Eligibility

Eligibility Requirements

There are two qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in our National Bylaws. An individual must meet both in order to become a member. They are as follows:

1: Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently
serving.

2: Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters*. This can be proven by any of the following:

– An authorized campaign medal (see a full list of qualifying medals and badges)
– Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)
– Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days

Dates Awarded: 1937-1939, 1945-1957

China Service Medal – China Service Medal

Dates Awarded: 1937-1939, 1945-1957

American Defense Service Medal –

First awardedSeptember 8, 1939 (retroactive)
Last awardedDecember 7, 1941 (retroactive)

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal – European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

First awardedDecember 7, 1941
Last awardedMarch 2, 1946

American Campaign Medal – American Campaign Medal

Name of campaignStart DateEnd Date
Convoy ON 6721 February 194226 February 1942
USS Atik (AK-101) (antisubmarine operations)27 March 194227 March 1942
USS Asterion (AK-100) (antisubmarine operations)22 March 194231 January 1943
Task Group 21.1312 July 194228 August 1942
Convoy TAG 181 November 19426 November 1942
Convoy SC 1073 November 19428 November 1942
Task Group 21.1427 July 194310 September 1943
Task Group 21.1524 March 194411 May 1944
USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) (antisubmarine operations)24 April 194524 April 1945
USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Moberly (PF-63)6 May 19456 May 1945

Army of Occupation Medal – Army of Occupation Medal

Established5 April 1946[2]
First awarded2 April 1947[2]
Last awarded2 October 1990

Navy Occupation Service Medal – Navy Occupation Service Medal

EstablishedJanuary 22, 1947[1]
First awardedMay 8, 1945
Last awardedOctober 3, 1990

Korean Service Medal – Korean Service Medal

EstablishedEO 10179, November 8, 1950, as amended[1]
First awarded1950 (retroactive to June 27, 1950)
Last awardedJuly 27, 1954

Navy Expeditionary Medal – Navy Expeditionary Medal

EstablishedAugust 5, 1936
First awarded12 Feb 1874 (Retroactive) (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands)
Last awarded15 Dec 2002[2]

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal – Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

Established8 May 1919
First awarded

Status Currently Awarded
Panama 1873 (retroactive)

Vietnam Service Medal – Vietnam Service Medal

StatusObsolete
Established8 July 1965 – Executive Order 11231
28 November 1967 – Amended, E.O. 11382
2 February 2003 – Amended, E.O. 13286
First awarded4 July 1965
Retroactive to 1 July 1958
Last awarded30 April 1975

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal – Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

StatusCurrently awarded
EstablishedExecutive Order 10977, December 4, 1961

Southwest Asia Service Medal – Southwest Asia Service Medal

StatusNot currently awarded
EstablishedEO 12754, March 12, 1991, as amended
First awarded1991 (retroactive to either August 2, 1990 or January 17, 1991 depending on location)
Last awardedNovember 30, 1995; 26 years ago

Kosovo Campaign Medal – Kosovo Campaign Medal

Operation(s) / Task ForceFromTo
ALLIED FORCE24 March 199910 June 1999
NOBLE ANVIL24 March 199920 June 1999
Task Force Saber31 March 19998 July 1999
Task Force Hunter1 April 19991 November 1999
SUSTAIN HOPE / SHINING HOPE4 April 199910 July 1999
ALLIED HARBOUR4 April 19991 September 1999
Task Force Hawk5 April 199924 June 1999
JOINT GUARDIAN (note 1)11 June 199931 December 2013
Task Force Falcon11 June 199931 December 2013
Note 1: Effective January 1, 2014, award of the KCM for Operation JOINT
GUARDIAN transitioned to award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
StatusNot currently awarded

Combat Infantryman Badge – Combat Infantryman Badge

StatusCurrently awarded[1]
EstablishedNovember 15, 1943
TotalWorld War II to El Salvador: Unknown
Salvadoran Civil War: 69
Invasion of Grenada: 3,534
Invasion of Panama: 8,031
Persian Gulf War: 21,877
Somali Civil War: 1,280
Iraq War: 41,628
War in Afghanistan: 36,518
Inherent Resolve: 30[2][3]

Combat Medical Badge – Combat Medical Badge

Established:January 1945

First awarded:December 06, 1941 (retroactive)

Last awarded:Ongoing

Combat Action Ribbon – Combat Action Ribbon

StatusCurrent issue
EstablishedNavy Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of the Navy): February 17, 1969
Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of Homeland Security): July 16, 2008
First awardedNavy Combat Action Ribbon: 1969 (retroactive to March 1961)

Air Force Combat Action Medal – Air Force Combat Action Medal

EligibilityAirmen and guardians in the grades of E-1 through O-6
StatusCurrently awarded
Established15 March 2007
First awarded12 June 2007 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Combat Action Badge – Combat Action Badge

StatusCurrently awarded
EstablishedMay 2, 2005
First awardedJune 29, 2005 (retroactive to September 18, 2001)
Last awardedOngoing
Total recipients68,686 in OIF (as of June 26, 2012)
37,914 in OEF (as of June 26, 2012)
3,828 in OND (as of June 26, 2012)
30 OIR (as of February 12, 2018)[1]

SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia – SSBN Deterrent Patrol insigniaSSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia

Korea Defense Service Medal – Korea Defense Service Medal

EligibilityJuly 28, 1954 – present
StatusCurrent
EstablishedDecember 2002; 19 years ago[4]
First awardedFebruary 2004 (retroactive to July 28, 1954)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal – Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

EligibilityU.S. military personnel
StatusActive
EstablishedEO 13289, 12 March 2003
First awarded2004 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal – Afghanistan Campaign Medal

EligibilityU.S. military personnel
StatusInactive
EstablishedEO 13363, November 29, 2004; 17 years ago
First awardedJune 2005 (retroactive to October 24, 2001)

Iraq Campaign Medal – Iraq Campaign Medal

EligibilityU.S. military personnel
StatusInactive[1]
Established29 November 2004[2]
First awarded2005 (retroactive to 19 March 2003)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal – Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal

Eligibility15 June 2014 – present
StatusActive
Established30 March 2016
First awardedApril 2016[1] (retroactive to 15 June 2014)

Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon – Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon

StatusCurrent
Established2003

Korea Duty (Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days)

Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay