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Veterans of Foreign Wars

 
Veterans of Foreign Wars

 
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The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), is a congressionally chartered
Congressional charter

A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992....
 war veterans organization. VFW currently has 1.6 million members and is the largest American organization of combat veterans.

ers must be US citizens and be currently serving in the US military or have an honorable discharge from the US Armed Forces. Membership also requires military service overseas during a conflict and decorated with an expeditionary medal, a campaign medal or ribbon.






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The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), is a congressionally chartered
Congressional charter

A congressional charter is a law passed by the United States Congress that states the mission, authority and activities of a group. Congress issued federal charters from 1791 until 1992....
 war veterans organization. VFW currently has 1.6 million members and is the largest American organization of combat veterans.

Membership

Members must be US citizens and be currently serving in the US military or have an honorable discharge from the US Armed Forces. Membership also requires military service overseas during a conflict and decorated with an expeditionary medal, a campaign medal or ribbon. Receipt of imminent danger/hostile fire pay is accepted for membership.
  • SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia
    SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia

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  • Combat Infantryman Badge
    Combat Infantryman Badge

    The Combat Infantryman Badge is an award of the United States Army which is presented to those officers, Warrant Officer s and enlisted soldiers, in the grade of Colonel and below, who participate in active ground combat while assigned as a member of an infantry or special forces unit, brigade or smaller size, during any period subsequent to...
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    Combat Medic Badge

    Combat Medical BadgeParagraph 8-7, Army Regulation 600-8-22 11 December 2006HistoryOriginally established as the Medical Badge, the Combat Medical Badge was created by the War Department on 1 March 1945....
  • Combat Action Ribbon
    Combat Action Ribbon

    The Combat Action Ribbon is a personal Awards and decorations of the United States military of the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps which is awarded to those who, in any grade including and below that of a Captain in the Navy , have actively participated in ground or surface combat....
  • Combat Action Badge
    Combat Action Badge

    The Combat Action Badge is a military Badges of the United States Army worn in the U.S. Army. The emblem features both a M9 bayonet and M67 grenade....
  • Air Force Combat Action Medal
  • Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border)


and/or

Service for thirty (30) consecutive days duty in Korea or sixty (60) days of non-consecutive duty in Korea.

Soldiers currently deployed to a combat zone meet the qualification for joining the VFW.

A DD214 or World War II
World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a Participants in World War II, including all of the great powers, organised into two opposing military alliances: the Allies of World War II and the Axis powers....
 era discharge paper with campaign medals, and or badges printed on back is used to verify membership eligibility.

The VFW became a government-chartered non-profit organization by an act of the United States Congress in 1936; as such, it receives no funding from United States tax receipts and is supported by charitable donations. The first VFW was founded in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the Capital , the largest, and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located near the Geographic centers of the United States, Columbus is the county seat of Franklin County, Ohio, although parts of the city also extend into Delaware County, Ohio and Fairfield County, Ohio counties....
 in 1899. The current VFW was first formed in 1914 from the merger of two prior veterans organizations which both arose in 1899: the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines. The former was formed for veterans of the Spanish–American War, while the latter was formed for veterans of the Philippine–American War.

VFW works on behalf of American veterans by lobbying Congress
United States Congress

The United States Congress is the Bicameralism legislature of the Federal government of the United States of the United States of America, consisting of two houses, the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives....
 for better veteran
Veteran

A war veteran is a person who has or is working in the armed forces, or a person who has had long service or experience in an occupation or office....
s' health care
Health care

File:Ear surgery on a patient.jpgFile:Monoclonal antibodies3.jpgHealth care, or healthcare, refers to the treatment and management of illness, and the preservation of health through services offered by the Medicine, pharmaceutical, Dentistry, clinical laboratory sciences , nursing, and allied health professions....
 and benefits. The VFW also maintains a nationwide organization of employees and volunteers to assist veterans with their VA disability
Disability

Disability is a lack of ability relative to a personal or group standard or norm. In reality there is often simply a spectrum of ability. Disability may involve physical impairment such as sense impairment, cognitive impairment or intellectual impairment, mental disorder , or various types of chronic disease....
 claims.

VFW also donates hundreds of thousands of dollars and millions of hours for community service
Community service

Community service refers to service that a person performs for the benefit of his or her local community. People become involved in community service for a range of reasons ? for some, serving community is an altruistic act, for others it is a punishment....
. One of their most popular programs, Operation Uplink, provides free phone cards to overseas service members.

The current Commander of the VFW is Glen Gardner.

Involvement


Direct community involvement is a VFW priority, extending beyond the realm of veterans helping veterans.

Annually, VFW and Auxiliaries donate more than 13 million volunteer hours of community service. VFW members mentor youth groups, help in community food kitchens, volunteer in blood drives and visit hospitalized veterans. Others help veterans file compensation claims.

VFW's Community Service programs are designed to encourage community service and increase civic pride, which ultimately enhances education, improves the environment and ensures the availability of health services for our nations veterans.

VFW's Citizenship Education program is designed to stimulate interest in America's history and traditions and to promote citizenship, civic responsibility and patriotism.

VFW's Youth Scholarship programs provide more than $3.5 million in scholarships to our nation's youth. They include Voice of Democracy, Patriot's Pen youth essay contest and Scout of the Year.

The VFW's partnership with the Boy Scouts of America includes the sponsoring of more than 1,200 Scouting units with 40,000 members across the nation.

VFW's Safety Program encourages VFW Posts and Auxiliaries to conduct programs in home, auto and bicycle safety, as well as programs dealing with drug awareness and substance abuse.

The VFW National Home for Children is a community development in a family-like environment that is home to orphaned or single parent children of VFW or Ladies Auxiliary members. The home, which was established in 1925 on in Eaton Rapids, Mich., emphasizes the values of education, good work habits and sound moral character.

Veteran Services

You may be eligible for VA benefits if you are:

  • a veteran
  • a veteran’s dependent
  • surviving spouse, child or parent of a deceased veteran
  • an active-duty military servicemember
  • a member of the Reserve or National Guard


Some VA benefits include:

  • Compensation
  • Pension
  • Health Care
  • Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment
  • Education & Training
  • Home Loans
  • Life Insurance
  • Dependents & Survivors


See also

  • AMVETS
    AMVETS

    AMVETS or American Veterans is a volunteer-led organization formed by World War II veterans which accepts honorably discharged veterans as members....
  • American Legion
    American Legion

    The American Legion was chartered by the U.S. Congress as a patriotic, mutual-help, wartime veterans list of veterans' organizations of the Military of the United States who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress....
  • Disabled American Veterans
    Disabled American Veterans

    The Disabled American Veterans , founded in 1920, is an organizations for United States Disability List of veterans' organizations. It currently has about 1.2 million members, all veterans of the armed forces and disabled in the line of duty during a time of war....
  • Royal Canadian Legion
    Royal Canadian Legion

    The Royal Canadian Legion is a non-profit Canada ex-service organization founded in 1925, with more than 400,000 members worldwide. Membership includes people who have served as current and former military of Canada, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian province and municipal police, direct relatives of members and also affiliated members...
  • The Royal British Legion
    The Royal British Legion

    The Royal British Legion, sometimes referred to as simply The Legion, is the United Kingdom's leading Charitable organization providing financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served or who are currently serving in the British Armed Forces, and their dependants....
  • Returned and Services League of Australia
    Returned and Services League of Australia

    The Returned and Services League of Australia is a support organisation for men and women who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force ....
  • Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association
    Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association

    The Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, often referred to as the Returned Services' Association but best known simply as the RSA, is one of the largest voluntary welfare organisations in New Zealand and one of the oldest ex-service organisations in the world....
  • Grand Army of the Republic
    Grand Army of the Republic

    The Grand Army of the Republic was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army who had served in the American Civil War. The GAR was among the first organized interest groups in American politics....


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