VFW Membership

 

VFW membership is available to all U.S. Citizens, honorably discharged from the U.S. armed forces and who have earned an overseas campaign medal as indicated below.

If you can wear one or more of the following ribbons, or badges you may be eligible to join the VFW.

 

Periods of VFW membership eligibility for overseas service are listed below.

(Periods prior to World War I are not listed)

 

 

World War I Victory Army

6 April 1917 1 Apr 1920; (with Battle/Service clasp Navy) 6 April 1917 30 Mar 1920

(including Siberia and European Russia)

 

Army Occupation of Germany Army

12 Nov. 1918 11 July 1923

 

Second Nicaraguan Campaign Navy

27 Aug. 1926 2 Jan. 1933

 

Yangtze Service Navy

3 Sept. 1926 21 Oct. 1927; 1 Mar. 1930 31 Dec. 1932

 

China Service Navy

7 July 1937 7 Sep. 1939; 2 Sept. 1945 1 April 1957

 

American Defense Service Army-Navy

8 Sep. 1939 7 Dec.1941 (with foreign service clasp)

 

American Campaign Army-Navy

7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar.1946

(30 consecutive days or 60 days non-consecutive duty outside continental limits of United States)

 

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army-Navy

7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar. 1946

 

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Army-Navy

7 Dec. 1941 8 Nov. 1945

 

Army of Occupation

Italy  May 1945 15 Sept. 1947 (30 consecutive days)

 

Occupation of Germany

(except West Berlin) 8 May 1945 5 May 1955

 

Occupation of Germany

(West Berlin) 9 May 1945 2 Oct. 1990

 

Austria

9 May 1945 27 July 1955

 

Korea

3 Sept.1945 29 June 1949

 

Japan

3 Sept.1945 27 April 1952

 

Navy Occupation Service Medal

Italy 8 May 1945 15 Dec. 1947

 

Trieste

8 May 1945 26 Oct. 1954 

 

Asiatic Pacific

2 Sept. 1945 27 Apr 1952(Germany & Austria as noted above)

 

Korean Service Medal

Army, Navy, Air Force 27 June 1950 27 Jul 1954

 

Korean Defense Service Medal

Army, Navy Air Force 28 Jul 1954 - Present

 

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Berlin 14 Aug. 1961 1 June 1963

 

Lebanon 1 July 1958 1 Nov. 1958

Quemoy and Matsu Islands 23 Aug. 1958 1 June 1963

 

Taiwan Straits 23 Aug. 1958 1 Jan. 1959

Congo 14 July 1960 1 Sep. 1962; 23 Nov. 1964 27 Nov.1964

 

Laos

19 Apr. 1961 7 Oct. 1962

 

Vietnam

1 July 1958 3 July 1965

 

Cuba

24 Oct. 1962 1 June 1963

 

Dominican Republic

28 Apr. 1965 21 Sep.1966

 

Korea

1 Oct. 1966 30 June 1974

 

Cambodia

29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1973

 

Thailand

29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1873 (direct support Cambodia Operations)

 

Evacuation of Cambodia

11-13 April 1975

 

Evacuation of Vietnam

29-30 April 1975

 

Mayaguez Operation

15 May 1975

 

Grenada Operation

23 Oct. 1983 21 Nov.1983

 

Lebanon

6 June 1983 1 Dec. 1987

 

Libyan Operation-El Dorado Canyon

12-17 April 1986

 

Persian Gulf- Earnest Will

24 July 1987 2 Aug.1990

 

Panama - Just Cause

20 Dec. 1989 31 Jan.1990

 

Somalia - Restore Hope

5 Dec. 1992 Indeterminate

 

Haiti - Uphold Democracy

16 Sep. 1994 Indeterminate

 

  Bosnia - Joint Endeavor

20 Nov. 1995 - 19 Dec. 1996

 

Marine Corps and Navy Corps Expeditionary Medal

 

Thailand Military Operation

16 May 1962 10 Aug. 1962

 

Cuban Military Operation

3 Jan.1961 23 Oct. 1962

 

Iranian, Yemen/Indian Ocean

8 Dec. 1978 6 June 1979; 21 Nov. 1979 20 Oct. 1981

 

Lebanon

20 Aug. 1982 31 Dec. 1983

 

Libyan Expedition

20 Jan. 1986 27 June 1986

 

Persian Gulf

1 Feb. 1987 23 July 1987

 

Vietnam Service Medal

4 July 1965 28 Mar. 1973

 

Southwest Asia Service Medal (Desert Shield/Desert Storm)

2 Aug 1990 Indeterminate Combat areas of operation only

 

Personnel in support units serving in Israel

17 Jan. 1991 Indeterminate; Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan

 

Service on the Korean Peninsula,

or in its territorial waters for thirty (30) consecutive or sixty (60)

non- consecutive days from 30 June 1949, to a date indeterminate

 

(Overseas Service Ribbon)

 

Cosovo Campaign Medal

 

Service in Kosovo (dates not determined) 

 

Iraq Campaign Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal,

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal,

October 2001 - Present

 

Combat Action Ribbon

(various periods of service)(Navy, Marine Corps)

 

Holders of the following badges