Dwindling Membership Hurting New Milford VFW Post

Despite the number of veterans returning from service in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as those from Vietnam and the first Gulf War, the membership of New Milford's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4290 is at an all-time low and in dire need of new members.

Unlike the veterans from WWII and Korea, many of the returning veterans from Vietnam, the first Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq return home wanting to move on from their service experience. A group of WWII veteran's shared that for them, the VFW was their support group when they returned home--their form of therapy to sort out all that they had gone through overseas and help them in their transition back to civilian life.

Membership in VFW's nationwide continues to shrink as WWII veterans die at the reported rate of 1500 a day. Out of the 1.5 million VFW members in 2009, 470,000 are older than 80, 230,000 are between 70-80 and less than 1.5 percent are under 50.

For many years, the New Milford VFW has been a vibrant part of the community and the members want it to remain that way. In order to avoid the risk of closure, the New Milford VFW is actively seeking new members. Attached is VFW Eligibility information.

Anyone interested in becoming a member can visit the VFW at 267 Madison Ave. or call the Post at 201-261-4293.

The Greatest Generation does not want to be the last generation to keep the doors to the VFW open. 

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