Advocacy

'Why Would I Go Anywhere Else?'

Rocket launches, ocean breezes and the sound of crashing waves await travelers visiting Florida's Space Coast region. There, the laid back vibes and friendly faces greet those looking to unwind.

It also is a place to which veterans flock following military service, which is why it comes as no surprise to find a multitude of active VFW Posts dotting the shoreline.

Among those is Cape Canaveral's VFW Post 10131. With close proximity to Port Canaveral, the Post is popular with cruisers and is a favorite spot for the community for Friday steak nights.

However, it is the service to the surrounding community that catches the attention of most. Numerous awards are presented on a regular basis to sailors, and events ranging from Vietnam Veterans Day and lunches to recognize police and first responders are commonplace.

According to Post Commander Carl Orvis, the high school JROTC is on the receiving end of Post donations and awards, as is the Cape Canaveral little league baseball club.

"We have sponsored a team here for a number of years," said Orvis, who served in Iraq from 2006-2007. "We also sponsor a Coast Guard unit out of Port Canaveral and have plans to sponsor an Army National Guard Unit out of Cocoa Beach."

During the government shutdown last fall, the Post also held a food drive for military families, Orvis added.

Former longtime Post Adjutant Joe Tichich agrees that the Post is a true community advocate, citing numerous examples.

The Post's military involvement is one of the tenets for which Tichich credits the Post with excelling.

He recalled how one year at Thanksgiving, a Coast Guard cutter was in port and 10-15 "Coasties" were on the ship, unable to leave. The Post had Thanksgiving dinner catered onto the ship from the restaurant chain Boston Market.

The Post also awards "Sailor of the Quarter" for Navy and Coast Guard personnel. Tichich said the Post gives a $50 award and "embarrasses them a bit" with remarks.

Additionally, Tichich said that each month, the Post gives money to nearby Cape View Elementary School for the purchase of basic school supplies and books.

Members also engage schools in the Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen programs, as well as welcome nominations for VFW Teacher of the Year.

"It's nice when you work with good people," said Tichich, who spent more than 30 years in the Air Force uniform. "Everyone is enthusiastic about what we do. The leadership team in place right now at the Post is the best group of people I have had the opportunity to work with."

Post Adjutant Brian Fairchild said he especially appreciates the opportunity to serve those still in uniform.

"This one is close to me," said Fairchild, who served with the Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan. "We feed the Coast Guard 16 meals once a month on the weekend because at our local Coast Guard station, there has not been a weekend cook in a while."

'A WAY FOR ME TO GIVE BACK'
Fairchild came to the Post about a year ago following an invitation from Tichich, whom he met at the Coast Guard Exchange in Port Canaveral.

"From the beginning of joining, everyone was very friendly and welcoming," Fairchild said. "I began volunteering in the kitchen and met some really great people. The camaraderie and cooking in the kitchen are two of the biggest things I like about the Post. I love it when someone sticks their head in the kitchen and says, 'Great job,' after we have just finished cooking."

Similarly, Orvis said his experience visiting Post 10131 for the first time was one of welcome. He recalled how when he returned from Iraq, the first group to greet his unit was the Vietnam Veterans of America. They were there handing out sodas and sandwiches. That stuck with Orvis.

"When I first started coming and saw the Vietnam vets at the Post, it felt like it was a way for me to give back," said Orvis, adding that the Post's membership is about 85 percent Vietnam veterans. "We are just a pretty welcoming Post, which is important. When the 'snowbirds' are down for the winter, every seat in the Post is full."

Tichich said when he settled at Cape Canaveral in 2013, he discovered the Post was only one mile from his home.

"When I first started going to the Post, my first thought was, 'Why would I go anywhere else?'" Tichich said. "This Post fits me really well. We have people who winter down here, and they sign up to volunteer for us a month before they even head down for the season."

Post Senior Vice Commander John Ortolano said the Cape Canaveral Post is the fourth one he has belonged to but finds it to be "the best fit" for him.

Ortolano is known to give a detailed tour of the Post and its property, which includes a memorial garden. His knowledge of the Post and its displays such as the Wall of Honor would make one assume he has spent the entirety of his VFW career at Post 10131.

On the tour, he points to the Medal of Honor parking spot near the door, which is reserved for member Melvin Morris. Ortolano said Morris was awarded the nation's highest military honor in 2014 for his actions in the Vietnam War in 1969.

'THE MORE, THE MERRIER'
Orvis and other members commend the Post's Auxiliary for its partnership and hard work to ensure the Post's full calendar of events are a success.

Auxiliary member Rhonda Silva has been with the Post for 10 years and is the canteen manager. Her welcoming smile and kind disposition make her a valuable addition to the overall team. She earned her eligibility from her son, Andrew, who has been in the Air Force nearly 15 years.

She maintains TV screens in the front room of the Post where slideshows of past events play on a loop for all to enjoy.

When the Post celebrated its 50th anniversary on Oct. 4, Silva spearheaded the effort to turn the Post into a gala-inspired atmosphere.

With her own children frequently helping at the Post, Silva said she wanted others to know everyone is welcome. To that end, she created a cart for kids complete with coloring books and crayons.

"The way I see it, the more, the merrier," she said. "We are a great, great team here. Everyone works so well together, and we are just a very friendly Post."

Another Auxiliary member, whom Tichich fondly refers to as the "Mom of the Post," is Mickie Kellum.

A 35-year member of the VFW Auxiliary, Kellum is a go-getter, serving as the catalyst who started the first-ever Cape Canaveral Veterans Day Parade in 2024. Last year's event on Nov. 8 was even bigger, she said.

"We are really excited about this," Kellum said at the barbecue following the parade, which included a VFW float. "Parades are important. We are a city between two military bases, and it is important to recognize our veterans."

The parade included a bagpiper, JROTC units, Shriner's in their little cars, and a complete patriotic experience with the parade route lined with spectators waving U.S. flags.

Afterward, "Jersey Mike," who winters in Florida, was cooking up burgers and hot dogs on behalf of Post 10131. Cape Canaveral Elementary School volunteers were passing out free drinks, and The Triple Shot Band performed for a few hours under the hot Florida sun. A bouncy house and vendors selling their wares added to the day's festivities.

"This parade is going to be even better (this) year," Kellum said enthusiastically.

Having recently completed six years on the Cape Canaveral City Council, Kellum is credited with leading the efforts to redevelop the city's Veterans Memorial Park.

At the Post, she came up with the idea for a Veterans Memorial Garden on the property. There, a bench is dedicated to Kenny Gibson, aka "The G Man," a beloved member of the Post who died in 2024. In the middle of the garden is a small tree donated by Walmart in honor of World War II vets.

Kellum said that the tree did not produce a leaf until the day Gibson died, and then it started to bud. During the dedication of the garden in September, Kellum was surprised to learn that members had agreed the garden itself was dedicated to Kellum herself.

Kellum's eligibility in the VFW Auxiliary comes from her husband, Jeffrey, who died in 2023. A Vietnam War vet, Jeffrey held an Unlimited Coast Guard Master of Towing license as a Merchant Marine officer for more than 50 years. He and Kellum sailed around the world in a tugboat and had quite an adventure. His celebration of life service was held at the Post.

Post Chaplain and Gold Star Father Don Weaver's words regarding his fellow veterans at VFW Post 10131 best sums up the attitude of all those serving the Cape Canaveral community: "Without veterans, there is no America."

If you find yourself on Florida's Space Coast, just an hour east from the hustle and bustle of Orlando, swing by VFW Post 10131 located at 105 Long Point Road, Cape Canaveral, Florida, 32920. To see more photos from VFW magazine's visit to the Space Coast, check out our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/VFWmagazine.

This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.

'We're All Brothers and Sisters'

On May 23, a brand new statue was unveiled just a few steps away from the front doors of VFW Post 9186 in San Antonio, Texas.

"The Price of Freedom" is a bronze statue depicting three soldiers - two men, who are embraced shoulder-to-shoulder, carrying one another, and a woman, who is providing close support from behind. It stands adjacent to the Post's flagpole, atop a marble pedestal on the corner of Padre Drive and VFW Boulevard.

Each soldier symbolizes a different armed conflict that the U.S. has been involved with. The soldier in the center represents the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the soldier to his left represents WWII and the soldier standing behind the pair represents the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

"We're all brothers and sisters, regardless of the conflict or war we served in," said Antonio "Tony" Ramon, commander of Chapter 1836 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart when asked about the significance of the statue representing different eras.

The original idea for a statue came from Vietnam veteran and local artist Michael Boyett, who served as an infantryman in Vietnam. Boyett created the original design for the statue, however after Boyett's death in April 2015, the project was put on hiatus.

Ramon, along with the rest of Chapter 1836, eventually picked up the project. They wanted a memorial that emphasized different eras of U.S. military conflicts. However, the project was put on hiatus once again when they began to have trouble establishing a location for the statue.

After connecting with Post 9186, they were able to coordinate the statue to be placed in the Veterans Memorial Garden, just outside the doors to the Post.

To help pay for the statue, the Post began to hold fundraisers. However, once news of the statue reached the ears of Michael Lynd, who served as a first lieutenant during the Vietnam War and founded Lynd Management Group, he offered to pay for the whole statue - so long as "he could get one of his own." Lynd's statue, "Vet Fully Loaded," can be found outside the Lynd corporate office in San Antonio.

The unveiling ceremony of "The Price of Freedom" at Post 9186 was a success. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, along with retired Army major general and Medal of Honor recipient Pat Brady, were guest speakers at the event, which included Harlandale High School JROTC members presenting colors and mariachi performers from Southwest High School.

Post members took an immediate liking to the statue.

"Words cannot describe how beautiful this statue is," said past-VFW Post 9186 Commander Ralph Alvarado. "All of us at VFW Post 9186 are proud to have erected this statue on the grounds of our Memorial Garden."

Ramon praised the cooperation between the Military Order of the Purple Heart and VFW.

"It was an awesome ceremony," said Ramon said. "The Purple Heart and VFW worked together as a team. Different organizations can get together to accomplish something for these veterans."

This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

Let Us See Your Photos

If you are attending VFW's Washington Conference, March 1-4, VFW magazine would like to hear from you. We hope to share the conference from the members' perspective.

Please send us your best photos from the conference, and you may see these printed in the May/June VFW magazine.

As a reminder, we are looking for photos of members in action. For instance, a shot of members speaking with lawmakers or staff members would be ideal.

When submitting your photos, be sure to identify all individuals in the photos from left to right.

The idea is to illustrate the conference from varying viewpoints. To that end, please do not follow VFW's official photographer, Bob Knudsen. He has a specific list of photos he is obligated to shoot and is therefore constantly on the move.

Furthermore, during VFW Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore's testimony, no one is allowed anywhere between the witness table and the hearing room dais, nor to the left and right of the witness table. Those areas must be clear for official photographers' maneuvering. Please plan accordingly.

To be considered for publication in the May/June VFW magazine, photos should be emailed by end of day on Tuesday, March 10 to Janie Dyhouse at jdyhouse@vfw.org. It is a quick turnaround, but print deadlines make this necessary.

We look forward to seeing the Washington Conference from your lens.

This article is featured in the 2026 January issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.

A 'Big Step Forward' for Gulf War Veterans

On Oct . 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved an official diagnostic code for Gulf War Illness (GWI) more than 30 years after symptoms of the condition began to be reported.

The illness, which is described as an amalgamation of several chronic symptoms including fatigue, respiratory issues, joint pain and gastrointestinal pains, has been historically dismissed by doctors and physicians as psychological.

In an article posted by the Boston University School of Public Health, Denise Nichols, a Gulf War veteran and veteran advocate, said the implementation of the code has been a "big step forward for medicine, research and the health of our military community."

With an established diagnostic code, patients with GWI can be easily found through medical search records, as opposed to being found through less efficient methods, such as social media.

The code also will allow for faster, more intensive research into the condition, better monitoring of symptoms and better tracking of effective treatments.

VFW Director of National Veteran Services Michael Figlioli claims that VFW Gulf War veterans will benefit greatly from this new diagnostic code.

"The CDC recognizing Gulf War Illness in a formal manner is significant for a number of reasons," Figlioli said. "First off, there is validation that this is not 'made up,' or it's 'no such thing.' It also provides for evidence-based care and not anecdotal treatment, better overall symptom management and finally, it will help substantiate veterans' claims for benefits from the VA, leading to an overall better quality of life."

It is believed that the condition affected as many as one-third of the 700,000 troops who were deployed in the Persian Gulf War between 1990 and 1991.

THE PUSH FOR MORE ANSWERS
The demolition of a chemical weapons depot in 1991 in the Khamisiyah region in southern Iraq is believed to have been a cause of GWI for more than 100,000 troops.

According to an article written by Linda Hersey for Stars and Stripes, inquiries into the demolition were "revived" when a group of veterans began to push for the declassification of tens of thousands of documents that could be detrimental to the research of GWI and chemical exposure during the war.

Ronald Brown, a retired Army specialist and Gulf War veteran, was present during the demolition of the weapons depot in the Khamisiyah region. He claims he began to feel sick just 15 minutes after the building was demolished.

"I came home sick and the problems continue," Brown said. "This has been going on for 34 years."

Included among the unreleased documents are interview transcripts with troops who also were present during the demolitions. This information could help doctors establish a timeline for GWI, which could help with the identification of effective treatments.

Brown is helping to lead the effort in the push for these critical documents to be released, along with veteran advocacy groups Veterans for Common Sense and the Vietnam Veterans of America.

"Whether [declassifying the documents] reveals something - that remains to be seen," said Army veteran Anthony Hardie, a former staff sergeant and national director of Veterans for Common Sense. "It is a matter of justice to Gulf War veterans."

While efforts from veterans' advocacy organizations have been persistent, the declassification and subsequent releases of Gulf War Illness-related documents have been slow and inconsistent.

Despite this, Gulf War veterans continue to push for answers so that there is a stronger understanding of the largely misdiagnosed illness.

This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

New Research Links Burn Pit Fumes and Brain Injuries

Since the adoption of the PACT Act by lawmakers in 2022 - a decisive win spearheaded by VFW's lobbying on Capitol Hill - research on toxic burn pits and their effects on veterans who served near them has increased in scope.

"The PACT Act is the most significant toxic exposure legislation since the Agent Orange Act, but it must continue to evolve," VFW National Veterans Service Director Michael Figlioli said. "A key component was continued research resulting from exposure."

Conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in collaboration with the Department of Defense and the VA, a new study in late July connected military service near burn pits to a greater risk of mental health issues and brain trauma.

The research examined the health records of more than 440,000 troops who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2011. The findings linked higher rates of depression and other mood disorders, as well as intracranial injuries and traumatic brain damage, among troops stationed near toxic burn pits. The study also noted that the toxic chemicals released during uncontrolled combustion may include chemicals with "deleterious" neurobehavioral effects.

While there is cause for alarm among those exposed to burn pits during their service, the study also opens new possibilities for the advancement of health care services and benefits provided by the VA to veterans. Since 2022, the VA has delivered more than $6.8 billion in PACT Act benefits to veterans and surviving family members as a result.

"As research advances, the VFW will keep pressing to ensure every link between service-related exposures and illness is recognized so veterans receive the care and benefits they have earned," said Figlioli, who saw NVS's network of VFW-accredited service officers recover more than $14.6 billion in VA benefits in 2024 alone.

LONGER EXPOSURE EQUALS MORE RISK
Here are notable findings by the NIH on the examination of health records of more than 440,000 troops who deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan from 2001 to 2011:

Troops who were exposed to burn pit fumes for at least 129 days during their deployments were 27 percent more likely to report symptoms of severe stress than individuals at bases without the toxic smoke, and 37 percent more likely to suffer from any intracranial injury.
Troops with more than 474 days near the burn pits were 68 percent more likely to report severe stress than deployed troops without the smoke exposure, and 124 percent more likely to develop intracranial wounds.
Sleep disorder issues were 18 percent higher for troops with four months near the burn pits and 35 percent higher for those who spent about 16 months nearby.

This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., associate editor for VFW magazine.

VFW Action Alert: Tell Congress to Act on the Major Richard Star Act

Some combat-injured service members were forced to leave the military early because of serious injuries. Even though they served honorably, they do not receive the full military retirement they earned.

Under current law, their military retirement pay is reduced because they also receive VA disability benefits. This means veterans injured in combat lose part of the retirement they earned through years of service simply because they were hurt while serving our country.

The Major Richard Star Act would fix this unfair treatment. But right now, the bill cannot move forward unless Congress takes the next step.

At this stage, only the Armed Services Committees can act. These committees decide whether this bill gets a hearing, and without a hearing a bill can stall even when it has strong support.

Although this legislation advanced in the last Congress, it never received a public hearing where veterans and experts could testify and members could ask questions on the record. As a result, concerns about the bill have continued to be discussed privately instead of publicly examined.

When you take action today, your message will be sent to your own member of Congress and matched to their role, whether they already support the bill, need to be asked to support it, or serve on the committee that can help secure a hearing.

This is how voices are heard in Congress. By speaking up now, you are helping push this bill toward real consideration and helping ensure combat-injured veterans are treated fairly.

Action Alert: Tell Congress Veterans Deserve Safer Treatment Options

Veterans are being prescribed powerful psychiatric medications, often several at once, without clear written information about the risks. Many were never warned about severe side effects or dangerous drug interactions. Others are left with few PTSD treatment options beyond medication, even when innovative therapies could offer real relief.

This is unacceptable. On Dec. 3, the Senate is holding a hearing to examine medication management in VA care. The VFW is submitting a Statement for the Record because veterans' stories cannot be ignored any longer. Congress must act.

Two House bills would bring real protection and real options:

H.R.4837, Written Informed Consent Act, would require clear written information before VA prescribes certain psychiatric medications.
H.R.2623, Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act of 2025, would create five VA centers to expand access to cutting-edge PTSD treatments.

Veterans deserve transparency, safety, and real choices. They do not deserve a maze of prescriptions and side effects.

Tell Congress to cosponsor these bills and ensure veterans receive the protection, transparency and treatment options they deserve.

VFW Reaches $16.2 Billion Cumulative Milestone for Represented Veterans

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce it has set a new milestone for its National Veterans Service (NVS) program by recouping $16.2 billion in total compensatory awards for the more than 608,000 veterans it represents.

"Nothing makes me prouder than the work VFW Accredited Claims Representatives do day in and day out for veterans, transitioning service members and surviving dependents," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "It is astonishing to me that this profound amount of $16.2 billion was recovered by men and women who do this service officer work free to the clients they assist. I am so grateful they are a part of our great organization."

The NVS Accredited Service Officer network is comprised of 2,278 dedicated professionals who are employed by the VFW, partner nonprofits, as well as state and local government agencies nationwide. Each service officer is accredited by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide free claims assistance to transitioning service members, veterans, their families and survivors. In the last year alone, this network processed approximately 164,000 new VA claims. Of those new claims, about 14,000 were filed through the VFW's Pre-Discharge Claims Program, which supports service members as they prepare to transition out of the military. In all, NVS represented more than 608,000 claimants.

"Every day, our VFW Accredited Service Officers show the tenacity, dedication and genuine care that veterans deserve," said VFW NVS Director Michael Figlioli. "They stand shoulder-to-shoulder with those who wore the uniform, guiding them through the VA claims process and making sure they receive the benefits they've earned. I am truly humbled by their commitment, integrity and the life-changing impact they make for veterans and their families."

VA disability compensation is an earned benefit for veterans whose injuries or illnesses were sustained or aggravated during their military service. Although guaranteed by law and embedded in the promises made at enlistment, this benefit is not automatically granted. Veterans must establish service-connection by demonstrating three critical elements: an event, exposure or injury that occurred during service, a current diagnosis and a medical nexus connecting the two. Once eligibility is established and service connection is confirmed, disability compensation is provided to help offset the effects service-related conditions have during a veteran's lifetime.

The VFW's NVS program relies on grants and donors to operate. To support NVS during this giving season, click here.

VFW Will Not Stay Silent While America's Heroes are Dragged Through the Mud

WASHINGTON - The Washington Post has decided that America's veterans, those who have fought, bled and sacrificed for this nation, are the new villains of these last couple of weeks. Their recent reporting, suggesting that veterans are filing "dubious" or "fraudulent" disability claims to milk the VA system, is nothing short of disgraceful. It's a smear campaign against the very people who have given this country everything it has asked for, and more.

Let's be clear: This isn't investigative journalism. It's character assassination. By cherry-picking anecdotes and twisting statistics, the Post is peddling a dangerous and insulting narrative, insinuating that America's veterans are cheats, hustling for benefits they don't deserve. That lie dishonors every man and woman who has ever raised their right hand and sworn an oath to defend this country "against all enemies, foreign and domestic."

Here's the truth the Post won't print: Veterans aren't gaming the system. They are the system's victims who are forced to navigate a bureaucratic labyrinth that too often grinds them down, delays their care and treats them with suspicion from day one. Many spend years fighting for recognition of their injuries, only to be met with accusations of deceit by those who have never spent a single day in uniform.

And let's talk about those injuries. They are not theoretical. They are not "questionable." They are the direct, documented consequences of military service and include blast concussions, toxic exposures, crushed joints, traumatic brain injuries and the invisible wounds of war that follow veterans long after they've come home. To suggest these men and women are exaggerating or fabricating their pain is not just offensive, it's immoral.

If the Post's reporters had done any honest research, they would understand that the rise in disability claims is not proof of fraud, it is proof that modern warfare has changed. Thanks to advances in battlefield medicine, more soldiers survive their wounds today than ever before. But survival is not the same as recovery. Today's veterans are surviving with prosthetic limbs, chronic pain, PTSD and lungs scarred by burn pits, and somehow, the Post thinks the problem is that too many of them are getting the help they need.

Even more troubling is how this kind of reporting risks driving a wedge between veterans and the very public they swore to protect. By framing veterans as opportunists, it plants seeds of mistrust making ordinary Americans question the legitimacy of the men and women who fought for their freedoms. That is not just misguided; it is harmful. Veterans and the American people are on the same side. We share the same values, the same communities and the same belief in service and sacrifice. Intentional or not, attempts to pit one against the other only undermine the unity that defines this nation.

By reintroducing this harmful narrative, veterans who were already reluctant to file a claim for VA benefits will now be less likely to reach out to VA-accredited claims representatives for assistance. Representatives like Cindy Noel, VFW assistant director of field operations and a stalwart pre-discharge claims representative singled out by the Post, work tirelessly to connect transitioning service members around the world with the VA care and benefits they have earned. The Post's assertion of veterans' VA disability claims being "dubious" will cause a whole new generation of veterans to choose suffering in silence over risking being scrutinized, ridiculed and shamed for seeking the help they need and deserve.

Let me remind the editors of The Washington Post of something they seem to have forgotten: When Americans go to war, they sign a contract with their government. That contract says: You serve. You sacrifice. And when you come home broken - physically, mentally or spiritually - your nation will take care of you. That is not a suggestion. That is a sacred obligation. It is the cost of freedom. Maybe the Post should consider that before scheming to exploit the plight of service men and women to squeeze more paid subscriptions out of their readers.

To accuse veterans of "milking" the system is to accuse them of betraying that contract. But they are not the ones breaking faith. The Post is. The real betrayal lies in questioning the legitimacy of those who've already paid the highest price imaginable.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars will not stay silent while America's heroes are dragged through the mud by the suspicion and misinformation of armchair cynics and data manipulators. We will absolutely stand up to anyone who tries to discredit our VA-accredited claims representatives. If The Washington Post wants to expose fraud, it should start with the broken promises and bureaucratic neglect that plague the VA, not with the veterans who depend on it. The problem to fix is not the integrity of our veterans, it's the inefficiency and delay that too often define the system meant to serve them.

Our veterans do not owe America another thing. America owes them. It is time to stop the slander, stop the suspicion and start honoring the only contract that truly matters - the one written in sacrifice, sealed in blood and signed in service to the United States of America.

It's time to Honor the Contract.

Honoring the 'Hello Girls'

It started with a private conversation in the halls of Montana State University in 2017. Then-Senator Jon Tester (D-Mont.) was in Bozeman, Montana, for a town hall meeting when he heard of Ed Saunders' research on "The Treasure State's" World War I women veterans for a book.

"He pulled me aside and asked if there was anything he could do to help," said Saunders, a retired Army lieutenant colonel and VFW Life member of Post 4725 in Red Lodge, Montana. "I told him these women deserved recognition, and so he asked me to draft a Congressional Record citation on their behalf, which he read into the official U.S. Senate record."

Saunders, who published "Knapsacks and Roses: Montana's Women Veterans of World War I" in 2018, sought to follow the exemplary work of Merle Egan Anderson, a member of the Women's Telephone Unit of the American Signal Corps in WWI, known as the 'Hello Girls.' Anderson spent more than 60 years advocating for veteran status and benefits, which she and her sisters received in 1977.

"She was from Helena, Montana, so we are awfully proud of her out here," Saunders said of Anderson. "She serves as an inspiration for what she was able to accomplish, and we wanted to build on that."

Anderson was one of five women from Montana who joined the more than 200 women with bilingual proficiency to serve in the war zones of France. In the process, they became the first organized unit of women in American history to contribute to wartime combat operations.

To honor their memory, Saunders not only wrote the citation on behalf of the Hello Girls from Montana but was later summoned by the WWI Centennial Commission upon the recommendation of one of Tester's aides.

"That started the process," Saunders said. "I got a call from Chris Christopher with the board of directors at the Centennial Commission, and he told me he was putting together a team of researchers to try and get all the Hello Girls the Congressional Gold Medal."

The effort to recognize the Hello Girls went national, according to Saunders, who added the team sprouted from a committee of three to more than 50 researchers and advocates, which included some Canadian officials, as some Hello Girls were from Canada.

"The challenge we had was getting awareness for this, and so we all went nationally for support because the House and Senate had to vote and approve this," Saunders said. "The problem was that only five Congressional Gold Medals could be given at a time, and if you were not part of that five, you were basically out of luck, so we had to lobby VFW and Congress and other organizations for letters of support."

After seven years of lobbying and creating a stir in the national populace, Saunders and his fellow committee members received their answer on Dec. 18, 2024. Then-President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Appropriation Act of 2024, which included the Congressional Gold Medal for the Hello Girls.

Their efforts culminated on March 19, during Women's History Month, when the Military Women's Memorial in Washington, D.C., held a national ceremony to celebrate all 223 Hello Girls receiving the Congressional Gold Medal.

The Congressional Gold Medal, which represents the 223 Hello Girls, is under design and will be kept by the Smithsonian Institute in the nation's capital.

This article is featured in the November/December 2025 issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., associate editor for VFW magazine.

'It's a Special Feeling'

Located about 35 miles north of the Oregon border in Washington state and home to about 85,000 is the city of Kennewick, a vibrant residential and banking community. This past February, VFW Post 5785 member and Marine vet Kevin Veleke was recognized as the "Kennewick Man of the Year" after having restored four local veteran memorial sites.

The organization behind the award, the Kennewick Man & Woman of the Year, has been recognizing exceptional public service since 1946. The honor is given to individuals who have provided service to the Kennewick community where no compensation was given and is only applicable to those who live and/or work in Kennewick.

Born and raised in the Seattle area, Veleke attended Washington State University and graduated in 1968 with a B.A. degree in marketing. He began his service in the Marines shortly thereafter, and in the fall of 1969, was stationed in Phu Bai, South Vietnam, as an aviation supply officer for Marine Base Squadron-36.

After returning home, Veleke lived and worked in several areas of the country before settling back in Washington. He worked as an insurance broker for an independent insurance agency in Richland, Washington, while living in Kennewick.

A COMMITMENT TO REMEMBRANCE

Over the years, several veterans' memorials in Kennewick had become overgrown, neglected and even vandalized, with some having gone without maintenance for decades. Looking to honor the sites and the memory of all those who served, Veleke took it upon himself to refurbish the memorials.

Last year, he began his restoration efforts at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park in Kennewick, where he pruned overgrown flowers around the memorial and helped replace the flagpole, which had been vandalized a few years prior. Veleke reached out to a friend with the proper equipment and other citizens of Kennewick to successfully install the new flagpole.

Veleke then turned his attention to the Regional Veteran's Memorial, located at Kennewick's Columbia Park. Centered at the memorial is a tall monument dedicated to each of the military services surrounded by 18 in-ground lights - 16 of which hadn't been working. Veleke took the initiative to raise the money needed to buy and install new lights at the memorial, allowing for the monument to be lit up in the evening once again.

Marine Cpl. Gerald Carmichael, the first man from Kennewick to have been killed in Vietnam, had a commemorative pyramid and street named after him. According to Veleke, the pyramid hadn't been refurbished in more than 60 years. A total of $30,000, raised by Veleke, went into the equipment and labor costs needed to lay the concrete necessary to restore the pyramid, as well as add a wall behind the memorial.

Veleke's most recent project involved restoring an American Auxiliary pyramid, which had been installed in 1968, as well as a VFW wall monument, which was installed in 1985.

"Neither of these memorials were being maintained by anyone," Veleke said. He was able to raise $25,000 to help restore both memorial sites.

'IT'S SPECIAL TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH VERY GOOD PEOPLE'

The award came as a surprise to him, when his wife informed him one day that they were invited to the Kennewick Man of the Year ceremony.

"I had no knowledge why," Veleke said. "The award was a complete surprise."

At the ceremony, when Velke was announced as the winner, 200 attendees came out of an adjacent room to congratulate him, including past Kennewick Man and Woman of the Year recipients, members of his church, employees of the Kennewick school district, members of VFW Post 5785 and an honor guard dressed in uniform.

"It was a sight to see," Veleke added.

He was nominated for the Kennewick Man of the Year award by past recipients Kirk Williamson, who had won it in 2000, and Bob Kelly, an Army veteran who had won it in 2015.

"It's a special feeling to be associated with very good people," Veleke said when asked about his feelings toward the award.

Veleke's fellow Post members also are active in the community. They help perform fl ag ceremonies for Kennewick, attend parades, provide military funeral honors at veteran funerals, provide emergency assistance to veterans and support the local JROTC program.

Veleke serves as the liaison at his Post for young Marines in the area. He was able to work with a group of Marines to help restore the 62 names engraved on one of the veterans' monuments in Kennewick.

"It's very rewarding for me to see young men and women doing this kind of volunteer work," Veleke said. "I hope I can inspire others to engage with other young Marines in their area."

This article is featured in the 2025 September/October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

VFW, SVA Announce 2025/2026 Legislative Fellowship Selectees

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), together with Student Veterans of America (SVA), is pleased to announce its selection of six student veterans to complete the 2025/2026 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship. Now in its 12th year, student veteran fellows gain experience advocating for a solution to a pressing veterans' issue by engaging leaders within their local communities, through social networking and in the halls of Congress.

"Veteran advocacy is just as important today as it was back in the Bonus March days," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "As a team that spans generations, it's up to us to ensure we receive the benefits we earned and were promised. Through the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship, we equip emerging veteran advocates and leaders with the tools they need to develop sound advocacy plans and carry them through to action," Whitmore continued. "I'm so proud of this partnership with SVA because our fellows will help amplify the veteran's voice on Capitol Hill."

The VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship is a roughly semester-long immersive experience through which fellows receive advocacy training and mentorship from each organizations' professional staff, create community outreach plans, and actively engage community and national leaders on a shared VFW and SVA policy priority. To qualify for the fellowship, student veterans must be a VFW member, be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university program, write an essay conveying the importance of veteran advocacy, submit a video detailing why they are a good fit for the program, and complete an interview.

"The VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship prepares the next generation of veteran advocates - student veterans who turn lived experience into actionable, bipartisan policy," said SVA National President and Chief Executive Officer Jared S. Lyon, a VFW Post 3308 Life member in Tallahassee, Florida. "Together with the VFW, we're training leaders who research, build and brief real solutions on Capitol Hill, and they're already shaping outcomes for our community. As a proud VFW Life member and SVA's president & CEO, I see in every fellow the future of veteran advocacy: informed, disciplined and unafraid to lead."

The six fellows selected for the 2025/2026 class are:

Shadic Anderson, Marine Corps veteran, California State University
Juanita Murillo Garcia, Army veteran, Northeastern University
Giancarlo Gonzalez, Army veteran, St. Petersburg College
Kimmie Kim, Navy veteran, Vanguard University of Southern California
Austin Lawrence, Navy veteran, Harvard University
Sarah Lively, Air Force veteran, Concordia University

New this year, fellows will now participate in the SVA Leadership Institute in Washington, D.C., from Oct. 15-19, 2025, where they will receive comprehensive leadership training alongside SVA's top chapter leaders. In January 2026, the cohort will attend SVA's 18th Annual NatCon before heading to Washington, D.C., at the end of February to participate in the VFW's annual Washington Conference. During the VFW's conference, fellows will join with VFW advocates from their respective states to discuss the shared VFW-SVA policy priority with lawmakers and their staff on Capitol Hill. This culminating experience enables fellows to employ the skills they learned throughout their fellowship to affect meaningful policy change as students and as future leaders.

Operating for more than a decade, the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship continues to be a beacon of collaboration between two organizations whose passions are rooted in serving veterans. Student veterans who complete this program often continue to make noteworthy local and national contributions to the veteran community through myriad roles including those in leadership, service and advocacy. Notable program alumni include, but are not limited to, SVA's very own Vice President of Government Affairs, Tammy Barlet; Jennifer Ross, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America Manager of Federal Policy; Katherine Cassell, VFW Assistant Director for Veterans Health Policy; and Ken Wiseman, member of VFW's National Council of Administration and National Legislative Committee.

To interview any of the selected fellows, contact VFW National Legislative Service Associate Director, Joe Grassi, at jgrassi@vfw.org.

About SVA: With a focused mission on empowering student veterans, Student Veterans of America® (SVA) is committed to providing an educational experience that goes beyond the classroom. Through a dedicated network of nearly 1,600 on-campus chapters in all 50 states and 4 countries representing more than 750,000 student veterans, SVA aims to inspire yesterday's warriors by connecting student veterans with a community of like-minded chapter leaders. Every day these passionate leaders work to provide the necessary resources, network support, and advocacy to ensure student veterans can effectively connect, expand their skills, and ultimately achieve their greatest potential. For more information, visit us at studentveterans.org.

VFW to Washington Post - Veterans' Disability Benefits are Not 'Loopholes' to Exploit

To the Editors of The Washington Post,

Your recent article, "How some veterans exploit $193 billion VA program, due to lax controls" (October 2025), is not just a disservice to veterans - it is a dangerously misleading piece that feeds into damaging stereotypes and ignores both the moral and legal foundations of the Department of Veterans Affairs disability system.

Let's be absolutely clear: veterans' disability benefits are not charity. They are compensation owed for injuries and conditions incurred in the line of duty - promised by a government that asked men and women to risk their lives and health, often irreversibly, on its behalf. These benefits are not some "loopholes" for opportunists to exploit; they are the very least this country can do for the people it sent to war repeatedly, especially after more than two decades of sustained conflict without a draft.

Your article leans heavily on inflammatory anecdotes and edge cases, portraying veterans as system abusers, while ignoring the structural reality: combat wounds are not the only occupational hazards of military service. The daily grind of service - exposure to toxic environments, repeated concussions, sleep deprivation, moral injury, sexual trauma, constant stress, and grueling physical demands - leaves lasting scars. Just because a veteran wasn't blown up by an IED doesn't mean they aren't disabled.

Invisible injuries like PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and toxic exposure-related illnesses are not "new" or suspect; we just finally stopped ignoring them. Every generation of veterans before this one suffered in silence, and many died without care or acknowledgment. To now say that recognizing these conditions is proof of fraud is not only illogical - it is cruel.

The article also seems to misunderstand how VA disability ratings work. The system doesn't compensate based solely on whether someone can work. It compensates based on how a service-connected condition impairs a veteran's average ability to function in life and society. The fact that a veteran can hold a job doesn't mean their disability doesn't make daily life harder, more painful, or more isolating. If VA ratings were based solely on complete incapacity, we wouldn't see skyrocketing rates of veteran suicide, addiction, homelessness, or divorce - all of which are fueled not by fraud, but by the very real and too often dismissed cost of military service.

Lastly, let's not ignore what this article really reflects: veterans make an easy scapegoat for the elites of this country. We're a small percentage of the population. Many Americans are disconnected from the wars they authorized or ignored. It is politically and socially convenient to question the integrity of veterans rather than confront the true cost of 25 years of war. But the cost is real. And the obligation to those who bore it is not optional.

If your investigative team wants to find waste and fraud, start with the contractors who overbill, the generals who fail upward, the executives of squandered programs, or the politicians who wave flags while gutting oversight. But don't you dare turn on America's sons and daughters who carried the burden of service and now ask only for the care and compensation they were promised.

We veterans kept our end of the agreement and will continue to demand that those who asked us to defend our nation do the same. Honor The Contract.

Sincerely,
Carol Whitmore
VFW Commander-in-Chief

Read Washington Post article How some veterans exploit $193 billion VA program, due to lax controls.

VFW Calls on VA to Honor Supreme Court Ruling on GI Bill Benefits

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With the fall semester underway, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) is once again leading the charge to ensure all veterans receive the full educational benefits they have earned - especially in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Rudisill v. McDonough.

Last year, the Supreme Court sided with veterans, ruling that those eligible under both the Montgomery GI Bill and the Post-9/11 GI Bill are entitled to the full measure of benefits under both programs, up to the 48-month cap. The decision rejected a long-standing Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) policy that forced veterans to forfeit one set of benefits if their service was continuous, rather than interrupted by a break.

Despite the Court's clear decision, VA issued guidance late last year through its "2024 Education Directives," that continues to deny or limit access to earned benefits. The new rules wrongly impose a "break in service" requirement, block the transfer of benefits to dependents in certain cases, refuse to extend deadlines for dependent usage, and offer no retroactive relief to veterans and families harmed by prior unlawful policies.

"These new rules directly contradict the Supreme Court's decision on what veterans have earned through honorable service," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "We will not stand by while bureaucrats strip away what the Court - and Congress - have already promised. Veterans and their families have planned their futures around these benefits, which is why VA must honor this contract."

To challenge these unlawful directives, the VFW has joined a new lawsuit before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, alongside the Commonwealth of Virginia, and individual veterans, including the original petitioner, James Rudisill. The lawsuit seeks to strike down VA's directives by reinforcing the Supreme Court's decision, ensuring veterans and their dependents receive access to all education benefits they are rightfully owed.

In its initial response to the lawsuit, VA sought to remove VFW as a petitioner, suggesting that the VFW did not have veterans affected by the decision. Though the VFW has already secured affidavits from affected members to refute this motion, the organization is asking all VFW members affected by VA's erroneous interpretation of the Rudisill decision to come forward and submit their stories to legal@vfw.org.

"If you or your family were counting on these education benefits this fall and suddenly found yourself left out, we want to hear from you," said Whitmore. "Your story is important, and it could help make sure no veteran is left behind."

To read the official court petition, click here.

VA Processing Claims at a Faster Pace

With more than one million disability claims filed since the spring, the VA is on pace to process 2.5 million of them by year's end. This surpasses VA's 2024 output by half a million, according to a VA press release.

The VA's Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), which handles the Department's disability compensation claims, announced in late February that it had reached the one million mark of completed claims two weeks earlier than in 2024. This also occurred while VA saw a 16 percent increase in filed applications.

"The VFW applauds any improvement in VA providing veterans, family members and survivors with their hard-earned benefits as quickly and accurately as possible," VFW National Veterans Service Director Michael Figlioli said.

Like many at VFW, Figlioli believes the steady rise in claims is inextricably linked to the PACT Act passing in 2022, which expanded health care and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxic substances.

"The historic passage of the PACT Act has been life-saving for many veterans," Figlioli said, "whether that is submitting new or previously denied disability compensation claims, or allowing veterans access to VA health care systems and other VA benefits programs."

In May, the VA reinstated mandatory overtime for its VBA employees to reduce its backlog of 200,000 applications and maintain a record pace.

The American Federation of Government Employees reported that VA's Veterans Service Representatives (VSRs) and Rating Veterans Service Representatives (RVSRs) are expected to log 25 hours of mandatory overtime each month. By comparison, its Rating Quality Review Specialists (RQRSs) are required to work 20 hours of overtime.

VFW URGES CAUTION
This VA decision followed another in which the sprawling agency has proposed trimming its workforce through natural attrition, a goal supported by the Trump Administration.

"VFW hopes that while the VA aims to process more claims than ever and further reduce the declining excess workload, any mandated overtime or additional workforce reductions must be implemented wisely and strategically," Figlioli said.

This article is featured in the 2025 September/October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., senior writer for VFW magazine.

VFW Elects First Female Commander-in-Chief

Carol Whitmore of Iowa made VFW history in August when she was elected as the first female VFW Commander-in-Chief. Incidentally, she also is the first Iowan to hold the top position.

A member of VFW Post 9127 in Des Moines, Iowa, Whitmore hopes her gender takes a backseat to the pressing needs of the nation's veterans - needs VFW prioritizes with regularity. With that in mind, it is little wonder Whitmore's slogan: "For Veterans, By Veterans," is meant for all veterans.

"I am a veteran who happens to be a female," Whitmore said. "The position of VFW Commander-in-Chief should always be about merit regardless of whether the person holding it is a man or a woman."

Whitmore said during her tenure as Chief that she wants to focus on carrying out the original mission of the VFW.

"It is what we should all be doing," she added. "And that is truly making a difference and an impact on our fellow veterans' lives."

'LITERALLY THE CAMARADERIE'

A spur-of-the-moment decision in 1977 started Whitmore on the path to her own veteran status. With one year of community college and two years at the University of Northern Iowa under her belt, Whitmore ran out of money for college.

"I did not want a big debt," she recalled. "So I walked into an Army recruiter's office. It was literally that quick of a decision for me. They said, 'You have three years of college, yes, come on in!' Joining was initially about college but became about country. It was literally the camaraderie and serving my country. That is what kept me in for 36 years."

Whitmore will tell you that she followed in the footsteps of both her 6-foot-4-inch farmer father who was an Army MP in Germany during WWII, as well as her 5-foot-4-inch mother, who was a nurse.

While Whitmore did not intend on staying in the Army for so long, she did so with the hope of one day getting to deploy.

"It wasn't until I had more than 30 years that I got to deploy," she said. "My last hope of deployment finally happened. I turned 55 years old in Iraq."

The Chief said she did not feel like she had truly served until she was deployed to Balad Air Base in Iraq in 2010 with the 103rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command. While Whitmore had been mobilized quite a bit stateside and also in Central America, this deployment was a first, and for her, long overdue.

"I felt like I had not done my duty," she added. "This was a logistics type unit, something I had never done. They needed one medical person to go with them, and I was it."

In Iraq, Whitmore said she was "very fortunate," as it was toward the end of the war. Her responsibility was to process reports regarding disease and injuries within her command.

"It was not a lot of big medical care," she said. "However, keeping track of people is still important. I also consider myself fortunate to have been on an Air Force base because they take very good care of their people."

Whitmore returned home in 2011 and retired with 36 years of military service in 2013.

'THEY NEVER QUESTIONED THAT I WAS A VETERAN'

While Whitmore's husband, Brad, had long been a VFW Life member, she did not know that much about the organization other than she was not eligible until her Iraq deployment.

That all changed when a fellow nurse invited Whitmore to stop in and check out Post 9127 in Des Moines.

"I became a Life member immediately," Whitmore said. "It was such a good experience walking through those doors and the way people welcomed me. They never questioned that I was a veteran. To me, that was the pivotal moment of joining because they didn't assume that I had not served."

From that moment on, Whitmore was an active VFW member serving first as a Post trustee and then adjutant. For many years, she served as adjutant while Brad was the quartermaster.

Today, she maintains her Gold Legacy Life membership at the Post where she first began.

She held positions at VFW's District and Department levels, which put her on the road to becoming the first female commander in the history of the VFW Department of Iowa in 2018. As Department commander, she earned All-American honors.

On the national level, Whitmore has served on the Legislative Committee, the General Resolutions Committee and on the National Council of Administration from 2019 to 2023.

'BRING THEM ALL HOME'

Whitmore said that advocacy, the work of VFW Accredited Service Officers and the POW/MIA mission are the focus of her year as Chief.

"I think it is important to get back to what our original mission is," she said. "Programs are wonderful, and they keep us going, but we were not founded on programs. We were founded on advocacy, sitting on the D.C. steps. VFW's National Legislative Service is where we get our business done, and that is how we best take care of our fellow veterans."

Specifically, Whitmore noted VFW's ongoing fight against so-called "claim sharks," who make it a practice to rob veterans of their earned benefits.

Another priority is the Major Richard Star Act, which would benefit those medically retired with less than 20 years. Getting it approved is a legislative initiative that Whitmore said VFW will continue to put its full might behind.

"We need to continue our work on Capitol Hill to make sure veterans are not taken advantage of and that they are given the benefits that we were all promised and deserve," she said. "VFW makes one of the biggest impacts on Capitol Hill - more than any other organization."

Reflecting on her official VFW visit to Vietnam last year to observe the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, Whitmore said her eyes and heart were "re-opened" to what the families of the missing deserve.

"We need to bring everyone home," she said of the more than 83,000 Americans still unaccounted for. "I know it's been said many times, but let's bring them all home. These families need and deserve closure."

'A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE'

Whitmore reiterated that while her year as Chief should not be about gender, she does believe more female vets will take notice and join the VFW and vie for top leadership positions.

"Women need to feel they belong here if they are eligible," Whitmore said. "There are so many out there who feel undervalued and underappreciated and under voiced in a lot of different aspects. I am hopeful that they see that anybody who feels undervalued as a veteran should belong."

Whitmore said part of the reason she became a nurse is that she enjoys taking care of people. In her position at the helm of the organization, she will work to make sure her fellow veterans have the lives they deserve.

She also believes that her status as VFW's first female Commander-in-Chief is something the organization's founders would support.

"Getting to go back to the VFW National Convention in Columbus, Ohio, where it all began is pretty special," Whitmore concluded. "I hope the founders would say, 'Okay, this is a good change.' It should never be, 'It's about time there's a female commander-in-chief.' It should be about this is a change, a different perspective about what the VFW is and what the VFW looks like now and in the future."

This article is featured in the 2025 September/October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.

VFW Pledges It Won't Rest Until They're All Accounted For

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - On Sept. 19, National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) reaffirms its sacred commitment to those who never returned home. For the VFW, the third Friday in September serves as a powerful reminder of the more than 142,000 former American prisoners of war and less than 81,000 service members who remain missing and unaccounted for, and it reinforces our unwavering pledge to their families and to the nation: We will not rest until we have the fullest possible accounting for every single service member.

The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) reports that just under 81,000 Americans are still unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and other conflicts. Behind every one of those numbers is a life, a story and a family that has endured decades of uncertainty and questions that couldn't be answered. Our nation owes them the ensuring promise that their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.

As a proud and committed supporter of the DPAA, the VFW will continue to support their tireless efforts to conduct recovery missions, forensic identifications and historical research across the globe. Our shared goal to bring a measure of peace and closure to the families is a mission that transcends time and will be passed down through every generation of veterans.

Today, and every day, the VFW solemnly pledges to never forget America's POWs and MIAs.

'It's a Race Against Time'

On March 18, the remains of Army 1st Lt. William Hott were successfully identified nearly seven years after having been returned to the U.S. from North Korea, and nearly 70 years after having been deemed "non-recoverable" by the U.S. Army. Before being successfully identified, Hott was one of nearly 83,000 currently unaccounted for military personnel, dating back to WWII.

Hott marked the 100th successful identification from remains returned from North Korea in 2018, after President Trump reached an agreement with North Korean leader Kim Jung Un. A total of 55 boxes of remains were returned to the U.S. The identification of those remains is still in process.

The contents of the 55 boxes did not just include the remains of U.S. soldiers. Remains of unidentified Chinese and Korean soldiers were found inside as well, illustrating a complex problem all countries face: the pursuit of leaving no one behind.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day falls on the third Friday of September. Established in 1979 by former President Jimmy Carter, the day serves to recognize those who have been lost in combat as well as their families who are without answers.

VFW AND POW/MIA RECOVERY EFFORTS

As far back as 1920, the VFW has been involved in recovery efforts of unaccounted-for troops. The very first mission was the recovery of members of the 31st Infantry Regiment, also known as the "Polar Bears," in Siberia during the Siberian Expedition between 1918 and 1922.

Today, the VFW works closely with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) to assist in the recovery and documentation of troops who went missing in action through Joint Field Activities (JFA). VFW recently completed one with the DPAA in Southeast Asia in March 2024.

"Along with traveling with the DPAA, we also help to ensure that they're fully funded every year," said VFW Associate Director of Communications and Public Affairs Brittany Dymond.

Then-VFW Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore and VFW Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Outreach Robert Couture joined the DPAA on a JFA diving trip at the Samaesarn dive site in Thailand in March 2024. The mission included diving for and establishing recoverable remains from WWII-era sunken ships and aircraft. The group also had the chance to learn more about the processes behind recovering remains found above ground.

"We owe these recovery efforts to the families back home, to the veterans who gave their last full measure of devotion to our country," Whitmore said.

This past March, Couture, along with VFW Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Tim Peters and VFW Assistant Adjutant General Brian Walker, conducted a fact-finding mission in Thailand and Vietnam. Their goals included assessing the needs and impact of the DPAA, as well as strengthening ties with the international VFW community.

Peters' personal mission is to bring attention to the global efforts of locating and identifying the 83,000 missing American service members. He has a strong relationship with DPAA director Kelly McKeague, and the two have coordinated volunteer teams for recovery missions in the past.

On July 11, during the 30th anniversary of reestablishing diplomatic ties between the U.S. and Vietnam and the 40th anniversary of the first American recovery mission for those missing in the Vietnam War, past VFW Commander-in-Chief Larry Rivers and VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci attended events in Hanoi to strengthen the evolving relationship between the two countries.

While meeting with the Veterans Association of Vietnam, Rivers praised the efforts of VFW members who have turned in war artifacts that could help Vietnam identify their own missing military personnel.

"The VFW has a record of service and should be proud of our efforts, not only during times of war, but in times of bringing peace," Rivers said.

On July 15, Peters, alongside DPAA leadership, presided over a handoff of artifacts between the VFW and the Vietnam embassy in Washington, D.C. These artifacts will help aid Vietnam's recovery efforts for their missing.

YOU CAN HELP WITH RECOVERY EFFORTS

The process behind recovering and identifying remains can be challenging. Organic material can break down quickly, and the more time that passes, the more difficult it is for DNA analysists to be accurate in their identification.

"It's a race against time," said Couture. "Depending on the soil composition, the ground may be so acidic that the organic material breaks down completely and is lost."

Memories also play a crucial role in the identification of those unaccounted for in combat. Stories and artifacts of war can help pinpoint when and where soldiers were last seen or heard. When there is little or no remains for accurate DNA analysis, these resources provide the next best solution for an accurate assessment.

VFW and the DPAA encourage the families of those who have gone missing to provide DNA samples to help in the recovery efforts and to help find an accurate match.

They also encourage service members to share their recollections of events to help further pinpoint the story of what happened to unaccounted troops whose remains have yet to be found.

"My father died tragically when his plane crashed during a simulated parachute operation in Fort Hood, Texas, on March 12, 1985," Couture said. "I know what happened to my dad. They recovered his remains. I have that closure. There are families out there who don't have that closure and don't know if they'll ever be able to bury their loved ones on home soil. It doesn't matter if you're 5, 20 or almost 100, you still want to know what happened to your loved one."

This article is featured in the 2025 September/October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

VFW Elects Carol Whitmore as New National Commander

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Carol Whitmore of Des Moines, Iowa, was elected today as the new national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a congressionally chartered veterans service organization comprised of approximately 1 million eligible combat veterans and military service members from all six branches of the armed forces.

"Standing here today, surrounded by such incredible people - fellow veterans, families and friends - I am filled with a deep sense of pride and humility," said Whitmore during her acceptance speech. "This is not just a recognition of me, but of all the men and women who have served in our armed forces."

Whitmore's election as the VFW's 117th commander-in-chief occurred at the conclusion of the organization's 126th National Convention in Columbus, Ohio. More than 10,000 members of the VFW and its Auxiliary converged on the city to conduct the business of the organization, recognize individuals and organizations for excellence and to elect new leadership for the 2025 - 2026 year.

Whitmore is the first woman elected to lead the more than 125-year-old organization. She delivered remarks to those attending in person at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and watching via livestreaming video.

"When I think back on my journey, I am sure it was just like many others - my reality is not necessarily the VFW reality," said Whitmore. "But I was driven by a sense of duty, a desire to serve something greater than myself. And little did I know that decision would shape me in ways I could never have imagined."

Enlisting in the Women's Army Corps in 1977, Carol's 36-year military career was marked by significant milestones, from integrating with men into the regular Army to becoming an Army nurse and later serving as a first sergeant for her unit while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was there that she earned her VFW eligibility. In recognition of her service, she received the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (six), Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (two), National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-Commissioned Professional Development Ribbon (three), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (three), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" device and the Combat Action Badge.

"As we look to the future, I believe that the strength of our veteran community is our greatest asset. We have so much to offer," said Whitmore. "We have lived through adversity, we have faced challenges that many can't even imagine and we've come out on the other side stronger. It's because of that strength that we are still serving our communities and our nation."

She joined the VFW in 2012 at Post 9127 in Des Moines, Iowa, where she maintains her Gold Legacy Life membership. She has served in elected and appointed positions at the Post, District and Department levels, culminating with her election as the VFW Department of Iowa Commander from 2018 to 2019, in which she achieved All-American status. On the national level, she served on the Legislative Committee, the General Resolutions Committee and on the National Council of Administration from 2019 to 2023. In 2022, she was elected as designee for National VFW Commander-in-Chief for the year 2025, becoming the first woman and first Iowan to hold the position. She is also a life member of the Military Order of the Cootie, the VFW National Home, and the American Legion and its Auxiliary.

During the speech, Whitmore emphasized legislative advocacy as a priority for her year, with a focus on fighting to get Congress to grant concurrent receipt for select combat-injured veterans through the Major Richard Star Act.

"Through advocacy, our legislative efforts need to be resolute," said Whitmore. "The [Major] Richard Star Act must pass this year. This effort was started in 2004, and the bill has repeatedly and shamelessly been voted down. Let's get this done already. Honor the Contract!"

Whitmore also spoke passionately about the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) mission and the key diplomatic role the VFW played in Southeast Asia during the early 1990s.

"More than 30 years ago, it was VFW Vietnam War veterans who led the mission back to the country that cost them so much to extend a hand of peace to their former adversaries," said Whitmore. "This tremendously brave effort opened U.S. relations with Vietnam and access to the country so DPAA could find and bring home our comrades who were missing in action."

In addition to Whitmore, other national officers elected were Cory Geisler, an Iraq War veteran from the Department of Wisconsin, as senior vice commander-in-chief, and Glenn Umberger Jr., from the Department of Pennsylvania, who is also a veteran from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as junior vice commander-in-chief. The final day of the convention also saw Adjutant General Dan West and Quartermaster General Marc Garduno reassume their posts.

"I may be the first veteran to have been elected VFW commander-in-chief while wearing a dress ... the first female veteran, but I will not be the last," said Whitmore. "And as I have said while campaigning, I am your comrade by mud, by blood, by dust, by dirt, by sand, by land, by sea, by air ... I am a veteran first."

Carol, a retired nurse, attended the University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College. She and her husband, Brad, reside in Des Moines, Iowa.

Watch or read Whitmore's acceptance speech.

VFW Presents Acclaimed John A. Biedrzycki Award

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has selected Army Desert Storm Veteran Belinda Boldoe as its 2024-2025 John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year. Awarded annually, the Biedrzycki Award is presented to a VFW Accredited Service Officer who has demonstrated exceptional achievements in support of the VFW's veterans' service mission and related programs.

"Service to veterans is as ingrained in the VFW as the word veteran," said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. "Every day, our global cadre of accredited representatives works tirelessly to ensure our government Honors the Contract and this award, which Belinda Boldoe so rightfully deserves, exemplifies and honors the very best of the best."

Boldoe, who serves as both the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Appeals Officer and VFW Department of Georgia Service Officer among other roles, assisted more than 2,500 veterans and family members and facilitated the recovery of more than $800,000 in veterans benefits in 2024. A resident of Stone Mountain, Georgia, she is highly regarded by her colleagues, clients and comrades for her professionalism, technical expertise and genuine, honest and teamwork-oriented nature.

VFW Accredited Service Officers are legally recognized and authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare, present and prosecute VA benefits claims. Importantly, VA-accredited representatives never charge for assistance with VA disability compensation claims. In 2024 alone, the VFW's Accredited Service Officer network has secured more than $14.6 billion in compensation and pension on behalf of veterans and eligible family members, and every dollar has gone to beneficiaries.

"It is always an honor to recognize a professionally trained, VFW Accredited Service Officer who exemplifies our values in every action she takes on behalf of the veterans, family members and survivors we represent," said VFW National Veterans Service Director Mike Figlioli. "Belinda consistently delivers results not only for the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, but for the entire VFW. It is only fitting that we take the time to recognize her achievements and dedication."

Originally from Washington, D.C., Boldoe served in the United States Army for more than 11 years as a signal communication officer, earning her VFW eligibility during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Throughout her Army career, she held several critical positions including company commander, theater communication manager during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and project manager for testing and procuring new Signal Corps equipment.

"It is truly an honor to be selected as the John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year for 2024-2025," said Boldoe. "This is not a job for me; this is my heavenly assignment from my Lord and Savior to take care of his people."

Boldoe maintains her Bronze Legacy Life membership at Henry County GA VFW Post 12180 in Stockbridge, Georgia, where she serves as the Post quartermaster. She has two children - one of whom she is proud to call a fellow VFW member.

Applications Open for 2025-2026 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and Student Veterans of America (SVA) are now accepting applications from student veterans interested in participating in the upcoming 2025-2026 VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship program. Now in its 12th year, the fellowship will bring select student veterans - who must be VFW members - to Washington, D.C., late February to early March to meet face-to-face with their members of Congress and senior policymakers.

Student veterans interested in applying must complete an application package that includes a 3-5 page essay and a video outlining program interest. The submission should consist of a discussion of why advocacy is important to the veteran community.

Past fellows have earned academic credit for their experience, found internships, accepted additional academic opportunities, and landed full-time employment because of their fellowship experience. Several fellows have even had their research incorporated into laws, which has a lasting impact on veterans, service members, and their families.

VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship opportunities are open to all currently enrolled student veterans. VFW eligibility criteria can be found here. Selected fellows will attend and participate in SVA's Leadership Institute from Oct 16 - 18, 2025, followed by the 18th Annual SVA National Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Jan. 8 - 10, 2026. They will then be flown to Washington, D.C., to ensure the veterans' message is delivered to Capitol Hill alongside 500 fellow advocates as part of the VFW Legislative Conference, February 28 - March 5, 2026.

All applications must be submitted by midnight on Sept. 12, 2025. For full details about the VFW-SVA fellowship and to apply, visit VFW.org/StudentFellowship or contact Joe Grassi, VFW, at JGrassi@vfw.org, or Tammy Barlet, SVA, at tammy.barlet@studentveterans.org.

The VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship is another example of the strong collaboration between VFW and SVA that resulted from a memorandum of understanding signed by the two organizations at the SVA National Conference in January 2013.

President Signs Law to Prevent Veteran Foreclosure

WASHINGTON - Yesterday President Donald Trump signed the VA Home Loan Protection Act (H.R. 1815) into law, alongside the bill's author and VFW Life member, Rep. Derrick Van Orden (WI-3) and House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Chairman Mike Bost (IL-12).

"Legislative advocacy is one of the core missions of the VFW and a mission that I take seriously, so I thank Mr. Van Orden for his foresight in addressing veteran foreclosures, Congress for unanimously advancing the bill, and President Trump for quickly signing this into law," said VFW Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt. "When I speak to veterans, I often say that when legislators support us, we will find the tallest hill we can and sing their praises for helping veterans. This is why I call on all VFW members to activate our Action Corps once again and say 'thank you' to your legislators who advanced Mr. Van Orden's critical legislation without opposition."

Today the VFW sent an Action Corps alert to its global network of advocates to thank every member of Congress for displaying bipartisan courage to advance Van Orden's bill to the president's desk. Click here to join in on the VFW's Action Alert and say "thank you" to your legislators for protecting veterans' homes.

VFW Legislative Director Kristina Keenan, who advocated for the Senate to quickly advance the bill, said that the law will prevent thousands of veterans from foreclosure on their homes by providing a partial claim option where VA can cover delinquent payments and work with lenders to structure appropriate repayments. Additionally, it will strengthen VA's homelessness prevention efforts through the Grant and Per Diem Program.

Van Orden proposed his partial claims bill in March as a way to replace the stop-gap Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase, or VASP, program, providing a foreclosure-mitigation option that closely mirrors options available to borrowers who utilize Federal Housing Administration loans. Van Orden is a Life member of Thomas Rooney VFW Post 1530 in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and was honored with the VFW's 2025 Congressional Award in March.

Veterans who are having trouble making mortgage payments on their VA-backed home loans should contact a VA loan technician to explore options at 877.827.3702.

Student Vets Advocate on Capitol Hill

The 2024-2025 VFW-SVA Fellowship has concluded, and another generation of talented student veterans are ready for change.

Since 2014, the VFW and Student Veterans of America Fellowship Program has helped student veterans better understand the process behind advocating for veteran-friendly legislation and allows for student veterans to work closely with lawmakers responsible for maintaining veteran's policy.

Each year, VFW selects the fellows from SVA's ranks as part of the two groups' partnership.

The fellows get hands-on experience advocating for veteran legislation both at the national and local levels, get more involved with the VFW and make lasting connections with each other.

'THERE'S POWER IN NUMBERS'
Over the course of the nine-month schedule, the fellows learned more about policy, often focusing on the G.I. Bill, and how to develop grassroots advocacy in their local settings.

"We spend around six months just learning about policy, with an emphasis on local policy." said Terry Traylor, a Marine Corps veteran, VFW member of Post 7564 in West Fargo, North Dakota, and one of this year's fellows.

Each of the fellows worked in designated regions of the U.S., with Traylor being involved with the Midwest, specifically the Dakotas. There, Traylor worked closely with senators and other government officials, advocating for better policy for veterans.

To keep the VFW close by, Traylor often worked in town halls so Posts could be more easily involved with the advocacy process.

While there was much vocal advocacy during the fellowship, Traylor also was involved with digital efforts such as building infographics that went into detail about certain policies, as well as creating a class that teaches how to advocate digitally.

Each year, the VFW-SVA fellows get the chance to participate in the Washington Conference - a time for student veterans to have their voices heard by elected officials in the nation's capital. The fellows, along with getting the chance to inform officials in D.C. of the student veteran experience, also get to show their size and influence.

"There's power in numbers," said Traylor. "Imagine shooting a small firearm, that would be me going by myself. When we're with the rest of the VFW, however, we're a whole artillery."

Traylor describes his approach to veterans as "guerilla" - building close, interpersonal relationships. While being an active SVA member, he also plans on being an active VFW member, advocating for policy at the local level in North Dakota.

Through his experience with the fellowship, Traylor developed a 5k memorial fundraiser for 9/11 deployers and their families.

'A PHENOMENAL PROGRAM'
Jennifer Ross, an Air Force veteran who served for more than 20 years, also was a member of this year's fellowship. She is a member of VFW Post 1503 in Montclair, Virginia. Although she had been involved with the SVA since graduate school, she did not have much experience with the VFW. Now, after graduating from the fellowship, she's more than eager to get involved with her local VFW Post.

Having served as a Russian linguist and in human intelligence for the Air Force, Ross went on to collect multiple master's degrees, including a master's in business administration.

When she signed on to join the fellowship, she wasn't sure what to expect.

Through her time with the VFW-SVA fellowship, Ross learned that "There is a need for people to be in the federal government who keep organizations like the SVA and VFW active."

She was impressed with the VFW's initiative, and how both the VFW and SVA seamlessly combined their organizations.

"I was most grateful for the kind of dual nature of it," Ross said. "It wasn't just the SVA or the VFW. I liked how closely they worked to create a phenomenal program. Each piece offered such a unique viewpoint on how they individually handled policy."

Originally from Virginia, Ross now lives in Maryland and is excited to find her new VFW Post. She was impressed with how the VFW handled themselves in D.C. and hopes to support veterans alongside them.

"The legislative team at the VFW, I connected with them and thought they were all phenomenal people," she said. "I'm excited to work with them going forward."

Ross is currently enrolled in a master's program for public policy at Georgetown University. She works closely with HillVets - a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. - that helps guides veterans to careers working in the government. She says she is passionate about education, specifically education for veterans.

'CHALLENGING, YET REWARDING'
Another VFW-SVA fellow, Army veteran Casey Stege, plans to use the experience he gained from the fellowship to inform his future career as an attorney.

"I was exposed to so many inspiring veterans and veteran-friendly businesses and organizations that are doing an incredible job of caring for our soldiers," said Stege, a member of VFW Post 2148 in Waco, Texas.

Through the fellowship, Stege gained a deeper appreciation of veteran service organizations along with a deepened understanding of legislation that can go towards benefiting veterans.

"It was challenging for sure," Stege said when asked about the process of advocating for veteran-friendly policy. "Knowing where to start, then putting yourself out there to try and get the importance of the legislation across was challenging yet rewarding. Thankfully, the VFW mentors were incredible and quite helpful."

'MY TIME IN D.C. WAS IMPACTFUL'
Last fall, while enrolled in the VFW-SVA Fellowship, Army veteran Polina Washington was taking a graduate course on language pedagogy. One of her assignments was to create an infographic on a topic of her choice. She used the fellowship as inspiration to create an informative, but accessible infographic about the G.I. Bill Parity Act.

"The process of creating (the infographic) also had me think of how I would 'pitch' this legislation to various people, just as those it does or doesn't concern, to get everyone to support the act," said Washington, an at-large VFW Member.

During her week in D.C. this past March, Washington had a chance to sharpen skills that are needed when advocating for policy. Getting to work with "the pros" as she says, Washington was paired up with VFW National Legislative Committe Chairman Mitch Fuller and got to see him in action.

"I had been to Washington, D.C., before, in the capacity of a tourist, but getting to walk the halls where decision makers can influence what may affect their towns, cities and states made me feel that my time in D.C. was truly impactful," Washington said.

Washington is still on active duty and was on track to graduate from the University of Texas with a master's in Russian, East European and Eurasian studies in May 2025. Her next goal is to teach Russian at the United States Military Academy at West Point, and she hopes to maintain strong relationships with both the VFW and SVA.

'PEOPLE ARE GOING TO LISTEN'
The Fellowship had a profound effect on Army Veteran Jose Ayon, who was able to work alongside the California VFW legislative team while in Washington, D.C. During his time in the nation's capital, Ayon, a member of VFW Post 67 in Sacramento, Calif., was able to feel the influence his voice carried.

"When you're in a room with your team, people are going to listen," Ayon said when asked about his Washington Conference experience. "You feel the power of your voice."

Ayon is currently pursuing a master's of Public Administration degree at the University of Southern California and works for the California Department of Veteran Affairs.

"VFW is an amazing organization that does so much," Ayon said. "It's definitely something this fellowship and the team instilled in me."

Feeling accomplished and experienced, each of the VFW-SVA Fellows are ready to assist veterans in any way they can.

Whether it is at the local or at the federal level, they will make sure their voices, and the voices of all veterans, are heard.

This article is featured in the 2025 July/August issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

VFW Joins DPAA in Vietnam for 30-Year Commemoration

WASHINGTON - Last week in Hanoi, Vietnam, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Past Commander-in-Chief Larry Rivers and VFW Executive Director Ryan Gallucci took part in a series of events surrounding key anniversaries in U.S.-Vietnam relations. The visit coincided with the 30th anniversary of reestablishing diplomatic ties between the United States and Vietnam, as well as the 40th anniversary of the first American recovery mission for those missing in action from the Vietnam War.

"I want to thank the (VFW) Commander-in-Chief for inviting me to be his representative here," said Rivers. "It means a lot to me personally."

VFW Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt chose Rivers - a Marine Corps Vietnam veteran - to represent the organization because Rivers played a key role in reestablishing veteran-to-veteran relations with Vietnam in the early 1990s, building up to the formal establishment of the American embassy in Hanoi in 1995. Rivers, who at the time served as the VFW Washington Office Executive Director, personally participated in several visits to Vietnam in the 90s, alongside key leaders like Senators John Kerry and John McCain, demonstrating that American veterans from Vietnam sought to work with former adversaries to advance common interests, like accounting for missing service members.

"I remember very vividly the many events that took place in the early '90's ... the role the VFW played, the very difficult and hard decisions we often made in order to make this reconciliation come about," said Rivers. "Our leadership and our foresight as an organization has paid dividends."

In addition to formal celebrations of these key anniversaries, the VFW delegation attended a series of meetings and events around Hanoi to promote the evolving relationship between the United States and Vietnam. These events included attending the symbolic handover of wartime files and artifacts at Vietnam's Archive III as well as the presentation of DNA sequencing equipment to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. The equipment, which was presented to the institute by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper and DPAA Director Kelly McKeague, will provide state-of-the-art capability to help Vietnam identify its missing from the conflict that ended more than 50 years ago.

"It was important to us to move forward to a more normal relationship so we could have access to the rest of the country," said Rivers. "Access alone and the more than 700 families that have been brought to closure because of our recovery efforts, it was worth what we did some 30 years ago."

During a meeting with the Veterans Association of Vietnam, Rivers highlighted the ongoing support from VFW members who continue to return war artifacts for the VFW to formally hand over to help Vietnam identify its missing. On Tuesday, the VFW turned over another set of artifacts to the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, D.C., alongside DPAA leadership.

"The VFW has a record of service and should be proud of our efforts, not only during times of war, but in times of bringing peace," said Rivers.

VFW also met with the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO), which is an agency designed to foster people-to-people relationships between Vietnam and other nations. VUFO has played a key role in the VFW's relationship with Vietnam over the last 30 years.

"I think it is important to realize, just as we did after WWII, that enemies move on and become friends and allies," said Rivers. "I think that is happening here in Vietnam."

Finally, Rivers sat down for a one-on-one meeting with Ambassador Knapper to discuss the evolving relationship between the United States and Vietnam and also received a limited country team briefing alongside McKeague leading into the week's events.

"Certainly, we are proud to have been at the forefront, fought for our country, and now being a major force in bringing peace between former enemies," said Rivers. "It proves the VFW is the very best veterans organization and provides the very best leadership among the veterans community in the whole world."

As Rivers concluded his visit, he shared a special message to his fellow Vietnam War veterans living in the United States and abroad.

"I want to end by saying a sincere thank you to our many Vietnam veterans that are still alive, you served your country well, you should be proud of that service," said Rivers.

See photos from the visit and ceremony here.

VFW Presents Vietnam War Artifacts to Vietnamese Government in Washington

WASHINGTON - In a symbolic act of reconciliation and commitment to the ongoing mission of full wartime accounting, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Tim Peters formally handed over a collection of Vietnam War artifacts to representatives of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in a ceremony hosted at the Vietnamese Embassy in Washington, D.C., today.

"Returning artifacts symbolizes a powerful gesture of reconciliation, promoting healing for both American and Vietnamese veterans and families affected by the war," said Peters. "We thank the Vietnamese Embassy for hosting us here today so that we can continue to build these bonds."

The ceremony was hosted by His Excellency Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnam's Ambassador to the United States. Vietnamese Defense Attaché Senior Colonel Vu Quoc Ang accepted the artifacts on behalf of the Vietnamese government.

The artifacts - donated by U.S. veterans and families - represent a shared history of sacrifice and serve as a gesture of goodwill that supports continued efforts to account for those who remain missing from the Vietnam War era. The presentation included a helmet, canteens, a journal, certificates and identification cards.

"These artifacts may seem small, but they mean a lot to the families who have lost loved ones," said Nguyen.

"Vietnam veterans, especially those in the VFW, carry a unique credibility and moral authority," said Peters. "Their participation humanizes the past and fosters understanding between the two nations."

In addition to the officers from the Vietnamese Defense Attache Office, the event was attended by Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Kelly McKeague and his staff, who were critical in coordinating the day's presentation.

The VFW remains a steadfast partner in the mission to achieve the fullest possible accounting of missing U.S. personnel. The ceremony marks the latest in a series of VFW efforts to engage with Vietnam on matters of shared historical responsibility and remembrance.

"The VFW will continue to promote this effort among our members - especially those who served in Vietnam, Laos and other areas - to continue to demonstrate our commitment to the fullest possible accounting of those who died in battle," Peters concluded. View pictures from the visit here.

VFW, Grunt Style Unite to 'Honor the Contract' with Limited-Edition T-Shirt

KANSAS CITY, Mo., - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is teaming up with Grunt Style, the iconic American apparel brand, to announce a bold new limited-edition T-shirt that carries more than just style, it carries a legacy of veteran advocacy and a demand for accountability. The shirt's powerful message, "Honor The Contract," revives a historic call to action inspired by the Bonus Army of the 1930s and channels it into modern-day support for veterans facing mental health crises.

The collaborative design is a modern reimagining of an archival VFW concept dating back to one of the most shameful chapters in American history, when veterans of World War I were denied their promised compensation and violently removed from the nation's capital for demanding justice. That movement came to be known as the Bonus Army, a somber reminder that America has not always lived up to its promises to those who serve.

Today, nearly a century later, the battle continues, not on the battlefield, but within our own communities. Veterans are still petitioning the government for better care, timely benefits, and mental health support. And once again, the VFW is stepping forward, not just with words, but with action.

"This campaign isn't just about a shirt. It's about a promise, a contract, between the United States and its defenders," said VFW Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt. "Our nation must honor that sacred agreement, not just during service, but long after the uniform is folded. By resurrecting this historic design, we're reminding America that failure to care for its veterans is not just neglect, it's betrayal."

The VFW has committed to donating proceeds from this design directly to Irreverent Warriors, a program of the Grunt Style Foundation that uses humor, camaraderie, and shared experience to tackle the suicide epidemic within the veteran community.

At the heart of this partnership is a shared belief in action over lip service and a mutual understanding that the fight for a veteran's life doesn't end at discharge.

"Grunt Style was founded by a veteran who believed in taking care of his own, and that belief hasn't changed," said Tim Jensen, chief brand officer of Grunt Style and chairman of the Grunt Style Foundation. "When the VFW brought us this design from their archives, it was like a lightning bolt. We knew this wasn't about nostalgia, it was about the now. Veterans are dying because the system meant to support them is broken. This shirt is our call to arms and our way of saying we won't be silent."

The design itself is striking, gritty, evocative and unmistakably patriotic. Bold lettering and a weathered visual aesthetic recall wartime posters of the past, while the phrase "Honor The Contract" punches with present-day urgency.

The limited-edition shirt will be available through Grunt Style's website with a portion of proceeds will directly fund Grunt Style Foundation's work through Irreverent Warriors, whose mission is to bring veterans together in a safe, humorous and healing environment through events like Silkies Hikes and community engagement. The shirts are also now available through the VFW Store.

About Grunt Style: Founded by a combat veteran, Grunt Style is more than a t-shirt company, it's a lifestyle brand for those who still believe in the American spirit. With more than 5 million social followers and millions of loyal customers, Grunt Style is committed to serving those who serve.

About Grunt Style Foundation: The Grunt Style Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to serving those who served, with programs focused on mental health, transition support, and combating veteran suicide. Its Irreverent Warriors initiative brings humor and connection to the frontlines of healing through unique events and community activism.

VFW Applauds VA for 'Scalpel' Approach to Force Reduction

WASHINGTON - I am pleased to hear today's announcement that through early retirements, deferred resignations, the federal hiring freeze and normal attrition, the Department of Veterans Affairs is on track to reduce its staff by only some 30,000 employees by the end of the fiscal year 2025, thus eliminating the requirement of a large-scale reduction-in-force (RIF). This is a sigh of relief for the veterans who depend on the timely delivery of care and benefits, and a far cry from estimates that circulated in March.

While the VFW supports fiscal responsibility in the VA, such a large-scale RIF would most certainly have been devastating to all veterans, not just those the VA employs. Thankfully, President Trump and VA leadership heard our voice and approached this task with the care and precision it demanded.

I applaud Secretary Collins for "working with a scalpel" to achieve the President's objective to trim the workforce while respecting the needs of veterans and those who work at VA every day.

VFW Action Alert: Vote YES to Keep Veterans in their Homes

On May 1, the Department of Veterans Affairs ended the Veterans Affairs Servicing Purchase (VASP) program, which offered veterans a "last-resort" option for the Department to purchase delinquent home loans. The program lasted only one year and was intended as an emergency stopgap to stave off veteran foreclosures after the COVID-19 moratorium lapsed.

Secretary Collins ended the program over mounting problems with administering VASP and the legal ambiguity of the program. Many in the veteran community understood the Secretary's rationale, but were clear that Congress should quickly work to present a responsible statutory solution to help veterans keep their homes. Thankfully, House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity Chairman, and VFW member, Rep. Van Orden was closely watching the situation and in March introduced a reasonable policy solution: H.R. 1815, VA Home Loan Program Reform Act. This offers a partial claim option through which VA would pay the delinquency on a veteran's loan and work with lenders to structure appropriate repayments to prevent veterans from defaulting and losing their homes.

On May 19, the House passed Rep. Van Orden's bill without objection. We call on the Senate to pass the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act and keep veterans in their homes.

Take action TODAY and tell your Senators to VOTE YES on H.R. 1815, VA Home Loan Program Reform Act to prevent veterans from losing their homes.

VFW Action Alert: Say NO to Putting Veterans in Debt

Veterans should never go into debt to access their earned benefits!

The VFW has repeatedly expressed concerns about charging veterans for initial claims assistance based on their future benefits, and thus, we strongly oppose H.R. 3132, CHOICE for Veterans Act of 2025, as written. This would potentially put veterans into debt even before utilizing their benefits. The VFW is grateful that the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs staff sought our input on the legislation and included some safeguards in it, but the fee structure is a poison pill that should ultimately kill this bill.

Maybe the committee advanced this bill to finally get the aggressive Claim Shark lobbyists out of their offices, but we urge our legislators in the House not to consider passing such a blatant cash grab for illegal companies who know they're breaking the law and lining their pockets with taxpayer dollars intended for disabled veterans.

The VFW opposes this legislation and will continue to fight any effort to put veterans into debt to access their earned disability benefits.

Contact your House representative and urge them to vote NO on H.R. 3132 and keep veterans' earned benefits in their own pockets.

VFW Applauds VA for Clearing Way to Timely Care

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) applauded the Department of Veterans Affairs following its announcement of eliminating the requirement of secondary approval to access community care when a VA clinician determines it is in the "best medical interest" of the veterans, effective immediately.

"Under the old way of doing things, veterans would pay the price for delayed or denied referrals for care in the community, even when VA's own doctors knew best," said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. "This is exactly the pressure-relief valve that veterans and their providers expect in a patient-centric care system. The VFW fought hard for this to stay in the Dole Act, and we commend Secretary Collins for his expedient implementation of the law, placing veterans first when their VA doctors know that community care is the right call."

Before yesterday's announcement, veterans and their VA providers needed another physician to approve and finalize a community care referral, presenting an additional hurdle with an uncertain outcome. The VFW testified before Congress multiple times on this issue, sharing stories from veterans who were arbitrarily denied care that should have been granted by the 2019 MISSION Act.

"The VFW has always advocated for delivering timely care to veterans through all means available to VA, including its community partners," said VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci. "We have gone to the mat for what is in the best medical interest of the veteran - allowing them to make those decisions with the doctor who is treating them, without having to get the 'OK' from an outsider."

With the passing of the VFW-backed Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, secondary approval is no longer required, paving the way for veterans to receive the care they and their providers believe is in their best interest. It also reduces inequities between veterans in urban environments and rural areas where VA medical care is either overwhelmed, not readily available, or inconsistently granted.

But it rarely happened. The VFW aggressively advocated to keep the best medical interest provision in the Dole Act when some in Congress sought to strip it from the bill. The members of the VFW would not stand for it and sent thousands of messages to lawmakers, ensuring its passage.

VFW Names First Woman Veteran to Lead its National Legislative Efforts

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the selection of the first woman veteran as director of the VFW's National Legislative Service (NLS).

Kristina Keenan is a familiar and well-respected face on Capitol Hill. As a member of the NLS team since 2018, her tenacity and dedication have been proven time and again. Most notably, her advocacy efforts contributed greatly to the passing of the PACT Act - the largest expansion of veterans benefits since the Vietnam War. Her legislative victories also include passage of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act and the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, among others.

Keenan has been recognized as one of the country's top lobbyists by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics (NILE) and the Washington, D.C., publication, The Hill.

"It is an absolute honor to serve veterans and the VFW. I am thrilled to be the organization's next legislative director," said Kristina Keenan. "I began my advocacy work with the VFW as a volunteer in 2016, focusing on women veteran issues and the Deborah Sampson Act. Two years later, I moved to Washington, D.C., to join the VFW's National Legislative Service. This journey has been incredible, especially being part of efforts over the past several years to advance toxic exposure legislation and the success of the PACT Act. I have learned so much from outstanding VFW leaders, and I hope to continue the organization's century-long legacy of legislative achievements."

Keenan, a veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard, earned her VFW eligibility during a 2003 deployment to Bosnia. Immediately following her deployment, she volunteered for a second deployment to Bosnia, working as a tactical human intelligence team leader with an allied military intelligence battalion. Keenan finished her military service in 2005, with the rank of sergeant.

Following her military service, Keenan completed a bachelor's degree in political science at the American University of Paris in France and later earned a master's in human rights and humanitarian action from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Paris Institute of Political Studies, commonly known as Sciences Po). Kristina completed a 10-month internship in 2008, at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Mons, Belgium, where she was an intelligence analyst on counternarcotics issues in Afghanistan.

As director of NLS, Keenan's responsibilities include the planning, coordination and implementation of the VFW's national legislative agenda with members of Congress, their staff, and other federal departments, agencies and organizations. Her goal is to work with Congress to create and protect all programs and services provided by the federal government to veterans, service members and their families, and to help defeat proposals that are not beneficial to America's veteran and military communities. This includes executing the VFW's annual Priority Goals, as it pertains to budgets, education, employment, health care, benefits and capital infrastructure as well as working on The Independent Budget, which is a comprehensive budget recommendation and policy document created by veterans for veterans.

She says she is ready for the challenges the future holds for the VFW Washington Office. "Together, I know we can successfully push forward the legislative priorities that are so important to VFW members, while also working to strengthen the VA system and fight for policies that uphold the dignity and well-being of those who have sacrificed so much for our country."

Keenan maintains her Life membership at VFW Post 605 in Paris, France - the oldest Post in Europe. She served two years as VFW Post Commander, and has held roles as VFW Department of Europe Chaplain, Student Veterans of America Chairwoman, and was a member of the National Women Veterans Advisory Committee.

For interview requests, Contact: Rob Couture, VFW Washington Office Director of Public Affairs & Strategic Outreach, 202.374.9998, RCouture@vfw.org.

VFW Leaders Prepare for Diplomacy, Troop and DPAA Site Visits

WASHINGTON - On the heels of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Washington Conference, two official delegations comprised of senior VFW and Auxiliary leaders and supporting staff depart this weekend for separate command visits in East and Southeast Asian countries.

Accompanied by VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci, and together with VFW Auxiliary National President Brenda Bryant, Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt will embark on a six-day tour of Taiwan to meet with government leaders and the Veterans Affairs Council to bolster our longstanding friendship grounded in shared democratic ideals, mutual learning and a commitment to caring for those who sacrificed in defense of our respective nations. Among the activities planned is a diplomatic engagement with the President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, as well as tours of the PanChiao Veterans Home and Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

"The VFW has long enjoyed a robust relationship with our veterans' affairs counterparts in Taiwan," said Lipphardt. "And this year, I am honored to meet with President Lai Ching-te to discuss our nations' common pursuit of and dedication to freedom, peace and democracy. It's through the selfless acts and courage of our nations' defenders, and the fulfilment of our duty to honor and care for them, that these ideals are able to be realized."

Meanwhile, Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Tim Peters, together with Assistant Adjutant General Brian Walker and VFW Washington Office Public Affairs Director Rob Couture, will spend two weeks traveling to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field sites in Thailand and Vietnam and meeting with U.S. military personnel, veterans and VFW members in South Korea and the Philippines.

"DPAA's mission has always been near and dear to my heart," said Peters, "that's why I'm excited to meet with the teams in Thailand and Vietnam to see their work firsthand. Their dedication to accounting for every service member missing in action is truly remarkable."

The VFW's annual overseas missions fulfill critical organizational national security and foreign affairs objectives. Travel missions abroad enable senior leadership to strengthen ties with host nation governments, witness field operations and understand the needs of the DPAA and gauge the welfare of U.S. troops and veterans stationed and living outside the United States and its territories. Leveraging the VFW's powerful advocacy platform in Washington, D.C., lessons learned from each visit are brought to administration officials and members of Congress to ensure the DPAA is fully funded each year and troops and veterans, including those working as Department of Defense (DOD) civilians, are properly taken care of, able to execute their missions, and can access the benefits and services afforded to them.

Thanks to VFW advocacy after past overseas visits, legislation to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs' Foreign Medical Program was introduced by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) during the 118th and current Congresses, while the DOD decided in 2024 to continue providing mail privileges to military retirees living abroad.

For updates as the missions kick off and throughout, be sure to follow the VFW on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram under @VFWHQ and on Facebook under @VFWFans.

VFW Encouraged as President Shares 'Scalpel' Approach to VA Job Cuts

WASHINGTON - Last week I voiced the VFW's concerns about the indiscriminate firings of veterans across our federal government. We heard from our members across the country about the effects this was having on their livelihoods and the care veterans seek at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). I urged the use of a scalpel instead of a chain saw when seeking to right size VA. We feel this way because the men and women who served our country deserve that consideration when making decisions that are this serious.

Earlier this week, VA announced its plans to reduce the VA workforce by an additional 83,000 employees. The VFW sees no scenario where that would not affect veterans care and benefits. Once again, it is concerning that the announced cuts would be harmful to veterans.

Thankfully, yesterday at a press conference, President Trump made it clear he was directing the Cabinet secretaries to take the lead on right sizing their respective departments instead of DOGE. President Trump stated, "I don't want to see a big cut where a lot of good people are cut." Later in a social media post the president wrote, "We say the 'scalpel' rather than the 'hatchet.'" The VFW agrees with that sentiment, and we are glad to hear the administration has heard the concerns of groups like the VFW.

We now call upon VA to reconsider its planned reduction of 83,000 employees and thoroughly review any proposed cuts prior to rolling out further announcements like this. Again, a scalpel is the preferred tool when making these precise cuts, especially when, at this very moment, veteran employees are indeed fit to have jobs still serving their fellow veterans and the country.

The VFW supports the elimination of waste, fraud and abuse in our government. I told Secretary Collins earlier this week that we agree that there are areas at VA where we can tighten the belt. And the VFW will work with Secretary Collins and other veteran groups to help identify processes that need to be more efficient, so veterans remain the focus at VA. We call on all veterans who have not yet engaged on this issue to follow us in making your voice heard. If veterans won't stand up for one another, then who will?

Our leaders in Washington, D.C., must "Honor the Contract" we all signed when we joined the military. Making sure veterans care and benefits remain fully funded and appropriately staffed to carry out this critical mission is incredibly important. We fulfilled our part of the contract we signed, and we expect our elected and appointed leaders to do the same.

VFW Encouraged as President Shares 'Scalpel' Approach to VA Job Cuts

Rep. Van Orden Receives VFW Congressional Award

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) presented its 2025 Congressional Award to Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI) for his relentless advocacy on behalf of veterans and service members.

"In Representative Van Orden, we have found a devoted, passionate and determined advocate for our military and veteran communities," said VFW Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt. "His resolve for accountability and action on some of our most pressing issues is clear, and we could not be more thrilled to have him in our corner not only as a member of Congress but also as a VFW Life member."

Presented annually since 1964, the VFW Congressional Award is given to one member of the House or Senate for significant legislative contributions on behalf of veterans and military personnel. Past recipients include strong national security and veterans' advocates, such as Sen. Bob Dole (R-KS), Rep. G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery (D-MS), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI), Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC), and Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT), among many others. Last year's award went to Rep. Mike Levin (D-CA) who now serves on the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies. Levin previously held the position of Ranking Member on the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.

Rep. Van Orden was first elected to the House of Representatives in 2022. Quickly assuming the role of Chairman of the House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity, he got to work addressing topline veteran and service member issues like the military Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and veteran suicide prevention. As the originating sponsor of the VFW-supported TAP Promotion Act, he relentlessly advocates for service members' equal access to VA-accredited claims representatives in TAP classrooms. Moreover, he co-authored last year's bipartisan House Concurrent Resolution commemorating the VFW's 125th Anniversary and even proudly wears his VFW cap while presiding over VFW-attended hearings. In addition to his duties as the Economic Opportunity Subcommittee Chairman, he also serves on the House Armed Services Committee and House Agriculture Committee.

Before coming to Congress, Rep. Van Orden was a U.S. Navy SEAL and retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer after serving 26 years and completing multiple combat deployments, thereby earning his VFW membership eligibility. He maintains his Life membership at Thomas Rooney VFW Post 1530 in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

"We are eager to continue working with Rep. Van Orden and his staff to ensure we get to the root of economic-related barriers facing veterans and transitioning service members," said Lipphardt. "His tenacity and resistance to accepting the status quo resonates deeply with our members, and we are proud to bestow upon him this year's Congressional Award."

VFW Chief Demands Lawmakers 'Honor the Contract' with Veterans

WASHINGTON - Heeding the call to "march forth," Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and VFW Auxiliary members packed the house alongside Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt as he testified before a special joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans' Affairs held today.

Armed with a DD Form 4, which is the standard enlistment contract for those entering service into the Armed Forces of the United States, Lipphardt launched into his testimony with the document held high and his comrades amassed behind him in the Dirksen Senate Office Building chamber where the hearing was being held. Amidst the administration's push to cut government spending, Lipphardt reminded lawmakers that the enlistment contract is "more than an employment agreement" and that by law, service members are entitled to receive pay and benefits.

"This isn't charity. This is a contract," said Lipphardt. "Everyone who served honorably, like every member of the VFW, met our end of this agreement. We demand our leaders do the same. By contract, you must ensure the VA has the resources and staff to provide veterans their full earned benefits. This is not an ask. Honor the contract!"

Lipphardt then thanked both veterans' affairs committees for drafting and passing the PACT Act in 2022, the historic bill that provided health care and benefits to generations of veterans exposed to toxins during their time in service. He then pointed out gaps in coverage and that Congress still has more work to do.

"The military is an inherently hazardous profession," said Lipphardt. "We must take care of our K2 veterans, those who served at Fort McClellan, veterans exposed to radiation, 'forever chemicals,' and others. The VFW urges Congress to conduct oversight of VA's presumptive process because veterans cannot keep waiting."

Lipphardt then explained the difficultly for service members to transition from military to civilian life and how vital it was for both the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to actively support them through that process. He called on Congress to pass legislation like the TAP Promotion Act and to establish a position in the DOD to ensure service members are given every opportunity to thrive in their transition.

"The VFW urges Congress to establish an Under Secretary of Defense for Transition," said Lipphardt. "This position is essential for effective management and accountability. Improving transition has the potential to enhance recruitment and retention, lowers risk for suicide, and sets veterans on a path to success."

Lipphardt then transitioned into addressing challenges veterans face with mental health. He asserted the VA sometimes overprescribes medications, particularly antidepressants. He then implored Congress and the VA to research alternative treatments and solutions for veterans to break the cycle of overmedication.

"The VFW believes there are additional ways to effectively treat PTSD. VA should receive funding to research and deliver those treatments today," said Lipphardt.

The next priority Lipphardt delivered was a subject the VFW has railed against for years - unaccredited, predatory claims consultants the VFW calls Claim Sharks. He described their practices, such as obtaining fraudulent medical opinions from their own providers, accessing veterans' login credentials for VA websites and call centers, and charging veterans the equivalent of 5-10 months of their future disability payments.

"The VFW understands that some veterans are willing to pay for claims help," said Lipphardt, "but these companies cannot be allowed to line their pockets with taxpayer dollars at the expense of disabled veterans."

Lipphardt then advocated on behalf of members of the National Guard and Reserve. He mentioned how while they deployed both domestically and abroad at a high rate since Sept. 11, 2001, they are denied the same VA educational benefits as their active-duty counterparts. He asked Congress to pass the Guard and Reserve GI Bill Parity Act of 2025 to allow any day in uniform for which military pay is received to count toward Post-9/11 GI Bill eligibility.

"The time is long past for parity. This inequity must end now," said Lipphardt.

Lipphardt addressed a long-standing VFW legislative priority - passing the Major Richard Star Act and other legislation to provide full concurrent receipt to all deserving veterans. He pointed out how Congress passed the Social Security Fairness Act in the last session, ending a similar unjust offset for social security recipients.

"It is time to correct this injustice for our military retirees," said Lipphardt. "The VFW calls on Congress to fix this now."

Lipphardt finished his testimony on a personal note, reminding Congress of the sacrifices made for the nation. He named five soldiers he served with during the Vietnam War who were killed in combat - Pvt. Lewis Sloan of East Point, Georgia, Cpl. Kenneth Adams of Santa Barbara, California, Cpl. Philip Adams of Croton Falls, New York, Pfc. Robert Waddell of Batavia, Ohio, and Cpl. Rodney Loatman of Newark, New Jersey.

"I would ask these men to stand and be recognized, but they can't. Their names are on the Vietnam Wall along with all those who gave the last full measure of devotion to this nation acknowledged by the contract we each signed.

"Our nation must never forget our warfighters," said Lipphardt.

Video of today's testimony is available to watch and share here.

Read Commander Lipphardt's full testimony here.

VFW Calls on Administration, Congress to Stop Indiscriminate Firing of Veterans

WASHINGTON -Ten days ago, I shared the Veterans of Foreign Wars' (VFW) concerns for the news of mass lay-offs coming out of our nation's capital. Since then, it has become clearer that the veteran community has been hit hard as probationary federal jobs are being axed across the country, to include the latest announcement of 1,400 more just let go from the VA.

With veterans making up approximately 30% of the more than 2.2 million employed by the federal government, the potential of losing thousands of veterans from the government work force is troubling. A lot of these aren't brand-new, off-the-street employees. These are employees who have been serving the American people for years, in uniform and in civil service, and at least some of whom have been or are being caught by a formality in administrative statuses. There are bigger ramifications in firing veterans than just faceless workers being let go. The American people are losing technical expertise, training and security clearances already bought and paid for by taxpayers. These veterans are now being told their skills are no longer useful to the government. We're losing people who are genuinely committed to the mission and find a continued sense of purpose in what they do. On top of all this, studies show having gainful employment is a social determinate of health and gets ahead of arguably one of the root causes of veteran suicide. Since the federal government is the single largest employer of veterans in the nation, it's veterans who are being indiscriminately harmed in this bull-"DOGE"-ing of the federal work force.

I was wounded in combat during the Vietnam War. I am thankful that the medics who treated me chose not to take my whole arm for the sake of efficiency. It took a trained eye, a skillful hand and human intuition to fix me up and get me back in the fight. In my experience, those operating with a scalpel have a better chance at saving limbs than those who operate with a chainsaw.

Unfortunately, it appears humans have been taken out of what is a human capital issue. It has been reported to us from veterans who have lost their jobs that the emails they received letting them go were disjointed, and inconsistent across the board. This leads us to believe they were automated with little to no oversight or thought. When it comes to complex problems, we rely on humans to make the right choices at the right times. We should never leave the hard decisions that impact people's lives and livelihoods to an algorithm or an email distribution list.

On Tuesday, March 4th, I will testify before a joint session of the congressional veterans' affairs committees to deliver the VFW's priorities and call on Congress and this administration to put an end to the indiscriminate firing of veterans in the government workforce. I am also calling on VFW members to "march forth" and join me on that day. I want to see hats in the hallways of our Capitol as our legislative committee members engage with lawmakers in demanding that they "Honor the Contract" the government made with those who have already served and sacrificed so much for America and their fellow Americans. It's time to apply pressure and stop the bleeding.

Guidance for Veterans Facing Federal Government Layoffs

VFW Reminds Members to Stay Focused Amid Confusion in the Capital

WASHINGTON - Over the past few weeks, I, like many of you, have been inundated daily with news from our nation's capital about the current administration's new way of doing business. Between the reports of mass employee layoffs, funding freezes, program cuts, and agency restructures across the entire government, it is hard to know exactly what to sound the alarm about. Upfront, I want to tell you the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) know our members and other veterans are concerned. We've received a multitude of calls and emails from veterans worried about what's happening with federal benefit programs and the federal workforce, to include 1,000 VA probationary employees who were let go yesterday. They've asked if their VA benefits will be cut, or health care and services be diminished because of the confusion in Washington, D.C.

Make no mistake, the staff at the VFW Washington Office is working hard behind the scenes to protect you and ensure you receive the care and benefits you have earned. When the hiring freeze was announced earlier this month, the VFW intervened to make sure that critical VA positions were left alone. When the funding freeze was announced, VFW worked around the clock to ensure the Office of Management and Budget maintained all 44 critical VA programs. When the federal buyout and reductions in force were announced, we insisted that VA communicate which critical positions would be exempt. Each step of the way, we have received the answers we've needed. VA payments for disability and education went out on time. Hiring for critical positions resumed, and more than 43,000 VA employees were exempted and retained in critical care and benefit delivery positions.

In December, we put our stake in the ground, insisting that leaders "Honor the Contract" for veterans' benefits. In his confirmation hearing, Secretary Collins refuted the notion that veterans would be means tested to receive their earned disability. He reiterated this point in a public statement earlier this week. VFW is going to hold him to this. We will make sure that Secretary Collins "Honors the Contract."

We know there is a lot of uncertainty for veterans today. For those of us that have seen combat, we know not to be concerned with every explosion that happens on the battlefield. Not every round flying overhead is aimed at us. That is why we must not get distracted and stay focused on the mission, push toward the objective and when necessary, be ready to react to contact.

Rest assured, my staff and I will continue to be vigilant, ensure that veterans' personal information is protected and VA provides the care and benefits veterans have earned. We are watching your six. I want to thank the VFW members and veterans who have reached out to us so far, and I want to encourage you to keep it up. This is how we work together to make sure that our nation "Honors the Contract" to care for our veterans.

Leading veterans' groups release Independent Budget Recommendations for the Department of Veterans Affairs

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), yesterday released The Independent Budget Recommendations for the Department of Veterans Affairs for Fiscal Years 2026 and 2027. The report is an unbiased, needs-based blueprint for Congress, ensuring a fully funded VA can meet its core mission of caring for America's veterans and their families, caregivers and survivors.

While the president is required by law to release a proposed budget by the first Monday in February, administrations have consistently failed to meet that deadline stretching back two decades. However, the Independent Budget (IB) is a benchmark for lawmakers when considering its funding decisions for the VA.

"The VA is the best health care provider for veterans, particularly those with spinal cord injuries and diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)" said Carl Blake, chief executive officer of PVA. "When the veteran population utilizing the VA's direct and community care services is growing, but the system's staffing, infrastructure and funding are not, there's a serious problem. Unfortunately, veterans with the greatest support needs bear the cost of inadequate resourcing and inaction. Year after year, the Independent Budget Veterans Service Organizations (IBVSOs) carefully prepare budgetary recommendations to ensure VA is fully funded and capable of carrying out its full mission. Congress must do its part and properly fund the VA."

The VA provided more care to veterans than ever in fiscal year 2024. That's why, for the fiscal year 2026, the IBVSOs are recommending $166.4 billion for the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), which would enable the department to continue to provide timely and high-quality care. The IB report details specific funding levels and targeted increases for VHA programs, including a $2 billion increase to strengthen long-term services and support to meet the specialized needs of disabled veterans and their caregivers; a $1.4 billion boost to fill healthcare employee vacancies; a $1 billion increase to cover the projected growth of new veterans seeking VA care; a $462 million increase for 3000 new clinical social workers; and a $179 million addition for mental health and suicide prevention programs. The IBVSOs also call for a $300 million increase for emergency and urgent care, pivotal in providing on-demand acute care, and $531 million to provide better dental care to a growing population of veterans seeking dental services.

"Our nation has a solemn duty to honor its commitment to America's veterans by ensuring timely access to the high-quality healthcare and benefits they have earned and deserve," said Randy Reese, executive director of DAV Washington Headquarters. "This year's Independent Budget offers thoughtful recommendations to guarantee that the VA receives the full funding it requires to prevent future budget shortfalls, which would jeopardize veterans' care and place a financial strain on the benefits many depend on to make ends meet."

For the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), the IBVSOs recommend a total of $6.5 billion for fiscal year 2026-a roughly $1 billion increase over the projected FY 2025 levels-and $296 million for the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA). The VBA increases include a $200 million rise to bring down the backlog of over 235,000 pending claim decisions; $10 million more to support Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) due to an unprecedented number of applications; and a $32 million increase to implement VA's Transition Assistance Program (TAP) 6.0, to increase in-person TAP classes and ensure adequate staffing.

"VA infrastructure has been woefully underfunded and underprioritized for decades," said VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci. "The IBVSOs recommend a substantial increase in infrastructure funding to ensure veterans and the healthcare workers who care for them have up-to-date, modern and safe facilities to perform this vital mission. There have been incredibly transformative expansions of care and benefits in the past few years, but this expanded enrollment in VA without improved infrastructure inevitably leads to fractured care," continued Gallucci. "That is why VA's investment in its Capital Infrastructure is critically important."

The IBVSOs continue to call for improvements in funding VA infrastructure projects. These brick-and-mortar facilities must be safe, welcoming and up-to-date to meet veterans' evolving needs. To this end, the IBVSOs call on Congress to significantly increase funding to nearly $10 billion-a threefold increase over fiscal 2025. For fiscal 2026, the IB recommends a total of $5.1 billion for the major construction account to increase staffing and begin reducing VA's growing infrastructure backlog.

To view the IB's full budget recommendation, please visit independentbudget.org.

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About DAV: DAV empowers veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. It is dedicated to a single purpose: keeping our promise to America's veterans. DAV does this by ensuring that veterans and their families can access the full range of benefits available to them, fighting for the interests of America's injured heroes on Capitol Hill, providing employment resources to veterans and their families, and educating the public about the great sacrifices and needs of veterans transitioning back to civilian life. DAV, a nonprofit organization with nearly 1 million members, was founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932. Learn more at DAV.org.

About VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is the nation's largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is composed entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS" than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at VFW.org.

About PVA: Paralyzed Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or diseases. The organization ensures veterans receive the benefits earned through service to our nation, monitors their care in VA spinal cord injury units, and funds research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis.

As a lifelong partner and advocate for veterans and all people with disabilities, PVA also develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces, and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities through sports and recreation. With more than 70 offices and 33 chapters, Paralyzed Veterans of America serves veterans, their families, and their caregivers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Learn more at PVA.org.

VFW Leaders Kick Off New Year With Troop Visits Abroad

WASHINGTON - Last week, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Carol Whitmore, Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci and Director of Operations Brad Hazell landed in Brussels to begin an eight-day command visit to Belgium and Germany, visiting major commands such as NATO's Supreme Headquarters of Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and United States European Command (EUCOM), as well as U.S. service members, Department of Defense (DOD) civilians, veterans and military families who live and work in the two countries.

"I'm so honored to get this opportunity to return to Europe and represent the VFW to our troops serving here," said Whitmore, an Iraq war veteran who was also stationed in Germany during her 36 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve. "The U.S. military's support to our NATO allies and European partners is so vital to the security not only here in Europe, but also for us back home and around the world. That's why it is important for us to be here letting our servicemen and women know they are not forgotten, and we will continue to support them anyway we can."

In addition to providing a morale boost, troop visits enable VFW leaders to learn about their missions, readiness, and quality of life. As part of a larger annual campaign to visit installations and sites worldwide, findings from each trip abroad enable the VFW to better advocate for service members and their families' needs.

"The VFW works hard advocating on behalf of our warfighters," said Gallucci, who is also an Army Reserve veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom. "Getting a firsthand look at what the nation is asking them to do and how they are being cared for is critical to our confidence, competence, and credibility, whether we are engaging with senior leaders at the Pentagon, testifying before Congress, or reporting back to the administration."

Similarly, spending time with overseas veterans permits VFW delegations to better understand the unique challenges of using post-service benefits and programs while in a foreign country.In 2024, DOD determined that overseas military retirees may retain American postal privileges after the VFW made the issue a key policy priority in their advocacy efforts.

"Visits overseas are so important for VFW leadership because they allow us to have a face-to-face interaction with the DOD civilians, military families, VFW members and other veterans who make up the lifeblood of the American military communities here. How they are supported by the DOD, the VA and State Department can have a big impact on their ability to support our military's missions abroad," said Gallucci.

Another priority that came from VFW command visits overseas is comprehensive legislation to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs' Foreign Medical Program. As the VFW delegation continues its current visit with troops and veterans in Europe, news came today that the Foreign Medical Program Modernization Act, was re-introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.).

"This is exciting news!" said Whitmore. "Knowing that the bill Congressman Van Drew re-introduced today is a direct result of last year's fact-finding visits overseas, is proof positive that these trips are worth the effort it takes to make them happen. Veterans abroad can rest assured the VFW has their backs."

Since their arrival in Europe, the VFW team met with key leaders at U.S. Army Garrison Benelux, to include U.S. Army and Ukrainian liaisons to SHAPE, to learn about support to NATO's mission, especially strategic deterrence on NATO's eastern flank. Before leaving Belgium, the VFW delegation participated in a wreath laying at Ardennes American Cemetery, reflecting on the 5,162 Americans laid to rest there from World War II. In Germany, the team has visited U.S. military leaders and troops assigned to several installations and combatant command headquarters, such as United States European Command and United States Africa Command in Stuttgart, and Installation Command - Europe and U.S. Army Europe and Africa in Wiesbaden, and will visit the Kaiserslautern Military Community in Ramstein, Landstuhl and Kaiserslautern in the coming days.

View photos from the trip here.

For more updates, be sure to follow the VFW onLinkedIn, X, and Instagram under @VFWHQ and on Facebook under @VFWFans.

VFW Continues Advocacy for Unaddressed Toxic Exposure

The Honoring Our PACT Act, passed in August 2022, provides veterans who served in countries such as Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq with expanded access to VA health care and earned disability benefits due to exposure to burn pits and other toxic substances. Some consider the PACT Act to be the most significant piece of veteran legislation in history.

But VFW's work on military toxic exposures is not over. The PACT Act was originally intended to address not only health conditions due to burn pit exposure but also it called for VA to continuously research and review conditions related to any toxic exposures from the past, present and future.

However, lawmakers instead included a process that is internal to VA, and advocates have found it to lack transparency, timelines, and input from veteran stakeholders.

VFW National Veterans Service Director Michael Figlioli said that VFW wants more health conditions related to toxic exposures to be recognized by VA. One of these includes suspected uranium exposure at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base (K2 or Camp Stronghold Freedom) in Uzbekistan. There also was water contamination at Alabama's Fort McClellan and at the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.

"Despite the abundance of conditions already covered under the PACT Act, veterans continue to report many unaddressed issues tied to toxic exposure," Figlioli said. "The VFW will continue to demand that VA continually updates the presumptive conditions evaluation process."

VFW IS HERE TO HELP
In August 2024, VA reported that 333,767 veterans with PACT Act-related symptoms enrolled in VA health care thanks to the law. About 1 million veterans are receiving PACT Act-related disability compensation, according to the department.

VFW urges veterans to visit https://pactactinfo.org/questionnaire and answer a few questions to determine eligibility and connect with one of VFW's VA-accredited service officers. Also, services that VFW service officers provide are free to all veterans (members and nonmembers) and families, no matter what. VFW also wants veterans and their families to be aware of predatory companies, known as "claim sharks," that target veterans' earned VA benefits. These companies promise veterans increased disability ratings and expedited claims decisions. Charging fees for initial claims assistance is illegal, and veterans should be aware that they put themselves at risk of committing fraud by working with any unaccredited consultants. Learn more at https://dontfeedthesharks.org.

MORE TOXIC REFORM IS NEEDED
The Disabled American Veterans and the Military Officers Association of America in September 2024 released a report titled Ending the Wait, that found on average, veterans who were exposed to toxins while in the military wait an average of 34.1 years to receive expanded access to VA health care and earned benefits.

VFW National Legislative Service Deputy Director Kristina Keenan, who was a consultant for Ending the Wait, said this only highlights the need to establish a more efficient presumptive process for toxic exposure-related health conditions.

"The PACT Act was an historic piece of legislation that primarily addressed dozens of serious illnesses associated with burn pit exposure for Persian Gulf War and Post 9/11 veterans," Keenan said. "The presumptive process established in that legislation is not the robust and transparent model we originally wanted. We will work with VA, Congress, and our partner veteran service organizations to find solutions that will ensure there is a continuous review of toxic exposure conditions for all eras of veterans."

This article is featured in the January/February 2025 issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Dave Spiva, associate editor for VFW magazine.

National Veterans Service Surpasses $14 Billion in Total Recovered VA Disability Compensation

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce it has surpassed a milestone in fiscal year 2024, as its National Veterans Service (NVS) network of 2,162 Accredited Service Officers recovered $14.6 billion in compensatory awards, resulting in tangible, positive impacts to the lives of more than half a million represented veterans.

"Once again, the hard work and dedication of our VFW accredited representatives shows in every single dollar that they recovered for the veterans, family members and survivors that VFW represents," said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. "This is another milestone in our 125-year history, and it was accomplished through their magnificent efforts."

The NVS Accredited Service Officer network includes full-time VFW employees as well as individuals employed by other nonprofits and state and local governments across the nation. Every service officer provides Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)-accredited claims assistance, free of charge, to transitioning service members, veterans, family members and survivors. Last year alone, the network processed roughly 146,000 veteran claims - more than 38,000 of which were brand new, initial claims for veterans, many of whom had never before applied for disability compensation. Of the new claims, about 14,000 were filed through the VFW's Pre-Discharge claims program on behalf of service members exiting the military.

Veteran disability compensation is an earned benefit for veterans who sustained injuries and/or illnesses during service. Governed by law and ensured to those who qualify as part of initial military enlistment contracts, eligibility for VA disability compensation is not just given. It requires a veteran to prove service-connection of their illness or injury by showing that an event occurred during service leading to or aggravating their condition, they have a present diagnosis of the condition, and a medical professional believes that the condition is at least as likely as not to have been incurred as a result of their service. This trio of requirements is known as a nexus. Once service-connection is established, VA disability compensation is awarded to mitigate the often lifelong impacts their condition brings.

"The only point I am more proud of than our service officers' labors is that every single dollar of recouped compensation went to those we represent," said NVS Director Mike Figlioli. "Our service officers did it all out of a sense of duty, care and concern - for free!"

Notably, recent VA data suggest that veterans who interact with their VA benefits - including those receiving disability compensation - are at lowered risk of dying by suicide. Read the report here.

The VFW's NVS program relies on grants and donors to operate. For every dollar received, an average of $1,678 is returned to veterans in earned benefits. To support NVS during this giving season, visit vfwfoundation.org/national-veterans-service/.

VFW and Columbia University Announce Military Transition Collaboration

WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce its newest relationship with Columbia University's Center for Veteran Transition and Integration (CVTI) in a new initiative focused on improving transition outcomes for separating and retiring service members. The joint effort, which aims to better understand the complexities of service members' transitions into civilian life, seeks to inform policy discussions and affect meaningful change to available support programming.

Leveraging the direct contact VFW Pre-Discharge Claims representatives have with, on average, 14,000 transitioning service members annually, the VFW has begun collecting and submitting anonymized survey data to CVTI for analysis and reporting assistance. The collaborative research will seek to identify high points, trends and disparities among transitioning service members and recently separated and retired veterans who filed Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) claims. These findings are intended to shape legislative, policy and program improvements to resources like the Department of Defense's Transition Assistance Program, as well as inform the creation of new and necessary support services.

"Transition is a pivotal time in every service member's military career bringing with it changes beyond what many have known since they volunteered to serve," said VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci. "Through the VFW's robust network of accredited Pre-Discharge Claims representatives and persistent advocacy on Capitol Hill, the VFW is heavily engaged in ensuring all transitioning service members have the benefits, support and tools they need to thrive as veterans. More than 10 years ago, the VFW started comprehensive client experience surveys for those we assist on military installations to better tailor our services and advocacy to their needs. This new relationship with CVTI is the next step in understanding how the transition experience has evolved over time so that we can provide real time, data-informed insight on the needs of today's transitioning force."

Each year, roughly 200,000 service members exit the military and return to civilian life after highly variable lengths of service and experiences while serving. This variability necessitates a deliberate approach to how service members are supported before, during and after discharge or retirement as they re-enter their communities, seek higher education and join the workforce.

With complementary missions and areas of expertise, the VFW and CVTI are uniquely positioned to uncover the nuances of transition experiences and recommend viable solutions to real problems that veterans face, including heightened suicide risk in the months after discharge and the struggle of some veterans to reach their full potential in civilian workplaces.

"Effectively serving the veteran community requires moving beyond personal anecdotes or stereotypes and getting into the lived experiences of service members as they navigate the transition from military service to education and beyond," said CVTI Executive Director Jason Dempsey. "Our collaboration presents an amazing opportunity to inform and refine the efforts of those seeking to assist veterans in this journey."

Research will consider important data points including service member demographics, location in which they filed their BDD claim, service characteristics, timeliness and ability to engage transition resources, concerns about transition, higher education aspirations and preparedness, and much more.

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About the VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation's largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim "NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS" than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans' service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.

About the Center for Veteran Transition and Integration: CVTI improves the lives of veterans, transitioning service members, and their families by collaborating with institutions, organizations, municipalities, and practitioners to build and integrate cultures of support in higher education and the workplace. Since its founding in 2017, CVTI has served over 200,000 veterans and transitioning service members in their post-military educational and vocational pursuits. For more information, visit veterans.columbia.edu.

'Mission Partner'

The VFW Department of Texas received a $60,000 on Nov. 4 from Austin, Texas-based Hometown Hero. The funds are to help the VFW "continue its mission of providing essential resources and assistance for veterans."

Hometown Hero manufactures and distributes a variety of hemp-derived products. Founded in 2015, the company donates a portion of all proceeds to organizations that support veterans.

"Supporting our veterans is at the heart of everything we do at Hometown Hero," said Lukas Gilkey, co-founder of Hometown Hero and a Coast Guard veteran. "This donation to the Texas VFW Foundation is our way of giving back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country. We're honored to help provide the resources and support veterans need, and we look forward to continuing this mission in every way we can."

According to Mitch Fuller, National VFW Legislative Committee chairman, Hometown Hero is a "mission partner."

He added that the company's "robust lobbying team" is needed now more than ever as advocates in Texas fight to keep hemp-derived products legal in the state of Texas.

"It is ridiculous that elected officials have a very narrow view of hemp products," Fuller said. "Hemp is a safe alternative to opioids."

Hemp-derived products such as Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC and CBD are thought to provide pain relief, aid those with insomnia and help with depression, among other ailments.

"If you are serious about veterans' mental health and preventing suicide among the veteran population," Fuller said, "don't take something away from us that will help."

This article is featured in the 2024 November/December issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org.

'An Immediate Battlefield Assessment'

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March approved the use of a new rapid blood test that can diagnose a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a combat or training environment where advanced equipment is not available.

The new test can give health care providers results in about 15 minutes using a small blood sample. The portable blood analysis system is a faster alternative to traditional methods, such as computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests. In addition, patients can be evaluated up to 24 hours after an injury with the new device.

"This will help provide an immediate battlefield assessment of potential trauma and facilitate the necessary high-quality care required to mitigate any long-lasting effects," said VFW National Veterans Services Director Michael Figlioli. "The VFW believes this advancement also will make it easier for veterans to receive any post-service health care related to these types of injuries and substantiate any future disability claims."

Developed by the Army in collaboration with Abbott Laboratories, the testing device uses a small blood sample to determine if an individual sustained a concussion. Administering the test on-site will ensure troops receive timely medical treatment that could potentially allow for a faster recovery time and reduce long-term damage.

Health care providers use a portable cartridge-based device called an i-STAT for the blood analysis. The FDA approval of the device is part of the ongoing efforts to enhance military medical care. Nearly 500,000 troops were diagnosed with a TBI between 2000 and 2023, according to an Army press release. The Army also reported that concussions are the most common type of TBI among soldiers.

Army Lt. Col. Bradley Dengler, director of the Military Traumatic Brain Injury Initiative at Maryland's Uniformed Services University, said the new test "can help get the most severely injured service members to neurosurgeons faster," potentially saving lives.

"Given the large numbers of expected casualties with all severities of traumatic brain injury in future large-scale combat operations, this test can help maintain combat power far forward by helping to eliminate unnecessary evacuations," Dengler said.

Dengler added that future versions of the device could be used to evaluate more severely wounded troops on the battlefield. He said elevated "biomarkers" in a patient's blood correlate with the severity of the wound.

This article is featured in the 2024 November/December issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Dave Spiva, associate editor for VFW magazine.

Caretaker Benefits and VA Budget Tops Legislative Conference Business

VFW held its annual fall Legislative Conference from Sept. 9-11 at the nation's capital, marking a significant event in veterans' advocacy for the year. VFW members from across the country descended on Capitol Hill to advocate for VFW's legislative priorities with lawmakers.

The conference began with a new member orientation on Sept. 9, followed by a legislative briefing for members the next day. Delegates then took VFW's advocacy efforts to Capitol Hill by meeting with legislators and lawmakers through the end of the conference.

"This was a pivotal moment for the VFW," VFW Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt said. "Our grassroots volunteers work tirelessly year-round on veterans' issues in their communities. In September and March, they bring that same dedication to Washington, emphasizing the VFW's critical priorities."

A key issue supported by VFW members included the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (H.R. 8371). If approved by Congress and enacted by President Joe Biden, the Elizabeth Dole Act would improve and expand home and community health care services for disabled veterans being cared for through the VA's family caregiver program.

VA's 2025 budget shortfall also was a priority for VFW. Delegates urged Congress to address the VA's budget deficit before the Sept. 20 deadline to avoid consequences for veterans and their families. If no action was taken, veterans compensation could have been delayed in October, the start of the 2025 fiscal year.

In July, VA informed Congress that it estimated that the VA's budget was about $12 billion less than it would need for the 2025 fiscal year. VA also reported that there would be a $2.9 billion shortfall for the 2024 fiscal year budget. As of the VFW magazine print deadline, Congress had not taken any action on the VA budget.

The conference also coincided with the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks of New York City's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. VFW leaders, members and staff held a ceremony at the VFW Washington Office, and then followed with a press conference that highlighted the negative impacts of not properly funding the VA.

This article is featured in the 2024 November/December issue of VFW magazine.

VFW Action Alert: Pass the Dole Act Now

H.R. 8371, the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, would provide enhancements to critical health care services for veterans and caregivers who need help now and cannot wait any longer.

It has bipartisan support in the Senate but is not supported by Democrats in the House. Contrary to certain opposing voices, this IS a good piece of bipartisan-negotiated legislation that had input from numerous organizations representing veterans, caregivers, and survivors from around the country.

To get this important piece of legislation passed, we need your help! Contact your elected representative and strongly urge them to vote in favor of H.R. 8371 today!

Message from the VFW National Commander on General Election Results

WASHINGTON - "In the 125-year history of the VFW, we have witnessed the transfer of power of the highest office of our nation 21 times. It has not always been easy. But despite wars and rumors of war; assassinations and assassination attempts; depressions, recessions, and economic turmoil; political upheaval and sharp divisions, our country has consistently moved forward as one nation.

While half the country may be celebrating, the other half may feel left behind. Thankfully, Election Day came and went and Americans peacefully made their voices heard once more.

Now is the time for Americans to show our mettle to the rest of the world, leading by example of what democracy truly means. "We the People" of the United States can and will keep striving for a more perfect Union.

On behalf of the more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary, we look forward to working with the Trump-Vance administration in promoting a strong, all-volunteer military and upholding America's promise to care for our veterans and ensuring they receive the benefits they earned supporting and defending the Constitution of the United States.

I have personally reached out to both President Trump and Vice President-elect Vance, a fellow VFW member, to not only offer my congratulations on their election, but to offer the VFW's insight on military and veterans' affairs, as we seek to continue our important work to honor and serve those who defend our democratic principles."

VFW Announces National Initiative with the Grunt Style Foundation to Address Veterans' Mental Health Needs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is honored to partner with the Grunt Style Foundation, a nonprofit organization committed to providing life-changing resources for veterans, service members and their families, to raise awareness about the mental health needs of veterans, with a focus on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and promoting alternative treatment methods.

This national collaboration aims to leverage the strengths of both nonprofit organizations to accomplish five main objectives:

Raise awareness about the importance of addressing mental health needs
Promote alternative treatment methods for PTSD
Reduce the stigma surrounding mental health issues amongst the veteran community
Share available resources and best practices related to mental health treatments
Collaborate on fundraising initiatives to support the mental health programs of both organizations

To learn more about the VFW and Grunt Style Foundation's national initiative, please visit www.gruntstylefoundation.org.

"We are pleased to join forces with the Grunt Style Foundation in the fight for veterans' mental wellness," said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. "Teaming up with likeminded organizations is a force multiplier, and there is no doubt that together we'll affect real change to positively benefit those who suffer the invisible cost of protecting our freedom."

"Working with the VFW allows us to expand our shared commitment to serving the veteran community. Together, we are building stronger networks of support and creating impactful initiatives that uplift and empower those who have served our nation," said Will Wisner, executive director of The Grunt Style Foundation. "This collaboration is a testament to the strength of unity and the incredible potential we have to make a lasting difference in the lives of veterans."

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About the Grunt Style Foundation: Established in 2021, the Grunt Style Foundation is a 501(c)3 national nonprofit organization committed to providing life-changing resources and experiences in which Veterans, Service Members and their families thrive. The Grunt Style Foundation is the nonprofit arm of Grunt Style, a patriotic and veteran-operated apparel brand, to further Grunt Style's commitment to recognize and celebrate those who bravely served our country. The Grunt Style Foundation focuses on mental health and wellness, military transition and sustainment, while alleviating food insecurities, and ending homelessness for military and veteran communities. To learn more about the Grunt Style Foundation, please visit www.gruntstylefoundation.org.

VFW Action Alert: Keep TAP Promotion Act in Defense Bill

Background:

As we speak, the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services are negotiating their versions of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. An important VFW legislative priority, S.2888 / H.R.3933, the TAP Promotion Act, is currently in the House version (Section 563) only. This provision would require that accredited claims representatives such as service officers from VSOs such as the VFW and others, along with state and county service officers, are present in Transition Assistance Program (TAP) classes to support transitioning service members with filing pre-discharge claims. This would facilitate a warm hand-off from the Department of Defense to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the benefits that veterans have earned and deserve.

Ensuring veterans receive their VA benefits and health care as soon as they leave the military facilitates a smooth transition, and can also reduce the risk of homelessness, food insecurity, and suicide.

Due to the VFW's advocacy efforts, VA started incorporating accredited service officers into its TAP classes in early 2024. This is a great first step, but passing the TAP Promotion Act would establish this as a permanent program. Fortunately, since this is a current VA practice, codifying it into law would require no additional funding from taxpayers.

Call to Action:

Contact your elected representatives today and ask them to ensure that S.2888 / H.R.3933, the TAP Promotion Act, remains in the final version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025.