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I understand that the VFW is an abbreviation for Veterans of Foreign Wars and time served overseas in a deployment situation is a requirement to join. I am not discounting deployments by any means at all! Believe me, I am thankful for the men and women that sacrificed time away from their families, friends and everything else they hold dear while deployed. The question I would pose is, don't all veterans support the fight overseas? I am curious on the climate of this question and I appreciate your responses.
Posted in these groups: 
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
The American Legion
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) The American Legion
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 37
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SSgt Michael Orcutt, one doesn't have to have been deployed to join the VFW. Those who have been stationed in Korea are also eligible.
I don't think that the VFW should change its membership requirements. There are already many veteran organizations out there that service members can join without having been overseas, so why can't there be one organization where veterans of foreign wars can meet and socialize with other members who have had similar experiences?
I don't think that the VFW should change its membership requirements. There are already many veteran organizations out there that service members can join without having been overseas, so why can't there be one organization where veterans of foreign wars can meet and socialize with other members who have had similar experiences?
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SGT (Join to see)
Sgt Jay Jones, did they get a Southwest Asia Service Medal? Either way, there's your answer.
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SFC J Fullerton
I won't join the VFW because I don't think my 2 tours in Korea qualify me as a veteran of foreign war, even though it makes me eligible. As you implied, being stationed in Korea was not a real "deployment". Those were not real T-72's and AK's the PDRK had on the other side of the wire either.
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SFC J Fullerton
SGT Carl Blas - I was being facetious. They were very real in 1988, and 1991-92 as well. And very much real today, with the addition of nuclear weapons.
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I went to the VFW right next to Ft Huachuca for a steak and beer night with some friends back in 2003. I was asked by the guy at the front door where my liqueur store or laundromat was. I didn't go in and went back to the base... I might consider joining when the Korean war and Vietnam vets are no longer the majority
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PO3 Damion Brown
We are battling tooth and nail to uproot the old goats that hate anyone not white or not male and we are winning. As a white male modern warfighter they make me sick.
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MSG Roy Cheever
God bless and I thank you for your service. We all need great soldiers like you. SPC Christian Ziegler
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A veteran less a veteran because of their sexuality or religious beliefs or sex? NO! We all did our part in the fight. Just because people are different does not mean they didn't do their jobs in the fight or supporting the fight. We are all VETERANS!!!!!
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CPO Jim Turner
Your DD 214 indicates if you were in a war zone, or a campaign ribbon would be acceptable.
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SCPO David Lockwood
That is very true. Ultimately the burden of proof remains with the individual, but the verification remains with the organization.
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PO3 Damion Brown
Pay records, evals, campaign awards for ribbons or medals, pay records showing combat or imminent danger pay are all ways to prove eligibility and join
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Kathy Mawer
Its just like people are prejudice against African Americans and I always say-when I hit that ER and a African American doctor pulls back that curtain-I am happy to see him!
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The VFW/American legion might have to consider it if my generation's war vets keep declining to join. There are some gap years of vets that are not "war time" vets and/or never served overseas that are an untapped membership base. The question becomes, what the the purpose of the organization and is war time service germane to that purpose.
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SSgt Michael Orcutt
I agree, I think that the declining membership and stigma that the VFW carries towards younger Vets has been detrimental to its financial health. Never deploying and always being attached to a Training squadron/wing was a disappointment in my military career. If I had served overseas in any capacity I would already be a VFW member by now.
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Thanks for reminding me. I renewed my VFW membership and upgraded to lifetime.
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SSG (ret) William Martin
I just got my new card! I actually want to join other associations as well.
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The VFW has a specific charter. If you don't meet the criteria, then you are out of luck. Having said that, I was treated so poorly by the VFW after I retired (I am a Viet Nam Vet) that I haven't been back. I am truly sorry to hear that the Viet Nam Vets are doing the same crap that the "greatest generation" were. Which is kind of funny, Viet Nam was commanded so poorly by senior commanders who were, almost to a man, WWII veterans. We just fought the war we were given, just like you younger troops.
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Supporting the fight vs. being in the fight are two separate things. The organization caters to the "being in the fight" veterans. My problem with this particular organization is its unwillingness to adapt and overcome changes in society. Try to explain to the older members about the new policies on homosexuals serving and that these individuals are entitled to membership. Wow was that a can of worms that I opened at a local post.
Not that I condone nor practice alternative lifestyles, but society has changed and organizations that are geared toward the veteran MUST change with it.
Not that I condone nor practice alternative lifestyles, but society has changed and organizations that are geared toward the veteran MUST change with it.
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MAJ Anthony DeStefano
Our current service organizations must adapt and welcome young blood or die on the vine...I am 62 and one of the youngest people who shows up for meetings! This obviously cannot continue long as we are losing our older members to health problems...
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COL (Join to see)
It will take this generation's warriors to join and move into the leadership, as I have done, in order to change these attitudes. Change... is always hard!! I'm pressing the same fight in my Post! We can still honor the warriors that came before us, but we have to live in the 21st Century...
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I don't think the requirements should change. There are many other veteran organizations out there, not just the VFW. If one finds that they want to join a veteran organization but don't fit the membership requirements of the VFW they can simply look at others.
For instance, I am a member of the VFW, American Legion, DAV, and the FRA (Fleet Reserve Association, membership eligibility reserved for members of the sea services, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard).
For instance, I am a member of the VFW, American Legion, DAV, and the FRA (Fleet Reserve Association, membership eligibility reserved for members of the sea services, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard).
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PO1 John Miller
CPO Jim Turner, I've heard of the CVMA and their associate riders. I have often thought of contacting my local chapter and joining as an associate, but I just wouldn't feel right.
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CPO Jim Turner
A good friend of mine went through the same thing recently, then he attended an event (riding in a local parade) and really wanted to be part of the brotherhood. He is very happy to be a member of the association. Test the water to see if it's for you before joining, attend a meeting to see if they're for real.
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PO1 John Miller
CPO Jim Turner, I was checking it out a bit more, the CVMA. It's a little confusing. I qualify for membership in the VFW, and have been deployed to combat zones (I received imminent danger pay at any rate) but I don't have a Combat Action Ribbon or anything like that.
This doesn't qualify me to be a full member does it?
This doesn't qualify me to be a full member does it?
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SGT Jim Chorazy
Campaign Medal is the VFW membership requirement -- such as the ones given to those assigned to West Berlin (for 30 straight days or more); no distinction was made between tooth vs. tail jobs (as in Combat, Combat Service Support & Combat Support). For example, driving a QM Laundry truck was sufficient for the Campaign Medal qualification if the driver was stationed in West Berlin for over 30 days. The 14th ACR guys on the IGB Border Vacha overwatch during the Cuban Crisis (Oct '62) obviously were not near as close to combat as the above QM laundry truck driver in West Berlin. What CRAP!!!!!
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I am a member of the VFW. However, I am not an active member. When I joined most of the members at the time were WWII and Korean War veterans. As I was a Vietnam veteran I was treated like I was not welcome. So I quit going to the facility. In my estimation the members of the VFW are their own worst enemy.
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MAJ Anthony DeStefano
The way they treated Vietnam Vets because they did not have a "victory parade" is horrible...THat was some of the toughest fighting I can ever imagine ever happened...Korea was a draw so where are they coming from? Sometimes the "Greatest Generation" did not act so great at the VFW... I am sorry for your experiences there.
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SGT Loren Hammons
I am very welcome at the Hurst Post and the attitude is changing. We have several new Veteran Officers that are young than me.
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I think they should be allowed to join the Auxiliary, but unless a veteran has a campaign medal, my answer would be no. There is a reason it is called Veterans of Foreign Wars. Now to qualify this, I was a member of the VFW for two years. I cannot speak for the entire organization, but ours is not a good one at all. They do nothing for vets or the community other than provide an honor guard, when they can get enough people together to do that. I have been a member of the American Legion for many years, and it is an "okay" organization. There is so much drama involved in all of them, because of this I limit my activity. I have been an adjutant and am on the ballot for a director in our post. I fight constantly to get the post updated to modern standards and recruit younger members, but I am fought the entire way by the two remaining Korean war vets and the Vietnam vets. If the attitudes don't change, there will be few veteran organizations left.
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COL (Join to see)
The VFW Auxiliary is for immediate Family members of qualifying Veterans, and not for non-combat status Vets. However, some Posts sponsor limited local memberships for all Veterans. You can't join "nationally" or vote, but some Posts allow canteen privileges or other access.
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