Posted on May 19, 2015
Why do some Vets, so quickly, affiliate their status with everything?
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Why do some Vets, so quickly, affiliate their status with everything? I'm looking at some of these groups and wonder to myself how they would be viewed by the majority-general public. We will or are labeled as a group, but yet we have a few attaching "Vet" to somethings it shouldn't be. The main ones I take issue with are personnel conquest that request monies from the population around them. Many of the donors are probably people that have served or people that could put that money to better use, such as sustainment of their family. So how do you feel about this, and do you feel it's ethical to attach a "Veteran" status to all or any of your causes?
http://veteransagainstisis.com/
http://vetpaw.org/
http://nvsf.org/Home.html
http://veteransagainstisis.com/
http://vetpaw.org/
http://nvsf.org/Home.html
Money
Scam
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 8
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Service members are conditioned to being a part of a selected group MOS and a unit, once a service member leaves the service he becomes a Veteran, but that is a general label that causes an internal drive to belong to once again belong to a unit. So Doc you comprende?
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SFC (Join to see)
I understand the sense of belonging, but do these people not understand the larger impact they have on the community as a whole when a veteran thing pops off in the media, that is bad? The term "vet" has been used so loosely to chase or create chances for them that they, as it seems to me, have tarnished the title Veteran for their on wishes, wills, or causes. I've recently discussed with a large employer, 33000+ employees, why he doesn't view "veteran" in a positive light.
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CPT Pedro Meza
Christopher, Good dialogue, look at it from the level of the subconsciousness which is driving by internal memories and desires which can over ride the higher brain functions of reason. This effects both Veterans as well as non Veterans (employers).
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Sometimes it is a scam to get attention to the cause and collect funds that aren't even going to Vets. But with the nation being at war for so long people will donate cause they think they are helping out. I do not agree with the organizations that are doing this.
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I have seen lots of "vets" misuse the title. People have been doing it for years publicly. I often wonder just how many of the panhandlers seen on street corners holding sings claiming their Veterans actually are Veterans.
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A lot of rip offs out there. You need to be diligent and make sure that these groups are real
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CPT Pedro Meza
W.C. Fields "There is a sucker born every minute" people need to see the classics and be better informed.
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I have seen this a few times and I share the concern. I know of one person who is attaching his military service to gain donations for continued European travel, lodging and recreation, under the guise of attending college. I don't feel it is ethical if the purpose is for personal enrichment.
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SFC (Join to see) -
While the initial question you offer confused me when I looked at your content, please allow me to offer my point of view on a few a things.
As a Veteran who works within the nonprofit area, I can tell you that a lot of it has to do with the marketing of the organization. Good or bad, people use images and words to draw attention to their cause. These images aren't always 100% truthful while some are truthful but do not paint a proper image of the Veteran population as a whole. Rather these images focus on a small sub-section of Veterans. I am by no means trying to take away anything from our brothers and sisters-in-arms that are having to live and deal with coming home from combat with some terrible injuries. These service members deserve everything they get and then some. Yet, some organizations try to pull at the heart strings of their donors and the easiest way to do this is to focus on the more negative side of things. Just look at those cat and dog commercials that air on TV showing a dog out in cold and snow. We know that not every person that owns an animal treats their pet like that. Heck, some days, I swear my family dog ate better than I did.
As far as the three examples you gave. The first one did not resolve to a website, but after looking through both the websites for VETPAW and NVSF, I would be careful when donating funds to them. People want to know where their money is going, how it is being used, and it's overall impact on the targeted group you are trying to help.
I am often asked what the nonprofit I run does and how we are making an impact. While we are still fairly new, just reaching the 5 year mark we have connected hundreds of Veterans from the area, assisted in employing a few, getting others help with their resumes and getting the community out to the change the conversation from this image of the "poor broken Veteran" to an image of a strong, mission capable Veteran who just may need help in a few areas. Sure, this works requires money and yes we ask for funds from the general public but we have never tried to do so at the expense of showing a Veteran and picturing them as "weak". You can use a lot of words to describe a Veteran but I think we can all agree that "weak" is not one of them.
While the initial question you offer confused me when I looked at your content, please allow me to offer my point of view on a few a things.
As a Veteran who works within the nonprofit area, I can tell you that a lot of it has to do with the marketing of the organization. Good or bad, people use images and words to draw attention to their cause. These images aren't always 100% truthful while some are truthful but do not paint a proper image of the Veteran population as a whole. Rather these images focus on a small sub-section of Veterans. I am by no means trying to take away anything from our brothers and sisters-in-arms that are having to live and deal with coming home from combat with some terrible injuries. These service members deserve everything they get and then some. Yet, some organizations try to pull at the heart strings of their donors and the easiest way to do this is to focus on the more negative side of things. Just look at those cat and dog commercials that air on TV showing a dog out in cold and snow. We know that not every person that owns an animal treats their pet like that. Heck, some days, I swear my family dog ate better than I did.
As far as the three examples you gave. The first one did not resolve to a website, but after looking through both the websites for VETPAW and NVSF, I would be careful when donating funds to them. People want to know where their money is going, how it is being used, and it's overall impact on the targeted group you are trying to help.
I am often asked what the nonprofit I run does and how we are making an impact. While we are still fairly new, just reaching the 5 year mark we have connected hundreds of Veterans from the area, assisted in employing a few, getting others help with their resumes and getting the community out to the change the conversation from this image of the "poor broken Veteran" to an image of a strong, mission capable Veteran who just may need help in a few areas. Sure, this works requires money and yes we ask for funds from the general public but we have never tried to do so at the expense of showing a Veteran and picturing them as "weak". You can use a lot of words to describe a Veteran but I think we can all agree that "weak" is not one of them.
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CPT Pedro Meza
Ben, please call me Pedro (team name), I didn't think you represented any of the above, I was curious about the Steel City Vets, assuming that is what your respond was on. Most organizations including Susan G. Komen pay themselves first before helping others. I like your approach and like SFC Douglas "We need more like yours"
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SGT Ben Keen
CPT Pedro Meza - I am more than willing to answer any questions concerning Steel City Vets. Feel free to message me here or email me at [login to see] .
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CPT Pedro Meza
Ben, thank you, but you answered the question when you talked about the "I pay for out of my own pocket as my person gift to the organization" Keep up the good job, and if my mild Traumatic Brain Injury would work better I would pick yours to do the same in my area.
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I've noticed the risk with donating time or money to these types. I've recently separated myself from a new BIG one because of their concern for national dollars versus measurable success of their mission.
My question is how do you think the American people view veterans as a whole, when these situations come up of fraud or affiliating a status of "veteran" with everything under the sun. Is this part of issue of why we're being boxed as a group of "lose cannons" and "lost causes"? Is this an ethical state for "veterans" to be in, as I've recently been told by a large employer that he didn't care to hire veterans, and was tired of having veteran tags on so many things.
My question is how do you think the American people view veterans as a whole, when these situations come up of fraud or affiliating a status of "veteran" with everything under the sun. Is this part of issue of why we're being boxed as a group of "lose cannons" and "lost causes"? Is this an ethical state for "veterans" to be in, as I've recently been told by a large employer that he didn't care to hire veterans, and was tired of having veteran tags on so many things.
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SFC Robert Wheeler
SFC Jolly, that employer is not someone I would work for but that's me. Sure there are people out there that try to exploit their status for an advantage but most people outside of our community do not see that is reflecting on the rest of us. Can we be more mindful ourselves? Of course we can but I am still going to take my veteran's discount for movie tickets and cheap meals.
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CPT Pedro Meza
The American public for the most part feels graceful for the sacrifice done by Veterans, and out of the good of their hearts they try, which is the opposite of what happened in the 1970's. But their kindness has created leeches that use the line "There is a Sucker born every minute" quote WC Fields. I like Robert Wheeler solution.
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