Veterans upset after being shut out of neighborhood VFW post

A group of Bronx veterans claim they are not getting the services they deserve and that they've been shut out of their neighborhood VFW post in Wakefield.

News 12 Staff

Apr 5, 2022, 12:02 AM

Updated 913 days ago

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A group of Bronx veterans claim they are not getting the services they deserve and that they've been shut out of their neighborhood VFW post in Wakefield.
Vietnam veteran Jamie Carter tells News 12 he was shocked by the response from the front desk.
“They asked me to leave,” said Carter. “I had my Vietnam veteran hat, I told them this was a VFW post and the lady said this is not a veteran post.”
Carter has yet to return since the incident and neither have many of his fellow local veterans who claim they've been shut out of their local VFW post.
“They say we have to do more for our veterans, yet they take buildings away from us,” he added.
According to the Veterans of Foreign Wars website VFW 271 lists a commander, membership fee and hours of operation. Local vets though have not had access to their neighborhood post since the pandemic.
Veterans say the nearest VFW post is in Co-Op City, two miles away from the one in Wakefield. The building currently houses a senior center.
Dr. Anderson Torres, CEO of Rain Total Care Inc., says his organization respects the sacrifices of veterans and several guests at the senior center are former servicemen and women.
“We want to always acknowledge them and give them the extra support that's needed,” said Torres.
The Department of New York VFW says it was unaware of the situation concerning VFW post 271 in the Bronx and will be investigating the matter.