The VFW became a government-chartered non-profit organization by an act of the U.S. Congress on May 28, 1936 (photo by Kenn Stearns)

The largest American organization of combat veterans has 1.6 million members, receives no U.S. government funding, is supported by charitable contributions, and is known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW). Members must be U.S. citizens and either currently serving in the U.S. military or have an honorable discharge from a branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. VFW membership also requires military service overseas during a conflict, along with being decorated with an expeditionary (military operations abroad) medal, campaign medal, or ribbon.

In addition to lobbying Congress on behalf of American veterans, the nation’s largest and oldest major combat veterans’ organization donates hundreds of thousands of dollars and millions of hours for community service such as Operation Uplink which provides free phone cards to overseas service members.

A simple phone call home while deployed offers a vital link between service members and their families and provides an immeasurable boost in morale. Keeping in touch, however, can become quite costly. That’s why in 1996 VFW launched… the premiere calling program for deployed service members that provides free phone time to active-duty military personnel and hospitalized veterans.

Maybe you’re thinking the VFW only cares for their own? Thank again. From blood drives to mentoring youth groups, your local VFW is engaged in direct community involvement which means they’re going beyond veterans helping veterans. Each year VFW and Auxiliaries donate more than *13 million* volunteer hours of community service.