American Legion and VFW posts work to keep doors open.
The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have been impacted by declining memberships and are making efforts to connect with new veterans. The American Legion reportedly has about two million members in more than 13,000 posts worldwide. There are 285 posts in Massachusetts with 30,000 members in nine districts. As veterans from World War II, Korea, and Vietnam pass away, the veterans’ groups are facing difficulty in handling increasing building-upkeep costs.
Statistics from the Department of Veterans Affairs show the largest population of veterans in the U.S. are the 7.8 million Gulf War-era veterans, which exceeded the 5.9 million Vietnam veterans in 2016. In 2019, President Trump signed the Legion Act which adjusted the designated war eras criteria so that more veterans could join.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Secretary McDonough as he heads the Veterans Affairs Department.
- For VA officials as they facilitate and provide care for U.S. military veterans.
- For the leaders of the veterans’ support groups as they seek to increase membership.
Sources: Military.com, MassLive
