Long before becoming commander of the first VFW Post established on an active-duty U.S. military installation last year, Willie Keller had seen the possibilities with a credulous eye.

Joined by other founding members of Post 12209 on Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood) near Killeen, Texas, Keller set out to serve as an example of how a VFW Post on an active military installation can help troops and their families more effectively.

“I wish I had that for me when I was coming up,” said Keller, a 16-year Army veteran who joined VFW in 1995. “It not only helps with recruitment, but it puts us in a position to shed light on stuff that is not getting lit up.”

Since finding its home at Fort Cavazos’ Building 18000 on Jan. 7, 2022, Post 12209’s membership has more than tripled its roster. The Post boosted its numbers from 48 in July
2022 to more than 153 members as of this August, according to Keller.

“And we haven’t dropped the hammer on membership yet,” said Keller, who served in Afghanistan and Iraq before being medically retired in 2009. “The people we have come to us about joining is because of what they see from us.”

Over the last year, Post 12209 has provided more than $180,000 worth of assistance to service members and their families by tapping into VFW’s well of programs and services. This includes the Military Assistance Program, which provides Posts with grants to help active-duty troops, as well as Unmet Needs grants for military families with financial difficulties.

Unable to host fundraisers on base, Keller added that other sources come from his own members, private donors and the VFW Department of Texas Foundation.

“There’s no regulation on how to show empathy for these service members and their families, but we try to be there for all of them,” said Keller, who also partakes in advocacy projects, which includes a new bill passed this year to increase the slots for child care at Fort Cavazos. Keller acted on this after hearing from an active-duty single mother.

“We ask people to serve, but they can’t because they need assistance to serve,” Keller added. “We have been an outlet to help fix these problems by going and advocating for more legislative funding.”

Another beacon has been VFW’s Adopt-a-Unit program, which to date has allowed Post 12209 to adopt more than 29 military units comprising thousands of troops at Fort Cavazos.

From cookouts to care packages to simply treating families to a free meal, Keller added that being on base to see the impact of the VFW makes it worth the countless hours he puts in every day.

“When you’re in uniform, it’s your job to care,” Keller said. “But we don’t get paid. This is something we do for them. They see this. The highlight for me is seeing them realize that someone really cares. It’s a good feeling to even see generals on base stop to thank us for what we’ve done.”

Though Keller and his Post members have accomplished much in record time, he admits they are far from complacent. The Post is committed on several fronts, which includes advocating for a more efficient way to use the military’s Transition Assistance Program (TAP), as well as working closely with JROTC and ROTC programs around Texas.

“You can start your transition 12 months out, but mission dictates,” Keller said. “Some have less time to transition. And for some who are institutionalized for 20-30 years, it is not that simple to transition when they used to be a voice of leadership before, and now they are just a number in the civilian world. One of our priority goals is to extract career service members out of their unit and put them on a transitional unit as soon as possible.”

When Keller is not running around conducting business, he admits basking in the gratitude of service members on base who routinely call him and his Post members to talk and thank them for guidance and career advice. Armed with extensive knowledge of VFW’s history, Keller dispenses praise for his organization whenever given the chance.

“It’s valuable to know the history of VFW,” Keller said. “I just let them know why they should join the organization that has been there for them, with them now, and will be with them in the future. A lot of them don’t know some of the stuff service members have now in terms of benefits came from the VFW being in the trenches for them.”

With membership being a byproduct of Post 12209’s assistance and proximity to those in uniform today, Keller also has a lofty goal regarding this particular area.

“We want to be the largest VFW Post in the world in 36 months,” Keller said. “Like I mentioned before, we haven’t dropped the hammer on membership yet. What made us increase our membership has been the influence of our work alone.”

This article is featured in the November/December 2023 issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., senior writer for VFW magazine.

Fabian Lee Martinez served in the Navy from 2001 to 2012 to pursue two of his goals.

“I wanted to serve my country and be a firefighter,” he said. “I was able to do both by joining.”

Today, Martinez is #StillServing in his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, as a member of VFW Post 2466. He also works at Texas Tech University as a school certifying official by helping veterans and dependent students use their military benefits to attend college.

In previous roles with local nonprofits, Martinez helped other veterans receive assistance through the Texas Veterans Commission for things like paying their utilities and replacing major home appliances.

Martinez is focused on uplifting and building relationships with his fellow veterans outside of work, too. He created, and now leads, the VETSports Lubbock chapter to provide community members a venue to play anything from softball to volleyball to cornhole. He recognizes the benefits of connecting people in this way.

“Many of us have a close-knit relationship,” he said. “Just having other veterans around makes me feel good.”

“I claim Inverness, Florida, as my hometown because I went to high school there, but I was born in Germany and lived a very ‘military-brat’ life,” veteran Chris Ajinga said.

Ajinga’s father served in the Army, and his stepfather served in the Navy, which meant he grew up in Hawaii, Georgia, California, Virginia and Florida. His family history, plus Ajinga’s desire to see the world, inspired him to enlist.

Ajinga spent three years in the Navy and 22 in the Marine Corps. Although his military career is over, Ajinga is #StillServing in different ways, including as a volunteer firefighter.

“I respond to fires and incidents that would go unanswered if there were no volunteers,” he said. “That’s why I do it. I saw a billboard that asked the question, ‘What if no one answered the call?’ And I felt a calling to help my community.”

Ajinga, 63, also volunteers with The Fallen Outdoors (TFO), a nonprofit that gets veterans and active-duty men and women outside to enjoy nature. As a TFO pro staffer, Ajinga coordinates fishing, hunting and boating trips for service members and their families, at no cost to them.

When asked why he gives so much of his time to others, Ajinga shared what his volunteerism means to him and those he encounters.

“Volunteering enables me to stay connected to my community both near and far,” he said. “I see the kindness of others, and I enjoy meeting new people. Sometimes, it’s in a time of need. Other times, I meet them because they see me fighting a fire or controlling an accident scene, and they offer support by way of water or just a simple thank-you. I even get a hug now and then. Life is good.”

Athena McDowall decided to join the New Jersey Army National Guard while she was in high school, and she went on to serve for four years.

“I did it to pursue my educational goals but also to do something different from those around me,” she said. “I wanted to have a new experience to give me a challenge and a new way of looking at life.”

While serving, McDowall struggled with an eating disorder. Today, she is a therapist in West Deptford, New Jersey, where she helps other veterans facing mental health battles

She also volunteers with Philadelphia NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) and is the vice president of the board of directors for SEA WAVES. Working with both nonprofits allows her to raise awareness of eating disorders in the military and help veterans and active-duty service members gain access to treatment resources.

As an advocate for the SERVE Act, a piece of legislation to help military personnel and their dependents gain access to treatment, McDowall agreed to be interviewed about her experience. She found that sharing her story was a special way to make a difference.

“I received a message thanking me,” she said. “The sender struggled with an eating disorder in the military and felt alone because no one else ever came forth to talk about it. Their experience reminded me of the importance of the work I’m doing.”

McDowall also devotes her time to the Middlesex County Veterans Diversion Program. As a veteran mentor, she helps fellow service members who have been arrested for nonviolent offenses find the help or treatment they need to build a more positive future.

McDowall believes that by showing individuals they are not alone in their struggles and giving them space to open up, they will feel their voice has been heard. And that is what motivates her to continue #StillServing in so many ways.

“I truly feel as though I’m making a positive impact in the military community,” she said.

If you attended the 124th VFW National Convention in Phoenix this year, you probably noticed a group of volunteers lined up at tables with bowls of seeds in front of them.

They were a part of the Uniting to Combat Hunger seed-packing event that will provide about 30 tons of vegetables for families suffering from food insecurity. Those seeds will be sent across the country to provide healthy and fresh produce to those in need. Since 2018, the program has provided more than 4.5 million meals for food insecure families.

VFW Foundation Grants Manager Jason Couch said the event at the national convention garnered dozens of volunteers from VFW Posts and Auxiliaries, as well as VFW Departments. Couch added that Uniting to Combat Hunger is an “incredibly important endeavor” not only to VFW but also to Humana, a company based in Louisville, Kentucky, that offers health care coverage.

“VFW was established on the principle of helping veterans, and when we learned about how many veterans are affected by food insecurity, we knew we needed to do everything we could to prevent it,” Couch said. “We would not be able to help as many veterans as we are without our partnership with Humana. We are proud of what we have accomplished with the Uniting to Combat Hunger program through the past several years.”

Since 2018, VFW has teamed with Humana for the Uniting to Combat Hunger campaign. It remains a staple in fighting hunger and food insecurity across the country.

1-IN-4 POST 9/11 VETS AFFECTED
The Department of Agriculture in 2021 said more than 34 million people, including 9 million children, experience food insecurity in the U.S. during the year – that is about 1-in-10 households in the country.

Feeding America says that about 125,000 active-duty military troops experience food insecurity – about 7 percent of troops in the active military. However, according to the Department of Agriculture, only about 2 percent of active-duty troops qualify for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Feeding America also says 1-in-4 Afghanistan and Iraq War veterans are affected by food insecurity.

‘WE MUST FACE THE ISSUE TOGETHER’
Humana’s Stephanie Muckey, who leads the company’s health equity and social impact work focused on the veteran population, said that veterans, military members and their families should not have to be concerned about their next meal.

“Food insecurity is impacting the everyday lives of many veterans in communities across the country,” Muckey said. “We must face this issue together to ensure any veterans, active service men and women, and their families who are struggling have access to healthy meals.”

Since 2021, the VFW Foundation has offered grants to VFW Posts and Auxiliaries supporting the Uniting to Combat Hunger campaign. For every dollar raised by local VFW Posts and Auxiliaries, the VFW Foundation will match the full amount up to $5,000.

Also, for every hour that a VFW Post or Auxiliary member volunteers to address food insecurity in their communities, the VFW Foundation will provide a dollar match in the form of an unrestricted grant. A minimum of 500 hours must be documented to qualify for the volunteerism grant.

For more information, visit vfw.org/UTCH.

This article is featured in the 2023 October issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Dave Spiva, associate editor for VFW magazine.

A VFW Post in the Buckeye State donated $1,000 to their high school’s music program.

VFW Post 3360 in Defiance, Ohio, presented a check to the band’s assistant director Erin Blackwood during a ceremony at the Post in September. VFW Post 3360 member Stacy Hilton, an Army veteran who served in Bosnia and Croatia, said that the Post already has a deep relationship with the town’s high school and its students.

“The Post provides color guard services at the football games,” Hilton said. “The high school band also is a big part of this community. We feel that it is important to support children in band.”

Hilton added that not only do school bands help build teamwork among its students, but the activity is also proven to help students with their curriculum. Hilton said she has her own daughter in the high school band and has seen firsthand how important it is to have music in schools.

“If my daughter didn’t have a band to be a part of, she probably would not have anything else,” Hilton said. “She has made such excellent friends. And I know she is not the only one who benefits from playing in the band.”

For their VFW Day of Service in May 2023, VFW Post 1533 members in San Antonio split their time into two volunteer sessions at the San Antonio Food Bank.

A cohort of 18 Post members spent more than three hours apiece on May 16 and May 19, respectively, working out of the San Antonio Food Bank’s warehouse sorting and packing food for those suffering from food insecurity.

“Our Day of Service was spent in a warehouse working with fellow volunteers from across our community who were equally committed to fighting hunger,” VFW Post 1533 Judge Advocate General Suzzie Thomas said. “By luck and good fortune, we were joined by high school students, volunteers from USAA and a large group of Navy chiefs.”

VFW Post 1533 also donated $500 to the Food Bank, helping provide more 3,500 meals for the community, an additional token of their mission.

“VFW’s Day of Service is about perspective and team work,” Thomas said. “We can all get caught up in our daily grind and life’s challenges, so it is important to make the time and have a reason to come together as a team to make a positive impact.”

Despite their efforts during the 2023 Day of Service, Post 1533 members went beyond the month of May and remained involved with the Food Bank throughout the summer. In July, they also hosted a food and pet drive at their Post, donating an additional 1,072 food items to the San Antonio Food Bank.

WASHINGTON – Sept. 29 is National Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Day, celebrating one of the largest and most established organization of war veterans in the United States. It is a day celebrated not only by its members at Posts throughout the country and around the world, but also by the generations of veterans, service members, their families and communities that have benefited from the continued service of our great organization.

Established on this date in 1899, a group of 13 veterans from Spanish-America war and Philippine Insurrection joined together to form what would become the nation’s largest and most dedicated group of combat veterans. Originally called the American Veterans of Foreign Service, the new organization differed from previous veteran fraternal societies as it not only opened membership to all ranks from all branches of service, but also to veterans of all foreign wars. In doing so, the young organization ensured its relevancy to every generation of veteran from that moment on into the future.

Since its inception, the VFW has been unwavering in its devotion “to honor the dead by helping the living” and has been on the front lines of veteran advocacy in Washington, D.C., for more than a century. From leading the charge in demanding compensation for WWI veterans, to the establishments of the Veterans Administration, the national cemetery system, the GI Bill of Rights and last year’s PACT Act, the VFW has proved itself as one of the most powerful and influential voices on Capitol Hill.

The VFW’s selfless service goes far beyond legislation advancing veterans’ benefits. Through its network of service officers and claims representatives, the VFW helped veterans recoup $11.9 billion annually in VA disability compensation and pension benefits, ensuring veterans and their families get the care they earned and deserve. The VFW has also provided financial assistance to military families valued at more than $12.9 million since 2004; awarded more than $12.3 million in scholarships to more than 2,700 veterans and service members since 2014; and donated nearly $45 million annually to local community service projects thanks to the hard work, charity and commitment of the more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary. Our years of military service may be behind us, but we are still serving our fellow veterans, our communities and our country.

Show your support by honoring all members and veterans in your community. On this VFW Day, everyone is invited to celebrate the tradition of continuous service and steadfast devotion that defines the VFW on social media using the hashtags #VFWDay and #StillServing.

Happy Birthday, VFW – “No One Does More For Veterans!”

Mark Little had been thinking about renovations for some time, but he hadn’t considered a Home Depot grant until a fellow VFW member from a different Post brought it up.

Little, commander at VFW Post 4736 in Greenfield, Ohio, took it upon himself to follow through with the suggestion last year by contacting his local Home Depot.

“It was out of curiosity, but I reached out and asked the manager how I would go about applying,” Little said. “They instructed me on how to apply for a grant through the Home Depot Foundation.”

The local Home Depot then sent a few staffers over to Post 4736, asking Little to describe the work needed in detail before measuring parts and coming up with an estimated cost for approval from the Home Depot Foundation.

Expecting a long wait, Little was surprised with the Foundation’s quick approval for a $7,000 grant to help renovate the inside of Post 4736’s 5,000-square-foot clubhouse.

“It was hardly a wait at all,” Little said. “The grant didn’t include manpower, but we had about 18 volunteers between the local Home Depot and our Post members.”

The 18-man volunteer crew began by removing the old, tar-stained drop-ceiling and panel-hanging framework, as well as the air conditioning and heating ductwork and diffusers. They then set up a new drop-ceiling, framing materials and panels, adding fluorescent lighting throughout the clubhouse.

“And we only had to close the Post down for about a week,” Little said. “It was a very good job, considering even the ventilation and diffusers in the ceiling had to be torn out and replaced. That took a lot of work.”

What began on March 6 of last year concluded four days later when Post 4736, under Little’s leadership, reopened its doors to members on March 10.

For Little, welcoming Post members into the clubhouse following the project brought a sense of relief as he looked up and didn’t see the “nicotine-stained” ceiling that kept him up some nights.

“It was a really outstanding transformation,” Little said. “We have a brand new, clean and healthy clubhouse now. And that’s a testament to the hard work our Post and Home Depot volunteers put in. I’m deeply grateful to them for making this a reality.”

With the inside of the Post rejuvenated, Little has since set his sights on the outside.

This year, Post 4736 was approved for a 50/50 grant in partnership with Greenfield’s Facade Improvement Program, which sets out to revitalize its historic downtown area.

“This project will help us renew the front of our building with a new structure, windows, paint and signage,” Little said. “When opportunities like these are presented, we must take advantage to maximize our building and facilities for our members for years to come.”

The project, according to Little, is slated for completion at the end of this year.

This article is featured in the 2023 September issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., senior writer for VFW magazine.

Along the Gulf Coast of Florida, VFW Post 9236 in Hernando Beach celebrated the back-to-school spirit by donating more than 850 backpacks to its community this summer.

The Post, about 52 miles west of Tampa, Florida, spread the wealth of backpacks across several avenues to help a wide variety of families in need by providing them with something as essential as a backpack for school.

“Realizing that so many families are currently struggling to provide essentials, it means the world to me to be able to facilitate these donations to Hernando County families,” VFW Post 9236 Commander Jason Spencer said. “Every little but helps, and we’re thrilled to help.”

They donated 150 backpacks to a local high school teacher and VFW Post 9236 Auxiliary member, 200 to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office for their annual giveaway, as well as 500 toward a Florida-based supermarket chain’s annual “Stuff the Bus” event.

“They stuff school buses at each of their stores,” VFW Post 9236 Auxiliary President Lisa Spencer said of Publix, an employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Fla. “They were extremely grateful to have backpacks for the supplies to be put in.”

Every Fall season for the past five years, the Post and its Auxiliary also have collected supplies to fill backpacks for homeless veterans. They host a drive to collect socks, gloves, beanie hats, personal hygiene products, shelf stable snacks, hand warmers, can openers and other comfort items. Each backpack receives a special blanket either sewn or crocheted by the Auxiliary.

“We collect items through the Fall months and stuff and distribute the backpacks in early December,” Spencer said. “We love helping our veterans and doing community service. That’s what the VFW is all about.”