Simply put, the VFW strives to do good things for deserving people; particularly veterans, their families, and their communities. It's our strength as an organization. And, with each individual membership, we only grow stronger. Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made o
n behalf of this great country. VFW Eligibility Information
The fundamental differences between our organization and other veterans organizations, and one in which we take great pride, are our eligibility qualifications. There are three primary requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: (1) U.S. Citizen or U.S. National (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 By-Laws and Manual of Procedure and Ritual. Sec. 103 -- ELECTION:
Applications. After the applicant has filled out the application card, it should be provided to the post adjutant or quartermaster,
together with the dues (and admission fee, if applicable). A receipt shall be given to the applicant. An applicant may be recommended after eligibility has been fully determined by the post reviewing committee. With respect to a department member-at-large, the department headquarters is responsible for the eligibility determination. The original application of every member will be retained on file with the adjutant. Balloting on Applications. Before voting on the application during a post meeting, the commander shall allow the members present an opportunity to state their objections, if any, to the admission of the applicant. Unless one member present shall request a written ballot, a vote shall be taken and a majority of the votes cast shall decide acceptance or rejection of the application. Rejection of Applicant. Should an applicant be rejected by the post, the admission fee and dues shall be returned. After one year (12 months), he may again make application, but a person shall not be proposed for membership more than twice in one post. An applicant rejected in one post may apply to another post or become a department member-at-large. Notification. The member shall be notified of his acceptance and that he is in good standing, subject to the by-laws governing the organization. The member shall receive a membership card and will be eligible to receive a lapel pin. New post members may receive the obligation according to the ritual. CHECKING ELIGIBILITY: Proof of service to establish eligibility for membership rests with the applicant. The post is responsible for assuring the eligibility of every member accepted to membership. A careful check of eligibility at the time a person
joins will save a great deal of trouble and embarrassment later. A veteran who is not accepted for membership because of ineligibility at the time of application is only disappointed. A member who is removed for ineligibility after having paid dues for several years is justifiably angry. Assuming that a person is a United States citizen or United States national and has an honorable discharge from the U.S. armed forces, it only remains to be proven that the person has earned a recognized campaign medal or badge; served in Korea
between June 30, 1949, until present; or earned Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay eligibility. Those people in the armed forces of the United States shall become eligible for membership immediately upon arrival on hostile soil, in hostile waters or the airspace above in the performance of service. Discharges issued during and immediately after World War II have a section on the back listing the medals and decorations that have been earned. Persons discharged later received a DD-214, "Report of Separation" form, which lists the medals and
decorations on the front. 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’ Affairs 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. Request for records can also be obtained through the National Personnel Records Center at www.archives.gov/veterans. For subsequent service, refer to Sec. 101 of the Manual of Procedure. ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS: The following is to be used as a guide in determining eligibility for membership. The following campaign medals and the periods 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. Eligibility dates:
Expeditionary Navy - Marine Corps Feb. 12, 1874 - Open
Spanish Campaign Army May 11, 1898 - Aug. 16, 1898
Navy Apr. 20, 1898 - Dec. 10, 1898
Army of Cuba Occupation Army Jul. 18, 1898 - May 20, 1902
Army of Puerto Rico Occupation Army Aug. 14, 1898 - Dec. 10, 1898
Philippine Campaign Army Feb. 4, 1899 - Dec. 31, 1913
Navy Feb. 4, 1899 - Sep. 15, 1906
China Relief Expedition Army Jun. 20, 1900 - May 27, 1901
Navy Apr. 5, 1900 - May 27, 1901
Cuban Pacification Army Oct. 6, 1906 - Apr. 1, 1909
Navy Sep. 12, 1906 - Apr. 1, 1909
Mexican Service Army Apr. 12, 1911 - Jun. 16, 1919
Navy Apr. 12, 1914 - Feb. 7, 1917
First Nicaraguan Campaign Navy Jul. 29, 1912 - Nov. 14, 1912
Haitian Campaign Navy Jul. 9, 1915 - Dec. 6, 1915
Apr. 1, 1919 - Jun. 15, 1920
Dominican Campaign Navy May 4, 1916 - Dec. 5, 1916
World War I Victory Army Apr. 6, 1917 - Apr. 1, 1920
(with battle or service clasp incl. Navy Apr. 6, 1917 - Mar. 30, 1920
Siberia and European Russia)
Army Occup. of Germany Army Nov. 12, 1918 - Jul. 11, 1923
Second Nicaraguan Campaign Navy Aug. 27, 1926 - Jan. 2, 1933
Yangtze Service Navy Sep. 3, 1926 - Oct. 21, 1927
Mar. 1, 1930 - Dec. 31, 1932
China Service Navy J u l . 7, 1937 - Sep. 7, 1939
Sep. 2, 1945 - Apr. 1, 1957
American Defense Service Army - Navy Sep. 8, 1939 - Dec. 7, 1941
(with foreign service clasp)
European-African- Army - Navy Dec. 7, 1941 - Nov. 8, 1945
Middle Eastern Campaign
American Campaign Army - Navy Dec. 7, 1941 - Mar. 2, 1946
(30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive
days of duty outside
continental limits of the U.S.) Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army - Navy Dec. 7, 1941 - Mar. 2, 1946
Army of Occupation
(30 consecutive days of duty)
Italy May 9, 1945 - Sep. 15, 1947
Germany (except West Berlin) May 9, 1945 - May 5, 1955
Austria May 9, 1945 - Jul. 27, 1955
Germany (West Berlin) May 9, 1945 - Oct. 2, 1990
Korea Sep. 3, 1945 - Jun. 29, 1949
Japan Sep. 3, 1945 - Apr. 27, 1952
Navy Occupation Service Medal
Italy May 8, 1945 - Dec. 15, 1947
Trieste May 8, 1945 - Oct. 26, 1954
Germany (except West Berlin) May 8, 1945 - May 5, 1955
Austria May 8, 1945 - Oct. 25, 1955
Asiatic Pacific Sep. 2, 1945 - Apr. 27, 1952
Korean Service Medal Jun. 27, 1950 - Jul. 27, 1954
Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
Cuban Military Operation Jan. 3, 1961 - Oct. 23, 1962
Thailand Military Operation May 16, 1962 - Aug. 10, 1962
Iranian, Yemen & Indian Ocean Operation Dec. 8, 1978 - Jun. 6, 1979
Nov. 21, 1979 - Oct. 20, 1981
Lebanon Aug. 20, 1982 - May 31, 1983
Libyan Expedition Jan. 20, 1986 - Jun. 27, 1986
Persian Gulf Feb. 1, 1987 - Jul. 23, 1987
Panama Apr. 1, 1988 - Dec. 19, 1989
(pre and post invasion) Feb. 1, 1990 - Jun. 13, 1990
Operation Sharp Edge - Liberia Aug. 5, 1990 - Feb. 21, 1991
Operation Distant Runner - Rwanda Apr. 7-18, 1994
(11th Marine Exped. Unit USS Peleliu)
Vietnam Service Medal Jul. 4, 1965 - Mar. 8, 1973
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Lebanon Jul. 1, 1958 - Nov. 1, 1958
Taiwan Straits Aug. 23, 1958 - Jan. 1, 1959
Quemoy & Matsu Islands Aug. 23, 1958 - Jun. 1, 1963
Vietnam Jul. 1, 1958 - Jul. 3, 1965
Congo Jul. 14, 1960 - Sep. 1, 1962
Laos Apr. 19, 1961 - Oct. 7, 1962
Berlin Aug. 14, 1961 - Jun. 1, 1963
Cuba Oct. 24, 1962 - Jun. 1, 1963
Congo Nov. 23-27, 1964
Dominican Republic Apr. 23, 1965 - Sep. 21, 1966
Korea Oct. 1, 1966 - Jun. 30, 1974
Cambodia Mar. 29, 1973 - Aug. 15, 1973
Thailand Mar. 29, 1973 - Aug. 15, 1973
(only those in direct support of Cambodia)
Operation Eagle Pull - Cambodia Apr. 11-13, 1975
(includes evacuation)
Operation Frequent Wind -Vietnam Apr. 29-30, 1975
(includes evacuation)
Mayaquez Operation May 15, 1975
El Salvador Jan. 1, 1981 - Feb. 1, 1992
Lebanon Jun. 1, 1983 - Dec. 1, 1987
Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada Oct. 23, 1983 - Nov. 21, 1983
Eldorado Canyon - Libya Apr. 12-17, 1986
Operation Earnest Will - Persian Gulf Jul. 24, 1987 - Aug. 1, 1990
(only those participating in, or in direct support)
Operation Just Cause - Panama Dec. 20, 1989 - Jan. 31, 1990
(USS Vreeland & other SVS-designated
aircrew mbrs. outside the Conus in direct support)
United Shield - Somalia Dec. 5, 1992 - Mar. 31, 1995
Operation Restore Hope - Somalia Dec. 5, 1992 - Mar. 31, 1995
Operation Uphold Democracy - Haiti Sep. 16, 1994 - Mar. 31, 1995
Operation Joint Endeavor - Bosnia, Nov. 20, 1995 - Dec. 19, 1996
Croatia, the Adriatic Sea & airspace. Operation Vigilant Sentinel - Iraq, Dec. 1, 1995 - Feb. 15, 1997
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, & Persian Gulf. Operation Southern Watch - Iraq, Dec. 1, 1995 - Mar. 18, 2003
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Gulf of Oman W of 62o E Long.,
Yemen, Egypt, & Jordan. Operation Maritime Intercept - Iraq, Dec. 1, 1995 - Mar. 18, 2003
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Red Sea, Persian Gulf,
Gulf of Oman W of 62o E Long., Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, & Jordan. Operation Joint Guard - Bosnia, Dec. 20, 1996 - Jun. 20, 1998
Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace. Operation Northern Watch - Iraq, Jan. 1, 1997 - Mar. 18, 2003
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian
Gulf W of 56o E Long., and Incirlik AB,
Turkey (only pers. TDY to ONW)
Operation Joint Forge - Jun. 20, 1998 - Mar. 23, 1999
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia,
Adriatic Sea & airspace. Operation Desert Thunder - Iraq, Nov. 11, 1998 - Dec. 22, 1998
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt,
Jordan, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman,
Red Sea support. Operation Desert Fox - Iraq, Dec. 16, 1998 - Dec. 22, 1998
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain,
Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt,
Jordan, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman,
USN Red Sea support. Southwest Asia Service Medal
Operation Desert Shield/ Aug. 2, 1990 - Nov. 30, 1995
Operation Desert Storm
(combat areas of operation only)
Personnel assigned to support units Jan. 17, 1991 - Apr. 11, 1991
serving in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria,
Jordan. Kosovo Campaign Medal
Operation Allied Force - Kosovo Air Campaign Mar. 24, 1999 - Jun. 10, 1999
Kosovo Defense Campaign - Ground Action Jun. 11, 1999 - Open
Combat Infantryman Badge &
Combat Medical Badge Army Dec. 6, 1941 - Open
Air Force Combat Action Medal Sep. 11, 2001 - Open
Combat Action Ribbon Navy - Marine Dec. 6, 1941 - Open
Coast Guard Dec. 6, 1941 - April 30, 1975
Coast Guard Combat
Action Ribbon Coast Guard May 1, 1975 - Open
Combat Action Badge Army Sep. 18, 2001 - Open
SSBN Deterrent Patrol Insignia Navy Jan. 21, 1961 - Open
Korea Duty Jun. 30, 1949 - Open
Service on the Korean Peninsula, its
airspace and territorial waters for
(30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days of duty)
Korea Defense Service Medal Jul. 28, 1954 - Open
Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Sep. 11, 2001 - Open
Afghanistan Campaign Medal Sep. 11, 2001 - Open
Iraq Campaign Medal Mar. 19, 2003 - Dec. 31, 2011
Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with
GOLD BORDER Apr. 2004 - Open
Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay Jan. 1, 1971 - Present
This information is to be used for guideline purposes only. The separation
document or DD 214 MUST reflect campaign medal service to establish
eligibility. Service in Korea without the issuance of a campaign medal can
be established with additional, support documentation. Hostile Fire or
Imminent Danger Pay can be established with pay records.
