Posted on Feb 6, 2015
SPC Mark Beard
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I have watched my post go down in membership the older members are passing away !!! I know there is a big time factor with Brothers and sisters serving and out plus some do not have the money for membership what are your thoughts
Posted in these groups: Amerlegion color emblem The American LegionB815f09 Outreach
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Responses: 12
CSM Michael J. Uhlig
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Something we do is invite the local chapters to our redeployment ceremonies. Great discussion and thanks for sharing the challenges faced. We have partner units also with some of the organizations as well. Seems to keep us in tune a little better than most.
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CPT Financial Advisor
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SPC Beard, a few years ago I bought a condo in Coral Gables, Florida that was two blocks North of American Legion Post 98. My work was directly across Salzedo ST from that post. I went there a few times because my father is a member of the American Legion and urged me to check it out. Unfortunately, as some of these other commentators have said, it is mainly older men. No one greeted me when I walked in and walked around which seemed strange because I certainly stood out. Not only was a significantly younger guy, but I am also a very pale, tall white male in the middle of the greater Miami area. I always stood out.

I've read through all the other comments and the things other posters have said that resonate with me are PO2 Morehouse's statements that there are no pressing needs or desires to join the organization. I agree with that completely, but at the same time my father has explained to me that if my generation continues to stay disjunct organizationally and politically then Congress is going to walk all over SMs and Veterans. That's my only real drive to join at this point.

I also agree with what both SSG Garza and PO2 Crowder wrote in their comments. WiFi won't hurt your post and neither will things that make families and children comfortable.

Ultimately though, you will get people with your organizational purpose. Most people don't know why the American Legion exists in the first place. If the cause is worthy then veterans will be more likely to support it.
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PO2 Christopher Morehouse
PO2 Christopher Morehouse
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CPT (Join to see), you are quite right, they need active members to bolster their ranks in order to stay relevant on the Hill. But, this can be achieved without the old organizational model of local posts with dens full of old salts who vary in their reception of new members and vary in the ways they provide social services. The Internet has proven time and again that it can mobilize large amounts of people in very short times, even those who are not necessarily active in that topic. As you say, they will get more people by advertising their organizational purpose, but they will also have a greater impact if they know how to retain their voting power in times when their lobbying efforts do not need to be as vigorous because Veterans are enjoying widespread recognition. The articles that SSG (Join to see) provided all say that posts have a large number of members as a whole, but minimal active members. I imagine many are like the few posters on here that say they support the organization, but just don't like their local post. I believe that by centralizing their membership more, jettisoning the old approach of lots of local physical chapters that are burning revenue by maintaining facilities, and uniting them with social media, they will be able to utilize their members better and can provide a much more quantifiable display of their voter power.
Just my $0.02.
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