The local Veterans of Foreign Wars post is looking toward a future that leaders say will look very different from the image many people have traditionally associated with veterans organizations.
From rebranding efforts and a planned relocation to the creation of family-focused spaces aimed at attracting younger veterans, leadership at Eatonton’s VFW Post 6686 says change is already underway.
“We needed a better strategy for getting younger, local war-on-terrorism veterans to come to the post,” Post Commander Brian Alliston said following last Thursday’s meeting. “We have a lot of those veterans here locally, but we don’t have them as members.”
Alliston, an Iraq War veteran who served 20 years in Army aviation flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, said the effort began shortly after he took command of the post about a year ago. He said the initiative gained momentum in 2026 as he developed what he describes as “a new vision” for the organization.
“A lot of the younger veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, still have young families,” Alliston said. “When they come to a VFW post, they want it to feel like family, too.”
While the organization already maintains a social media presence and conducts outreach efforts, Alliston said the local VFW needs a more coordinated and focused approach.
“What we’re trying to do is market our rebranding and our new vision,” he said.
A major component of that vision involves relocating the longtime Eatonton fixture from its current Oak Street location.
The VFW property has already been sold to Bug House Pest Control, although members will remain there through October under an occupancy agreement while preparations for the move continue. At the same time, the organization is pursuing property on the Putnam County side of Lake Sinclair off Jackson Road near U.S. Highway 441, though negotiations remain ongoing.
Alliston said the new property would be designed as much more than a meeting hall.
“We want to create a family environment,” he said. “We want spaces designed specifically for younger families and their children, with fenced playgrounds, video gaming areas and gathering spaces where veterans can socialize while their children remain safely nearby under adult supervision.”
The goal, he said, is to create a destination where veterans can bring their families while remaining active in the organization.
“We want veterans to be able to bring their young children, let them play games and have fun, while the veterans help plan and participate in all the good things the VFW does,” Alliston said.
As part of its expansion efforts, the Eatonton VFW has also established a new nonprofit organization, the Lake Country Veterans Association (LCVA), to serve veterans who did not deploy overseas. The LCVA is open to any honorably discharged veteran for an annual membership fee of $45. Members will receive discounts at the post canteen and opportunities to volunteer alongside VFW members in community service projects.
Alliston said he hopes younger veterans will come to view the VFW as a place where both they and their families are welcome.
“We want young veterans to know they can join the VFW and get involved because we’ve also got things for them and their kids to do,” he said.
The emphasis on community extends beyond membership growth, according to Alliston. He noted that the VFW already dedicates considerable time to supporting local nonprofits, schools, and other community organizations through volunteer efforts.
“We want young people to see that being a veteran is a positive thing,” Alliston said. “It’s not just about being in the military or about being at war. It’s about serving each other and giving back even after your military service ends.”
While the pace of change has been rapid, Alliston acknowledges that not everyone has fully adjusted.
“Everybody says I’m moving too fast for them,” he said with a laugh.
After decades in Army aviation, however, moving quickly comes naturally.
“In aviation, especially Army aviation, where every day can be life or death, things have to be executed on time,” Alliston said. “And the time is now.”