Veterans of Foreign Wars

75th Anniversary 10c postage stamp (1974)

The VFW resulted from the amalgamation of several societies formed immediately following the Spanish–American War. In 1899, little groups of veterans returning from campaigning in Cuba and the Philippine Islands, founded local societies upon a spirit of comradeship known only to those who faced the dangers of that war side by side. Similar experiences and a common language drew them together.[2] The American Veterans of Foreign Service (predecessor to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States) was established in Columbus, Ohio, September 29, 1899, by Spanish‑American War veteran James C. Putnam.[8] The Colorado Society, Army of the Philippines, was organized in Denver, Colorado, on December 12, 1899. Shortly thereafter, a society known as the Foreign Service Veterans was born in Pennsylvania. These three veterans' organizations grew up side by side, increasing in scope and membership until August 1913, when at an encampment held at Denver, they merged their interests and identities in a national organization now known as the VFW.[2]

The purpose of the VFW is to speed rehabilitation of the nation's disabled and needy veterans, assist veterans' widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and promote Americanism by means of education in patriotism and by constructive service to local communities. The organization maintains both its legislative service and central office of its national rehabilitation service in Washington. The latter nationwide program serves disabled veterans of all wars, members and nonmembers alike, in matters of government compensation and pension claims, hospitalization, civil-service employment preference, etc."[7]

Redesigned in November 2018, the official logo of the VFW includes an artistic representation of service stripes, easily recognizable insignia indicative of military service. Worn on most service uniforms, they denote length of service. As such, the first and leaner of the two service stripes represents the VFW's entry into its second century of service to America’s veterans, service members and their families. The second, broader stripe represents its first century of service, spanning back to 1899.

The Cross of Malta is the VFW's official emblem.[9] The cross, radiating rays, and Great Seal of the United States together symbolize the character, vows and purposes distinguishing VFW as an order of warriors who have traveled far from home to defend sacred principles. Its eight points represent the beatitudes prescribed in the Sermon on the Mount: Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the pure, the merciful, the peacemakers; blessed are they who mourn, seek righteousness and are persecuted for righteousness' sake. The eight-pointed Cross of Malta harks back to the Crusades, launched during the 12th century.[10]

Membership in the VFW is restricted to any active or honorably discharged officer or enlisted person who is a citizen of the United States and who has served in its armed forces "in any foreign war, insurrection or expedition, which service shall be recognized by the authorization or the issuance of a United States military campaign medal."[7]

The following is a list of U.S. campaign medals, ribbons, and badges used by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States to determine membership eligibility.[11]

Eligibility guide
Campaign medal Start date End date Navy Expeditionary February 12, 1874 Open Marine Corps Expeditionary February 12, 1874 Open Spanish Campaign April 20, 1898 December 10, 1898 Army of Cuban Occupation July 18, 1898 May 20, 1902 Army of Puerto Rican Occupation August 14, 1898 December 10, 1898 Philippine Campaign February 4, 1899 December 31, 1913 China Relief Expedition April 5, 1900 May 27, 1901 Cuban Pacification September 12, 1906 April 1, 1909 Mexican Service April 12, 1911 June 16, 1919 First Nicaraguan Campaign July 29, 1912 November 14, 1912 Haitian Campaign April 9, 1915 June 15, 1920 Dominican Campaign May 4, 1916 December 5, 1916 World War I Victory (with battle or service clasp – including Siberia and European Russia) April 6, 1917 April 1, 1920 Army of Occupation of Germany November 12, 1918 July 11, 1923 Second Nicaraguan Campaign August 27, 1926 January 2, 1933 Yangtze Service September 3, 1926 December 31, 1932 China Service July 7, 1937 April 1, 1957 American Defense Service (with foreign service clasp) September 8, 1939 December 7, 1941 Combat Infantryman Badge December 6, 1941 Open Combat Medical Badge December 6, 1941 Open Navy Combat Action December 6, 1941 Open European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign December 7, 1941 November 8, 1945 American Campaign (30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of duty outside continental limits of the U.S.) December 7, 1941 March 2, 1946 Asiatic–Pacific Campaign December 7, 1941 March 2, 1946 Navy Occupation Service May 8, 1945 October 25, 1955 Army of Occupation (30 consecutive days of duty) May 9, 1945 October 2, 1990 Korean Service June 27, 1950 July 27, 1954 Korea Defense Service July 28, 1954 Open Vietnam Service July 1, 1958 April 30, 1975 Armed Forces Expeditionary July 1, 1958 Open SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia January 21, 1961 Open Coast Guard Combat Action May 1, 1975 Open Southwest Asia Service August 2, 1990 November 30, 1995 Air Force Expeditionary Service (with gold border) October 1, 1999 Open Kosovo Campaign March 24, 1999 December 31, 2013 Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary September 11, 2001 Open Afghanistan Campaign September 11, 2001 Open Air Force Combat Action September 11, 2001 Open Combat Action Badge September 18, 2001 Open Iraq Campaign March 19, 2003 December 31, 2011 Inherent Resolve Campaign June 15, 2014 Open

As of 2020 the VFW has 1.6 million members and Auxiliary members, forming 6,000 local chapters known as Posts, grouped into 52 Departments covering the 50 states, the Asia-Pacific area, and Europe.[12]

The VFW offers a wide range of assistance programs aimed at helping veterans of every generation. Whether that means providing free, professional help filing or appealing a VA claim, offering scholarships for post-secondary education or providing emergency financial relief when times get tough, the VFW is there for America's veterans.

The VFW's Veterans & Military Support Programs is the umbrella for three successful, long-standing programs; Operation Uplink, Unmet Needs, and the Military Assistance Program (MAP). These initiatives focus on troop support.[17]

The VFW promotes civic responsibility, patriotism, and supports youth and local programs in communities across America.

Voice of Democracy

Main article: Voice of Democracy

Voice of Democracy logo

Each year, nearly 40,000 high school students from across the country enter to win a share of the US$2.1 million in educational scholarships and incentives awarded through the VFW's Voice of Democracy audio-essay competition.[18] The national first-place winner receives a $30,000 scholarship.

The VFW also publishes the monthly VFW Magazine. It was known as Foreign Service before 1951.

Notable members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States have included:[19][20]

• 
  Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States
• 
  Harry Truman, 33rd President of the United States
• 
  Dwight Eisenhower, 34th President of the United States
• 
  John Kennedy, 35th President of the United States
• 
  Lyndon Johnson, 36th President of the United States
• 
  Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States
• 
  Gerald Ford, 38th President of the United States
• 
  George Bush, 41st President of the United States
• 
  Albert Gore Jr., 45th Vice President of the United States
• 
  Robert Kennedy, United States Senator from New York
• 
  Chuck Hagel, 24th United States Secretary of Defense
• 
  General John Pershing, 10th Chief of Staff of the United States Army
• 
  General Martin Dempsey, 18th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• 
  Major General Smedley Butler, two-time Medal-of-Honor recipient
• 
  Sergeant Alvin York, Medal-of-Honor recipient
• 
  First Lieutenant Audie Murphy, Medal-of-Honor recipient
• 
  Carl Sandburg, three-time Pulitzer-Prize winner
• 
  Roger Staubach, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee

• List of veterans organizations

Official

• Official website
• "2019 Annual Report" (PDF).

General information

• Proceedings of the Annual Convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States at The Online Books Page
• United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration at the Department of Defense Vietnam War Commemoration Program Office
• Veterans of Foreign Wars at the Encyclopædia Britannica
• VFW National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, Michigan
• Veterans of Foreign Wars politician members at The Political Graveyard
• Works by or about Veterans of Foreign Wars at Internet Archive
• Works by or about Veterans of Foreign Wars in libraries (WorldCat catalog)