New blood in vets' groups is often female

New blood in vets' groups is often female
By Rupa Shenoy
Minnesota Public Radio
via The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Aug 18, 2012

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — On Wednesdays, the Rosemount VFW regulars head to the post for bingo night. The weekly game is open to the public and helps fund the VFW's operations.

Minnesota National Guard Maj. Kristin Auge volunteers at the post selling bingo cards to the players. And though she lives just a few miles away, she had never been inside this VFW until last spring when she joined.

It took a little more work that she thought it would.

"I walked up to one of the guys and I said I wanted to sign up to be in the organization and I said 'I'm here to join.' And he says, 'Well, you've had to have been in the service.' And I said, 'Well, I am, and I still am.' And he says, 'Well, you'll have had to have deployed.' 'Yes, I just got back from Iraq.' And he was like 'Oh, OK, I guess I'll take your paperwork,' " she recalled.

The older members welcomed Auge, so she cajoled some initially reluctant female friends into joining.
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