Sonoma’s VFW Post 1943 looks to the future

When the Sonoma Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1943 had its change-of-command ceremony in 2010, it seemed possible it would be the last time the leadership changed.

The post – its membership in decline, its mission muddied – was on the verge of losing its national accreditation.

Now, six years later, Post 1943 is winning national recognition for its engaged, active role in the community. Its membership now numbers about 140, with a high 45 percent active participation rate. It has raised almost $200,000 in the past six years, and put nearly all of that back into the community.

“We’re touching lives, that’s what’s really important,” said Dan Parker, who took the role of post commander in 2010. Parker, now 60, is a veteran of armed conflict in Bahrain during the Gulf War (1990-1992). He’s stepping down as post commander after his six-year run, to be succeeded by Bryan Aubin, a veteran of the Somali conflict of 1995.

“I just want to follow along Dan’s vision,” said the new commander. “I wanted to step in the gap for a year or two until some of the new leadership guys can step up.”

Even though he’s only 44, Aubin, too, sees himself as moving out of the way for a new generation preparing to take the reins in coming years. The senior vice commander, Mel Smith, and junior vice commander, Drew Kettler, are Iraq vets; new quartermaster Victor Gonzales saw service in Afghanistan. Several members of “the old guard” – those who fought in Korea and Vietnam – still serve, but the tide is clearly changing.

Up into the 1950s, the national VFW organization was still run by veterans from as far back as the Spanish-American War – the VFW was founded in 1899 in the wake of that conflict. It wasn’t until 1955 that WWII veterans began to take part in the nationwide service organization, to secure rights and benefits for their service. But today’s young vets are joining earlier, and taking a more active role.

“We like to say this isn’t your father’s or grandfather’s VFW,” said Parker. Today’s vets aren’t focused on using the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Hall’s informal GI Joe Lounge, for instance. “The young veterans coming in aren’t interested in bars and drinking and telling war stories, they want to get active in their community,” said Parker.

Other changes speak to the evolution of the 120-year-old organization: the former “Ladies Auxiliary” now allows male members, husbands or sons or grandsons of vets; the vets now even have daycare for young children whose fathers are attending meetings. Can women in the VFW post itself be far behind?

“We don’t get a lot of women veterans in general; it’s not a role for women to be in combat,” said Aubin. It’s worth noting that a “veteran of foreign wars” must have served in a combat zone; any military member can join the American Legion, but the VFW is a more limited pool.

But there have been at least two qualified women who have expressed interest in joining in recent weeks. “The face is changing to the younger generations, and I think it’s going to be changing in the bigger landscape – for females, as well,” said Aubin.

It’s perhaps no coincidence that many new members have learned about the post on Facebook. “They saw that we were active, they liked what we were doing,” said Parker.

Local programs like the 2012 Cost of Freedom tribute, which brought a down-scaled replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall to Sonoma, have raised visibility (and funds) for the local veterans community. They hope to follow it with a Let Freedom Ring tribute next year, in honor of the thousands of men and women who have lost their lives in the War on Terror since 9/11.

Two recurring programs include the All-American Bad Ass Car Show – the fifth annual is coming up this September – and the Buddy Poppy program. That twice-yearly fundraiser brought in $15,000 last year, way up from the $400 total in 2010.

The Bad Ass Car Show is open to American-made vehicles from 1973 or older, and custom American motorcycles of any age. Like nearly all of the post’s events, it’s a fundraiser to support the post’s projects and youth programs. Such projects include a veterans relief fund supporting vets and families in need, morale-building activities like family picnics, and patriotic education. Post 1943 helped build the military history library at Sonoma Valley High School in 2011, donating hundreds of DVDs, CDs, books and other educational materials.

“We try to break the mold, within the boundaries of our structure,” said Parker. Like many organizations, ideas are plentiful but action is more rare. “The hardest thing to do is to motivate volunteers; I’ve found what works best is to get volunteers to take personal ownership.”

Recently Parker worked with a UC Berkeley architecture student who developed a concept for a new vets building, one that would be functional for today’s veterans – with libraries, museums, a family center, conference rooms, and workout rooms. (Staying in shape is very important to this new generation, notes Parker.)

“It’d be a new building in a different location,” said Parker. “That’s the thing – all it takes is a vision, and someone to run with it.”

Email Christian at christian.kallen@sonomanews.com.