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

Free for 100% permanently disabled veterans

Our 5-year-old re-chartered VFW post has to meet at the Moose Lodge because they don't have enough income to get a location of their own. At every meeting, the Commander tells us we need more fund raising. At a recent ball park Military Appreciation night, I couldn't find another post member or VFW booth and wound up watching the game by myself. Posts need to make an effort to get together OTHER than to raise money and sponsor activities (including family) that interest young, middle and senior members. And be relevant in your community.

I somewhat agree, but I think the age difference and what the older vets went through is why they connected the way they did. My generation, joined in 96- retired 2017was the last of the Legion and VFW group, some if not all, but more than the younger ones. I also believe that the reasons for older vets joining was for safety of our nation and brother and sisterhood, gave them a special bond and I can relate. Most younger people do not join for the same reasons, most join for money to attend universities and others do not join because they view the military as deceptive and unjust in its missions along with the wars mostly Iraq and Afghanistan. Most younger ones have not been through what older vets have, WWs and Vietnam and. imo, there is also no real closeness in some branches, AF, since I was, like before. These things make a huge difference in why the groups were created in the first place. I do not believe there is enough to bridge that gap and differences. just look at most of the civilian workforce and how some younger people are functioning, they are buying into what we did, not all bad. sadly for us older vets and younger vets and in the civilian world of young and old, there needs to be a balance of responsibility to defend this country we all live in and enjoy it’s freedoms and between following guidance blindly without any questioning

As a member of my local VFW post for the past 18 years, since my last deployment to Iraq in 2005, I have witnessed many positive changes in my post. My post was like many of the ones mentioned in this comments, but instead of not going, I stuck with it and worked to change the perception. I filled many of the positions from just a member to a trustee up to the commander then settled into the quartermaster seat for the last 12 years. Our post is in a rural community and our biggest problem is getting the younger generations to join. It is not so much the post to blame but just life itself. To explain, several reasons for that is many of the younger soldiers, after leaving their hometown, do not return to their small rural hometown. They stay in the bigger cities with everything they have to offer. If they do return, they have families and are busy with work, kids sports programs and the many social media platforms to entertain them. I've seen our post drizzle down for 159 members on the rolls to 90, mostly due to their passing. 80% of current rolls are 78 years old or older. So with the younger generation not returning home to join are not participating if they are home because they have to live their life, the writing is on the wall for our post if we cannot get new members.

I think for most VFW post across the nation have made positive changes over the years but it is ultimately up to the younger generations of veterans to join, stick with the post to make those positive changes that need to take place for others in their generations to want to join. If veterans just visit once, don't like what they see and never return, how will things change. It's kind a of like politics, if we keep voting in those elected officials who are not making positive changes in our community or nation and not getting involved to see those changes happen, then how will they ever change. No one likes changes but it must happen to improve any organization, but if we don't want to be a part of the organization to help it change, then we really cannot complain when it doesn't.

It doesn't matter what veteran organization it is, whether it be the VFW, American Legion, DAV, it needs members because the membership numbers of these organizations help them lobby for our veterans rights and benefits in Congress. Without them, our collective voices would be few and the government could brush us aside.

I encourage all veterans to join an organization, help make those changes you wish to see. Be part of the solution not part of the problem. As we have been often told as soldiers during field exercises or deployments, leave the training areas better than when you got there!

I’m a veteran of the Gulf War. And the American Legion that I am a member of never has shunned me when I go in.
So if you are in the Huntsville Alabama area. Come on over to the American Legion for some lunch and a few beers.
But if you don’t mind there are people who may not talk to you conversationally. But give it some time and you’ll feel. The place become a safe and comfortable place to be to relax in.
Just press the button to get in the door.
American Legion on Drake Avenue, Huntsville Alabama.

Im in the VFW...remember its a club made up a shared experience. Just like the military you probably won't like all of the people there. I dont attend regularly because I cant see what it offers. I get all of the socializing I need at home. In the past I think they mostly offered a drinking crowd. If you're not into that then it probably won't appeal for you. I'm not sure there's a fix to make it more appealing unless the culture would drastically change and they had a video game night.?.

Scholarships for those of us who don’t have it in the budget to justify monthly or lifetime memberships.

Frankly, I can’t think of anything. My impressions of such organizations is a bunch of old codgers sitting around at a bar, getting schnockered and swapping sea stories (as our naval vets would term them). I’ve got better things to do with my time!

I understand LTC Charlie Brown' s statement and other women veterans about not being considered as Veterans by our Male Counterparts. It's quite insulting.

We are forming our own Women Veterans group out here and you would think the VFW's and American Legion's would provide us space to meet without charging us as we go through the expensive process of becoming a non-profit. Nope! We have to pay. Yet we are expected to help every single VFW and American Legion Post out when they have events but help us is too much trouble for them. Do the guys in the VFW and American Legion Post step up and fight for the Women Veterans. No! They could care less.

Boy's its time to get your butts in gear and start respecting your fellow Women Veterans and step up and fight for them as they have dome for you.

I'm a member of both organizations. In Minnesota, at least, the groups tried to recruit new members. When our unit returned from deployments, VFW and American Legion members were around if you wanted to join. Either the clubs are thriving or they are dead. Been to a couple of Legion clubs near my home, they are empty. Met my buddy at Legion club about ten years ago. We were the only ones in the place besides the bartender. We closed it down at 2000. Visited a Legion club in the Peoria, AZ a few times. Nice large building but for the most part it was empty. Server was nice enough to laminate our cards however. The VFWs I've been to in my area. seem to be doing better. However, when I read the Letters To The Editor in VFW Magazine, there seems to be a lot of hostility toward articles on well-being. Finally, there's a smaller pool of people to draw from. It's not like the 70s and 80s when more people were serving.