Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 7, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal 13 V E T E R A N S I N T H E W O R K P L A C E F O C U S Massachusetts veterans Massachusetts has more than 330,000 veterans, with declining numbers from older conflicts, including World War II and Korea. Note: Some veterans are included in more than one category Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (2018) younger veterans don't share their enthu- siasm for gathering in the same way. "Younger kids, they don't pay attention. ey don't want to join," said Tommy "Calvin" Coolidge, the commander of the VFW Post 523 in Clinton and a Vietnam veteran. "It's a shame. "You can't do nothing about it," he add- ed. "If they don't want to join, they don't want to join." Interests among veterans have shied across generations, said Christian Appy, a history professor at UMass Amherst. "A lot of younger, post-9/11 veterans are not attracted to the older, conven- tional veterans organizations like the VFW and American Legion," said Appy, the author of three books about the Vietnam War. Instead, he said, they're more likely to be interested in groups focusing more on policies or activities they find more relevant to their experience and politi- cal positions: like Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Student Veterans of America, or Team Red, White & Blue. Appy doesn't think the growth of those nonprofits, or the decline in membership at their older counterparts, means the established groups will go away. Of those, only one – Student Veterans of America – has a chapter in Central Massachusetts. "Some predicted their collapse in the years aer the Vietnam War, when many Vietnam veterans felt unwelcome and proceeded to form their own organi- zations, such as Vietnam Veterans of America," Appy said. "And yet, over time, a considerable number of older Vietnam veterans began joining the older, estab- lished clubs and now constitute their leadership." Pandemic takes a toll Post leaders say they serve a valuable purpose for veterans: a place to gather, enjoy some camaraderie and support one another, among a group of people who share the experience of serving in the military. at's especially true for those who saw combat and whose potential life-or-death experiences can't be under- stood by anyone who wasn't in a similar situation. "at's a challenge there," said Dennis Zifcak, a Vietnam veteran who comes from a military family. Zifcak himself was in the U.S. Army, one brother a Marine and another in the U.S. Air Force. eir dad fought in World War II. "You don't have the synergy of a meeting," Zifcak said of trying to keep in touch during the pandemic. Normally, Massachusetts 334,244 245,193 89,051 12,867 31,530 108,173 96,528 40,489 National total 20,333,894 15,724,264 4,609,630 568,344 1,397,489 6,642,861 7,707,415 3,016,871 All Wartime Peacetime World Korean Vietnam Gulf War Post veterans veterans veterans War II Conflict Era Era Era 9/11 VFW Post 523 in Clinton has stayed safe by spacing out members and requiring masks when not eating or drinking. he said, aer a meeting, members would grab a drink or play pool. "It's a challenge now because we have to do Zoom meetings," he said, describ- ing an older group of members who might not have the know-how or interest in meeting up virtually. Pandemic public safety regulations have taken a toll, too. Like any other public place, veterans halls have been restricted by how large a gathering they can have, depending on whether they're licensed as essentially a restaurant, whether they have a bar, or large spaces for meetings. Indoor gatherings are lim- ited to 25 people, crimping any ability to hold revenue-generating gatherings. "It took me a couple months to get the place open," said Coolidge, who runs the Clinton VFW post. At the Vernon Hill American Legion post, tables in the lounge are set 6 feet apart, and all patrons have to remain seated. "We're doing alright," said Samko, the post's adjutant. e pandemic has le a mark in less tangible ways, too. e Veterans' Services office in Worcester City Hall, for example, has shied abruptly away from in-person appointments, instead preferring phone, Central Mass. veterans groups Veterans groups have dozens of locations across Central Massachusetts: • American Legion: Ashburnham, Ashby, Ashland, Athol, Auburn, Ayer, Barre, Berlin, Boylston, Charlton, Clinton, Fitchburg (2), Franklin, Grafton, Groton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lancaster, Leicester (4), Leominster, Marlborough, Maynard, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millis, Millville, Natick, North Brookfield (2), Northborough, Northbridge, Oxford, Paxton, Pepperell, Petersham, Rutland (2), Shrewsbury (2), Southborough, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sudbury, Sutton, Templeton, Townsend, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westborough, Westminster, Winchendon, Worcester (5) • VFW: Ashburnham, Ashland, Athol, Bellingham, Douglas, Franklin, Gardner, Grafton, Holliston, Hudson, Leicester, Leominster, Littleton, Marlborough (2), Medway, Milford, Millbury, Natick, North Brookfield, Oxford, Pepperell, Shrewsbury, Southborough, Southbridge, Townsend, Upton, Uxbridge, Webster, West Boylston, Westborough, Westminster, Winchendon, Worcester • AMVETS: Charlton, Fitchburg, Leominster, Marlborough, Millis, Natick, Northbridge, Sturbridge, Westminster, Worcester Sources: American Legion, VFW, AMVETS email, video call or even mail or fax. Its staff would normally be an active pres- ence at events such as for Veterans Day but has prioritized keeping everyone safe with the pandemic, said Alex Arriaga, the city's director of veterans services and an Iraqi combat veteran for the Army National Guard. "We don't want to put them in a situa- tion where they're going to be exposed," Arriaga said of veterans, particularly the older cohort. Veterans Inc., a Worcester group, stayed open throughout the pandemic as an essential business. "Veterans Inc., now more than ever, will continue its mission and live up to our motto, which is 'ey were there when we needed them, we must be there now that they need us,'" said Daniel Fuentes, the agency's veteran home repairs program manager. To Arriaga, many have essentially shrugged off the pandemic as simply yet another challenge in their lives. "Some people are frustrated, but the veteran community has gone through a lot of hardships through their lives," he said. "Although it's challenging, what gives me hope is that many will say 'is is tough, but we've been through tougher.'" W

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