Veterans of Foreign Wars

The VFW resulted from the amalgamation of several societies formed immediately following the Spanish–American War. In 1899, little groups of veterans returning from campaigning in Cuba and the Philippine Islands, founded local societies upon a spirit of comradeship known only to those who faced the dangers of that war side by side. Similar experiences and a common language drew them together. The American Veterans of Foreign Service (predecessor to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States) was established in Columbus, Ohio, September 29, 1899, by Spanish‑American War veteran James C. Putnam. The Colorado Society, Army of the Philippines, was organized in Denver, Colorado, on December 12, 1899, by General Irving Hale of Denver, Colorado. Shortly thereafter, a society known as the Foreign Service Veterans was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October 1901. The Ohio-based group and the Pittsburgh-based group held a joint convention in 1905, where the two groups merged. Merging the final two groups was talked about as early as 1908 but was not accomplished until 1913. In August 1913 an encampment was held in Denver and they merged their interests and identities in a national organization now known as the VFW.

The VFW host events across America, as well as giving grants and helping at large-scale volunteer events.

Vietnam veterans membership controversy

The VFW initially refused membership for Vietnam War veterans. At the time, most incumbent VFW members were World War II and Korean War veterans. Many of these WWII veterans were of the opinion that the conflict in Vietnam was a "police action" and in their minds did not qualify as a war, despite the Korean War also being a "police action", along with the American Civil War which also had no formal declaration of war. This rationale was used to deny membership to many Vietnam War veterans across the country. Many of these WWII veterans blamed Vietnam War veterans for losing the war. In the years since, many veterans of the Vietnam War have refused to join the VFW due to this, and many older posts now find themselves struggling to survive as WWII and Korea vets have either died or are no longer active, and younger Iraq and Afghanistan veterans do not feel comfortable joining a dying post.