What has been your experience with VFW posts in your area?

PO3 Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:26:36 -0500

Recently VFW Posts have been in the spotlight. Unfortunately not good. The topic was brought up on our Posts FB page regarding young Veterans and recruitment. I just want to put a feeler out there and gather your thoughts and opinions because I would like to take the information back and discuss what I've gathered with my Post. Thank you!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 1 at 2014 2:29 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:29:17 -0500

I personally have not joined one.

The reason I have not is because I do not drink. I have been a guest at several and always get a weird look when I decline a beer. I do think that they can be an important civic/veterans group. Right now, more than ever, Vets need more support.

Response by SSG Valentine Smith made Dec 3 at 2014 2:46 PM

SSG Valentine Smith — Wed, 03 Dec 2014 14:46:00 -0500

I haven't joined a post but I have been to several events and enjoyed them. For me it was the age gap that kept me from joining. It may be specific to my area but it seems like it's just Vietnam vets that are all at least 40 years older than me.

Unlike SFC Kendrick I didn't feel pressured to drink or that I'd have felt out of place if I chose not to. That said I enjoyed having a few beers and swapping stories about some of the more ridiculous aspects of military life. Whether it a WWII vet or a Vietnam vet I talk to it seems like the military's always been obsessed with things being sparklingly clean.

As for recruitment I'd say having a FB page is a step in the right direction. You have to show younger vets how the VFW is relevant to their lives. Maybe look for some local events where you could have an informational table manned by your Post's younger members explaining what the VFW can do for them? I'd join a post if I knew there were going to be at least some people in my generation there.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 4 at 2014 11:44 AM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 11:44:17 -0500

My experience with my local VFW post has been positive. I am an annual member of VFW Post 3619 in DeRidder, LA. It has engaged and active leadership that works hard to be involved in supporting the local community. Without this critical part, people might think that it is just a bunch of old vets drinking and smoking in the canteen. However, this Post really does try hard to foster commraderie and actively supports the Fort Polk community. I encourage all Fort Polk area service members and veterans to stop by, talk to the leadership and see what a positive organization it is. If you are active duty military and would like a drink, the first beer is free!

Response by CPO Pete Pringle made Dec 4 at 2014 12:25 PM

CPO Pete Pringle — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 12:25:52 -0500

I am a life member of VFW Post 2666 in Hillsboro, OR. Our post is actively reaching out to and recruiting members of the recent wars to get the 'younger Vets' involved. VFW needs the new blood Vets to get involved and stay involved so the voices of this newest generation of Veterans can be heard. There was a huge gap of time where service members did not qualify for membership to VFW. That gap was pretty much from the end of Vietnam until Iraq/Afghanistan. Each VFW Post is what you make of it! Every eligible Veteran should join and let their voice be heard!

Response by Sgt Paul Howe made Dec 4 at 2014 10:25 PM

Sgt Paul Howe — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 22:25:41 -0500

I can see the VFW and Legion kissing up to new blood so they can both survive. My dad was WWII and I was brought up around American Legion, VFW and 40 & 8. So, when I discharged from the Air Force in the 70's, I ran right down to join both, just like my dad. The VFW and Legion were no different than the general public spitting on us telling me Vietnam wasn't a war, get lost.

Response by SGT Thomas Lucken made Feb 21 at 2015 10:27 AM

SGT Thomas Lucken — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 10:27:54 -0500

My Post is on the Up and Up! We are very involved, not only in our little town but the surrounding County area!

We take part in military rites, parades, and other events requiring color guards!

We are in a new building, not only does it support the Post but the community. In 2 months, we have had 3 non-VFW events already in it!

Our membership and officers variety in ages! Our youngest Officer is 26, the oldest will be 80 in a week! Our Quartermaster is a young lady, the only female in our Post at the moment! Respect goes to all, don't care what war you served in, not held against anyone!

It is what the members do as a Post! I take on as Commander in June, will be my 2nd time around and I am 52. First time as Commander, I was 36.

https://www.facebook.com/VfwPost9770

VFW Post 9770

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Feb 21 at 2015 10:42 AM

SFC Collin McMillion — Sat, 21 Feb 2015 10:42:50 -0500

I'm sorry to say, but I used to belong to the VFW, but it really got bad where I was, just became a lot of old drunks sitting around doing nothing about anything, but talking and we all know, talk is cheap.

Response by Sgt Kate Ross made Feb 22 at 2015 10:49 PM

Sgt Kate Ross — Sun, 22 Feb 2015 22:49:53 -0500

When I first got out way back in 1992 I approached the VFW in my hometown. I was told I'd need to join the women's auxiliary because I'd be more comfortable there. I argued I wasn't the spouse of a military member, but a veteran in my own right. It didn't matter. For that VFW it was women's auxiliary or nothing. I decided on nothing. Needless to say, I've never approached another VFW.

Response by SSG Leonard Johnson made Feb 24 at 2015 4:34 PM

SSG Leonard Johnson — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 16:34:37 -0500

Co spring security ..post 3917 is awesome....good food, beer, friends, outreach.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2015 5:57 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 17:57:26 -0500

I recently checked out my local post in Castro Valley, CA. I've attended the last two meetings, and where they seem to be semi productive I think the atmosphere may drive the current and recent generations away.

Meetings are just conducted in an almost parliamentary fashion and I don't think it's something a lot of vets want to do in their spare time.

It's not like the younger generation is retired and bored. We have to make time for the VFW and when it's not something you WANT to fit into your already busy schedule membership will suffer and diminish.

I'd really like to be involved in what can be a time of resurrection for he VFW. But the existing old timers make it difficult to want to belong.

Those hats! Those damn piss cutters/cunt covers! Update to operator caps or something. Just sayin

Response by SPC Allison Joy Cumming made Jun 18 at 2015 9:07 PM

SPC Allison Joy Cumming — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 21:07:27 -0400

PO3 Crystal Kinsman, the VFW has had a reputation for just being a "bar" in every town. Many VFW members and most civilians still believe that to be true. In fact the VFW represents much more than a local hangout for veterans. The VFW works tirelessly as most veteran service organizations do to advocate for active duty members, veterans and family members of both. Active duty members can not advocate for themselves due to the contract signed upon being sworn in. Therefore the number of members on the VFW roles represents the amount of influence the VFW has when advocating/testifying before Congress. We also share a common bond among members that can not be found in the civilian population called comradeship or peer support. The VFW contributes to non-veteran communities that strive to support patriotism, be it student scholarships for patriotic essays, teachers awards for teaching patriotism, first responder awards for actions above and beyond the call of duty, JROTC and ROTC awards, Scout awards and recognition of Eagle Scout achievement, just to name a few. Most notable is our commitment to assist all veterans in filing claims with the VA for disability compensation.

There are so many layers to the work the VFW does at the Post, District, Department, and National levels; State and National Legislative arenas; the National Children's Home; grants for soldiers, families or veterans recently back home; free calls for deployed soldiers to family members; again just to name a few.

All this aside, it is a challenge to engage and recruit recent conflict veterans. I feel some of it has to do with change, not all comrades enjoy change, some comrades were not welcomed home ( Vietnam veterans ) or even welcomed into the VFW, or the fact that the many recent conflict veterans are looking for something different from the VFW. Change is usually met with resistance, in the Department of MA VFW we are working hard to embrace change that is within our Congressional By-Laws. We also strive to welcome current conflict comrades and maintain an environment veterans of all generations will enjoy and welcome.

Joy Cumming

Response by SFC Randall Beat made Jun 25 at 2015 1:52 PM

SFC Randall Beat — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 13:52:47 -0400

Hello "Brothers and Sisters in Arms",

I apologize now this will likely be a long post.

VSOs in general have a uphill battle against the current culture of our nation. VSOs were largely founded on an all but gone community culture that many veterans of previous conflict/wars shared. This is the reason most VSOs need to make changes to accommodate younger veterans, the old ways need to change with the culture.

Before I joined my local VFW almost 2 years ago, I did some research on the current status of VSOs and how they were fairing in the current national culture. What I found very quickly is that most if not all VSOs were shrinking in overall membership and many post were closing due to low membership and low activity.

I’ll give you a brief background about me to show you my prospective. I served 18 years US Army – Medical Discharged for lower back injury in the line of duty, 30% disability rating from VA, BA in Business Admin. – Marketing, MA in Business and Organizational Security Management.
I moved from Southern California to North Idaho in April of 2013. During that long drive I made a decision to be part of the community I live in rather than just live in the community. I decided months later to join the VFW in my community. So I looked up the nearest post and found via the website when there post meeting were. So I show up and as soon as I walk in the door, everyone in the room turns and looks at me. One of the members asked “Are you a member?” I replied “not yet”. I quickly got a reply “you cannot come in; this is a members only meeting”. I turned and left the room, a membered followed me out and gave me quick explanation why I was not allowed to attend and that he did not have time to see to making me a member right now. There were only about 10 members in the room and only one of them was below the age of 50. I came back on another day and paid my dues and became a “card carrying member”. From there I attend most of the VFW functions and quickly became a “pain in the arse” to many of the older members, with my new ideas and spitfire attitude.
Looking back I understand that many posts will come off with the good ol’ boy attitude, but sticking with it will often times overcome that built in culture. I also found that when I gave an idea that I needed to back it up with action and reap the respect from its success. Over the last 19 months, I have been given enough rope to hang myself and instead used that rope to make a bridge between the post and our community. Here are some of the new things our post has done in the last 18 months and the out comes from those events:
Hosted a Game convention in alliance with our local Game store
60 people attended and the event made the front page of the paper.

The post made over $18,000 dollars in donations and donated over $18,000 to veterans in our community. There were no 30% costs or administration fees put on this money. Every dime we were donated went back to the veterans in our community.
We supported Women Warrior Retreat and recruited several female veterans.
We planned and will hold our first Veteran Family Retreat this weekend, in hopes of making it an annual event.
From these events and activities I have learned that activity breeds activity. The older the average age of a post is the more difficult it will be to stay activity in the community. So recruiting members is and will always be the life blood of VSOs. If you are not getting new “younger” members, your post is effectively dying a slow death. As you all know many posts have a bar that at one point in time with the “best watering hole in town”. That watering hole is now all dried up! The younger veterans that would be considered the market for VSOs are in the stage of their life that they have kids and jobs, alcohol though legal is not the preferred method of building loyalty with a veteran family. In my opinion the posts that perpetuation the stereo typical of veterans wasting their days away drinking and smoking at the “Watering hole” is doing more damage to VSOs than anything else. VSOs must be active in their community or they will waste away.
Some of the ways a post can be active in its community are: providing a Veteran Family Retreat, putting on a month Family movie night, have a weekly coffee and donut (free) where all veterans are welcome. This is just a few ways to move in the right direction, I’m sure there are many more. I would enjoy hearing about them.
Since joining the VFW, I have been placed/voted into several positions: Post Jr Vice, Post Sr Vice, District QM and District Chief Recruiter, I also attended the state conventions, I decided to focus on my community rather than focus on trying to move up the chairs in district. As many of you know VSOs are a bureaucracy and that means “Red Tape” and paper work. After holding the positions, I understand the need for the paper work. My goal is to change my community’s view of the VFW and provide for the veterans in my community. VSOs are a community based organization and that being said they add value to their community or they will go away.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy post and if you are in need of direction when it comes to a VSO please feel free to contact me.

Response by CPL Ted Eaton made Jun 25 at 2015 2:34 PM

CPL Ted Eaton — Thu, 25 Jun 2015 14:34:07 -0400

I have been a member for 65 years. I have been active all of those years serving in some office or chairmanship. The do-er group is getting smaller and others are burned out. We need new members who are interested in helping the younger vets coming in from deployed services, to adjust to civilian life again. Our National programs are designed to do this, however, we need new young members to carry this out. We need younger members who are willing to step into leadership
Cpl Ted Eaton, VFW Post 2104, North Andover MA.