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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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Sp4 Byron Skinner. The short answer is No, they shouldn't merge. All of them serve individual interests and needs. I belong to two the DAV and The Military Order of the Purple Heart. The DAV has no social organization and is purely a lobbying organization. The MOPH has monthly meetings and a few special events every year. The VFW and American Legion have meeting halls around town and most have bars and they sponsor things like softball and bowling leagues for Veterans and family. Young Veterans have always resisted joining VSO's, but that will change with the Veterans of the Middle Eastern and Afghanistan conflicts start to gain leadership positions. One thing that Veterans forget is that different people joint different VSO's for various reasons. Also another reason is that the VSO's can be a big help in dealing with the VA and the relationship between the local commander of the management of the local VA and regional management can be important to individual. Example when I got out of the service and went to apply for my VA benefits I discovers that there was no VA administrative office in San Diego. One a month a representative from LA came down and the first person he saw was the local VFW commander, they were buddies, if you wanted the VA to do you claim in a timely manner you saw Otto over at the VFW, usually at the bar. I was released for active duty in April In June I was enrolled in college and getting my benefits. This was in 1967 long before computers and there were a lot more returning Veterans then there are now. This kind of service is unheard of for the current generation of Veterans.
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I don't have an answer to this. I am a life member of the DAV and this is the only group I belong to. I think this organization should remain separate from the rest because their mission is very focused on disabled veterans and their needs. That mission would be weakened by joining others.
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I belong to the American Legion, VFW and the Navy League. While there is cross-over there are too many differences to make merging possible or desirable.
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I think it's fine just the way it stands, but in a town close by, the VFW and American Legion members numbers were so low, they merged together so they could at least have one building to meet in, sad!!
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It will help solve issues better with all branches working for same goal answers and help
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I think that is a good idea, the organizations are struggling for members, as a non WWII veteran there just doesn't seem to be anything for me. I belong to both but do not attend many functions at either.
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