(Reporter's Notebook by Steven Allen Adams - Photo Illustration - MetroCreativeConnection)

After the recent primary election period, I think we could all use a break from politics for a bit.

This is when I traditionally republish a Memorial Day column with some minor changes from year to year to keep the column relevant. In that piece, I write about the Memorial Day parade in my hometown of St. Marys.

“It starts with a parade downtown, led by a color guard represented by almost all the branches of the armed forces — Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard,” I wrote. “Traditionally, they lead the parade to what remains of the Hi Carpenter Bridge … Once the parade gets to the bridge, flowers are thrown into the river and a firing squad shoots off a salute.

“Then the honor guard, with some members in their 80s, turns around and marches across town to the I.O.O.F. Cemetery for a Memorial Day service and to lower the American flag to half-staff and play ‘Taps.'”

My dad has been involved in this community ritual for as long as I can remember, along with many of the same men. But the one thing I keep noticing is that the ranks of these veterans’ organizations do not seem to be replenished. St. Marys once had an American Legion post, but that has since been dissolved. The veterans who march in local parades or who conduct military honors at cemeteries continues to decrease.

Younger veterans do not seem to be joining groups such as the American Legion, AmVets, Veterans for Foreign Wars, etc. And this is not an issue exclusive to our local communities. It appears to be a national trend.

According to The Columbian, the American Legions has seen a 700,000-member drop from 2015 to 2025. The VFW has seen more than 1 million drop from their membership rolls over a nearly 40-year period. Some of that is due to our older veterans dying, and some of that is due to fewer members in the armed forces since the 1980s. But some of that is due to younger veterans choosing to not join these groups.

And that’s going to be a problem in the coming years if the trend doesn’t end. These veterans’ groups have traditions dating back more than 100 years that could be lost. With fewer members in these organizations, that means fewer people to conduct gravesite rights, leading community service projects and helping educate veterans about their benefits and services.

I should note here that it’s not just veterans’ groups. Civic organizations – such as Lions Clubs, Rotary, Kiwanis, Junior Leagues, etc. – are also seeing fewer young adults joining. Many of these groups play important roles in our communities, such as collecting clothing, providing meals, awarding college scholarships, and more.

***

The American Enterprise Institute’s Survey Center on American Life published a report in 2024, titled “Disconnected: The Growing Class Divide in American Civic Life.” The study is based off of findings from the 2024 American Social Capital Survey.

“American social and civic life was once defined by diverse clubs, groups and organizations. However, it has declined by every conceivable measure since the mid-20th century,” wrote the report’s authors, Daniel A. Cox and Sam Pressler. “Today’s Americans have fewer civic opportunities – that is, places, institutions, groups, programs, and activities in which they can experience community life. Americans participate in organized activities less often and join fewer community groups than they once did.”

According to the report, while college graduates maintain social networks and access to community spaces, those without degrees frequently live in “civic deserts” with fewer opportunities for connection. This divide extends to institutional participation, as traditional anchors like churches and unions increasingly serve more educated populations.

Consequently, lower-income and less-educated Americans face higher rates of social isolation and possess weaker support systems for financial or emotional needs. In short, the authors make the argument that meaningful community involvement is becoming a luxury good rather than a universal experience.

For example, the report states that college graduates join hobby groups, neighborhood associations and sports leagues at roughly three times the rate of their non-college peers, with 50% of college-educated mothers and 42% of college-educated fathers volunteering at least a few times a year, compared to the national average of 28%.

I will say that sometimes the costs of joining a local civic group, such as dues and fees, can make the organization feel prohibitive. That may be something these groups can address.

***

I just recently completed a nine-week course through the FBI Charleston Citizens Academy, meeting with FBI agents and investigators, learning about their cases and processes, and meeting people from around the state.

I am now joining the FBI Charleston Citizens Academy Alumni Association, which is a separate group that works on community service projects and outreach about the services available to the public through the FBI. My wife Jessica is the incoming president of the Junior League of Charleston, and she is involved with the Girl Scouts Black Diamond Council, West Virginia CASA and now the United Way of Central West Virginia.

While we have both been active volunteers in the community we live in, we’ve only recently begun getting involved with civic-minded groups as members. I hope my fellow young adults will also consider finding a community organization to join.

Steven Allen Adams can be reached at sadams@newsandsentinel.com.