Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Dwindling Membership is Hurting VFW Posts (Opinions from veterans wanted)
WKRC ^ | 11/11 5:13 pm | WKRC

Posted on 11/14/2011 6:13:24 AM PST by TSgt

Even as more troops return home from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, local VFW posts do not expect a boost in membership. That lack of interest could hurt those posts financially.

Chuck Hangbers with Post 7670 in Hamilton says unfortunately, returning service men and women tend to shy away from VFW posts. Hangbers says the younger people tend to move on when they return home. He says they focus on getting their lives together. That is leading to fewer members-only about three or four new members a year.

At 7670, Hangbers says there may be forty to sixty people a day---back in the 1980's there may have been up to 80 members a day. Fewer numbers also means fewer dollars to support them. As a result, Hangbers says posts have to cut corners at the canteen where members come in to eat and drink.

Not only is the membership dwindling, he says the economy is preventing members from spending as much money as they used to.

While a dwindling membership and a dragging economy are hurting the post, Hangbers says the post can continue its tradition of providing holiday food baskets to families in need.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: vfw
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-104 next last
To: foxfield
Thank you for your service.
You too 'bro. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
Semper Fi..
81 posted on 11/14/2011 10:18:27 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 36 | View Replies]

To: Terry Mross
However, I still look up to those old men and women from WWII.
Me too ... mostly. I do have a gripe about the Honor Flight program where WWII vets get to fly to DC for free to see the WWII Memorial.
I don't begrudge their trip, but what I don't like is how they and their families exclaim how this was just soooooo VERY important to the vet that they finally got to go.
My point is that if it was sooooo VERY important, why didn't your family fly or drive you there in 2004 when it opened?
82 posted on 11/14/2011 10:26:08 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 46 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

While I am a veteran and served during the Panama excursion and Desert Shield/Storm, I wasn’t sent into either of those combat zones. So it doesn’t bother me that my veteran status didn’t include actual combat and makes me inelligible for the VFW. The American Legion has tried to get me to sign up. But I have a lot on my plate as it is and don’t see any real benefit of joining at this time.


83 posted on 11/14/2011 10:34:07 AM PST by Godzilla (3/7/77)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

We visited Sea World in San Antonio this Summner, and the Shamu show had all the Veterans in the audience stand up to be recognized...This is a regular thing they do at each performance IIRC, and I was reluctant till I got a poke in the ribs by my wife, and I was standing up an older gentleman about two rows down from us got up about as slowly as I did, and before we all sat down I went down to shake his hand and help him back into his seat...

He looked up at me and realized I was stnding up behind him and you could see the joy in his eyes as we recognized each other in only the way we can...

I had a hard time consentrating and really enjoying the show after that because I was very moved by that man...

I wish my wife hadn’t had such a boney elbow!!! ;-)


84 posted on 11/14/2011 10:35:21 AM PST by stevie_d_64 (I'm jus' sayin')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: HamiltonJay
The best times I ever had in that place though was every year when they had a New Years Day stag.

For an unbeleivably low ticket price, you got all the beer you wanted, and every kind of stinky and great food imaginable. Most of the food was the kind you never got to eat because there was no way in hell your wife would ever make it, and the rest of the food was the kind you would eat every day if you could.

Plus, they had over a dozen TV's brought in for that day, so that every college football bowl game was on a different TV.

That was probably the only event they had where I honestly looked forward to going.

85 posted on 11/14/2011 10:45:03 AM PST by libs_kma (When I see anyone with an Obama 2012 bumper sticker, I recognize them as a threat to the gene pool)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 43 | View Replies]

To: momtothree

Yes, many of them have seen declining membership. Take a look at this news article.

Masons, other service groups fight membership declines
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-31-masons31_ST_N.htm

With the various economic and social order shifts and breakdowns that have taken place over the last 50 years I’m not surprised to see this.

Once family goes on the decline so does the rest of a nation.


86 posted on 11/14/2011 10:45:08 AM PST by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine

Brilliant research, Jack Hydrazine! That is what I had suspected. When I was a kid, a lot of the men in the neighborhood belonged to something. It was the K of C, Rotary, VFW... something. I don’t know any of the men in our neighborhood now that belong to a group or organization like the ones mentioned in the article. In our entire neighborhood, there is one Dad that is a Scout leader... that’s it.


87 posted on 11/14/2011 10:50:22 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 86 | View Replies]

To: oh8eleven

Does the government fly Viet Nam vets to D.C. to see their memorial?


88 posted on 11/14/2011 11:06:01 AM PST by Terry Mross (We need an opposition party. I will only vote for a second party.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 82 | View Replies]

To: momtothree

When men are playing the role of women as moms where are they going to find the time to be involved in organizations that are male-oriented/dominated? Plus, those organizations become the target of the Feminists who demand they be allowed in or be dis-banded.


89 posted on 11/14/2011 11:11:59 AM PST by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 87 | View Replies]

To: mainevet
Do your drinking at home. Safer and cheaper.

The FRA did have a good bar on the Honch in Yokosuka.

Regarding the VFW, I was a member for one year. Didn't find it worth renewing.

90 posted on 11/14/2011 11:14:52 AM PST by GATOR NAVY ("The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -Dennis Prager)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Terry Mross
My understanding is Honor Fight runs on donations.
The WWII vets get to go free - anyone who goes with them, including guides and volunteers, have to pay their own way.

91 posted on 11/14/2011 11:19:31 AM PST by oh8eleven (RVN '67-'68)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 88 | View Replies]

To: Broker

????


92 posted on 11/14/2011 11:24:08 AM PST by dangerdoc (see post #6)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Jack Hydrazine

What’s funny is I am the one always telling my husband that he should go fishing or to a football game with his friends. He declines. With rotating shifts, business trips... he said he enjoys whatever time he has at home. Plus... I feed him super well. LOL! I think with both husband and wife working full time... the amount of leisure time is super limited. To be honest, I don’t know how they do it. If both don’t chip in, divide the duties and conquer them... it just doesn’t get done. Personally... I wouldn’t care to join such organizations. Just not my cup of tea. It is too bad that Feminists can’t simply see that men who meet together isn’t a slam against women. No different than a group of women meeting for dinner. It isn’t a slam against men. Silly, isn’t it?!


93 posted on 11/14/2011 11:55:54 AM PST by momtothree
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 89 | View Replies]

To: momtothree

I think one of the reasons men used to go to hang out with the guys at the VFW halls and such is to get away from those wives whom they couldn’t stand to be around too much but really couldn’t divorce them since divorce back in the old days was rather taboo.

But if the men have great women taking care of them why would they want to go anywhere else?


94 posted on 11/14/2011 12:00:10 PM PST by Jack Hydrazine (It's the end of the world as we know it and I feel fine!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 93 | View Replies]

To: GATOR NAVY

Branch 46 in Honolulu was nice I must admit. :-)

My wife and I won our first microwave oven in a VFW raffle at the VFW Club in Dover, Ohio in 1980. Her mother entered her. We sold it to my wife’s sister after about a week or so.


95 posted on 11/14/2011 1:50:58 PM PST by mainevet (Get an M1911 or two or three or four)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: GATOR NAVY

Nice profile page, brother. You a snipe?


96 posted on 11/14/2011 2:10:02 PM PST by mainevet (Get an M1911 or two or three or four)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 90 | View Replies]

To: DJlaysitup

LOL! I’ve heard the same thing from others. The only guys I’ve ever known that were members were old guys that liked to drink(a lot)and smoke.


97 posted on 11/14/2011 2:50:14 PM PST by Scotsman will be Free (11C - Indirect fire, infantry - High angle hell - We will bring you, FIRE)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: TSgt

I had belonged to the Legion but never in the VFW until a few years ago. VFW has the biggest building but membership keeps going down. Leading is work and no one has that time. Newsletters are vital but non-existent. This goes for other organizations also. People don’t want to join. Only children’s organizations prosper ‘for the children’ works.


98 posted on 11/14/2011 3:23:47 PM PST by ex-snook ("above all things, truth beareth away the victory")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ex-snook
The VFW is taking a beating on this post by many that don't know what they are talking about.

Just last year my post has:
1. Participated with Samsung (matched 1/2 by our post) 4 - $20,000 scholarships to children of vets.
2. Contributed $250 each to 8 boyscout troops.
3. Built 6 baseball dugouts for youth baseball.

We have done so much more but it would be boring for most with the bad attitudes here.

Last Friday night I had a rifle and we had a 21 gun salute and (God forbid) a prayer meeting for 23 of our own vets that just passed last year from our Legion alone.

Proud of the VFW here in Pennsylvania.

99 posted on 11/14/2011 5:19:39 PM PST by AGreatPer (Obama has NEVER given a speech where he did not lie!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: mainevet

No, QM.


100 posted on 11/15/2011 11:30:03 AM PST by GATOR NAVY ("The bigger the government, the smaller the citizen." -Dennis Prager)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 96 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-104 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson