Posted on Dec 16, 2021
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American Legion and VFW posts are losing members and not getting new ones. I had this discussion with several leaders in both organizations. Older members are dying and new members are not joiners. The older members are often not welcoming either. I think making them family oriented and getting more involved in their community events might cause them to gain more relevance and awareness. This change should increase and gain more members. Thoughts?
The American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Family
Posted 4 y ago
Responses: 568
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Actually I was approached by both the American Legion and the VFW to try and recruit Me. I was already a member of the AMVETS but did join the Legion. The Legion actually threw a full free dinner at the post and invited Vietnam Veteran's from town that weren't members yet. I had no objection to the VFW but was also already a Life Member of the Air Force Association, the Air Force Sergeant's Association and the Air Force Security Police Association. Just how many things can You belong to ? Our Legion Post has attempted to recruit Younger Veteran's from the Persian Gulf War and other more recent wars, got some but no where near the number We want. These Younger Veteran's of today largely aren't joining and We need they to take over and carry on. Our Legion Post will even pay the dues for any resident of Town that is still on active duty and wants to join and continue to pay His dues during His or Her entire time they remain on active duty. Our Legion Post also sponsors many things in the Community including Boy Scouts and Girls Scout both of which also meet at our post free of change.
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SMSgt Bob W.
Lawrence, you get something from the AFA and the AFSA; however, with the VFW and the Legion you don't get much [if you travel around the country] except an elbow stop at the bar. You are fortunate that the Legion contributes to the community. Our VFW contributes to the crime stats--DUIs.
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Hi Major,
Simply better meeting times. I joined the local VFW years ago but haven't been to more than a handful of meetings. I am sincerely interested to participate but 10 am on Tuesdays are not ideal.
Simply better meeting times. I joined the local VFW years ago but haven't been to more than a handful of meetings. I am sincerely interested to participate but 10 am on Tuesdays are not ideal.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
I agree, Our Legion Post used to meet at 7PM on Tuesdays, and We had better attendance. Some of the older guys wanted it during the day as they could not drive at night, well during the day younger guys could NOT attend as they worked. We already had members that would pick up the older guys and bring them to night meetings. I voted against that change to daytime meeting at 10:00 AM on Thursday mornings and what happened is exactly what I predicted and it give no incentive for Younger Veteran's to join and they have even said so. We may be going back to night time meetings which in My opinion NEVER should have been changed and has already proved to be the wrong move. We have also, I'm glad to say resumed filed trips as a group to interesting places for Veteran's such as war museums. THE AMVETS post meeting are on Sunday mornings but with a good hour time gap between that and a Breakfast at the post with the EBoard meeting then instead of another day and the post meeting have very little attendance beyond the EBoard, that just doesn't work and they have lost members as a result. I rarely attend AMVETS meeting anymore but don't miss anything from the Legion and at least some things are coming back and We are adding new members.
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I forgot to address the VFW. I attempted to join in 2000 time frame and was told membership was restricted to those served in a war zone. I didn't pursue membership because I served during conflict received three expeditionary medals, but never fired a shot from my submarine in any conflict. My interpretation of the requirements. There was one VFW that I was interested in joining but they were more than a town away in a direction I didn't go often.
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I had joined the Legion at one time, but I couldn't renew it because I just couldn't afford it any longer. I only get SSDI and an very budgeted for misc expenses. :-((
~Brian Kerr
~Brian Kerr
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I am a viet nam Navy vet. I no longer attend meetings because of some members who put you down on the floor unless you speak in favor of their proposal. Been almost two years now and no one has ever checked on me. I have been told that unless I slogged through the bush, I should keep my mouth closed at meetings. I work with the vet court and have been told I should work with vfw members and ignore those cry babies. I can only imagine how a new vet feels about this treatment. It's only a few loudmouths but the rest of the post says nothing to them.
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