Mar 30, 2026
VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) and its network of 2,278 officers worldwide reached a new milestone last year: $16.2 billion in awards for the more than 608,000 veterans it represents.
Considered one of VFW’s foundational pillars since its inception 124 years ago, NVS continues to help veterans and their families file VA disability claims and secure earned benefits at no cost, a standard praised across the organization.
“Nothing makes me prouder than the work VFW’s service officers do day in and day out for veterans, transitioning service members and surviving dependents,” VFW Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore said. “It is astonishing that this profound amount of $16.2 billion was recovered by the men and women who do this service officer work free for veterans.”
For NVS Director Michael Figlioli, the steady year-over-year growth in benefits recovered on behalf of veterans, including a $1.6 billion leap last year from its previous figure of $14.62 billion in 2024, is a microcosm of the network’s commitment to excellent customer service.
At VFW, each service officer is accredited by the VA to provide free claims assistance to transitioning service members, veterans and their families.
In 2025 alone, NVS processed nearly 164,000 new claims, with about 14,000 of those filed through VFW’s Pre-Discharge Claims Program, which helps service members prepare to transition out of the military.
“Every day, our VFW-accredited service officers show the tenacity, dedication and genuine care that veterans deserve,” Figlioli said. “They stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who wore the uniform, guiding them through the VA claims process and making sure they receive the benefits they have earned. I am truly humbled by their commitment, integrity and the life-changing impact they make for veterans and their families.”
Figlioli also noted that a VFW service officer’s commitment to veterans goes beyond filing a claim.
“If there’s any after-action work to be done, such as an appeal, the VFW is there to represent the veteran, family member or survivor all the way through to the end,” Figlioli said. “It has been proven that those who seek assistance from an accredited representative will likely receive a better rating than those who pretend to know what they’re doing.”
Today, VFW operates 26 pre-discharge claims sites across the U.S. and abroad, with locations in Europe, Guantanamo Bay and Korea covered remotely by service officers based stateside.
‘YOUR EFFORTS DELIVER OUTCOMES THAT ARE LIFE-CHANGING’
At Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Raymond Loo devotes himself each day to turning the most complicated part of his job as a VFW Department of Hawaii Service Officer into small miracles with lasting effects.
As one of 2,278 VA-accredited men and women who embody the VFW’s network of service officers, Loo’s favorite part is helping veterans and surviving spouses who are either frustrated with repeated VA denials or devastated by the sudden loss of a loved one.
“These initial conversations can be the hardest because claimants do not understand the VA claim process and are often emotional when trying to lay out a plan while setting the right expectations,” said Loo, a Life member of VFW Post 10276 in Honolulu.
Like all VFW service officers, Loo is equipped with copious hours of training in navigating the pitfalls and bureaucratic language. He says he is committed to providing exemplary customer service to each and every veteran and their family.
Loo adds that he handles each claim as if it were his own, often managing every facet of the process, from the initial claim to appeals, in order to alleviate any undue burdens on the claimant.
“I often call them and share the news of the VA’s decision,” Loo said. “When the decision is favorable, the veteran or surviving spouse is often overwhelmed with emotion because they know their lives and future have changed for the better. This is especially true with surviving spouses, who are often in a financial bind due to the loss of the veteran and his or her disability benefit, and will often come to tears knowing their financial future has turned around.”
Last year, an Army veteran with more than 25 years of active-duty airborne service came to see Loo about his VA service-connected rating being at 10 percent.
“During our initial meeting, he described the multiple musculoskeletal conditions he was suffering from, and he shared the parachuting injury events over the course of his career,” Loo said. “After researching his service-treatment records and obtaining additional evidence from the veteran, we submitted multiple new claims and supplemental claims.”
This article is featured in the 2026 March/April issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., associate editor for VFW magazine.