By: Tom Roeder (The GazetteApril 3, 2016
Updated: April 3, 2016 at 11:11 am

Leaders of the American GI Forum, the nation’s oldest group for Hispanic veterans, gathered in Colorado Springs this weekend to ponder problems including recruiting young veterans to their ranks.

 

 

The American GI Forum, founded in the wake of World War II to protect the rights of Hispanic veterans, remains dedicated to battling bigotry and promoting education. But the group’s ranks are graying quickly, said the forum’s national commander Angel Zuniga.

“We’re trying to formulate, how do we get these young members?” Zuniga said before his group’s Colorado Springs gathering from Thursday through Saturday.

Formed in 1948, the forum has nearly 160,000 members at its peak. But Zuniga said the bulk of the group’s members are aging veterans from wars in Korea and Vietnam, The troops of Iraq and Afghanistan have been tough to attract, he said.

So the group is looking at expanding its online offerings and pondering what new benefits it could offer to attract younger veterans. The group is also opening its door wider to accept veterans of any creed.

“We’re diverse and inclusive,” Zuniga said. “We take in any veteran.”

The forum grew by battling for the benefits earned by Hispanic veterans. But as civil rights battles grew, the veterans in the forum became leading voices for voting rights and an end to discriminatory practices including the poll tax.

Civil rights remain a key to the group, and with election year rhetoric focused on immigrants, the forum is working to show America how much Hispanics have contributed to national security.

“Education is one of the pillars of our organization,” Zuniga said.

The group is also working to put kids through college with a string of scholarships. But the priority now is getting younger veterans into the group.

“That’s what we’re working on, to find the strategies,” Zuniga said.