Posted on Jan 2, 2015
How well are veterans organizations serving our veterans? Enough to induce active duty personnel to join when they return to civilian life?
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It seems that some veterans harbor ill will towards veterans organizations such as the American Legion and the VFW, especially among Vietnam Vets.
My wife frequently goaded me to join, but I told her that those organizations were for “real” veterans. I didn't feel that they wanted an old Adjutant hanging around. However, as the Veterans Administration was exposed as failing in their mission I was tempted to look into membership. I wanted to help veterans. After all, the sum total of my active duty service was spent supporting the troops. Why shouldn't I do the same as a veteran?
I checked out both the American Legion and the VFW posts in a neighboring community, Mission Viejo, California. I joined them and attended a couple of meetings. No one begrudged me the fact that I didn't have a CIB (Combat Infantryman Badge) and seemed to welcome my participation in their activities. Inasmuch as the VFW post was more active in Mission Viejo, I focused my efforts there. I intend on becoming more involved with the American Legion later. Visiting VA hospitals and helping collect money and supplies for the families of deployed service members has satisfied my goals. I hope to become even more involved helping recently separated veterans obtain VA benefits and look for civilian employment.
However, when I posted a question about veterans organizations to the Vietnam Veterans Group on Facebook, I was surprised to learn that not all of my brothers and sisters were similarly welcomed when they attempted to join. Hundreds responded with tales of rejection because “they hadn't fought in a 'real' war” or “had 'lost' the war”, none of which was true. (I hope you can read the text on the image of sample responses)
Ultimately, I hope that no other veterans share the experience that we Vietnam Vets faced. I hope that morale among active duty service members isn't affected by tales of scandal at the Veterans Administration. I hope that all recently separated veterans find gainful employment in a civilian job market that is suffering.
How about you?
My wife frequently goaded me to join, but I told her that those organizations were for “real” veterans. I didn't feel that they wanted an old Adjutant hanging around. However, as the Veterans Administration was exposed as failing in their mission I was tempted to look into membership. I wanted to help veterans. After all, the sum total of my active duty service was spent supporting the troops. Why shouldn't I do the same as a veteran?
I checked out both the American Legion and the VFW posts in a neighboring community, Mission Viejo, California. I joined them and attended a couple of meetings. No one begrudged me the fact that I didn't have a CIB (Combat Infantryman Badge) and seemed to welcome my participation in their activities. Inasmuch as the VFW post was more active in Mission Viejo, I focused my efforts there. I intend on becoming more involved with the American Legion later. Visiting VA hospitals and helping collect money and supplies for the families of deployed service members has satisfied my goals. I hope to become even more involved helping recently separated veterans obtain VA benefits and look for civilian employment.
However, when I posted a question about veterans organizations to the Vietnam Veterans Group on Facebook, I was surprised to learn that not all of my brothers and sisters were similarly welcomed when they attempted to join. Hundreds responded with tales of rejection because “they hadn't fought in a 'real' war” or “had 'lost' the war”, none of which was true. (I hope you can read the text on the image of sample responses)
Ultimately, I hope that no other veterans share the experience that we Vietnam Vets faced. I hope that morale among active duty service members isn't affected by tales of scandal at the Veterans Administration. I hope that all recently separated veterans find gainful employment in a civilian job market that is suffering.
How about you?
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 12
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Honestly, I have to tell you, many VFW's are waaaaayy beyond the power curve when it comes to the younger (OIF/OEF) era veterans. That's not good..
But there's a brighter side to this issue! (1) Gather a group of like-minded war veterans (2) find a Post that needs new blood - usually that means less than 15 people are showing up for monthly meetings (3) join enmasse - with money & DD-214's in hand. (4) start moving the Post in the direction your group needs to go. Here's the tricky part, there are local rules, then there are National rules and then there's the IRS rules. All have to be dealt with. The local rules are fairly simple - you vote the local rules out of existence. The National rules - not so much. The IRS rules...again, not so much. But now you have a Post that has new blood, new ideas and new motivation. Beats the heck out of trying to create a nationally recognized organization with Congressional Charter, IRS rulings and National awareness.
Meh...or you can whine and bitch and complain that the old farts won't let you play.......
This idea won't work with the Post's that are working to change to meet the needs of the younger vets. If you live in an area where there are multiple Posts - visit them all. Ignore the bar; find out what they're doing to help vets of all ages and groups, not just themselves. Are there family outings? Are there programs for everyone? Does the organization give back to the community?
But there's a brighter side to this issue! (1) Gather a group of like-minded war veterans (2) find a Post that needs new blood - usually that means less than 15 people are showing up for monthly meetings (3) join enmasse - with money & DD-214's in hand. (4) start moving the Post in the direction your group needs to go. Here's the tricky part, there are local rules, then there are National rules and then there's the IRS rules. All have to be dealt with. The local rules are fairly simple - you vote the local rules out of existence. The National rules - not so much. The IRS rules...again, not so much. But now you have a Post that has new blood, new ideas and new motivation. Beats the heck out of trying to create a nationally recognized organization with Congressional Charter, IRS rulings and National awareness.
Meh...or you can whine and bitch and complain that the old farts won't let you play.......
This idea won't work with the Post's that are working to change to meet the needs of the younger vets. If you live in an area where there are multiple Posts - visit them all. Ignore the bar; find out what they're doing to help vets of all ages and groups, not just themselves. Are there family outings? Are there programs for everyone? Does the organization give back to the community?
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SGM Matthew West
SGT (Join to see), you are correct in some of those mentalities. I will tell you that Bingo keeps my post afloat. We have two sessions a week, and there are locals that come like clock work. Other than that, we do community activities, sometimes dances, Karaoke night, and such. Of course during football season, we are usually packed with fans on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
Getting the newer group to come in, you will be surprised if you game plan, show up on Nomination night and throw somebody's name in the hat for a position, then return on election night and vote. I have 426 or so members in my post, guess how many show up for election night? about 20......do that math, you could easily get elected with a little effort. Then, well, you got a year to start implementing your changes and make the place user friendly.
Getting the newer group to come in, you will be surprised if you game plan, show up on Nomination night and throw somebody's name in the hat for a position, then return on election night and vote. I have 426 or so members in my post, guess how many show up for election night? about 20......do that math, you could easily get elected with a little effort. Then, well, you got a year to start implementing your changes and make the place user friendly.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGM Matthew West, our post is almost completely funded by bingo too. The thing is that bingo pretty much only draws in an older demographic, and put simply it cannot be the sole source of income for the post moving into the future. Bingo isn't exactly something younger members of the community are interested in, and as such we're going to have to figure out something new to fund our post, and the sooner the better.
We're working on starting up some community projects, but put simply we don't have the man power to do much. Most of our membership isn't interested in taking an active role in the post, which is a large part of our problem. It's very frustrating when you have a clear problem with the post and you know what you need to do to fix it, but the member base's only involvement with the organization is to actively block your efforts by coming to the monthly meeting for the sole purpose to vote "no" to any new initiatives.
The few active members that are of the OIF/OEF generation are being groomed to take over some post positions, but it's going to be an uphill fight to get them voted in when we have so many members who are dead set against any kind of change.
We're working on starting up some community projects, but put simply we don't have the man power to do much. Most of our membership isn't interested in taking an active role in the post, which is a large part of our problem. It's very frustrating when you have a clear problem with the post and you know what you need to do to fix it, but the member base's only involvement with the organization is to actively block your efforts by coming to the monthly meeting for the sole purpose to vote "no" to any new initiatives.
The few active members that are of the OIF/OEF generation are being groomed to take over some post positions, but it's going to be an uphill fight to get them voted in when we have so many members who are dead set against any kind of change.
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SGM Matthew West
SGT (Join to see), good to hear you guys are trying some new stuff. I really don't know the answer, wish I did. Next time they all vote no, to your initiative, ask them what they think the post should do to prosper. When they respond with the typical "I don't know", then tell them to start being a part of the solution and not the problem. You at least are trying to help, tell them put up or shut up. I know that may seem harsh, but you appear to be a sharp guy and figure out the tactful way of putting it.
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SGT (Join to see)
SGM Matthew West, It would appear I spoke too soon. I got voted in as the Junior Vice Commander today by unanimous vote, and the nomination was completely by surprise, so perhaps my expectations were unjustly pessimistic.
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There are a lot of Cold War Era vets many of whom didn't deploy but served honorably. There seems to be a gap in AL of certain time frames such as 85-89 and post-Vietnam time frame. If you fall into one of those time frames, you are SOL. You can't join anything but AmVets but they don't have orgs everywhere.
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PO1 (Join to see)
Here's a thought - do a little research in your family history. See if anyone was in the military - a little research using an SF-180 on the National Archives can help - you may find you are eligible for membership in one of the VFW's auxiliaries.
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PV2 (Join to see)
I could probably do that. My granddaddy was a WWII vet and was in the Army of Occupation in Germany during the War. He was in the VFW in Roanoke Va.
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PO1 (Join to see)
There you go! You will need your Grand Dad's DD-214 to prove HIS eligibility..... then talk with whatever VFW Auxiliary you opt for....
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Today at the North Carolina American Legion Department my post, Post 116 received an award for their hosting of the Veterans Benefit Action Center. This was a 3.5 day event open to all veterans who had questions or concerns with the Veterans Administration.
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CPT Jack Durish
American Legion and VFW posts are no better nor worse than whatever their membership want to make of them. This members of this one appear to be going in the right direction...
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