State VFW leader removes many LI post commanders after no-shows

The leader of New York Veterans of Foreign Wars has rankled local VFW officials after ordering about half of the 104 post commanders on Long Island and in Brooklyn and Queens to step down.

Seventeen of Suffolk County's 33 commanders have been dismissed, along with about a dozen in Nassau, according to local VFW leaders. The dismissals included that of John Cronin, whose Post 7277 in Massapequa, according to state VFW records, was the second-most successful of any Long Island VFW in terms of recruitment, a key objective for an organization that has struggled to attract new members.

William "Doc" Schmitz, 67, of Corning, who was elected state VFW commander in May, said he ousted leaders who failed to attend a mandatory September meeting in Hicksville.

"I felt I had to ensure that the rules and regulations are complied with," said Schmitz, who believes the no-shows demonstrated a lack of commitment to the organization. "If you don't want to lead, take a seat in the audience."

The purge upset local VFW officials from Hempstead to East Hampton, who say they were blindsided by the sudden strict adherence to attendance rules that had been routinely bent in the past, and that the moves indiscriminately removed effective leaders along with poorly performing ones.

Long Island's geography, they say, forces volunteer post leaders, many of whom are in their 70s or older, to drive an hour or more to meetings that often go late into the evening. Dismissing a commander for a single absence is overly harsh, some officials complained.

"I am in support of the spirit of what he did, but not the way he did it," said Sidney Lynn, who oversees VFW activities in District 1, which includes Long Island, Queens and Brooklyn.

"It was like bringing a gun to a knife fight," said Suffolk County commander Charlie Trabold, who said 17 of the county's 33 post commanders were removed. "But whether we agree with him, it's his right, and we have to abide by it."

Charles Martin, acting commander at Post 7277 in Massapequa, said he reluctantly took over last month when Cronin received a certified letter, notifying him of his removal.

Schmitz said he notified the leaders of each of New York State's eight VFW districts shortly after he took office in June that he would strictly enforce a requirement that post commanders attend quarterly district meetings.

He said better attendance was needed to ensure that members of local posts are fairly represented as the VFW makes decisions about its finances, volunteer activities and other business. Not enough members attended the September meeting to achieve a quorum, he said.

"It's real simple. If you can't get a quorum because people aren't attending meetings, you can't pay bills, you can't elect people, you can't do anything," Schmitz said. He declined to provide specifics about the dismissals, but local VFW officials said more than 50 commanders in the district were ousted.

Long Island's 67 VFW posts advocate for the more than 125,000 veterans living here. Its members make hospital visits, organize food drives and fundraisers, lobby elected officials and march in parades.

But with many of the posts weakened by declining numbers, aging leadership and difficulty with attracting the nation's newest war veterans, national and local officials are struggling to rid the VFW of its image as an organization rife with moribund posts that are little more than glorified drinking clubs.

Cronin said he was not able to make the September meeting because of scheduled travel, and that his replacement had been unexpectedly called into work.

"Honestly, I was stunned," Cronin said of his dismissal. "I can understand Doc's position, although I think he took it to an extreme."

Schmitz said the post commanders who were dismissed are free to appeal his decision to the national headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, or seek re-election in May.

The dismissals have apparently caused embarrassment within the organization. Few individuals were willing to speak on the record or say which or how many post commanders were let go.

"This is a membership issue and does not belong out on the street," Harold "Hal" Burke Jr., the state's VFW adjutant, said during a phone interview from Albany.

National VFW spokeswoman Randi Law said secrecy about the organization's management is counterproductive given its dependence on community support. But Hall added that the national group is backing Schmitz.

"There is a bigger thing happening here," she said. "The post commanders are being held accountable."