ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States

Eligibility Requirements

If you are a U.S. Citizen, with Honorable Service in the U.S. Armed Forces, and earned one of the following, you are eligible for membership in the VFW (ask about earlier dates).

American Defense Service Army, Navy 8 Sep 1939 - 7 Dec 1941(with Foreign Service clasp)

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army, Navy 7 Dec 1941 - 2 Mar 1946

Army of Occupation

(30 consecutive days)

Italy 9 May 1945 - 15 Sep 1947

Germany (except West Berlin) 9 May 1945 - 5 May 1955

Germany (West Berlin) 9 May 1945 - 2 Oct 1990

Austria 9 May 1945 - 27 Jul 1955

Korea 3 Sep 1945 - 29 Jun 1949

Japan 3 Sep 1945 - 27 Apr 1952

Korean Service Medal Army, Navy, Air Force 27 Jun 1950 - 27 Jul 1954

Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

Cuban Military Operation 3 Jan 1961 - 23 Oct 1962

Thailand Military Operation 16 May 1962 - 10 Aug 1962

Iranian, Yemen and Indian Ocean Operation 8 Dec 1978 - 6 Jun 1979

21 Nov 1979 - 20 Oct 1981

Lebanon 20 Aug 1982 - 31 May 1983

Libyan Expedition 20 Jan 1986 - 27 Jun 1986

Persian Gulf 1 Feb 1987 - 23 Jul 1987

Panama (pre and post invasion) 1 Apr 1988 - 19 Dec 19891 Feb 1990 - 13 Jun 1990

Operation Sharp Edge - Liberia 5 Aug 1990 - 21 Feb 1991

Operation Distant Runner - Rwanda 7-18 Apr 1994

(11th Marine Expeditionary Unit USS Peleliu)

Southwest Asia Service Medal

Operation Desert Shield/Operation Desert Storm

Combat areas of operation only 2 Aug 1990 - 30 Nov 1995

Personnel assigned to support units serving 17 Jan 1991 - 11 Apr 1991 in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan

Combat Action Ribbon Navy, Marine 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN

Coast Guard

Combat Infantry Badge Army 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN

Combat Medical Badge Army 6 Dec 1941 - OPEN

Armed Forces members who received Hostile Fire or

Imminent Danger Pay

Here is the Price Americans Have Paid the Last 228 Years

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION 19 Aril 1775 - 20 September 1783
Participants: 250,000 :: POWs: 18,152 :: MIAs: 1,426 :: Deaths In Service: 6,824

WAR OF 1812 18 June 1812 - 24 December 1814
Participants: 286,730 :: POWs: 20,000 :: MIAs: 695 :: Deaths In Service: 2,260

MEXICAN WAR 24 April 1846 - 2 February 1848
Participants: 78,718 :: POWs: 20,000 : : MIAs: 695 :: Deaths In Service: 2,260

INDIAN WARS US Date 1815 - December1890
Participants: 106,000 :: POWs: Many, few survived :: MIAs: Many :: Deaths In Service: 1,000
Aboriginal American Date 1540 - 2004
Participants: Unknown, in the millions :: POWs-MIAs: Unknown - Aboriginal Americans are the longest held documented POWs, serving into the 20th Century in excess of 28 years :: Deaths In Service: Millions

CIVIL WAR 12 April 1861 - 26 May 1865
Union Participants: 2,213,365 :: Union POWs: 194,743 :: Union Deaths In Service: 364,511
Confederate Participants: 1,082,119 :: Confederate POWs: 214,865 :: Confederate Deaths In Service: 134,563

SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR 21 April 1898 - 12 August 1898
Participants: 260,000 :: POWs: 8 :: MIAs: 72 Deaths In Service: 2,446

WORLD WAR I 6 April 1917 - 11 November 1918
Participants: 4,743,826 :: POWs: 7,470 :: MIAs: 116,708 :: Deaths In Service: 116,708

WORLD WAR II 7 December 1941 - 2 September 1945
Participants: 16,353,659 :: POWs: 124,079 :: MIAs: 30,314
Deaths in Service: Disputed Numbers - All References Provided
Military:
• Keegan: 292,000
• Harper Collins: 292,100
• Britannica: 292,131 (not incl. 115,187 non-battle)
• Compton's: 293,986
• Urlanis: 300,000
• Info. Please: 291,557 KIA + 113,842 other causes = 405,399
• DoD: 291,557 KIA + 113,842 other = 405,399
• Ellis: 405,400
• Encarta: 292,131 KIA + 115,187 other causes = 407,318
• Wallechinsky: 292,131 KIA + 115,187 other = 407,318
• Eckhardt: 408,000
• Small & Singer: 408,300

Civilian:
• Britannica: 6,000

U.S. Merchant Marine: 8,300 mariners killed at sea, at least 1,100 died from wounds. Total killed estimated 9,300. [http://www.usmm.org/ww2.html]

• All (undifferentiated):
• Messenger: 300,000

COLD WAR 2 September 1945 - 21 August 1991
Participants: Classified :: POWs: Classified :: MIAs: 343 :: Deaths In Service: Classified :: Deaths In Service: 407,316 ERA

KOREAN WAR 25 June 1950 - 27 July 1953
Participants: 5,764,143 :: POWs: 7,140 :: MIAs: 8,177 :: Deaths In Service: 36,940

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR...VIET NAM 08 July 1959 - 27 January 1973
Active Duty: 9,087,000 :: In-Country: 2,594,000 :: POWs: 2,583 :: MIAs: 3000-6000 :: Deaths In Service: 58,486

USS PUEBLO 23 January 1968 - 23 December 1968
Incident Personnel: 82 :: POWs: 82 :: POW Deaths In Incident: 1

GRENADA 25 October 1983 - 2 November 1983
Participants: 2,700 :: POWs: Unknown :: MIAs: 4 :: Deaths In Service: 20

USS STARK 17 May 1987
Participants: Unknown :: MIAs: 1 :: Deaths In Service: 36

PERSIAN GULF WAR 16 January 1991 - 27 February 1991
Participants: 650,000 :: POWs - MIAs: 52 :: Deaths In Service: 255

SOMALIA 02 December 1992 - 15 September 1994
Participants: Classified :: POWs: 6 :: MIAs: 2 :: Deaths In Service: 44

AFGHANISTAN....ON GOING

IRAQ...ON GOING