Posted on Mar 25, 2015
Local Veteran-Friendly Establishments Need Us
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When I first left active-duty Marine Corps back in 1993, I walked away from a close-knit family and brotherhood that I had grown accustomed to over the years. I had gotten engaged and moved in with someone I fell in love with, and within a few years, our first child came along. My life was busy and exciting, but I never stopped missing what the Corps provided.
This was back in 1993, before the Internet was well known and established. People had AOL and CompuServe, and the really cool kids were using bulletin board systems for years, but it still wasn't all that great at bringing post-military-service people together.
After a few years, I looked into organizations like the Marine Corps League, the VFW, American Legion, and even the Masons. I was looking to capture what I had before, but I quickly realized that there weren't many younger people my age. After a few meetings, I just wasn't feeling it and I walked away.
When social media became a thing, and Facebook started to dominate the market, I discovered several groups dedicated to the Marine Corps. I felt connected again, and I was IN it. Discussing topics that mattered to military-oriented people - it was a powerful new way to connect, and I found myself constantly drawn to those communities. If I could get this much personal satisfaction talking with my brothers and sisters online, imagine how much better it would be face-to-face at a Legion, or VFW, or some other military-friendly establishment?
I ended up returning to the local Legion, but this time, I had a renewed outlook on the importance of these places. I wanted to get involved for the networking possibilities, the healing factors, and of course, to help reinvigorate these clubs who are seeing their numbers dwindle.
If you are a younger veteran or active duty serviceperson, please look up information on your local American Legion or VFW, and pay them a visit. Get a beer, buy a good meal, and shoot the breeze with WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan war veterans. It is worth it. It makes a difference.
As you look around each day, seeing the news or reading the paper, it is no surprise to see a nation torn apart. We have lost our way, and the soul of this country was sold off long ago. It feels like we are circling the drain. If we could all just come together, united under our love of country and service to protect our nation's citizens, I believe we would be better off. Better off as individuals, as veterans, as a local community, and as a nation.
I live in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and have been making regular visits to several local American Legions for over 3 years now. I am 44 years old now, and sadly, I am often the 'younger' face in the crowd. I hope and pray that more people my age, but especially those younger than me, will reconsider the Legion and give it another shot.
The Legion needs us. We need each other.
This was back in 1993, before the Internet was well known and established. People had AOL and CompuServe, and the really cool kids were using bulletin board systems for years, but it still wasn't all that great at bringing post-military-service people together.
After a few years, I looked into organizations like the Marine Corps League, the VFW, American Legion, and even the Masons. I was looking to capture what I had before, but I quickly realized that there weren't many younger people my age. After a few meetings, I just wasn't feeling it and I walked away.
When social media became a thing, and Facebook started to dominate the market, I discovered several groups dedicated to the Marine Corps. I felt connected again, and I was IN it. Discussing topics that mattered to military-oriented people - it was a powerful new way to connect, and I found myself constantly drawn to those communities. If I could get this much personal satisfaction talking with my brothers and sisters online, imagine how much better it would be face-to-face at a Legion, or VFW, or some other military-friendly establishment?
I ended up returning to the local Legion, but this time, I had a renewed outlook on the importance of these places. I wanted to get involved for the networking possibilities, the healing factors, and of course, to help reinvigorate these clubs who are seeing their numbers dwindle.
If you are a younger veteran or active duty serviceperson, please look up information on your local American Legion or VFW, and pay them a visit. Get a beer, buy a good meal, and shoot the breeze with WWII, Korean, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan war veterans. It is worth it. It makes a difference.
As you look around each day, seeing the news or reading the paper, it is no surprise to see a nation torn apart. We have lost our way, and the soul of this country was sold off long ago. It feels like we are circling the drain. If we could all just come together, united under our love of country and service to protect our nation's citizens, I believe we would be better off. Better off as individuals, as veterans, as a local community, and as a nation.
I live in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and have been making regular visits to several local American Legions for over 3 years now. I am 44 years old now, and sadly, I am often the 'younger' face in the crowd. I hope and pray that more people my age, but especially those younger than me, will reconsider the Legion and give it another shot.
The Legion needs us. We need each other.
The American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Command Post
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
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I'm glad you are all sharing your stories and experiences.
I promise you this... I plan on printing out our responses and will PERSONALLY deliver a copy to everyone VFW and Legion in my area. I will ask that their officers discuss the results at their meeting and STRONGLY consider what they are reading.
Smoking issues, snobby regulars, exclusivity, veterans treating other veterans like crap, etc.
THEY NEED TO HEAR THIS.
Once this discussion 'cooks' for awhile, I'd ask that some of you consider doing the same. Print the discussions, mail or hand deliver it to your local legions, and ask them to take a hard look at themselves.
Is it worth the effort? YOUR effort? I personally believe it is. Why? Our young men and women are returning from horrible wars with mental and physical scars. THEY NEED SAFE PLACES TO ASSEMBLE AND FEEL WANTED, CARED FOR, and NEEDED.
There are far too many suicides among returning veterans. They feel lost.
VFWs and Legions were meant to be SAFE ZONES for our veterans. For those who are not living up to this, we need to RUB THEIR FRIGGING NOSES IN IT. PERIOD.
And I'm all about getting in faces.
I promise you this... I plan on printing out our responses and will PERSONALLY deliver a copy to everyone VFW and Legion in my area. I will ask that their officers discuss the results at their meeting and STRONGLY consider what they are reading.
Smoking issues, snobby regulars, exclusivity, veterans treating other veterans like crap, etc.
THEY NEED TO HEAR THIS.
Once this discussion 'cooks' for awhile, I'd ask that some of you consider doing the same. Print the discussions, mail or hand deliver it to your local legions, and ask them to take a hard look at themselves.
Is it worth the effort? YOUR effort? I personally believe it is. Why? Our young men and women are returning from horrible wars with mental and physical scars. THEY NEED SAFE PLACES TO ASSEMBLE AND FEEL WANTED, CARED FOR, and NEEDED.
There are far too many suicides among returning veterans. They feel lost.
VFWs and Legions were meant to be SAFE ZONES for our veterans. For those who are not living up to this, we need to RUB THEIR FRIGGING NOSES IN IT. PERIOD.
And I'm all about getting in faces.
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SGT (Join to see)
God bless you CPL Pearson. That's a great idea. Around here they have a lot of family functions like Friday night dinners. My wife will never go back. The food smelled like cigarettes, and there were too many drunks and loudmouths. I once went to the VFW with a question about my wife's CHAMP VA expiring because her five years was approaching. I explained what I needed answered but he didn't know. This was the grand poopaw over that VFW. He suggested I go to the VA and see a vet representative. I already knew that. I was trying to save me a trip to Houston to get the necessary paperwork. This was 0800 and he smelled like a brewery already.
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I responded to this topic before. Vietnam vets were not welcome to join the VFW, American Legion, or any other association related to vets. I realize it's been 50 years and the mentality has changed. I don't belong to any of those groups now because I don't drink very much and I can't stand to be around cigarette smoke. The older members now are probably Vietnan vets. I just can't take that smoking.
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Cpl Anthony Pearson
SGT (Join to see) There are some Legions and VFWs that are smoke-free.
I don't drink much either, hardly ever. I do love the prices, though. Simple comfort foods, cheap soda and beer, and the hope of meeting veterans and making new friends.
I don't drink much either, hardly ever. I do love the prices, though. Simple comfort foods, cheap soda and beer, and the hope of meeting veterans and making new friends.
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CPT Jack Durish
To be honest, my experience is different because I live in California. When people ask why I live on the left coast among the ideologues, I must admit that it's tempting to clear out. What with the taxes and lunatic politics, it's often hard to take. Then there's the weather. There's also the smoke free environment.
Before I retired I traveled on business, a lot. When I returned home, my wife would have my bathrobe hanging in the garage. I'd leave my suitcase there and strip naked, then race in the bathrobe to the shower to wash away the cigarette smoke.
Then there were the gas fumes. If I stayed in a location long enough to refill the tank on the rental car, I'd stand away from the fill pipe. In California, a gas pumps have nozzles that capture the gas fumes while its pumping.
Yeah, Californians are tough to take, but they have gotten some things right (Get it? Right.)
Before I retired I traveled on business, a lot. When I returned home, my wife would have my bathrobe hanging in the garage. I'd leave my suitcase there and strip naked, then race in the bathrobe to the shower to wash away the cigarette smoke.
Then there were the gas fumes. If I stayed in a location long enough to refill the tank on the rental car, I'd stand away from the fill pipe. In California, a gas pumps have nozzles that capture the gas fumes while its pumping.
Yeah, Californians are tough to take, but they have gotten some things right (Get it? Right.)
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SGM Erik Marquez
SGT (Join to see)
Not old enough to have experienced the shame of Americans allowed and perpetrated upon returning Vietnam Vets.. Â
But the rest of your points ring true,
Smoke filled rooms, drink till you puke, then drink some more, then drive home.
I want to be as far away from that mentality and behavior as I can.Â
I'm forced to deal with it when I teach at a VFW location....
Though I admit, only the smoking is really an issue at this one location we use, and the members are friendly ...no issues there.
I guess for me.... VFW's hold no draw not just because of the stereotypical behaviors mentioned above, but I really have no desire to sit around and swap stories about "Back in the day" Â I'm too interested in making new stories.. for when the day comes I can't make any more. Â
Not old enough to have experienced the shame of Americans allowed and perpetrated upon returning Vietnam Vets.. Â
But the rest of your points ring true,
Smoke filled rooms, drink till you puke, then drink some more, then drive home.
I want to be as far away from that mentality and behavior as I can.Â
I'm forced to deal with it when I teach at a VFW location....
Though I admit, only the smoking is really an issue at this one location we use, and the members are friendly ...no issues there.
I guess for me.... VFW's hold no draw not just because of the stereotypical behaviors mentioned above, but I really have no desire to sit around and swap stories about "Back in the day" Â I'm too interested in making new stories.. for when the day comes I can't make any more. Â
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SGT (Join to see)
Besides the smells I'm not real keen on talking to strangers, even vets. I don't like telling stories and I don't like hearing them. Having severe PTSD and depression, I don't need to think back in the life events. It's always there but I do try hard to keep a handle on it. I find I'm much more relaxed and happier that way.
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I joined the legion here to support a program they were running. It was great. Then i went to my first meeting, and they trotted these young men on stage talking about these are our Boys State / Nation candidates. I asked where the young girls were, Oops. They looked at me like i just pissed on their boots. How is it 2015 and programs like this are still locked into boys only. Next they brought out their Eagle Scout Scholarship winner to present him with an award, again i asked where the girl scout award was, again i must have pissed on their boots. No such program exists. So i told them i would not be back until they at least made a program for the young women in our country equal to the programs of the young men. One that my daughter could join. I keep getting the renewal notices, but their chauvinistic policies are still in place. So until the VSO's support fully the women of our nation, like they do the men, i will not step a foot into one, after all they need us to stay alive, we can live without them.
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SGT (Join to see)
I hope you do, And i hope it is received and taken into consideration, but as i have personally emailed all the way to our regional director with nary a response, it is my opinion that they don't care if 1 veteran has that issue, cause they can just suck up the other ones. Its like telling Burger King you wont be back. They don't care.
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MSG Tim Gray
They might not care, and that's ok with me, why would we want to be a part of that mindset? Most of us are better than they are. My wife, who before we met was enlisted and suffered a TBI, which resulted in her being an apileptic for life. She isn't eligible to be a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Get real, she has more, well you know what I want to say. I'm sure there are good posts, as well as some awesome people in these organizations. But I'll never be a part of something that only wants my wife to show up as an auxillary member and cook or take out the trash! Never, only after she receives an apology and is welcomed with full member benefits for her sacrifices.
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