Should Veteran’s Organizations Merge?

TSgt Chuck Mankin
I think you will see the opposite. More smaller, more localized - catering to what different populations want.

They could merge and still be separate.

Of course, that's just my own thought, obviously....

As others also mentioned here, I just don't think it'd ever happen, as each has its own traditions and methodology, I've noticed...I've had an instance where, e.g., one time I was at a Navy League function, and there was serious chatting with American Legion reps...however, an overt, direct merging, I just don't think would ever happen...each group, I've seen, has its own bureaucracy, its own operation...I entirely follow why you'd suggest it, or, at least, just raise the possibility, however, on a day-to-day practical level, I just honestly can't perceive such a possibility as being either realistic, or embraced with open arms...as I'd said, cooperative stuff, certainly, however, outright, direct merger, per se, no, honest, I just don't think that'd ever happen, I'm afraid, despite any potential benefits that might conceivably stem from doing so....

Interesting question that should be thought provoking for leaders at all levels of VSOs. I am a strong proponent of belonging to several credible organizations but being active in only one, for me it's The American Legion. I think younger veterans should join VSOs and improve the organizations from within rather than forming new entities. I also believe strongly that many of the newer organizations should consider merging into the largest and most credible VSOs.

Cooperate not so much merge. There should be at least one combined veterans group conference per year and more activities together. I have brought he Concerned Veterans for America out to the VFW Post to hold a call center and encourage other members to find some way of supporting and working with other groups.

Your numbers are wrong sorry to say, there are (According to the VA Circa 2014) 22,299,350 living Veterans. Of those 16,691,955 are war time era veterans while 5,607,395 are peacetime only veterans. How ever if you look at the demographics, there is much smaller percentage of Americans serving now than among older veterans so in that sense you are a little more on track if things stay the way they are with a much smaller percentage of veterans serving eventually the percentage is going to dwindle significantly. The vast majority of Veterans today are in fact 65 and older and will be leaving us in rapid succession in the coming years. The .5 percent number you reference may be more inline with the ammount of service members that actually see combat action today not for sure because those numbers are a lot harder to find if not published at all.

http://www.va.gov/vetdata/Veteran_Population.asp

http://www.gallup.com/poll/158729/men-women-veterans.aspx

http://www.census.gov/library/infographics/veterans.html

In many small areas they already have.

Interesting question.
1. Each org as their own power structure. I doubt that any of them will fold up to one of the others.
2. It is better to have more orgs to explore more options.
3. They all fund raise, and get it from different areas...which is truly amazing.
4. There are many different service level orgs.
5. It is good to have multiple voices with VA and job fairs. (If one org is bad in an area, or local, then jump to an org that is stronger with VA.)

I also noticed you were USAF and belong to MCL. I started as a Marine and then after 7 years went to the Army which had more to offer in my MOS.
S/F

The problem is everyone, and it is a human thing as well as a natural law, wants their own identity, even within the organization! You have the DAV, the ALG, the VFW the Purple Heart, etc., and then you have the who is better and then the infighting in the organization and the service rivalry. Bottom line we, each and every one of US Veterans’ need to start getting along, we are no longer active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine or Coast Guard, WE ARE VETERANS! It is that plain and simple and it does not matter which “legitimate” Veterans Service Organization” we belong to we belong to the biggest fraternity or sorority in the world because we are VETERANS’! The VA and government love it if we cannot get along and cannot keep our organizations afloat in fact they thrive on it because we do not pose a threat to them and as long as we are not organized we cannot FORCE the VA or Congress and the President to go their job; the only time Congress, The President, the Government and the VA feared the Veteran was in May on 1932 when nearly 15,000 veterans dubbed “The Bonus Expeditionary Force” marched on our nation’s Capital; the great General Douglas MacArthur, on July 28th with Calvary and tanks, drove the Veterans out of their camps and burned the makeshift houses.
Now what does all of this have to do with: “Should Veteran’s Organizations Merge”; well it really does not matter of they do or don’t it matters if the Veterans merge! What I mean by that is their way of thinking, yes I know that I had wrote earlier that I believe that the Organizations should merge but the ego’s and history of the organizations just will not allow it, it is like trying to cross bread a dog and a cat---not gonna’ happen; but, if Veterans start merging mentally or should I say crossing over the decades old boundaries of which group is better and start just realizing WE ARE VETERANS’ and TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER think what could be accomplished. What if just one quarter of all of the Veterans in this nation decided to march on Washington, D.C. and demand that Congress and the President FIX THE VA NOW…..do you think that would make and impression; do you think that would be better than an email from all of the Veterans?