Members of VFW Post 10417 Harrison, Arkansas, have been busy the past few months. On April 13, the Post’s annual celebration banquet was held to honor several individuals for their time and talents throughout the year.

Three middle-school students were recognized for winning top spots in the Patriot’s Pen essay contest.

Kayden Ann Loveday claimed first place with an essay that captures the essence of the American spirit, highlighting the diversity, freedoms and opportunities that define America.

In her essay, Loveday articulated how the courage and perseverance of America’s founders continue to inspire her. Loveday emphasized the importance of hard work and determination in achieving personal goals, which mirrors the dedication shown by those who shaped the nation’s history.

“America inspires me to dream big, to work hard to achieve my goals like my ancestors who worked hard to make this country what it is today,” Loveday wrote. “I believe the land of the free and the home of the brave and that we are given all the opportunities to achieve our goals, and to become who and what we want to be America inspires me because of the welcoming diversity in our country, no matter your color, race or religion.”

Also at the VFW Post 10417 ceremony, Isaak Farmer received 3rd place and Phoebe Ann Shine, who was not present, received 2nd place.

Several students were recognized with awards for their creative masterpieces in the Auxiliary’s Creative Patriotic Art Contest, which included the 3-D category.

A few days after the banquet, members attended the grand opening of Boston Mountain Rural Health Center. The Post had previously contributed financially to ensure the center’s opening.

In May, the Post held its annual Buddy Poppy drive outside the Harrison Walmart. On May 17-18 volunteers set up shop to distribute Buddy Poppies and tell the VFW story.

VFW Post 10417 is one of thousands across the country working to make communities better and spread the good work of the VFW.

This article is featured in the 2024 June issue of Checkpoint.

VFW members around the world delved into VFW’s third annual Day of Service this year, an initiative to engage veterans, service members and local advocates in a widespread attempt to make a meaningful impact in their communities.

This year’s Day of Service built on the success of the previous two years, as VFW Posts in all 50 states, as well as those in Europe, Cuba, the Philippines, Japan and Thailand, participated.

The results of this year’s Day of Service stemmed from a decision by VFW to continue to expand and conduct outreach campaigns months in advance. VFW National Headquarters alerted members with information in VFW magazine and through a robust social media campaign.

With the Day of Service hashtag used more than 3 million times across social and traditional media, the gospel of what VFW does in and around their communities spread universally, as more than 500 Posts around the world participated this year.

“You can’t walk in anyone else’s shoes because you don’t know where they’re at in their life,” said VFW Post 5408 Commander Dwayne Kilbourne, whose Post in Acworth, Georgia, hosted a drive-through food drive. “Hopefully, we brought a smile to someone’s face today – and who knows what that will do for them tomorrow.”

Like Kilbourne, Garrett Collins of VFW Post 2260 in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, shared similar sentiments on the impact a Day of Service can have on their communities.

Post 2260 hosted a “Fill the Humvee” food drive, an event Garrett explained was a special way for veterans to continue doing something they enjoy.

“I like to serve,” Garrett added. “Even though we don’t wear our uniforms anymore, we still serve the community. It feels good to give.”

Other notable VFW Posts were 8273 in Frisco, Texas, which hosted the “Wall that Heals,” a traveling replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and VFW Post 3396 in Sparks, Nevada, whose members partnered with other groups to beautify their local high school.

This month, VFW magazine continues its “Destination Post Series.” The series will feature 125 VFW Posts located in sought-after tourist destinations. Featured VFW Posts are those that make a real difference in the communities in which the Posts are located. This month’s article takes VFW magazine readers to the Memphis, Tennessee, area.

Overlooking the “Mighty Mississippi River,” Memphis is known as the home of the blues and the birthplace of Rock n’ Roll. Names such as Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King and of course, Elvis Presley, are synonymous with Memphis. The “Queen of Soul,” Aretha Franklin, was born just steps from the famous Stax Recording Studio.

Whether it is a night on Beale Street listening to live music or a trip to the Peabody Hotel to see the Peabody Mallards march from the elevator every morning at 11 a.m. for a daily swim in the fountain, or catching a Redbirds baseball game downtown, there is plenty to see in Memphis, making it a prime destination for tourists.

Just a short drive to the north of Memphis on U.S. Highway 51 is Millington, Tennessee, home of VFW Post 7175. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Mid-South also is in Millington. It serves as the Navy’s Human Resources Center of Excellence. Headquartered there are Navy Personnel Command, Navy Recruiting Command, the Navy Manpower Analysis Center, as well as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Finance Center.

Post 7175 is a popular place among those serving at NSA Mid-South. Several of the Post’s members once served at the Navy base and returned to Millington following retirement and made the VFW part of their lives.

While the Post’s members are active in their community, they know how to have a good time while raising funds to benefit the Post’s relief efforts. January’s Macaroni and Cheese Throwdown and the Post’s annual chili competition are two of the events drawing big crowds to support the Post. Members also host a carwash in exchange for donations benefiting the Post.

Live music from local groups such as the Whiskey Saints and Sneaky Pete draw Millington residents who fill the Post’s large parking lot. Friday steak nights, Taco Tuesdays and the Post’s annual crawfish boil also are popular with the community.

The Children’s Christmas Party at the Post is a favorite, as Santa delivers gifts to boys and girls up through 12 years old.

Millington Sea Cadets often partner with the Post, providing the Honor Guard for commemorative events such as remembering those killed in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The Post’s large, picturesque lot includes picnic tables and a fire ring. It is the perfect location for community-wide cookouts.

Post 7175 Commander Steven Rossi said that the Millington Post is the only one in the county open seven days a week, and he believes that is a great benefit to the community.

“My favorite thing about this Post is that we are veterans helping veterans,” said Rossi, who served in the Army and Air Force for a combined total of 39 years. “The way we help veterans is the best.”

Post Quartermaster Earl Sheehan agrees that while people are drawn to the Post for a fun time, it is the community involvement he likes best.

“I really like it when we actually get out and help the veterans,” Sheehan said. “That is what we are here to do.”

Incoming Post Commander Tuck Williams served at NSA Mid-South three different times in his more than 30 years in the Navy – including serving on eight ships over nearly 14 years. He joined the VFW, he said, because he wanted to continue to serve.

“Countless times, vets call about someone needing help, and we answer that call,” said Williams. “We have an amazing community here.”

Williams noted one time a young man stopped in the Post and was on his way to see his dying father. He was out of money. The Post provided him with a place to stay and passed the hat so that he had enough money to travel to his father and see him before he died.

“The generosity of the people here is really something,” Williams said.

Like Williams’ reason for joining, new VFW member Qunita Triplett, a retired Navy master chief, joined to continue her service.

“I wanted to give back, so I joined,” said Triplett, who served more than 22 years in the Navy. “I just felt the need to continue serving in some way.”

Be sure to follow VFW Post 7175 on Facebook at Veterans of Foreign Wars-Post 7175. If you happen to be in the Memphis area, stop in at the Post at 4681 Cuba Millington Rd.

This article is featured in the 2024 June/July issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Janie Dyhouse, senior editor for VFW magazine.

On the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa, three members of the VFW Department of Montana participated in bringing home the remains of an unidentified Marine killed in action at the Tarawa Atoll in the Gilbert Islands more than 2,000 miles southwest of Pearl Harbor.

VFW Post 10010 member Tim Sowa of East Helena joined Post 276 members Mike Pryor and Fred Hamilton from Whitefish in traveling to Kiribati’s capital via a History Flight mission last November to retrieve the remains of a Marine killed during the Battle of Tarawa.

For Sowa, who joined the Marines in 1971 and did a three-year tour as a generator mechanic in places such as Okinawa and Thailand, the opportunity to return a fellow Marine to his family helped him ease some of his own wounds.

“It was an unbelievable experience to be able to help bring closure to a family,” said Sowa, who also served 10 years in the Marine Corps Reserve and 27 years with the Montana Army National Guard before his retirement in 2011. “But I needed this for my healing, too, for my survivor’s guilt. I can look at it and know I did something for someone else.”

The once-in-a-lifetime trip to Kiribati by Sowa, Pryor and Hamilton stemmed from years of planning and coordinating between VFW Department of Montana Adjutant Tim Peters and the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

Through Peters, who began conversations with the DPAA in 2019 and coordinated the History Flight, according to Sowa, the three VFW members were granted a nearly all-expenses-paid trip to Kiribati that the VFW Department of Montana mostly funded.

“I am really grateful to the VFW Department of Montana and everyone that was involved in making this happen,” Sowa said. “It showed their warmth and their devotion to bringing people home, and that is what matters to us, taking care of our veterans and bringing them home.”

As part of the History Flight and the timeliness of their trip during the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa, the VFW trio also participated in a commemoration ceremony alongside members of the Marine Corps, U.S. Ambassador Marie C. Damourand and Kiribati President Taneti Maamau.

They toured the battleground and learned what transpired when on Nov. 20, 1943, 35,000 troops from the 2nd Marine Division and the Army’s 27th Infantry Division invaded and took the island from the Japanese in 76 hours.

Despite the overwhelming victory by the Allied forces, the aftermath reports noted 1,020 American soldiers went missing or were killed during the battle, as well as the death of 4,836 Japanese troops, with only 17 survivors.

The VFW members also participated in honoring the remains of the Marine, which were flown to Hawaii, where they will undergo testing for proper identification.

“You’re humbled to know that that person gave his life for you,” Sowa said. “And when we sent him on the plane, you are humbled again. And then when we walked the beaches, you are really humbled to know what they went through. You are walking there, but you do not have bullets or shells or explosions around you.”

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo., – This year the VFW enters its 125th year of service to veterans, service members and their families. As such, the VFW has proudly launched a year-long campaign to commemorate the momentous occasion.

The VFW traces its roots back to Spanish-American war when the battle wounded returned home to no health care, benefits and little support. Left to fend for themselves, a group of 13 veterans gathered in a small tailor shop in Columbus, Ohio, to discuss how they could assist their fellow veterans and dependents of their fallen brothers-in-arms.

In fact, they weren’t alone. Several small, unaffiliated organizations were taking shape in areas across the United States with a common goal of advocating for veterans’ needs, and in 1899, two key groups were established: the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines. These groups would soon merge to become the VFW. It’s mission: To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.

The VFW would quickly grow in membership and influence, expanding its advocacy efforts to educational benefits, disability pensions and hospital services. The group would also cultivate its local impact initiatives through community service, youth scholarships and programs, and civic engagement activities.

Today, and throughout its storied history, the VFW has led the charge in making available positive, life-changing support and resources through its advocacy initiatives and services to include the establishment of the Veterans Administration. It has played an instrumental role in the passage of every piece of vital veterans legislation and collects $13 billion in benefits and compensation from the VA annually for veterans.

Today’s launch of the commemorative campaign celebrates the VFW’s legacy of service with a dedicated microsite, commemorative VFW Post program and a sneak peek into an upcoming line of commemorative VFW Store items. New initiatives will be added as the organization builds momentum to its official founding date of Sept. 29 and to its conclusion at the 125th VFW National Convention in August 2025.

In a special ceremony on April 20 at Post 1333 in Neptune, New Jersey, World War II veteran Stanley Dubroff, 97, was awarded this year’s Neptune Township/VFW Hometown Heroes Award.

Nominated by Post 1333, where he serves as the oldest living member, Dubroff was selected by the Neptune Township Veterans Committee as its annual Hometown Hero for continued activity in assisting his Post reach its community goals.

“I was humbled to receive the award,” said Dubroff, who spoke of his being drafted at the age of 18. “I was in the Army as the son of a naturalized citizen. My father was a fierce American. I had two brothers who were medically unable to serve. It was a matter of personal pride on his part that he had a son going to fight for his country.”

Dubroff went on to serve in the Army from December 1944-46, his original enlistment into the Navy being rejected because of color blindness. He did his basic training at Camp Croft in South Carolina before being deployed with A Co., 382nd Inf. Regt., 96th Inf. Div., to the Philippines in July 1945.

“I didn’t feel that I did anything special,” Dubroff said. “I was serving in the Philippines preparing to go into combat as a BAR man when I learned we were to be in the lead for the invasion of Japan. The atom bomb saved Company A from being at the forefront of the invasion of Japan as not invading Japan undoubtedly saved my life.”

At Babe Ruth Field in Hollister California’s Veterans Park, the crowd’s excitement was palpable as two San Benito Bambino teams came together on April 27 in the third game of their season to play the Warriors, composed of the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242.

As the loudspeakers blasted her entrance music, Joan Jett’s “I Love Rock and Roll,” Bambino Fay Rendon was preparing for her turn at bat, carrying herself with a confidence that any ball player would admire.

“I think we are going to kill these guys,” said Rendon, 19. “We kick [butt] every time. I love coming out here – I feel like a superstar.”

The Bambino League, along with the companion program, the Challenger League, is part of a baseball program for players with either intellectual or physical special needs. “They come out and enjoy baseball just like anybody else,” said Coach Daniel Gutierrez. “It’s all part of getting some exercise, hitting the ball and having fun.”

Rendon’s words proved prophetic. The 15 players on the team scored run after run while the Warriors seemed to have forgotten even the simplest fundamentals of the game, consistently throwing the ball too late or in the wrong direction – when they could even manage to catch the ball.

The final score of the two-inning contest was 30-0, echoing the results of a game earlier in the day, 24-0 win for two other Bambino teams against the VFW Post members. The Bambinos somehow never suffered a single out, and the Warriors, no matter how many times they crossed the plate, never managed to score a run.

“These kids do a lot of trash-talking,” VFW Post Commander Bernie Ramirez said. “But we have a pretty slow group here. We’re getting a little old for this.”

To be fair, the game’s rules were weighted against the veterans. Each of the two innings does not end until every Bambino has batted. The players are pitched up to six balls, and if none are hit, the ball is placed on a tee. Assistance is available for any player who needs help batting or running the bases.

“Coach Adam Mendolla asked us to come out and play,” Ramirez said. “And anybody who’s ever played with these kids can feel it in their hearts. It’s amazing, just the greatest thing you can do.”

This story (edited for length) and photo are by Robert Eliason and re-printed with permission from the Benito Link San Benito County News.

VFW Post 3641 members in Pueblo, Colorado, hosted nine veterans during their fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair on May 3.

With tents scattered around the Post’s outdoor area, low income and homeless veterans in attendance were treated to several services provided by Post 3641’s members and volunteers as part of their initiative to mind the gap.

“We are here to fill a gap the best we can and it’s not perfect, but, we have people who are in need that we can provide some resolutions to some of their needs,” Post 3641 Commander Fred Gauna said.

At the Post’s fifth annual Homeless Veterans Fair, all veterans who participated were treated to free haircuts, health checks, warm meals and food pantry items to take with them for later.

“We also had vendors that offered free government phones, Medicare assistance and education opportunities,” Gauna said. “Our Post VSO was also there to offer assistance on compensation claims.”

Guana added that because his Post is very community-oriented, the VFW not only hosted veterans in need, but registered more than 66 other low income and homeless participants in providing them with these services free of charge.

“Attendees were appreciative, thankful, hopeful and skeptical,” Guana said. “Skeptical in that they were unsure on what services they could receive. We were glad to be able to provide all of them with these services.”

The next Homeless Veterans Fair at Post 3641 is slated for May 2.

A Vermont VFW Post Auxiliary in April hosted a successful bingo fundraiser to support a service dog training program that helps bring together service dogs with military veterans and first responders.

More than 100 bingo players participated in the event, which featured a 50/50 raffle and additional prizes, at VFW Post 1034 Auxiliary in Brattleboro, Vt. The guests also had lunch and met service dogs, Mercie and Sasquatch, from Vermont Paws and Boots. Those attending also were educated about the Bennington-based program by Vermont Paws and Boots Executive Director Michelle LeBlanc, a member of VFW Post 1034.

According to the organization’s website, the mission of Vermont Paws and Boots is to save the lives of veterans and first responders who struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and physical disabilities.

“Being in southern Vermont, we don’t have any military bases, so we need to make sure we take care of organizations in our area,” said Karen Campbell, president of VFW Post 1034’s Auxiliary. “We felt that Vermont Paws and Boots was an amazing organization. Veterans and first responders give so much to our country and community.”

The fundraising event raised more than $1,300. For more information about Vermont Paws and Boots, visit www.vermontpawsandboots.org.

WASHINGTON – “The first amendment of the Constitution grants the rights of freedom of speech and of the people peacefully to assemble, the same rights members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) swore an oath to support and defend. We also support the rule of law in our country and those working to uphold it. Without them, segments of our population would have their rights infringed upon. While those staging protests on college campuses across the country have the right to free speech and to peaceful assembly, they do not have the right to violently act out against others. We are confident law enforcement will restore safety and security for all those impacted by the abject lawlessness over this past week.”

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About the VFW: The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. is the nation’s largest and oldest major war veterans organization. Founded in 1899, the congressionally chartered VFW is comprised entirely of eligible veterans and military service members from the active, Guard and Reserve forces. With more than 1.4 million VFW and Auxiliary members located in nearly 6,000 Posts worldwide, the nonprofit veterans service organization is proud to proclaim “NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS” than the VFW, which is dedicated to veterans’ service, legislative advocacy, and military and community service programs. For more information, or to join, visit our website at vfw.org.