HOWLAND, Ohio - As we come together to remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on this Memorial Day, the American Legion is working to recruit younger veterans.

But is there a disconnect between the older and the younger generation?

The American Legion is an American institution that has been around for nearly 100 years.

But the times have changed and the American Legion is seeing a dwindling membership.

Where the dialogue breaks down is the time span between the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.

A gap of 15 years.

The veteran's service organization's aging membership has the group working hard to recruit younger veterans.  However, it's a recruitment battle that's not so easy.

Jim Campbell is the Post Commander of American Legion's Howland Post 700, "So when I get a young man in here that is 22 years old and he comes to a meeting with veterans that are 65, 70 years old there's a disconnect."

That's because while the language of war is the same, the issues each veteran faces when coming home may differ along with how they choose to handle it.

"So you take marriage.  You take PTSD, which some of these are mentally challenged with.  You take the job that they need to finance their families for to join a veteran's organization they're focus is on a family and survival," Campbell said.

But some feel it's that veteran service organization that can actually help provide the support and connections those younger veterans need to get them through life's challenges.

Veteran Smitty Mealy is a member of American Legion's Howland Post 700, "We can go to bat for them and break through a lot of red tape for them."

American's standing together in peacetime to honor all who have served, and remembering those who never made it home.