Posted on Jul 31, 2015
Will VSO's (VFW, American Legion, AMVETS, Etc) be able to appeal to the contemporary Veteran?
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Posted in these groups: 
DAV
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The American Legion
Wounded Warrior Project
AMVETS
DAV Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) The American Legion Wounded Warrior Project AMVETS
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 15
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Yes, they WILL be able to appeal, but only with input from contemporary veterans. One issue is that younger veterans apparently expect an organization to be tailor-made for their personal preferences and needs. Perhaps that is why several new organizations have appeared on the landscape. But the older organizations won't change without new blood. Vietnam veterans (who were often shunned by older members) are the current old guard in the VFW and American Legion. They need to reach out to younger veterans in any way they can, and listen to their needs--and address those needs at the local level.
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The American Legion is nearing it's 100 anniversary. that is a long time not to have changed to meet the needs of veterans. Gone are the WWI and most of the WWII vets. In my Post almost all of the leadership is Lebanon/Grenada and later. Each Post like each unit is different. Don't judge all of the American Legion by what one Post is like. The Legion with it's large membership wields a lot of influence with Congress and the President to ensure new veterans get the benefits they deserve.
My Post is very progressive, we may even pay your 1st years membership if you contact me before the end of January 16!
My Post is very progressive, we may even pay your 1st years membership if you contact me before the end of January 16!
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MAJ Scott Rummings
I would be willing to give my local Legion a chance if I could see what they do other than run a bar. The Legion regulars around here are mostly social members that have never been in the military and just want a place to drink on Sunday. Are meetings open to the public so I could see if the local Legion actually does have a group of vets hiding somewhere in the background?
Also...
I am not normally very good at remembering people from so long ago but were you an instructor at EOD School? Where did our paths cross?
Also...
I am not normally very good at remembering people from so long ago but were you an instructor at EOD School? Where did our paths cross?
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SFC (Join to see)
MAJ Scott Rummings - I was an IED Instructor from 93-95 and in the CISO Office from 95-97.
There are not supposed to be any social members. Every Legionnaire must have served during one of the eligible periods (open since Aug 2, 1990). There may be Sons of the American Legion who have not served by their father or mother did.
Meetings should be open to the public as there are no secrets in the Legion.
There are not supposed to be any social members. Every Legionnaire must have served during one of the eligible periods (open since Aug 2, 1990). There may be Sons of the American Legion who have not served by their father or mother did.
Meetings should be open to the public as there are no secrets in the Legion.
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Yes. It is the fellowship it is the fellowship of those who served that will bring them together. Shared experiences.
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They will unfortunately fall to the wayside if they don't try to do more than be an outlet to have a few beers, eat a burger and play pull tabs.
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SP5 Joel O'Brien
While I'm a Life Member of VFW, I've never been to a meeting, let alone actually been in a VFW building(except for wedding receptions). The nearest real VFW locations are about 20 miles away from me in several directions and I have yet to visit them.
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SGT(P) Gregory Daniel Collins, Jr. Family events, I only do family activities. I have four kids and a spouse. I have one demanding civilian job and a demanding Reserve job. I rarely have time for outings beyond Church or Family events.
I find VFW dark, old and unappealing. I have looked at two locations but they just don't make sense to me.
I am happy these organizations exist and maybe one day it will be a fit.
I find VFW dark, old and unappealing. I have looked at two locations but they just don't make sense to me.
I am happy these organizations exist and maybe one day it will be a fit.
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SGT(P) Gregory Daniel Collins, Jr.
It completely depends on the individual post. As a national organization, I'd love to see everyone eligible become a member. The legislative strength is in numbers. At a local level, posts vary so much in program and attitude. I'd challenge our generation to get there and make the posts what you want.
It completely depends on the individual post. As a national organization, I'd love to see everyone eligible become a member. The legislative strength is in numbers. At a local level, posts vary so much in program and attitude. I'd challenge our generation to get there and make the posts what you want.
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The VFW is one of the most welcoming places and the best burgers around. Old timers and new can get together and tease the heck out of each other. Just the other day an old timer was buying us younger guys beer but then he made us get out of our chairs and do pushups with him. He said it was a test to make sure we weren't drunk... but who hasn't done at least a tipsy push up?
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The DAV is actually doing pretty well on this score. Because they are primarily a service organization and are mostly known for their Service Officers who help the veterans with their claims and appeals to the VA, they are recruiting many of the current and younger veterans. A lot of them are not coming to the meetings, but a few are and more will as time passes and the pressures of career and family start letting up. Many of the DAV National Officers are post-911 veterans as are most of our National Service Officers and that also makes a big difference.
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PO1 Kenneth Cardwell
DAV is worthless! They have not responded in over a year even after I became a member!
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CWO2 John Markiewicz
PO1 Kenneth Cardwell - Sounds like you had a bad experience, have you tried a different DAV Chapter? I know that my Chapter runs a Service Office five days a week to help with claims and appeals. We serve some 100+ Veterans per month at two different locations and we do not require they be members, though we will ask them to join, but membership does not mean they get any preference in servicing of their claims or appeals. What are you expecting them to contact/respond to you about? If they assisted you with a claim, you will hear something before they will and new claims take about a year, sometimes longer. Since you would be the first to hear from the VA, even though the DAV assisted you with your claim, you would be the one who needs to contact them when you get any response from the VA rather than expect them to contact you. Our Chapter Service Officers are disabled veterans themselves and are volunteers, they receive no compensation and are not always available because of their own disabilities and illnesses. I would encourage you to contact the DAV Chapter nearest you or another Chapter if you are not satisfied with the one you are affiliated and explain what you are looking for and your expectations.
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Most current members of VSO's don't understand the needs of today's veterans - the ones from Afghanistan and the Gulf Wars (dare I say "The War on Terror"?). And there is going to be a surge in their numbers as the Administration downsizes the military. They need help transitioning to civilian life. They need education. They need jobs. When I talk to fellow members of the VFW and AL, they complain that they "tried" to reach out to them but all the young vets want are beer, chicks, and jobs. It seems there's a disconnect there, doesn't it? It seems to me that the first step is to establish lines of communication. We created a "hipper" version of our website, including a "phone friendly" mobile version to begin the process http://www.vfw6024.org and m.vfw6024.org The next step will be to poll young vets to get their opinions. Then we can build programs to better serve them
Landing page for vfw6204.org
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They actually are and their success stories are printed about every month in the AL and VFW journals.
Example:
http://www.legion.org/magazine/229263/green-river-gamble
Example:
http://www.legion.org/magazine/229263/green-river-gamble
A group of post-9/11 veterans set out to create a Legion post for a new generation, and it’s paying off.
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