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

Two years ago I went to my local American Legion spoke with them about assisting with a fundraiser for the unit and was told that the only way they would assist me as if I joined the legion. The fundraiser was an auction for a very unique item it was going to assist the local legion with membership drives as well as raise money for the unit event. It was a win-win but the Legion seemed more interested in having me as a member than they were with trying to assist in the program. And to be clear the only assistance they would have to do was they were going to put the raffle information on their website and request that the legions across United States did the same. Their final answer was they were going to let me know once I pinned my membership. I contacted the VFW and heard nothing. I then went to a local Masonic Lodge I did not inform them that I was a mason but simply present them with the same request that I had given to the legion in the VFW not only were they wanting to do it but resident place it across the United States they were going to do a silent auction and raise whatever money that we were trying to get for the item. They were more concerned with assisting a local military unit then they were with their own membership. I gave them a huge hats off and thanked them for all their help afterwards and have never looked again to the legion or the VFW. I hear all the time about shrinking memberships and how badly the VFW in the American Legion need new blood coming in yet this is a common occurrence with young soldiers some of the old-timers don't want the new guys coming in and disrupting The way of life. I am sure it is not like this in many of the different locations I'm just telling you the experience that I had with those close to me.

once upon a time there was an organization called the Grand Army of the Republic - they were the veterans of the Union Army( I belong to the successor org Son of Union Vets, from Ernst Keller a recent immigrant from Bavaria after the failed european revolution, 7th Cav Mo State Mil) this was the 1st integrated society in america with many posts that were predominately white with black officers. Then the Span Am vets wanted to join and were turned away. Then after WWI a number of posts welcomed the new vets and threw out the blacks and called themselves the American Legion, one of the founders of which was Teddy Roosevelt Jr, WWI vet whose grandfather was a draft dodger in the civil war. about a decade and a half later at the upstate mills in New York there was a big strike, and a group got together to perform a concert to support the strikers, and the nite before the concert a group trashed the concert hall - the group was a combination of : the American Legion, the KKK, and the Amerian Nazi party. I'm not only a veteran, but 3d generation union, and a great nephew of a veteran of the spanish civil war for the republic - I belong to Veterans for Peace

There's a hard reluctance for today's service members to make that psychological jump. I wonder if this is a combination of factors. Its well noted how much more selfish this generation is compared to WWII or Vietnam. Also, in WWII and Vietnam, there was a draft and I still think the draft came down much harder, mentally, on the young draftees than volunteering does today. I can't imagine how hard that must have been.

With that said- I think I can speak for a lot of recent veterans that going to these organizations is hard sometimes. Its a sign for some that there is an end of an era that defined you. Now, you are entering a phase of life that seemed unimaginable. When that happens, it seems like yesterday I was 19 and all of this was new.

Wow, great topic. I am currently a member of a fairly new American Legion post that was organized and stationed in the University that I am attending. We are mostly newer Veterans and the majority of them are much younger than I. We are integrated with females and minorities; giving the post a refreshing ability for insight and flexibility. The membership is active in both Naples and Fort Myers and conducts many activities throughout the year. Its membership is growing (I do not have the exact number, but it is over 200).

I have had several experiences with different groups, as I have attempted to sample and make up my mind. I am 51 years old and was medically retired 3 ½ years ago, so I have a pretty fresh perspective (I think) of the younger generation. Anyway, I have been to several VFWs throughout South Florida, I felt that the biggest problem with them was the “Old Guard”. The OG did not want to change or cater to younger Veterans, they liked it the way it was, and if you did not like it, then so be it. When approached about providing hip hop nights, or market targeting the OIF/OEF Veterans, I was told “We tried that once”. That truly gave me an insight. I went to an American Legion in the Fort Myers area, and after getting acquainted, I brought up the subject of the changing landscape of homosexuals serving in the military that did not go over well, again the OG was unwilling to even entertain changes in their approach to the newer and younger Veterans.

I feel there are a few reasons. One a generational shift/change in needs. Example post 911 veterans are more interested in family events, women and children no longer stay home, they choose major entertainment that will encompass the whole family unit while at the same time allow the veteran to spend time with fellow veterans. Two, the words "because that's the way we always did it", we want to understand why. Three the lack of mentoring and teaching about all the VFW does, contributes and influences.

I could come up with more but that is a start.

I am an American Legion member. One of the biggest ones I get is, I would love to support the organizations, (American Legion and VFW), but, I won't subject my wife, children and family to the smoke filled rooms and cafes. They feel their family values are different, and they don't understand why the older generation, keeps killing them selves slowly with the smoke filled rooms.
I was told that if the smokers would smoke in designated rooms, or smoke out side they would join and hold more positions, and come to more dinners, dances, and other events. I think we should listen to them.

For me, I don't go because their meeting places and family functions reek of tobacco smoke and alcohol. For most others, they probably don't go for reason that they don't see the value of collecting or passing on history and actual individual historical accounts because they don't believe that "(bad) history will repeat itself in their generation. I don't know that that's an actual reason but it's something they will miss out on.

Most young Veterans have no idea what the purpose or mission is of any of these organizations. Veterans get out of the military and end up living in other states other than their own which can be as foreign as a combat zone. My VFW in my hometown would be awesome to join because I know everyone involved. When you are an outsider to a community it is not the same. Guys in my hometown went to war together and they have a special bond which carries through to membership in a VFW. I went to a Veteran breakfast in my current local community and didn't even get a simple hello which caused an empty feeling inside my heart.

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MSG Stephen Oles






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MSG Stephen Oles,






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I have been a member of several American Legion posts for over 30 yrs. due to the course of different military re-locations. I was active in some and just paid dues to remain a member in others due to a feeling of maybe I don't belong. I joined way back when Vietnam vets were treated somewhat less welcomed.

I have written letters to both local and national levels of the AL, and dropped off letters to local posts during my retirement travels, requesting them to petition the Al to amend the preamble to include all veterans by including the following.

Part of the preamble includes the words " great wars". With all do respect to those who fought so gallantly in WWII, there hasn't been a " Congressionally" declared war since WWII.

I have requested that the words "and conflicts" be added to the preamble after " great wars" so as to include combat actions in Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Somalia, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, War on Terror (non-declared officially) etc., and all those other operations not declared as wars by Congress, although American blood has been spilled in all those places.

All Honorably discharged vets are eligible to join the Legion, and I feel this action would close an invisible hole in the generation gap, which would make more of the younger service members feel more of a part of an organization that is made up of all "brothers in arms", young and old.

I have written a letters to the editor of American Legion Magazine (who did not print it) in the letters to the editor section of the magazine. I did however, receive a letter from National Headquarters stating that a petition would be required to accomplish this.

If you agree, have your post submit a petition to your state headquarters, who hopefully will forward it to National and make the change possible. If this is done by ALL Posts through out the nation, maybe change will take place and membership would rise..

This is a great question. I am a member of the American Legion, the VFW as well as the Knights of Columbus. The general perception that I hear from a lot of people is that these organizations are a “bunch of old men sitting around drinking beer.” There is a statement that I have heard several times that the older generation joined civic organizations but the younger generation joins causes. The younger veterans will not just simply seek out and join these organizations unless they have a compelling reason where they understand how they can benefit and how they can contribute. You need to reach out to them and connect; it is a farming activity. I also find that they younger generation wants to have a direct line of sight into the value that is added. When you present activities that are national in nature such as contributed X hours and Y dollars, they tend not to draw a connection. There is a bumper sticker that you regularly see on cars, “think globally and act locally” and I believe that applies here. If younger veterans are going to commit time to an organization, they want to believe they are making a difference so I find it is much more effective to present local accomplishments and charitable works. There is an message on the VFW web site where the National Commander John W. Stroud touches on this very issue. Here is the link:

http://www.vfw.org/News-and-Events/Articles/2014-Articles/VFW-NATIONAL-COMMANDER-PUTS-POSTS-ON-NOTICE/