Veterans of Foreign Wars
The VFW's logo since 2018 | |
Washington Memorial Building Washington, D.C., United States | |
| Abbreviation | VFW |
|---|---|
| Established | September 29, 1899 |
| Founder | James C. Putnam |
| Founded at | Columbus, Ohio, U.S. |
| Merger of | American Veterans of Foreign Service (organized on September 29, 1899, at Columbus, Ohio, U.S.) and the Army of the Philippines (organized on December 12, 1899, at Denver, Colorado, U.S., as the Colorado Society, Army of the Philippines) |
| Type | 501(c)(19), war veterans' organization |
| 44-0474290 | |
| Purpose | Fraternal, patriotic, historical, charitable, and educational |
| Headquarters | 406 West 34th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°04′01″N 94°35′27″W / 39.06694°N 94.59083°W |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Membership | 1,159,428 (2018) |
Official language | English |
| Alfred J. Lipphardt (GA) Since August 1, 2024 | |
| Carol Whitmore (IA) Since August 1, 2024 | |
| Timothy C. Peters (MT) Since August 1, 2024 | |
National Council of Administration | 63 voting members
|
Main organ | VFW National Convention |
| Subsidiaries |
|
| Affiliations | Student Veterans of America |
| Revenue | US$98,724,340 (2015) |
| Expenses | US$89,099,521 (2015) |
| Employees | 224 (2014) |
| Volunteers | 3,000 (2014) |
| Website | www |
Formerly called | Army of the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico |
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), formally the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, is an organization of United States war veterans who fought in wars, campaigns, and expeditions on foreign land, waters, or airspace as military service members. Established on September 29, 1899, in Columbus, Ohio, the VFW is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. It was federally chartered in 1936.