MEMBERSHIP

VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
OF THE UNITED STATES

CERTIFIED NATIONAL RECRUITERS

VFW membership is available to all U.S. servicemembers who have earned an overseas campaign or expeditionary medal and are currently on active-duty, in the Reserves or who have been honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces.

Those deployed in Iraq and Afghanstian are eligible for VFW membership, as well as those who have earned the Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border (AFESR w/GB), the Combat Action Badge (CAB) and the SSBN Nuclear Deterrent Patrol Breast Insignia. A 1995 VFW Congressional Charter amendment makes eligible all those who have served 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days on the Korean peninsula or in its territorial waters from June 30, 1949, until the present.

Besides meeting the above requirement, the servicemember must be an U.S. citizen.

Membership may be annual (dues dependent on Post) or Life (dues dependent on age)

Initial Payment of $35.00 AGE	One Time Payment	12 Month Plan	24 Month plan
To age 30	$425.00	$40.39	20.23
31-40	$410.00	$39.02	$19.58
41-50	$375.00	$35.84	$18.05
51-60	$335.00	$32.20	$16.32
61-70	$290.00	$28.11	$14.36
71-80	$225.00	$22.20	$11.53
81 and over	$170.00	$17.20	$9.143

The VFW Life Membership installment plan allows any VFW member/applicant to purchase a Life Membership by making either 11 or 23 monthly installments. Initial payment of $35 is required. The member will be issued a “Provisional Life” membership card and can elect, upon receipt of first monthly invoice, to pay via check, credit card or ACH Debit.
The monthly fee (shown in the payment schedule) includes a $1.75 monthly service fee. The applicable Life Membership fee is to be determined from the schedule using the applicant’s age on Dec. 31 of the installment plan year in which this Agreement Form is submitted, regardless of actual date of birth. A permanent Life Membership card will be issued upon completion of this agreement. No refund of any portion of current year annual dues will be made.

Common Membership Qs & As

1. I served in Korea, but not during the Korean War. Am I eligible for the VFW?
All veterans who served on the Korean Peninsula or in its territorial waters for at least 30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days after June 30, 1949 are eligible for membership in the VFW. In addition, soldiers who served in Korea from July 28, 1954 to the present day are eligible for the Korea Defense Service Medal. Veterans wishing to have this medal added to their records should contact the National Personnel Records Center.

2. I was in the Navy and my DD-214 doesn’t show any awards for my service, but I believe I’m eligible. How do I find out what awards I should have?
Many times the U.S. Navy awarded a campaign medal or other award to a ship, rather than to every individual sailor on board. While each of those sailors is eligible for the award, it was often not noted on the individual's DD-214. To determine a ship's eligibility, you can use the Navy Department Awards Web Service to find out what awards the ship was authorized for specific time periods.

3. I served in Europe during the Cold War. Does this make me eligible for the VFW?
After 1955, the only qualifying medals for service in Europe during the Cold War are as follows:
a) Army of Occupation Medal, for service in West Berlin from May 9th 1945 until Oct 2, 1990
b) Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal: Berlin, August 14, 1961 - June 1, 1963

4. I never served in the military, but my father/spouse/brother/child did. Can I join the VFW in their name?
VFW eligibility is solely for veterans of military service who meet the VFW's eligibility requirements. Membership is non-transferable and cannot be awarded posthumously or in another's name. If you are the spouse, widow/widower, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild or sibling of a qualifying veteran, whether or not they are a VFW member, then you would qualify for membership in the Men's Auxiliary or Ladies' Auxiliary as appropriate.

5. I served in Vietnam/Korea/WW2 – how can I get the Combat Action Badge added to my records?
The Combat Action Badge is awarded for service that would normally qualify the soldier for a Combat Infantryman's Badge or Combat Medical Badge, but is designed for soldiers in an MOS that would not be eligible for either the CIB or the CMB. The eligible dates for the Combat Action Badge are from September 18, 2001 to present. At this time, no retroactive awards prior to this date are authorized.

6. I served on an nuclear-deterrent sub during the Cold War, and our service location was classified. How can I determine if I am eligible for the VFW?
For sailors who served on board nuclear-deterrent submarines, the SSBN Nuclear-Deterrent Patrol Breast Insignia was awarded. This medal is one that qualifies for VFW eligibility. Orders showing the awarding of the SSBN Nuclear Deterrent Patrol Breast Insignia or a notation of award on the sailor's DD-214 will be sufficient to verify eligibility.

7. I don’t have my pay records from my time in service. How can I tell if I was awarded hostile fire/imminent danger pay?
DOD Financial Management Regulation 700.14-R, Volume 7A, Chapter 10 "Special Pay - Duty Subject to Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger" outlines all service areas and time periods eligible for hostile fire/imminent danger pay. This document can be found online at Defenselink.mil.

8. Why are the NATO Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the Kuwait Liberation Medal not considered for eligibility in the VFW?
The medals listed above are not issued by the U. S. government, but rather by the governments of foreign countries or by NATO. For service where one of these medals was awarded, there is often an accompanying medal from the United States government that does qualify for VFW eligibility.

9. I served in the military, but my service was classified, and I am not allowed to discuss the particulars. How may my service be recognized for eligibility into the VFW?
As a private non-military organization, the VFW does not have authorization to verify service that is classified or otherwise not available to the public. As such, we can only accept verification of service substantiated by official military documents such as a DD-214, military orders, or other documents verifying the awarding of an authorized campaign medal.

10. My father was a VFW member and has passed away. How can I obtain a list of his medals or a record of his military service?
The VFW does not maintain military records for our members beyond their application at the post level. However, next-of-kin of a veteran may request their service records from the National Personnel Records Center by submitting a Standard Form 180 (SF-180) to the address listed below or call 1-314-801-0800.
National Personnel Records Center
9700 Page Boulevard
St. Louis, MO 63132
In addition, you can go online to the National Personnel Records Center website.
To use the Navy Department Awards Web Service: Direct your web browser to http://awards.navy.mil On the top bar, select "Unit Awards." In the taskbar to the left under "Unit Awards", select "Query Unit Awards" - You may use Search Method #1 to search for a ship by name, or if you know the name of the ship, you may use Search Method #2 to enter the name of the ship.

Eligible award codes for VFW eligibility are as follows:
VS - Vietnam Service Medal
EM - Navy Expeditionary Medal
CR - Combat Action Ribbon
AE - Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
SA - Southwest Asia Service Medal