New User Ranks Created

[Gunload Master]

I have created a few new user Ranks. You can grab them here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/profile.php?do=editusergroups

Veterans of Foreign War
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/ranks/VeteransWar.png (http://www.vfw.org/)

The American Legion
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/ranks/AmericanLegion.png
(http://www.legion.org/)
Disabled American Veteran
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/images/ranks/Dav.png (http://www.dav.org/)

[Alvarez Kelly]

Thanks!

[USAFrox]

Question for the older, wiser heads here: I qualify for two of those three new groups, but I am not yet a member of either. What is the benefit of being a member of the American Legion, or the Veterans of the Foreign Wars? I just looked them up, and they both charge for membership, so before I pay, what does membership do or mean?

Edited to add: I'm the first member of the military in my family, so I have no one in my family to follow, and no family traditions to uphold here.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Thank you! A little off topic, do NRA Endowment and Benefactor members just use the NRA life ranking?

[km101]

VERY nice! Thank you!

[Bloodman14]

Where would us 'Cold War' types fall?

[bruce drake]

American Legion periods of eligibility to join:

WW I
Apr 6, 1917- Nov 11, 1918
WWII
Dec 7, 1941-Dec31, 1946
Korean War
June 25, 1950-Jan 31, 1955
Vietnam War
Feb 28, 1961-May 7, 1975
Lebanon/Grenada
Aug 24, 1982-July 31, 1984
Panama
Dec 20, 1989-Jan 31, 1990
Persian Gulf Wars
Aug 2, 1990 to Present

The American Legion only requires you to have committed yourself to service to the nation at any time during these periods of eligibility and left the service with an honorable discharge.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars require that you have actually left the United States during those time periods.

The Legion understands that people can serve faithfully no matter where they were assigned.

I'll be glad to speak to anyone about membership in the American Legion.

Bruce Drake
Communications Director
Indiana Department of The American Legion
Indianapolis, IN
317-630-1263 (office)

[USAFrox]

The American Legion only requires you to have committed yourself to service to the nation at any time during these periods of eligibility and left the service with an honorable discharge.

I'll be glad to speak to anyone about membership in the American Legion.

Bruce Drake
Communications Director
Indiana Department of The American Legion
Indianapolis, IN
317-630-1263 (office)

Bruce, from the above statement, does that mean that someone who is still active duty can't join? You said that part of the requirement was that you "left the service with an honorable discharge."

[Alvarez Kelly]

Bruce, from the above statement, does that mean that someone who is still active duty can't join? You said that part of the requirement was that you "lefty the service with an honorable discharge."

I joined my hometown VFW while on active duty.

[bruce drake]

I'm sorry if that was misleading. If you are on active duty, just show your current military ID Card and you'll be accorded active membership status.

[USAFrox]

Thanks!

[Dean D.]

Thanks Willy!

[Jammersix]

The Veterans of Foreign Wars require that you have actually left the United States during those time periods.


Technically, I qualify for VFW, then. By about twenty days.

But I don't believe that's what they are intended for.

[Lead Fred]

When I got back to the world, My Bud and I went to the local VFW in Renton WA
They told us they didnt care for dope smokin baby killers, so I never went back.
My Bud died on his second baby killin tour.

Only tag I want is FBI extreme terrorist, like the rest of us Christian, Males that served on the ground in Nam.

[Taylor]

Excellent!!

[Echo]

Annual dues are about $25 for AL & VFW, and what that gives you is access to any lodge for cheap drinks & eats , free dancing, and fellowship with good folks. No one there gets paid, except the bartender (tips) and the custodian. I take a date dancing to one local lodge - I'm purely an ad hoc dancer, but I LOVE watching some Old Farts enjoy themselves. One night about a year or so ago we went on Friday night, and it was really crowded. We found a table with a couple of empty seats, so we asked if we could join, and they readily accepted us. We chatted (they looked to be about our age 70's or so), so we got along fine. The guy there said that he had given his GF a nice birthday party a month or so prior - for her 90TH! Carrumba! She didn't look it. I asked him what he had done in service, and he said he was an Air Traffic Controller - in France - just after D-Day! Carrumba Squared! Love the place.
The other AL lodge I go to is a little further away, but some of the guys from the museum where I volunteer meet on Tuesday afternoon for beer & popcorn. One of our volunteers is Past Poo-Bah, Chairman, whatever. Worth the 20 minute drive, for sure...
And the VFW lodge I belong to is about 10 minutes away. I will occasionally stop in for a cheap burger for lunch, and they have Friday night fish fries, with a band & dancing. But the kitchen closes tight @ 7PM, so don't get there @ 7:01! Volunteers, you know, and we respect that.
By the way - the national hierarchy in both AL & VFW get no salary - all income goes to helping ex-GI's.

[462]

Thank you, sir.