VFW Press Releases

1. VFW Joins with Main Street to Provide Financial Education to Veterans

   KANSAS CITY, Mo. -The VFW is pleased to announce it has joined with Main Street, a leading financial education company, to develop a comprehensive national financial education initiative aimed at empowering veterans across the country with ongoing content and resources tailored specifically for veterans and their unique needs.

   The initiative will encompass a variety of educational offerings, including:

   • Virtual Surveys: To assess the financial education needs of veterans.
   • Curriculum Development: Customized educational materials based on survey responses.
   • Virtual and In-Person Classes: Leadership training for VFW members and direct financial education for veterans.
   • Economic Hotline: A dedicated hotline where veterans can text/email questions and receive immediate responses and referrals.
   • On-Demand Video Content: Videos to address frequently asked questions, designed for social media and other platforms.

   With over 25 years of experience in financial education, Ryan Mack, president of Main Street recognized a pressing need for targeted financial literacy resources within the veteran community.

   "Veterans have done so much for our country, keeping us safe," Mack stated. "It breaks my heart to see high rates of homelessness among this population. These individuals have literally put their lives on the line for me and my family, yet we aren't doing enough to take care of them. The VFW is a remarkable organization filled with dedicated individuals who serve their communities; It's time we step up and do something for them."

   Ryan Mack and the Main Street team are committed to making a tangible impact in the lives of veterans through this initiative, reinforcing the belief that financial literacy is a fundamental right for all.

   About Main Street: Main Street is a financial education company dedicated to providing individuals and communities with the tools and knowledge necessary for financial empowerment. Led by Ryan Mack, the organization has been at the forefront of financial literacy education for over two decades.

2. VFW Honors National Vietnam War Veterans Day

   WASHINGTON -For the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) and for our nation, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is an important one. Made official through the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, on March 29 we pay tribute to our Vietnam War veterans' unwavering courage, dedication and the countless sacrifices made by them and their families during one of the most challenging conflicts in our nation's history.

   We must not only remain dedicated to honoring and recognizing a generation of veterans to whom we owe so much, let us not forget there are some that haven't made it back from where their nation sent them. From February 1961 - May 1975, more than 3.4 million Americans deployed in support of the U.S military operations in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. More than 58,000 gave their lives and according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), nearly 1,600 remain unaccounted for.

   Experts at DPAA are in a race against time as the elements, soil acidity and the local population's fading recollections make the task of finding and identifying the remains of those missing more challenging as the years go by. Because of this, the VFW is steadfast in our support of DPAA's full accounting mission. We will keep the POW/MIA flag flying high and keep the candle lit for their return.

   For too long, those who returned home from Vietnam did not receive the welcome or recognition they deserved. The VFW stands firm in our commitment to ensuring that every Vietnam veteran knows their service was honorable, their sacrifices were not in vain, and that they are forever respected and remembered.

   On this solemn day, the VFW urges all Americans to take a moment to express their gratitude to Vietnam veterans, to recognize their service, and to remember those who never made it home. To all Vietnam veterans, on behalf of the more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary, we reaffirm our enduring promise: We will never forget. We will never stop searching. And we will always honor and welcome home those who served.

3. VFW Names First Woman Veteran to Lead its National Legislative Efforts

   WASHINGTON - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the selection of the first woman veteran as director of the VFW's National Legislative Service (NLS).

   Kristina Keenan is a familiar and well-respected face on Capitol Hill. As a member of the NLS team since 2018, her tenacity and dedication have been proven time and again. Most notably, her advocacy efforts contributed greatly to the passing of the PACT Act - the largest expansion of veterans benefits since the Vietnam War. Her legislative victories also include passage of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Location Act and the Alexander Lofgren Veterans in Parks (VIP) Act, among others.

   Keenan has been recognized as one of the country's top lobbyists by the National Institute of Lobbying and Ethics (NILE) and the Washington, D.C., publication, The Hill.

   "It is an absolute honor to serve veterans and the VFW. I am thrilled to be the organization's next legislative director," said Kristina Keenan. "I began my advocacy work with the VFW as a volunteer in 2016, focusing on women veteran issues and the Deborah Sampson Act. Two years later, I moved to Washington, D.C., to join the VFW's National Legislative Service. This journey has been incredible, especially being part of efforts over the past several years to advance toxic exposure legislation and the success of the PACT Act. I have learned so much from outstanding VFW leaders, and I hope to continue the organization's century-long legacy of legislative achievements."

   Keenan, a veteran of the Minnesota Army National Guard, earned her VFW eligibility during a 2003 deployment to Bosnia. Immediately following her deployment, she volunteered for a second deployment to Bosnia, working as a tactical human intelligence team leader with an allied military intelligence battalion. Keenan finished her military service in 2005, with the rank of sergeant.

   Following her military service, Keenan completed a bachelor's degree in political science at the American University of Paris in France and later earned a master's in human rights and humanitarian action from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris (Paris Institute of Political Studies, commonly known as Sciences Po). Kristina completed a 10-month internship in 2008, at NATO's Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), in Mons, Belgium, where she was an intelligence analyst on counternarcotics issues in Afghanistan.

   As director of NLS, Keenan's responsibilities include the planning, coordination and implementation of the VFW's national legislative agenda with members of Congress, their staff, and other federal departments, agencies and organizations. Her goal is to work with Congress to create and protect all programs and services provided by the federal government to veterans, service members and their families, and to help defeat proposals that are not beneficial to America's veteran and military communities. This includes executing the VFW's annual Priority Goals, as it pertains to budgets, education, employment, health care, benefits and capital infrastructure as well as working on The Independent Budget, which is a comprehensive budget recommendation and policy document created by veterans for veterans.

   She says she is ready for the challenges the future holds for the VFW Washington Office. "Together, I know we can successfully push forward the legislative priorities that are so important to VFW members, while also working to strengthen the VA system and fight for policies that uphold the dignity and well-being of those who have sacrificed so much for our country."

   Keenan maintains her Life membership at VFW Post 605 in Paris, France - the oldest Post in Europe. She served two years as VFW Post Commander, and has held roles as VFW Department of Europe Chaplain, Student Veterans of America Chairwoman, and was a member of the National Women Veterans Advisory Committee.

   For interview requests, Contact: Rob Couture, VFW Washington Office Director of Public Affairs & Strategic Outreach, 202.374.9998, RCouture@vfw.org.

4. VFW Leaders Prepare for Diplomacy, Troop and DPAA Site Visits

   WASHINGTON -On the heels of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Washington Conference, two official delegations comprised of senior VFW and Auxiliary leaders and supporting staff depart this weekend for separate command visits in East and Southeast Asian countries.

   Accompanied by VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci, and together with VFW Auxiliary National President Brenda Bryant, Commander-in-Chief Al Lipphardt will embark on a six-day tour of Taiwan to meet with government leaders and the Veterans Affairs Council to bolster our longstanding friendship grounded in shared democratic ideals, mutual learning and a commitment to caring for those who sacrificed in defense of our respective nations. Among the activities planned is a diplomatic engagement with the President of Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, as well as tours of the PanChiao Veterans Home and Taipei Veterans General Hospital.

   "The VFW has long enjoyed a robust relationship with our veterans' affairs counterparts in Taiwan," said Lipphardt. "And this year, I am honored to meet with President Lai Ching-te to discuss our nations' common pursuit of and dedication to freedom, peace and democracy. It's through the selfless acts and courage of our nations' defenders, and the fulfilment of our duty to honor and care for them, that these ideals are able to be realized."

   Meanwhile, Junior Vice Commander-in-Chief Tim Peters, together with Assistant Adjutant General Brian Walker and VFW Washington Office Public Affairs Director Rob Couture, will spend two weeks traveling to Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) field sites in Thailand and Vietnam and meeting with U.S. military personnel, veterans and VFW members in South Korea and the Philippines.

   "DPAA's mission has always been near and dear to my heart," said Peters, "that's why I'm excited to meet with the teams in Thailand and Vietnam to see their work firsthand. Their dedication to accounting for every service member missing in action is truly remarkable."

   The VFW's annual overseas missions fulfill critical organizational national security and foreign affairs objectives. Travel missions abroad enable senior leadership to strengthen ties with host nation governments, witness field operations and understand the needs of the DPAA and gauge the welfare of U.S. troops and veterans stationed and living outside the United States and its territories. Leveraging the VFW's powerful advocacy platform in Washington, D.C., lessons learned from each visit are brought to administration officials and members of Congress to ensure the DPAA is fully funded each year and troops and veterans, including those working as Department of Defense (DOD) civilians, are properly taken care of, able to execute their missions, and can access the benefits and services afforded to them.

   Thanks to VFW advocacy after past overseas visits, legislation to overhaul the Department of Veterans Affairs' Foreign Medical Program was introduced by Rep. Jeff Van Drew (R-N.J.) during the 118th and current Congresses, while the DOD decided in 2024 to continue providing mail privileges to military retirees living abroad.

   For updates as the missions kick off and throughout, be sure to follow the VFW on LinkedIn, X, and Instagram under @VFWHQ and on Facebook under @VFWFans.

5. VFW Launches 79th Annual Youth Scholarship Contests

   KANSAS CITY, Mo. -The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is now accepting entries for its 79th annual Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen youth scholarship competitions. The 2025-2026 theme asks America's students "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?"

   Established in 1947, the VFW's Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen essay competitions were created to encourage a better understanding and appreciation for America and to foster patriotism among the nation's youth. The programs also offer friendly competition as well as reward success in the form of individual scholarships and awards totaling nearly $2.4 million at the national, state and local levels.

   The Voice of Democracy audio-essay competition is open to high school students in ninth through 12th grades and comes with a national first place prize scholarship totaling $35,000. More than 26,000 high school students worldwide compete in the competition each year for their share of more than $170,000 in national awards.

   First place Voice of Democracy Department (state) winners will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to attend a Founding Forward Spirit of America Youth Leadership program at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Through this inspiring four-day program, students experience mock congressional debates, participate in a free enterprise challenge, visit historical sites, and engage in interactive educational activities.

   The VFW's Patriot's Pen essay contest is open to eligible sixth, seventh and eighth grade students, with middle schoolers competing for their share of nearly $1 million in local, state and national awards and prizes. The national first place winner receives a $5,000 award. More than 60,600 students participate annually in the competition.

   Student entries may be submitted (along with a completed entry form) to their local participating VFW Post. The deadline for both contests is Oct. 31, 2025.

   Read more about the contests, or submit your essay and entry form at your local participating VFW Post.