Are organizations such as the American Legion and VFW serving or alienating current Veterans?

When I walked into the combined AL/VFW, first thing I was asked was by the manager if I was there to apply for the waitress position. Also offered the option of joining the wife group. I gave it a year, attempted to start conversations and attend events. No need to go back. I was either ignored or hit on. And as an aside, I have gone to a few Veteran's Day meals with male non-veterans. They are thanked for their service and given the vet menu. I do speak up and express my appreciation for the restaurants participating in this yearly show of support.

I didn't read the article but I did go join my local VFW and attended two meetings.

All I found were a bunch of old men drunk who started drinking at lunch on Thursday.

I have a job, a wife and two little kids. I have very little in common with these functioning alcoholics.

The local chapter had nothing that interested me. If the local chapters go away I wouldn't miss them. I may try again when I get out and settle down somewhere.

My favorite solution was the approach that Lynn Rolf took, by having his friends join up and taking a position of leadership to reform it into something he wanted to remain a part of. I'll definitely take this into practice when I settle in one place.

Both organizations do a lot for eligible veterans and although some posts are receptive to the new generation some are not. For example my American Legion Post, Post 116 in Fuquay-Varina just held a three day event to assist all veterans with issues they were experiencing with the VA. When I said all veterans that is exactly showed up young old, VFW, American Legion, non-members. I also know that my post encourages the newer generation because current rank and file is not getting younger and without new members these great organizations will begin to falter. Therefore, I am sorry she had a bad experience but to swear off these organizations is part of the problem and like my old NCOs used to say do not come to me to complain come to me with solutions.

There are plenty of similar discussions on here already, so I'll keep my comments (relatively) short.
Bottom line is that these organizations (VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, DAV, MOPH, TREA, etc.) do a tremendous amount of work for ALL Veterans and Service Members at the National level.
Granted, (too) many local posts are not adapting well to meet the needs and desires of today's veterans, you'll get no argument from me there, but there are many that ARE as well.
I would encourage my fellow veterans (and service members) to join one (or more) of these organizations, if nothing else, as at 'at large' member to support their programs.
Without the membership, the political clout of these organizations will continue to diminish, and so will their programs and our benefits will be at even greater risk than they currently are.
Just my two cents.

Having just retired this past month in the San Antonio area, I still clearly remember my original perspective of the VFW & AL just a couple years ago. Almost all the vets I interacted with from those organizations at local Memorial Day/Veteran's Day events all seemed to be well past retirement age and I really didn't feel any connection or desire to join either one.

Fortunately, one of the AL Post 38 members attended my church & invited me to attend many times over several years. After my last deployment in 2012, I made the decision to retire and decided to find out what they had to offer.

Our post is much like the one you described, Alan. They are focused on serving the community and welcomed with open arms the younger vets into their fold and they are more than willing to allow these vets to serve in leadership positions.

What I've noticed with the generation of OIF/OEF vets is that the majority of them are so busy trying to make ends meet, establish new careers, juggle the endless requirements of children's schedules, and never ending to-do lists that they don't feel like they have time to commit to another organization.

It's sad to hear that there are VFWs/ALs that don't respect or want the younger crowd. Eventually they will learn the error of their ways when there is no one left to keep their posts open.

I encourage all vets to join these organizations.

American Legion and VFW have a stigma they need to overcome. That stigma being it's for Old Codgers, some VFW Chapters are rising to that challenge, and actively trying to draw younger Vets to them, by making membership more appealing. All of them should follow suite and do things that would appeal to younger Vets. American Legion has also gone to Veteran Hiring events and job fairs to get their message out to Vets.

They are still important because they represent a lobby supporting the military...and the military, for the most part, is a group that cannot lobby effectively on its own behalf due to regulations on political speech for serving members.

Well I have joined the VFW and haven't been very involved! I joined because it is a family tradition! I am the 4th generation that has joined as far as I know! I'm sceptical about involvement , because it doesn't seem to really fit what appeals to how I feel it would help the veterans of my era!

Having read the article, I understand the frustration Mrs. Hoit feels, but she needs to understand this quote by CPT Rolf:

"Lynn Rolf, a former Army captain who served in Iraq, couldn’t wait to join the VFW, saying it was an honor to become a member of the same organization as his father and grandfather. Once at the post at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, however, he started to see some behavior he didn’t like.

“They didn’t like the young guys, they didn’t think we knew what we were talking about. It wasn’t very family-friendly,” Mr. Rolf said. “But now it is.”

Rather than drop out, Mr. Rolf recruited his friends to join, took on leadership roles and changed the organization into something that fits his needs. When he hears the common complaints from Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, the VFW Western Conference vice chairman tells them to do the same thing and “force change.”"

I as a private used to go to the VFW religiously when I was a young Soldier overseas and couldn't wait to qualify. I enjoyed and met many many friends and acquaintances. I learned a lot from the old timers and thy respected and loved us the same. Here at Fort Campbell and Fort Hood the locals supported the units with functions and BBQs.

I am a life member of VFW and have not joined but participated in many American Legion efforts. What I do know is that Mrs. Hoit doesn't fit the typical thought process physically outward that many veterans of years past take into account. Someone has to say it and yes it is ignorance and prejudice to not think she is a veteran. Why should she have to prove service just because she is a woman. Much like the USO, whom I volunteer for, overseas it is very much a different support element. Younger and more in touch. Seems stateside functions of ALL these prior 911 organizations is OLDER. I am older, but younger folks have a different idea of what they are supposed to be, so I challenge them to join and work for change.

Much like many other organizations, AUSA, MOAA, AAAA, CHPA, and a gazillion more, membership affects political pull in the beltway. You choose how much of an active member you wish to be. I guess the same can be said of RP.

Community involvement and government interaction with regard to policy and rights for veterans is what is important. If you want more support, you can try to get it yourself, but as a voice of more than 1 million, your voice is a lot louder! Just saying, make change.