In some areas, dwindling VFW membership forcing posts to merge

The men of Streamwood's Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5151 love HBO's World War II-era miniseries "The Pacific" for the thrilling and painful memories they relive when they watch.

They gather at their post and discuss it, sometimes over a game of cards or pinochle.

But that round-table discussion and story swapping may fade into the past if their VFW post does not soon attract new members.

"We want young people to be family members with us," said Fred Hossfeld, chairman of Post 5151's new activities planning committee, created to attract veterans of more recent wars including Iraq and Afghanistan. "I know there's so many families out there with kids serving in the war, and 5151 is open to them. They served overseas, they did their job and we want them."

Hossfeld recently wrote a letter to the national VFW in Washington, D.C., suggesting local VFWs join forces with the American Legion and AMVETS. His post has 206 registered members, though post commander Robert Mattson estimates about 40 regularly come to meetings.

What's happening to Streamwood's VFW post is not unusual, because local post commanders say soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan simply aren't joining the VFW at rates to keep many local chapters going. A few years ago, Buffalo Grove's VFW Post merged with Arlington Heights' VFW Post 981 when membership began to decline. High rent and lack of money led them to sell their building a few years ago, so they now meet at Wheeling's AMVETS building.

While membership and financial woes have prompted some VFW posts to merge with their neighboring groups, other local VFW posts remain strong and, statewide, VFW membership is increasing. More than 2,000 members have been added this year, according to Illinois VFW records, even though many posts are selling off or shuttering their buildings due to financial problems.

In their efforts to welcome younger veterans into their posts, some VFW posts must change the public perception that their group is simply a drinking club for retirees.

"We have meetings, do color guards, flag ceremonies," Mattson said of Streamwood's Post 5151.

Mattson, previously a member of the American Legion for 36 years, joined VFW Post 8080 of Hoffman Estates on Memorial Day five years ago. When membership dwindled to 40 members, his post merged with Streamwood's.

VFW posts want veterans to know the benefits of joining, such as financial assistance, connections to doctors specializing in post-traumatic stress disorder, and support to families with members at war. Post 5151 also organizes Operation Airlift, a program that sends care packages to soldiers overseas.

Joining the VFW may even have psychological benefits. Psychiatrist Martin Srajek of Champaign who studies male behavior, said that though today's men typically have more responsibilities at home than men of older generations, there is still a great need for fraternization with fellow veterans.

"The circumstances of war trauma and the way a lot of males function causes them to be stoic," Srajek said. "But when there's a big hurdle to overcome there's a need to be supported and support others. These groups are very important because they help men maintain a connection with other men."

Mattson of Post 5151 echoed that sentiment.

"The technology now is real different," Mattson said. "But the feelings are the same. If you're getting shot at, you're getting shot at. These kids are seeing things in Iraq and Afghanistan they've never seen before in their life, and they come home and there's no one they can relate to.

If they talk to another vet - they've been there. They can understand it."

Local American Legion organizations, whose members skew toward those in their 50s and 60s, are not quite as affected by steep falloffs. With a larger pool to draw from - anyone who has served in an American war, deployed or not - several local American Legion groups have seen their numbers hold steady over the past decade or so.

Their memberships are helped by a ladies' auxiliary unit and the Sons of the American Legion, a group for sons of war veterans, legion members say.

However, declines could be in the near future for the American Legion, too, as men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan delay or avoid joining.

Bill Starr, commander of American Legion Post 525 of Mount Prospect, joined his local VFW and American Legion in the mid-90s, two decades after he served in Vietnam.

"I had to find a job, start a family, start dating to find a wife," Starr said. "Going to a meeting a couple times a month wasn't the first thing on my mind."

Members of VFW Post 981 tried recruiting new members at area grocery stores and festivals, but they've had mixed success.

"I'm 77, and there are only, I think, three members younger than me," said post commander Don Rozga. "We're slowly dying off. Some of us don't have the gumption to get out and help find new guys."