Clinton, Utah, veteran and VFW Life member Chuck Love is #StillServing through leadership positions at the Corporal Fred J. Grant Post 1481 in nearby Ogden.

As the Post’s junior vice commander and honor guard captain, Love works as a liaison between families seeking military honors for loved ones at their funerals and the military organizations that provide them.

“The country’s veterans deserve to be honored, even after death,” he said. “This way, I can help ensure they are.”

Additionally, Love is an adult leader for the Post’s special needs Scout Troop 1481, providing guidance, support and organization for scouting and community youth activities.

“I enjoy working with the special needs scout members and hosting fun events. Assisting the community is important to me,” he said.

Iraq War veteran Sam Wybenga is #StillServing by helping veterans access affordable medical care with assistance from the VFW.

Wybenga was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022. As a Gold Legacy Life member of VFW Post 1 in Denver, Colorado, he advocates for veterans by sharing his experience navigating the medical claims and health care landscape. Today, Wybenga urges others to contact VFW Accredited Service Officers for claims assistance.

“I want all veterans to know they can receive help at no charge instead of going through an expensive law firm,” he said.

Wybenga has made it his mission to help veterans save thousands of dollars and make it clear that they do not have to face anything alone or pay a high price for support.

“I want younger generations of veterans to know that help is available through the VFW and how to find it,” he said.

During his tenure as commander of the VFW Department of New Jersey in 2020, Brian Wiener considered his options as to how best to help fellow veterans who, like him, suffered from PTSD and other post-service challenges.

Wiener, a Persian Gulf War veteran and firefighter in Atlantic City, New Jersey, quickly zeroed in on surfing, as that was something that had contributed a great deal to his own mental health following his six years in the Navy.

“I wanted to share that experience with others because of what it has done for me,” said Wiener, a Life member of VFW Post 6964 in Brigantine, New Jersey. “Out there, you are so far removed from work and home and all the triggers that you might suffer from. The neighborhood upstairs is never in an uproar when you are all alone at sea.”

To make this idea a reality, Wiener needed to find model examples by which to guide himself in creating a camp to dispense the therapeutic effects of surfing with fellow veterans.

He found the perfect model in the Warrior Surf Foundation, a veteran-owned nonprofit that has, since its inception in May 2015 along the shores of Folly Beach, South Carolina, addressed post-service transition challenges such as PTSD, moral injury, survivor’s guilt and TBI through surf therapy, yoga, wellness sessions and community.

Wiener said he reached out to the Warrior Surf Foundation through social media and explained his vision for the camp he wanted to start in Brigantine, which in turn was met with a very helpful response.

“They drove up here and helped me set things up and have been participating ever since,” Wiener said. “They are all certified in CPR, as well as counseling and teaching how to surf.”

The first annual Brig-Vet Surf Camp took place in July 2022 and proved successful for Wiener, who said more than 40 veterans stormed the shores of Brigantine Beach, about 7 miles along the coast from the Atlantic City skyline.

It has since welcomed more than 200 veterans from across the country, who flock to Brigantine Beach each July to participate in the two-day surf camp, oftentimes staying at hotels in Atlantic City paid for by Wiener and his team at Brig-Vet Surf Camp.

“We usually receive a lot of ‘thank you’ letters from those who come through our camp,” Wiener said. “But there are some who you can see the impact instantly. We have one individual, a Korean War vet, who had never been in the water and was afraid because of his Parkinson’s. One of our VA counselors took him out and spent the whole day in the water with him, and he, the vet, has been surfing every day since.”

Part of the appeal is that along with surf therapy, yoga and wellness sessions, Wiener also provides an opportunity for participants to connect with other veteran service organizations and groups offering a plethora of services.

These include the free assistance of VFW Accredited Service Officers and VA outreach coordinators who often help veterans with claims and other VA-related tasks.

Registered as a nonprofit by Wiener and his team in August 2022, the Brig-Vet Surf Camp has been able to expand its vision by raising more than $20,000 in donations, which mostly come from VFW Posts and Districts across New Jersey.

The Brig-Vet Surf Camp also served as current VFW Department of New Jersey Commander Luddie Austin’s service project, helping bolster the numbers of VFW members at this year’s camp on July 8-9.

Through the continued support and donations from the VFW and other VSOs, as well as local surf shops and a local chapter of the Elks, Wiener believes his nonprofit is becoming financially stable enough to eventually expand.

“We are just doing two days in July right now, but as we continue to grow and become financially stable,” Wiener said, “we are looking to start having it several times in the summer and eventually in the spring and fall.”

This article is featured in the 2024 August issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Ismael Rodriguez Jr., senior writer for VFW magazine.

LOUISVILLE, Ky., – From our 125th National Convention, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is thrilled to announce the selection of Army and Air Force Veteran Jerry Kayrouz as its 2023-2024 John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year. Awarded annually, the Biedrzycki Award is presented to a VFW Accredited Service Representative who has demonstrated exceptional achievements in support of the VFW’s veterans’ service mission and related programs.

“Our accredited representatives are the backbone of the VFW’s National Veterans Service,” said VFW National Commander Duane Sarmiento. “Day in and day out, they are in their communities getting veterans their hard-earned benefits and compensation. It is fitting that we bestow the Biedrzycki Award upon Jerry Kayrouz after an unbelievable career of selfless service.”

Kayrouz, who retired from his Department Service Officer role just last month, was an essential part of the VFW’s network of nearly 2,000 accredited representatives around the world and had served Louisville, Kentucky-area veterans and families since August 2001.

VFW Accredited Service Representatives are legally recognized and authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare, present and prosecute VA benefits claims. Importantly, VA-accredited representatives NEVER CHARGE for initial disability compensation claims. In fiscal year 2023 alone, the VFW’s Accredited Service Representative network secured over $13 billion in compensation and pension on behalf of veterans and eligible family members.

A native Louisvillian, Kayrouz served first as a jet engine mechanic in the U.S. Air Force from early 1965 to late 1968. He then went on to serve as a food service specialist in the Kentucky Army National Guard from 1982 to 1995 during which time he deployed in 1991 with the 438th MP Company to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Storm. Concurrently employed by the Ford Motor Company, he retired from Ford in 2000 after which he became a VFW Accredited Service Representative in 2001 where he served until his retirement in June 2024. In fiscal year 2024, he helped recoup more than $95 million for Kentucky’s VFW-represented veterans, families, and survivors.

Kayrouz joined the VFW in 1992 and holds his Life membership at Middletown Post 1170 in Louisville, Kentucky.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Humana and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) announced the results of the 2024 Uniting to Combat Hunger campaign and expanded the scope of the 2025 campaign during the 125th VFW National Convention today at the Kentucky International Convention Center.

The campaign exceeded its 2024 goal of 1 million meals to fight food insecurity among veterans. This brings the total to more than 5.6 million meals provided since the two organizations established the campaign in 2018. Humana employees teamed up with 158 VFW Posts and Auxiliaries in 41 states, gathering more than 102,000 pounds of food and nearly $183,000 for local food banks.

In addition to these results, Humana and the VFW have announced they will partner with Volunteers of America to focus on another prominent issue for the 2025 campaign – homelessness. After seven years solely focused on combatting food insecurity, local-level efforts will also focus on the additional needs of homeless veterans to help provide the stability they need to prioritize their health.

“Food insecurity and homelessness are both serious risks for suicide and other health issues. We continue our collaboration with the VFW on the Uniting to Combat Hunger Campaign to ensure our nation’s veterans have access to healthy foods and resources that can help decrease the risk of common health problems – both physical and mental,” said Tracy Nolan, Senior Vice President of Humana’s MarketPoint organization and also this year’s keynote speaker at the VFW National Convention opening ceremony. “We have a longstanding commitment to veterans, service members and their families, and this is just one way we can help provide resources when and where they need them.”

According to a recent report by the Military Family Advisory Network, one in five military and veteran families who responded to their survey said they have experienced food insecurity. Nearly half of the respondents mentioned barriers to consistently eating balanced meals, citing the cost of healthy food items as the primary barrier.

“The VFW is honored to be part of this vital initiative that has raised more than 1 million meals for the fifth consecutive year,” said VFW National Commander Duane Sarmiento. “And we remain committed to working alongside Humana to fight food insecurity among our military and veteran families.”

As part of the initiative to address food insecurity, volunteers came together during the Convention July 27 to pack 4,000 seed packets for distribution to VFW Posts and Auxiliaries as well as community gardens. This Seed Project partnership with the Society of Saint Andrew will yield approximately 72,000 pounds or nearly 2.9 million servings of fresh produce for local communities.

The Uniting to Combat Hunger Campaign and other important topics important to veteran health and well-being will be part of the discussion at the 125th VFW National Convention, which runs through Aug. 1. Humana and the VFW have a longstanding relationship spanning 12 years of support for veterans.

To learn more about the Uniting to Combat Hunger campaign, visit www.vfw.org/uniting-to-combat-hunger.

What started as an idea to hold a Mother’s Day event at VFW Post 5290 in Conyers, Ga., turned into an event Post members believe was the “best event the Post had ever hosted.”

Three Gold Star families in June attended a luncheon hosted at VFW Post 5290, which Senior Vice Commander Jim Closs said was difficult to put together. But he also said, “It was worth every second” spent on putting it together. Closs said that after contacting Army officials and going through a vetting process, three Gold Star families accepted invitations to the luncheon.

“There was a lot of enthusiasm with members of the Post for this event,” said Closs, a retired Air Force master sergeant. “Interest seemed to skyrocket for this lunch. Even I got more enthusiastic as we approached the date.”

Members of VFW Post 5290 met with the Gold Star families on June 22 for the luncheon Closs said was provided by a local restaurant and grocery store, which saved the Post $900.

“We were able to solicit more than $900 in community contributions, and everyone had such a great time,” Closs said. “One of the Gold Star wives remarried, and her husband is a gentleman who loved to entertain. And a Gold Star mother of another family had a niece who is a professional comedian. It was all impromptu, making it such a phenomenal event.”

Gold Star families are defined as a parent, spouse, sibling or child of a military member who became missing in action or died because of their service during a war period.

This article is featured in the 2024 July/August issue of VFW Checkpoint.

A VFW Post that is based across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri, raised nearly $800 after participating in a Domino’s pizza fundraising initiative.

VFW Post 3480 Commander Valerie Young, a 10-year Army National Guard and Reserve veteran, said she was aware of the program after seeing an advertisement. She added that it was the first fundraiser of the Post’s fiscal year.

Young – an Iraq War veteran who served with the Illinois Army National Guard in 2006 and 2008 – said she is always searching for businesses interested in a “collaboration with veterans.”

“We are always looking for ways to gain financial stability for the Post” said Young, adding that the East St. Louis, Illinois, Post does not have its own building.

“It’s hard for people to know that there is a VFW [in East St. Louis], because we don’t have a building,” Young said. “It has been a long process [to raise funds], but we have to do this the right way to stay out of debt.”

The Domino’s Slice the Price program is a fundraising initiative where participants sell cards that offer a “buy one large pizza, get one free” deal for $20, with $10 from each sale going to the participants.

This article is featured in the 2024 July/August issue of VFW Checkpoint.

VFW Post 6091 in Dillon County, South Carolina, welcomed more than 34 veterans to its inaugural Veterans Luncheon on June 26 at Union Baptist Church in Latta, South Carolina.

Created by the Post as an informative event to help support local veterans in myriad ways, the Veterans Luncheon hosted representatives from the VA and Humana Healthcare, as well as VFW service officers from the Department of South Carolina.

Aside from being provided a free meal, attendees received help processing or updating their medical claims with the VA, as well as obtain essential information on the SC Pathfinders Program, VA enrollment and eligibility, VA suicide prevention initiatives, VA death benefits, Medicaid supplemental health insurance and hospice care.

The luncheon, the first of three scheduled this year, received positive feedback, according to Post 6091 leadership, who extended their appreciation to the Union Baptist Church for lending their fellowship hall, as well as Humana for its contribution toward the meal.

The next luncheon of its kind is slated for Aug. 26 at Fresh Beginnings Christian Center in Dillon, South Carolina.

This article is featured in the 2024 July/August issue of VFW Checkpoint.

Members of VFW Post 3378 in Yuma, Colorado, hosted their third-annual dinner gettogether for as many local veterans as they could afford on June 28.

In a community of about 3,400 residents, Post 3378 members welcomed more than 75 veterans, which also included spouses or significant others, into their Post for grilled hotdogs and hamburgers, side dishes, chilled soft drinks and dessert.

Born out of a collective desire to create an open space, a safe haven, for fellow veterans to reunite or meet one another for the first time, Post 3378 Quartermaster Adam Beauprez said the event has grown considerably since it was first started in June 2022.

“Our population is only so large, but the popularity of the event has grown greatly,” Beauprez said. “The veterans really look forward to it each summer because it gives them a sense of solidarity and belonging with people who share a common thread as veterans.”

Beauprez added that for this year’s event, the Post purchased all their food from a local grocer and hired a local caterer to provide the side dishes and dessert. Post members also took turns grilling the meats, and some of the wives, Auxiliary members, manned the serving line.

“We had plenty to eat,” he said. “Ten or so of us also pitched in to clean up afterwards. A big thanks to all that lent a hand. It really does take a community.”

Though next year the Post leadership is considering moving the event from the last Friday of June to the last of July, according to Beauprez, he added that keeping this annual tradition going is an important part of what VFW aspires to do.

“Next year we might move it just to see if we capture a different group who have been unable to attend for whatever reason in June,” Beauprez said. “Part of the mission of the VFW is to foster camaraderie, and that is what we set out to continue to do here.”

Nathan Metz spent a total of 11 years in the military with five years of active service in the Army, and another six years in the Ohio National Guard. After enlisting in 1991, he was immediately stationed in Germany for three years, followed by another two years at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. When asked why he joined the military, Metz said he wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with life, but he knew he wanted an adventure.

After being discharged honorably as a sergeant in 1996, Metz spent a decade as a civilian before enlisting again in the Ohio National Guard in 2005. During this period, he was deployed to Kuwait in the Middle East from 2008-2009.

Metz is a Life member of VFW Post 2457 in New Haven, Indiana, where he now lives with his wife, Connie.

In 2019, Metz was approached by a county VFW Accredited Service Officer who needed help assisting veterans locally with their VA claims.

“I ended up working for their office for a while when I was notified the Ohio Department Service Officer was looking for a service officer to operate out of Cleaveland, Ohio,” Metz said. “I moved there to help other veterans apply for their benefits in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. One success led to another, and I transferred to Indiana to do the same work but live closer to my family.”

After his military career, Metz says he was always searching for something else to give his life purpose again.

“After being deployed, coming back home is difficult,” he said. “It’s hard to find a feeling of purpose again. This job gives me that purpose.”

Metz works diligently to help his fellow veterans get the benefits they deserve through the claims and appeals process. He spends his day answering emails and phone calls to gather the information he needs to assist with veterans’ claims.

“One story I remember is a veteran I represented at a board of veterans appeals hearing. He was eventually awarded his contention due to his testimony and the evidence we presented. He came out of the hearing with a 70% disability approval,” Metz said. “He was so grateful. He contacted me in tears saying this award will be life-changing for him. These are the ones that make this job worthwhile.”

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