Charity Watchdog Group Continues Giving Veteran and Troops Causes an “F.”

In a report published by the American Institute of Philanthropy (AIP), efficiency ratings of a few well known and not so well known Veterans and Troops charities and causes reflects very little change since testimony given to Congress by AIP in 2007.   AIP’s latest Charity Rating Guide and Watchdog Report for April-May 2010 shows ratings for Vet and Troop efforts and causes from a Top “A” to low poor rating of “F.”

VT Editorial Note: To get a copy of AIP’s Triannual Charity Rating Guide and Watchdog Reports go to http://www.charitywatch.org/ratingguide.html AIP requests only a $3.00 fee for postage and handling.

It is not important if the Veteran, Troop, or Military Family community seeks out or even believes the ratings given by such watchdog organizations as AIP, Charity Watchdog, or Guidestar. Several Veterans Service Organizations including younger ones from the current wars have expressed concern that shining a light on the incompetency or inefficiency of a few efforts  shines a negative light on all, but we at VT do not embrace this view because of the Veteran and Troops groups who rate an “A” regardless of UNRELATED political stands or affiliations.

We as a community of Vets, troops, and families are prone to give and take care of one another regardless how efficient our fund raisers and accountants are, because we EXPECT them to be accountable. If we are members of the Army, Air Force or other service, we are apt to donate to that services charity fund or Aid Society. A portion of my Air Force Retirement pay goes to Air Force Aid Society (AFAS), and Air Force Village, in fact my family has benefited from the AFAS. If we are members of Disabled American Veterans, the VFW, VVA, or whatever, we are prone to donate to the organization we belong to, are loyal to, or believe in regardless if more money goes to advertisement and admin overhead or not, such reactions of loyalty to an organization, cause or effort is only natural. Maybe we should but we do not question the competence of those running the Air Force Aid Society for example, especially since my family benefited from it.

However, readers it is the IMAGE put forward on how effective, inefficient, incompetent, or accountable Veteran and Troop charities and causes are in the public donor’s eyes that is most important. Why?

Well out of the 22 million or so Vets (as of U.S. Census data 2006), a small fraction of us either join a Veterans organization or use the VA for example. Even if we are able to donate to charities or Veteran and Troop causes during economic hard times, a feat in itself, donating to ourselves is like well preaching to the choir of a church congregation the vast majority of our national community does not belong to or are members of a different church, religion, or no affiliation what so ever.

Less than one percent of the U.S. population goes into the military today, thus the overall Veterans community is only destined to SHRINK. Simply put, it is more important that our Veteran and Troop support fund raisers and managers promote a positive image to the vast majority of Americans who ARE NOT VETERANS, who ARE NOT TROOPS and who, ARE NOT MILITARY FAMILIES.

I hope that the vast majority of donations to our Vet and Troop causes are coming from outside our community, because we just do not have the number of people within, especially people with money to spare, to sustain such gallant efforts alone. With that I give you the AIP ratings for those Veteran and Troop related causes.

Robert L. Hanafin, Major, U.S. Air Force-Retired, VT News

AIP’s Top Rated Veteran and Military Related Charities

To view some of the top rated Vet and Military related causes go to

http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html#veterans, scroll down to their index of top rated charities in the blue lined box, then select Veterans and Military that will take you to the listing of Veteran and Military related efforts rated from A+ to B+.

In order to access those causes rated below B, readers must get the most current AIP Charity Rating Guide and Watchdog Report

Related Stories:

Veterans Charities Protest Their F’s http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/Vets_Charities_Protest_Fs.html

Inefficient, Tax-Delinquent, and Even Fake Charities Pass Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Screens http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/combinedfederalcampaign.html

F Rated Charities Awarded Best in America Seal http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/fratedbestinamerica.html

Our Veterans Deserve Better from America’s Charities http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/veterans.html

Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation Whistle-Blower Booted From Board http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/Whistle_Blower_Booted.html

Help Hospitalized Veterans – Two Layers of F’s http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/TwoLayers.html

Not Enough Charity: IRS Takes Away Tax Exempt Status http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/IRS_Pulls_Status.html

Now Is The Time To Reform Veterans Charities http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/Now_Is_The_Time.html

American Veterans Coalition: All-in-the-Family Charities Receive F’s http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/AllintheFamily.html

AIP President Daniel Borochoff’s Testimony Before the House Oversight Committee Regarding Veterans Charities (With AIP Ratings)

Soldiers Angels Lose Their Halos  http://www.charitywatch.org/articles/soldiersangels.html

Robert L. Hanafin

Readers are more than welcome to use the articles I’ve posted on Veterans Today, I’ve had to take a break from VT as Veterans Issues and Peace Activism Editor and staff writer due to personal medical reasons in our military family that take away too much time needed to properly express future stories or respond to readers in a timely manner.

My association with VT since its founding in 2004 has been a very rewarding experience for me.

Retired from both the Air Force and Civil Service. Went in the regular Army at 17 during Vietnam (1968), stayed in the Army Reserve to complete my eight year commitment in 1976. Served in Air Defense Artillery, and a Mechanized Infantry Division (4MID) at Fort Carson, Co. Used the GI Bill to go to college, worked full time at the VA, and non-scholarship Air Force 2-Year ROTC program for prior service military. Commissioned in the Air Force in 1977. Served as a Military Intelligence Officer from 1977 to 1994. Upon retirement I entered retail drugstore management training with Safeway Drugs Stores in California. Retail Sales Management was not my cup of tea, so I applied my former U.S. Civil Service status with the VA to get my foot in the door at the Justice Department, and later Department of the Navy retiring with disability from the Civil Service in 2000.

I’ve been with Veterans Today since the site originated. I’m now on the Editorial Board. I was also on the Editorial Board of Our Troops News Ladder another progressive leaning Veterans and Military Family news clearing house.

I remain married for over 45 years. I am both a Vietnam Era and Gulf War Veteran. I served on Okinawa and Fort Carson, Colorado during Vietnam and in the Office of the Air Force Inspector General at Norton AFB, CA during Desert Storm. I retired from the Air Force in 1994 having worked on the Air Staff and Defense Intelligence Agency at the Pentagon.