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7/6/2011 - At 20 years old, Tasha DeBlois to some would appear to be just starting her adult life. That is until they get to know the United States military veteran, a National Guard Military Police officer, pow wow vendor and participant, college student and recently named commander of her local Veterans of Foreign Wars Branch. “I don’t look like what a lot of people expect a veteran to look like,” she said from her home in Fitchburg, Massachusetts. The Blackfoot citizen, who’s In...

10/22/2025 - I spent 24 years in the military; 8 years on active duty, 6 years in the Reserves and 10 years in the Air National Guard. I've spent time stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio, and Robbins, AFB in Warner Robbins, Georgia. I was called up to active duty in January 1991 for Desert Storm. I was stationed in the country of Oman during Desert Storm at a contingency hospital. We had several surgery rooms, x-ray department, a dental clinic, an emergency dep...

10/22/2025 - This is my story: a soldier story, a female story. Like private sector female CEO’s, female officers will find silver linings inside all the sacrifices they make as they find their way to the top. Storytelling is a great way to share these reminders. Young females in the Army do not need a lot of advice, just reminders of what those before them have done so they can find strength in it. My story has a few things I did right – with help along the way. I was serving as th...

10/22/2025 - 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 ...

10/22/2025 - Why I Volunteered for Submarine Duty Since my recent move to Washington, D.C., I have found that, more and more, I am approached in uniform due to the gold dolphins on my chest. Some are curious, many supportive, and others are confused. They seek clarification on why a woman might want to join the submarine service. To quote a majority: “What on Earth made you want to do THAT?” While I could simplify the answer to their satisfaction, the answer is more complicated and ...

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...

9/20/2017 - From the marshy coastal plains of the Deep South to the deserts and mountains of the Southwest, Tom Wiseman traveled across the southern U.S. on a fundraising mission for VFW Post 4419 in Clay, W. Va. In June 2016, that part of the Mountain State was devastated by floods that left 24 people dead and hundreds of homes and businesses damaged or destroyed. The losses also included Post 4419's 15-passenger van that was used to take the county’s veterans to receive health car...

4/13/2017 - “When I joined the military, I found strong role models who helped me figure out the direction I wanted my life to take. I depended on them, and they knew they could depend on me.” Zach Dochnahl, 29, who served with the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army, was recently awarded a VFW “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship.” Pictured above: Zach Dochnahl with his wife, Melissa and their 8-month-old son, Jack. The desire to s...

1/19/2017 - “I joined the Marine Corps for the challenge but stuck around due to pride. I am proud to be a Marine.” David Edger of Elmira, New York, took pride in serving in the Marine Corps for over 16 years. Edger was first stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and went on to serve in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait. His years of service took their toll on Edger’s physical and mental health. Edger was diagnosed with PTSD after serving in Iraq in 2003, and in the years following he found th...

1/13/2017 - After record flooding killed 23 people and destroyed many small towns in West Virginia last June, VFW members united to provide assistance and seek aid of their own. The June 2016 floods in West Virginia were what the National Weather Service called an “exceptional meteorological event”—one that happens once every 1,000 years. The floods experienced throughout central and southern West Virginia were caused by a “derecho,” or a long line of rapidly moving thunderstorms, l...