The probable closure of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 489 in Biddeford is a sign of the times. Unfortunately, it’s not a sign that we don’t have enough veterans anymore, as we’ve had plenty of wars, and they don’t appear to be stopping any time soon. Instead, the membership drop off can be linked to a simple reality: VFW posts are not attracting young veterans.

Members of the Biddeford post say that only about six of them show up regularly to the monthly meetings, even though there are 150 members on the rolls. Many of those “members in name only” are World War II veterans who are now too old to drive themselves to meetings, while others have died. With the number so low, members of the post intend to consolidate with the Old Orchard Beach VFW.

Although WWII veterans are now in their late 80s, there are still plenty of veterans of foreign wars who could be keeping the VFW post in the county’s largest city quite active. Our nation’s forays into Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan have left us with plenty of veterans. So what’s the problem?

As with most things, it’s complicated, and dwindling VFW membership is a nationwide issue, not just in Biddeford.

It seems that, because Vietnam War veterans were ostracized upon their return, the VFW posts were seen for too long as the clubs of those who served in WWII and Korea, so many younger vets see it as an older man’s club. And while combat veterans all share some level of common experience, it may not be as easy for a Desert Storm veteran to connect with someone who’s old enough to be his or her father. Warfare, and the military itself, has changed a lot over the years, just like everything else, and the age difference of the majority of members makes it harder for young veterans to break into and feel ownership of such clubs.

As well, Commander Kevin Woodward of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Department of Maine has suggested that VFW posts simply don’t offer what younger veterans are looking for in a social club. Gone are the days when a man with young children would “go to the club” to escape the pressures of home life and drink it up with “the boys” instead of building his relationships at home. In today’s American society, men are expected to share child-rearing responsibilities with their wives, who usually also work, rather than spending their evenings at a social club. That, and the ranks of veterans now also include many women, whose responsibilities at home usually come first. These reasons, and a general social shift away from civic participation in this day and age of technology, have cut away at membership in all types of clubs since the heyday of participation in the 1950s.

Many veterans are also still active with the National Guard in addition to their regular work, taking part in multiple deployments due to the nature of today’s wars, so family time at home is at a premium. Most of those men and women won’t be choosing the company of fellow veterans, a smoke and a drink over that of their families.

Considering all of these factors, today’s veterans must step up and make the posts more family oriented and attractive for the younger set. The work of the VFW is too important to let it die with our WWII and Korean War veterans. Founded in 1899, the VFW has made it their business to fight for veterans’ rights ”“ from health care to education. The VFW has helped fund numerous national war memorials, establish the Veterans Administration and get compensation for veterans who suffered from Agent Orange or Gulf War Syndrome, according to their website.

It is veterans’ interests that the VFW protects, and it’s up to younger veterans to join that effort if they care about their future benefits and rights. What the posts need now is for a few veterans from recent wars to step up and take the reins at their local posts, creating an atmosphere that is welcoming to those with children and spouses, and activities that will help them connect with their families in a place where they can make friends who truly understand what they’ve all been through.

The work of the VFW must be done by veterans, for veterans. Those who have served their country must now make sure their country continues to serve them.

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Today’s editorial was written by Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Kristen by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.