The Veterans of Foreign Wars has a rich tradition in enhancing the lives of millions through its community service programs and special projects. From providing free phone cards to our nation's active-duty military personnel to raising money for the World War II memorial, the VFW is there, "honoring the dead by helping the living."

The VFW continues to be the Nation's strongest voice for veterans and the catalyst for change in improving veteran's benefits.
 

The fundamental difference between our Organization and other veteran organizations, and one in which we take great pride, is our eligibility qualifications. There are three requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: (1) Citizenship; (2) Honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States; (3) Service entitling the applicant to  the award of a recognized campaign medal or as set forth in the Congressional Charter and/or By-Laws.

Checking Eligibility: Checking eligibility is comparatively simple. Assuming that a person is a United States citizen and has an honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces, it only remains to be proven that the person served outside the continental limits of the U.S. and has earned a campaign or service medal recognized by the VFW as meeting the campaign medal requisite for VFW Membership. (The only exception is for service in Korea after June 30, 1949, until present.)

Discharges issued during and immediately after the close of World War II have a section on the back listing the medals and decorations which have been earned. Persons discharged later received a DD-214, "Report of Separation" form, which has a space showing medals and decorations. Lost separation documents can be replaced by completing and submitting GSA Standard Form 180, "Request Pertaining to Military Records."

There is always a possibility of an omission on the separation documents. If an applicant claims entitlement to a medal which is not shown on the individual's separation papers, that person may request verification and correction of records by submitting a GSA Standard Form 180.

The GSA Standard Form 180 is available from any office of the Veterans Administration or state Veterans Departments. The form must be completed and signed by the veteran in order to receive the information requested or authorize the release of the information to the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Eligibility Regulations: The information at (ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY SERVICE INFORMATION) is to be used as a guide in determining eligibility for membership, and is furnished as a matter of information concerning the periods during which campaign and/or service medals were authorized. The represented campaign medals, and the periods for which issued, have been authorized by the United States of America, and the holder of any such medal or medals is recognized as possessing the campaign medal requisite of eligibility.