In December 1944 twelve small groups of World War II veterans met in Kansas City and formed AMVETS. A year later there were 20,000 memberships and 200 Amvets posts.[1]
Originally only World War II veterans were eligible to join, and the organization's stated goals were:
1. Full employment for veterans
2. Working for veterans' rights
3. Influencing national issues that benefit the United States
4. Gaining recognition of veterans' needs
5. Maintaining friendships made during military service
6. Keeping alive the ideals veterans fought for[2]
Change in membership requirements
In 1966 AMVETS requested Congress to amend their charter so that veterans of the Korean War and the Vietnam conflict could join, and President Lyndon Johnson signed the bill changing eligibility dates for AMVETS membership. Then in 1984 President Ronald Reagan signed a public law that amended AMVETS charter to open membership to all honorably discharged veterans.[3]
Russell's telegram to Truman cited MacArthur's "repeated insubordination in violation of basic American principles governing civil versus military authority." His telegram said those were "obvious grounds" to relieve MacArthur. Erle Cocke Jr., commander of the American Legion, said that he was "shocked by the news" that AMVETS and the American Veterans Committee supported MacArthur's firing.[4]
Awards
AMVETS presents its annual Silver Helmet Awards to "recognize excellence and achievement in Americanism, defense, rehabilitation, congressional service and other fields."[6] Current Silver Helmet Recipient, John Henry Felix, August 2022
Past Silver Helmet Recipients include:
President Harry S. Truman, 1958 for Americanism
President Dwight Eisenhower, 1959 for Peace
Vice President Richard Nixon, 1960 for Americanism
Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, 1960 for Americanism
Eleanor Roosevelt, 1962 for Peace
Henry Kissinger, 1972 for Peace
Pope Paul VI, 1981 for Peace
Lee Greenwood, August 1988 for Americanism
General Colin Powell, 1991 for Defense
Governor Tim Walz, 2010 for Americanism
Tom Donwen, AMVETS Post 56, California, 2019 for Rehabilitation
In 1945 the AMVETS National Sad Sacks were formed to raise money for the Sad Sacks Nursing Scholarship Fund.[7] The scholarships, named after George Baker’s Sad Sack cartoon character, are awarded to children of military veterans.[8]