A Dying Breed
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Thread: A Dying Breed

  1. #1

    A Dying Breed

    I served proudly from 1984 to 1988 and shortly after my discharge I had to privilage of joining two of the greatests organizations serving our veterans, the American Legion and The Veterans of Foreign Wars.

    Sadly, as the years have passed, I've noticed the membership dropping drastically, since the last time either one of the organizations had any large flux of membership was after the Viet Nam War, and I wonder, what will be the future for these organizations?, Why aren't more of the younger vets joining them? and What would it take to get this younger veterans to join organizations that will benefit those who are still serving with honor?

    I would love to get some feedback from my fellow vets as to why they haven't joined, and what feedback can I give my post that would help attract the younger vets to join.

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  2. #2
    There's another OUTSTANDING organization out there.........the Marine Corps League. Have you considered joining? We are always looking for new members to join.


    Detachments located in California......
    http://www.mcleague.com/mdp/index.ph...DepartmentID=6


    Mission of the Marine Corps League
    http://www.mcleague.com/mdp/index.ph...display&ceid=1


  3. #3
    Thanks for the heads up. I will definately look into it.


  4. #4
    The type of job I have I've done a lot of traveling in the US and have noticed a lot of the VFWs have gone public just so that they can keep thier doors open. It's a shame but the memberships are fading.


  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by prcuffs View Post
    Thanks for the heads up. I will definately look into it.
    You're welcome!
    Leatherneck has a Marine Corps League forum, so if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.


    http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/fo...e-Corps-League


  6. #6
    I agree with you. All of these organizations have a huge impact on the future of our service men and women. With PTSD starting to surface its ugly head once again, I find it heartbreaking to think that some of these fine veterans may not have the resources later on to help them rehabilitate properly. SEMPER FI is a motto that we all live since bootcamp. I wish we could take it one more step and join these organizations so we can give those who fought for us today a better chance to fight that which hurts them now.


  7. #7
    I'm a member of the VFW, mostly so I can walk down the street and have a few beers without paying an arm and a leg.


  8. #8
    Life Member of the VFW and I do not drink anything stronger than green tea.


  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Old Marine View Post
    Life Member of the VFW and I do not drink anything stronger than green tea.
    I'm a Life Member also. CUE, I know what you mean...lol.


  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by rhclark View Post
    The type of job I have I've done a lot of traveling in the US and have noticed a lot of the VFWs have gone public just so that they can keep thier doors open. It's a shame but the memberships are fading.
    I agree with you. Unfortunately, most of the members are from WWII, Korea and Viet Nam and each day the ranks keep getting thinner and thinner. I really hope that the new generation of vets begin to join. No one is going to help out our vets other than us (vets). We owe it to these kids to make sure they have a body that stands up for them and their well being in the future.


  11. #11
    Well after Nam neither one of them seemed to want to have anything to do with us calling us losers. Not actually facing the fact that we DID NOT lose in VietNam but the politicians gave it away and ham strung us as to wjhat we coould do. Now that they need money they are ready to let Viet vets join.


  12. #12
    I served from 1967 to 1978 on active duty. I then served from 1984 to 1994 in the Army National Guard. I came out of the inactive reserves in 2004 and retired at 59 in 2008. The only times I was approached to join any organizations was on Okinawa on my way home from Vietnam. All they wanted was our money. It was obvious to me so I didn't fill out the paperwork. Then after I retired for the first time in 1994 I began getting various mailings from the VFW and American Legion. When I returned from Iraq in 2006, I was again hit by a sales pitch upon my return. Since then I have received some mailings from the American Legion and had one personal request from my mailman to join the VFW.

    Joining is great for some people and not so great for others...

    1. Cost...some just can't afford the membership dues in this economy. When you don't have any to spare, $20, $30, or $40 is a lot of money.

    2. Time...Most people are scheduling "other activities around work times and often there is a conflict between the two. With soccer, baseball, football, martial arts lessons, etc..some parents just don't have the time to put a "military club" in their schedules. It's a different time from years ago. You have to choose your priorities.

    3. Most of the time, in my experience, the membership is involved in service activities. They are always doing something for the community. I joined the local MCL for a while when they were first organizing. This was located 45+ miles from where I live. After they got enough members, they started their activities. It didn't make sense for me to drive into another county, into another city, and then do service activities for people I did not live with or were associated with in any way. For example, why should I help the "old folks" home 50 miles from here when the "old folks" home here could use my services? So I quit. I explained my thoughts to the organization and no one tried to stop me. They understood.

    4. Social stigma - The only local organization for me is the VFW and the only reason most join is that they have a wet bar in a dry county. They struggle to get people to take a leadership position. As a local school teacher, it would not look good for me to be hanging out at a bar in the evenings in a small town and then teaching the kids during the day. It doesn't matter if I drank or not, just the idea of me walking through the doors is enough to create a wave of negativity in the community. Believe it or not, it can become grounds for dismissal. Funny how in a different job and in a different community, joining might be the social ladder to get you "in". Most people who are concerned about moving "up the ladder" will usually join the Lions or some other organization that has some "power and prestige" in their community. Military organizations are not in that category and given time constraints, they will join the Lions over the MCL.

    Our society has changed and the war over who gets our time is getting harder and harder to fight. We of the older generation remember a more relaxed time when people actually sat on the front porch and talked to people walking by...today everyone is driving and not talking, the pace is faster. There are so many activities for the kids and moms and dads have to take them everywhere. Even in my semi-retirement, I have lots to do and given the choice, I have opted out of military organizations. Maybe after I go into full retirement I might have the time to give ... maybe...if I have the energy left.


  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by ridingcrops View Post
    Well after Nam neither one of them seemed to want to have anything to do with us calling us losers. Not actually facing the fact that we DID NOT lose in VietNam but the politicians gave it away and ham strung us as to wjhat we coould do. Now that they need money they are ready to let Viet vets join.
    Point well made Gunny Hardy. Times are indeed hard, and money is absolutely tight, but it is my very humble opinion that if we allow these organizations to go away, then the one who will suffer will not be "us" the older vets, but the new kids getting out with service connected illnesses and injuries. I just wish we could do more for these kids....


  14. #14
    I have seen some of the things that the League has and is during. However, I have found it hard to get into the Marine Corps League and a few of the guys have told me to go a unit in Newark, NJ reason being it was a black unit. I shouldn't have to travel to do so...


  15. #15
    Quote Originally Posted by Ray Harvey View Post
    I have seen some of the things that the League has and is during. However, I have found it hard to get into the Marine Corps League and a few of the guys have told me to go a unit in Newark, NJ reason being it was a black unit. I shouldn't have to travel to do so...
    You might find out the same thing I did. I was very disappointed being a member in a unit that did not do service work for my community. Traveling too far away is a bummer. It just seemed like a waste of time.

    It shouldn't become a race issue. I thought any former active duty Marine could join. Why the problem. If there is a race issue, contact the League Hq and lodge a complain. Everyone is green in the Crotch.


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