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

My dad (a VFW lifetime member) paid for half of my membership when I got back from AFG. I haven't really been involved (as I am still in ARNG and have a very young child, both of which don't leave me with a lot of free time) but I knew that this was an organization that looks after vets both in the community and on the national level and figured I should join the ranks.
With all the civic groups that appear to be dying on the vine, it seemed like a good way to keep in touch with my fellow local veterans.

I'm a Post 9/11 veteran and J.V. Commander for VFW Post#2554, a small rural VFW Post located in Sultan, WA. In my opinion, the one thing that’s holding a lot of these organizations back is not being relatable, relevant, or modern in their means of communication. One of the ways we addressed this at my post is through the use of Social Media on top of our normal community engagement –VSO’s first and foremost must be involved in their community-even when it’s not veteran related to show that no one cares more for their community than a veteran. These organizations must encourage their members to volunteer and attend meetings with Boy and Girl Scout groups, go to schools or the boys and girls club and talk with the kids after school, attend City Council Meetings, Town Hall meetings, Block Watch, etc. Then think of the use of social media as a force multiplier on top of these great things they are doing, and cost nothing to implement. It’s an excellent tool where you are able to advertise the organizations activities, recognize the efforts of folks in your community, and communicate with those specific demographics that will give you the best results. I’m sorry, but the local newspaper and phone book are not as relevant in the internet age. When implementing a social media program, organizations should select one or two members to manage and take ownership of those accounts and other members of the post can help as well by liking and sharing content with their friends and in local groups. All of which will help you increase your reach. In a town of less than 5,000 we are able reach around 500-800 people a week by posting relevant and sometimes comical content related to being in the service. At the moment, there is no better way to engage the community and focus your efforts. Since I started our posts Facebook page last year, we've gained 10 new members (all post 9/11) and our community events have doubled and tripled their attendance from years past. Our post has gone from completely irrelevant in our community to a pillar organization thanks to efforts of our members and the tools that social media provides. There are number of other issues that I could touch on as well that would make VSO's a more desirable thing to join, but this post is getting lengthy as it is.

PO1 (Join to see) and MSG Wade Huffman and I discussed this in a previous thread, but I had issues with older members thinking I should be in an auxiliary when I'm a veteran.

This article sums up, pretty well actually, my view on this issue. The VA assistance is a great benefit, but my need to be mostly self-sufficient makes it useless for me. Nothing against either organization, but I prefer to do that type of paperwork myself and if I have questions the website has tons of answers and I don't mind picking up the phone to call the VA if I need to. The change that the article describes some posts are doing sounds like a great idea, but I hope it doesn't come at the cost of running the older veterans out.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/19/younger-veterans-bypass-vfw-american-legion-for-se/?page=all

I get the stereotypical thing. Here is the spouse application! Um. No. But another thing is that I move so often. So it is hard to be involved in something if we are constantly moving. I guess I am more involved in organizations that are more a reflection of myself. I am with F7 Group (female vets), The Mission Continues (Post 9/11 vets) and some other organizations as well.

Nothing against VFW or other organizations as such... I am just not a smoker. I come out of there smelling like an ashtray. The people are great! Just don't like the smoke. And feeling like I am not a veteran since I am female. Does that make sense?

I think you can find the answer pretty clear below. It may not be the case with EVERY vfw and AL, but there is obviously enough spread out to give the impression that it's just a bunch of older people drinking every night at a private bar.

For me, it is a very simple answer.I do not share any common interests or experiences with the people that I know to be at my local VFW and AL. Iraq and Afghanistan are very different from previous wars, and its hard to relate I find. I also am trying to do more and accomplish more with my life than just being a vet. As such The veterans I choose to surround my self with are doing the same.

If VFW and AL want to survive, they need to revamp their mission and goals to better align with current vets. My experience is that vets of today want to get up and DO things. Look at the success of the WWP programs.

That is just my two cents. Again, I can't say this is how it is for EVERY VFW and AL group, but it is certainly the extent of my experience.

I think there is a big "generation gap" issue with some posts. My son and I are the youngest members by far (I'm 50 he is 24). The next youngest members are the Korean Vets!

Another issue is the requirements for joining. I was allowed to join the Amer. Leg. because I was in during the Grenada incident. I could not join the VFW until after I deployed to Iraq. By then I had been in for 14 years. Other members may have served 3-4 years (some even less) but it was during a time of war and they were members. This isn't the case for the younger OIF/OEF vets but they have created their own organizatios for vets with the same service/conflict circumstances.

I personally know many Vietnam vets who don't wantto be a part of any VSOs. For whatever reason - there is a big population we need to reach out to. I am a member of the Legion Riders and they are a unique group. Vets of all ages and the Auxilary and SALs are all EQUAL members and the meetings are held with all members - dues go into one pot. At my local post the Legionaires are all male between 90 and 75 (except my son and I) and the Auxilary is it's own entity. Each does their own events and the dues are seperate. My wife and I are more active in the Legion Riders because she feels more accepted as a member - not an "auxilary".

I love following this discussion, I wish all the nay-sayers and skeptics could come visit my post... sure we have a "day crowd" or as I like to call them the "usual suspects"... but we have a side that not many get to see unless they come to meetings... and that is the face of the younger veterans who are eager to serve, even with them there are a couple "usual suspects" who just want to drink. but for the most part we are active in the community. We have an annual picnic that is FREE to anybody who wants to come, it's our way of giving back to the community, bean bags every Tuesday in the summer, we donate more Turkeys than I can count for needy families on Thanksgiving, Christmas with Santa for needy children, and we just put together our own Co-Rec softball team composed of members, auxiliary members, and spouses. We are the youngest (collective age wise) in the District and we are fiercely proud of that fact.

So this is an open invitation if any of you are ever on the south side of Chicago, look up VFW Post 450, 118th and Cicero, ring the doorbell and ask for Chief...

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Veterans-of-Foreign-Wars-Post-450/ [login to see] 77128

I think it has to do with technology. Veterans of older wars didn't have the internet, so keeping up with old buddies was probably a lot more difficult. Now, with things like Facebook, you can friend all your buddies and essentially keep tabs on them forever without any effort. Also, young veterans join a lot of online military groups as opposed to physical groups, and that's where they have their discussions and swap stories.

Maybe this is too broad of a statement but, maybe because they're just recognized as a bar? I mean, I toss one back every now and again but, I'd say I've been to a bar/pub maybe twice in the last year. I'd be willing to bet a dime to a dollar that the perception of a VFW is a bar where you're allowed to smoke inside (at least the one I was a member of). I'm not saying that there is an abundance (or any) money to change this but...if it was more of a community/family based center that offered food (and not just frozen pizzas), games, entertainment, etc....there would be more interest. I just don't know that there's anything that can be done to make that big of a change within a short amount of time. As veterans/people/generations have changed, these facilities have stayed the same.