American Legion Post 165 proudly sponsors Boy Scout Troop 484 and Cub Scout Pack 484. We also contribute to Boys & Girls State, Gold Star Families, American Legion Baseball, meals for residents at the two Travis AFB Fisher Houses every month, and various other programs within the community.
About American Legion Post 165
The American Legion is the World’s Largest Veterans Organization with over 2 Million Members Worldwide.
The American Legion was chartered by Congress on September 16th, 1919 as a veterans service organization. Focusing on service to veterans, servicemembers and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States.
Membership swiftly grew to over 1 million, and local posts sprang up across the country. Today, membership stands at over 2 million in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. The posts are organized into 55 departments: one each for the 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, France, Mexico and the Philippines.
Rago-Christopher Post 165 was originally chartered on December 30th, 1919 making it one of the earliest Posts to come into existence. The post is named after Frank H. Rago and William Ellis Christopher, two of Vacaville’s first casualties in the “Great War” we now know as WWI. They are but two of the four names commemorated on the base of the Veterans Building’s Flagpole. Sometime during the 1930s during the Great Depression, the Post became inactive and turned its charter in. The Post was re-chartered in 1950 and is still going strong today.
Membership Eligibility
If you have served federal active duty in the United States Armed Forces since December 7, 1941, and have been honorably discharged or are still serving – you are eligible for membership in The American Legion!
*Because eligibility dates remain open, all active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces are eligible to join The American Legion at this time, until the date of the end of hostilities as determined by the government of the United States.
**U.S. Merchant Marine eligible only from December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946 (WWII).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Attend a meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:45 PM at the Veterans Memorial Building, 549 Merchant St, Vacaville 95688. Or contact a Post Officer.
If you have served at least one day of active military duty since December 7, 1941 and were honorably discharged or you are still serving active military duty honorably, you are eligible for membership with The American Legion.
Any honorable service makes you eligible.
Membership dues are $60 per year – less than the cost of a cup of coffee at Denny’s two times a month. Paid Up for Life membership (PUFL) is dependent upon your age and your Post’s dues amount.
Your dues help the American Legion lobby for Veterans at all levels of the Federal, State, County, City and other local governments. We are the largest Veterans Service Organization in the world and Congress listens when the American Legion advocates for veterans and their families. The American Legion has accredited Veterans Service Officers to assist its members with VA claims and benefits, National and State advocacy to make sure your hard-won benefits are never taken away from you, and collaborates in the local community with various other agencies.
Travis AFB Fisher House monthly dinners, Scouting, Boys and Girls State program, Vanden High School JROTC, annual free Holiday dinners for the community, sponsor American Legion Baseball. Gold Star family events, and numerous other local programs that benefit active duty military and veterans.
Post 165 is committed to fostering a supportive community where every veteran—whether younger, female, or from a minority background—can find camaraderie and belonging.
Rago Christopher Post 165 spends an hour before each meeting eating and socializing. Once the meeting starts, our focus turns to community service programs.
American Legion Service Officers provide expert, no-cost assistance to veterans and their families for VA disability benefits applications and education and employment resources.
The American Legion’s scholarships provide financial assistance to high school students with exceptional academic and leadership qualities, including those participating in youth programs or connected to military service. Visit American Legion Scholarships page for more information.
The American Legion can connect you to local programs that provide such resources.
The Legislative Division promotes the organization’s positions and recommendations to Congress, the White House, and federal departments and agencies. The American Legion strongly advocates for additional legislation to improve the lives of veterans, servicemembers, and their families.
Post 165 is instrumental in the Vacaville Veterans’ FREE Community Dinners on Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. The dinners are open to all members of the community. The organization also supports local scouting by providing a meeting place and location for events. Members of the post are active in many other community organizations and share their experiences and expertise with those organizations.
You determine how much time you wish to commit to the local post. We have monthly meetings and various other activities that we participate in. You are always welcome to spend as much or as little time as you wish assisting with these activities.
You do not have to attend meetings to stay active. The organization makes it a priority to keep our members up-to-date on activities through emails and social media.
Of course, you are welcome at other posts and can transfer if you move out of the area.