Commander Barbara Loncar
I would like to thank everyone, Comrades and Auxiliary members for your support during my years as Jr. and Sr. Vice Commander. I am looking forward to doing my best to support you during my current year as your Department of PA VFW Commander. I know that we can have an awesome year working together as a Team!
My theme this year is "Together Everyone Achieves More (TEAM).” Why did I pick this as my theme, because we need to work together to succeed. In order for our organization to grow we need to become one cohesive unit.
Comrades or Veterans depending on what you like to be referred to as need to work together at the Post, District and Department levels. We need to learn from each other and share our ideas with each other. Do not discount others’ ideas just because of having a certain way of doing things or "we’ve always done it that way.” You need to try new ideas as they may be very successful for your post. You need to make your Post a family friendly and cohesive unit.
Auxiliaries need to be looked at as an asset to help your post grow. The Auxiliary is part of the VFW Family and part of the team. We are both here to support veterans and their families just like the auxiliary is part of the VFW family. We both need to work together and in doing so we can grow our organization. The Auxiliary can recruit for the VFW and the VFW can recruit for the Auxiliary. Neither part of this organization should try to take over the other but instead join forces to become a strong organization.
Each Post should have a copy of the most recent Bylaws/Ritual book plus the most recent Auxiliaries Bylaws/Ritual book if they have an auxiliary. The Auxiliaries should also have a copy of the most recent VFW Bylaws/Ritual book along with their own Bylaws/Ritual book. Having this information on hand will help both sides of the organization know how to work with the other side.
Once you have a strong Post that is active in the community other veterans will want to join your post. If you have an Auxiliary, they can help you within the community and add to the strength of your post. If you have a strong post, you can keep the Home Association Members from over taking your home post! We currently have too many posts that have been taken over by the Home Association
and kicked out the Veterans. We as veterans have let this happen by not recruiting new members to replace us when we get older and unable to help as we have had in the past. We have allowed our home association to become the stronger element within our post. Home Associations do not have the same priorities as the VFW as they’re just out for themselves not the veterans. Don’t let your home association take over your posts!
Once you grow your Post and Auxiliary into a strong post, share your success with others. Work on growing a strong District and infuse your success throughout the state! Every Veteran and their family are important to the VFW. We need to make sure that they feel welcome and important. We need to become one big Happy Family, Veterans and Auxiliaries!
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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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