Photo By Chuck Cannon | Matthew West, Chief of Operations, G-3, is a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars,...... read more read more
FORT POLK, La. — Matthew West, chief of operations, G-3, a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3619, DeRidder, concludes his year as Department of Louisiana VFW state commander this Sunday. He will then transition directly into the quartermaster position at his post, which is equivalent to being the chief financial officer.
West said his goal as state commander was to represent the Department of Louisiana VFW in a professional manner and serve as the voice for the VFW in Louisiana, as well as nationally, during his year of service.
One of West’s main goals as commander was to tackle the issue of declining membership in Louisiana VFWs. According the Veterans Administration and the census, said West, there are about 223,000 combat veterans in the state of Louisiana. Louisiana VFWs combined only have 12,393 members, some of whom aren’t active, he said.
“Those potential new members are out there and one of my biggest goals this year was to increase our membership through recruitment and retention. My objective was to reach at least 14,000 members,” said West.
Although he was unable to reach that goal, West said he did exceed the 2018 membership of 12,393. As of June 27, West said Louisiana membership was at 12,403.
He said the challenge in recruiting new members has to do with branding or how people perceive the VFW.
“People think the VFW is beer and bingo. They believe it’s just a place old guys sit around and tell war stories. Though there’s some truth to that statement, it’s not our whole story,” said West.
As far as bingo goes, it pays the bills, said West.
“Being a nonprofit organization, we have a 60/40 split when it comes to the money we raise. We have to give away 60 percent of the money we earn to keep our nonprofit status. The remaining 40 percent is for operating costs and budget. Much of what we make goes to help veterans in need,” he said.
The bar and beer is also a benefit many members enjoy, said West.
“The bar pays for itself and offers a place for people to get together and connect. There are things that I can talk to other veterans about that I may not be able to discuss with my wife,” he said.
West said many don’t understand how much the VFW does in the community.
“The VFW isn’t known for its self promotion. We don’t like to brag. Most military folks don’t,” said West.
An important part of what the VFW does is advocate for veterans when it comes to new laws.
“We have a seat at the table in front of the Veterans Affairs Committee. However, membership is what dictates that. We have more than a million members nationwide and that gets us a seat at the table,” he said
West cautions if that number drops below a million members, the VFW could lose that seat and end up talking to a staffer in the back room instead of directly to congressmen and senators.
“That’s huge because you get a lot of sway that you are able to push issues important to veterans. Numbers are power,” said West.
The VFW is also there to lend a helping hand to veterans with financial assistance.
“We have to be judicious about the aid we give. After all, a post is run like a business because you have bills and responsibilities. For example if a veteran requests financial aid because they don’t have enough money to pay their electric bill, there is a procedure we follow. If they qualify for aid — proof is required that the person asking for aid is a veteran — then we tell them to bring in the bill and we can pay it,” he said.
Though they can’t always pay the entire bill, West said they try to help as much as they can, especially if it’s a member in need.
West said the VFW also gives back by visiting veteran’s homes like the one in Jennings.
“In September, the posts in our district (district five) get together to cook and serve the residents a barbecue lunch. Then in December, the DeRidder post collects needed hygiene items like socks, slippers, toothpaste and more. We average anywhere from $4,000 to $8,000 worth of merchandise to donate to the home. We also have kids from the local school make the residents Christmas cards. We pass them out to the residents and sing Christmas Carols. It’s just a great thing to do,” he said.
Though it is open to all services, the VFW is an exclusive club in that you have to show proof that you are a veteran, said West.
“People are sometimes offended when they can’t join, but the focus of the club is in our name — Veterans of Foreign Wars. You have to have been deployed,” he said.
There are also some misconceptions about when you can join.
“Many service members don’t realize they are eligible to join while they are still on active duty. They think they aren’t a veteran until they get out. Nothing could be further from the truth. After 30 days of boots on the ground, you are qualified,” he said.
West said one of his biggest challenges as commander was getting people to stay motivated to work toward the ultimate goal of recruiting new members.
“I would get folks fired up about membership, but many didn’t follow through. So I began recruiting because I’m not going to ask someone to do something I’m not willing to do myself,” he said.
The VFW is a volunteer organization, said West.
The most gratifying aspect of his role as commander came about due to the growth of young leaders at the post and district commander level, said West.
“They want to take on leadership roles within VFW and that makes all the hard work worthwhile because now you have young leaders that want to step up to make positive impacts in this organization,” he said.
West sees the future of the VFW in young veterans.
“I would love to get our current generation of veterans involved. Even if that means changing the culture of the VFW to make it a good fit for them. Since 2001, we have deployed more than three million people. Many have done multiple tours. They should all be members of the VFW, but they aren’t. Why? What’s the magic formula for this generation? We have to make the VFW something they want to be part of and show them what this organization can do for them,” he said.
West thinks one thing that needs to happen is a transition to a more tech savvy organization. “Todays vets require a more technological and social media friendly environment,” he said.
West said it’s a transitional process that means finding a balance between what the VFW can offer young veterans and what they can give back by volunteering and getting more involved in the community.
West said the top four officer positions at his post would soon be filled with Iraq or Afghanistan veterans.
“That’s huge. We are in the process of trying to make the post more family friendly with events like our annual Trunk or Treat at Halloween. One year we had 75 cars decorated, with people in costumes and handing out candy. It’s a safe environment for the kids and a service to the community. It’s those little things that attract younger members with families,” he said.
The ultimate goal is keeping the VFW alive and well into the future. “Many VFW posts are closing across the nation. I’m proud to say we opened a new post in Louisiana this year. That’s a huge success and there are two more possible posts that could open in the next year,” he said.
“The VFW needs veterans almost as most as they need the VFW. We are a veteran’s service organization, but we are also a community service organization. As a VFW post if you aren’t doing both those things, you are doing a disservice to your post, members and community.
| Date Taken: | 06.28.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 06.28.2019 11:11 |
| Story ID: | 329610 |
| Location: | FORT POLK, LOUISIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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