When visiting local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFWs) and American Legions there are several members who have served in World War II, Korea or Vietnam.

However, there is an obvious gap in the number of new, younger members; those who served in the Gulf War, Afghanistan or Iraq.

Selma Legion Post 20 member Bill Campbell said his group is trying to change that trend.

“We are doing whatever we can through increasing publicity and reaching out to bring them in,” Campbell said. “We just want to let them know we are there for them.”

Legion Post 324 Commander Alex Summers said his post has seen the same thing and also would like to see things change.

“I think we need to get to them when they are younger,” Summers said. “We try to get into the schools and let them know some of the things we offer like scholarships.”

Among the scholarships offered is the Patriot Project for grades six through eight. Teachers are encouraged to have students write an essay or a broadcast script on this year’s theme.

Post 20 also has two scholarships available locally for $850 each at Wallace Community College for residents of Alabama who are sons, daughters, grandsons or granddaughters of veterans of foreign wars.

Both Campbell and Simmons agreed increased membership is key to the Legion maintaining its level of community service.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization.

Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion currently has about 2.6 million members in 14,000 posts worldwide.

These posts are organized into 55 departments, with one each for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.