ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Eligibility Requirements

There are two qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in our National Bylaws. An individual must meet both in order to become a member. They are as follows:

1: Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently
serving.

2: Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters*. This can be proven by any of the following:

– An authorized campaign medal (see a full list of qualifying medals and badges)
– Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)
– Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days

 

China Service Medal –

Dates Awarded: 1937-1939, 1945-1957

American Defense Service Medal –

First awarded September 8, 1939 (retroactive)
Last awarded December 7, 1941 (retroactive)

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal – European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal

First awarded December 7, 1941
Last awarded March 2, 1946

American Campaign Medal – American Campaign Medal

Name of campaign Start Date End Date
Convoy ON 67 21 February 1942 26 February 1942
USS Atik (AK-101) (antisubmarine operations) 27 March 1942 27 March 1942
USS Asterion (AK-100) (antisubmarine operations) 22 March 1942 31 January 1943
Task Group 21.13 12 July 1942 28 August 1942
Convoy TAG 18 1 November 1942 6 November 1942
Convoy SC 107 3 November 1942 8 November 1942
Task Group 21.14 27 July 1943 10 September 1943
Task Group 21.15 24 March 1944 11 May 1944
USS Frederick C. Davis (DE-136) (antisubmarine operations) 24 April 1945 24 April 1945
USS Atherton (DE-169) and USS Moberly (PF-63) 6 May 1945 6 May 1945

Army of Occupation Medal – Army of Occupation Medal

Established 5 April 1946[2]
First awarded 2 April 1947[2]
Last awarded 2 October 1990

Navy Occupation Service Medal – Navy Occupation Service Medal

Established January 22, 1947[1]
First awarded May 8, 1945
Last awarded October 3, 1990

Korean Service Medal – Korean Service Medal

Established EO 10179, November 8, 1950, as amended[1]
First awarded 1950 (retroactive to June 27, 1950)
Last awarded July 27, 1954

Navy Expeditionary Medal – Navy Expeditionary Medal

Established August 5, 1936
First awarded 12 Feb 1874 (Retroactive) (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands)
Last awarded 15 Dec 2002[2]

Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal – Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal

Established 8 May 1919 It was established on 8 May 1919 as the Marine Corps Expeditionary Ribbon.
A full-sized medal was authorized on 1 March 1921.
The Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal is therefore one of the oldest medals of the United States military which is still issued to active duty personnel.
First awarded Panama 1873 (retroactive)
Status: Currently Awarded

Vietnam Service Medal – Vietnam Service Medal

Status: Obsolete
Established 8 July 1965 – Executive Order 11231
28 November 1967 – Amended, E.O. 11382
2 February 2003 – Amended, E.O. 13286
First awarded 4 July 1965
Retroactive to 1 July 1958
Last awarded 30 April 1975

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal – Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Status: Currently awarded
Established Executive Order 10977, December 4, 1961

Southwest Asia Service Medal –

Status: Not currently awarded
Established EO 12754, March 12, 1991, as amended
First awarded 1991 (retroactive to either August 2, 1990 or January 17, 1991 depending on location)
Last awarded November 30, 1995; 26 years ago

Kosovo Campaign Medal – Kosovo Campaign Medal

Operation(s) / Task Force From To
ALLIED FORCE 24 March 1999 10 June 1999
NOBLE ANVIL 24 March 1999 20 June 1999
Task Force Saber 31 March 1999 8 July 1999
Task Force Hunter 1 April 1999 1 November 1999
SUSTAIN HOPE / SHINING HOPE 4 April 1999 10 July 1999
ALLIED HARBOUR 4 April 1999 1 September 1999
Task Force Hawk 5 April 1999 24 June 1999
JOINT GUARDIAN (note 1) 11 June 1999 31 December 2013
Task Force Falcon 11 June 1999 31 December 2013
Note 1: Effective January 1, 2014, award of the KCM for Operation JOINT
GUARDIAN transitioned to award of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal.
Status: Not currently awarded

Combat Infantryman Badge – Combat Infantryman Badge

Status: Currently awarded[1]
Established November 15, 1943
Total World War II to El Salvador: Unknown
Salvadoran Civil War: 69
Invasion of Grenada: 3,534
Invasion of Panama: 8,031
Persian Gulf War: 21,877
Somali Civil War: 1,280
Iraq War: 41,628
War in Afghanistan: 36,518
Inherent Resolve: 30[2][3]

Combat Medical Badge – Combat Medical Badge

Established:January 1945

First awarded:December 06, 1941 (retroactive)

Last awarded:Ongoing

Combat Action Ribbon – Combat Action Ribbon

Status: Current issue
Established Navy Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of the Navy): February 17, 1969
Coast Guard Combat Action Ribbon (U.S. Department of Homeland Security): July 16, 2008
First awarded Navy Combat Action Ribbon: 1969 (retroactive to March 1961)

Air Force Combat Action Medal – Air Force Combat Action Medal

Eligibility Airmen and guardians in the grades of E-1 through O-6
Status: Currently awarded
Established 15 March 2007
First awarded 12 June 2007 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Combat Action Badge – Combat Action Badge

Status: Currently awarded
Established May 2, 2005
First awarded June 29, 2005 (retroactive to September 18, 2001)
Last awarded Ongoing
Total recipients 68,686 in OIF (as of June 26, 2012)
37,914 in OEF (as of June 26, 2012)
3,828 in OND (as of June 26, 2012)
30 OIR (as of February 12, 2018)[1]

SSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia – SSBN Deterrent Patrol insigniaSSBN Deterrent Patrol insignia

Korea Defense Service Medal – Korea Defense Service Medal

Eligibility July 28, 1954 – present
Status: Current
Established December 2002; 19 years ago[4]
First awarded February 2004 (retroactive to July 28, 1954)

Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal – Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal

Eligibility U.S. military personnel
Status: Active
Established EO 13289, 12 March 2003
First awarded 2004 (retroactive to 11 September 2001)

Afghanistan Campaign Medal – Afghanistan Campaign Medal

Eligibility U.S. military personnel
Status: Inactive
Established EO 13363, November 29, 2004; 17 years ago
First awarded June 2005 (retroactive to October 24, 2001)

Iraq Campaign Medal – Iraq Campaign Medal

Eligibility U.S. military personnel
Status: Inactive[1]
Established 29 November 2004[2]
First awarded 2005 (retroactive to 19 March 2003)

Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal – Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal

Eligibility 15 June 2014 – present
Status: Active
Established 30 March 2016
First awarded April 2016[1] (retroactive to 15 June 2014)

Air and Space Expeditionary Service Ribbon – Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon

Status: Current
Established 2003

Purple heart

It is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the U.S. armed forces. Introduced as the "Badge of Military Merit” by General George Washington in 1782, the Purple Heart is also the nation’s oldest military award. In military terms, the award had "broken service,” as it was ignored for nearly 150 years until it was re-introduced on February 22, 1932, on the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth. The medal’s plain inscription "FOR MILITARY MERIT” barely expresses its significance.d
Status: Current

Korea Duty (Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days)

Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay