenotaph Square, the Obelisk, and the American Legion Mall. The current American Legion National Headquarters operates from 700 N. Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis, in a building that anchors the northern end of the memorial plaza.

This co-location of the national headquarters with the state's principal war memorial is intentional and was negotiated when Indianapolis was selected over competing cities; the Indiana state legislature appropriated significant funding for the memorial complex specifically to attract the Legion's national headquarters, and the result has shaped Indianapolis's identity as a veterans' city for a century. The American Legion Department of Indiana was chartered in 1919, and its members were instrumental in lobbying both the national organization and the state legislature to bring the headquarters to Indianapolis. Indiana's military heritage runs deep through the Civil War, when Hoosier regiments under Indiana governor Oliver P. Morton mobilized rapidly for the Union cause; through World War I, when the 38th Infantry Division (the Cyclone Division) drew heavily from Indiana; through World War II, when Camp Atterbury south of Indianapolis became a major training and POW facility; and through the postwar decades, when Indianapolis hosted the headquarters of multiple veteran service organizations attracted by the existing infrastructure.

Crane Naval Surface Warfare Center in southern Indiana remains an active naval installation. The Indiana National Guard at Camp Atterbury and at Stout Field in Indianapolis maintains active operations, and Hulman Field in Terre Haute hosts the 181st Intelligence Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard.

Oldest and Most Historic Posts in Indiana

American Legion Post 3, the Edward A. Bradford Post in Indianapolis, was among the earliest chartered posts in Indiana and serves as a kind of flagship post given its proximity to National Headquarters. Post 34, the John H. Holliday Post in Indianapolis, was another early anchor.

Post 64, the Harry V. Wann Post in Fort Wayne, has served Allen County veterans for over a century. Post 8 in Evansville and Post 1 in South Bend (the Roy J. Harrold Post) round out the early major-city charters.

Post 35 in Terre Haute and Post 17 in Lafayette are among the longest-continuously-operating in the state. Post 113 in Bloomington, near Indiana University, has served the university and Monroe County veteran community since the 1920s. Post 261 in Anderson and Post 209 in Muncie were important industrial-city posts during the General Motors and General Electric era. The Indianapolis-area posts collectively organized many of the early American Legion baseball programs that made Indiana one of the strongest Legion baseball states in the country, and posts in Kokomo, Marion, and Richmond round out the heritage roster.

Notable post properties include the Indianapolis Post 34 building that has hosted multiple national American Legion functions because of its proximity to National Headquarters, and several smaller-town posts retain original 1920s and 1930s architecture that has been recognized on local historic registers.

VFW Posts in Indiana: A Closer Look

The VFW Department of Indiana operates from Indianapolis and oversees roughly 300 active posts across the state. Indiana VFW posts grew rapidly after both World Wars, and the state has produced multiple national VFW commanders. VFW Post 73 in Indianapolis is among the older posts in the state. Post 1130 in Fort Wayne and Post 1114 in Evansville are among the larger and more active posts in their regions.

The Indiana VFW has historically focused heavily on advocacy for combat veterans and on community programs in industrial cities affected by manufacturing decline. Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen scholarship competitions in Indiana have produced national finalists multiple times. The department has worked closely with the American Legion National Headquarters in Indianapolis on joint advocacy initiatives, given that the proximity of the two organizations' state and national leadership creates unusually close collaboration. The Indiana VFW has also been active in advocacy for Camp Atterbury veterans and for Vietnam-era veterans who trained or processed through Indiana installations.

AMVETS, DAV, and Other Veterans Organizations in Indiana

AMVETS Department of Indiana maintains roughly 80 active posts across the state, with concentrations in Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Evansville, South Bend, and the smaller industrial cities of Northern Indiana. AMVETS in Indiana has been particularly active in homeless veteran outreach and in employment programs partnering with the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs. The Disabled American Veterans Department of Indiana operates a major transportation network bringing veterans to the Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis and the Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, plus various community-based outpatient clinics. DAV Chapter 1 in Indianapolis, named for an early Indianapolis veterans rights advocate, is among the most active in the country.

Indiana DAV service officers handle a high volume of claims and the department maintains a substantial National Service Officer presence at Roudebush. The Vietnam Veterans of America, the Korean War Veterans Association, and the Marine Corps League all maintain robust Indiana chapters that frequently coordinate with American Legion National Headquarters on commemorative and advocacy events.

Indiana Veterans Posts by the Numbers

Indiana is home to approximately 380,000 to 420,000 veterans according to recent VA estimates. The American Legion Department of Indiana maintains roughly 470 to 500 active posts with combined membership in the 70,000 to 85,000 range, making it consistently one of the top departments per capita given Indiana's population. The VFW Department of Indiana operates around 300 posts. Indiana hosts the Richard L.

Roudebush VA Medical Center in Indianapolis and the Marion VA Medical Center in Marion, plus more than a dozen community-based outpatient clinics. The state operates the Indiana Veterans' Home in West Lafayette. Crown Hill National Cemetery in Indianapolis and Marion National Cemetery serve veterans across the state. Indiana's active-duty footprint includes Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane in southern Indiana, Camp Atterbury south of Indianapolis, and the various Indiana National Guard installations.

Most importantly, Indianapolis hosts American Legion National Headquarters at 700 N. Pennsylvania Street, which makes Indiana the unofficial capital of American veteran organizations.

How to Join a Veterans Post in Indiana

Joining the American Legion in Indiana requires honorable federal active-duty service since December 7, 1941, under the LEGION Act of 2019. With nearly 500 posts statewide and the National Headquarters in Indianapolis, Indiana veterans have unusually direct access to Legion programs and leadership. Annual dues vary by post and typically run from $35 to $55. The VFW in Indiana requires combat-zone or hostile-fire-area service documented on a DD-214.

AMVETS welcomes all honorably discharged veterans, Guard, and Reserve. Indiana's tight-knit Legion community is reinforced by the proximity to National Headquarters, where state members frequently visit and attend national-level events. The Sons of the American Legion in Indiana is one of the largest squadrons in the country, and the Legion Riders chapters in Indiana run extensive charity rides including the annual Legacy Run that originates at National Headquarters and travels to the National Convention each year.

Notable Indiana Veterans in History

Indiana has produced a distinguished roster of notable veterans. Vice President Mike Pence served as a non-veteran but his son Michael served in the Marine Corps. President Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president, was a Civil War brigadier general from Indianapolis whose grave at Crown Hill Cemetery is a Legion-tended site. General Lewis Wallace, author of Ben-Hur and a Mexican-American War and Civil War veteran, was an Indianapolis resident and namesake of the Lew Wallace Study museum in Crawfordsville.

Senator Birch Bayh was a World War II Army veteran. Senator Richard Lugar was a Navy intelligence officer. Senator Dan Coats was an Army veteran. Astronaut Gus Grissom, the second American in space and one of the three astronauts killed in the Apollo 1 fire, was a native of Mitchell, Indiana, and an Air Force test pilot.

Astronaut Frank Borman, commander of the Apollo 8 mission that first orbited the Moon, was born in Gary, Indiana, and served as an Air Force test pilot. Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Sammy L. Davis, a Vietnam War hero whose story partly inspired the film Forrest Gump, lives in Indiana and is closely associated with American Legion National Headquarters. Bill Blass, the fashion designer, was a World War II veteran who served in the Army's 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, the Ghost Army.

Frequently Asked Questions: Indiana Veterans Posts

Sources & Further Reading

• https://www.legion.org/
• https://www.vfw.org/
• https://www.amvets.org/
• https://www.indianalegion.org/
• https://www.in.gov/dva/
• https://www.va.gov/