American Legion changing membership requirements

[Rick 67]

https://www.legion.org/dispatch/246188/help-get-legion-act-passed

I know a lot of veteran's organizations are having trouble keeping the membership numbers up.

Here locally our post is about to close down do to lack of participation. The 4 or 5 of us are burned

out trying to keep it going. We are barely able to pay the bills which means we have no or little $$$

left over to perform our mission of helping vets and the local community. Just 2 days ago we got a message

from the district Commander asking if we would be interested in merging with another local post which just

may save us from closing.

I like the idea of including all vets into the ranks.

I think for a lot of the younger guys getting out now it's just not their thing of they have newer groups that are

specific to their service. Whatever the issue is it is sad to see. The veteran service organizations can be

a big help to veteran's and their families and do a lot of charity work for homeless vets.

 

[normiss 622]

I hate seeing the trouble your post has suffered.

Which location will get the post? Where is the other location?

[Rick 67]

18 hours ago, normiss said:

I hate seeing the trouble your post has suffered.

Which location will get the post? Where is the other location?

Oviedo will move to our post since we have the huge building and bar.

[RonD1120 58]

The AL would benefit from an affordable lifetime membership instead of a yearly fee, IMO.

[rifleman 61]

Here in the UK the Royal British Legion had similar problems with dropping membership numbers. They got around it by creating two types of membership, full membership (for all veterans - regular, reserve or emergency services) and associate membership (for anyone who wished to support the aims of the RBL but who had not served). Both groups pay the same membership, roughly £18 p.a. and work to fundraise for the RBL particularly around November in the run up to Remembrance Sunday.