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

Direct job hiring access. Applicants who apply through the American Legion and VFW posts could get more interest from potential employers. Being a member of the American Legion and/or a VFW post could highlight a certain extra quality for a potential employee.

Make that happen and you might get more members...a lot more!

The American Legion & VFW facilities I’ve seen are old & rundown. That’s one reason.
To attract new members, they should try to get on base & be part of the TAP Program to inform those getting discharged about what they offer. Also, maybe semi-annually or quarterly invite vets & their families to an “open house’ where, for a fee that will just cover costs, have a dinner some music. Maybe on Friday & Sat after 8pm, have some dance music & Open it up to the community.

Could join VFW as an Occupation of Berlin Vet which falls under WW2. Could join the legion before the rules were loosened up as I served during Grenada and least we forget those who also lost their life in Lebanon.
I think in my area the VFW and Legion are to over ran by civilians and politics. Basically they are just watering holes for alcoholics and those exploiting Veterans for party politics reasons.
To me the major organizations are also to beholden to Washington politics.
Funny thing under VA I am a " veteran of peacetime service". Fact there has not been a declared war since WW2!!

I joined my local vfw after my first combat tour Desert Storm/Desert Shield, I was 22. I went a couple of times all I ever heard about was man stories, I stopped going. Since then I did 4 more combat tours and 2 humanitarian tours. I retired from the army after 20 years. I wouldn’t go back to the vfw, even if they paid me .

Literally answers the question. Old farts don’t know and seem to care about new farts. New farts have their problems and need HELP. Have a coffee shop or affiliate with one of the veteran owned business or co-agree with a veteran owned Business for coffee. Have a VETERAN service (like Veterans Guardian or VA insider) sponsor VA disability ratings classes. VSO’s aren’t making it since they are viewed as not solving the problem. BE RELEVANT, not happening right now and going the way of Masons too. Think about it, it’s about joining us and our problems NOT your dying institution’s. Discounts at IHOP and all the lobbying bovine fecal matter while the VA is under attack, isn’t helping. Get it? Quietly working behind the scenes doesn’t work right now. Help the veterans with what they currently need may save them yet. Hope it makes sense.

Even though I served on Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand and flew bombing missions over Viet Nam I was told I wasn't eligible for the VFW. Years later they called asked if I wanted in and my short answer was "NO".
I've never looked to join a service organization since.

I just became the Quartermaster for post 1126 in Warsaw Indiana, it starts July 1, 2025. I hope to make a difference in getting others to participate in the post future. I told the members at the meetings that they will bring a quick death to the post if they don't stop treating the younger vets like they were treated when they came back from the war that they participated in.
ON a good day we might get 8 people to attend the monthly meetings.
If you ignore the new vets, they will go away. the post is almost a dead organization. It makes no sense in paying for a membership if you do not participate. I don't drink, even though they offer it

When I got out in Fall of '72 I went to the local VFW Post to join. There were only three guys there. Age-wise I would have guessed two WW2 and one Korea. They told me I couldn't join because Viet Nam wasn't a real war. I asked them if they were shitting me and they said no. I have never set foot in a VFW Post since then and I never will. The American Legion Posts vary considerably. Some good, some not so good.

If I ever heard a Viet Nam vet say anything like that to anyone who had served in the sandbox I would have raised hell with them and still would. The biggest lack of regard I've experienced personally are those who are Viet Nam Era vets. I've encountered varying insults like wearing ribbons reflecting they were there when they weren't and making up lameass excuses for why they feel justified in doing so.

At my age I no longer am willing to join anything. It's all on me but I always manage to eventually find fault with whatever group I've joined. I'm done trying. The hell with all of them.

not having to be deployd to combat zone to join . just having a DD 214 or an NGB - 22 honorable / general / discharge should be enough to join everyone has to pay dues to join stop with the state & federal word games the DOD plays with the papper work we all join sign A contract take the oath. like ARMY RESERVE & ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AR is federal arng is state my papper work say active duty for training even my deployment to GERMANY REFORDGER 1985 my orders say state for training show of force against RUSSA to tear down the wall cold war campaine. I got A ribbon & A cold war voctory cert witch I had to send in my papperwork to get it. so due to all the bs about are we veteran or not A veteran to join the American legion changed to aanyone with a DD 214 honorable / general can join. I don't know if the VFW has changed from boots on the ground in combat to join. I put boots on ground in GERMANY for training that led to the COLD WAR VICTORY. but I cant join the VFW I have 35 years with the LEGION & I am SGT AT ARMS 26th (YANKEE) INFANTRY DIVISION VETERANS ASSOCIATION BOSTON MA CHAPTER.

Interesting comments. In 1971 the VFW guys from War 2 were harsh to Vietnam vets. Afterall we lost our war. Went twice, never went back. The Legion was only slightly better. Reminded me of being a fraternity pledge and being expected to do a bunch of Mickey Mouse crap to be "one of the guys." Basically I was too busy being an adult for that kind of disrespect.