Every year, thousands of VFW and Auxiliary delegates gather to represent the organization’s more than 1.4 million combined membership at the weeklong VFW National Convention. While there, our mission is to approve new national priorities to guide our organization as we lobby Congress on issues important to the nation’s veterans, service members and their families.
Convention delegates also elect new leadership, as well as recognize prominent individuals and organizations for their support of veterans and military personnel.
The 126th VFW National Convention was held Aug. 9-13, 2025, at the Greater Columbus Convention Center in Columbus, Ohio.
As the VFW winds down its 125th year, it returned to the city where everything started. As the 14th largest city in the country and the largest and fastest-growing city in Ohio, Columbus is collaborative, open and dynamic. Between incredible arts and entertainment, exciting collegiate and professional sports and a spectacular downtown riverfront of sprawling greenspace, Columbus has something for everyone.
Convention delegates heard from many distinguished speakers during the convention, to include: Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther; Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose; Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins; Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community and Family Affairs Stephen Simmons; Taiwanese Veterans Affairs Council Deputy Minister Wu, Chih-Yang; Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Director Kelly McKeague; United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Director Major General Edward J. Chrystal, Jr.; Twisted X CEO Prasad Reddy; USAA CEO Juan Andrade; Student Veterans of America National President & CEO Jared Lyon; Military Women’s Memorial President Phyllis Wilson; Humana National Director of Key Relationships Cara Brown; Oracle Health Senior Vice President Patrick Sargent; and Arrow International Director of Veteran and Fraternal Relations Col. Joe Morris, USMC (Ret.).
New for this year’s convention was an awards banquet on Monday night that featured special guests Medal of Honor recipient James McCloughan and U.S. Representative Derrick Van Orden.
Also new this year was the Parade Deck Experience at the Exhibit Hall stage on Saturday and Sunday. The experience featured a full schedule of 30-minute on-stage presentations, fireside chats, and interviews from military influencers, sponsors, exhibitors, VFW officers and directors.
During the business sessions of the convention, delegates elected and installed the national-level chair officers, to include a new VFW national commander, Carol Whitmore of Des Moines, Iowa, the first woman to be elected to the position, as well as recognize prominent individuals and organizations for their support of the veteran and military communities.
Many awards were delivered this year as well, to include the following: VFW Commander-in-Chief’s Gold Medal of Merit: Brenda Bryant, 2024 – 2025 National President of the VFW Auxiliary; Sean Kingsbury, Head of Agent Marketing, State Farm; Tim Jensen, Chief Brand Officer and Co-owner, Grunt Style; President, Grunt Style Foundation; Jeff Carroll, 2024 – 2025 VFW National Chief of Staff; Victor Letourneaut, 2024 – 2025 VFW National Budget & Finance Chairman; Greg Stafford, 2024 – 2025 VFW National Inspector General; and Carol Lipphardt, spouse of Al Lipphardt, 2024 – 2025 VFW Commander-in-Chief. The VFW Distinguished Service Medal was presented to Duane Sarmiento, VFW Past Commander-in-Chief (2023 – 2024). The VFW Distinguished Service Award was presented to Maj. Samantha Cahill (U.S. Army), VFW Post 5202 Commander, Department of North Carolina who accepted downrange from Kuwait where she is currently deployed. The VFW Distinguished Citizenship Award was presented to Jon Yuspa, founder and CEO, Honor Flight Nevada. The VFW Distinguished Educational Award was presented to Jake Rademacher, award-winning filmmaker and producer, Brothers After War. The VFW Distinguished Historical Award was presented to William Duffy, for more than 40 years of preserving the military history in New Jersey. The VFW Distinguished Fraternal Award was presented to Richard Jones, for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in western North Carolina. The VFW John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of theYear Award was presented to Belinda Boldoe, Department Service Officer, VFW Department of Georgia. The VFW also recognized the 2024-2025 VFW Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Award recipients: Tim Smiddy, Staunton Elementary School, Staunton, Illinois; Christie Wingo, Colorado Springs Christian School, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Nicole Petrosillo, West Milford Township High School, West Milford, New Jersey.
Exhibitors
The exhibitor space for the 126th VFW National Convention is now full. If you are interested in exhibiting at the 127th VFW National Convention next year, please contact Taylor Engle at TEngle@vfw.org in January 2026 to receive additional information when it becomes available.
Sponsorships
Sponsorships for the 2025 126th VFW National Convention are now closed. See everything sponsoring has to offer, and contact the VFW Foundation, at Foundation@vfw.org to reserve your spot for the 127th VFW National Convention next year!