Nov. 14, 2025

Greetings,

We hope you enjoy this issue of the National Council Monthly Update summarizing the pertinent operations at VFW National Headquarters over the last month.

Development

We closed out October by sliding in just under the wire to exceed our $4.8M goal — finishing slightly over $5M. While it was a close call, it’s important to recognize how current events across the country can influence the VFW’s fundraising performance. As always, we will be monitoring closely.

CTV (Connected TV streaming) officially launched Nov. 1. The campaign focuses on building the VFW’s sustainer audience, with the flexibility to scale ads during key giving moments (Veterans Day, Giving Tuesday and Year-End) and pull back in between to maximize return on investment. Because our outreach is highly modeled and targeted, response data will be closely monitored so we can refine our audience segments based on demographics and engagement.

It’s that time of year when fundraising activity is at its peak. If your members ask about the fundraising efforts conducted by National Headquarters, please let them know that donations made by members directly support their own Department. These funds are vital to ensuring Departments have the resources needed to continue the important work being done at the local level to serve veterans, their families, and their communities. If members have any questions or concerns you are not comfortable addressing, please have them contact VFW Donor Services at 1.833.839.4483 or email vfwfundraising@vfw.org.

Contact: VFW Development Director Kelly Jones, KellyJones@vfw.org.

VFW Programs

Dear NCOA members:

I hope this message finds you well. The National Awards and Citations Committee will convene via Zoom on March 27, 2026, to discuss and select recipients for the VFW National Awards, which will be presented at the 2026 VFW National Convention in Reno, Nevada, pending approval from the National Council of Administration. Your thoughtful recommendations play a vital role in recognizing and honoring outstanding service within our organization.

Adjutant General Dan West has asked for your valued input to ensure we recognize those who have made significant contributions. Your recommendations help us honor exceptional individuals and strengthen the spirit of our organization. If you have participated in the nomination process previously, thank you for your dedication and continued support.

The following awards are open for nominations:

• VFW Distinguished Fraternal Award

To recognize VFW members or citizens who have furthered the aims or ideas of VFW camaraderie. Nominations must show how the nominee displayed efforts to preserve and strengthen a spirit of good friendship and loyalty among VFW members, assisted surviving spouse/orphans of deceased members, or assisted vulnerable and at-risk comrades above and beyond what others would or have done.

• VFW Distinguished Patriotic Award

To recognize VFW members or citizens in recognition of their local or national patriotic activities. Nominations must show how the nominee displayed efforts that fostered true patriotism by showing and demonstrating a feeling of passion, devotion, and loyalty to America and extended the institutions, traditions, customs, and establishments of American Freedom above and beyond what others would normally do.

• VFW Distinguished Historical Award

To recognize VFW members or citizens for contributions to a better understanding of our American way of life, history, and institutions. Nominations must show how the nominee displayed efforts that perpetuated the memory and history of our dead and/or displayed the importance of American history and why that history is important in our institutions above and beyond what others would do.

• VFW Distinguished Citizenship Award

To recognize VFW members or citizens for service rendered through outstanding charitable endeavors to the country or local efforts. Nominations must show how the nominee displayed a high level of benevolent actions and philanthropic allegiance supporting veterans, civil, political and social rights that exemplifies the duties and privileges of being an American citizen above and beyond what others would do.

• VFW Distinguished Educational Award

To recognize VFW members or citizens for outstanding contribution to the education of the intrinsic values of American freedom and citizenship. Nominations must show how the nominee exemplified through formal, informal or non-formal educational work that teaches the best attributes of patriotism and intrinsic values of knowledge through everyday life above and beyond what others would do.

If you know of a deserving candidate, please submit your nomination by March 6, 2026, via the Programs Dashboard tool. I do understand that not every NCOA member or Department leader has the entry tab on the dashboard. If you do not, please work with your Department HQs, District officers, and/or Post officers to submit your nomination. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at the email address below or by phone.

Thank you for your commitment and for helping us celebrate excellence in service.

Contact: VFW Programs Director Lynn W. Rolf, III, LRolf@vfw.org.

Human Resources

• New Hires:

o Sarita Ramos is a new Claims Consultant in National Veterans Services in the DC Office.

o Hellen Edwards is a new Claims Consultant in National Veterans Services in the DC Office.

o Johnny Neal is the new Assistant Director of Membership in the KC Office.

• Current Vacant Positions in Recruiting Process:

o Engraver, Supply & Logistics – KC Office

Contact: VFW Human Resources Director Sari Maple, SMaple@vfw.org.

Membership and Member Services

• Our membership growth continues on pace to meet the Commander-in-Chief's 101% membership goal. We are seeing increases in recruiting and life member conversion compared to this point last year, which is a good sign. As well, a strong focus on retention is helping us on the way to membership growth.

• Our first "Membership Monday” online training seminar will be on Dec. 8, at 7:30 p.m. CST. This will be an interactive training video using Microsoft Teams. Any VFW or Auxiliary member is welcome to join in to learn and ask questions. The link as well as our first topic will be posted to our VFW Membership Facebook page.

• We are continuing to assist with Department-level outreach. VFW National staff will be out at the Student Veterans of America National Conference this January in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to assist in recruiting and training. If your Department is looking to take part in state-level events and would like support or possible reimbursement of costs using the new Membership Outreach Event Grant, have your Department Quartermaster contact the Membership Department at 888.564.6839 or email us at membership@vfw.org.

• We are currently running a re-activation campaign, emailing lapsed members to inform them about why their membership is important to our mission and urging them to reactivate their VFW membership. In the first week, we have seen a number of these lapsed members renew their memberships and help us strengthen our numbers.

• If your Posts, Districts or Departments need membership brochures, applications, or supplies to fulfill their recruiting and retention goals, they can be ordered online through our website. Simply log into vfw.org, click on the "Membership Recruiting Brochures Order Form” link, and let us know what you need!

Contact: VFW Membership and Member Services Director David Prohaska, DProhaska@vfw.org.