Sometimes combat veterans just need a place to connect with others who can understand their unique experiences. But since 2014, Lynchburg-area war veterans have lacked an organization dedicated only to those who served overseas. That’s about to change with the introduction of a new Veterans of Foreign Wars post in the city, Concord resident David Jarrett said.
Jarrett, a 62-year-old Army veteran who deployed to Iraq, said he recently moved back to Virginia and was surprised to learn there was no VFW post in the area. There are about 21,000 veterans in Central Virginia, according to Charles Olsen, president of the Lynchburg Area Veterans Council.
The only active VFW posts in the area are in Amherst and Bedford counties, but Jarrett hopes to stand up a new post in Lynchburg by May 19.
The former Lynchburg VFW post closed in 2014 after 48 years, mainly due to declining new membership, former VFW Virginia State Commander and Vietnam veteran Tommy Hines said.
One way Jarrett plans to rectify this issue is by recruiting younger members to lead the post into the future.
“Fraternal organizations aren’t what they used to be,” he explained. “To be attractive to the younger veterans, we have to find a new way of doing business, and starting a new post is a perfect way to do that — infusing it with the youth.”
George Winters, a 29-year-old Army veteran who also deployed to Iraq, is part of this youthful population. He said he is planning to join the Lynchburg post because it will be a great asset to connect veterans to one another as well as provide critical networking opportunities for employment, support and other post-deployment needs.
This connection is an important aspect of VFW posts, according to current VFW Virginia State Commander and Vietnam veteran Mike Boehme, who is working with Jarrett to facilitate the new Lynchburg post.
“There’s an aspect of being a combat veteran … you experience something that no other person experiences,” he said. “You can’t talk to your wife about it that much, your neighbors, your friends, your buddies at work because they weren’t there; they don’t understand. It isn’t the same as when you sit down with another combat veteran who’s been there and had those experiences, and you can feel comfortable about unloading and sharing those experiences.”
Although having a place for combat veterans to come together and share “war stories” is an essential part of the VFW, Boehme said that’s not the only benefit. The stigma of seeking help for mental or physical issues has plagued veterans from older generations, but getting together with younger war veterans who don’t subscribe to that same belief helps break down these barriers so they can get the appropriate care.
Jarrett also hopes to have fun events like a mud run, marathon and softball games for members and their families. Serving the local community is another key task for all VFW posts, and Lynchburg’s will follow suit.
“It’s an opportunity to be a part of something greater than yourself, and I would argue that most veterans have this innate desire to serve and to be part of something bigger than themselves,” Winters said, explaining the benefits of starting and being a member of the new VFW post.
The VFW was founded in 1899 to champion the rights of combat veterans, according to Hines. It has an office in Washington with representatives who testify before Congress more than 25 times per year to fight for veteran-friendly legislation, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill.
Boehme stressed the importance of bringing younger veterans into the organization who can continue this tradition.
“Since 1899, guys have been fighting to get all the benefits and the pay, retirement and health care that we have right now,” Boehme said. “It’s not something the government gave us; it’s something that we worked for … so they need to understand that; they need to keep that fire in their belly.”
