Change comes hard.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), the century-plus-old organization that advocates for America's veterans, must change in order to remain relevant and solvent.

Since 1995, the organization's membership has dropped by nearly half.  In almost 15 years of combat from the Middle East to Africa - and the more than 2.5 million troops deployed to war zones - total VFW membership has dropped from 2.1 million to 1.3 million veterans.

The VFW has been losing members for years as World War II and Korean War veterans pass and Vietnam veterans age.

Many younger veterans gravitate to newer groups such as Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of American or niche groups like Team Red, White & Blue.

As membership plummets, VFW posts close. During the last decade, one quarter of all VFW posts nationwide have shut their doors for good.

The image of the VFW has to change.

"I am extremely disturbed by the recurring reports from the field as well as the media's portrayal of the VFW as an organization that is comprised of old and out-of-touch veterans who would rather drink in a dimly lit canteen than open their doors to our younger veterans," wrote John Stroud, the organization's commander.

"Veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan theatres make up about ten percent of our overall membership," added Randi Law, a public affairs officer.

Stroud reminded his membership that VFW posts must work to address the modern crises younger veterans face.

Locally, VFW Post 10018 in the north end of Tacoma has gotten the message and is striving to change.

"At one time, we had over eight hundred members," Army veteran and post commander Timothy Bowman told me as we sat at the bar, or canteen. "Now we're at 484 members."

He related that last year, the post signed up 32 new members but lost 30 to death.

The VFW helps take care of combat veterans, helps with paperwork and annoying governmental details all veterans face, and engages in community service, Bowman explained.

But the irony of sitting at a bar with alcohol in sight did not pass unnoticed.

When I pointed this out, Bowman smiled.

"This is changing," he said. "We are much, much more family oriented; we engage our family members; we do not have people sitting around getting drunk, and we do take part in a number of community service events."

In front of the bar were a dozen tables with tablecloths and colorful flowers in vases.

In other words, Post 10018 is changing to meet the times.

In order to remain economically solvent, Bowman pointed out, the post rents its facility out to other organizations, an action suggested by the VFW's leadership.

And there's outreach.

"We have frequent contact with (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), and we let it be known they are welcome to join," Bowman added. "In time, the situation will self-correct, and the VFW will survive and continue to serve veterans, their families and the community."