Posted on Aug 15, 2014
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Our WWII Veteran ranks are very thin, and we are losing many Korean War Veterans now. Vietnam Veterans are in their upper 60s or 70s already. My point is, our stories and our history is shared across the generations in lodges and halls across the country, but fewer Veterans are joining these organizations post military. Who will tell their stories when they are all gone....who will tell our stories? Curious to others opinions on this subject! Thanks in advance! AATW!
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 238
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I am a younger member of the veteran population. I retired from the National Guard in 2009 because of medical issues I had just shy of 20 years. I resisted the idea of joining the VFW because I did not want to become associated with the beer drinking smoking crowd. I was invited by an older member to attend a charity event for VFW Post 2423 in Indian Trail, NC and I expected to encounter the smell of cigarette smoke, but it was surprisingly absent.
The canteen has a bar and a designated smoking area out back in the fresh air. I have no problem with smokers I often hang out with my comrades out there and I enjoy the post immensely. We do a great deal for our community in the Charlotte area. I am the Post Service Officer. I believe if the VFW membership at large would remember what it was like when they came home from war or military service. Have more events oriented for families and still have the usual activities. If we stand together and realize we have a responsibility to keep serving each other and our community I think we will not have any issues attracting and maintaining younger veterans.
The canteen has a bar and a designated smoking area out back in the fresh air. I have no problem with smokers I often hang out with my comrades out there and I enjoy the post immensely. We do a great deal for our community in the Charlotte area. I am the Post Service Officer. I believe if the VFW membership at large would remember what it was like when they came home from war or military service. Have more events oriented for families and still have the usual activities. If we stand together and realize we have a responsibility to keep serving each other and our community I think we will not have any issues attracting and maintaining younger veterans.
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The answer is simple...societal norms. Men are expected to be home after work to help out with the family unit. Good luck, guys, trying to get a pass to go the bar after work or on the weekends. God help you if you get a DUI driving back from the VFW, your career is done.
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I'd personally wouldn't mind a Marine Corps League set up closer to my home.the nearest is 45 min to an hour drive.
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I am glad to see that this question was addressed and is now coming up again. the posts are excellent, with the highest complaint being that the 'bar' is all that that post does; or appears to do. It would appear that the individual post need to do a lot more community education as well as involvement. I am retiring and have been looking for a post to attach myself too, haven't found it yet. Still looking though, I do want to maintain a relationship with my fellow veterans as well as contribute.
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The University of Pittsburgh recently paid tribute to the 100 year organization of the VFW here in Pittsburgh at the old Schenley Hotel in 1914 back in September.
http://www.cmmr.pitt.edu/news-story/vfw-celebrates-100-years-pittsburgh
A few things that I've noticed in the 2 years that I've been working with "Big John Biedrzycki Jr. " who is due to take over the helm this summer at the national convention here in Pittsburgh.
1) There is an effort internal to both the VFW and American Legion to change the public image of the VSO from local watering holes to one of value and meaning. Unfortunately that will only happen from leadership that is integrated and involved at the local level.
2) The VFW has itself been slow to adapt to changes in Veterans recruitment. Segregating the male and female participation in the organization only recently changed. I cannot speak for every chapter but their is a seniority based rank structure within some of the local chapters here in Pittsburgh.
Recently returning Veterans are more attracted to join organizations such as Red White and Blue, Student Veterans Association, and Veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan Chapters because of their visibility and recent organization.
I'm curious to see how the VFW National meeting here in Pittsburgh adapts and see if it can change its overall image attract new members.
http://www.cmmr.pitt.edu/news-story/vfw-celebrates-100-years-pittsburgh
A few things that I've noticed in the 2 years that I've been working with "Big John Biedrzycki Jr. " who is due to take over the helm this summer at the national convention here in Pittsburgh.
1) There is an effort internal to both the VFW and American Legion to change the public image of the VSO from local watering holes to one of value and meaning. Unfortunately that will only happen from leadership that is integrated and involved at the local level.
2) The VFW has itself been slow to adapt to changes in Veterans recruitment. Segregating the male and female participation in the organization only recently changed. I cannot speak for every chapter but their is a seniority based rank structure within some of the local chapters here in Pittsburgh.
Recently returning Veterans are more attracted to join organizations such as Red White and Blue, Student Veterans Association, and Veterans of Iraq/Afghanistan Chapters because of their visibility and recent organization.
I'm curious to see how the VFW National meeting here in Pittsburgh adapts and see if it can change its overall image attract new members.
VFW Celebrates 100 Years in Pittsburgh | Center for Military Medicine Research | University of...
The University of Pittsburgh is among the nation's most distinguished comprehensive universities, with a wide variety of high-quality programs in both the arts and sciences and professional fields.
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I would join except they, VFW, American Legion, are not very helpful when it comes to veterans benefits. I have been retired for three years 01MAR 15 and my retirement pay is still wrong. I have asked the mentioned organizations in my area for help and I get the bovine look. I don't need a place to drink cheap I needed an organization that would truly help. When that becomes the mission of these fine clubs call me.
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SGM Matthew West
CPT, I have to ask if you are having pay issues, have you gone to closest military installation and checked in their finance office? As a Commander of a VFW Post, I can't fix your pay. Neither can the VA, that is something you have to get done in a military setting. Now, I will get you connected to the right person, if you had come to me at my Post. Similar situation, I received a phone call last night asking about military legal advice. As I am not a lawyer, I forwarded the individual to my Judge Advocate who is a retired Military Lawyer and let them talk out the issues so he had some professional, knowledgeable and defining information to work with.
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AMVETS in the great north has been successful with opening their doors to young vets. They recenty chartered a new post with the average age in their 30's.
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I think the biggest issue facing recruitment for veteran organizations is the generation gap. I was a member of the Legion for a time. When I went in there, I was the youngest by 40 years. I had nothing in common with them. I know some guys my age-late 20s-mid 30's who are involved in their posts, but most of them have family members there too.
I know that the Legion/VFW do great things at the national level, but I don't see the point of hanging out with a bunch of grumpy old men drinking canned beer and choking on smoke.
I know that the Legion/VFW do great things at the national level, but I don't see the point of hanging out with a bunch of grumpy old men drinking canned beer and choking on smoke.
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As I have stated elsewhere, a big part of the issue is the percentage of Veterans in our Society anymore!
The last drafted ended almost 40 years ago, otherwise the youngest draftees you are going to find are about 58 years of age. When the draft was on, you had more people serving then you do now!
Also, since the end of the Cold War (1991), the volunteer military has dropped quite a bit in size!
So after stating that, I think you actually seen a higher percentage that do join VSOs. But that is on a percentage base on living veterans! The amount of living veterans is about 10 percent of the current population, if that high even, which is 30,000,000 people. I would say it is closer to only 5% of the population has ever served in the military, 15,000,000.
The last drafted ended almost 40 years ago, otherwise the youngest draftees you are going to find are about 58 years of age. When the draft was on, you had more people serving then you do now!
Also, since the end of the Cold War (1991), the volunteer military has dropped quite a bit in size!
So after stating that, I think you actually seen a higher percentage that do join VSOs. But that is on a percentage base on living veterans! The amount of living veterans is about 10 percent of the current population, if that high even, which is 30,000,000 people. I would say it is closer to only 5% of the population has ever served in the military, 15,000,000.
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Please help me to maybe provide an intelligent answer by answering another question and this may start to help answer the initial question. What is the VFW and what do they do? When I think VFW I think of the old guys sitting around the bar drinking beers and swapping war stories. Not being rude but I think many of the younger vets have never been educated on what the VFW is how they can help. Me included.
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crickets...
SGM Matthew West
The basic aims of the VFW are to ensure the national security through maximum military strength, to speed the rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans, to assist veterans’ widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and to promote Americanism by means of education in patriotism and by constructive service to communities. The VFW maintains both its legislative service and the central office of its national rehabilitation service in Washington, D.C. The latter nationwide program serves disabled veterans of all wars, members and nonmembers alike, in matters of government compensation and pension claims, hospitalization, civil-service employment preference, and so on. The VFW has more than 10,000 local units, which are known as “posts.”
This is a simple mission statement, but what your local posts, districts and departments do, is up to the membership. National recognized programs like the Voice of Democracy (where 9-12th graders write a paper on a specified Patriotic theme), Patriots Pen (7-8th graders same thing), Americanism Program for K-6th grade, Citizenship Awards for Teachers, LEOs, Firefighters, EMTs and such, are just a few of the ways that we get our community involved. The biggest benefit to all of the VSOs is the fact that they champion our causes on Capitol Hill. By the National Commander in Chief standing in front of Congress and stating I have "blank" members I represent, all Congress hears is "blank" VOTERS. Plus the majority of folks are married so double that number. IAVA and similar organizations are great, and they are new and exciting, but with under 200,000 members, they won't get the same push as the VFW with over 3 million members. Not to slight them, but we all now Congress works. Just sayin'
This is a simple mission statement, but what your local posts, districts and departments do, is up to the membership. National recognized programs like the Voice of Democracy (where 9-12th graders write a paper on a specified Patriotic theme), Patriots Pen (7-8th graders same thing), Americanism Program for K-6th grade, Citizenship Awards for Teachers, LEOs, Firefighters, EMTs and such, are just a few of the ways that we get our community involved. The biggest benefit to all of the VSOs is the fact that they champion our causes on Capitol Hill. By the National Commander in Chief standing in front of Congress and stating I have "blank" members I represent, all Congress hears is "blank" VOTERS. Plus the majority of folks are married so double that number. IAVA and similar organizations are great, and they are new and exciting, but with under 200,000 members, they won't get the same push as the VFW with over 3 million members. Not to slight them, but we all now Congress works. Just sayin'
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