# What's with the Veteran of Foreign Wars membership criteria? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647 "2024-12-15T01:01:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/1 "2024-12-15T01:01:43Z")
They only allow you if you’re literally a veteran of a foreign war, so people who served in the military but were never in an actual war or during wartime were stationed stateside don’t count. Also it has to be a declared war (which they used to exclude Vietnam Veterans) though they seemed to have relaxed it by the time of the Gulf War. But with that specific criteria, it really seemed like they expected the United States to basically get into a massive overseas war every 20 years, as that would be the only real way to get new members, but then they excluded the Vietnam Vets which would have been the 20 years after WW2, so what did they expect us to get into a massive war in the 1980s to replenish their numbers? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/2 "2024-12-15T01:26:50Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > Also it has to be a declared war (which they used to exclude Vietnam Veterans) though they seemed to have relaxed it by the time of the Gulf War. I should hope so, because otherwise they’re gonna run out of eligible members in about 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/3 "2024-12-15T01:39:07Z")
I think the original purpose was to exclude the Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![PhillyGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@PhillyGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PhillyGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/4 "2024-12-15T01:44:41Z")
Here is the membership criteria: > **[One-PageEligibilitySheet.pdf](https://vfworg-cdn.azureedge.net/-/media/VFWSite/Files/Join/One-PageEligibilitySheet.pdf?v=1&d=20181106T204234Z&la=en)** > > 73.62 KB It does not have to be a declared war. It can be an “expedition.” Also, South Korea today is counted as a war zone. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/5 "2024-12-15T01:57:21Z")
> [@Asuka](#): > > But with that specific criteria, it really seemed like they expected the United States to basically get into a massive overseas war every 20 years, as that would be the only real way to get new members, but then they excluded the Vietnam Vets which would have been the 20 years after WW2, so what did they expect us to get into a massive war in the 1980s to replenish their numbers? They excluded Vietnam temporality. But in the 1980’s there were plenty of WW2 and Korea veterans around anyway. Then came the various Big Sandy wars in 1990 and on. So, never any problems getting members. > [@Smapti](#): > > I should hope so, because otherwise they’re gonna run out of eligible members in about 20 years. Do you think those who last served in Afghanistan just a few years ago, will all be dead by 2045? Or even Desert Storm, 1990- they would be in their 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/6 "2024-12-15T02:02:34Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Do you think those who last served in Afghanistan just a few years ago, will all be dead by 2045? I was responding to > [@Asuka](#): > > Also it has to be a declared war We haven’t had one of those since 1945, so if such a rule were in effect their youngest member would be 97 now. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/7 "2024-12-15T02:05:43Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > We haven’t had one of those in 79 years now, so if such a rule were in effect their youngest member would be 97 now. Yeah, that part has been long gone, and since they counted Korea it wasnt a rule at all. They excused Vietnam for a while as basically they were a bunch of old WW2 vets. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/8 "2024-12-15T02:57:36Z")
If you can [be eligible for Arlington but not the VFW](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stethem), there’s something wrong with the VFW. Or one could join the American Legion. My dad’s chapter here in Georgia was his beloved Legion Hall #271, and then there was #534 a few blocks away known informally as “the Back Legion.” By the 2000s they had long been invited to merge, but its members always voted to stay separate, instead finally merging in 2009 with another Black post 20 miles away. Akin to declining a high school reunion at a school where you’d been treated like shit. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/9 "2024-12-15T03:30:54Z")
My grandfather was a VFW post commander, and when he retired they named the post after him. Years later when he died, we found they had merged his old post with another with his name as part of the new post. I am a 20 year military vet, but I don’t qualify for membership as all my time was in the US. I was looking for my grandfathers old post info recently, and found that once again there has been more consolidation and his name has now been lost to history, only his obituary that comes up in google mention his VFW post. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/10 "2024-12-15T04:50:30Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > If you can [be eligible for Arlington but not the VFW](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stethem), there’s something wrong with the VFW. Stethem was killed by terrorists. Any military member killed or wounded by terrorists will be awarded the Purple Heart. Stethem was awarded the Purple Heart. Any Purple Heart recipient is eligible for membership in the VFW. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/11 "2024-12-15T05:14:55Z")
Thank you @Loach for noting that ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/12 "2024-12-15T05:43:55Z")
deleted ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/13 "2024-12-15T16:22:05Z")
Is it possible to join the VFW posthumously? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/14 "2024-12-15T21:05:45Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > If you can [be eligible for Arlington but not the VFW](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Stethem), there’s something wrong with the VFW. I dont see where the VFW refused him membership. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2024, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/15 "2024-12-15T21:20:41Z")
That battle against my ignorance has already been clearly fought by @Loach on the point of SW2 Stetham, but please don’t let that stop you from coming along afterwards to shoot the wounded. However, the Marines who appeared at the chow lines on my ship, bandaged after firefights with the Philippines’ New Peoples’ Army, or the National Guardsmen who tangled with the Sandinistas, and all the other “training incidents” that Reagan ran because he couldn’t get congressional support… no VFW for you. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2024, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/16 "2024-12-16T01:41:10Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > However, the Marines who appeared at the chow lines on my ship, bandaged after firefights with the Philippines’ New Peoples’ Army, or the National Guardsmen who tangled with the Sandinistas, and all the other “training incidents” that Reagan ran because he couldn’t get congressional support… no VFW for you. Where are you seeing that? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/17 "2024-12-17T14:47:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Is it possible to join the VFW posthumously? It’s hard to pay dues when you are dead. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/18 "2024-12-17T21:45:59Z")
And, also, you’re a lot less welcome at the club bar. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/19 "2024-12-17T23:19:38Z")
OTOH, they save on the postage for the monthly newsletter. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 17, 2024, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647/20 "2024-12-17T23:26:17Z")
Right, but you were saying that he should be eligible for membership by virtue of being killed in action. If you can’t join posthumously, then being killed in action actually disqualifies you from membership. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-the-veteran-of-foreign-wars-membership-criteria/1011647.md?page=2)