Keeping the VFW relevant.

Al S said:

There's a line when tradition and modernization meet. What do you think today's veterans are looking for?

http://www.stripes.com/beyond-the-canteens-vfw-knows-it-needs-to-change-to-stay-relevant-1.359215

Personally, as a member of the VFW I think a lot needs to change. They're making steps in the right direction but IMO it's not happening fast enough.

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I am a 100% disabled vet. In the last two years after the Phoenix VA boondoggle the VA I go to has gotten so much worse. The workers are so scared they will be fired. The service has become very poor, and the wait for travel pay reimbursement that once happened the day you went to the VA now takes about two weeks. I have been treated with disrespect and like a person on welfare. That just is rotten for all vets, but even more so for us who lives with our pain and health problems the rest of our life.

Every President should have been in the service. Obama is a coward! You can not lead from behind. But he is doing his best to help the Muslims, and prove he is not a Christian.

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Aryeh Jay said:

I joined the VFW as soon as I retired in 2013. If I did not have parents and grandparents that talked about Korea and Vietnam, I would have ben lost during all the war stories. I was the youngest guy there and was told several times that my wars were nothing and not important. I left after one month. It seems that these Korean and Vietnam veterans that were belittled from the WW1 and WW2 vets about their “non-wars” finely had a chance to unload on some young stupid kid.

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THIS. I did 20 years and retired in 2012. I joined the VFW and went to one meeting. It was the same thing. A bunch of old guys making me feel like I did nothing during my career. I never went back. I don't know why any newly retired or separated vets want to PAY to be a member of an organization that treats them like garbage...or that they didn't do anything. Yeah, you old guys fought in combat; you risked your life. I highly respect that, and you can complain and gripe all you want. You've earned it; But don't direct it at other veterans.

I thought about joining the American Legion here, they are really trying to get me to join but I hear all they do is sit around and complain about politics. Not to mention, I'm 100% disabled and I got a feeling they aren't going to respect that since I am in my 40s. I overheard one guy at the diner saying they needed to get more younger veterans in there to work and sorry, but I'm just burnt out. The bureaucracy and politics in the Air Force just got so bad that I couldn't wait to retire. I honestly didn't want to join an organization that reminded me of that. That's why I can't bring myself to go to an actual meeting. I'll give the AL my money online to support their programs, but that's it. I'm not paying to listen to griping and complaining.

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Young vets need their own organization relative to their needs as well as older vets that feel what these organizations bring isn't good enough. I am a life member of the VA but find I don't really care for the organization, and their service officers at the VA are largely useless, I am rated 100% but on my first visit I was told if I wasn't injured by enemy fire, forget it. I have had my dad there as well he has multiple myeloma from the burn pits (we were stationed with 1000 feet of each other in Iraq, several years apart) and they say it's too hard of a fight, they only wanna take a slam dunk. Same stuff happened to my grandfather who was a German pow for 3 years he died because he couldn't afford his medication for high bp and heart disease both of which became presumptive for all former pows just after he died, when he was alive it was too hard of a fight.

aieyiamfu said:

Young vets need their own organization relative to their needs as well as older vets that feel what these organizations bring isn't good enough. I am a life member of the VA but find I don't really care for the organization, and their service officers at the VA are largely useless, I am rated 100% but on my first visit I was told if I wasn't injured by enemy fire, forget it. I have had my dad there as well he has multiple myeloma from the burn pits (we were stationed with 1000 feet of each other in Iraq, several years apart) and they say it's too hard of a fight, they only wanna take a slam dunk. Same stuff happened to my grandfather who was a German pow for 3 years he died because he couldn't afford his medication for high bp and heart disease both of which became presumptive for all former pows just after he died, when he was alive it was too hard of a fight.

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I am unfamiliar with the service organization "VA" I do belong to the DAV and it has real short comings. I was helped by the American Legion one time when I was seriously ill and needed help, and they did help me a lot.

I too amd 1005 plus considered home bound. At my age I use the Choice program as I live 94 miles from the nearest VA hospital. the choice program allows me to see any doctor I want as long as they accept the Choice program. I am blessed abundantly because my dear wife is my care giver. Without her I would have passed on a long time ago. The VA would have me going every week if I were not selective about which doctor I wanted to go to. I have a PCP which is good, but I have run into a very few doctors especially in the ER that were less than what I consider worth going to see.

Yes the VA has issues, but a person must learn how to navigate the system or a body will not get the help it needs. I would not rely on any Service Organization connected with the VA for much help. They are mainly paper pushers to help those whose health has gotten worse to get increases in benefits.

best of Gods help for you.