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Should Veteran’s Organizations Merge?
With 0.5 percent of American’s serving in the military that leaves only about 1.6 million people who have served that are alive today. The three big Veteran’s organizations which come to mind, at least in my area in the NE US are the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, and the Veterans’ of Foreign War. Each has their own membership requirements with the Legion seeming to be the organization that is most inclusive of all vets in the American Legion. The common thread that all veterans organizations share is declining membership and wondering why so many young vets are not joining.
While I don’t have an answer for that other than the possibility that many young vets see the various organizations as retirement homes where old Vietnam and WWII vets sit around, drink cheap beer and talk about their glory days. One issue I see is that maybe there is just too many organiztions fighting for too few vets today. While each organization has it’s own focus based on membership maybe it’s time to just say a vet is a vet and we are all getting a raw deal these days from the VA and from many others too. I think that combining the organizations is a sure way to ensure that any of these organizations continue to offer the services they do to veterans and to the communities they reside in.
With 0.5 percent of American’s serving in the military that leaves only about 1.6 million people who have served that are alive today. The three big Veteran’s organizations which come to mind, at least in my area in the NE US are the American Legion, the Marine Corps League, and the Veterans’ of Foreign War. Each has their own membership requirements with the Legion seeming to be the organization that is most inclusive of all vets in the American Legion. The common thread that all veterans organizations share is declining membership and wondering why so many young vets are not joining.
While I don’t have an answer for that other than the possibility that many young vets see the various organizations as retirement homes where old Vietnam and WWII vets sit around, drink cheap beer and talk about their glory days. One issue I see is that maybe there is just too many organiztions fighting for too few vets today. While each organization has it’s own focus based on membership maybe it’s time to just say a vet is a vet and we are all getting a raw deal these days from the VA and from many others too. I think that combining the organizations is a sure way to ensure that any of these organizations continue to offer the services they do to veterans and to the communities they reside in.
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The American Legion
IAVA
DAV
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 66
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There is always strengthen in numbers. I think your numbers are off when it comes to the total numbers of "people" who have served however. According to the VA there are around 1.6 million vets in Texas alone and 1.8 vets in California, so your numbers are off. But if all veterans were in one organization it would have a very power voice and not only a voice but a lot of funds to move issues forward. There is strength in numbers.
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Sgt Frank Rinchich
there may be strength in numbers , but that is not the sole purpose of any of the organizations, camaraderie with your fellow vet is 50 % of what the organization is about. you get to big you may as well be a politician. where you just meet vote and leave. if that happen I would be a first to walk away from all the organizations. as individual organizations you also have a close communication with your community and it's needs, as a MCL member I enjoy going to schools and seeing the faces of kids when we present them with awards. I enjoy going to another vet in need and handing him a thousand dollar check to help him over a disaster or hard times. you can't have that enjoyment if you just go to that event as a large government organization and say hey the vets is giving this to you. the recipient will still like it , but for the member you have lost something if your to big.
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