What would make American Legions and Veteran of Foreign War posts more appealing to join for you?

Weed out the Q members would help ALOT

My VFW is not unwelcoming, but I am maybe 1 out of 3 veterans under 70 it seems. I think it can sometimes to be hard to connect with them. But also, my uncle is a Vietnam vet and I do not feel it is hard to connect with him. I do think more out reach to Iraq/Afghanistan vets and what the organization can do for them would be useful. I think keeping up to date can be a hard part.

My biggest obstacle is I joined the Military a few years after Viet Nam ended and got out before any other conflicts so I am a totally peace time Vet. Any and all applications for either organization ask when I served or any conflicts I participated in, I have no box to check. It does not matter to me anymore after 40 yrs, I only wanted to join to hear the old guys tell their war stories anyway.

As stated below. Take action to be more friendly toward non-Vietnam veterans. I have been a member of my local American Legion for seven years and go rarely because there is the feeling they look right through you. They need to hold events showing they want you there. The South West war vet's are no where to be found. You almost never see anyone under 60.

for me personally, it doesn't hold the camaraderie it used to have and stayed more in touch by emaill, would be cool people would grill more or socialize out but i get it sometimes dont even feel like getting out of bed anymore.

This seems to be cyclic.
I remember my Dad and the old guys having this same lament about the Vietnam vets not joining the legion and the VFW.

Ta dah...... here we are now with the Vietnam vets who joined the organizations in latter years after they had matured and had time to join fraternal orders complaining about us Gulf War and OIF / OEF vets not joining the organizations.

Give it a while and once folks kids are out of the house and they have time to dedicate to fraternal orders, they too will come.

It always amazes me how unwelcoming older veterans (mostly Vietnam, now) are to other combat veterans like us.

It’s also incredibly hypocritical of them, considering how badly they were treated when they got back, they have always asked for sympathy. As brothers we’ve always given it, and then they turn around and essentially do the same thing that was done to them. It’s often why I have very little sympathy for them anymore, I see how they behave.

The organizations have to be more family-friendly for sure, but also more Gulf War and Iraq/Afghanistan Wars-friendly. Otherwise, without both of those the only way American Legion and especially VFW come back is when the older Vietnam Veterans die. So sad to say.

I'm a VFW Life member and recently rejoined the Legion because my church bulletin had a notice that they were in danger of closing because of a lack of members. Well I paid my dues directly to the Post in early December 2021 and they have yet to cash my check, the National organization has me listed now as delinquent and calls to the National and State membership chairperson have either never been returned or been of little help. Also when I contacted the Post a few times directly they keep telling me they'll check with the Adjutant on this and get back to me but of course they never have. The Life Membership cost is outrageous also. here I am 67 years old and it would cost me over two times what it cost me to become a VFW Life Member when I was in my 30s! Probably won't rejoin after this as it simply seem that no one on this organization gives a sh_t!!

I do now belong to both but at the state and national level not a local post. After Vietnam welcomed by the American Legion and a few years after Desert Storm by The VFW

I joined a few years ago and am still a member at large. Last month, I actually paid for life, and once I am done with this deployment, I plan to join the post close to my home.

I think younger blood is needed at all posts as the Vietnam and prior era folks are sadly dying off.

It will be up to us Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and other operations to keep the posts thriving.