The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is a nonprofit veterans service organization comprised of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard, and Reserve forces.
We trace our 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. Many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed local organizations. Those groups eventually joined together and became known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. Today, the VFW and its Auxiliary include more than 1.3 million members.
Our voice was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration and developing the national cemetery system. The VFW fought for compensation for Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange and for those diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, we won a long-fought victory with passage of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, expanding educational benefits for active-duty service members and members of the Guard and Reserve. The VFW helped drive the Veterans Access, Choice, and Accountability Act of 2014 and continues to advocate for improved VA health care for women veterans. Its legislative advocacy also helped secure the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act of 2019 and the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022.
The VFW helped fund the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II, and Women in Military Service memorials. In 2005, it became the first veterans' organization to contribute to the Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010. In 2015, the VFW became the first supporter of the National Desert Storm and Desert Shield Memorial, which broke ground in July 2022.
The VFW offers programs and services that support veterans, service members, their families, and communities worldwide. Review the latest VFW fact sheet or explore the VFW national website to learn why No One Does More for Veterans®.
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