George O'Brien Jr., foreground, kick starts his motorcycle before leading a group of cyclists on a whirlwind ride across northeast Kansas on Saturday. VFW 852, 138 Ala., sponsored the third annual motorcycle rally and raffle fundraiser for the post.

Snuggled behind the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Lawrence sits the cabin.

A few dozen guys and gals chit-chatted outside. Red Dog X, the week’s resident bartender, served booze between strokes of his long, red, braided beard. And George O’Brien Sr. collected money.

It’s no longer just the old guys at VFW post 852, 138 Ala. As World War II vets die, the membership is growing younger.

Those who served in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom now have a visible presence in the VFW.

While all the vets are proud of one another, they’re also proud of the cabin, an old monkey house that’s been turned into their hangout.

Each year the post holds a motorcycle rally and raffle fundraiser for improvements to the building, in part to draw more young vets there, said George O’Brien Jr., a 40-year-old Panama, Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran.

After all, it’s the “young guys” who came up with the fundraiser, he said.

O’Brien Jr. and 13 other bikers headed off for Baldwin City, as a part of the fundraiser’s bike run. They would also hit De Soto and Bonner Springs, before heading back to the cabin.

“I’m all for the younger guys coming in,” said O’Brien Sr., a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Navy.

It’s also the younger guys who have changed the way people look at veterans, he said, noting that some people in Lawrence spat on him when he returned from Vietnam.

“People are more patriotic than they were back then,” said O’Brien Sr., 67. “The attitude’s changed towards the younger guys.”

“I just don’t want to see them go through the same crap that we did,” responded Mike Miller, also a Vietnam vet.