Last August, a group of America’s finest men and women were deployed to Iraq to protect this country and its freedoms. VFW Post 56 in Leavenworth, Kan., wanted to support the family members of these brave men and women during this time of separation and deployment.
VFW Post 56 adopted HHC 705th MP BN last August through VFW’s Adopt-A-Unit. Adopt-A-Unit is part of the Military Assistance Program (MAP) which allows Posts to get involved at a local level to help and support the military unit and their family members. Many different activities and projects go into adopting a unit. It is beneficial to both the families and the troops, and it is a way for VFW veterans to continue doing what they do best…serve.
Adopting a unit through the VFW is very family oriented. While the adopting Post often prepares care packages to send to the unit, it is centered around the family members. Post 56 has held many Family Readiness Group (FRG) meetings and activities as a way of supporting the unit and giving the families the opportunity to participate with other families that are going through the hardship of deployment as well.
Lynn Rolf III, a very active VFW member from Post 56, speaks at all of the FRG meetings to discuss any issues or difficulties the family members might be facing during this difficult time. On top of the meetings, Post 56 sets a great example to other VFW Posts around the world on the many different ways to support a unit through Military Assistance Program’s Adopt-A-Unit.
On one occasion, “We gathered as many recycled phones as we could and were able to send hundreds of calling cards with the money made from all the recycled phones to the Unit so they could call and talk to their families,” Rolf said.
Post 56 took the children of the Unit to an air show in St. Joseph, MO., they attended the Kansas City Chiefs draft day party with the National VFW staff, the Post holds farewell and welcome home picnics for soldiers, and once held a car wash to fundraise for the FRG sponsored FRG Relay for Life Team and countless other programs and activities to support the troops.
“We work hand in hand with the VFW National Military Services office to help the Unit and their families in any way that we can,” concluded Rolf.