GORDON DUFF: Veterans Service Organizations: STAND UP OR MOVE OUT

MANY “OLD GUARD” SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS FAILING VETERANS

UNABLE TO COPE WITH VA SCAMS AND VETERAN NEEDS

By Gordon Duff STAFF WRITER

For decades, the VFW and American Legion have influenced VA policy toward veterans and defined how veterans issues are seen by government and the “non veteran” public.  Their power over Congress, their ability to produce conservative votes, even when conservative candidates are on the wrong side of issues and their unwillingness to deal with the reality of veterans needs has defined these groups as much of the problem and little of the solution.

Originating more as political groups, one pro-union, one anti-union, the two major service organizations lost their way when their general membership of World War 2 veterans bought in on “baby killer” propaganda denouncing Vietnam veterans.  Issues of PTSD, Agent Orange and the massive number of traumatic amputations and brain injuries that flooded the VA hospital system threatened to overwhelm underfunded services being used by aging vets from World War 2.

The response was to push away Vietnam vets and fail to support their needs.  Death rates under VA care during that period were astronomical and only went up as Agent Orange diseases and PTSD began to take an even greater toll, all issues ignored by some mainstream service organizations.

Even worse, the duplicitous behavior of the VA, with poor medical care, a crooked disability rating system and document destruction/claims backdating was and continues to be ignored by these groups.

The quality of service officers, many of whom have always been out of touch with the reality of the VA bureaucracy and the needs of younger veterans, diminished and fewer and fewer claims got thru while more and more failed because of poor advice, lack of follow through and utter incompetence.

While successfully supporting bars and social clubs and hard working auxiliary cadres who helped in hospitals and clinics, still the heart of these organizations has been the politically based leadership who have stood in the way of real progress for veterans for many many years.

These groups have held veterans hostage through directing powerful voting blocs to anti-veteran candidates through outright disinformation and misinformation about the issues.  Any candidate that votes to have flag burners crucified gets support even if they try to close every VA hospital in the country.

Years at the heart of the corrupt Washington establishment has left these groups as much a part of the problem veterans struggle to overcome as uncaring politicians and members of the public who ignore war as long as they don’t have to fight in it.

If a group is a political group, then let them be that.  Don’t call them a veterans organization.  That is a lie.

If you run a bar, you are part of the food and beverage industry, not a service organization.

If you support politicians and not veterans, you are a lobbyist, not an advocate.

Time to move these groups aside and begin delivering real services and real power to real veterans with real needs.

Gordon Duff is a Marine combat veteran and regular contributor on political and social issues.

Gordon Duff

Gordon Duff posted articles on VT from 2008 to 2022. He is a Marine combat veteran of the Vietnam War. A disabled veteran, he worked on veterans and POW issues for decades.

Gordon is an accredited diplomat and is generally accepted as one of the top global intelligence specialists. He manages the world’s largest private intelligence organization and regularly consults with governments challenged by security issues.

Duff has traveled extensively, is published around the world, and is a regular guest on TV and radio in more than “several” countries. He is also a trained chef, wine enthusiast, avid motorcyclist, and gunsmith specializing in historical weapons and restoration. Business experience and interests are in energy and defense technology.

• Gordon’s Archives:  2008-2015
• Gordon’s Archives:  2016-2022