Posted on Aug 2, 2023
What do you think about the "Veterans of Foreign Wars" (VFW) one day changing their policies to include veterans with no foreign service?
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The VFW which is appropriately titled "Veterans of Foreign Wars" has been a topic of discussion for many of today's Veterans. Should they one day changing their Policies to include Veterans who do not have a Overseas or 'Foreign' Way on their DD214. This has been an issue or at least a question for a long time. Veterans who serve do so at the whim of a detailer who sends them where needed. Many Marines I served with Volunteered for Afghanistand and/or Iraq dozen of time to no avail. In many cases they were 'NEEDED' elsewhere due to their expertise in a 'non-combat' field or MOS. One in particual was a Black Belt Marine Corps Martial Arts Program 'MCMAP' Trainer and trained new Officers at the OCS academy where young Lieutenants went to train and learn their 'Combat' skills. He was never allowed to deploy due to his expertise and eventually got out of the service without a Foreign Deployment through no fault of his own but now he is 'Penalized' for not having a Deployment. He has been told to 'Go join the American Legion' but all of our freind groups are VFW...
Deployment
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)
Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) - Afghanistan
South Korea
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 158
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I spent two enlistments serving my country, one as a military police mos and the second as a 11b3p, but was never able to serve in a conflict or deployment. Received my second and final discharge on the day of the Panama Invasion. Was approached by a VFW group out west and told that since my separation date was the same as the invasion, I could join the local VFW. Never felt right that I could be allowed to and chose not to join. Once moved to the south, was approached again while riding with a bunch of veterans and then told I was “Not” eligible. Bottom line, I did not deploy, so VFW group is not for me. Lots of other veterans groups that due fit my service. That’s cool and I fully understand and not loosing sleep over it. Kind of like the Girl Scout vs the Boy Scouts, you have to go with the equipment and cards you were dealt!
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Suspended Profile
Even though I was prepared, and would have gladly gone overseas, I was not sent. After my 4 year stint on Active Duty, I joined the Air Force Reserves. I was activated during Desert Storm and performed flightline and medevac duties. This included receiving wounded personnel and triaging them to military care facilities closer to their homes so they could receive the support they needed medically, and emotionally from family and friends. So even though I was activated during war time and provided essential care to our wounded military members, I can't be considered a member because I didn't "step" on foreign soil. Stateside services are an essential component of wartime readiness and war time care. So, not stepping on foreign soil disqualifies me. Oddly, a trend I keep noticing is the relaxation of certain policies when membership and financial support drops.
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Sgt (Join to see)
SPC Patrick DiStaso This two page link will hopefully answer your question.
https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Join/One-PageEligibilitySheet.pdf?la=en
https://www.vfw.org/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Join/One-PageEligibilitySheet.pdf?la=en
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No, VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS IS AN ORGANIZATION WHERE SERVING IN A FOREIGN WAR IS PARAMOUNT TO JOINING!
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There are organizations that this Veteran can join. VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS... It says it in its name. Have him join the American Legion. This is what sets the VFW separate.
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As someone has already posted, that is why there is an American Legion! These type of changes are not unusual and often to not achieve the results desired (more members). For example The Reserve Officers Association changed their name and started accepting enlisted members. A once strong military organization of over 100,000 members is now struggling to have 25,000 members.
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Agree with SMSGT Dawson why they have an American Legion. Their are men in the VFW Auxillary, if you want it that bad. VFW is Veteran of Foreign Wars! They have a tremendous membership. I am also a Legion member but they are greedy. My island needs both posts, So we can be one. Separate but one.
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My thought is inclusion is fine, however everyone just can't join everything. We all raised our right hand and pledge to defend even if it meant losing our life. I think the eligibility rules should stay the same, if it doesn't then it won't be VFW.
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