Full Story: indianapublicme... Forget the image that comes to mind when you think about the American Legion Hall or VFW. Leaders say that perception problem is hurting its membership and posts are being forced to close their doors.
In 1992 when I discharged I went to join VFW and I got static from the WWII vets. They considered Desert Storm a "joke". Yes, I heard them say that verbatim. So I went to American Legion and it was ok but I never seen the benefit of membership for myself or the community so I haven't been associated with any vet organization since that time.
I joined VFW in 1967. The WWII and Korean Vets told me that Vietnam was a joke even though I'd served there. When my one year membership expired I didn't renew and never came back.
If they want to attract us younger veterans they need to change their ways. Most of us younger guys don’t wan to hang out at a bar after work. We want to be with our families.
Agreed. I am in my 40s with pre teens. All of my time is with my kids. My parents generation (Vietnam) Would hang out at bars after work and never play with their kids.
I was in the legion for four years, each year I asked "What have we done for any Veteran this year". Each year there was silence. VSO [ Veteran's Service organization ] means veterans serving others, not service *FOR* Veterans. Usually the most they do is have a VA "service officer". These people are trained and certified by the VA, so guess where their loyalty lies???
4 years? At least you gave it a healthy try. So tell me, were you bitching at them all 4 years or were you involved and doing things as well. And how many activities for Veterans did you lead yourself? It is easier to blame others for problems and harder to come up with Solutions. In the future, I hope you will think more about Solutions and less about Complaining.
@@kevinerose Since you seem to think you need to know, I was at every meeting, did honor guard at funerals and sold like $800 of their raffle tickets every time we set up. That's per setup and we did like 12 setups for each raffle. Guess it's easier to chop someone down instead of thinking openly about their post huh??? I hope you think more about the post than judging some one you don't even know.
@@georgeandrews2839 Well, what were the ideas you had to help the Veterans that the group shot down? Maybe they just didn't have any ideas how to help the Veterans either.
I am a vet and joint my local post. They beg you to become an officer. Then when I became an officer, I quickly seen the 3 or 4 Boomers who keep the 3 officer positions locked down for decades, ( finance in particular) and none of the red decisions made and acted upon were VOTED on by officers, I got sick of wasting my time being ignored. I also got tired of doing Honor Guard and flag raising for a local community that uses vets as props and to self validate their virtue signaling while voting to destroy all we cherish and represent, and vote to neglect our needs. I am sick of it. The Legion will not see my membership renewal because they do not deserve it by default alone.
I do not plan to renew my membership. I responded to a mailing and became a member. figured I would get involved and start helping other Vets. Little did I know that the mailing was for a post in Germany. post 1982 . Really? So the Legion is allowing a Post in Germany (1982) to recruit in the States? I have been invited to attend the new membership welcome meeting at this post. lol.. Ya kinda shady. Stuff like this pushes us away. another reason, there really is nothing beneficial for honorable vets who are not disabled other then supporting those who are. discounts do not really mean much when retail pumps the price up in order to protect profit margins.
Russ, I don't know about a Post in Germany recruiting in the States, but VFW Post 1982 is in New Iberia, Louisana! If you go on-line to VFW.org, you are joining as a member at large, you can do that and find a post that you like and transfer into it, or just be a member at large. Check out what the VFW REALLY stands for. I encourage you to go to vfw.org and look at all the positives. By the way, the Veterans of Foreign Wars actually had MEMBERSHIP GROWTH this past year (July 1 through June 30, 2019) WE are focused on "Next Generation Veterans" and being active in our community. The image of a bunch of old guys sitting around drinking beer, smoking and telling "war stories" is long gone! Currently VFW Posts are working with local middle schools for Patriot's Pen Essay Competition, Voice of Democracy, Audio Scholarship program ($30,00 National Scholarship as well as many others), there are many, many other programs, but check it out, we do a lot more than what you think.
Russ, so you are mad at the Legion because you signed up for something you didn't know what it was. I sure hope you don't open up any of your emails. You would be surprised how many African Princes need to have access to your checking account in order to send you a wealth of money.
I was the former commander of the VFW here in Jasper Texas and they're really weren't any women at all and I think one of the things that we as a society could probably improve in is kind of blending our ages together you know different ages coming together we're doing great with different ethnicities and we're doing great with me as far as men and women to some degree you know cuz in the military of course women are used to working with men and but I think it's important to remember that the the really the the emphasis would have to be on the the mature people inviting the younger people because we do come from different backgrounds as far as military experience I mean when I raise my right hand to join the military I remember thinking it's been so long since we've been at War most likely we won't I won't see War I mean that's just in my mind cuz it had been a long time and I joined right before September 11th I joined in February and here we are you know my whole time we were at War and so you just don't ever know so actually it's a it's important to remember that you know you when you're in the military you train for war whether you're in war or not but I was in war and I had to be by the nature of the fact I was in the in the military
