Why are fewer young Veterans joining Veteran organizations (VFW, American Legion) post military service?

I would like to say as a Commander of Post 3619 in DeRidder, LA, I had the same issue with getting new younger members involved. So I started my campaign on what is the VFW doing for our Veterans of Today. In the 2012-2013 VFW calendar year, our post of about 326 members (at the time), GAVE BACK $48,000 in one year to our community programs, needy veterans and veteran services. $48,000! I was actually off by about 13,000 when I was doing quick math in my head. That year we made All State, this past year, we were All State and All American, by increasing our membership by 73 people. This was due to bringing in some more active duty members, getting them involved, participating and just being part of our family. Most young people think of the VFW as a place where old guys go to drink beer on Sundays.....does that happen? Well yes, but it is so much more. Membership is about numbers that are represented in Congress when trying to get Veteran Related issues passed. Between all of the organizations, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, AMVETS and such, we have a great voice on Capitol Hill.

This is an issue that all the service organizations are facing. The bottom line is that these groups (VFW, American Legion, DAV, AMVETS, etc.) are our primary voice in Washington and provide representation through accredited Service Officers in the filing of VA Claims.. as the local posts struggle and die off, these program become in danger of going away. Membership starts at the local level. These posts need to start reaching out to our younger veterans to get them (and their families) involved.
Before anyone starts, yes, I understand there are numerous posts out there 'stuck in the dark ages' that don't want to change things.. but it's going to have to happen if they want to keep their posts alive and 'young blood' is the only answer.
All it takes is to get a few younger members and allow them to help 'tailor' programs to attract more... it CAN be done, it NEEDS to be done. The services these organizations provide (Nationally and Locally) are needed but can't continue without membership.
As a message to all of you younger vets on this site.. at least TRY to get involved at a local post... give them fresh ideas, it doesn't take much time! PLEASE!

Wow what a wonderful discussion. As the Commander of a VFW that has a very large percentage of OIF/OEF veterans I find this conversation enlightening... as matter of fact of the 11 elected officers of the post 8 of them are OIF/OEF vets, myself included. Many of you stated that you were turned off by the "old timers" unfortunately I have seen this firsthand... I finally found a post that had open arms towards the younger vets. Living south of Chicago I can drive 20 min in any direction and run into at least 10 posts, most of them I am sure are on their last leg. They just don't "get it." As for the younger vets on here that do not belong to a VSO, please join one. Its a numbers game in Washington and its just like in a fight... he who has the most guns, wins... you should see the list of resolutions from the VFW National Convention that the organization is going to push on Congress, many of them are geared toward helping the new generation of returning warriors.

You do not have to belong to a particular post, there is a member at large option. You will receive the same benefits as a member of a post... Car Rental Discounts, Life Insurance, Magazine for the Organization, Etc. but no matter what you have to try, you have to fight for what you want, nothing is free in this life. Do not be discouraged because of one bad experience at a post.

As others have stated in previous comments... I am going to take this thread to a higher level in the organization and hopefully there can be a change that will benefit both parties.

Great question 1SG John O. ! I joined a local VFW post within a few months of my arrival at Fort Polk. The biggest influence in my joining was the fact that I work with one of the leaders of that VFW post SGM Matthew West. He gave me losts of info about the organization and I stopped by and saw what they do for the community. I am one of only a handful of active duty personnel who are also members at this particular post and I think the main reason for it might simply be a lack of awareness. Before I joined, I thought these organizations were mostly just for those who had completed their service. These organizations serve a valuable purpose by providing commraderie for veterans of all generations and by being active participants in the local community. I think SSgt Joseph Barker makes a good point about social media being a key element in communicating with the younger servicemembers. If we think the VFW is just an "old Soldiers club" then we aren't going to join right away. But if we see what they stand for, what they do and how they do it, then I think you will see greater interest from the younger Soldiers.

For any of you who want to join one of these Veterans Service Organizations (VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, etc..) but, for whatever reason, aren't able to find a local post that you feel is a 'fit' for you, consider joining as a Member at Large through the organizations national website (listings elsewhere in this thread). You can still be part of the numbers that are needed at the National Level to keep those programs alive and well, and you can still transfer from at large to any post, anywhere in the world, should you so desire. Just a thought.

When they have an app for that I'm sure the younger guys will get involved. Or if they could tweet their way in I'm sure that would pull some members in. Just saying too many younger people just wanna do social media, well hell look at me I'm on a computer right now so i guess i can't say much right.

1SG, I am a member of both the VFW and the legion. Sadly, with both organizations, I am simply a dues paying member. With the VFW, the post I belong to essentially fell apart. The leadership did nothing to motivate young troops and former Military to join. All they cared about was getting revenue from renting out the hall. No community programs - nothing. When us "young folk" tried to get things going we were looked at like we were crazy. The legion is pretty much the same. Until the posts decide they want to move into the 21st century a lot of us are simply going to be dues paying members if for no other reason than the pull the organizations have on the hill when Congress starts targeting veterans and retiree benefits...

There are so many returning vets who are trying to get by with very low pay trying to do the best they can for their families. At our Post the first year is paid by the post. A lot of the Posts have gotten bad raps as Just a place to go drink and try to tell bigger war stories or we were frowned upon by the saying Vietnam was not a war and you did not win it hence V.V.A. or there were some VFW Posts that welcomed us. I first joined down in FT. Hood. Dropped out for many years then rejoined and worked at our weekly Bingo to get my Life Membership. There were some political issues at the hall (members being qualified) so I was very inactive for quite a few years. I transferred to a different Post and finally found my home. I was a member there for a year became Sr. Vice the next election I accepted the Commandership and held that position for 4 years and due to family health issues declined to run again. I have seen so many things the Service Orgs. have done in the past years for the Veterans and the community.
The thing I love the most is WE ARE ALL BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN ARMS and by working together we will stronger in our fight for Veterans rights and the care we need and were promised.
Cal McCaslin Jr

I had this discussion at our VFW post. The commander is a Vietnam/Gulf War vet. He said that it was all WWII vets when the Vietnam vets were coming back. They had the table seating since the bar was commandeered by the WWII & Korean War vets. In time, they slowly merged but it wasn't until the mid-late 80's that the Vietnam vets had taken the reins. I'm sure each post has it's personalities. AZ is a serious retirement area for veterans, especially in the winter when the "snow birds"(2nd residency is AZ) return to roost. When the older vets return, they all go right up to the bar and stake their claim. It's a cycle. In 20 years, the old timers of OIF/OEF/OND veterans will be bellied up at the bar and shaking hands with the new batch of veterans.....returning from the war with ___________.

Hello "Brothers and Sisters in Arms",

I apologize now this will likely be a long post.

VSOs in general have a uphill battle against the current culture of our nation. VSOs were largely founded on an all but gone community culture that many veterans of previous conflict/wars shared. This is the reason most VSOs need to make changes to accommodate younger veterans, the old ways need to change with the culture.

Before I joined my local VFW almost 2 years ago, I did some research on the current status of VSOs and how they were fairing in the current national culture. What I found very quickly is that most if not all VSOs were shrinking in overall membership and many post were closing due to low membership and low activity.

I’ll give you a brief background about me to show you my prospective. I served 18 years US Army – Medical Discharged for lower back injury in the line of duty, 30% disability rating from VA, BA in Business Admin. – Marketing, MA in Business and Organizational Security Management.
I moved from Southern California to North Idaho in April of 2013. During that long drive I made a decision to be part of the community I live in rather than just live in the community. I decided months later to join the VFW in my community. So I looked up the nearest post and found via the website when there post meeting were. So I show up and as soon as I walk in the door, everyone in the room turns and looks at me. One of the members asked “Are you a member?” I replied “not yet”. I quickly got a reply “you cannot come in; this is a members only meeting”. I turned and left the room, a membered followed me out and gave me quick explanation why I was not allowed to attend and that he did not have time to see to making me a member right now. There were only about 10 members in the room and only one of them was below the age of 50. I came back on another day and paid my dues and became a “card carrying member”. From there I attend most of the VFW functions and quickly became a “pain in the arse” to many of the older members, with my new ideas and spitfire attitude.
Looking back I understand that many posts will come off with the good ol’ boy attitude, but sticking with it will often times overcome that built in culture. I also found that when I gave an idea that I needed to back it up with action and reap the respect from its success. Over the last 19 months, I have been given enough rope to hang myself and instead used that rope to make a bridge between the post and our community. Here are some of the new things our post has done in the last 18 months and the out comes from those events:
Hosted a Game convention in alliance with our local Game store
60 people attended and the event made the front page of the paper.

The post made over $18,000 dollars in donations and donated over $18,000 to veterans in our community. There were no 30% costs or administration fees put on this money. Every dime we were donated went back to the veterans in our community.
We supported Women Warrior Retreat and recruited several female veterans.
We planned and will hold our first Veteran Family Retreat this weekend, in hopes of making it an annual event.
From these events and activities I have learned that activity breeds activity. The older the average age of a post is the more difficult it will be to stay activity in the community. So recruiting members is and will always be the life blood of VSOs. If you are not getting new “younger” members, your post is effectively dying a slow death. As you all know many posts have a bar that at one point in time with the “best watering hole in town”. That watering hole is now all dried up! The younger veterans that would be considered the market for VSOs are in the stage of their life that they have kids and jobs, alcohol though legal is not the preferred method of building loyalty with a veteran family. In my opinion the posts that perpetuation the stereo typical of veterans wasting their days away drinking and smoking at the “Watering hole” is doing more damage to VSOs than anything else. VSOs must be active in their community or they will waste away.
Some of the ways a post can be active in its community are: providing a Veteran Family Retreat, putting on a month Family movie night, have a weekly coffee and donut (free) where all veterans are welcome. This is just a few ways to move in the right direction, I’m sure there are many more. I would enjoy hearing about them.
Since joining the VFW, I have been placed/voted into several positions: Post Jr Vice, Post Sr Vice, District QM and District Chief Recruiter, I also attended the state conventions, I decided to focus on my community rather than focus on trying to move up the chairs in district. As many of you know VSOs are a bureaucracy and that means “Red Tape” and paper work. After holding the positions, I understand the need for the paper work. My goal is to change my community’s view of the VFW and provide for the veterans in my community. VSOs are a community based organization and that being said they add value to their community or they will go away.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post and if you are in need of direction when it comes to a VSO please feel free to contact me.