On Feb. 11, members of VFW Post 8692 in Albany, New York, hosted their first arts and crafts day for local VA patients suffering from PTSD.

The event welcomed more than 15 veterans and their social workers from the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center to paint birdhouses and American stars, followed by lunch prepared by the Post and its Auxiliary members.

“Arts and crafts give PTSD patients a non-verbal outlet to process trauma and reduce anxiety,” said Post Quartermaster and Department of New York Surgeon Jim Haas. “It is a great way to calm their minds and help them relax.”

Haas added that the Post plans to incorporate the event into its annual routine, scheduling an arts and crafts day once per quarter. It would align with other monthly events Post 8692 conducts alongside the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center.

For years, Post 8692 members have cooked breakfast and delivered it to VA patients with PTSD on the second Tuesday of the month. They have also conducted fundraisers and drives to collect clothes and other items for the veterans.

“We do this for many reasons, but one of them is to give patients the opportunity to socialize with other veterans outside the hospital,” Haas said. “It also gives them the feeling of not being forgotten.”

“Helping veterans isn’t a job for me – it’s a calling,” said Jessica King, 45.

After serving four years of active duty and a few years in the Reserve, Marine Corps veteran King was denied her own benefits for a decade. She was determined not to let that happen to her fellow service members.

“A VFW Accredited Service Officer helped me finally get my benefits,” she said. “I wanted to fight for veterans like she did for me.”

In 2022, King made good on her pledge by becoming a VFW Accredited Service Officer.

“I manage and train approximately 35 other VFW Accredited Service Officers and train VFW Post benefits advisors so they can help at the Post and District levels,” King said. “My greatest accomplishment is creating an amazing, passionate team that fights every day for our service members, veterans and their loved ones.”

During a typical week, King fields calls and emails from both her clients and other VFW staff, researches VA laws and attends meetings and training sessions to stay informed. Whatever a new day brings, King knows she is in the right place.

“Every time I sit across from a veteran or a surviving spouse who’s overwhelmed, confused or just tired from fighting battles they shouldn’t have to fight, something in me switches on,” she said. “I feel responsible, honored and grounded in my purpose.”

King is proud of what her team has accomplished for their clients, including helping one individual receive retroactive compensation dating back to 2015 and assisting another veteran experiencing homelessness in securing money to pay rent.

“Watching the stress lift off a client’s shoulders and hearing them say, ‘Thank you, I didn’t think anyone cared,’ gets me every time,” King said. “These are the moments that remind us why our work matters and why we do what we do.

“Even on the hard days, even when the system is frustrating, even when we’re tired, VFW Accredited Service Officers change the lives of veterans and their families every single day.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

“I should be the poster boy for Agent Orange,” Michael Lindop often joked.

After serving in Vietnam, Lindop suffered from a laundry list of illnesses. But that did not diminish his pride or love for the Marines.

“Like they say, ‘Once a Marine, always a Marine,'” said his widow, Franchesca. “Michael enlisted with the Marines because they were the toughest, and he wanted to be part of that. He loved it.”

So, when Michael began experiencing symptoms related to Agent Orange exposure in 2007, Franchesca explained, “It was a tragedy, but he never complained about it. He was just very proud to be a Marine.”

Michael’s service-connected conditions included diabetes, dementia and several cardiac problems that eventually required open-heart surgery.

Then he suffered a severe stroke that left him disabled. Franchesca cared for him for a few years, but when it became too much, Michael moved into a veterans home.

“It was a great facility, but he rapidly deteriorated earlier this year as his dementia worsened,” Franchesca said. “He couldn’t remember people and was unable to get out of bed. I was shocked that it took him so quickly. I didn’t know what to do.”

Franchesca tried to contact a veterans organization for assistance, but every phone number she was given was a dead end. That was until she inexplicably reached VFW Accredited Service Officer Michael Jackson in Everett, Washington.

“I don’t know how I got his number. Even though I was led to him by accident, Michael’s the one who helped me,” Franchesca said. “I feel like I owe him my life.”

After switching Franchesca’s VA representation to the VFW, Jackson quickly set out to secure Michael’s benefits on her behalf.

“My husband was 100% disabled, so Michael was able to get me the highest benefit, which meant I could keep my medical coverage and had the funds to pay rent,” Franchesca said.

“I just feel very grateful that he took the initiative to help me. Otherwise, I’d probably still be lost in the system somewhere.”

Franchesca urges other spouses to contact the VFW in their area and have their questions ready for their VFW Accredited Service Officer – who, she hopes, is as helpful as Jackson was for her.

“I had felt so lost, I almost cried when I met Michael. He was just so kind and was almost like a son to me,” Franchesca said.

“Don’t go through what I did. Go straight to the VFW. Michael was a lifesaver for someone like me who had no idea where to go. I was just so lucky to find him.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

Miguel Rodriguez, 37, served in the Navy for eight years. He had several reasons for enlisting.

“A strong desire to give back has always dwelled inside me, especially after 9/11,” he said. “On top of that, the costs of attending college made me realize joining the military was the best thing for me.”

Today, Rodriguez lives in Clifton, New Jersey, with his wife, Puja Rana, and their daughter, Mia. He learned about the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” while searching online for aid. Another veteran shared how much the assistance helped them, and Rodriguez decided to apply.

“Words cannot express how thankful I am to be given the opportunity to pursue a higher education,” he said. “Rather than taking up small jobs after a day of work so that I can save up to go back to school, this scholarship makes it so I can pick up my daughter from daycare and spend time with her before hitting the books.”

As a student at DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management, Rodriguez is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration. He hopes to build a career in project management, IT project management and/or product management.

“Throughout my previous work as well as my personal life, I’ve found myself coordinating and communicating with various people to get things done,” he said. “I enjoy facing challenges and finding the most effective solution to reach a shared goal.”

Rodriguez hopes other veterans push themselves to discover and pursue their own interests by taking advantage of the kind of resources that have supported him.

“Put in the time and make sure to do the research. Don’t let people tell you help is not out there.

“Without the VFW’s support for veterans,” he continued, “I would not have had the chance to further my career – at least not without taking on a heavy financial burden. Thank you!”

Learn more about the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship.”

Jane Smith* served for four years in the military. She began attending college while she was still enlisted to get her degree quicker and is now enrolled at California State University, Northridge.

Smith’s life changed after she discovered the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship” during a Google search for scholarships for veterans. She thanks everyone who made this opportunity possible.

“Living in an inflated economy isn’t easy, and doing laps in the revolving door of poverty while trying to get ahead to make something of yourself is exhausting,” she said.

Smith encourages other veterans to utilize the GI Bill and to ask their guidance counselors plenty of questions. She says that campus veterans resource centers can also be helpful by allowing students to connect with other enrolled veterans. Even just a phone call, or several, can move students in the right direction.

“If it’s so overwhelming that you feel stuck, get on the phone. Keep calling until you find that person who holds the key to the information. They will help you get through some of the noise,” Smith said.

Smith studies cinema and television arts and hopes to work in directing or producing. She considers herself a creative with a knack for organization and management.

“Without the scholarship, I couldn’t afford even one class,” Smith said. “It provides relief while achieving my educational goals by giving me an opportunity to catch my breath.”

*Not her real name. She prefers to remain anonymous.

Learn more about the VFW’s “Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship.”

Former Staff Sergeant Donna L. Jefferies, 64, lived in constant pain.

She lived with limited mobility and dexterity challenges for 44 years after serving in the Air Force and National Guard.

“I come from a military family,” Jefferies said. “My father served in the United States Army during World War II. My brother served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. I have always admired the military, and I wanted to serve my country.”

Five years of active duty in the Air Force – and then serving in the Pennsylvania and Arizona National Guards – resulted in injuries encompassing her back, a finger, an ankle, an arm, and a knee. For many years, she was unaware of the resources available to her as a veteran.

However, once she started working with VFW Accredited Service Officer Zachary “Zac” Lee in late 2023, Jefferies’ life changed for the better.

“Zac walked me through the process of filing a claim,” said Jefferies. “He answered any question I had. He was so professional and concerned about how I was doing. That meant so much to me.”

The VFW’s trained and Accredited Service Officers, like Lee, are a lifeline for veterans and their families in need of assistance. Jefferies actively encourages others to seek help through the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS).

“I have talked to several of my friends who are veterans and have recommended that they talk with the people at the VFW about filing a disability claim,” she said.

Jefferies also expressed how much better she feels physically, now that she has access to veterans’ resources. Her back pain, for example, is now being treated monthly with acupuncture at the VA hospital. What was once a pain level of eight is now down to level two, she said.

Jefferies is not hesitant to credit Lee’s help for her improved situation.

“He will go above and beyond to get his veterans the assistance they need, whether that is financial, medical or any other benefits they may be entitled to,” she said of Lee. “He will do whatever he can to help them. He is truly an asset to the VFW and a blessing to the veterans he helps.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

“I had a career where I left and did everything in the world and then came back here,” Norman Machelor said.

“Here” is Lewiston, New York, where Machelor was born 80 years ago and lives now with his wife, Mary. The two met as students at the University of Buffalo and wed before graduation. Machelor joined the Army soon after that.

Continuing a Family Tradition

“I chose to enlist because there was a passion there,” he said. “For one thing, my dad served in World War II as an infantry officer. So, that’s what I wanted to do, too.”

Like his father, Machelor was selected for Officer Candidate School (OCS). In 1968, he joined the 51st OCS Company and also completed Jump School at Fort Benning. He went on to train other soldiers for a year before being deployed to Vietnam as a platoon leader. After an injury left him disabled, Machelor returned home to work for his father. Eventually, he took over the business and sold it after 25 years.

Machelor spent the next 10 years working for the governor of New York as the deputy director of government affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs. After that, he began a new job with the VA.

“I was a claims examiner with the VA, which was a computer job,” Machelor said. “It was interesting, and I learned a lot, but I never interacted with veterans, which I didn’t like.”

‘We Talk and We Talk and We Talk to Figure Out What’s Wrong’

In 2020, Machelor was recruited to work for the VFW as a VFW Accredited Service Officer.

“Of course, no sooner I got hired than COVID hit,” he said. “Fortunately, they let us work from home, so I’ve been doing a hybrid job ever since.”

Much like in the National Guard and Reserve, VFW Accredited Service Officers, like Machelor, must attend two weeks of continuing education training annually to retain both VA certification and access to veterans’ records.

Whether Machelor is working remotely, at the VA regional office, or at the VA hospital, he gets to work directly with veterans, just like he always wanted to do.

“Basically,” Machelor explained, “the two elements of the job are getting people into the VA claims system and then researching their cases to get them the best benefits possible.

“We talk and talk and talk with veterans to figure out what’s wrong, how it happened and all the rest. Then, we submit paperwork. We try not to promise them anything because we can’t. But if the VA’s decision is negative, we go back through the paperwork to see why and how we can appeal the claim.”

Regardless of how a claim plays out, Machelor’s support is unwavering.

‘Of Course, He Comes to Me, His Service Officer’

“The veterans we assist remain clients forever,” Machelor said. “There are people I worked with years ago who call me to reopen their case because a condition progressed. That’s a big part of what we do.

“For instance, one guy received VA disability for diabetes in 2020. Now,” Machelor explained, “it’s progressed to where he needs insulin instead of pills. He’s eligible to ask for an increase in benefits. So, of course, he comes to me, his service officer.”

In addition to helping veterans, Machelor has noticed that many of their family members are unprepared in the event of a death. He encourages veterans to act before it is too late.

“Many of them just aren’t aware that, generally, their benefits stop upon their death. I know which spouses may be eligible for continued benefits in the event of the veteran’s demise and call to inform them to prepare to contact me right after their spouse passes,” he said.

I Say to My Wife, ‘I Rang the Bell’

While reflecting on the veterans and families he has helped, Machelor said, “Every once in a while, I’ll tell my wife, ‘I love my job.’ She’ll say, ‘Yeah, I know you do.’

“That doesn’t mean it can’t be frustrating. But when I was younger, I wanted to go to law school. Even though I’m not a lawyer, this job gives me the chance to represent veterans.”

In one instance, Machelor was able to secure $80,000 in back pay for an individual. In another, he helped an 80-year-old, who had never received assistance, get benefits that he could use to address his prostate cancer. And just recently, Machelor started the paperwork for a Vietnam veteran who is applying for benefits for himself so his wife can be eligible for a pension when he dies.

When asked how doing this work makes him feel, Machelor said, “Well, I had cancer. And when you battle cancer successfully, you ring a bell. So, a lot of days after I leave my office and get home, I say to my wife, ‘I rang the bell’ because I was able to change someone’s life.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

On May 23, a brand new statue was unveiled just a few steps away from the front doors of VFW Post 9186 in San Antonio, Texas.

“The Price of Freedom” is a bronze statue depicting three soldiers – two men, who are embraced shoulder-to-shoulder, carrying one another, and a woman, who is providing close support from behind. It stands adjacent to the Post’s flagpole, atop a marble pedestal on the corner of Padre Drive and VFW Boulevard.

Each soldier symbolizes a different armed conflict that the U.S. has been involved with. The soldier in the center represents the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the soldier to his left represents WWII and the soldier standing behind the pair represents the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

“We’re all brothers and sisters, regardless of the conflict or war we served in,” said Antonio “Tony” Ramon, commander of Chapter 1836 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart when asked about the significance of the statue representing different eras.

The original idea for a statue came from Vietnam veteran and local artist Michael Boyett, who served as an infantryman in Vietnam. Boyett created the original design for the statue, however after Boyett’s death in April 2015, the project was put on hiatus.

Ramon, along with the rest of Chapter 1836, eventually picked up the project. They wanted a memorial that emphasized different eras of U.S. military conflicts. However, the project was put on hiatus once again when they began to have trouble establishing a location for the statue.

After connecting with Post 9186, they were able to coordinate the statue to be placed in the Veterans Memorial Garden, just outside the doors to the Post.

To help pay for the statue, the Post began to hold fundraisers. However, once news of the statue reached the ears of Michael Lynd, who served as a first lieutenant during the Vietnam War and founded Lynd Management Group, he offered to pay for the whole statue – so long as “he could get one of his own.” Lynd’s statue, “Vet Fully Loaded,” can be found outside the Lynd corporate office in San Antonio.

The unveiling ceremony of “The Price of Freedom” at Post 9186 was a success. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, along with retired Army major general and Medal of Honor recipient Pat Brady, were guest speakers at the event, which included Harlandale High School JROTC members presenting colors and mariachi performers from Southwest High School.

Post members took an immediate liking to the statue.

“Words cannot describe how beautiful this statue is,” said past-VFW Post 9186 Commander Ralph Alvarado. “All of us at VFW Post 9186 are proud to have erected this statue on the grounds of our Memorial Garden.”

Ramon praised the cooperation between the Military Order of the Purple Heart and VFW.

“It was an awesome ceremony,” said Ramon said. “The Purple Heart and VFW worked together as a team. Different organizations can get together to accomplish something for these veterans.”

This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

On April 24, 1966, VFW Post 6069 in Lebanon, Ohio, hosted a meeting with 12 members from four other Posts to discuss the formation of a burial detail. After several names were suggested, all members present voted unanimously to adopt the name “VFW Memorial Team.”

For the last 60 years, the Southwest Ohio VFW Memorial Team has worked closely with numerous area funeral homes, veteran service officers, active-duty military funeral details, and cemeteries to provide military honors for thousands of local deceased veterans.

Working with more than 20 partners in and around their communities, the VFW Memorial Team currently serves Clermont, Hamilton, Warren, Butler and Brown Counties in Ohio, as well as Kenton County in Northern Kentucky.

In 2025, the VFW Memorial Team conducted a record 206 services with honors, including 11 veterans of World War II, 20 from the Korean War, 41 from Vietnam, as well as three from both the Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism.

Families usually receive these services either through a referral from their funeral directors when making burial arrangements, or by contacting the Team directly, most often through their county Veteran Service Office or by word of mouth. Proof of military service, such as a DD-214, is required.

The team does not charge deceased veterans’ families, and no team member receives any compensation for their services. While the services are free, the team does accept donations to help cover expenses.

In addition to a folded U.S. Flag, the VFW Memorial Team also gives families a parchment-style certificate of remembrance, a bronze burial medallion, and some of the spent shell casings from the rounds that our rifle team fired that day in honor of their loved one’s service to our nation.

The average age of the 21-member team is 69 years, with every branch of service represented, except the Space Force. Team members are affiliated with several different local VFW and American Legion Posts, with the team’s headquarters at VFW Post 9630 in Willowville, Ohio.

This April, the team will be hosting a “60 Years of Service Celebration Dinner” in Cincinnati.

For more information on the Southwest Ohio VFW Memorial Team, visit www.swohiovfwmemorialteam.org

This article is featured in the 2025 December issue of Checkpoint. If you’re a VFW member and don’t currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org. This article was submitted by Randy Fannin, Commander, SW Ohio VFW Memorial Team.

Veteran Richard “Rick” Barela, 72, lives in Lexington, Kentucky, with his wife Barbara. He is a Gold Legacy Life member of the VFW and serves as the adjutant of VFW Post 680.

Barela enlisted in the 1970s and spent more than two decades in the Army, achieving the rank of master sergeant. He was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame in 2020.

Barela completed multiple overseas assignments, including his final one in Germany. It was during that tour that he joined the VFW. After retirement, Barela became involved in the organization. He has held several positions, including service officer at his local Post.

“I started that job in 2022, right after the COVID lockdown, at the request of the Post commander,” he said. “There have been many changes to the VA claims process over the last three years, some good, some not so good.”

In September 2025, Barela became a VFW Accredited Service Officer. He is pleased with the training he received to fulfill his new role, which allows him to better serve his clients, even as policies shift.

“The VFW is doing remarkable things for veterans and keeping us informed about changes,” he said.

On a typical day, Barela meets with four or five veterans or their family members. He feels a sense of accomplishment when he can help them get approval for a VA claim and believes that being a veteran himself often helps things run more smoothly.

“Some veterans who need assistance are afraid to start the process due to stigmas about putting their claim forward and seeking help,” he said. “As a fellow veteran, I feel like I can talk to them without them worrying about being stereotyped. It brings me joy when I get a call or email from one of those veterans thanking me for processing their claim.”

Barela is concerned about the current political climate and believes it is limiting veterans’ rights. He is grateful to be in a position where he can help protect his fellow service members, just as he always has.

“I served 24 years and nine months,” Barela said. “I did not do it for money or fame, but for the soldiers, especially, the rangers to my right and left that follow the Ranger Creed – a creed that we live by each and every day, even after we leave the service.”

Learn more about the VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) program.