Search Results

3/9/2026 - Ever since I was 8 years old, I wanted to be a Marine. On my 18th birthday, I went into the local recruiting station and tried to enlist in the Marine Corps. They took one look at me, laughed, and sent me away. At 4’11-3/4” I was too short. Heartbroken, I forgot about military service and went on with my life, getting married at age 19 and starting a career in administration. Besides, the attitude of the time among the general population was that a woman who enlisted in ...

3/31/2026 - The 2025 VFW Washington Conference was held March 2-6, 2025, in Washington, D.C. For nearly 75 years, the VFW's annual Washington Conference has provided an opportunity for VFW leaders from each state to personally lobby their respective lawmakers and watch as the VFW's current Commander-in-Chief testifies on Capitol Hill before the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on behalf of veterans. Guest speakers are invited to address conference delegates, an...

3/30/2017 - Since the birth of our nation, many veterans have gone on to greatness in a variety of fields. From U.S. presidents to well-known authors, athletes and actors, WWI is no exception. Here is a look at some of those famous vets from the “Great War.” Harry S. Truman (1884-1972) b. Lamar, Mo. 33rd President Ranked No. 7 (a “near great”) among U.S. presidents, Harry Truman (1945-1953) brought the war in the Pacific to a swift end in 1945. He also launched the Truman Doctri...

11/8/2017 - PatientsLikeMe, a member of the VFW’s Mental Wellness Campaign, recently kicked off a new video series that asked patients, “What are all the roles you play in life beyond ‘patient’?” One of the many stories we heard was from Darryl, a member of the PatientsLikeMe veteran community. Darryl is a veterans’ advocate, a State Officer in the Veterans of Foreign Wars and is living with PTSD. He's also a father and a grandfather, and he owns an embroidery business, "It helps ...

11/28/2017 - As we reflect on National Family Caregivers Month, it’s important to remember that elevating the veteran voice doesn’t just include veterans, it also includes caregivers, the Hidden Heroes of the military community. PatientsLikeMe, a VFW Mental Wellness Campaign partner, recently kicked off a video series asking members to share the roles they play outside of being a patient or caregiver. One story we heard was from Emery, spouse of and caregiver to an Operation Iraqi Fr...

2/13/2017 - When Seth Napel returned from Afghanistan, he realized he was “going to have a hard time adjusting to civilian life.” “I was on this euphoria coming off deployment, and it was not jiving with how the rest of the world worked,” said Napel, who served from 2009-10 in Mazar-I-Sharif, Afghanistan, with the 2nd Bn., 121st Inf. Regt., of the Georgia National Guard as a radio operator. Seth Napel, a member of VFW Post 2521 in Santa Maria, Calif., uses endurance events and ...

7/6/2017 - KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Make sure to have your electronic devices ready as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States begins streaming live from its 118th VFW National Convention in New Orleans starting July 23. More than 10,000 VFW and VFW Auxiliary members are expected to attend the weeklong convention at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in downtown New Orleans, July 22-26. Livestreaming begins with the annual memorial service on July 23 at 8:30 a.m. (CDT), and...

5/15/2017 - Developed through the VFW’s collaboration with Lida Citroën of the international brand strategy firm LIDA360, this article is part of the VFW’s expanding education and transitioning services, resources and webinars designed to provide service members and veterans transitioning to the civilian workforce with an opportunity to learn about personal branding and strategies for navigating the job search process. To learn more about Lida’s commitment to the veteran community, ...

10/23/2017 - Tucked away in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans lives a group of recovering veterans who help each other. That is the idea behind Bastion, a community of wounded and injured veterans. The Bastion Community of Resilience, founded by Executive Director Dylan Tete, is designed for veterans, who have life-long rehabilitative needs, and their families. Tete, a member of VFW Post 8973, is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. He who served in Iraq...

10/4/2017 - After eight years of honorable service in the California Army National Guard, Sgt. Steve Chang applied for veteran education benefits in July 2010. “[Chang] operated in good faith and relied on the VA to properly decide on the payments that were due for those school terms,” said George Burke, Associate Director of Field Operations at the VFW. Chang used the benefits to complete two degrees. “Then, long after Chang was finished with his education, someone at VA discovered...