Recruiting

[Guest]

[IJK3770]

    Here is a link to a VA site that you can download an xls file and find your state/county and the veterans residing in your county and the projected veterans in your count from 2001 to 2030.  http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/page.cfm?pg=15  If that link does not work try this one: http://www1.va.gov/vetdata/docs/VetPop2007_110th_CD_Web.xls  It takes a few minutes to download but it is very interesting.
    My county shows just over 1900 veterans in 2001 but the numbers drop steadily over the years until 2030 it is projected that there will be only a few over 900.  With that kind of a drop in veterans where are we going to do our recruiting.  We must do a better job of serving the mission of the VFW and getting the word out.  Gone are the days of just having a place to gather and tell stories instead we as posts must get more involved in the communities in a positive manner.
Cheerily
IJK

[ZAP44]

Interesting.  The VA data for Maine shows we lose about 2,000 veterans per year.  The 144,000 population in 2007 will shrink to 94,000 by 2036.  It would be nice if the VFW owned up to the fact the pool of veterans is shrinking and is contributing to our membership decline and stopped blaming the membership for failing to recruit.

[DoggyDaddy]

How many carry a VFW Membership Application in their wallet? 
I do and today we recruited an Iraq/Afgan USMC Vet while at the local
county airport tipping beers at the bar and watchin football. 
He overheard me and some other buddies discussing the Post Honor
Guard and upcoming Veterans Day activities, and asked about us.
I expect he will join the honor guard too.  One of the guys got
his phone number and e-mail address to follow-up.

[Loadtoad]

It would be nice if the VFW owned up to the fact the pool of veterans is shrinking and is contributing to our membership decline and stopped blaming the membership for failing to recruit.

Sorry Zap but I do not at all agree with this.  I have sat in at the membership seminar while at the Orlando national convention a couple years ago.  National does recognize and take seriously the number of members we are losing on an annual basis.  Most of these members are answering the final call.  Absolutely this does affect the number of eligible.  Does national blame us directly for declining rolls.  I don't think so. 

What I do think is most alarming to them is the number of people that are going out the back door.  These are the people that sign up for one or two years and never renew their memberships again.  These are the OIF/OEF vets that we sign up and don't take care of once we have them on the rolls.  It is a problem in most posts across the country.  I plead with all of you that may read this post to make it a point to engage these people, follow up on them, and show them the value of membership.

Membership is going to decline for years to  come and there is nothing we can do to prevent it.  It is our responibility to lessen it's impact by recruiting the few that are left and more importantly, keeping the ones we already have.  Good luck to you all with this one.

[Jerry P3150]

How do you answer this question from eligible Veterans when recruiting?

 "What's in it for me?"‏

[IJK3770]

Jerry P1350,
    When I am asked that question I just quietly walk away.  Neither I nor the VFW needs that kind of member.  When we have to beg and bow and scrape to get them to join they are worthless to us anyway. 
Just my 2 cents
Cheerily
IJK

[Loadtoad]

I have a suggestion for those who ask "whats in it for me".  Why not steer them towards the idea that they can personally make a difference in the life of a fellow vet, or a vets family.  Why not explain that they themselves will be taken care of in their time of need through the post relief fund.  Why not explain the different discounted insurance programs and other discounts afforded to those with VFW memberships.  Why not explain that they will be able to keep up to date on vets issues in congress.  Why not explain how there membership can help our Political Action Committee fight to protect the benefits we currently have and gain additional ones as well.

It seems to me that those who pass on potential members who ask "whats in it for me" are really missing the boat.  Those who do not try are destine to fail.  I also feel that it is wrong to assume that someone that asks this question is not worthy of membership.  If a person proves that their own benifit is their primary goal, well that is a problem.  I would suggest that you give people the benefit of the doubt and at least give them the opportunity to do the right thing.  Turning away people on a suspicion such as this is bad for business and certainly does nothing to help the organization as a whole.

[ZAP44]

Chris you don’t agree because you heard it at a membership seminar?  Sorry I missed it.  Maybe this type of information should be on the VFW website somewhere so all of us can read it.  IJK was as shocked when he looked at his county VA data…as was I when I looked at mine.  I think as quartermasters we should have known.  All I’ve heard from my department is get that 100% and when that becomes impossible the post and officers are almost ostracized.  They don’t say well we know it’s getting harder because there aren’t as many vets.  I heard someone from national saying on TV the membership needs to get off their ass and recruit.  That is the general attitude of my department.  Unfortunately I can’t remember who it was but somebody else might be able to add to this.  I agree OIF/OEF vets join in record numbers and many leave just as quickly.  But seriously they are low in numbers compared to Vietnam.  It’s all different.  We have 34K in Afghanistan and 113K in Iraq.  That is only 147000 and it’s an all volunteer force and many of those have made 6 or 7 deployments.  There is no new forces to replace those that have already been there once.  Now at the height of Vietnam there were 550000 in county and many were drafted and did their tour and got out and new recruits were drafted to replace them.

BTW Dept Iowa lost 52,000 veterans in the past 9 years to a total today of 240,317 and that is expected to drop to 146,900 by the year 2030. 

 Veterans Demographics
Projected U.S. Veterans Population: 23,442,000
Projected Number of Living WW II Veterans (as of 9/30/2008): 2,583,000
Number of WW II Veterans Pass Away Per Day: 900
Percentage of Veteran Population 65 or Older: 39.4%

[Loadtoad]

I am sorry that your Dept is leaving you out to dry over this membership thing.  I have come to the realization that there is little we can do except wait.  It is unfortunate that they take this stance.  I do not harp on posts that do not make 100 percent.  I know all to well that this decline is going to continue weather we like it or not.  However, I insist that all curent members do what they can to stop the bleeding.  No point in making things worse.  I do wish that national shared their veiwpoint regarding this subject more openly.  Perhaps to understand the situation better will make all of us think about what is truely important. 

[ZAP44]

Thanks Chris.  I totally agree we must recruit where we can.  I lose 9 pickup 1…I’m in the woods we can’t replace all we are losing so why beat on us.  I would like to see us plan this shrinkage instead of having it just devour us.  Like which posts in Dept of Iowa have you selected as those that your Department will not allow to fail?  Any plans of District consolidation?  Things like that so everyone can plan ahead.   I don’t see any of that happening in Maine.   They just worry about memstats and getting 100%.

BTW Dept Iowa lost 52,000 veterans in the past 9 years to a total today of 240,317 and that is expected to drop to 146,900 by the year 2030.

[IJK3770]

I have a suggestion for those who ask "whats in it for me".  Why not steer them towards the idea that they can personally make a difference in the life of a fellow vet, or a vets family.  Why not explain that they themselves will be taken care of in their time of need through the post relief fund.  Why not explain the different discounted insurance programs and other discounts afforded to those with VFW memberships.  Why not explain that they will be able to keep up to date on vets issues in congress.  Why not explain how there membership can help our Political Action Committee fight to protect the benefits we currently have and gain additional ones as well.

It seems to me that those who pass on potential members who ask "whats in it for me" are really missing the boat.  Those who do not try are destine to fail.  I also feel that it is wrong to assume that someone that asks this question is not worthy of membership.  If a person proves that their own benifit is their primary goal, well that is a problem.  I would suggest that you give people the benefit of the doubt and at least give them the opportunity to do the right thing.  Turning away people on a suspicion such as this is bad for business and certainly does nothing to help the organization as a whole.

You are absolutely right.  Sometimes I guess I get discouraged and get to feeling negative.  Have to remember to think more positive.
Cheerily
IJK

[11bInfantry]

Hey guys,
I am in Iraq right now and I am interested  in joining The VFW when I get back. Is there any thing you can tell me or how I go about joining?

[IJK3770]

11bInfantry,
     Here is a link that will take you straight to the site to join online.  http://www.joinvfw.org/
You can find the post near your home that you wish to join at the site. Thank you for your service and welcome to the VFW.
Cheerily
IJK

[GWoody]

YES I CAN . I will send email with info. greg

[11bInfantry]

I have heard from friends that were deployed before me come back and join the VFW near them that the members there didn't accept him because he was young and wasn't in Vietnam or WW2 is that an isolated incident or is that an across the board thing.
Thanks Greg I would appreciate an E-Mail