The American Legion is a voluntary, fraternal organization of men and women who have served in the United States military during times of military conflict since World War I. Its origins date back to February 15, 1919 when a group of twenty Army officers, still stationed in occupied Germany, met to plan an organization for veterans of the Great War that would be on par with the already existing Grand Army of the Republic and United Spanish War Veterans.
As it grew, the organization split into departments that usually consisted of a state. The Department of Wisconsin received its charter in August 1920. Many cities within the state had local posts. Local posts were grouped by the county in which they were located and the counties grouped into districts. Dane County is one of 72 in the State of Wisconsin, and with six other counties it makes up the Third District in the Department of Wisconsin.
The Dane County Council (DCC), like the American Legion, is dedicated to serving veterans, promoting patriotism, community service, and helping youth, especially high school students. Specifically, the DCC raises money for the area veterans hospital, Badger Boys and Girls State programs, high school awards and scholarships, and many other veteran and community causes.
The number of local posts within the DCC has fluctuated throughout the years. As of 2004 it consists of 24 individual posts (see appendix).
