DuBois VFW closed

[disgruntled]

DuBois VFW Post 813 is apparently closed by order of the VFW Commander Henry Mannella and there is a locksmith outside. 

 

[Polo]

25 minutes ago, disgruntled said:

DuBois VFW Post 813 is apparently closed by order of the VFW Commander Henry Mannella and there is a locksmith outside. 

 

There could be any number of reasons for this.  There have been other post closings due to low membership and not attracting today's vets.  Originally VFW posts were to be a place where vets could go and congregate with others in the same boat, not so much a place for drinking.  Also, financial reasons is another reason to close.  Investigations are another reason to close as well.  With recent local events, I think a lot of organizations have been awakened to the consequences of this type of thing.  Sometimes there needs to be a good house cleaning.  I imagine we will all hear about what is going on soon enough.

[BillyC]

This may be due to really poor management as well.

[Petee]

4 hours ago, BillyC said:

This may be due to really poor management as well.

You got it!

When the post voted to stop indoor smoking, the drinkers stopped coming.  I suspect it was to pressure the post to open the smoking again which happened.  Unfortunately, the state finally stepped in, as they did before, and shut it down till they sort out the nonsense.

If it isn't going to serve the vets better who don't drink and smoke , then it doesn't need to exist at all.

[THX]

I saw 4 cop cars there on Friday and someone was in the back seat of one of them being talked to. Could be related but not sure.

[fedup]

Just for laughs

Was it Herm or Toni?

[Petee]

8 hours ago, THX said:

I saw 4 cop cars there on Friday and someone was in the back seat of one of them being talked to. Could be related but not sure.

Member fell and got hurt.  Police gave him a ride to the hospital but that was Thursday.

[SgtRick417]

The current VFW's and AM Legion, perhaps even the AmVets is discouraging.  When I was a boy, my uncle - a pilot in WWII - would take me along with him to the Am Leg and the VFW.  I would get an orange pop and wander around the club.  My memory is that there was more to those clubs than a bar with less expensive booze.  There were locations set aside where members and guests could sit in comfortable chairs and read the news papers, or just sit quietly.  It was a place JUST FOR VETERANS.  In my adult life these clubs have permitted so-called "social members" to crowd in for the bar.  No more exclusiveness for veterans who earned the right to have their own club.  It has been years since I was in any of them.  By the way, I am retired military.  Marines in the early 60's with a year at Danang, later 3 years as a weapons instructor for a Navy Seabee Bn, some years in various Nat'l Guard units, I retired when I came home from Desert Storm/

[WMJ77]

thanks for your service !!!

[Petee]

3 hours ago, SgtRick417 said:

The current VFW's and AM Legion, perhaps even the AmVets is discouraging.  When I was a boy, my uncle - a pilot in WWII - would take me along with him to the Am Leg and the VFW.  I would get an orange pop and wander around the club.  My memory is that there was more to those clubs than a bar with less expensive booze.  There were locations set aside where members and guests could sit in comfortable chairs and read the news papers, or just sit quietly.  It was a place JUST FOR VETERANS.  In my adult life these clubs have permitted so-called "social members" to crowd in for the bar.  No more exclusiveness for veterans who earned the right to have their own club.  It has been years since I was in any of them.  By the way, I am retired military.  Marines in the early 60's with a year at Danang, later 3 years as a weapons instructor for a Navy Seabee Bn, some years in various Nat'l Guard units, I retired when I came home from Desert Storm/

The Social Members are the problem, not all of them, but some view the club as a social drinking club, which it is NOT!

These social members spend a lot of money there at the bar which supports the projects of the club, but they also are prone to causing a lot of trouble.  A few wouldn't necessarily be a problem, but there are more social members than Vets who use the building.

Many vets won't go there because there is nothing to do but drink, and many of them don't smoke which is offensive.  The Social Hall is huge but they rarely get an event because it stinks of smoke, so no money is earned from a major asset that they could offer.

Habit has led them to depend on the bar and gambling for easy money, but that shouldn't be the case.  Sorry, but drinking, smoking and gambling aren't the best builders of progress for the veterans.

When the bar becomes more important than serious Vet activities, then it's time to close it or create some serious rules in a military fashion.  Hopefully this time the state will be more pro-active in determining what the goals should be.  I agree with Sgt Rick.  It should be a haven for the vets, calm enough to let a kid visit from time to time, but safe enough to do its best and strong enough for any vet in need of anything!

[jaman]

Once again it sounds like a few bad apples stirring up. Its a Veterans club for a reason. Its not a last choice social hall to go pound drinks.  If their is NO smoking, respect the rules. Dont try to change them for selfish reasons.  My family has served in service. My father was a 65 year VFW member and a 70 year American Legion member.  Veterans and families  of any war or service deserve a place to socialize after they are finished with serving our country. If you want to smoke and power drink, go to a local Ethnicity ( Polish, Italian, Slovak)  club or Sportsman club.  If its decendants of service members shame on you.

[SgtRick417]

On 5/14/2023 at 9:26 PM, WMJ77 said:

thanks for your service !!!

Thank you for remembering.  All that was such a long time ago.  First enlistment in 1962 at age 17.  When I look at this country now, I don't think I would do it again. Sigh

 

[SgtRick417]

On the subject of social members.  Been thinking about this today.  These folks are SOCIAL members which means they are not veterans.  By not having spent years in the military they have little or no experience with rules, regulations and the expectations of others.  In short, many are undisciplined.

Is there some minimum amount of income a VFW must generate to pressures the Officers of the club at accept nonveterans?  

[Petee]

That is a matter for each club to decide.  Obviously it would be best for it to be all vets and immediate family who understand the demands of military service.  

The more they earn, the more they can do, but the building itself is expensive to maintain.  I think the bartenders, cooks and maintenance people are all employees.

They provide quite a few services to the community but in my opinion, they need to encourage the vets and provide all opportunities for the vets to be their very best so they get a lot more out of their lives.  

I also feel that the state should be MUCH more in attendance at the clubs and participate in meetings, events and especially when there are problems.

[mollycan]

On 5/14/2023 at 5:52 PM, SgtRick417 said:

The current VFW's and AM Legion, perhaps even the AmVets is discouraging.  When I was a boy, my uncle - a pilot in WWII - would take me along with him to the Am Leg and the VFW.  I would get an orange pop and wander around the club.  My memory is that there was more to those clubs than a bar with less expensive booze.  There were locations set aside where members and guests could sit in comfortable chairs and read the news papers, or just sit quietly.  It was a place JUST FOR VETERANS.  In my adult life these clubs have permitted so-called "social members" to crowd in for the bar.  No more exclusiveness for veterans who earned the right to have their own club.  It has been years since I was in any of them.  By the way, I am retired military.  Marines in the early 60's with a year at Danang, later 3 years as a weapons instructor for a Navy Seabee Bn, some years in various Nat'l Guard units, I retired when I came home from Desert Storm/

Thankyou for your service