The reports of their demise have been greatly exaggerated: VFW Post 673 responds to AI-generated slop
While the VFW Post 673 was making plans to present its quarterly donation to the Civil Air Patrol at the Huntingburg Regional Airport Tuesday evening, an article outlining the organization’s decline began circulating on social media.
The post published on a website called Prism — an AI-generated news outlet — claimed that Post 673 is downsizing to survive. That article’s central claim rests on a quote it attributes to “Post Commander Dan Beck” in August 2016: “We don’t exist in Dubois County, or Jasper, to serve pizza.” That quote does not originate from 2016. It was said by then-Senior Vice President David Flynn to the Dubois County Free Press on Feb. 13, 2025, in an article describing a temporary, weeks-long kitchen closure that had already been resolved by that spring. Prism’s version omits “or beer” from the quote, misattributes it to a different person and title, and dates it a decade earlier than it was actually said.
In an interview this morning, Commander Lt. Col. Dave Flynn (Ret.) pushed back on the Prism article and said the post is thriving.
“For the first time in 20 years, we’re being recognized as an All State and All National Post,” Flynn said, crediting the post’s leadership team, members and auxiliary for meeting the required benchmarks.
Flynn said its larger value is reputational — raising the post’s profile in the community and helping to grow membership as the organization shakes off its reputation of stale cigarette smoke in a dimly lit bar.
It seems to be working.
“The new recruiting year just started, and we just had two people turn in applications last night,” Flynn reported. “We are right at 31 new members over the past 13 months.”
Now in his third year as commander, Flynn says the post has made a significant turnaround since a reorganization roughly 18 to 20 months ago, and he wants the community to know the old narrative no longer applies.
“We’re a vital part of the community,” Flynn says.
The post now has roughly 250 to 260 members, and is open every day to the public for food and the newly installed electronic games. A public karaoke night is also held the first Saturday of each month.
Every Thursday, the post holds a half-pot drawing open to the public. The winning half goes to the ticket holder, and the remaining half accumulates for a quarterly donation to a local charity. The post has given more than $2,500 to local organizations over five quarters, including the Dubois County Humane Society, the Food Bank, No Person Left Behind Outdoors and Operation Mind, Body, and Soul.
That’s what supported Flynn’s $680 check to the Civil Air Patrol squadron — the second time the post has financially supported the group.
Flynn also highlighted the auxiliary’s contributions, which include administering the Voice of Democracy, Patriots Pen and Teacher of the Year scholarship programs, as well as supporting veterans in nursing homes.
“The auxiliary is just such a major and key component to that effort,” he said. “We wouldn’t be half the post — they are just an incredible auxiliary and very supportive.”
The post also hosts the VA mobile van one to three days per month and participates in boys baseball, girls softball and Honor Flight activities. Other ongoing programs include a Toys for Tots drive, a Veterans Day meal program at six area nursing homes, a holiday gift card program for spouses of deceased members, honor guard and graveside services across roughly 11 cemeteries, and an Adopt-a-Street program on Saint Charles Street. The post’s honor guard has led Jasper’s Strassenfest parade every year since the parade’s inception in 1979, and its youth baseball sponsorship dates back to 1959.
Anyone interested in membership or veteran services can contact VFW Post 673 directly. Flynn noted that eligibility extends beyond combat veterans and encourages anyone with questions about qualifying service — including submariners, pilots and those with expeditionary ribbons — to reach out.
The post can be reached at vfwpost673@yahoo.com or through Facebook at facebook.com/VFWPost673.
This isn’t the first time the AI website has published incorrect or misleading information based on old news reports and maybe a Wikipedia article or two. And other AI-driven sites have published articles about the area as well.
Yes, we know the title is a misquote of Mark Twain’s original quote.
