At Babe Ruth Field in Hollister California's Veterans Park, the crowd's excitement was palpable as two San Benito Bambino teams came together on April 27 in the third game of their season to play the Warriors, composed of the members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9242. As the loudspeakers blasted her entrance music, Joan Jett's "I Love Rock and Roll," Bambino Fay Rendon was preparing for her turn at bat, carrying herself with a confidence that any ball player would admire. "I think we are going to kill these guys," said Rendon, 19. "We kick [butt] every time. I love coming out here - I ..read more

Mike Rogers joined the Army in 1968 right as he was about to be drafted for Vietnam. He first served from 1968-72 where he attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and airborne school. He then deployed to Vietnam as a rifle platoon leader in the 173rd Airborne Brigade. He served a second time from 1983-93 as a special forces soldier with assignments to Fort Bragg, Okinawa, Fort Lewis and Korea. He currently lives in Lake Placid, Florida, where he serves as the co-captain of VFW Post 4300's Honor Guard. "I have been a part of the Honor Guard for over five years now," he said. "We provide fina ..read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the launch of its TikTok channel, joining nine fellow veteran-serving organizations as part of TikTok's new "Veteran Voices" initiative. Veteran Voices focuses on key challenges afflicting the military and veteran community - mental health, affordable housing, and employment. Together, these trusted organizations will leverage TikTok's influential community of creators and engage audiences to provide critical support to those in need. "In this day and age, many veterans aren't going to walk into a VFW Post, so you have ..read more

Volunteers at the 125th VFW National Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, participated in a Uniting to Combat Hunger seed-packing event aimed at helping families affected by food insecurity. Those seeds were sent across the country to distributors that provide healthy and fresh produce to those in need. As part of the initiative to address the issue, volunteers on July 27 packed 4,000 seed packets that were distributed to VFW Posts and Auxiliaries, as well as community gardens. A partnership with the Society of Saint Andrew, a Virginia-based nonprofit that provides hunger relief to communities ..read more

VFW Post 5423 and its Auxiliary conducted a food drive on Aug. 31 for a school district's pantry that feeds Mountain Home, Idaho, residents in need. Post and Auxiliary members set out to aid the Bear Necessities Pantry, located at a local alternative school. Volunteers from the Post and Auxiliary collected more than 2,260 pounds of nonperishable goods from patrons of a local Walmart through an eight-hour period. The donations should provide food to approximately 160 families and last the pantry for about six months. Ashlie Lambrecht, a Bennett Mountain Community School coordinator, said she ha ..read more

For the past 13 years, a VFW Post in the Hawkeye State has helped raise more than $60,000 for local eighth-grade students who participate in an annual trip to Washington, D.C. To do this, the Post enlists the students to work breakfasts twice a month. In 2023, Post 1977 in Decorah, Iowa, raised more than $9,000 for 63 students who volunteered during breakfasts at the Decorah All Vets Club. Students this year will work on the first and third Sundays of each month during the school year. "It doesn't pay for their trip, but it's money the parents don't need to part with," Post 1977 Quartermaster ..read more

VFW Post 7689 in Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, donated $2,500 toward new helmets for the local high school football team to enhance safety measures in sports. Post Commander Doug Warmath presented the donation during Central High School's second football game at home in Martinsburg in mid-September. "The safety of our students is a top priority," Kayla Myers, president of the QB Club, told the Morrisons Cove Herald in Martinsburg. "We are incredibly grateful to the VFW and the broader community for coming together to ensure our athletes are well-equipped." The donation stemmed from the Spring Cov ..read more

Since March 2019, VFW Post 2667 and its Auxiliary have donated more than 15,000 pounds of food to local pantries around their community in Newnan, Georgia. Their efforts began when Auxiliary secretary and historian Janet Alford joined several others in tasking Auxiliary and VFW members to bring a jar of peanut butter to each monthly meeting at the Post. "They all thought it was a great idea," Alford said. "We started out slowly until the members finally remembered to bring their donations. We collected 28 jars of peanut butter in our first month, and then received about 10-11 jars for several ..read more

VFW magazine continues its "Destination Post Series" this month. The series will feature 125 VFW Posts located in sought-after tourist destinations. Featured VFW Posts are those that make a real difference in the communities in which the Posts are located. This month's article takes VFW magazine to Whidbey Island, Washington. Sprawled along the blueness of Puget Sound, Whidbey Island is a gangly island about 30 miles north of Seattle and nestled between the Olympic Peninsula and the I-5 corridor of western Washington, commonly known as the Purple Heart Trail. Known for its own trails, historic ..read more

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - "Throughout our storied history, times of challenge and adversity have brought forth the opportunity for VFW and VFW Auxiliary members to demonstrate the true spirit of our great organizations. Hurricane Helene recently presented us with yet another opportunity, and once again, our community united in the essence of our existence to answer the call of service to others. My deepest gratitude goes out to all VFW and Auxiliary members, and our supporters for the time, supplies, financial contributions and forward efforts in assisting those whose lives were suddenly thrust into ..read more