VFW Post 12024 - VFW Eligibility

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VFW ELIGIBILITY
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The Wars

WWII Korean Vietnam Persian Gulf War Operation Iraqi Freedom Operation Enduring Freedom

Am I Eligible?

The fundamental difference between the VFW and other veteran organizations, and one in which we take great pride, is our eligibility qualifications.

There are three requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States:

Citizenship
Honorable military service
Service entitling the applicant to the award of a recognized campaign medal or as set forth in the Congressional Charter and/or VFW bylaws.

Checking Eligibility

Checking eligibility is comparatively simple, assuming the first two requirements are met. The next step would be to check elibility. A potential applicant must have served overseas and earned a campaign or service medal recognized by the VFW as meeting the campaign medal requisite for VFW membership. (The only exceptions are a combat action ribbon, imminent danger or hostile fire pay, or 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." There is always a possibility of an omission on the separation documents. If an applicant claims entitlement to a medal which is not shown on the individual's separation papers, that person may request 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 by contacting our Veterans Service Officer. 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.

Requesting Military Records

To request your military service, medical or awards record, complete a Standard Form 180, (Request Pertaining to Military Records). All forms are in PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available free online. Mail the form to the address listed. More information on requesting service record information is available at National Archives and Records Administration.

Proof of Eligibility

You must produce documentation of earned requirements - such as a copy of DD 214, DD 215, or 201 file.

If you have misplaced or lost your DD-214 you can request a copy by using the link "Request Military Records". If you have entitlement to a medal, not shown on your separation papers, you may request verification and correction of records by submitting a DD-149 using the link "Military Records Corrections" or you may submit a Standard Form 180 for both Military Records and Corrections.

Please remember the burden of proof for eligibility is yours. Our Quartermaster or Service Officer can assist you.

Military records also can be requested online at National Archives eVetRecs.

Campaign Medal	Military Service	Period Issued
Expeditionary	Navy Marine Corps	12 Feb. 1874 Indeterminate
Spanish Campaign	Army	11 May 1898 16 Aug. 1898
	Navy	20 Apr. 1898 10 Dec. 1898
Army of Cuban Occupation	Army	18 July 1898 20 May 1902
Army of Puerto Rico Occupation	Army	14 Aug. 1898 10 Dec. 1898
Philippine Campaign	Army	04 Feb. 1899 31 Dec. 1913
	Navy	04 Feb.1899 15 Sept. 1906
China Relief Expedition	Army	20 June 1900 27 May 1901
	Navy	05 Apr. 1900 27 May 1901
Cuban Pacification	Army	06 Oct. 1906 01 Apr. 1909
Cuban Pacification	Navy	12 Sept. 1906 01 Apr. 1909
Mexican Service	Army	12 Apr. 1911 16 June 1919
	Navy	12 Apr. 1914 07 Feb. 1917
First Nicaraguan Campaign	Navy	29 July 1912 14 Nov. 1912
Haitian Campaign	Navy	09 July 1915 06 Dec. 1915 01 Apr. 1919 15 June 1920
Dominican Campaign	Navy	04 May 1916 05 Dec. 1916
World War I Victory (with Battle or Service Clasp including Siberia and European Russia)	Army	06 Apr. 1917 01 Apr. 1920
	Navy	06 Apr. 1917 30 Mar. 1920
Army of Occupation of Germany	Army	12 Nov. 1918 11 July 1923
Second Nicaraguan Campaign	Navy	27 Aug. 1926 02 Jan. 1933
Yangtze Service	Navy	03 Sept. 1926 21 Oct. 1927 01 Mar. 1930 31 Dec. 1932
China Service	Navy	07 July 1937 07 Sept. 1939 02 Sept. 1945 01 Apr. 1957
American Defense Service (with Foreign Service Clasp)	Army-Navy	08 Sept. 1939 07 Dec. 1941
American Campaign (30 consecutive days or 60 days non-consecutive days of duty outside continental limits of the United States	Army-Navy	07 Dec. 1941 02 Mar. 1946
Asiatic-Pacific Campaign	Army-Navy	07 Dec. 1941 02 Mar. 1946
European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign	Army-Navy	07 Dec. 1941 08 Nov. 1945
Army of Occupation 30 consecutive days of duty	Italy	09 May 1945 15 Sept. 1947
	Germany (except West Berlin)	09 May 1945 05 May 1955
	Germany (West Berlin)	09 May 1945 02 Oct. 1990
	Austria	09 May 1945 27 July 1955
	Korea	03 Sept. 1945 29 June 1949
	Japan	03 Sept. 1945 27 Apr. 1952
Navy Occupation Service Medal	Italy	08 May 1945 15 Dec. 1947
	Trieste	08 May 1945 26 Oct. 1954
	Germany (except West Berlin)	08 May 1945 05 May 1955
	Austria	08 May 1945 25 Oct. 1955
	Asiatic Pacific	02 Sept. 1945 27 Apr. 1952
Korean Service Medal	Army, Navy, Air Force	27 June 1950 27 July 1954
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 30 consec. or 60 non-consec. days of duty	Lebanon	01 July 1958 01 Nov. 1958
	Taiwan Straits	23 Aug. 1958 01 Jan. 1959
	Quemoy & Matsu Island	23 Aug. 1958 01 June 1963
	Vietnam	01 July 1958 03 July 1965
	Congo	14 July 1960 01 Sept. 1962 23-27 Nov. 1964
	Laos	19 Apr. 1961 07 Oct. 1962
	Berlin	14 Aug. 1961 01 June 1963
	Cuba	24 Oct. 1962 01 June 1963
	Dominican Republic	28 Apr. 1965 21 Sept. 1966
	Korea	01 Oct. 1966 30 June 1974
	Cambodia	29 Mar. 1973 15 Aug. 1973
	Thailand (in direct support of Cambodia)	29 Mar. 1973 15 Aug. 1973
	Operation Eagle Pull-Cambodia (includes evacuation)	11-13 Apr. 1975
	Operation Frequent Wind-Vietnam (includes evacuation)	29-30 Apr. 1975
	Mayaguez Operation	15 May 1975
	El Salvador	01 Jan. 1981 01 Feb. 1992
	Lebanon	01 June 1983 01 Dec. 1987
	Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada	23 Oct. 1983 21 Nov. 1983
	El Dorado Canyon-Libya	12-17 Apr. 1986
	Persian Gulf-Operation Earnest Will (only those participating in, or in direct support)	24 July 1987 02 Aug. 1990
	Panama-Operation Just Cause (USS Vreeland & other SVS-designated aircrew mbrs. outside the Conus in direct suppport)	20 Dec. 1989 31 Jan. 1990
	Somalia-United Shield-Operation Restore Hope	05 Dec. 1992 31 Mar. 1995
	Haiti-Operation Uphold Democracy	16 Sept. 1994 31 Mar. 1995
	Bosnia-Operation Joint Endeavor(Bosnia, Croatia, the Adriatic Sea & airspace)	20 Nov. 1995 20 Dec. 1996
	Operation Vigilant Sentinel (Persian Gulf, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait)	01 Dec. 1995 1 Sept., 1997
	Operation Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Gulf of Oman W of 62" E Long, Yeman, Egypt, Jordan	01 Dec. 1995 Indeterminate
	Operation Maritime Intercept operations(Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman W of 62" E Long, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan)	01 Dec. 1995 Indeterminate
	Operation Joint Guard (Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace)	20 Dec. 1996 June 20, 1998
	El Salvador	01 Jan. 1981 01 Feb. 1992
	Operation Joint Guard (Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace)	20 Dec. 1996 June 20, 1998
	Operation Northern Watch (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf W of 56" E Long., and Incirlik AB, Turkey (only pers. TDY to ONW)	01 Jan. 1997 Indeterminate
	Operation Joint Forge - (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace)	21 Jun. 1998 Indeterminate
	Operation Desert Thunder (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea support	11 Nov. 1998 22 Dec. 1998
	Operation Desert Fox (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Gulf of Oman, USF Red Sea support	16 Dec. 1998 22 Dec. 1998
Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal	Cuban Military Operation	03 Jan. 1961 23 Oct. 1962
	Thailand Military Operation	16 May 1962 10 Aug. 1962
	Iranian, Yemen & Indian Ocean Operation	08 Dec. 1978 06 June 1979 21 Nov. 1979 20 Oct. 1981
	Lebanon	20 Aug. 1982 31 May 1983
	Libyan Expedition	20 Jan. 1986 27 June 1986
	Persian Gulf	01 Feb. 1987 23 July 1987
	Panama - (pre and post invasion)	01 Apr. 1988 19 Dec. 1989 01 Feb. 1990 13 June 1990
	Liberia(Operation Sharp Edge)	05 Aug. 1990 21 Feb. 1991
	Rwanda (Operation Distant Runner) (11th Marine Expeditionary Unit USS Peleliu)	07-18 Apr. 1994
Vietnam Service Medal		04 July 1965 28 Mar. 1973
Southwest Asia Service Medal	Operation Desert Shield/ Operation Desert Storm Combat areas of operation only	02 Aug. 1990 30 Nov. 1995
	Personnel assigned to support units serving in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan	17 Jan. 1991 -Apr. 11, 1991
Combat Action Ribbon	Navy, Marine, Coast Guard	01 Mar. 1961 Indeterminate
Combat Infantry Badge & Combat Medical Badge	Army	06 Dec. 1941 Indeterminate
Korea Duty	Service on the Korean Peninsula, or in its territorial waters for thirty (30)/consecutive or sixty (60) nonconsecutive days.	30 June 1949 Open
Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM)	Operation Allied Force Kosovo Air Campaign	24 Mar. 1999 10 June 1999.
	Kosovo Defense Campaign- Ground Action	11 June 1999 TBD
Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay	Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay for more information check VFW Home Page

Graphics

These image is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication. The person who associated a work with the eligibility graphics has dedicated the work to the public domain by waiving all of his or her rights to the work worldwide under copyright law, including all related and neighboring rights, to the extent allowed by law. You can copy, modify, distribute and perform the work, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.