The Tioga VFW Post in Wood Dale was closing, until an Air Force vet stepped up to lead it

Rich Williams had never stepped inside Tioga Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2149 in his life until he was sworn in as commander in February 2021.

The 87-year-old Wood Dale VFW Post was on the verge of closing over a lack of leadership, when the 10-year U.S. Air Force veteran saw a mention on an online Wood Dale community bulletin board. It read the post commander was retiring and if another couldn't be found Tioga would close.

Having a disability himself - Williams was invalided out of the service after his third knee surgery - he had been thinking about trying to do something for other veterans with disabilities. When he saw the notice, Williams realized he was unwilling to give up a space that gives veterans a chance to connect and help one another.

His then-wife was blunt. "Just do it," she said, implying that if he thought about it too much, he might not follow through.

Williams called the retiring commander, who told him he was too late; the vote to close the post already had been taken. He then pursued the district commander.

"It's never too late," the commander told him, "but it's going to be a lot of work."

Tioga VFW Post 2149 was chartered on Oct. 12, 1935. Today, it is at 510 Georgetown Square in Wood Dale.

"I was more than eager to help," Williams said. "I always think it's important that veterans reach out to each other in our times of need."

Currently, Tioga has about 12 participating members who attend the monthly meetings, but it still has a lot of other active members who are loyal dues-payers. One of them is U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, who holds a life membership in the post.

The post raises money from dues, from video poker machines and from bar sales. The banquet hall is booked every Saturday for the next two months, and live entertainment is scheduled once a month.

The Queen of Hearts tournament was put on hold by the COVID-19 pandemic, and Williams says they intend to restart it once they are convinced enough older residents are comfortable leaving their homes again. The post offers bingo but doesn't make much money at it - instead it brings people into the post for a companionable time.

The money they bring in helps keep the post home in working order and pays for renovations, provides seed money for events like the Wood Dale Memorial Day parade the VFW organizes, and supports the Honor Guard, which does solemn ceremonies at veteran funerals and gravesides.

Also, it gives away money: In October 2021, Post 2149 donated nearly $30,000 to local veterans groups and community charities.

"$11,700 went directly to veterans organizations," Williams said. The remainder went to local charities, the Red Cross, food pantries, local schools and other groups.

"We are part of the community," he said, explaining why not every penny is donated directly to veterans. "All VFWs operate under that structure."

"Being able to give back, that's what it's about," Williams said.

As commander, his priority is to grow the post from the 12 participatory members to something more and to reach out to lonely vets.

"You don't have to do it alone," Williams said of veterans who have no social outlet.

"You can feel isolated at times, but when you can talk about what you've been through with someone who understands, it's liberating."

He'd also like to encourage younger veterans to come.

"My goal is to get away from the image of the VFW as a bunch of old people sitting around telling war stories," Williams said. "We're trying to upgrade the post, doing little remodeling things, so some of the younger vets who stop in might say, 'Hey, I might want to join.'"

Williams joined the Air Force in 1985. He was a munitions systems specialist, part of what commonly is called the "AMMO troops," who build bombs and missiles on site. In his case, that meant living and working in Saudi Arabia for operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also was stationed at Myrtle Beach Base in South Carolina, near Las Vegas, and in Japan and Korea.

He was in the Middle East for about six months, sometimes on the front lines. Scud missiles used to fly overhead, he said, because the enemy didn't know how close his unit was really.

Today, Williams works at the Roto Rooter Plumbing. At 55, he says that there is still much to learn about the VFW.

One thing he has learned is how to appreciate the steady stream of regulars - most of them not veterans at all - who have made the VFW their hangout.

Last Monday evening a non-veteran family came in, mourning the loss of their father. Monday nights usually are slow and the post closes early, but the family is well known. Williams called in a bartender, keeping the post open so the family wasn't rushed out.

"They are true regulars - they volunteer to help out with the parade and decorate the post for events," William said. "They give back so much to us."

• Tioga VFW Post 2149 is open seven days a week: Sundays-Mondays, noon to 7 p.m.; Tuesdays-Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., although it often stays open later on Saturday nights.