• The primary difference between the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States and other veteran associations is their eligibility qualifications. A person must meet three criteria for membership in the VFW: (1) Citizenship; (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/or By-Laws

Checking Eligibility:

• Assuming that a person is a United States citizen and has an honorable discharge from the U.S. Armed Forces, what’s left to prove is that the person served outside the continental limits of the U.S. and has earned a campaign or service medal recognized by the VFW as meeting the campaign medal requisite for VFW Membership. (The only exception is for service in Korea after June 30, 1949, until present.)
       
• Discharges issued during and immediately after the close of World War II have a section on the back listing the medals and decorations which have been earned. Persons discharged later received a DD-214, "Report of Separation" form, which has a space showing medals and decorations. Lost separation documents can be replaced by completing and submitting Standard Form 180, "Request Pertaining to Military Records."
   
• If an applicant claims rights to a medal which is not shown on the individual's separation papers, that person may ask for verification and correction of records by submitting a Standard Form 180.
   
• The Standard Form 180 is available from any office of the Veterans Administration 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.

Eligibility Regulations:

• Use the VFW Eligibility Listing as a guide in deciding eligibility for membership. It lists data regarding the periods during which campaign and/or service medals were authorized by the United States of America.  A person owning any medal or medals is recognized as possessing the campaign medal requisite of eligibility.

Eligibility Listings  |  Membership Application