- VFW Life member Yoselin Brice, 53, joined the Air Force in search of opportunity and life experiences. "I wanted to get away from the hectic pace of New York City and my medical research job at Columbia University," she said. "I was desperately looking for new adventures and to travel the world." Brice served for six years. After leaving the military in 2004, she spent […]
- Army veteran Prinisa Desir, 27, served three years at Fort Carson in Colorado. "I joined because I was looking for a sense of purpose in my life after high school," she said. Desir expressed her gratitude for the VFW's "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship." The aid took care of the remaining tuition expenses that were not covered by her VA benefits. "I'm able to […]
- VFW Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief Cory Geisler participated in the 15th annual Ron Davies Memorial VFW Air Lift in Centennial, Colorado, on Dec. 14, hosted by VFW Post 9644. The event, which was born out of a love of aviation between Davies and his daughter, Brittany Davies, serves to give back to those in need, especially in rural communities, across the state of Colorado through the […]
- Veteran Floyd B. Banks, 71, lives in Pahrump, Nevada, with his wife, Bobbi. The couple has a blended family that includes three sons, Carl, Tavis and Jerry and one daughter, Lina. Banks enlisted in the Navy in 1972. "I was raised with a sense of duty and respect for my country," he said. "I was also taught to try to make the next person's path […]
- Martin J. Barrett, 74, lives in Henderson, Nevada. He has six children: Brion, Jennifer, Melinda, Rebbeca, Jessica and Andrea. Barrett was handpicked by his local draft board in June 1970 and began serving. He served in the Army for 19 months, including nine months in Vietnam. Barrett began helping veterans with their disability claims in 2015 as the VFW Post 3848 service officer. Last year, […]
- Dominick Kuczynski, 33, and his wife, Alexandra, live in Prescott, Arizona, with their three dogs, Kenobi, Kasia and Kingsley. Before settling in the Southwest, Kuczynski served in the Army for 14 years. "I decided to join because I believed in helping and protecting others that needed assistance," he said. Kuczynski has that same mentality when it comes to his education and career in behavioral health […]
- Volunteers at the 126th VFW National Convention in Columbus, Ohio – the birthplace of the VFW – participated in the seventh-annual Uniting to Combat Hunger (UTCH) seed-sorting event, which aims to help families affected by food insecurity. The event, hosted by VFW in partnership with Humana on Aug. 9, welcomed waves of volunteers throughout the convention, amassing more than 9,500 seed packets for distribution to […]
- ROCKIN' FOR HEROES delivered everything its name promised. Nearly 900 people filled the grounds of Indian Rocks Beach VFW Post 10094 in Largo, Florida, to celebrate Veterans Day weekend in grand style, honoring military service and paying special tribute to the 250th Anniversary of the United States Marine Corps. What unfolded on Sunday, Nov. 9, was a heartfelt, high-energy celebration that blended music, patriotism, and […]
- Growing up as a "voracious" reader, Wayne "Larry" Dandridge recognizes how powerful writing can be. Honest journalists, as he puts it, "…are one of the best and perhaps the most important checks on those most powerful in society." Dandridge, a member of VFW Post 7383 in Cary, North Carolina, has written more than 260 articles on how to apply for veterans benefits and services to […]
- In October, VFW Post 12218 in Haymarket, Va., received a call from Steve Hood, a member of VFW Post 1177 in Leesburg, Virginia, and member of the Military Order of the Cootie, asking for help: The food pantry at the Martinsburg Veteran Affairs Medical Center in Martinsburg, West Virginia, was running short on food. The clinic, which hands out bags of food to veterans in […]
- Each issue of Checkpoint includes a callout for submissions. While submissions do come in, most have no photos and some with photos that are not acceptable for use. To increase your chances of seeing the good work of your Post in Checkpoint or even on the pages of VFW magazine, here are a few pointers to consider the next time you take photos at a […]
- KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) launched Still Serving in March 2020 to highlight how America's veterans continue to serve in their local communities after transitioning from the military. What started as a campaign became a movement as veterans across the world stepped up to share stories of their continued service. In 2022, the organization launched an outgrowth of the initiative, […]
- VFW magazine is concluding its 125th Destination Post series in this issue. The series began in April 2024 with Posts in Maryland. Since then, Posts from Washington state to Rhode Island and areas in between have been featured. This final story takes VFW magazine readers to the "Heart of America," where two Missouri River town VFW Posts are located on opposite sides of the state. […]
- VFW Post 9134 members welcomed hundreds to their 7th Annual Rita Hand Back to School Bash in August at Rockwell Park in Rockwell, North Carolina. Like in previous years, the event included games, a bounce house, a bubble machine, and vendors to accommodate its hundreds of participants, which included Rockwell Mayor Chuck Bowman and cadet members from East Rowan High School. The event served as […]
- One day, while waiting in the lobby of a Sport Clips for her son's haircut to be finished, Army veteran Jessica Glass noticed a sign that advertised a scholarship exclusive to veterans. Intrigued to further her education in health science and leadership so that she could better assist military personnel, she applied. "It was much quicker and easier than I expected," Glass said. "By the […]
- Linda Eshenbaugh, 66, has lived in Sarver, Pennsylvania, her whole life. She has been married for 48 years and has three sons, James, Matthew and Iraq War veteran Christopher. Growing up, Eshenbaugh's brothers were Marines, and she spent many summers in the Carolinas where they were stationed. Today, as VFW Accredited Claims Consultant and supervisor of the Pittsburgh Veterans Affairs regional office, she takes great […]
- When torrential rainfall in early July caused devastating flash floods to rip through Kerrville, Texas, fellow VFW Post 5480 members in Madisonville, Kentucky, sprang to action. Separated by nearly 1,000 miles, Post 5480 members held a donation drive throughout the month that culminated with $25,000 toward the Kerrville Relief Fund, with an additional $4,000 for its local VFW Post 1480 on July 21. "The impact […]
- In anticipation of the 2025 VFW National Convention in August in Columbus, Ohio, the VFW and Humana are continuing the Uniting to Combat Hunger (UTCH) program which has provided more than 5.6 million meals for food-insecure families since 2018. Last year, at the 125th VFW National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, volunteers participated in a UTCH seed-packing event aimed at helping families affected by food insecurity. […]
- Earlier this month, VFW Post 837 came together to celebrate Victory in Europe Day – the day Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied Powers, effectively bringing an end to WWII in Europe. Although the official date of V-E (Victory in Europe) Day is May 8, the Post held its ceremony on June 3. The Post holds a V-E Day ceremony each year. "We welcome everyone […]
- VFW Post 3219 in Hampton, Virginia, will hold its fourth annual blood drive for its 2025 VFW National Day of Service event. By participating in and leading the blood drive, veterans continue their service far beyond the military, demonstrating commitment to their community. Post Commander Joe Perkins said, "Veterans don't stop serving when they take off the uniform. Instead, they channel their dedication into impactful […]