Sunday, September 17 2006
JEWETT CITY, CT - The new national commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Gary Kurpius, has suggested VFW posts become more family friendly by encouraging posts to become smoke-free among other ideas for change. Unable to order posts to comply, he can only suggest the ban, and few have gone smoke-free, but most remain a welcome resting spot for smokers & non-smokers alike. With increasing public bans nationwide, and up to 35% of VFW members being veterans of current conflicts such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Kurpius believes a family friendly environment is simply a matter of changing with the times and addressing the needs of a new "class" of younger veterans with different needs. Howard Roach, commander of the Jewett City VFW post, does not agree with the idea of a ban. He points out the fact that the new members are joining whether or not smoking is permitted, and many of the current members have been lighting up for decades. Since VFW posts are private establishments it remains at the discretion of each individual post to enact a ban.
Read more from Jewett City, CT in The Norwich Bulletin
