As a veteran looking to connect with fellow service members, there are many great organizations to consider joining. The best veteran organization for you depends on your interests, background, and goals. Some key factors to consider are an organization’s membership requirements, mission, activities, and benefits.
What are some top veteran organizations?
Some of the most popular and reputable veteran organizations include:
- American Legion – Open to honorably discharged wartime veterans. Focuses on veteran advocacy, youth programs, patriotic community service, and member comradery.
- Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) – Open to combat veterans who served overseas. Emphasizes assisting fellow vets, promoting patriotism, and advocating for veteran benefits.
- Disabled American Veterans (DAV) – Open to disabled veterans. Provides volunteer services to veteran hospitals and focuses on disabled veteran support and advocacy.
- Vietnam Veterans of America – Open to those who served on active duty in Vietnam. Focuses on raising awareness of issues related to Vietnam service and promoting camaraderie.
- AMVETS – Open to anyone who honorably served, including Reservists and National Guard members. Provides educational scholarship and veteran service programs.
- Wounded Warrior Project – Supports wounded post-9/11 veterans through mental and physical health, career, and benefits programs.
What membership criteria should I consider?
Here are some key membership criteria to evaluate:
- Service Era or War: Some groups limit membership to veterans who served during specific wartime periods or operations.
- Combat experience: Certain groups are focused on uniting combat veterans.
- Disabilities: Some cater to veterans with service-connected disabilities.
- Gender: Many major veteran groups now allow both men and women. Others remain exclusively male or female focused.
- Component: Some restrict membership to active duty veterans only, while others include Reservists and National Guard members.
- Discharge status: Most require an honorable or general under honorable conditions discharge.
What are some key activities and benefits?
Veteran organizations offer a range of activities and benefits. Consider what types of activities will help you connect with other veterans and what benefits match your needs.
- Networking & Camaraderie: Social activities, local chapters/posts, conferences, online forums.
- Community Service: Volunteer projects, commemorations, youth programs, ROTC support.
- Advocacy: Lobbying for veteran legislation, policy advocacy, claims support.
- Scholarships: Scholarships and grants for education expenses.
- Careers: Job fairs, career counseling, transition support, hiring preference programs.
- Discounts: Retail, insurance, travel, and entertainment discounts through corporate partnerships.
- Financial Assistance: Grants, emergency relief funds, homeless veteran housing, and employment programs.
- VA Claims: Guidance through VA claims process, claims assistance and appeals.
What is the eligibility criteria for joining the VFW?
To be eligible to join the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), you must meet the following criteria:
- Served honorably in a foreign war, conflict, or hostile environment recognized by a campaign medal
- Earned an Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, WW2 Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, Navy Occupation Service Medal, or Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
- Served within territorial limits of Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 nonconsecutive days
- Received hostile fire or imminent danger pay during service
- Served in any military operation authorized for award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Discharge from service must have been under honorable conditions. You also cannot currently be a member of the Communist Party or any organization advocating the overthrow of the Constitutional form of government.
What are the membership options for the American Legion?
The American Legion offers the following membership options:
- Veteran Membership – For veterans honorably discharged from US armed forces during eligibility periods of wartime service.
- Associate Membership – For sons of veterans and veterans who served during ineligible periods. Excludes voting and officer eligibility.
- Auxiliary Membership – For wives, daughters, mothers, sisters and grandmothers of veterans who served during eligibility periods.
Eligible wartime service periods include WW1, WW2, Korean War, Vietnam War, Lebanon, Grenada, Panama, and Persian Gulf War eras. Veterans discharged prior to the Korean War period may also be eligible if on continuous active duty during any of the eligibility timeframes.
What types of support does the Wounded Warrior Project offer?
The Wounded Warrior Project provides the following programs and services to support wounded post 9/11 veterans:
- Mental Health – Free counseling and personalized support programs focus on mental health, coping, resilience, and suicide prevention.
- Physical Health and Wellness – Supports recovery through physical rehabilitative activities, nutrition guidance, and sports and recreation.
- Financial Wellness – Financial counseling helps veterans develop financial literacy and skills around budgeting, debt, and saving.
- Career Guidance – Offers career guidance, interview coaching, networking events, resume help, and skills training to aid the job search process.
- Benefits Assistance – Helps veterans identify and apply for VA and other benefits they are eligible for.
- Independence Program – Modifications and specialized equipment helps veterans regain/maintain their independence at home.
- Warrior Care Network – Partners with leading academic medical centers to provide specialized treatment for post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.
What types of advocacy does the DAV focus on?
The Disabled American Veterans organization engages in the following advocacy activities on behalf of disabled veterans:
- Advocating for policies and legislation related to disabled veteran health care, benefits, and disability compensation
- Assisting veterans in obtaining earned benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs
- Supporting medical research related to disabled veterans’ injuries, amputations, spinal cord injuries, PTSD, TBI, and other impairments
- Advocating for maintaining a robust VA health care system and improvements in VA medical facilities and treatment programs
- Advocating for protecting GI Bill benefits for disabled veterans and their families
- Testifying before Congress on legislative issues impacting disabled veterans
- Monitoring legal decisions and appellate rulings affecting disabled veteran rights and benefits
- Advocating for resources to aid homeless disabled veterans
- Advocating for increased focus on mental health and suicide prevention programs for disabled veterans
How does AMVETS help veterans?
Some of the key ways AMVETS assists veterans include:
- Providing guidance and claims assistance to help veterans secure VA disability benefits
- Awarding scholarships to veterans pursuing higher education
- Operating career centers to help veterans with employment and transition
- Providing temporary financial assistance to struggling veterans
- Connecting veterans to pro bono legal help with VA appeals
- Supporting low-cost adaptive housing for disabled veterans
- Promoting rehabilitation programs for veterans with PTSD and other mental health needs
- Offering peer support through local veteran chapters and an online veteran community
- Promoting veteran entrepreneurship and business ownership opportunities
- Advocating for veteran-friendly legislation and policies
How can you find your local American Legion chapter?
There are a few easy ways to find and connect with your local American Legion post or chapter:
- Use the post locator tool on the American Legion national website. Simply enter your zip code to find nearby posts.
- Check listings in your local newspaper, community events calendar, or town website for meeting information.
- Search online directories like Google Maps and Facebook – most posts have an online presence or social media page nowadays.
- Ask colleagues, friends or acquaintances who are veterans if they belong to a post and can recommend one.
- Visit or call your local municipal building. Many town clerks or VA/veteran representatives have listings of local veteran organization meeting places and contact info.
- Attend a local Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day event and talk to American Legion members often participating or hosting.
Connecting with your closest American Legion post can provide immediate access to resources, assistance, and veteran camaraderie right in your hometown.
Conclusion
Veteran service organizations offer invaluable resources and support tailored to veterans with diverse backgrounds and needs. Assessing membership criteria, activities, and benefits can help identify the right organization for you. Key groups like the American Legion, VFW, DAV, AMVETS, Vietnam Veterans of America, and Wounded Warrior Project provide advocacy, volunteer service, peer connections, and assistance with healthcare, benefits, career growth, and further education. Determining which organization aligns best with your service experience, interests, and goals can help you make the most of your membership. America’s veterans have given so much for our country, and these groups strive to give back and build a better life for veterans.