No. 647 will celebrate the national organization's 100th anniversary next week. The event will be held at the post's facility on VFW Drive, off U.S. 58, Sept. 29 at 7 p.m., John Sullivan, post commander, said. This is not our post's 100th birthday, but we're honoring the 100th anniversary of our national organization.
Local officials plan to attend the ceremony.
From the Virginia VFW, State Commander Paul Moore will be the featured speaker and Senior Vice Commander Ray Chappell plans to attend. Sullivan said the VFW traces its roots back to 1899. In that year, the Veterans of the Spanish American War and the Philippine Insurrection founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for servicemen. In Denver, these veterans organized the Colorado Society, Army of the Philippines. Veterans of the Philippine Insurrection in Altoona and Pittsburgh, Penn. started the Philippine War Veterans.