Posted on Nov 19, 2013
Do you think the American Legion and the VFW need to adapt to the time?
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<font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">I am recently retired from the Army. I was looking forward
to joining the American Legion and the VFW, which I did. What I did not expect
to find is how closed minded and out of touch these organizations are with this
current generation of soldiers. I would like to know if others feel the same
way and how they might suggest a way for these Organizations to 'get in
touch"?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font>
</font><p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font color="#000000"><font face="Calibri">I am recently retired from the Army. I was looking forward
to joining the American Legion and the VFW, which I did. What I did not expect
to find is how closed minded and out of touch these organizations are with this
current generation of soldiers. I would like to know if others feel the same
way and how they might suggest a way for these Organizations to 'get in
touch"?<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></font></font></font></p><font color="#000000" size="3" face="Times New Roman">
</font>
Posted in these groups: 
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) The American Legion
Posted 12 y ago
Responses: 72
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I am a life member of the VFW. I have never been to a meeting. I blame myself for that really...
Truth be told, any group be it the VFW, the Legion, an HOA or a Rotary can be good or bad as individual club experience is based largely on the local post membership. These clubs, like any aggregation of members will have its own social pecking order, peculiarities and friction.
I suppose the first exposure to one of these clubs is rather like one's first day at a new unit. On the one hand, I don't expect to find the unit's mission to cater to me on day one, but I would expect a sponsor to ease the transition and provide that welcoming effect, introducing the new fuzzy mammal to the old dinosaurs and at the same time helping to break the ice.
I liken it to visiting a new church. Suppose you were to arrive in a new town, and not feel entirely welcome at the first church you attended. Would you give up on church entirely or would you seek out a different congregation?
It is only in the best interests of these organizations to recruit AND retain younger veterans (VFW especially) as they are not making any new older veterans. Those clubs who embrace the yutes will grow, those that do not will wither and lose power and influence.
Perhaps Rally point could facilitate a listing of VFW/Am Legion posts that are actively interested in recruiting and retaining OEF/OIF/Desert Storm Veterans? Perhaps some of the members here who serve in VFW and Am Legion could carry this idea to their respective posts for transmission up the proverbial chain?
Truth be told, any group be it the VFW, the Legion, an HOA or a Rotary can be good or bad as individual club experience is based largely on the local post membership. These clubs, like any aggregation of members will have its own social pecking order, peculiarities and friction.
I suppose the first exposure to one of these clubs is rather like one's first day at a new unit. On the one hand, I don't expect to find the unit's mission to cater to me on day one, but I would expect a sponsor to ease the transition and provide that welcoming effect, introducing the new fuzzy mammal to the old dinosaurs and at the same time helping to break the ice.
I liken it to visiting a new church. Suppose you were to arrive in a new town, and not feel entirely welcome at the first church you attended. Would you give up on church entirely or would you seek out a different congregation?
It is only in the best interests of these organizations to recruit AND retain younger veterans (VFW especially) as they are not making any new older veterans. Those clubs who embrace the yutes will grow, those that do not will wither and lose power and influence.
Perhaps Rally point could facilitate a listing of VFW/Am Legion posts that are actively interested in recruiting and retaining OEF/OIF/Desert Storm Veterans? Perhaps some of the members here who serve in VFW and Am Legion could carry this idea to their respective posts for transmission up the proverbial chain?
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1LT Gerald O'Hare
I'm a Vietnam vet and view the world as a place that needs to be made better. We do a lot of good community work at our post.
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SFC J Fullerton
Like you said Sir, it is a club. That is about all the individual posts amount to is a local 'club' for veterans. The rituals and ceremony, like with other clubs formed a 100+ years ago, are antiquated now. I think the AL and VFW would be better off if they evolved into a national network that leveraged technology, and left the gavels and pulpits behind.
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I belonged to the American Legion. The attitude is "This is our group. Shut up and pay your dues, kid." It is mostly older veterans that hit the bar by 10am.
I tried making in-roads by talking about veteran issues and problems faced by veterans of my era. All fell on deaf ears.
My view is these clubs are doomed to die off with their members. Not willing to adapt.
I tried making in-roads by talking about veteran issues and problems faced by veterans of my era. All fell on deaf ears.
My view is these clubs are doomed to die off with their members. Not willing to adapt.
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1LT Gerald O'Hare
I am a Vietnam vet. I am the commander of Post 100. It is my goal to be very active in community affairs. We support the boys stay program and families of deployed servicemen. Responsibly scouts and we sponsor children playing baseball. That is our agenda. We also go down to Vineland veterans home
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MSgt Joseph Capporelli
I concur with SSG Spencer same experience here in Florida. It was like leading a donkey that didn't want to go forward...
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