Members of VFW Post 6181 in Ashland City, Tennessee, celebrated America’s 250th birthday in July by launching its own golf tournament at nearby Fort Campbell, Kentucky. Held at the Cole Park Golf Course, an 18-hole championship facility in Fort Campbell, about 47 miles north of Ashland City, the tournament hosted more than 50 participants and…

Earl Jackson, 48, reflected back on his work. The veterans he’s helped. The stories he’s heard. Plenty of clients came to mind for the VFW Accredited Service Officer. But one stood out. “I was helping a transitioning member overseas who thought he’d waited too long to start his claim,” Jackson said. “Months after we submitted…

VFW Post 11999 in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, celebrated a successful Independence Day season, highlighted by the Post’s leadership role in the local July Fourth parade, continued support of visiting service members and the completion of its signature annual Mountain Assault retreat benefiting soldiers and their families from the Fort Bliss Soldier Recovery Unit. While supporting…

Sub-zero temperatures. Running up to 15 miles a day. Shouldering 100-pound rucksacks across unforgiving terrain. It was all part of the job for Stevie Wonder Houston, 52. But after six years, the job took its toll. “Being in the Army, especially in Fairbanks, Alaska, is difficult on the body,” he explained. Today, Houston grapples with…

While working as a non-commissioned officer (NCO) in the Army, VFW Post 467 member Jose Flores came to a powerful realization: “Every soldier has a story.” According to Flores, an integral duty of an NCO is to wholly care for soldiers. Throughout his 30-year career in the Army, he had a chance to connect with…

Across the country, VFW Posts are discovering that the most effective path to membership sustainability is not a single campaign or recruitment push. Rather, it is the steady work of building authentic relationships within the communities. By meeting veterans where they already gather, Posts can create meaningful connections that translate into long-term engagement, renewed purpose…