Veteran perspectives: Filling the gap with a new generation

By Jessica Oliver [email protected] organizations such as the American Legion, AMVETS and the Disabled American Veterans have existed for many years as a service to the men and women in the armed forces returning from battle. Though some may argue that the goings-on of these organizations have waned from their original purpose to serve the needs of soldiers coming home from war, the need for these organizations still exists today, and may be more important than ever before.

As this country welcomes home veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, these traditional veterans organizations are waiting to serve a new generation of soldiers, but they’re not joining. A survey of some of the veterans organizations in the area revealed that very few, if any, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq war veterans are joining. Most had none or just one veteran of the more recent wars involved. So what do veterans young and old think about the decline in traditional organization membership, and what can veterans do to make sure these organizations do not fade into history?     

A Vietnam veteran’s perspective

Jack Scott, leader of the Mayor’s Council on Veterans Affairs and Vietnam veteran, said that although there may be a generational gap between the younger and older veterans, there is still a common bond between the groups — they are veterans.

Scott said that many veterans, right after coming home from war, do not directly join veteran organizations because it “takes time to deal with reality.

“Many veterans don’t want to be reminded of what they’ve been through. They are being put out there in positions we can’t even imagine. When they’re ready, they’ll come back.”

Scott said there is a need for veterans of all wars to communicate with each other, whether it be by way of the traditional organizations or newer groups.

“[The veterans] need to be together,” Scott said. “Older vets have been there.”

Scott said five or six newer veterans have visited the Veterans Affairs office, which seeks to act as a place of refuge and counseling for veterans of all wars.

“[The Veterans Affairs] office is open to all veterans,” Scott said. “Come in and tell me your story.”

The Mayor’s Council on Veterans Affairs office is open from 9 a.m. to noon every Friday in the basement of the KYOO radio station, 205 N. Pike Ave., Bolivar.

An Iraq veteran’s perspective

Brian Verslues, a 26-year-old senior at Southwest Baptist University, is working toward a bachelor’s degree in political science and social science education. A veteran of the war in Iraq, Verslues served in the U.S. Marine Corps infantry, 1st battalion 8th Marines, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Verslues began his military career right after he graduated from high school in 2001. He was deployed for eight months aboard the USS Iwo Jima and served his second eight-month tour in Haditha and Fallujah, Iraq, as a mortarman in the Weapons Company of the Marine Infantry Battalion.

After his service, Verslues joined the VFW but has not been actively involved. This, he said, is due to time constraints and “the generational gap.” Verslues said the generational gap that causes many new veterans to shy away from the traditional organizations is nothing new because it is the same generational gap that gets between older and younger generations in general.

“It’s just hard for the younger generations to relate to the older,” Verslues said.

Verslues said that targeting younger veterans and doing things that will appeal to the current generation could help the traditional organizations grow their numbers.

“[Veteran organizations] have to do things that will appeal to the current generation of veterans, or they may face seeing their organizations fade out,” he said

New organizations are being formed for the younger generation. The Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America focuses specifically on the current wars. Another organization that is more local is the Student Veterans of America. The SVA, which has a branch on SBU’s campus led by Verslues, seeks to “develop student veteran groups on college and university campuses and coordinate by region between existing groups; connect student groups with resources; and advocate on behalf of student veterans at the state and national level.”

“[The new organizations] appeal to me because they are geared toward the current generation of veterans such as myself,” Verslues said. “[They] focus on matters that relate to issues of my generation.”

Although the gap may be a hard one to bridge, Verslues expressed a need for the older and younger veterans to communicate.

“Older veterans who fought in World War II, Korea and Vietnam have experiences completely different than those of this generation,” Verslues said. “All people, including younger veterans, should take some time and listen to what they have to say, if anything just to show our appreciation for past service to our country.”

Verslues reiterated the need for veterans of all wars to come together to educate others about the sacrifices they made for our country.

“It is very important to educate people about war, what we’ve gained and how great freedom truly is,” Verslues said. “Any veteran who has fought will tell you war is an ugly thing. I believe many will also say they fought so others would not have to ever  experience the horrors of war. That is what we should be coming together to do as veterans, opening people’s eyes to just how good we really have it here in the U.S. and what it costs to keep the spirit of freedom alive.”

An Air National Guard veteran’s perspective

Though his military experience has not taken him overseas yet, Eric Davey, 26, senior airman for the Air National Guard 188th fighter wing in Arkansas, sees a great need for traditional veteran organizations to continue, to support those returning from the unexplainable experiences of foreign war.

Davey is a member of the American Legion post in Humansville.

“I joined because they have activities I am interested in,” Davey said. “But I am the youngest by far of the entire group.”

Davey said there are many reasons to be involved in a traditional veteran organization, including the fact that as the older generation enters the golden years of their lives, a new generation needs to step up to continue serving America’s veterans.

“There is a definite need for people my age to help,” Davey said. “Even if it’s just to help with the laying of the flags or setting up for an event.

“The reason the younger generation doesn’t get involved is because they don’t realize the benefits.”

Davey also said there is a great resource in older veterans. They are able to give first-hand experiences of their service.

“I’ve learned more from than any history book,” Davey said of those experiences.

“We have a great resource in our older veterans, and we need to honor them for their service. There are stories that remain untold, and the opportunity to hear them is disappearing day by day.”