DYING BREED
By
Michael L. Wojciechowski
We are what’s been categorized as “Baby Boomers." Babies born after World War II, between 1946 and 1964. Most of us veterans have served in any number of conflicts over the years: The Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Iran/Iraq war, Grenada, the Gulf War, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Afghanistan, or the Iraqi War.
We have managed to survive those conflicts. Some of our brothers and sisters in blood weren’t as lucky. We honor them for their service and dedication. We remember them on Memorial Day. We pay tribute to them for their loyalty.
The transition from military life back to civilian life might seem insurmountable. Others understand the change of life’s priorities and are able to adjust. Those of us who have been able to adjust and continue to survive will often compare the rules of engagement of military life to civilian life.
And in that comparison, we often seek the association and friendships that the military taught us. Accepting people for who they really are, not judging them by their ethnicity, their gender, or their age. Despite what war or conflict we served in, the common denominator remains the same: We become brothers and sisters in arms.
American Legion Post 42, Evanston supports the Midwest Veterans Closet, Boy and Cub Scouts, Fisher House, Lovell Legends Olympic Wheelchair Team and PAWWS (Pets Assisting Wounded Warriors), just to name a few.
But the time has come for us to refocus. Our numbers are dwindling. Our older veterans and Sons of the American Legion (SAL) members are passing on. As we all get older, we become dependent on our loved ones. Sometimes God seems fit to take us from this Earth because His will has been done and our lot in life has been fulfilled.
Those of us in The American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) and the SAL, need to recruit the younger veterans and their families. Our numbers continue to spiral downward. We need to canvass different military bases, reserve centers and our communities. We need to understand the needs of these young veterans and their families. Get them to realize we have the resources to put them in contact with Veterans Affairs, or a Veteran Service Officer (VSO), or veterans support organizations. They need us just as much as we need them. We are a “dying breed” of veterans. Older, yet wiser, and we need to share our knowledge in order to help them learn to survive life as we know it.