After last week's VA posts, a long time reader who is in the veteran's advocacy game sent me a note:
Of course, the large number of field grade officers here at Fort Leavenworth impacts that. The tendency around here is to join MOAA, the Military Officers Association of America, and AUSA, the Association of the United States Army, both organizations I'm *not* a member of. I'm in the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and American Legion. And there's the Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) and National Guard Associations, too, all competing for segments of our overall population. Our Legion post locally is suffering in membership because, among other things like the competition, the smaller end-strength of the armed forces means there are fewer guys and gals available. Plus, there is a generational cliquishness, too, which the Vietnam-era guys, I think, have done the most to overcome, adopting as they have the newest generation of combat vets to try to ensure that the newbies don't get treated like the Vietnam guys did. I think they've made a difference. The Patriot Guard Riders certainly have, and the Gathering of Eagles folks.
There is also a tendency amongst vets to group by their wars, as a result of that "shared" experience thing. But I think the biggest difference is the professionalization of the force. We don't have the mass of draftees who served two years and got ouit. Now guys and gals serve for longer periods of time, and there are so many competing organizations out there.
But Hunter is right - dues are what pay for the Veteran's Service Officers that provide the help for veterans dealing with the VA and other social agencies.
Dues pay for the lobbying staff of the big organizations.
And that means they're going to have to recruit - and adapt. IAVA, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is an example of "by experience" grouping - and they've got a younger face, much slicker web presence and are from the current war. The older organizations are going to have to work hard to recruit and keep the younger guys, and part of that is adapting better to the web and to the broader culture. There's been movement along those lines, especially I think by the VFW, in updating their web presence and trying to make their website more relevant and useful. The American Legion has made strides in that regard, but I think the VFW is ahead of the game.
So, what do you currently serving types have to say on the issue?
I know that around here, this holds true: "Current service members are not joining these organizations in large numbers, either. How is it being presented to them? Do they see a small bunch of WWII vets playing cards? Does the local post only appear on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July Parade, or Armistice Day? How do we present the representational force that is part of our organizations' missions?John,
I enjoyed, as always, your bringing to the table the entire contents of the health care correspondences that you have received. Some of them were very enlightening, some were just normal CBO housekeeping.
This might be a great time to forward the proposition that joining and/or renewing memberships in the various veteran's organizations is a powerful way to be heard. There is strength in unity, as we can well tell.
The largest problem that I can see is that, as the economy starts to tank, some current or past members may see saving a forty dollar renewal as being a major annual savings. Forty dollars versus a combined voice for veterans...what gets saved in the longer term?
Current service members are not joining these organizations in large numbers, either. How is it being presented to them? Do they see a small bunch of WWII vets playing cards? Does the local post only appear on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July Parade, or Armistice Day? How do we present the representational force that is part of our organizations' missions?
As background, I am an officer at our local American Legion Post here in Alaska. I am responsible for recruitment and membership. This year, I have gotten very little positive response from renewing members. Most of them are active duty Coast Guard who have transferred out without leaving us a forwarding address, but still...we're losing that key 5 - 10 year member crowd with no justification. Continuous membership is a key argument when lobbying for better veterans care. We should at least look like we care, right?
Selah,
Hunter
Of course, the large number of field grade officers here at Fort Leavenworth impacts that. The tendency around here is to join MOAA, the Military Officers Association of America, and AUSA, the Association of the United States Army, both organizations I'm *not* a member of. I'm in the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and American Legion. And there's the Non-Commissioned Officers Association (NCOA) and National Guard Associations, too, all competing for segments of our overall population. Our Legion post locally is suffering in membership because, among other things like the competition, the smaller end-strength of the armed forces means there are fewer guys and gals available. Plus, there is a generational cliquishness, too, which the Vietnam-era guys, I think, have done the most to overcome, adopting as they have the newest generation of combat vets to try to ensure that the newbies don't get treated like the Vietnam guys did. I think they've made a difference. The Patriot Guard Riders certainly have, and the Gathering of Eagles folks.
There is also a tendency amongst vets to group by their wars, as a result of that "shared" experience thing. But I think the biggest difference is the professionalization of the force. We don't have the mass of draftees who served two years and got ouit. Now guys and gals serve for longer periods of time, and there are so many competing organizations out there.
But Hunter is right - dues are what pay for the Veteran's Service Officers that provide the help for veterans dealing with the VA and other social agencies.
Dues pay for the lobbying staff of the big organizations.
And that means they're going to have to recruit - and adapt. IAVA, the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America is an example of "by experience" grouping - and they've got a younger face, much slicker web presence and are from the current war. The older organizations are going to have to work hard to recruit and keep the younger guys, and part of that is adapting better to the web and to the broader culture. There's been movement along those lines, especially I think by the VFW, in updating their web presence and trying to make their website more relevant and useful. The American Legion has made strides in that regard, but I think the VFW is ahead of the game.
So, what do you currently serving types have to say on the issue?
That's the same sort of thing with the Legion post in my neck of the woods. They put out a sad-sack looking color guard for Memorial Day and July 4th. They wear all the froo froo uniform stuff that makes them look like, well, I dunno... blue bush hats, bloused blue pants, white ascots and gloves, sunglasses, all sorts of shoulder cords, etc. It'd be less conspicuous if they could learn to march in cadence.. sigh. Anyway, a few years back they volunteered to be the firing party at a member's funeral. These guys didn't even bother to clean their old springfields. One of them jammed trying to chamber a blank round, and only 3 of them went off when the command to fire was given.
This group's most prized thing is the fact that they own their own building, with a bar that runs all hours. Between the tobacco smoke and the alcohol smell, it's not too nice a place to be. Every now and then they throw some money at a charity. Beyond that, I just can't find a reason to join.
I joined the DAV, and purchased a Life Membership. Best choice I ever made aroiund here.
But there is a real PR problem with the Legion up here. Most veterans my age and especially younger, won't go near them. You go to a meeting and it's all about complaining, griping, and hurry up with it so we can move back to the bar. You go into the bar for a drink, and all you get is bitching about how easy the younger veterans have it, why any soldier would get a tattoo, and that's if any of the older guys will even talk to you. Tes indeed they play cards, and cribbage, but it's always in the cliques. Never an invite for someone else to play. The only time they'll court you is when they want money for dues or for this or that. Afterwards it goes back to the same ol, same ol.
Sorry if that's too much of a rant, but that's the view here amongst a lot of us of the Legion guys.
Of course, I'm also interested in success stories!
some closely local past emeritus muckyety muck jumped into the fray regarding Gold Star Mothers membership rqmnts that excluded non-citizens. he was in a rage because there was a mother who had lost her son and couldn't join, ignoring the facts that said mother (my condolences to her on her loss) had been a resident alien for nigh on 20 years and never became a citizen and had never actually applied for membership; and also ignoring the fact that his own organization had the exact same membership rqmnt. he just wouldn't shut up until he had brow beaten the Gold Star Mothers into accepting the membership application.
i'm actually solidly behind the citizenship rqmnt, but that one hypocritical weasel just turned me off the whole prospect of joining such (and its a shame, because the VFW guys in my town are a nice bunch of dudes).
Mike,
I also know some really nice folks who are in the American Legion, and who want very badly to turn the local post around and be a bigger part of the community, but the ones who have been running it has so alienated folks that most all the younger veterans won't join. It'll take quite awhile, and quite a bit of actul change for me or anyone else I know to reconsider membership in that post.
First time I've commented.
Had joined three vet organizations... DAV, VFW and American Legion.
Have given up on all three.
Local DAV members pretty much ignored me at meetings ( I was the lone Viet Nam vet). At the VFW post, every time I went all I ever found was a bunch of white guys getting drunk and telling racial jokes. The American Legion was a repeat of my DAV experience. So, I pay my dues to NAUS and get to skip going to meetings.
The DAV folks, at the state level, DID help me in securing my VA benefits.
I do thank them for that. It's not their fault that the local chapter seems self-absorbed.
I am a life member, so maybe I should try again.
We live in the St Louis Metro area, where we only have Scott JFB (Used to be AFB but recently changed I believe). Scott has quite a few servicemembers, and just as many civil service (aka retired military), with more coming in all the time with the BRAC realignmnet that has SDDC moving here. We have 2 local VFW & American Legions where we live. I know next to nothing about the Troy locations, but I have had some interaction with the Collinsville chapter of the American Legion. Mostly through fundraisers for the local high school programs and lately for Fisher House that's being built at Jefferson Barracks.
I'm trying to get DH involved, and maybe after this last trip to Iraq, he'll stay home and join.
So, some of the membership issues may have nothing to do with the organizations themselves. It could be nothing more than a false sense that in order to go back, or join as the case may be, the civilian realm there has to be a break from all things military.
Then there are the other organizations, like AUSA, NGUS, MOAA, NCOA, etc, that while they may or may not have local presence, do offer services and lobbying power at the national level.