Honor the dead by helping the living

The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish-American War (1898) and the Philippine insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service.

The VFW provides numerous services to military service members and their families.

• MAP has helped fund Farewell and Welcome Home gatherings for military units worldwide.
• Operation Uplink provides free, pre-paid phone cards to service members.
• Unmet Needs can give a one-time grant up to $1,500 for qualifying service members and their families experiencing financial hardship.

Flags and flag education are essential elements of the VFW's Citizenship Education program.

Fostering patriotism and honoring America's veterans on Patriotic Days: Memorial Day, lndependence Day, Patriots Day, Loyalty Day, Veterans Day and POW/MlA Recognition day

Constructive Community Service is a founding VFW tenet with volunteerism benefiting education, the environment, health sciences, and civic projects. The VFW's citizenship education program is designed to stimulate an interest in America's history, its traditions, and institutions, as well as promote patriotism. The VFW also partners with the National Rifle Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, lnternational Association of Firefighters, the Salvation Army and Boy Scouts of America.

The VFW's Citizenship Education program arms teachers with school activities and resources designed to teach America's youth about patriotism and service and about the contributions of our nation's veterans in preserving peace.

VFW Scholarship Programs include Voice of Democracy, Patriot's Pen, and VFW Military Family Scholarship. Every year, hundreds of thousands of students participate in garnering more than $3.1 million in scholarships and incentives.

The VFW's presence on Capitol Hill allows VFW officials to monitor and lobby Congress for legislative action targeted toward maintaining a strong national defense and improving military benefits and quality of life for all veterans, including those currently serving in the active-duty military, the National Guard and the Reserves.

One of the VFW's most successful legislative push was making college education affordable for military service members with the signing of the 1944 Gl Bill of Rights, and in 1984, the signing of the Montgomery GI Bill.

For more than 75 years, the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of veterans' welfare and the well being of their dependents.