TORRINGTON – This year, the Veterans of Foreign War of the United States (VFW) will enter its 125th year of service to American Veterans, however, the local VFW, the Paul A. Johnson/Harold Bandemer Post 2818 in Torrington, is in danger of missing the celebration as they face a post suspension.

“The VFW is celebrating their 125th anniversary, nationally, this year,” Louis Russ, post quartermaster said. “It was founded in 1899 in Denver, Colorado, actually.”

The VFW is a nonprofit veteran’s service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members with roots tracing back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Information gathered from the national website indicates after many of the veterans arrived home wounded and sick, they were left to care for themselves as there was no medical care or veteran’s pension. Banding together, the veterans formed what has become known as the VFW. 

Russ, who has been active with the post for 14 year’s, explained the Torrington post began some 90 years ago and although a quick search of the Torrington Telegram archives reveals the post was conducting meetings in 1934, the exact date the club began is unknown. 

Recently, the post has faced issues which have resulted in a suspension of all post operations until further investigation from the National VFW, according to Russ.

“We no longer have an auxiliary, and the post is on suspension,” Russ said. “We can’t even open the lounge until further notice.”

According to the National VFW, the purpose of a “post suspension” is to identify post deficiencies, assess additional shortcomings and create a plan of action to address those deficiencies through education and corrective action “only when all other efforts have failed.” The suspension of a post is not a substitution for removing the post, according to the National VFW, or an effective way to force a post to participate in the VFW program. The suspension is not a substitution for removing a post officer under section 220 of the national bylaws.

“We were suspended due to, and I’ll take the blame because I am the quartermaster and adjutant and I didn’t list the names of the three trustees that were elected as officers in the post,” Russ said. “That was the number one reason why we were suspended.”

Russ explained the auxiliary portion of the VFW was primarily the wives, mothers and sisters of active VFW members however as more and more women have joined the military, the auxiliary opened its doors to all family members. Russ explained, after the officers of the auxiliary stepped down, others were elected to take their place. 

“What happened was, the auxiliary officers quit, so they had another meeting. They voted in new officers. I swore them in because I was a past post commander and then someone said no, that’s illegal because they didn’t let everybody on the auxiliary roster know and they had to have a special meeting and vote for new officers. They (the National VFW) said, okay, you’re on suspension.” 

The VFW Auxiliary had helped the post raise valuable funds in previous years with community events such as BINGO. 

“The second reason is somebody called the National VFW and said the national or the state needs to look into how we handle our BINGO process and how we handle our BINGO finances,” Russ explained. 

“BINGO is our main source of revenue and what happened a long time ago was, BINGO got suspended probably 15-20 years ago because the post had a falling out. The auxiliary came and said to the post, ‘We will split the money with you 50/50 if we have authorization to run BINGO.’ But the post had to have someone there to help walk the floors, hand out the money, etc., so they did that up until September, I think it was,” Russ said. “The auxiliary had a falling out, so they decided to dissolve.”

Once the auxiliary dissolved, the post obtained the correct licensing to facilitate the BINGO fundraiser. 

“In the gaming statute it says 65% of your money for BINGO that night has to go to the winners. Whatever you take in, 65% goes out and 35% stays with the post,” Russ explained.  “We got a new license. We didn’t stop BINGO. We were going fine but somebody said that you can’t do that because you’re not giving that 35% of what’s left over to benevolent organizations.”

According to Russ, when the post received the gaming license, he contacted the state for further information on how the funds needed to be dispersed.

“I called the gaming commission and said okay, what does this mean down there were it says you need to give a percentage of your earning to benevolent organizations? Well, that’s like the Moose, the Elks, the American Legion, the Knights of Columbus, other non-profit organizations. The gaming commission said, ‘Aren’t you a benevolent organization?’ Yeah, we are a non-profit. You donate it back to yourself so you can operate your expenses,” Russ explained. 

That’s where the confusion started. 

“Somebody said we weren’t using the money right, but we are,” Russ said. “But in the meantime, the national told the state department to suspend us and investigate. That’s what we have been doing.”

Russ explained the post is in dire need of participation from the current members since rounding up additional members has been a struggle.

“We can’t get new members because, nothing against Gen. X or millennials or anything but they’re not joiners. I know they don’t want to join. I know nobody wants to join and I understand,” Russ said. “Today somebody told me, it was to the point where you have to have at least three incomes to make ends meet. Who wants to come home after a day’s work, clean the house, cook dinner, take care of the kids and then go play BINGO or do something with the VFW?”

According to Russ, the state organization suggested the post develop other fundraisers but with very limited participation among current members, Russ explained the faithful handful of active members are tired and the need for other members to take on responsibilities in the post has grown. 

Russ also explained, with the doors of the post shut, the community is losing valuable resources. 

“We are on suspension. We can’t hold BINGO. We can’t raise any money. We have to pay our bills,” Russ said. “On Wednesdays the VA (Veteran’s Affairs) people come up from Cheyenne and we have that mobile facility out there so that people can come and do whatever they need to do with the mobile health facility, and we have opened up the lounge that’s downstairs for pool players and anyone that wants to come down.”

Russ explained the post has always been open for those community members who seek treatment from the VA mobile clinic and they provide snacks and drinks to those waiting as well. 

“Now, that’s closed because we have to have a suspension committee member with us at the VFW,” Russ explained. 

“We are suspended. We are in limbo. I can’t even go onto the computer and add any new members because we are suspended. We can’t raise any money. We can’t even go into the building without a committee member there,” Russ explained. “We had to turn in all of our keys. We had to turn over our check books.”

According to Russ, the National VFW bylaws mandate increased oversight by a working “administrative committee” or “suspension committee” and there is one state officer in Torrington who serves as a member of the committee. 

“We also, both sides, auxiliary and post, have always helped out with Shop with Cops. We donate money to Waggin’ Tails. These are things that are part of our mission is to donate to benevolent organizations,” Russ explained. 

Russ also expressed his frustration with the suspension noting he felt the National VFW has labeled the post “guilty until proven innocent,” noting the organization should investigate and then decide is suspension is truly necessary.  

“Here it is, our 125th anniversary and we’re looking at having to close our doors,” Russ said.

Russ encourages other community members who are veterans of war to consider joining by filling out an application. The miliary branch of affiliation doesn’t matter, nor does the conflict served in, all veterans are welcome.

“You’re a veteran. It doesn’t matter what war you’ve served in, you’re a veteran. Please come,” Russ explained. “It’s not an overbearing job or voluntarism to come to the VFW. We don’t hold dances. We don’t hold bake sales. We aren’t going to make the VFW your life, but at least be a member.”

Russ also explained the post held community breakfasts to raise funds as well. 

“That’s always been a good service to the community. Pretty much everything we do is open to the public. The only thing you can’t do is be a member if you don’t have a relative who has served in a combat zone. That’s the only negative stipulation,” Russ added. 

Russ explained the post will continue through the investigation but the lack of participation among members is a concern.

“I think our post will stay alive and well,” Russ said. “We have a meeting on the 30th of November out at the VFW to decide what our fate is going to be.”

In closing, Russ expressed the post needs the community it has been serving for so many years now. 

“We need, number one, current members to return. Come back. Put your petty jealousies to the side and come back. Two, we need young people, new blood, to come and join. This is not going to be a 24 hour, seven days a week, 365 days a year job. You are a service member. We are here to serve the community members, the families of veterans. And if you are a veteran, you need to come and help serve,” Russ said. “We need assistance.”