Veterans of Foreign Wars The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States ( VFW ) is a congressionally chartered ( Title 36 USC Chapter 2301 ) war veterans organization in the United States . Headquartered in Kansas City , Missouri , VFW currently has 1 . 5 million members belonging to 7 , 644 posts , and is the largest American organization of combat veterans . Membership eligibility . Members must be a U . S . citizen or national with an honorable discharge from the U . S . military , or currently serving in the United States Army , Marine Corps , Navy , Air Force , or Coast Guard . Membership also requires military service overseas during an operation or conflict and decoration with an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal , a campaign medal ( or ribbon ) . A Leave and Earnings Statement showing receipt of hostile fire or imminent danger pay is also acceptable proof for membership eligibility . Partial list of awards , devices , ribbons & medals for eligibility . and / or Service for thirty ( 30 ) consecutive days duty in Korea or sixty ( 60 ) days of non - consecutive duty in Korea . Service members currently deployed to a combat zone meet the qualification for joining the VFW . A DD214 or World War II era discharge paper with campaign medals , and / or badges printed on back is used to verify membership eligibility . Several presidents of the United States have been members of the VFW . They include - Theodore Roosevelt , Harry S Truman , Dwight D . Eisenhower , John F . Kennedy , Lyndon B . Johnson , Richard M . Nixon , Gerald R . Ford and George H . W . Bush . Vice Presidents Spiro T . Agnew and Albert Gore were also members . History . In 1899 , a Post began in Denver , Colorado . There are two other Posts which claim to be the first , but the VFW national organization recognizes the Denver Post as being first ; it is now officially " VFW Post 1 , John S . Stewart Post " . The VFW name was created on September 17 , 1914 at a conference at the Schenley Hotel in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania . The new organization was a merger of two prior veterans organizations , both beginning in 1899 : the American Veterans of Foreign Service and the National Society of the Army of the Philippines . The former was formed for veterans of the Spanish – American War , while the latter was formed for veterans of the Philippine – American War . On May 28 , 1936 , by an act of the United States Congress , the VFW became a government - chartered non - profit organization . As such , it receives no funding from United States tax receipts and is supported by charitable donations . Mission . VFW works on behalf of American veterans by lobbying Congress for better veteran s ' health care and benefits . The VFW also maintains a nationwide organization of employees and volunteers to assist veterans with their VA disability claims . VFW also donates much money and lots of hours for work for the city . One of their most popular programs provides free phone calls to overseas active military members . The current Commander of the VFW is John E . Hamilton . National Military and National Veterans Service Programs . National Military Services . VFW National Military Services ( NMS ) promotes positive awareness of the VFW through community involvement , communication tools , and financial support to qualified military service members . With the variety of support offered , three separate programs were developed under the VFW National Military Services department . These programs are the Operation Uplink , Military Assistance Program , and Unmet Needs . Operation Uplink . VFW started Operation Uplink in 1996 to connect deployed and hospitalized service members with their families through free phone calls . In 2004 VFW began providing Free Call Days twice a month to service members deployed abroad . Since then Free Call Days have provided service members with more than 4 million free phone calls home . Military Assistance Program . The Military Assistance Program ( MAP ) is the VFW ' s most direct connection between military units and Posts at the local level . Through MAP Posts have held going away , welcome home events , and unit picnics for numerous military units . In the last 5 years MAP has helped Posts host more than 1 million service members and their families . The Adopt - a - Unit program also falls under MAP and connects military units around the world with a local Post that can offer resources and support . Unmet Needs . VFW Unmet Needs was created in 2004 through a corporate partnership to assist military service members and their families who run into unexpected financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other hardships directly related to military service . Unmet Needs assists with basic life needs such as mortgage and rent , home and auto repairs , insurance , utilities , food , and clothing . Unmet Needs helps meet unanticipated financial demands on service members ' families that can not be remedied through existing means and provides service members with the comfort of knowing that their families have additional support stateside . The financial assistance is in the form of up to $ 2 , 500 in grants that do not need to be repaid . All grants are paid directly to the " creditor " ( such as an electric company ) and not to the individual . Each case is reviewed individually and acceptance determined by a committee . National Veterans Services . The National Veterans Services exist to assist veterans in dealing with the Department of Veterans Affairs . This is usually in the form of providing advice and assistance to veterans filing disability claims for pensions , but can also come in the form of advice filing for VA home loans , education benefits , small business loans , or filling out other VA forms . VFW National Veterans Services can offer guidance to veterans wishing to file their own claims , or full - on support preparing , submitting , and tracking the progress of a claim . VFW Service Officers can also help veterans or surviving spouses resubmit denied claims or file a Notice of Disagreement as well as simply answer questions regarding medical , death / burial , and other miscellaneous benefits . Community involvement . Direct community involvement is a VFW priority , extending beyond the realm of veterans helping fellow veterans . Annually , VFW and the Men ' s and Ladies Auxiliaries donate more than 13 million volunteer hours of community service . VFW members mentor youth groups , help in community food kitchens , volunteer in blood drives , and visit hospitalized veterans . Others help veterans file compensation claims . VFW ' s Community Service programs are designed to encourage community service and increase civic pride , which ultimately enhances education , improves the environment , and ensures the availability of health services for veterans . VFW ' s Citizenship Education program is designed to stimulate interest in America ' s history and traditions and to promote citizenship , civic responsibility , and patriotism . VFW ' s Youth Scholarship programs provide more than $ 3 . 5 million in scholarships to our nation ' s youth . They include Voice of Democracy , Patriot ' s Pen youth essay contest , and Scout of the Year . The VFW ' s partnership with the Boy Scouts of America includes sponsoring more than 1 , 200 Scouting units with 40 , 000 members across the nation . VFW ' s Safety Program encourages VFW Posts and Auxiliaries to conduct programs in home , auto , and bicycle safety , as well as programs dealing with drug awareness and substance abuse . The VFW National Home for Children is a community development in a family - like environment that is home to orphaned or single parent children of VFW or Ladies Auxiliary members . The home , which was established in 1925 on in Eaton Rapids , Michigan , emphasizes the values of education , good work habits , and sound moral character .