The VFW’s advocacy and service efforts
are making an impact on America’s newest generation of war veterans and they
want in on the action. Just this past weekend, thirty young veterans were sworn
in as the newest members of Post 2940 in Buffalo, N.Y.
In recent years, the VFW has led many battles
for justice on behalf of America’s newest generation of veterans. Most
recently, the VFW has taken aim at ensuring resource and prevention programs
for military suicide, improved health programs specifically for women veterans
and increased funding for research and treatment for those suffering with
Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. And, just last week,
VFW proved to be the driving force behind military Tuition Assistance
reinstatement – a program that had been cut due to sequestration.
This group of ambitious New York veterans
wants to bring the first-hand experiences of having served in the wars in Iraq
and Afghanistan to an organization known for its ability to achieve results in
obtaining justice for all veterans of all wars. Many of these newly installed
members are already poised to take on leadership positions within the VFW.
Advocating for their fellow service
members will be nothing new to the group. Each of them is a member of Student
Veterans of America (SVA), an organization dedicated to the higher education of
military veterans.
Though younger veterans may not be as
familiar with the VFW as veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam, that is steadily
changing as the organization continues to increase its outreach efforts and
enact many legislative changes that have a direct impact on those who’ve served
in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Today, approximately 15 percent of all
veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who are eligible for VFW membership have in
fact joined. Veterans of these theatres make up about 10 percent of overall
membership. Percentage-wise, this is a larger market share than any previous
war.