What do you look for in a Veterans' organization? Do the VFW or American Legion meet your demands?

2014-10-20T15:22:37-04:00

This article (http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/19/younger-veterans-bypass-vfw-american-legion-for-se/?page=1) claims that GWOT Veterans are bypassing the traditional Veterans' organizations and opting for volunteerism- or fitness-oriented groups. It says we are gravitating to modern organizations, but doesn't provide any numbers or other support.

I am not a VFW or AL member. What do VFW or AL members think should bring young Veterans to their groups? What demands or needs of yours are not met by traditional Veterans' groups?

Younger veterans bypass VFW, American Legion for service, fitness groups

Kate Hoit served eight years in the Army Reserves, including a tour in Iraq, but when she tried to join her local Veterans of Foreign Wars chapter, someone asked whether she needed an application for military spouses instead.

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 7 at 2014 1:38 AM

2014-11-07T01:38:32-05:00

I talked to the VFW about this. The majority of them arre Vietnam vets now. They said that they went through the same thing with the WWII vets when they got home from Vietnam. The walls are decorated with articles that are unknown or not relatable to today's vets. Today's vets are extremely social media saavy. The VFW is not known for being in touch with today's technological advances. Adapt and Evolve or pay the penalty. RallyPoint is more fitting for today's veterans instead of the VFW.

Response by CW2 Joseph Evans made Nov 7 at 2014 2:35 AM

2014-11-07T02:35:38-05:00

Give it time. Many of us once out, or at least I do it, distance ourselves in the process of trying to get back into the civilian side. We'll eventually regroup because of our histories and it may even be at the VFW and the AL, but right now just isn't the time.
The VFW and AL are already established nonprofits, that alone will make re-inventing them at the right time, far more easy than creating new ones.

Response by SPC Allison Joy Cumming made Mar 11 at 2015 3:06 PM

2015-03-11T15:06:08-04:00

I am a member of the VFW, DAV and Legion. I work for the VFW, Dept. of MA. I have seen a wide spectrum of solutions and failures. The truth is without younger generation veterans the organizations will slowly loose one of their main strength, numbers. Congress listens to numbers, point blank.

Any of you who are members, unless your family was already involved, I bet it took you ten years give or take to join. I personally fell into a VFW by accident. I joined after a year of going and visiting. I didn't want to join something I didn't have time to commit to. Once I was in I loved the comradeship and learning how the organization worked. Then again I didn't have a family or kids.

I feel in order to attract newer generation conflict veterans we need to offer something of interest to them. It may be different in the north, south, east or west as well as urban vs. rural. Just keep trying until something "clicks". The VFW has partnered with the SVA (Student Veterans of America). We have taken student veterans to a Celtics game, or hockey games, invited them to meet at our post. You have to be creative.

The one sentence that an organization that wants to attract young members must NEVER us is "that's the way we always did it". How about we do it this way because .... show us the reason and we may just understand and be able to work a out compromise. One thing you don't want to do is alienate your pre Gulf War members. Vietnam veterans have been alienated enough.

Response by SSG Gene Carroll SR. made Nov 13 at 2015 2:29 PM

2015-11-13T14:29:33-05:00

Sounds right, they did the same to we Vietnam vets, because they called it a conflict not a war, Now I belong to the VFW, DAV, Veterans Blind, all life membership, was in the American Legion, But drop out of that one.