Hi and welcome to my contribution to the 2022 April A to Z Blogging Challenge!
This is one of many random things that just pop into my head that I'll be writing about for this challenge.
Since my N post was a little about my time in the Navy - it's really no surprise that I am a member of my local Veterans of Foreign Wars.
I joined my post in February 2018. I don't know why I waited so long, since I got out of the Navy in 2000. I guess it's because I always thought of the VFW and American Legion, etc to be all about drinking and Bingo, things I wasn't interested in. But after talking to my brother who retired from the Air Force, I decided to look into some sort of veteran's organization. I chose the VFW because they seemed to be more welcoming to women. Other groups grouped female vets into their auxiliary with the spouses! Aw hell no! That's just asking for trouble, in my opinion.
I was welcomed right into my post and quickly became an officer (granted a very minor one that appears to be a title only), in charge of a scholarship committee and I work with the president of the auxiliary for one of the big VFW-wide programs for kids. Oh, and as a hazard of being one of the "younger" folk - I'm in charge of social media and our website.
This was a fun event - the 3 of us rounded out what the VFW is, in my opinion.
Scott (in red) was in Vietnam and had some awesome stories to tell.
Jim (in white) is an officer currently serving overseas.
then me. I was in Operation Southern Watch, which falls under the Global War on Terror (GWOT) and have the Southwest Asia Service Medal due to my quality time in the Gulf.
It's sometimes tough jumping between being wife / mom / grandma /search & rescue team member / VFW member since they're all so different. I sometimes have to take some deep breaths and focus on what I need to be doing to get into the correct mindset for which hat I'm going to be wearing.
But I wouldn't trade anything! There's something about the patriotism that has always touched part of my soul, back even before I enlisted in the Navy. And our meetings, which are full of tradition and honor, seem to be soothing, in a weird type of way. Maybe it's just me, but I always leave there feeling some sort of way that's hard to explain!
Before the VFW transitioned over to a Auxiliary - I was the last President of our posts Ladies Auxiliary. When they told us, it was the last year - many women left. I did too, but that wasn't the reason. My husband belongs to the VFW but unfortunately, this post does drink and we're not big sit at the bar drinkers. He is now member at large - and can go to all the VFW. Its great if you travel a lot.
ReplyDeleteIt's good they welcomed you. There are still many good old boys at our old post. But the new young ones are comingi n, both men and women and change is taking place.