Services MCL 1209 Provides
Honor Guard
Military Funeral Honors are provided whenever possible. The law mandates that rendering of Military Funeral Honors for an eligible veteran upon request by the next of kin or authorized representative. As provided by law, an honor guard detail for the burial of an eligible veteran shall consist of not less than two members of the Armed Forces; one member of the detail shall be a representative of the parent Service of the deceased veteran. The honor detail will, at a minimum, perform a ceremony that includes the folding and presenting of the American flag to the next of kin and the playing of Taps. Taps will be played by a bugler, if available, or by electronic recording. Today, there are so few buglers available that the Military Services often cannot provide one. Firing Details are also utilized at the family’s approval. Upon request of the next of kin, authorized representative, or authorized funeral director, the regional military funeral honors coordinator will arrange the provision of funeral honors for an eligible veteran. The next of kin or authorized representative, through his or her funeral director, should only need to make a single telephone call to request military funeral honors. marine corps league mcl 1209
VAVS
The Marine Corps Leagues supports the Veterans Affairs Voluntary Services (VAVS) organization for VA Hospital assistance. If a VA Hospital is within reasonable distance of the Detachment, the National VAVS coordinator can assign members of the Detachment to primary and deputy representation on the VAVS committee of that hospital. The VAVS committee is composed of veterans organizations and others. The primary goal is to spend time at the Hospitals on visitation, planning and coordinating events (i.e., bingo, games, reading), and soliciting donations for funds or items needed by occupants of the Hospital. These items may include books/magazines, and clothing and toiletry items, or other items determined by the hospital staff. A VAVS officer for the detachment should be responsible for the coordinating events with Detachment members, and planning donation activities.
Eagle Scout
The Marine Corps League supports the Boy Scouts of America as they promote traditional family values to America’s youth. Our Eagle Scout Award Program is in place to recognize the achievement of our youth in attaining Scouting's highest award. Every scout who reaches the rank of Eagle Scout is presented a citizenship award. The ceremony is usually held in conjunction with his local troop's Court of Honor ceremony.
Join US
Why Should You Join?
When you join and/or invite someone you know to join the Marine Corps League, you do more than increase our ability to help America's Veterans and their families; you could be helping that new member live a longer, more fulfilling life! Your involvement is key to the success of our Detachment and our national organization. It takes each and every one of us pulling together to get the important work done of serving our Veterans and their families, our communities, and our country.
How To Join
A Detachment must SEE the applicant’s DD-214 to verify eligibility for “Regular Membership”. THEN IT MUST BE HANDED BACK TO THE APPLICANT. Neither the Detachment nor National Headquarters needs that DD-214 and it should not be copied nor retained. What must accompany the Dues Transmittal Form is the APPLICATION for membership. You MAY keep a copy of the application at the Detachment if you feel it necessary, but the signed original MUST be sent to National Headquarters with the Transmittal. If the Application is NOT attached with the transmittal, we have no choice but to accept that members as an “Associate Member” until we receive the Membership Application Form for our files. It is the signed statement on that application form that allows the Marine Corps to provide a copy of the DD-214 should we ever need it to verify authenticity. marine corps league mcl 1209
Mission Statement
Members of the Marine Corps League join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving the traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps, banding together those who are now serving in the United States Marine Corps and those who have been honorably discharged from that service that they may effectively promote the ideals of American freedom and democracy, voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance to all Marines, FMF Corpsmen and FMF Chaplains and to their widows and orphans; and to perpetuate the history of the United States Marine Corps and by fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of particular interest to Marines.
History
The Marine Corps League perpetuates the traditions and spirit of ALL Marines, Navy FMF Corpsmen and FMF Chaplains who proudly wear or who have worn the eagle, globe and anchor of the Corps. It takes great pride in crediting its founding in 1923 to World War I hero, then Major General Commandant John A. Lejeune. It takes equal pride in its Federal Charter, approved by An Act of the Seventy-Fifth Congress of the United States of America and signed and approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on August 4, 1937. The League is the only Federally Chartered Marine Corps related veterans organization in the country. Since its earliest days, the Marine Corps League has enjoyed the support and encouragement of the active duty and Reserve establishments of the U. S. Marine Corps. Today, the League boasts a membership of more than 76,000 men and women, officer and enlisted, active duty, Reserve Marines, honorably discharged Marine Veterans and qualified Navy FMF Corpsmen and is one of the few Veterans Organizations that experiences increases in its membership each year.
The Marine Corps League is headed by an elected National Commandant, with 14 elected National Staff Officers who serve as trustees. The National Board of Trustees coordinates the efforts of 48 department, or state, entities and the activities of over 1000 community-based detachments located throughout the United States and overseas. The day-to-day operations of the League are under the control of the National Executive Director with the responsibility for the management and direction of all programs, activities, and affairs of the Marine Corps League as well as supervising the National Headquarters staff.
The prime authority of the League is derived from its Congressional charter and from its annual National Convention held each August in different major U.S. cities throughout the nation. It is a not-for-profit organization within the provisions of the Internal Revenue Service Code 501(c) (4), with a special group exemption letter which allows for contributions to the Marine Corps League, its Auxiliary and subsidiary units, to be tax deductible by the donor.