Post 283 Legionnaire Jared Morgan at 2024 Los Angeles Fleet Week. (Photo: Jeric Wilhelmsen)
Leaving the military often means losing the everyday camaraderie that comes with military life. You have to establish a new routine, and the transition to civilian life can be jarring. Post-service, many Veterans struggle to find a new sense of community.
American Legion Gaming is working to remedy that, establishing a Veterans community where gamers young and old can enjoy a low-pressure means to interact, find support, share resources, and simply have fun through online and in-person events.
This article explains what American Legion Gaming is all about, but you can also find more California Veterans resources on our hub page. Below, we break down what American Legion Gaming is, how it fosters new Veterans communities at the local and national level, and for existing Legionnaires, what to do to start an ALG program at your post.
What Is American Legion Gaming (ALG)?
American Legion Gaming, or ALG, is an official initiative of The American Legion, Department of California that uses gaming, esports, and online communities––mostly on Discord––to create opportunities for Veterans, Service Members, and members of the Legion family to connect. California is among 16 (and counting) states with gaming activity either at the post or department levels.
ALG celebrates casual gaming and esports alike, with both online and in-person events. Think of it as a low-stakes, friendly space to find new peers who have similar interests.
Who Exactly Is ALG For?
ALG is for Veterans, Service Members, and members of The American Legion family. While some ALG events are highly competitive (e.g., local tournaments, esports competitions), you do not need to be a gamer to participate.
All skill levels are welcome.
American Legion Gaming Started in California
What later became American Legion Gaming began in 2018 through a partnership between Los Angeles-based Veterans nonprofit Stack Up and Legion Posts in Hollywood and Pacific Palisades. The effort grew into a broader collaboration involving The American Legion National Headquarters, Stack Up, and Regiment Gaming, while the Department of California established its own gaming committee in 2023. Notably, the CEOs of Stack Up and Regiment Gaming are both Legionnaires at Post 283.
Since 2023, more Legion Departments around the country have begun to set up their own Veterans gaming programs. Isolation and loneliness can significantly affect mental wellbeing.
Check out the full story of American Legion Gaming’s California roots.
How Gaming Helps Veterans Find Community
Leaving the military is more than leaving a job: your entire lifestyle may change. The friends and peers you see every day are different. Your routine is turned upside down. And what comes next may not feel certain.
After transitioning to civilian life, the opportunities for camaraderie, teamwork, and regular interaction with people who share a common experience become less frequent or require more effort to find. Or that “common experience” may vanish entirely.
Isolation and loneliness can significantly affect mental wellbeing. But for some Veterans, finding a new sense of community after leaving the military can take time.
A gaming community can provide one way to rebuild some of those connections.
In a general sense, gaming––online or in-person––provides a low-barrier way to connect with people who share a common interest. Games provide immediate topics of conversation, a reason to work together, and an opportunity to return and play with the same people again.
For Veterans, gaming can be an especially easy starting point for meeting people from similar backgrounds, as well as a way to stay in touch with former peers.
Communication and Teamwork Through Gaming
Again, gaming gives Veterans a reason to communicate and work together. Many multiplayer games require players to coordinate, share information, solve problems, and work towards common objectives. Even casual games create opportunities for conversation, cooperation or competition.
Those interactions are part of what can make a gaming community about more than the game itself, and this touches on the purpose of ALG: building a new Veterans community by taking advantage of this natural benefit of gaming. Players who initially meet because they enjoy the same game may discover shared military experiences, hobbies, or interests.
The game becomes less important than the people playing it.
Camaraderie Doesn’t Have to Happen in Person
One of the biggest advantages of online gaming is that physical distance doesn’t prevent people from participating in the same community. For those who have other life commitments––families, careers, even simple errands––it adds a layer of convenience.
It also lets Veterans and Service Members reconnect with former peers who may live on opposite ends of the country.
Casual or Competitive, Gaming Can Help Relieve Stress
Gaming doesn’t have to be a highly organized esports competition. It’s often as simple as joining a few others for an evening of casual gaming––a few matches of Conquest in Battlefield, a round (or dozen) of Team Deathmatch in Call of Duty… That said, esports give players the platform to perform at a high level.
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing space to unwind or a more competitive environment, ALG walks through both worlds. VA research involving Veterans has found that some participants successfully used video games to manage their moods and relieve stress. As a result, the VA has incorporated gaming and virtual reality into some recreational and therapeutic activities designed to promote relaxation, stress management, and wellbeing.
That Said, Gaming Is Not a Substitute for Mental Health Care
Gaming and peer connection are not substitutes for professional mental health care. Veterans experiencing a mental health crisis or seeking treatment should use appropriate professional and crisis resources. For help navigating VA benefits and other Veteran resources, a Legion Veterans Service Officer can also help point you in the right direction.
How American Legion Gaming Works for Veterans
ALG offers several ways to get involved, including its online Discord community for Veterans, organized gaming events, and competitive esports opportunities.
You do not have to become a Legionnaire to get involved with ALG; however, some events may be restricted to those with memberships. Becoming a member of The American Legion is a separate step.
Join the ALG Discord
Veterans and Service Members can join the ALG Discord for free, including Veterans and Service Members. The Discord is the easiest place to start if you want to see what ALG is about without making a larger commitment.
Discord is where much of ALG’s online community comes together. Members can find other people to play with and get information about future events and giveaways.
ALG also hosts recurring Discord events, including Community Fridays. These gatherings give members a chance to chat, hear community updates, ask questions, and then jump into a game together. The games can change depending on what members want to play, with recent events featuring games such as Fortnite, Call of Duty, Helldivers 2, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, Halo Infinite, Minecraft, and Jackbox Games.
Online Gaming Events
ALG hosts gaming sessions, community gatherings, livestreams, tournaments, and other activities through its online Veterans community. There are opportunities for people who simply want to play a few rounds with other Veterans as well as those looking for a more competitive experience.
Flexibility is part of the appeal. You might join an event specifically to play a particular game, or you might join because you want to meet other Veterans and see what the community is about.
In-Person Gaming Events
ALG occasionally hosts events in person. One example is ALG’s involvement in Los Angeles Fleet Week, where the program has hosted gaming activations and connected with active-duty Service Members, Veterans, and Military Families since its debut in 2024.
Legion Posts also incorporate gaming into their own physical spaces and events. Palisades Post 283, for example, has established a dedicated gaming space. ALG has also provided gaming installations to VA facilities, such as the gaming lounges at the VA Palo Alto Medical Center and at New Directions on the West L.A. VA campus. Each station features a Playstation 5, curved monitor, and gaming headset.
These events provide something that online gaming can’t always replicate: the opportunity to meet the people you’ve been gaming with face-to-face and build connections within the local Veteran community.
Esports for Veterans
For Veterans who take gaming a little more seriously, ALG also has an esports component. In early 2026, for example, ALG held open tryouts for its Marvel Rivals and Fortnite competitive teams. Future events are planned regularly.
Again, that doesn’t mean you need to be an elite gamer to participate in ALG. Competitive esports is simply another way to get involved for people who enjoy the challenge of organized competition.
Careers in the Gaming Industry
Opportunities can extend beyond playing games. ALG’s career initiatives aim to connect Veterans with opportunities in gaming and tech, including skill development, networking, and gaming-industry employment resources.
Donate to help support California American Legion Programs.
For Legionnaires: How to Start an ALG Program at Your Legion Post
If you’d like to start an American Legion Gaming program at your post, this toolkit provides how-to steps and the resources you need to get started. You can use the toolkit to plan activities ranging from LAN events and online gaming sessions to tournaments and military-community events.
