VFW at Work

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 […]

On the night of Jan. 21, 2025, tragedy struck the Village of Ovid, New York. A devastating fire consumed a significant portion of the town's Main Street, reducing to ashes the only grocery store, a beloved diner, a laundromat, an Italian restaurant, and the Seneca County STEPS office. Apartments also were destroyed, displacing 16 residents and leaving nearly 50 individuals unemployed. In the wake of […]

Raised between Scotland and Canada, Colin Anderson now lives in Hamburg, New York, with his wife, Sue. He has three grown daughters: Heather, Elizabeth and Colleen. Anderson joined the U.S. Army after he moved to the United States in 1991. He served at eight duty stations, one of which was in Germany. Anderson also was deployed to Bosnia for Operation Joint Endeavor and completed two […]

Being the largest Navy base in the world, Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia is home to a vast number of sailors and Marines, and VFW's Benefits Delivery at Discharge (BDD) site on the base provides an essential service to those military members. VFW National Pre-Discharge Claims Representative Abigail Heffernan said that a common concern among troops is how "daunting" the VA claims process is. "Having […]

When members of VFW Post 1828 and their families gathered at the Veterans Memorial in West Plains, Missouri, to commemorate the 33rd anniversary of the end of Operation Desert Storm last year, it marked an historic first for the "Show-Me State" Post. Led by Gulf War veteran and Post 1828 Junior Vice Commander David Scott Buennemeyer, the ceremony on Feb. 28, 2024, honored the poignant […]

VFW Post 4337 in Inverness, Florida, is being led by a husband-and-wife team. Post Commander Jesus (Joe) Acosta and Auxiliary President Lorinda (Lori) Acosta lead the Post and its Auxiliary in community endeavors. A Vietnam veteran, Joe was based at Long Thanh North from 1969-1971 with the 210th Combat Aviation Battalion, 1st Aviation Brigade. He joined the VFW in 1977 while he was stationed in […]

VFW magazine continues its "Destination Post Series" this month. The series will feature 125 VFW Posts located in sought-after tourist destinations. Featured VFW Posts are those that make a real difference in the communities in which the Posts are located. This month's article takes VFW magazine to two coastal cities in Georgia and South Carolina. Renowned for its rich blend of art, history and antebellum […]

With a membership of about 90, VFW Post 4092 on St. Simons Island in Georgia is working to make the lives of disabled veterans a little easier. Through a Post project known as Operation Access, Post members build ADA-compliant access ramps, widen doorways and lower cabinets among other projects for disabled vets or nonprofit organizations supporting veterans. And they do it all for free. With […]

Volunteers at the 125th VFW National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, participated in a Uniting to Combat Hunger seed-packing event aimed at helping families affected by food insecurity. Those seeds were sent across the country to distributors that provide healthy and fresh produce to those in need. As part of the initiative to address the issue, volunteers on July 27 packed 4,000 seed packets that were […]

For the past 13 years, a VFW Post in the Hawkeye State has helped raise more than $60,000 for local eighth-grade students who participate in an annual trip to Washington, D.C. To do this, the Post enlists the students to work breakfasts twice a month. In 2023, Post 1977 in Decorah, Iowa, raised more than $9,000 for 63 students who volunteered during breakfasts at the […]

VFW Post 7689 in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, donated $2,500 toward new helmets for the local high school football team to enhance safety measures in sports. Post Commander Doug Warmath presented the donation during Central High School's second football game at home in Martinsburg in mid-September. "The safety of our students is a top priority," Kayla Myers, president of the QB Club, told the Morrisons Cove Herald […]

Since March 2019, VFW Post 2667 and its Auxiliary have donated more than 15,000 pounds of food to local pantries around their community in Newnan, Georgia. Their efforts began when Auxiliary secretary and historian Janet Alford joined several others in tasking Auxiliary and VFW members to bring a jar of peanut butter to each monthly meeting at the Post. "They all thought it was a […]

VFW Life member Sam Baker is #StillServing as a member of VFW Post 6683 in Enterprise, Alabama, and by devoting his time to the VFW and several other local organizations. Baker not only serves his Post as adjutant, he also volunteers as a pilot for the Friends of Army Aviation and is the senior vice president of the Aviation Center Chapter of the Army Aviation […]

During his tenure as commander of the VFW Department of New Jersey in 2020, Brian Wiener considered his options as to how best to help fellow veterans who, like him, suffered from PTSD and other post-service challenges. Wiener, a Persian Gulf War veteran and firefighter in Atlantic City, New Jersey, quickly zeroed in on surfing, as that was something that had contributed a great deal […]

What started as an idea to hold a Mother's Day event at VFW Post 5290 in Conyers, Ga., turned into an event Post members believe was the "best event the Post had ever hosted." Three Gold Star families in June attended a luncheon hosted at VFW Post 5290, which Senior Vice Commander Jim Closs said was difficult to put together. But he also said, "It […]

Members of VFW Post 3378 in Yuma, Colorado, hosted their third-annual dinner gettogether for as many local veterans as they could afford on June 28. In a community of about 3,400 residents, Post 3378 members welcomed more than 75 veterans, which also included spouses or significant others, into their Post for grilled hotdogs and hamburgers, side dishes, chilled soft drinks and dessert. Born out of […]

Nathan Metz spent a total of 11 years in the military with five years of active service in the Army, and another six years in the Ohio National Guard. After enlisting in 1991, he was immediately stationed in Germany for three years, followed by another two years at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. When asked why he joined the military, Metz said he wasn't sure […]

Members of VFW Post 10417 Harrison, Arkansas, have been busy the past few months. On April 13, the Post's annual celebration banquet was held to honor several individuals for their time and talents throughout the year. Three middle-school students were recognized for winning top spots in the Patriot's Pen essay contest. Kayden Ann Loveday claimed first place with an essay that captures the essence of […]

This month, VFW magazine continues its "Destination Post Series." The series will feature 125 VFW Posts located in sought-after tourist destinations. Featured VFW Posts are those that make a real difference in the communities in which the Posts are located. This month's article takes VFW magazine readers to the Memphis, Tennessee, area. Overlooking the "Mighty Mississippi River," Memphis is known as the home of the […]

On the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa, three members of the VFW Department of Montana participated in bringing home the remains of an unidentified Marine killed in action at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands more than 2,000 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor. VFW Post 10010 member Tim Sowa of East Helena joined Post 276 members Mike Pryor and Fred Hamilton from […]