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

I understand what the younger vets are saying because I was treated the same way until I made reminded some of them of how they were treated by WW2 and Korea veterans. The kicker for me was when I went back, several years ago, I was treated the same way, but this time by the younger vets. Mu time of service was from 1981 to 2001. I was all over, Central and South America. Served in Urgent Fury, Just Cause and Desert Storm, and was in Afghanistan when the Soviets were there, although that is not widely known, except for a little Tom Hanks movie called Charlie Wilson's War. The Vietnam era vets, and the ones who served in the recent wars don't look at us as being worthy of membership. A fight is a fight is a fight, period.

Too much smoke and booze for my taste. Not a fan of crazy right wing nut jobs reliving the glory days that never happened. Being a Veteran is not the center of my life, I’ve moved on.

As a Vietnam vet (Army, 69-70) I joined both the Legion and VFW, but all of the posts within driving distance allow smoking, which is a deal breaker for me. I support the goals of both organizations, and would really like to be able to participate but neither my wife nor I can enjoy a smoky environment.

I’m 77 and a Nam Veteran. I also found issues with older vets when I got out in 70.
Some posts are nothing but a bunch of drinkers who don’t do _ _ _ _. I found an AL post quite a distance from me that accepts all Veterans male & female and respects them. They are not allowed to smoke in the bldg. and we only have beer & wine for alcohol at dinner not at meetings. A few of the better posts can’t get younger members because of the bad posts. If you want to work with fellow Veterans and do things in the community I suggest visiting other posts that may be a little further away. What my AL post does makes it worthwhile to me to travel the extra distance.

Combine them into one organization. Only about 2% of Americans serve in the military. Why are we still making a distinction between those who got orders for combat and those who didn't. I am 100% Total and Permanent Service Connected Disabled Retired Army and would never join either because I am sick of the division.

My answer is little bit off subject, but what the hell. I am a life member of the VFW and DAV and have been a member of the AL in the past. I am not active in either the VFW or DAV because like most organizations to include the AL, I found that only ~10% - ~15% of the membership do all the work (fund raising, membership drives, etc.) while the rest only show up when there are freebies to be had. I got tired of feeling like I was being taken advantage of so I don't play anymore.
The other point I'd like to make why are there so many different veteran's organizations? There is the AL, VFW, DAV, various war specific groups (VVA, IAVA, etc.), PVA, AMVETS and so forth.....why?! All these groups are competing with each other for members of which there is a finite supply. Each claims to be fighting for veterans in DC, but they don't realize (or want to admit) that the fight for veteran's issues would be much more effective if there was a single organization that went before congress. This leads me to the other reason I'm not active in the organizations - turf wars. Also so many groups have an entrenched group of "leaders" that are more interested in preserving their titles and perceived power than actually benefitting the rank and file of their membership - I've seen firsthand the in-fighting and back stabbing that goes on. If it were otherwise, they would work with the leaders of the other groups towards forming a unified organization.....but that ain't gonna happen. Not in my lifetime.

We live in Florida. The American Legion and VFW posts appear to be rundown physically in most cities, and there is not a lot to attract people to them. They allow smoking and and that makes many people decide not to enter. I have visited both the Legion and VFW in Northern and Midwestern states, and their appearance and behavior are 180 out from the ones I've seen here. They are the places where people celebrate their 25th - or 50th! - wedding anniversary. They have the best new Year's Eve Celebrations in town. This is where people schedule their daughter's wedding reception. There is such pride in the members from all time frames , there are Veterans who specialize in horticulture who keep the entry in tip top shape. Auxiliary members who do decor and design work to make the dining room a beautiful place. The bar is not the big money maker, although it contributes significantly They decorate for every season of the year and for the holidays. The Marine Corps Ball and Navy Birthday are stellar events. My brother-in-law was Commander of his Legion in Minnesota and they had requests from members of the community all the time to be included as guests for special events. How great would it be for people to prefer celebrating with Veterans and their friends and families at facilities they are proud of instead of even the nicest Country Club.

In all honesty, these organizations are becoming antiquated and irrelevant in the society of today. Also, there are limited to zero real benefits of membership within these organizations. Unfortunately, the older generation is dying off; however, with out the welcoming of fresh blood, these organizations will not last. Both my Father and Grandfather (on my Mother's side) are / were members of both and have mentioned the decline over the years.

For a start - Make them "No Smoking", one shouldn't get lung cancer from sitting at the bar for an hour!

The Legion post I belong to I have been a member of for over 20 years. I joined early in my 20 year career in the Air Force. While I am a member, I rarely attend meetings because the Legion hasn’t adapted with the times. With all due respect to WWII, Korean and Vietnam veterans, the Legion is stuck in the 50s, which is why the local AMVETS chapter appealed to me. AMVET vests are more appealing to wear, the chapter has a healthy mix of old, young, male and female. As for honor guard rifles, we are in the midst of getting M16 style rifles rather than the old M1 rifles that the Legion uses. Bottom line, AMVETS appeals to the younger veterans because it’s not stuck in the old traditions.