VETERANS FIGHT FOR THE FUTURE: AREA VETERANS GROUPS STRONG, BUT FUTURE A CONCERN AS MEMBERS GET OLDER

Every community's celebration of the Fourth of July on Wednesday will feature a group of men so familiar their presence is almost taken for granted.

Some are in full uniform; others simply identified by quasi-military service caps. But members of veterans organizations are ubiquitous at any patriotic event.

For much of the past century, groups such as the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars have played vital roles in American communities, particularly small rural ones. They are among a town's biggest boosters and benefactors, and along with other service clubs work hard to build better communities.

Although veterans groups in Southeast Missouri remain strong, members admit they are graying and a few wonder how active -- or relevant -- they will be in 10 or 20 years.

World War II and Korean War veterans make up the bulk of most VFW and Legion post members. Many of those men say veterans of America's more recent conflicts just aren't joiners. With the youngest World War II survivors in their early 70s, some picture a bleak future.

When asked about how he sees veterans groups in the next decade or two, Harold Haas of Chaffee VFW Post 3127 is blunt: "I don't. ... I'd say we are in for some rough times as far as membership is concerned unless these younger veterans come around, and I don't foresee that."

Haas, who served in the Navy during World War II, said the impact of veterans groups today remains significant, if more subtle than in decades past, but he sees it waning.

"Very frankly, the VFW and American Legion are just organizations for old men," Haas said.

Membership in cycles

Jerry Newberry, a spokesman for the national VFW, which is headquartered in Kansas City, bristles at the suggestion veterans groups are on the endangered list.

"There is a great myth that as World War II veterans pass away, veterans groups are going to fold up," Newberry said.

Membership goes through up and down cycles, Newberry said. Nationally, the VFW currently has 1.9 million members, which is down from 2.1 million in 1990.

However, current membership is still higher than the 1.8 million who belonged in 1980. In 1946, one year after the end of World War II, there were 1.5 million members.

"The VFW is probably going to get smaller like a lot of other organizations, but become more focused," Newberry said. "We are confident and looking forward to the future."

Not all veterans are eligible to join the VFW or Legion. The Legion accepts members who served in the military during a period of conflict, but not necessarily in a theater of battle. The more restrictive VFW limits eligibility to those who served in combat zones.

Some suggest loosening standards to boost membership, which both organizations have done to small degrees. But Charles Schultz, a Korea veteran who belongs to Jackson VFW Post 10495, said the maintaining high standards preserves the VFW's stature.

"The VFW is a rather special military organization because not everyone can belong," Schultz said. "It is not the price you pay in dues but the price you paid to become eligible."

Community involvement

Throughout Southeast Missouri, veterans posts and affiliated ladies auxiliaries stress community involvement.

In addition to providing honor guards for parades and special events, most are generous contributors to local schools and youth organizations, such as the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. And the highly competitive American Legion baseball league is well known for stressing sportsmanship while showcasing the area's best young players.

Also, residents of Cape Girardeau Veterans Home receive much support from area groups, both financially and through volunteer staffing.

Pam Foeste, president of the Chaffee VFW Post 3127 Ladies Auxiliary, said the group is "a vital part of the community."

"Between the post men and the post women, a lot of money is donated each month," said Foeste, who herself is a Navy veteran.

With a 206-member auxiliary, it's usually not difficult to find workers for the post's main fund-raising event, a twice a month bingo game. But with most auxiliary members aging along with their husband veterans, some activities aren't as popular as they used to be.

"A lot of the ladies are older and not able to do the car wash anymore," Foeste said.

Melvin Amelunke, commander of Cape Girardeau Legion Post 63, said that although the post gained membership last year, up to 350 from 321, sometimes it's difficult to staff events.

"There does get to be a manpower problem," Amelunke said. "A lot of these guys are getting older."

Plenty of manpower

For Perryville Legion Post 133, manpower isn't a problem.

During the 1970s, it was the largest Legion post in Missouri, said post manager Gerald Hoffman, and with approximately 1,300 members remains among the top five.

"That is quite an accomplishment for a small town," Hoffman said.

The post also has a 450-member auxiliary and 800-member booster group. Hoffman said few posts sponsor booster groups, which are open to anyone over age 21, veteran or no. The added strength of the boosters helps keep many of the post activities going, Hoffman said.

Perryville's sizable booster group aside, some veterans claim the younger generations have different interests and lack both the time and inclination to join veterans groups.

"It is a new culture," said John Ferguson, a Post 63 member. "People have too much going on in their lives."

Others say a general decline in national pride is helping to thin VFW and Legion ranks.

Floyd Smith, another Post 63 member, said that during the 1950s the whole county would turn out for a Veterans Day parade, but today such a parade couldn't even find a sponsor.

"I see what it was and what it is now, and it tears at my heart," Smith said.