The League is a veterans’ organization of the United
States Marines. It is composed of Marines and former Marines with honorable service. It aims to perpetuate the traditions
and spirit of the United States Marine Corps through continuous association of Marines who served under the Globe and Anchor
at any time, in war or peace.
The League was founded by Major General John A. Lejeune in 1923 and chartered by an Act of Congress on August 4, 1937. Its membership
of over 50,000 is comprised of honorably discharged, active duty and Reserve Marines with 90 days of service or more, and
retired Marines. It includes officers and enlisted, both male and female.
The Marine Corps League is headed by an elected National Commandant, with 14 elected national staff officers who serve
as trustees. Day-to-day operations are under the control of an executive director who supervises the day-to-day performance
of the national headquarters staff, located at 8626 Lee Highway in Fairfax, Virginia.
The prime authority of the League is derived from its charter and from its annual national convention held in August
in different major U.S. cities throughout
the nation. The National Commandant has operational control over the National Headquarters staff and the National Board of
Trustees, who in turn coordinate the efforts of 45 departments, or state entities, and the activities of over 780 community-based
detachments located throughout the United States
and overseas.
The League is classified as a veterans/military service organization and was formed for the purposes of promoting the interest
of the U. S. Marine Corps; to provide camaraderie and assistance to Marines, as well as to their widows and orphans; and to
preserve the traditions of the U. S. Marine Corps. It is a not for profit organization within the provisions of 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.
