2006 VFW Magazine - Veterans of Foreign Wars

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Advocating for Today’s Veterans
©
Thousands of veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq have been discharged into
civilian life. We all have an obligation to welcome them home.
VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS
VFW magazine is the official publication of the VETERANS
OF FOREIGN WARS OF THE UNITED STATES. Copyright,
2006, by the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
VFW MAGAZINE STAFF
PUBLISHER,DIRECTOR OF PUBLICATIONS AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Richard K. Kolb
ART DIRECTOR
Robert Widener
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Shannon Hanson
CIRCULATION MANAGER
Robert Crider
www.vfw.org
SENIOR EDITOR
Tim Dyhouse
SENIOR WRITER
Janie Blankenship
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE
Kara Petrovic
VFW: The Organization
VFW's National Headquarters is located
in Kansas City, Mo. All administrative
business is conducted from there. In
addition, an office in Washington, D.C.,
is responsible for monitoring legislative
and related national issues of importance
to veterans.
More than 8,500 Posts comprise 54
Departments in the 50 states, District of
Columbia, Latin America, the Pacific
Areas and Europe. Posts form the local
chapters. Membership in 2006 stood at
1.7 million.
Working in concert with VFW is its
Ladies Auxiliary, a national volunteer
service association founded in 1914. It is
the backbone of many local VFW volunteer
efforts.
The benefits of joining are both tangible
and intangible. As a member, you
will receive VFW magazine monthly and
may also obtain the bimonthly newsletter
Checkpoint. Also, 20 benefits ranging
from discounted car rental fees to a
credit union to a special Member Honor
Roll are available.
Equally important is the sense of
camaraderie and pride you will share
with veterans of prior wars.
For more on Membership, contact:
Jim Rowoldt, Director
VFW Membership Department
VFW National Headquarters
406 W. 34th Street
Kansas City, MO 64111
(816) 756-3390, ext. 208
This issue is a special
tribute to
America’s newest
generation of war veterans.
As you read it, you
will find that it completely
covers every aspect of
the contemporary veteran’s
experience. Whether
he or she served in
Afghanistan, Iraq or
some remote theater of
the global war on terrorism,
this edition is
designed to recognize
and respect their services.
In his State of the Union message,
President Bush declared,“Our own generation
is in a long war against a determined
enemy.” A Joint Chiefs of Staff
officer added,“This war is likely to take a
while and will require both the commitment
of significant resources and the
resolve of the American people.”
Part of that commitment lies on the
home front. That’s where VFW enters
the picture. Supporting the troops while
they are in the field does not end our
obligation. In many respects, the real
battle continues once that uniform
comes off.“I served two tours in
Afghanistan,” one veteran wrote, but
“coming home can be more difficult
than going over.”
Iraq veteran and author John
Crawford observed: “When the war is
over, you pick up your gear, walk down
the hill and back into the world, where
people smile, congratulate you and
secretly hope you won’t be a burden on
society now that you’ve done the dirty
work they shun.”
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
Gary Kurpius
We exist as an organization
to see to it that the “burden”
Crawford speaks of
remains a public commitment.
I am proud to say that
VFW continues to fulfill its
duty in this regard on every
front.
Welcome home events are
a common feature of VFW
troop-support activities. We
are ever vigilant that their
service be portrayed in a
positive light. We have
sought a GI Bill commensurate
with the costs of attending college in
the 21st century. Promoting
employment opportunities and protecting
job rights are part and parcel of
VFW’s mission.
Caring for the wounded has been the
top priority from the start. Nothing less
than full funding for state-of-the-art
medical facilities and in-depth research
is acceptable. Top-notch PTSD centers
and adequate disability compensation
has always been our goal.
VFW vigorously fought for and won
appropriate Imminent Danger Pay, a
decent death “gratuity” and life insurance
that was previously grossly inadequate.
At the state grassroots level, VFW
members work diligently seeing that
state VA benefits keep pace with the
changing times.
Recognizing and commemorating
war service in the form of medals and
memorials has been on our list, too.
Soon, veterans of the “long war,” as it
is being called, will assume responsibility
for VFW’s future. Let’s leave them a
legacy to be proud of.
© 2006 VFW Magazine • WWW.VFW.ORG • 3