Operating out of an ordinary-looking blue house marked only by a small sign and an American flag, Post 318 boasts a membership of about 345 combat-era veterans. The group gathers together for meetings, meals and social events. Though these convivial activities are important to the members, they insist that the Legion serves a much larger purpose.

Post 318 member and Willow Glen resident Randy Richmond says he joined the American Legion 22 years ago because he saw it as a way to advance the betterment of veterans' affairs.

Richmond, who is involved in numerous veterans' organizations, spends nearly all of his time championing the welfare of the nation's former soldiers.

"Practically everything I do has to do with veterans' affairs," the Vietnam-era veteran notes. "It's my calling. I want to give vets the respect they deserve, bring services to them and help fight for services."

Former Post 318 Commander and current First Vice Commander John Carlson echoes Richmond's sentiment.

"The American Legion is really trying to help out people in need," he says.

A high school track star who was offered scholarships for his athletic talent, Carlson was drafted into the Vietnam War 90 days after he graduated from high school. He served with the Amphibs, the division of the armed forces responsible for sea-to-land operations and setting up military cities.

"It was a risky job," he says.

When he was released from duty at age 21, Carlson says he returned home only to discover a new battle.

After the War

"When I got home, people were doing the same thing they had been doing before the war," he says. "Nobody could relate [to my war experiences]. And there was no respect for vets after the war."

Post 318 Commander and Vietnam-era veteran Garry McLeod also remembers the mistreatment he suffered as a soldier during a hotly contested war.

"I got spit on once at an American airport," he says. Although McLeod was not a combat soldier, he says his uniform made him a target to war detractors.

Joining the American Legion, he says, was a way to initiate the healing process and to reach out to other former soldiers who needed support.

And the dignity of veterans, the members say, is not the only aspect of their lives that is threatened.

"Veterans benefits are getting taken away," Carlson says. "And it's unbelievable how many vets don't have jobs or homes."

Navigating the bureaucracy of the Veterans Affairs healthcare system is also a challenge, according to Gulf War­era soldier and current Air Force officer Jean Dalia Jr., who says he is in the American Legion to help "fix wrongs."

He says that when a soldier is discharged from service, he or she receives a disability rating from 1 to 100 percent. Veterans only qualify for free health benefits if they have a disability rating of 100 percent, he says.

"It's inhumane. It's degrading to be evaluated on a point system," he says. "You're missing a finger, for instance, and you are only at 10 percent disability."

Dalia says he would like to see all veterans receive free healthcare.

"Vets are at a greater risk for health problems," he says. "For instance, you have more risk for hearing loss in the service from all the noise generated by airplanes, helicopters, generators, guns. You're exposed to more health hazards than the everyday Joe Schmo. You should get free healthcare."

But, he insists that he doesn't want to see vets become sponges for taxpayer money. Instead, he wants to see them compensated for their service.

"[Soldiers] aren't entitled to live off the government," he says. "But they give and give, and they don't get hooked up with benefits like, let's say, members of Congress."

Fighting Back

But the members of the American Legion are channeling their anger and disappointment with the state of veterans' affairs into ways that they hope will positively impact the lives of their military brothers and sisters.

"It's no good getting mad," Richmond says. "I'd rather be sensible and institute change."

One of the ways Richmond and the other Post 318 members are advocating for change is by working closely with local Veterans Administration hospitals.

"Hospitals are key with the American Legion," Richmond says. "The Veterans Affairs is a huge bureaucracy, the largest in the world. Depending on the political mindset, its services will either be helped or cut. A lot of times, it hurts veterans. They get downsized."

According to Richmond, much of the financial assistance Post 318 provides for the patients of the hospitals goes toward recreational activities.

"It helps boost the vets' morale," he says.

On Presidents Day, the post participates in Casino Day at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Palo Alto, where patients play card games for "funny money" and watch taped horse races provided by Bay Meadows.

"It brings in some comfort from the civilian side of the world," Richmond says.

Dalia says the post also raises money to support individual patients, and members visit and socialize with the injured soldiers.

And, according to McLeod, even a simple gesture can mean a great deal to a bedridden or wheelchair-bound veteran.

"We give out stuffed animals at the Veterans Administration hospital," he says. "It's amazing how much they love the stuffed animals."

Although one-on-one interaction with veterans is a significant part of its mission, the American Legion's advocacy extends beyond the personal realm and into the political. Representatives from the Legion lobby for veterans' benefits at the state and federal levels.

In August, Dalia and Richmond attended an American Legion convention in Redding to participate in lobbying for the waiver of the 30-day prisoner-of-war requirement—a mandate by the Department of Veterans Affairs stating that to qualify for health benefits, a soldier must have been in captivity for 30 days.

"It's ludicrous," Dalia says. "What are you supposed to do, go to the Iraqi government and say, 'I need three more days to get health benefits because your government isn't going to take care of me after doing all these things to me?"

According to McLeod, another cause the American Legion, including Post 318, is working on is boosting government job opportunities for veterans. Hiring for government positions, he says, is based on a point system. McLeod and his fellow Legionnaires would like to see qualified veterans receive a few extra points for their military service.

"If a person gets out of the service, give them five extra points in hiring," he says. "If they're disabled, maybe they get 10. This would only be for a few years after leaving the military, but it would give vets a chance to get into civilian life. Of course, they have to show they can handle the job."

Guarding Their Honor

This year, McLeod says, the American Legion saw one of its wishes fulfilled by the California state Legislature: the construction of two new veterans' cemeteries.

"The cemeteries are for indigent vets or those who don't have family plots," he says. "A final resting place is important."

One of the Legion's priorities is to honor and preserve the memories of deceased servicemen and women. Both Richmond and Dalia serve as riflemen in veterans' funerals, sending off soldiers who have gone before them with a 21-gun salute. Richmond says he will participate in as many as six or seven funerals a week if asked.

"It's my responsibility," he says. "It's a duty that needs to be fulfilled."

Dalia, who became involved on the rifle squad when the captain of the honor guard needed an extra member, says his participation at funerals is a way to give back to veterans who have fought for his freedom.

"I like to go out there and help out," he says. "And you never know—it could be my day, and hopefully these guys will come out for me."

Though the Post 318 members commemorate fallen soldiers throughout the year, Veterans Day is a time for the group to go all out. Of course, the members participate in the annual parade in downtown San Jose. But for many members, the celebration begins in the early hours of the morning.

"My day will start around 5:30 a.m.," Richmond says. "I'll get motivated, and then I'll go to Oak Hill Cemetery."

Each year, members from Post 318 participate in the Avenue of the Flags at Oak Hill Cemetery in San Jose, a memorial service in which 88 flags are erected along the sidewalk next to the veterans' lots. For Richmond, being involved in the Avenue of the Flags is a powerful way to pay homage to his fellow soldiers.

"I love veterans," he says. "They're all good people, America's cream of the crop. They answered the call of duty, and deserve to be remembered."

The American Way

But members emphasize honoring veterans includes honoring the country for which they served. Patriotism is a key priority for the American Legion, and Post 318 is no exception.

"The American Legion is about being a true American," Richmond says. "It's about being supportive of America, not denigrating it."

Although Richmond was pleased to see a resurrection of patriotic fervor in the months following the World Trade Center attacks and the beginning of the war in Iraq, he wonders why people wait to show their Stars and Stripes until a tragedy occurs.

"Some people wait until something disastrous happens to support the troops and raise their flags."

And protecting Old Glory is something the American Legion takes seriously to heart.

Currently, the organization is lobbying for Congress to outlaw burning the American flag. For members, outlawing flag burning is not a matter of limiting free speech—it's a matter of honoring the United States and soldiers who have protected the liberties of its citizens.

"As vets, we believe passing the amendment is important," McLeod says. "Burning a flag invokes emotions on both sides, especially for veterans. Many vets have seen friends die under that flag."

For veterans who have survived the hazards of war, or who served in the armed forces during a time of war, the organization provides a support network.

For McLeod, joining the American Legion was a way to emulate the close bonds he formed with other servicemen, some of whom are still his closest friends 30 years later.

"You get a sort of camaraderie in the military," he says. "You've made a bond. Your survival depends on other people. You eat together, you sleep together. It's a bond that will last forever."

As the recruiter for Post 318, Carlson reaches out to veterans who might be looking for an organization to join. And according to Richmond, that includes actively recruiting female veterans.

"I would like to see more women veterans in the American Legion," he says. "We encourage women to join. They can help work on women's programs in the Veterans Administration hospitals."

Carlson says, however, that for many war-era soldiers, painful memories make them reluctant to join a veterans' organization. But for others it's a calling and a way to give back.

"For some of us, fighting for veterans is our life," Richmond says.

For more information about Willow Glen Post 318 of the American Legion, located at 1504 Minnesota Ave., call 408.557.8111.