36 U.S.C. § 130302 — Principles and purposes

(a) Principles. The corporation is built on these principles: patriotic allegiance to the United States of America, fidelity to the Constitution and laws of the United States, the security of civil liberty, and the permanence of free institutions. (b) Purposes. The corporation's purposes are: (1) to cherish the memory of the brave deeds in combat for which the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Distinguished Service Cross, the Navy Cross, and the Air Force Cross are given; (2) to promote true fellowship among its members; (3) to advance the best interests of members of the United States Armed Forces; (4) to give all possible relief to needy members of the corporation and to their widows and children; and (5) to inspire patriotism in young people by encouraging them to study the patriotic, military, and naval history of the nation.