VFW Chapters Struggling in the Newest Generation.
Vice President Dick Cheney addresses the 107th National Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S., Monday, August 28, 2006, in Reno, Nevada. (Credit: David Bohrer)
My grandfather was a World War II veteran who served in Europe, primarily in Italy but I think he also ended up doing some fighting in Germany as well.
Some of my earliest memories of him involve family get-togethers at my grandparents house and his eventual but regular announcement: “Well, I’m going down to the VFW for a while. I’ll see ya’ll later.”
The local Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) post was an important place for my granddad to have some fun and connect with other war veterans. No one, no matter how supportive, could quite know what it was like for them and what they went through over there.
Thanks to the Lord’s grace and mercy, I served my 10 years in the military mostly during the Cold War and never ended up in a combat theater. Even so, I know how important it can be to connect with other military members who have shared some of your experiences and walked some of the same ground you have. How much more so for those veterans who have faced combat together?
But according to a report from Newsmax, interest in VFW participation is down among the latest generation of combat veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq. Membership rolls are diminishing at local VFW chapters across the country, with the nation’s biggest pool of veterans–the World War II generation–dying at something like 900 a day.
The VFW is stepping up and working on new ways to reach and recruit new members from a new generation of America’s defenders.
From Newsmax:
As the nation once again honors those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country, the Veterans of Foreign Wars is struggling to recruit a new generation of warriors returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Newsmax.TV’s Kathleen Walter takes a look at what VFW members are doing to ensure the organization survives for decades to come.
If you know a veteran of a foreign war, thank him or her today for their service to our country. And maybe suggest they consider joining the VFW if they aren’t already a member.
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