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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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Yes. VFW. American legion
Moaa. Bunch of crap. VA should pay. VA is broken. The draft dodger Trump is no help. One term. Just like the criminal bush.
Moaa. Bunch of crap. VA should pay. VA is broken. The draft dodger Trump is no help. One term. Just like the criminal bush.
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Would? Should? Could? I doubt it. Each represents a different subset of veterans and, like all organizations, jealously guard their "turf".
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The problem with so many Veterans Service Organizations is easy to see from the outside. You have each group working towards goals for their group. Some groups are strong and some groups are small. Like USDR (Uniformed Services Disabled Retirees), includes all Chapter 61 Retirees. There only goal it to fight for those military who were forced to retire due to injuries sustained in the Service. Because they are Disabled, they earned VA Disability. Well, the Service says great, then we don't have to pay you your earned retirement pay. Yet the service branches budget for all retirees pay, and just keep the Disabled Retired Pay. USDR does not have to strength, or the money to fight, and their arguments are drowned out by the other organizations that scream louder. If Service Organizations joined forces, there wouldn't be competing groups of 50,000 t0 100,000 voices, there would be a united 1.500,000 voices. Congress knows this and plays the game of one group over the other and every once in awhile they will pass something beneficial for Veterans just so they can say "See, we Care". Just like everything else about the service, when we band together, we're a pretty formative force. So Long answer, Yes, they should join forces and merge.
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Yes this question came up in the small town where I live. The VFW and American Legion were asked to purchase a property together, sell their current club locations and operate the facility together as "The Veteran's Club". There was so much whining and back stabbing that the idea never had a chance. Now both clubs suffer from declining memberships and I would guess unless the current board members retire or die nothing will change.
In answer to your other question the usual clue that you have just joined a veterans organization is that they want to make you the commander the first year you join. Whoa pal, I started out as a Pvt in the Army and can work my way up the chain of command if I so choose. These guys wanted to make me commander right away......which was not in my plan.
There are very few veterans now a days that haven't served overseas. While serving in a combat theatre is the draw for some clubs there are more soldiers, sailors and airmen who haven't been shot at now. This group should be an easy sign up however club dues are hard to pay when a young struggling couple already are stretching their budgets to pay for the necessities in life.
In answer to your other question the usual clue that you have just joined a veterans organization is that they want to make you the commander the first year you join. Whoa pal, I started out as a Pvt in the Army and can work my way up the chain of command if I so choose. These guys wanted to make me commander right away......which was not in my plan.
There are very few veterans now a days that haven't served overseas. While serving in a combat theatre is the draw for some clubs there are more soldiers, sailors and airmen who haven't been shot at now. This group should be an easy sign up however club dues are hard to pay when a young struggling couple already are stretching their budgets to pay for the necessities in life.
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Not all veterans organizations should be merged into one huge group. Maybe several groups based on the goals of the organizations. I do not need a VFW to go for a drink. I used my time as a board member of the Vietnam Veterans of San Diego (VVSD.) VVSD Has morphed into Veterans Village of San Diego. From its inception it has provided shelter, substance abuse consuling, job training and job placement for veterans.
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Nicci Eisenhauer
VVSD is a great organization. It is not a VSO, however. It is a standalone 501c3 nonprofit that provides services to veterans. A Veterans Service Organization by law can legally teach representatives to guide Veterans through the VA system which requires accreditation and certification by the US General Council.
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I don't think that your 1.6 number is correct. 9+ million men/women served during the Vietnam Era - my guess is that most of those people are still alive.
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SMSgt Lloyd Knopp
Vietnam Veterans are dying rather rapidly. If you check the VVA is becoming smaller and smaller. Many of us have suggested to the upper echelons of the organization to allow younger veterans to join, or in time the VVA will cease to exist.
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Sgt Douglas Berger
SGT Sprague, 9.2 million during the Vietnam ERA, but only 2.7 million served in Vietnam. Of the 2.7m the 2000 census showed slightly over 1.2m alive, howver 13/14 million claim they served IN Vietnam. 4 out 5 who said they served in Vieytnam did not. It was propjected of the remaining Vets who served in Vietnam alive in 2000_ the high majority would be gone by 2015.
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Perhaps the approach to take on this issue is to have an organization like the Joint Chiefs of Staff for DoD, a United Veterans of sorts. The idea is that this group can help each organization coordinate their activities to better serve Veterans. This organization would not be command function or one to merge the organizations as each has their own unique purpose.
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SSG (Join to see)
Duh, my own question was answered in a previous response.
The Military Coalition - http://www.themilitarycoalition.org/tmc-members.html
The Military Coalition - http://www.themilitarycoalition.org/tmc-members.html
The following are the associations of The Military Coalition, in alphabetical order. The applicable links to individual Web sites (or e-mail addresses if no web site is available) are provided. Air...
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TSgt Mankin, Each organization has it's own priorities, but they do get together in TMC (The Military Coalition http://www.themilitarycoalition.org/) to advocate for veterans, currently serving and families on the Hill.
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As a member of the VFW, I used to be very active in the Honor Guard and as Chaplain. My priorities changed after starting a family with twin girls. Now my time is spent raising them with my wife.
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I am sure you would have a lot of arguements about which charity/ group each wanted to sponsor.
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