Veterans Continue To Have Each Others Back

Are you a veteran that served overseas? Did you receive an Expeditionary Medal for your service overseas or a Campaign Medal? Were you stationed in Korea or in Berlin? If so you may be eligible to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars and continue serving your country and comrades alongside veterans from many generations. The VFW is more than a lounge where old soldiers swap stories.

The VFW is a nonprofit veteran’s service organization comprised of eligible veterans from the active, guard and reserve forces. Today, membership stands at nearly 1.7 million members. September 29th, 2017 marked the 118^th anniversary of its inception. During those 118 years veterans from generations have banned together to ensure all veterans get the benefits they deserve and much more! Below are just a few.

Our voice was instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, development of the national cemetery system, in the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, we won a long-fought victory with the passing of a GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America's active duty service members, and members of the guard and reserves, fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. We were the driving force behind the Veterans Access and Accountability Act of 2014, and continually fight for improved VA medical centers services for women veterans.

Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, in 2005 the VFW became the first veterans' organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010. And in 2015, we became the first supporter of the National Desert Storm War Memorial which is planned for construction at our nation's capital.

While serving in the armed forces we had each other’s back! In being a member of the VFW you’re continuing that creed. If we don’t, who will? Unfortunately, in this day and age, our local, state and federal governments consistently must be persuaded and pushed to do the right thing on behalf of the 20+ million veterans and the 2+ million serving today.

This is where your membership comes in. Join us in bettering your communities, assist in developing young minds, continue to honor the memory of the fallen, help their widows, widowers and their children and assist in being that voice that stands up for all veterans.

I humbly ask each eligible veteran to seriously consider finding out more about the VFW and no longer drive by the local post telling yourself “I have to check that place out someday!” Stop on by, we’d be honored to have you!!

Yours in Comradeship,

Timothy “J” Juillett

Commander, 19^th District

Department of Illinois

Veterans of Foreign Wars