Posted on Feb 20, 2016
My local VFW has turned into more of a bar for non-veterans than a fraternal organization. Anyone else experience this?
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Posted in these groups: 
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Posted 10 y ago
Responses: 71
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When I first got out under QMP I WENT TO THE VFW AFTER SERVING FROM 1974-1990 AND I TOOK MY DDFORM 214 IN THEY REVIEWED AND SAID THAT I DIDN'T MEET THE STANDARDS OF A VETERAN BECAUSE I HAD NO OVERSEAS DUTIES WHICH I SERVED 3 TOURS OF GERMANY WAS IN AS A POST ERA VIETNAM VET AND THEY NO WAY. I Have never been so hurt in my life and I still think that after 16 plus years in I should Be able to be retired and but know they just Don't understand what you put your life thru protecting your country.
SSG MARK A FRANZEN
SSG MARK A FRANZEN
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Spc4 Byron Skinner. Welcome to the Veterans world SFC. It was that way 50 years ago an for the 40 years these VSO's existed before my time. The VFW Post 5986 Bar I went to, underage yet after I got out sold beer for $.15 a glass and $.35 a pitcher a nickel off between 1500 and 1800 Happy Hours. Club Brands mixed drinks $.35-$.50. Cheap even 50 years ago. Few bothered with the good stuff. This is also the reason I gave up on VSO's SFC.
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My experience the VFW has always been that way, instead of a fraternal org it is a social club for drinking and gambling.
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SFC Jim Ruether
Your club may be that but they do some amazing things with those gambling funds. Our VFW and Legion have purchased turn-out gear and air-pacs for our local fire department, New radios for the Ambulance crews and police departments, subsidized Reading programs in our elementary schools, Flag Day programs, Veteran's Day Programs, Adopt a vet programs, Memorial Day programs. Just to name a few so don't begrudge a club that has gambling. If a fella stops by for a beer or a drink what's the harm in that? If it keeps the doors open and they can do the good that I see these clubs doing across this country then the "First Drinks on me Buddy!"
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This has also been the case with my local vfw, here in Weehawken NJ. Its become more of a local drug den, too. Im actually not really allowed to go there anymore. Its a long wrong destructive story that still hurts. I left my sweater and asked for it back, I was then charged with saying I went around claiming rape. I never said any of this and still have never gotten my sweater back. Most of the people that go there arent vets. I was shocked to find this out!
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SFC Jim Ruether
Sgt. Cooley I am so sorry to hear your story but sadly it is what it is. The only way you are going to change this club is to increase active duty or reservist membership and take it back. It's to bad you didn't have anyone at the time to back you up and help you get your sweater back. I wonder if the State or National VFW Club organization took a look at this club and would threaten to revoke their charter unless they clean up their act if that would help? Maybe your course of action is to visit other VFW's in the area and find one more to your liking and join that Post. Just an idea. Good Luck!
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SGT Morgan J Cooley
Thanks for the feed back with support. I appreciate it. I think finding a better place to go has been my mission but i lack the nerve to ever really walk into another one again. I know there is a good one up near my family in upstate ny. But, when I was trying to increase the active duty or reservist membership it felt scary, well i started feeling threatened by the people who were there. and, i believe other vets, younger, felt the same pressure to not change anything. the 2nd in command there was bumped out of the club for some bs reason. he and i were starting to really change things. he was a former csm in the army. in hind sight i see maybe now why they were so mean to me.
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SFC Jim Ruether
SGT Morgan J Cooley - You just need to go in there Sgt. Cooley with enough friends to outnumber those jerks that were treating you wrong. I can't believe that a club could slide so far into a hole as to let these types of individuals speak for the club. Some people's kids is all I can say. If you walked into our club here in Minnesota they would say hi and ask what they can do for you. After your first visit they would have your drink or beer waiting for you before you sat down. Good Luck!
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Thankfully my local VFW Post 2468, Roseburg, OR, has made the decision not to have an open bar for many of the reasons I've seen here. But another one near here has rented there bar space to a private contractor to run.
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YES, YES, YES I am a Lifetime member of VFW, OEF, OIF, 5 Desert deployments and I refuse to walk into the VFW I am a "member" of because all it is is a bar. No really proud of where VFW is, most do recognize the place as a bar and nothing more! Sad days!
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It's happening all over the place, VFWs and Legions alike. They're trying to stay in business is all. The problem, in my opinion, is across the board. Most of the VFWs and Legions look at OIF/OEF Vets as simply more $ and more members. Some are looked at as "hey, here's a new commander!" They are not keeping up with the times and are stuck in the beer drinking/pull tab/bingo circle of death. I am an American Legion member and a VFW life member and I hate what I'm seeing. I am a member at large (in MN) because I have yet to find a post that's any good. I'm 55 and I'm not into drinking myself silly in a dark post, I want to do something that matters. Many younger Vets and those not happy with the VFW/Legion status quo are joining the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA), Team Rubicon, and other such organizations who tailor to Vets who still want to be involved. Until the national HQ of the Legion and VFW figure that out, more and more posts will become like yours, or simply die out.
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LCpl (Join to see)
hahaha me too, you'll be commander in name only. The old timers will still run the place and they'll only let youdo they things THEY don't want to do. Try and get a vote to spend some money for ads or fundraiser and see who controls the post. Good luck.
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