- How long you been working with VFW?
- 14 years now.
- 14 years.
- Yes.
- [Jon] This VFW post is important
'cause it can be an example to energize the entire system,
increase membership, and then increase
the peer support for our vets.
So how is membership doing in VFW over the years?
- [Sam] From 1992, we were at almost five million members
between the VFW and the VFW auxiliary.
- Hm.
- [Jon] Right now, we are at 1.6 million.
- Wow.
- So we have dropped almost three and a half million
in 27 years.
And also, a lot of our smaller posts have had to close.
- Does that upset you?
- [Sam] Yes it does.
And honestly, I don't know how to fix it.
- So by reinvigorating this post,
we reinvigorate it's usefulness
to the community and it's members.
- [Sam] Yes we do.
And that's what I'm hoping you're here
and able to get them to do because we need that.
Not just at this post, not just in this state,
but across the world for the VFW.
(intense music)
- [Jon] So here we go, here's our post huh?
- [Sam] Yes.
- [Jon] The sign could be a little better.
- [Sam] Very much so, it's faded, it's seen better days.
- [Jon] I'd love to see the outside of the building
be dressed a little better.
- [Sam] Okay.
- [Jon] Okay, so here is the post.
So there's our front door.
- [Sam] Yes.
- [Jon] You walk in, we have a nice, long bar there.
- [Sam] Right.
- [Jon] With a nice separation between the bar room
and really the lounge room, I'll call it.
Here we have a little kitchen.
And then back here is a pretty big event center.
- [Sam] Correct.
- Now that event center is a revenue source
for the post right?
- Yes.
It's got a lot of potential.
I just, honestly I don't think they advertise it out
to get the maximum out of it.
- You know, you got PTSD, but how do you fix it?
- So there's Rudy.
- Hm.
- Rudy's our commander.
- You get, and then most of them,
they don't wanna talk to the psychiatrist.
If the guy didn't serve in the military,
like how the hell you gonna know what I went through?
Were you there?
Did you shoot someone?
Did you take, you know, shrapnel?
So, and that's why it's hard, you know.
- I'm told he's loved.
- Yes.
- In the community and at the post.
- Yes, the post loves him,
the people out in the town respect him
and always come to him to ask questions and stuff.
- So he's a good commander?
- Yes.
- It's left, right, left, right, come on.
- [Jon] This is Johnny.
- Hm.
- He's our quarter master.
- Correct.
- And Johnny married Ginger.
(laughter)
- And what is a Quarter Master?
- He's the financial officer.
He's the one that takes care of all the finances,
and makes sure our books and everything
are good to go for that.
- [Johnny] Hey Cruise, watch I'm gonna fix the ice machine.
(speaking Spanish)
- [Rick] If I buy you guys two beers each,
will you go get me a couple bags of ice?
(whimsical music)
- Will you save our seats?
- Yes.
I'll save your seats.
- [Jon] There's Rick.
Rick is the Judge Advocate.
- Right.
- And what is his role?
- He is the one that interprets the laws for the VFW.
- [Jon] So he doesn't look that old.
- [Sam] He's actually one of our younger members.
The median age of this post is 64 years old.
- [Jon] Wow.
There's Dianne, who functions as a manager.
- [Sam] Yes.
- [Jon] There's Jeff, he's a member.
- Hey, I might look like a drunk at the bar,
but I very know computers.
(laughter)
- [Jon] And there's Christian.
- Hm.
- And she's a bartender.
- Correct.
- Do you see how sunburned I got you guys?
I have a pool, it's 10 feet by three feet
and I got a floaty for it.
(laughter)
I did and I floated.
Look.
- Yes, we can tell.
- [Jon] Guys are drinking out of red plastic cups.
- [Sam] Hm.
- [Jon] Not the classiest thing in the world is it?
- No, it's not.
- [Jon] Look at the pieces of paper
taped to the walls everywhere.
- [Sam] Yes.
- So I get that all this needs to be here,
these are community messages, an event,
but look at this.
- [Sam] Yeah, it should be organized,
it should be nice and neat.
- [Jon] I mean obviously American flags, of course for VFW.
But can't we do better than that?
- [Sam] Yeah, I mean it is definitely dated.
- [Jon] The kitchen in the back, next to the event center
looks like a residential kitchen
and doesn't appear to be getting any use
from what I can tell.
- [Christian] Can I see your lighter?
Not to light my thing, I just wanna see it.
- That's the dragon.
- [Christian] That is a pretty lighter.
- [Jon] You know what's interesting?
I look at those two guys.
- [Sam] Hm.
- [Jon] Look at their hats.
- [Sam] Yes.
- [Jon] Look at the pride they have for their service.
- [Sam] Correct.
- What I need to teach them is if they don't pass this on,
they'll never forgive themselves.
- Yes.
- [Jon] Well, I'm gonna go in.
I'm gonna talk to the guys inside.
- [Sam] Okay.
- [Jon] And I want you to know something,
I wanna make a difference.
- Thank you.
- I really, really do.
I wanna make you and the national organization
proud of this place to the point that it influences
the whole system, that would be my hope.
- Thank you.
- [Jon] And then I'll see you later.
- Okay, thank you very much sir.
Appreciate everything.
- Good to meet you.
(intense music)
- [Johnny] Hey Jeff, I could still call you chair force.
(laughter)
(intense music)
- [Christian] Oh my gosh.
- [Man] Oh joy, they did it.
- Hello.
- Mr. Taffer.
- You Rudy?
- [Rudy] Yes.
- Nice to meet you.
- [Rudy] Same here.
- [Jon] Where's Johnny and Rick, your guys all here?
- Johnny.
- [Jon] Johnny.
Pleasure good to meet you, where's Rick?
- Right behind you.
- There he is.
- [Rick] How you doing?
- Come on over guys, let's talk.
- [Man] Jesus, that's bananas!
- [Jon] I worked with the Navy and the Marines
as a civilian consultant to MWR for about 12 years.
I worked with the USO to provide recreational assets
to the military during Desert Shield and Storm.
My entire life I've tried to contribute
to the welfare of our veterans.
This means very much to me.
When I look at that MIA table over there,
it's emotional.
That means something!
And then when I look at either side of it,
the emotion turns to shame.
This is what we give to the vets?
This is what we do?
- [Johnny] Mr. Taffer, I did a lot of the work here.
It was worse, when I got a hold of this place
three years ago the pillars were in stone,
I mean it was, we didn't have the middle bar,
it was bad, I gave them what they wanted.
What I could afford and what I could do.
And I put a lot of work, and a lot of my time
and my blood and sweat in here.
Okay, I worked my ass off.
- [Jon] So to this day, you still continue to serve?
- Yes.
In my post, I love it.
- [Jon] You served for a lot of years didn't you?
- [Johnny] I did over 11 years.
- Where did you serve?
- Iraq.
- And what service were you in?
- Army.
- Where did you serve?
- Army.
- First ones in, right?
Where did you serve?
- Desert Storm, I was a medic.
- [Jon] Wow.
I'm not here to fight with you guys,
I'm here 'cause I got your back, understand that.
- Yeah.
- You're not a bar professional.
You're not a hospitality guy.
You're warriors that are fighting for each other.
See, I respect what you did so much.
That's why I'm here.
I want you to know that.
I want more members like you here.
That's what this is about.