Common Veterans Podcast

Episode 10:

Friends in Low Places

VFW,

DAV, American Legion, Marine Corps League, and other fraternal organizations

are there for Veterans. This breakdown of the organizations talks to members about

the benefits of these program's camaraderie. The Common Veterans represent

FreedomSystem.org’s martial arts and mountain bike association.

 

I.                   

Introduction

                                                              

i.     Friends in Low Places

1.     

Introduce the standby Veteran Fraternal Organizations and theirmissions and why.

                                                            

ii.     Brief Overview of the benefits of the group

1.     

Positives

2.     

Negatives

II.                 

More Than Just Bars

a.      

Bartenders are there, but that isn’t the only reason for them tobe there.

                                                              

i.     Drinking socially good? Or Bad?

1.     

Opens up.

2.     

Opens up too much.

                                                            

ii.     It’s a social club…

1.     

Camaraderie is built here among Veterans from all different agegroups.

2.     

Not a lot of physicality

3.     

Has to be open to the public or will not survive monetarily.

b.     

Some organizations are not attached to bars.

                                                              

i.     FreedomSystem.org is not a bar, but do meet at fraternalorganizations that have them

1.     

FSO focuses on fitness and shared experiences from militaryservice.

2.     

FSO supports fraternal organizations through shared goals

                                                            

ii.     Team RWB is a fitness organization

1.     

Originally a totally Veteran organization, it now allowsnon-veterans to run their goals

a.      

Puts non-vets in leadership roles

                                                          

iii.     Fraternal organizations often have specific goals and only allowspecific people to join them

1.     

Marine Corps League

2.     

VFW

3.     

DAV

III.               

Stories, The Fish is Always Bigger

a.      

Members tell stories of their exploits.

                                                              

i.     Common Veterans share their military stories.

1.     

Stories become what everyone needs.

2.     

Shared experiences from different combat times help create morefraternization and become friends.

                                                            

ii.     Different organizations, different stories?

1.     

Multi-members have different experiences in differentorganizations and go to different areas for different types of camaraderie.

a.      

VFW then to DAV, etcetera

b.     

Moose and Eagles

c.      

American Legions and Auxiliaries

IV.               

Join or nah?

a.      

Joining a fraternal organization can have its merits…

                                                              

i.     Positives

                                                            

ii.     Negatives

                                                          

iii.     Neutrals

V.                 

Conclusion

a.      

Recap fraternal organizations' essential role insupporting veterans and fostering camaraderie.

b.      

Encouragement for listeners to explore andsupport these organizations or similar initiatives in their communities.

c.      

Closing thoughts emphasize the importance ofcamaraderie in veterans' journey and the impact it has on their lives.

VI.               

Next Episode -  Next Season

a.      

Our next episode is or next season, butthere may be a few more episodes this season that pop out of nowhere! Staytuned.