Sisters and Brothers, WE belong to the Greatest Combat Veteran Service Organization in the world, and the VFW Dept. of PA sits at the forefront in many ways. With that comes a great responsibility. WE are Elite, and therefore should act and represent in such a manner. I know I do not sit in the high office of Dept. of PA Commander today, without the tremendous support and advice that I have, and continue to receive from others that have been in the VFW for a while, and many that are just getting their feet wet in the proverbial water. We must continue to Educate ourselves and others, Learn from one another, Teach those that will one day lead, and Mentor everyone in what the VFW is truly about. Every moment and/or scenario gives us the opportunity to accomplish at least one of these things. Knowledge is NOT power alone, Knowledge is ONLY power if shared! When WE stop Learning and Teaching, is when WE will stop Evolving. If WE do NOT Evolve, WE will Die as an Organization! Educating and Teaching should NOT stop with us. WE must ensure the civilian population knows what WE do, and the many ways WE contribute. All too often negativity is spread when one thing happens. It is our responsibility to let everyone know all the positives that come from our Posts. WE are our worst enemy in spreading the word on all the great things WE accomplish. Utilize social media and all news outlets. These give you a platform to promote our programs, share pictures of events and awards being given, and a plethora of other positive things you should share about YOUR VFW. Get out from behind those walls, and let the world know amazing things are being done. As a State Commander, you know I am going to talk a little about Membership. Many of us have heard the phrase "Membership is the Lifeblood of the Organization”. This is a factual statement. Without Members, WE do not exist! WE as the VFW Dept. of PA ended the last fiscal year at 57,504 Members. WE MUST continue to grow this number. It is important to grow, because when we lobby in Washington DC and Harrisburg, the Legislators always want to know how many Members WE represent. They will not listen to one, but their ears perk when that one is representing nearly 58,000 Members. Membership math is simple. If every Member in PA Reinstated or Recruited one Member, WE would double in size, as would our voices on Capitol Hill. Help our voices be heard, so that WE do not lose benefits earned, and WE may continue to generate benefits for our future Veterans. Today’s and every day’s goal is to bring at least one more Sister or Brother into OUR VFW PA Family! The VFW Dept. of PA will go through short falls and success throughout the upcoming year. As YOUR VFW Dept. of PA Commander, I will shoulder those short falls. YOU on the other hand, will garner success in everything, and YOU will bask in those successes! Signing off, I ask three things: IGNITE your fire and passion for success, UNITE as one VFW Dept of PA for success, and PUSH FORWARD FOR SUCCESS!!!
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to supporting those who sacrifice so much for this country, veterans, service members in the US Armed Forces, and their families and continues to be a voice for returning and currently deployed service members and their families.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) announced today that its fifth annual VFW Day of Service reached a new miles...
KANSAS CITY, Mo. - This Independence Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) calls upon all Americans to pause and reflect on the ...
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, guard and reserve forces.
We trace our roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service. Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations that would eventually band together and become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. Today, membership stands at more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary.
Our voice was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, development of the national cemetery system, in the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, we won a long-fought victory with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America's active duty service members, and members of the guard and reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. We were the driving force behind the Veterans Access and Accountability Act of 2014, and continually fight for improved VA medical centers services for women veterans. The VFW's legislative advocacy efforts were also the driving force behind the passage of the 2019 Blue Water Navy Veteran Act, and the passage of the 2022 Honoring Our PACT Act, which the VFW considers one of the most significant pieces of veterans legislation in history.
Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, in 2005 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010. And in 2015, we became the first supporter of the Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial which broke ground in July of 2022.
We have many programs and services that work to support veterans, service members and their families, as well as communities worldwide. Please check out our latest fact sheet or spend some time browsing our site to learn why No One Does More For Veterans.
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