In my most favorite episode of Bar Rescue ever, Jon tackles one of his favorite types of rescues, making a difference for the veterans of VFW Post 1689 in Jacksonville, Florida, especially in honor of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday and for their upcoming 100th year anniversary. For over a decade, Jon worked as a consultant for the military, creating and improving officers’ clubs as part of the Navy’s Morale, Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) program. This episode marks his fourth VFW rescue, and he, along with Chef Anthony Lamas and Mixologist Derrick Turner, welcomes the chance to serve those who serve our country.

Commander Pete Lacomb and Quartermaster Jeff Lincoln decided to team up in leadership positions and put their efforts into updating the post property and improving membership. However, when COVID hit, they had to stop services at the canteen, their main revenue source. They dug into the reserves to survive, and now the VFW is making it month-to-month. When Jon does recon, it’s clear why they’re struggling. Everything is outdated, in disrepair, and worn. The members lament that it isn’t a fun place to go to, and seeing it in such shambles has worn down their morale.

Jon believes in the power of face-to-face interaction, and in the clip below, he explains the importance of bars, especially at the VFW, in creating space for conversation.

Over the years, I have enjoyed some of the fun the audio people on the show have when they add in sound effects, especially when people get mad and drive off from the establishment, with sounds of tires squealing and horns beeping making me laugh. I notice in the episodes, too, that when Jon has heart-to-heart-talks with people, especially if there’s been a tragedy or death, sad and meaningful music accompanies the video just like it does in any other show, but for some reason, the music always seems to be over-dramatic to me. It is in this episode as well. Maybe you noticed? I mean, it’s hard not to.

There’s no doubt that what’s happening to our veterans is tragic, and I have experience with suicide in my immediate family, so I intimately understand the tragedy of that as well. In the following clip, Jon and Trustee Treana Carmin share a touching moment talking about the need for the VFW post to stay available in the community. Jon tells her he’s going to fix it, and we all know he will, too. That is the beauty of Bar Rescue.

After gathering all the information about the physical property, the staff’s abilities, and the member’s hopes for the VFW, Jon brings in his experts and begins revamping the food and beverage menus as well as training the staff. 

Derrick teaches the staff how to make a classic martini and the difference between shaken and stirred cocktails. Beverly, who serves in the auxiliary, is a sweet, older lady who wants to redeem herself for making such a strong and dirty martini the night before that the guest said she could probably light her breath on fire with a match after drinking it.

Chef Lamas elevates their taco offerings as well. I’ve been sick all week and not eating, and those tacos had me wanting to get up off the couch and head to the kitchen—and I don’t even like tomatoes! Jon even says the best taco he ever ate was made by Chef Lamas, and I want to share that experience!

During the stress test, Jon and the experts notice all the problems, including only one service well, one antiquated POS system, and residential equipment in the kitchen that doesn’t allow for the kind of volume that the VFW is going to need to be able to handle if they want to become vibrant again. The staff try, but they have the same kinds of problems most bartenders have during stress test and are unable to keep up or make multiple drinks at once. Because they are volunteers and not employees, Jon already knows their hearts are in the right place, and he tries to get them to hustle, albeit a bit more gently than he does on a regular rescue. 

I notice that in these kinds of rescues where the problem is truly circumstantial, like the hurricane rescues in New York and Puerto Rico, and the flood damage one in Louisiana, all the post Covid episodes, and the VFW episodes, Jon is much more compassionate from the start. The circumstances don’t stop him from being honest and blunt, but they do create an opportunity for his charm and humor to come through on occasion. That  happens in this episode with Beverly. Here Jon sweetly teases her about how her new martinis look—beautiful, but not as beautiful as her!

Jon later tells us that when he gets to do a VFW, which he has done four times now, it’s a “labor of love” for him, and I believe it. After the reveal, he tells long-time auxiliary member Barbara, who visibly wept because she was so grateful Jon was there to help with her beloved VFW, that he worked a little harder because of her, and it shows.

The rescue Jon performed on this VFW was an extensive one. He changed the building’s façade, fixed their fire controls and AC, refurnished and refurbished everything, built a professional back bar, repaired and cleaned their kegarator, provided a complete kitchen equipment set up, an audio-video upgrade, bar equipment, two new POS systems and a tablet one, etc. He did them proud, and they acknowledged it with comments like, “This is more than we could have ever dreamed for or expected. It gives you a sense of pride to walk into this room now.”

The pictures below show some before and after images of the building exterior and main room interior.

Both Jon and the VFW’s community stepped up for the rescue. Jon tells everyone, “When I came here, I promised you I would leave you in a better place.” Pete responds with, “You’ve lived up to way past what I ever expected.” Jon replies, “And for you to say that to me means everything to me.” Jon gets both a verbal acknowledgement and a hug from the VFW folks, and he beams.

The way Commander Pete lights up at the end and exclaims that he doesn’t know if he’s going to be able to sleep because everything is just so “wow” is endearing to see. I can understand why Jon likes to do these rescues. VFWs are there to honor and support the people who serve us and help their transition from the military back into civilian life. If everyone was as grateful and honorable as the folks in this rescue, I’d be excited to show up and help them, too. They aren’t as exciting to watch as when Jon dresses down a drunk and belligerent owner, but they are much more heartwarming and the success of the remodel helps an entire community, and for that, I award Jon my own medal, the Medal of Illustriousness.

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I invite you to consider and share your answers in the Comments: Do you enjoy the heartwarming episodes as much as Jon, or do you prefer the ones with the more difficult owners?