Are You Eligible?

The fundamental difference between our organization and other veterans organizations, and one in which we take great pride, is our eligibility qualifications. VFW welcomes all who meet our eligibility criteria. It's through service to this country that all our membership has earned their elite status.   VFW membership eligibility consists of three criteria:

Citizenship – must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. national.

Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently serving.

Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters. This can be proven by any of the following: – an authorized campaign medal (see other side for a list of qualifying medals and badges) – receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement) – service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days Recognized Campaign Medal.  ( Am I Eligible? )

This information is usually available through a veteran’s DD-214. If other information is needed or if a veteran’s DD-214 is not complete, they can contact the National Personnel Records Center at 314-801-0800 or online at http://www.archives.gov/veterans/evetrecs/ to request more information.

 

You can join us even if you are still serving in the military. The VFW counts over 75,000 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard service members among our ranks.

 

If a veteran’s DD-214 or other military documentation confirms they have been awarded one of these campaign medals and they have served honorably, then they are eligible for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Partial list of awards, devices, ribbons & medals for eligibility

• SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia
• Combat Infantryman Badge
• Combat Medic Badge
• Combat Action Ribbon
• Combat Action Badge
• Air Force Combat Action Medal
• Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon (with Gold Border)
• Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Navy Expeditionary Medal, & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
• Nicaraguan Campaign Medal

• Yangtze Service Medal
• China Service Medal
• American Defense Service Medal
• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
• American Campaign Medal
• Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
• Army of Occupation Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal
• Korean Service Medal
• Korea Defense Service Medal
• Vietnam Service Medal
• Southwest Asia Service Medal
• Kosovo Campaign Medal
• Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal
• Afghanistan Campaign Medal
• Iraq Campaign Medal

If you have received a campaign medal for overseas service; have served 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days in Korea; or have ever received hostile fire or imminent danger pay, then you're eligible to join our ranks.

For a complete list of eligibility information.  Please click here.

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.

 

For any questions regarding VFW eligibility, please contact our post, or the Membership Department at membership(at)vfw.org or by calling 1-888-JOIN-VFW (564-6839) for assistance.