OCONOMOWOC - Names such as Jim Tuttle, Babbit Czerwinski and Torchy Dames are synonymous with Oconomowoc’s Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion posts. All are veterans of World War II, a group of former soldiers who still make up the majority of members of veterans groups.

But, times are changing. Soon, names such as Chris Lewein, Ben Wagner and Dustin Runyard may be the new face of the VFW.

"We are working to make the post more of a family environment," said Lewein, commander of Oconomowoc VFW Post 2260. "We’re getting a lot of younger guys who served in the Persian Gulf, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan."

Lewein is a veteran of the Persian Gulf wars. A corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, he served from 1988 to 1994, joining the local VFW immediately after returning from the Persian Gulf in 1991.

"I’m a third generation military combat veteran," he said. "My dad (Vincent E. Lewein Jr.) is senior vice (commander). This gives me more time to spend with my dad. The VFW hosts several cookouts and has a scholarship fund. We are a visible part of the community."

And Lewein said he hopes to make the group even more visible through more community activities and events at the local schools. The post has also adopted the local Wisconsin National Guard’s 32nd Military Police Company on its recent deployment overseas.

The VFW Post has about 300 members, he said. Of those, about 60 percent served in World War II or Korea, with most of the remaining split evenly between Vietnam and the recent wars in the Middle East, Kosovo and Afghanistan.

One of the newer recruits for the post is Wagner, who was the keynote speaker at Memorial Day ceremonies Monday.

Wagner, a major, is the 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Division, Gulf Company weapons commander. He has served two tours in Iraq and was awarded the Bronze Star.

"My father is a member, and a neighbor who is a close family friend also urged me to join," he said. "I’m active when I can be and am ready to be utilized by the post commander however he sees fit."

Now in the Reserves, Wagner serves with this unit in Waukegan, Ill. He joined the VFW shortly after his first tour of duty in Iraq in 2005.

Runyard, a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, is also a new member of the post. At the Memorial Day ceremonies, he recited the names of Wisconsin soldiers killed overseas since the 2008 annual observance.

Lewein said there is a steep learning curve to being commander of the post.

"The guys from World War II know this organization like the back of their hand," he said. "For me, it’s like trial by fire."