Author: Ashley

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – This Independence Day, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) calls upon all Americans to pause and reflect on the profound origins and ongoing significance of our nation as we celebrate a historic 250 years of freedom and democracy.

Two and a half centuries ago, courageous acts of defiance and revolution birthed a nation founded on the radical ideals of liberty and freedom. This annual observance is more than just a milestone: It is a powerful reminder of the inherent rights of our citizens and the enduring principles that continue to define our American spirit and way of life.

The signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, was a courageous stand against oppression and tyranny, engraving the belief of our unalienable right to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness” into the very fabric of which our nation was built.

VFW members have personally upheld these very ideas on battlefields around the globe, and this Independence Day, the VFW urges Americans to celebrate by engaging actively in our democracy and supporting the brave men and women who continue to stand in harm’s way to protect our way of life, thus ensuring that the sacrifices of the past continue to guarantee the liberties and freedoms of the future.

Happy 250th birthday, America.

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WASHINGTON – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) today reaffirmed its opposition to Section 108 of the proposed Take Care of America’s Veterans Act and defended its longstanding tradition of using political satire to advocate for veterans.

“For more than 125 years, the VFW has been a fearless advocate for veterans, speaking plainly when elected officials propose policies that threaten the benefits generations of service members have earned through sacrifice,” said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. “Our opposition to Section 108 reflects that longstanding commitment. Veterans’ benefits are not funding sources or bargaining chips for Congress while they scrounge to score political points.”

While the VFW supports many of the bill’s underlying goals, it strongly opposes Section 108 because it would reduce future veterans’ disability compensation to pay for other veterans’ programs. Disability compensation is not a government spending program to be trimmed when convenient. It is earned compensation for injuries and illnesses incurred through military service. Veterans should never be asked to finance new initiatives with benefits they earned through their sacrifice.

The VFW also opposes using projected reductions in Title 38 disability compensation to finance separate Title 10 military retirement obligations. The organization continues to support passage of a clean and complete Major Richard Star Act, but believes Congress should fulfill that obligation without reducing earned disability benefits for current or future veterans.

Since its introduction in the fall of 2025, the firing squad illustration has become a recognizable symbol of the VFW’s ongoing Honor The Contract campaign. It is political satire that depicts bureaucrats and their pundits figuratively taking aim at veterans by proposing cuts to their earned disability benefits in order to save money or fund other initiatives. Despite House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Mike Bost’s unprecedented and unacceptable accusations in a recent statement, the image is not a depiction of violence. It is a symbolic representation of the consequences veterans face when Congress targets the benefits they earned through their service. It is also protected First Amendment speech. Political cartoons, symbolism, satire and hyperbole have been part of American public discourse since the founding of our Nation. They remain among the most recognized forms of protected political expression because they communicate ideas through symbolism rather than literal depiction. Americans are free to disagree with the VFW’s message, but disagreement with protected political expression does not transform satire into violence. Even Chairman Bost at one time agreed with this premise:

“Free speech is foundational to democracy and the American way of life. That’s why servicemembers and veterans have fought and died for it for 245 years,” said Bost on October 13, 2021, during opening remarks of a committee hearing on violent extremism. “Free speech must be protected. I will oppose any effort to restrict it. It is every veteran’s right to have an opinion – even one I find radical.”

The political illustration is also rooted in the VFW’s own history. The use of satirical political cartoons was commonplace in early 20th century magazines, and the VFW regularly published works of illustrators’ satire to convey the unjust ways America’s veterans were being treated by the government. The current artwork is a modern interpretation of illustrations published in the VFW’s Foreign Service magazine in 1933 and again in VFW magazine in 1956. Sadly, what veterans were experiencing decades ago is the same thing occurring today, which is why the illustration in question remains so relevant.

The VFW has consistently used this imagery in official advocacy before Congress and in public communications. The illustration appeared prominently in the organization’s October 2025 response to a series of Washington Post articles that characterized veterans’ disability benefits as loopholes to exploit. VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci presented the historic and modern illustrations during his testimony before the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs last October. Whitmore, along with VFW members in attendance, wore buttons displaying the illustration during her testimony before a Joint Congressional Veterans’ Affairs committee this past March.

“The VFW has never apologized for forcefully defending veterans and we are not about to start now,” said Whitmore. “Political cartoons have long been part of American public discourse because they communicate difficult truths in memorable ways. When bureaucrats take aim at veterans’ earned disability benefits, we will continue to use every tool available to ensure veterans’ voices are heard.”

The VFW urges Congress to remove Section 108 from the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, preserve the integrity of the disability rating system and pass veterans’ priorities without reducing earned disability compensation. America’s obligation to disabled veterans is not negotiable and should never be treated as a source of savings to pay for other legislation.

The VFW remains committed to working with lawmakers who seek to improve care and benefits for veterans. However, the organization will continue to oppose any proposal that weakens the commitments America has made to those who answered the nation’s call.

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For decades, disability ratings have been based on medical evidence and the real-world impact of a service-connected condition on a veteran’s life. Section 108 of the introduced Take Care of America’s Veterans Act – House Resolution 9237/Senate Bill 4744, sponsored by senior Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran – would move Congress directly into that process by changing how certain disabilities, including tinnitus and sleep apnea, are evaluated and compensated.

There are more that 200,000 veterans in the Kansas City metropolitan area, according to Veterans Affairs data, an estimated 65,000 of them disabled. That should concern every veteran and every member of Congress.

Congress can barely perform its most basic responsibilities. It routinely fails to pass budgets on time, relies on continuing resolutions to keep the government open, struggles to conduct meaningful oversight of the agencies it creates, and has spent decades trying to fix a Veterans Affairs claims system that remains frustratingly complex for many veterans. Yet now, some in Congress apparently believe they should be in the business of deciding how disabled a veteran is.

If politicians cannot reliably handle the responsibilities already assigned to them, why should veterans trust them to make individualized medical and vocational determinations that require specialized expertise?

The issue is not whether disability ratings should ever change. They should, when the medical evidence supports it.

The issue is who should be making those changes and why.

The ratings changes that members of Congress seek to codify did not originate with those lawmakers. They stem from a 2022 VA rulemaking proposal that generated significant opposition from veterans, advocates and stakeholders who questioned both the medical rationale and the practical consequences of the changes. The VA received more than 2,600 comments during the notice-and-comment process, yet Congress is moving to legislate the proposal before the VA has completed the process Congress itself established for evaluating such changes.

The Constitution begins with “We the people.” Thousands of veterans spoke out because they were told their voices mattered. Congress should not make those voices irrelevant by legislating the outcome before the process has run its course.

Supporters of Section 108 argue that the proposed changes would modernize the disability compensation system and generate savings to fund other veterans’ priorities. But disabled veterans should not be asked to finance veterans legislation.

Disability ratings are not supposed to be budgetary tools. They are part of the nation’s commitment to compensate veterans for injuries incurred in service to their country. When Congress alters ratings to fund other priorities, it transforms what should be an evidence-based medical determination into a political calculation.

Section 108 raises a fundamental question about the future of the disability system: Should ratings be determined by medical expertise and evidence, or should they become another subject of political compromise whenever Congress needs to offset the cost of a new initiative?

If Congress succeeds in using future disability compensation as offsets, it would establish a troubling precedent. Future Congresses may increasingly view earned disability compensation as a funding mechanism rather than a solemn obligation owed to those who served.

Congress has a critical role to play in veterans policy: funding VA, conducting oversight, improving access to care and ensuring veterans receive the benefits they have earned.

If disability ratings need to change, they should change because the evidence demands it, after a transparent regulatory process has run its course, not because a bill needs a pay-for. Veterans deserve a disability system guided by medicine, science and the actual impact of a condition on their lives, not projected budget savings.

Disability compensation is part of the nation’s commitment to those who served. It should never be treated as a budget offset.

This OpEd was written by John Muckelbauer, general counsel of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and published in the Kansas City Star on Monday, June 22, 2026, here.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce it has again been named a beneficiary of Harley-Davidson’s Let’s Ride Challenge^® Ride for Heroes, continuing a powerful partnership dedicated to honoring and supporting America’s veterans, service members and first responders for the second year in a row.

Following the success of last year’s campaign, Harley-Davidson^® is revving up for year two with renewed purpose – from now through Oct. 31, the 2026 Let’s Ride Challenge^® is turning every mile ridden into meaningful support and putting special purpose behind riders’ miles with the goal of donating $1 million to organizations that support America’s service members, veterans and first responders – like the VFW!

Every mile VFW members and our supporters ride helps support this meaningful $1 million mission. The VFW and many H-D dealers have been actively working together to support veterans locally since 2020.

The Let’s Ride Challenge^® is now open to all riders, regardless of what bike you ride. Riders can now register online at h-dletsride.com from anywhere, anytime. No dealer visit is required to sign up. After registering, participants will still need to go to a Harley-Davidson^® dealership to track their odometer mileage. Harley Owners Group^® or Passenger member rewards go even further as your miles will count toward the H.O.G. Ride 365^® Mileage Challenges and the Let’s Ride Challenge.

The 2026 Let’s Ride Challenge^® Ride for Heroes is more than just a ride – it’s a “thank you” to those who have given so much for our freedom, and the VFW encourages all VFW and Auxiliary members and supporters to join in to make this year’s event even bigger and better than last year! This isn’t just about the miles, it’s about the mission.

*NO PURCHASE/PAYMENT NEC. THIS IS A CONTEST OF SKILL. Offered only to motorcycle riders, above age of majority & legal US/DC res (excludes HI). Other elig restrs apply. Contest starts on 2/27/2026 at 8 AM EST & ends 10/31/2026 at 11:59 PM EDT. You must have smartphone/mobile device capable of scanning QR Codes to register (one time only) & obtain periodic mileage validations at participating Harley-Davidson® dealerships and at Dealer-specified events to compete. DATA RATES MAY APPLY. MAY NOT BE AVAIL IN ALL AREAS OR ON ALL DEVICES. Contestants are scored based on combination of miles ridden & dealer engagement credits. Results will be tabulated & winners will be determined no later than 12/31/2026. Prizes: Black & Orange Tier GP Motorcycle (1): 2026 H-D® CVO™ Road Glide®*. ARV: $44,999. Diamond Tier GP Motorcycle (1): 2026 H-D® Street Glide®*. ARV: $25,499. Platinum GP Motorcycle (1): 2026 H-D® Fat Boy®*. ARV: $22,899. Gold Tier GP Motorcycle (1): 2026 H-D® Street Bob®*. ARV: $14,999. Silver Tier GP Motorcycle (1): 2026 H-D® Nightster®*. ARV: $9,999. *GP Motorcycle winners who are eligible and paid Harley Owners Group® or Passenger members prior to 10/31/2026 only will also receive $5,000 check, which will increase their prize ARV by $5,000. This is only awarded to elig Harley Owners Group® mbrs. Limit 1 GP Motorcycle/person. Each Motorcycle Prize winner must pay tag/title/dealer & fees prior to claiming Motorcycle Prize & are resp for all other taxes/costs not stated above. Other restrs apply. For full rules (incl partic dealerships, registration/mileage validation steps, contest scoring, eligibility, winner determination & prizes) & Winners’ List (avail no later than 12/31/2026), visit h-dletsride.com. Sponsor/Operator: Mighty Loud, Inc. All rights reserved. Void where prohibited. Donations made to military, veteran and first responder organizations will not affect your participation in this challenge.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce it has joined America250 as a programming partner in celebration of our nation’s 250th birthday, amplifying our shared focus on educating, engaging and uniting Americans for this historic moment in history.

For 250 years, America has stood free not by chance or accident, but because generations of veterans answered the call of duty when their country needed them. From the earliest days of the Revolutionary War to the challenges faced in the modern era, these men and women have stepped forward to protect the very ideals upon which our nation was founded.

Our nation’s freedom has never been guaranteed. It has been defended and protected only through the courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment of all those who have worn the uniform. Veterans have stood on the front lines of history, ensuring that each generation can live in a country where freedom is not just a word, but a way of life. They have faced danger abroad, served their communities at home and stood as living examples of dedication, honor and commitment.

As America marks 250 years, it is impossible to separate our story from theirs. Veterans are not simply part of our history – they are the living embodiment of the values and principles that have carried this nation through triumph and trial. Their service, dedication and sacrifice have shaped every chapter of America’s story and made this milestone possible.

For more than a century, the VFW has stood beside America’s veterans, providing support, advocating for their benefits and access to health care, honoring their service and ensuring our nation keeps its promises to them. The VFW is not just a veterans service organization. It is part of the American story.

Across every corner of the country, veterans have been pillars of support, centers of community, and examples of civic responsibility. Their contributions extend beyond the battlefield – they have inspired education, fostered leadership and strengthened the bonds that unite us as a nation. In celebrating 250 years of freedom, we recognize that this achievement is ours to share in.

VFW Departments, Districts, Posts and members around the world are encouraged to visit America250 and get involved in the celebrations, volunteerism or storytelling surrounding this historic occasion.

This anniversary is more than a commemoration of dates and events, it is a tribute to the spirit of service that defines America. As we honor our history, we also look forward to the next chapters, confident that the dedication of our veterans will continue to guide and protect the freedoms we hold dear. Today, and every day, we celebrate the American veterans whose courage and sacrifice have made 250 years of freedom possible, and whose legacy will inspire the generations to come.

Happy 250th, America!

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) has selected Army Desert Storm Veteran Belinda Boldoe as its 2024-2025 John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year. Awarded annually, the Biedrzycki Award is presented to a VFW Accredited Service Officer who has demonstrated exceptional achievements in support of the VFW’s veterans’ service mission and related programs.

“Service to veterans is as ingrained in the VFW as the word veteran,” said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. “Every day, our global cadre of accredited representatives works tirelessly to ensure our government Honors the Contract and this award, which Belinda Boldoe so rightfully deserves, exemplifies and honors the very best of the best.”

Boldoe, who serves as both the Georgia Department of Veterans Service Appeals Officer and VFW Department of Georgia Service Officer among other roles, assisted more than 2,500 veterans and family members and facilitated the recovery of more than $800,000 in veterans benefits in 2024. A resident of Stone Mountain, Georgia, she is highly regarded by her colleagues, clients and comrades for her professionalism, technical expertise and genuine, honest and teamwork-oriented nature.

VFW Accredited Service Officers are legally recognized and authorized by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to prepare, present and prosecute VA benefits claims. Importantly, VA-accredited representatives never charge for assistance with VA disability compensation claims. In 2024 alone, the VFW’s Accredited Service Officer network has secured more than $14.6 billion in compensation and pension on behalf of veterans and eligible family members, and every dollar has gone to beneficiaries.

“It is always an honor to recognize a professionally trained, VFW Accredited Service Officer who exemplifies our values in every action she takes on behalf of the veterans, family members and survivors we represent,” said VFW National Veterans Service Director Mike Figlioli. “Belinda consistently delivers results not only for the Georgia Department of Veterans Service, but for the entire VFW. It is only fitting that we take the time to recognize her achievements and dedication.”

Originally from Washington, D.C., Boldoe served in the United States Army for more than 11 years as a signal communication officer, earning her VFW eligibility during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Throughout her Army career, she held several critical positions including company commander, theater communication manager during Desert Shield and Desert Storm, and project manager for testing and procuring new Signal Corps equipment.

“It is truly an honor to be selected as the John A. Biedrzycki Accredited Service Representative of the Year for 2024-2025,” said Boldoe. “This is not a job for me; this is my heavenly assignment from my Lord and Savior to take care of his people.”

Boldoe maintains her Bronze Legacy Life membership at Henry County GA VFW Post 12180 in Stockbridge, Georgia, where she serves as the Post quartermaster. She has two children – one of whom she is proud to call a fellow VFW member.

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COLUMBUS, Ohio – Carol Whitmore of Des Moines, Iowa, was elected today as the new national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), a congressionally chartered veterans service organization comprised of approximately 1 million eligible combat veterans and military service members from all six branches of the armed forces.

“Standing here today, surrounded by such incredible people – fellow veterans, families and friends – I am filled with a deep sense of pride and humility,” said Whitmore during her acceptance speech. “This is not just a recognition of me, but of all the men and women who have served in our armed forces.”

Whitmore’s election as the VFW’s 117th commander-in-chief occurred at the conclusion of the organization’s 126th National Convention in Columbus, Ohio. More than 10,000 members of the VFW and its Auxiliary converged on the city to conduct the business of the organization, recognize individuals and organizations for excellence and to elect new leadership for the 2025 – 2026 year.

Whitmore is the first woman elected to lead the more than 125-year-old organization. She delivered remarks to those attending in person at the Greater Columbus Convention Center and watching via livestreaming video.

“When I think back on my journey, I am sure it was just like many others – my reality is not necessarily the VFW reality,” said Whitmore. “But I was driven by a sense of duty, a desire to serve something greater than myself. And little did I know that decision would shape me in ways I could never have imagined.”

Enlisting in the Women’s Army Corps in 1977, Carol’s 36-year military career was marked by significant milestones, from integrating with men into the regular Army to becoming an Army nurse and later serving as a first sergeant for her unit while deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was there that she earned her VFW eligibility. In recognition of her service, she received the Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Army Commendation Medal (six), Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (two), National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Non-Commissioned Professional Development Ribbon (three), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon (three), Armed Forces Reserve Medal with “M” device and the Combat Action Badge.

“As we look to the future, I believe that the strength of our veteran community is our greatest asset. We have so much to offer,” said Whitmore. “We have lived through adversity, we have faced challenges that many can’t even imagine and we’ve come out on the other side stronger. It’s because of that strength that we are still serving our communities and our nation.”

She joined the VFW in 2012 at Post 9127 in Des Moines, Iowa, where she maintains her Gold Legacy Life membership. She has served in elected and appointed positions at the Post, District and Department levels, culminating with her election as the VFW Department of Iowa Commander from 2018 to 2019, in which she achieved All-American status. On the national level, she served on the Legislative Committee, the General Resolutions Committee and on the National Council of Administration from 2019 to 2023. In 2022, she was elected as designee for National VFW Commander-in-Chief for the year 2025, becoming the first woman and first Iowan to hold the position. She is also a life member of the Military Order of the Cootie, the VFW National Home, and the American Legion and its Auxiliary.

During the speech, Whitmore emphasized legislative advocacy as a priority for her year, with a focus on fighting to get Congress to grant concurrent receipt for select combat-injured veterans through the Major Richard Star Act.

“Through advocacy, our legislative efforts need to be resolute,” said Whitmore. “The [Major] Richard Star Act must pass this year. This effort was started in 2004, and the bill has repeatedly and shamelessly been voted down. Let’s get this done already. Honor the Contract!”

Whitmore also spoke passionately about the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) mission and the key diplomatic role the VFW played in Southeast Asia during the early 1990s.

“More than 30 years ago, it was VFW Vietnam War veterans who led the mission back to the country that cost them so much to extend a hand of peace to their former adversaries,” said Whitmore. “This tremendously brave effort opened U.S. relations with Vietnam and access to the country so DPAA could find and bring home our comrades who were missing in action.”

In addition to Whitmore, other national officers elected were Cory Geisler, an Iraq War veteran from the Department of Wisconsin, as senior vice commander-in-chief, and Glenn Umberger Jr., from the Department of Pennsylvania, who is also a veteran from Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, as junior vice commander-in-chief. The final day of the convention also saw Adjutant General Dan West and Quartermaster General Marc Garduno reassume their posts.

“I may be the first veteran to have been elected VFW commander-in-chief while wearing a dress … the first female veteran, but I will not be the last,” said Whitmore. “And as I have said while campaigning, I am your comrade by mud, by blood, by dust, by dirt, by sand, by land, by sea, by air … I am a veteran first.”

Carol, a retired nurse, attended the University of Northern Iowa and Hawkeye Community College. She and her husband, Brad, reside in Des Moines, Iowa.

Watch or read Whitmore’s acceptance speech.

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WASHINGTON – The Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW) annual Washington Conference begins Sunday, Mar. 1, in Washington, D.C., and will continue through Thursday, Mar. 5. Several hundred VFW and Auxiliary members are anticipated to arrive in the nation’s capital, traveling from around the world to conduct organizational business and participate in the organization’s largest yearly advocacy event.

“As a VFW member and advocate, I have been in House and Senate offices numerous times communicating with lawmakers on what veterans care about most,” said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. “But none of those experiences compare to my task this week. Veterans benefits have come under attack with echoes from the 1930s, with some who have never worn the uniform claiming benefits are wasteful, or that the wear-and-tear of 20 years of war is somehow frivolous. The VFW resolutely fought against cuts then, just as we are today. Real lives are impacted by what we’ve come to advocate for, and real consequences await service members and veterans if Congress and administration leaders do not Honor the Contract.”

The main event of the Washington Conference is the annual commander-in-chief’s testimony set for Tuesday, Mar. 3 at 10 a.m. EST before a special joint hearing of the House and Senate Committees on Veterans’ Affairs held at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Room SD-G50.

“What weighs heaviest on my heart are the combat injured veterans who are accused of wanting to double dip when they have earned everything they are asking for: their full retirement pay and disability compensation without offset,” Whitmore said. “It is unconscionable that Congress continues to stonewall this injustice, and we will not continue to stand by while their families pay the price of their war wounds. They didn’t ask to be retired early; they were forced, and they are due every single dime of their earned benefits.”

Whitmore is prepared to discuss the VFW’s top priorities for 2026 including:

• VA Community Care: Passing the Veterans’ ACCESS Act of 2025 and the Foreign Medical Program Modernization Act of 2025.
• Concurrent Receipt: Passing the Major Richard Star Act.
• Veteran Suicide: Passing the Written Informed Consent Act and the Veteran Suicide Prevention Act.
• Brain Health Care: Passing the Innovative Therapies Centers of Excellence Act of 2025, the Blast Overpressure Research and Mitigation Task Force Act, the Precision Brain Health Research Act of 2025, and the Veterans National Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment Act.

Whitmore also plans to cover legislative efforts that would prohibit the exploitation of veterans by Claim Sharks, codify accredited claims representatives’ access to service members in military Transition Assistance Program classrooms and ensure oversight and transparency of the VA presumption decision process as passed in the Honoring our PACT Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-168).

The VFW’s annual Washington Conference is also the culmination of the VFW-SVA Legislative Fellowship program, which is currently in its 12th year. Fellows will accompany VFW advocates on Capitol Hill to employ the leadership and advocacy skills they have learned since beginning the program in October 2025. Together with their VFW delegations, each fellow will discuss the importance of increasing the Post-9/11 GI Bill book stipend with lawmakers and staff, leveraging their experiences as student veterans who commonly rely on fixed incomes.

Finally, the night before Commander Whitmore’s testimony, the VFW and its partners from Grunt Style Foundation and Irreverent Warrior will convene at the Lincoln Memorial at 5pm to tour our nation’s war memorials, reflecting on the sacrifices of the generations before us and recommitting to advocate for our veterans and the benefits they have earned. Dubbed the “Bonus Army Memorial March,” this evening hike around the National Reflecting Pool will serve as a time to reinforce the VFW’s mission for the week, while remembering our history and the fights that paved the way for our nation’s warfighters.

Read the VFW’s complete list of 2026 Priority Goals here.

The U.S. Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs will livestream this year’s testimony on its hearings page here. It can also be viewed on the VFW’s website here.

Get ready for the 2026 Washington Conference by downloading the VFW Events 2026 app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store today. Visit vfw.org/VFWDC2026 for all Washington Conference updates.

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WASHINGTON – Last night, the United States and its Israeli ally began combat operations against Iran in an operation dubbed Epic Fury.

As war once again comes to the Middle East, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) asks all Americans to keep our brave service members overseas in their thoughts and prayers. At this very hour, they are carrying out difficult and dangerous missions in defense of our nation and our allies.

The VFW understands all too well that freedom is never free and that our world remains a dangerous place. America’s prepared, professional and resolute all-volunteer force continues to stand watch, serving on the front lines far from home so that our families may live in safety.

We will never forget the weight of that responsibility, nor the sacrifices borne by those in uniform and their loved ones. The VFW remains unwavering in our commitment to support you and your families, advocate for you, and ensure the American people fully understand the significance of your service and sacrifice in defense of liberty. Finally, when your mission and service to our country is complete, we will make sure that our elected officials maintain the care and benefits you earned and Honor the Contract you have upheld.

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WASHINGTON – The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) commends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for officially rescinding its interim final rule that would have changed how disability ratings are evaluated, a policy the VFW warned could unfairly reduce benefits for disabled veterans.

Since VA opened the rule for public comment, more than 20,000 comments have been submitted to the Federal Register urging the department to withdraw the policy.

“These last 10 days prove that when our veterans speak, leaders will listen,” said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. “We thank Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins for hearing veterans’ concerns and taking meaningful steps to reverse an abrupt policy change that could have had far-reaching unintended consequences for veterans whose medication and other treatments allow them to live day-to-day with their service-connected health conditions.”

Last week, the VFW publicly demanded VA rescind the rule change, raising “serious concerns” it threatened the benefits veterans earned through their service.

“The VFW has long maintained that no veteran should ever think they could be penalized for seeking the medical care they need,” said Whitmore. “We appreciate VA’s willingness to engage with veterans on this critical issue.”

While this reversal is a significant step forward, the VFW will continue to work with Congress, VA, and other stakeholders to ensure that future policy changes are developed with full transparency, genuine veteran input and a steadfast commitment to protecting the benefits and well-being of all veterans.