Nationally and locally, American Legion faces dwindling membership

American Legion posts in Branch County face the same problem the veterans organization faces nationally: aging, dwindling membership.

Both Bronson Post 259 and Coldwater Post 52 are looking for old members to rejoin or for younger veterans to become members. It's part of a national effort.

The American Legion membership is 1.3 million members nationally now. There were 3.12 million members in 2000. Nationally, officers admitted, "It lacks younger members to carry on our legacy."

The average age of an American Legion member is 67 years old, with 400,000 members over the age of 80.

Don Marks, Commander of the Bronson post, said of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, "We have so many young people that have served in the wars. When they came back, their priorities are different from what they used to be, like say, when I came back from Vietnam."

Coldwater Post 52 Commander Bob Nagy said, "We've had them come in, but they just won't join for some reason. I don't know why. I think it's because it's two different eras. You know you don't want to hang around with your father too much. As they get older, though, they do come in."

Marks said he doesn't know how to turn it around.

"We've tried," he said. "We've had membership drives. Even younger vets came to the Legion Hall. They'll come in to maybe a meeting or so. After that, we don't see them."

Nagy said he didn't join the legion until his late 30s. As they grow older, he hopes the veterans of the last 20 to 30 years will join.

Age is another reason membership is down. The Bronson post saw six members die this year, ages 79 to 60.

The Bronson commander said the post would survive to its last man.

"I'm not going to say we're doing great," he said. "But we are surviving. And we still do a lot of functions."

Two weeks before Memorial Day, American flags went up around Bronson on the streets.

"We had probably 25 or 30 members show up and help us with that," Marks said.

Now, Legion halls with liquor licenses for members and guests are not as important.

"Clubhouses aren't what it used to be," Marks said. "People aren't really into that anymore."

The Coldwater legion does draw steady crowds throughout the week.

Both Bronson and Coldwater have strong women's auxiliaries for spouses. There is also a separate organization for sons of American Legion members if they are not veterans themselves.

In Bronson, membership is 68 legionnaires. Marks said there are 104 sons and 100 members of the auxiliary.

Bronson member Gary Tooman came back nine years ago. He gives Marks credit for trying to revitalize the organization. Marks and his sons remodeled the clubhouse.

"There is just no participation," Tooman said. "Nobody will show up to support anything when we have any kind of a function."

The American Legion posts in Branch County did shine for Memorial Day. They either had members organize the memorial events or take essential roles.

The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness.

It is the nation's largest wartime veterans service organization, committed to mentoring youth and sponsorship of wholesome programs in our communities.

The American Legion "advocates patriotism and honor, promoting strong national security, and continued devotion to our fellow service members and veterans."

This article originally appeared on The Daily Reporter: Nationally and locally the American Legion faces dwindling membership