VFW AND VFW AUXILIARY

The VFW Auxiliary started in 1914 with a small group of women who wanted to serve veterans; it has grown exponentially and now includes male and female members. In order to belong to the VFW Auxiliary, one must have a mother, father, son, daughter, grandmother, grandfather, grandson, or granddaughter who has served in combat. This is what makes us different from other organizations.

In 2021, the VFW and the Auxiliary membership voted at our 108th National to make a much-needed change to our bylaws. As a result, citizenship is no longer a requirement to join. This change in our VFW Auxiliary Bylaws opens the door for more spouses worldwide to join the nearly 500,000 members working on behalf of veterans and their families. These individuals share the same passion every other Auxiliary member has for serving veterans, service members, their families, and communities.

When I have spoken to potential members, one of the reasons for not joining is that they do not have the time. What I explain, and this is very important for members and potential members to understand, is that while we would love for every member to be active in their Auxiliary, we also know that life gets in the way. However, your membership to the Auxiliary allows us to have a bigger voice in Washington, D.C. So you see, being a member to honor your veteran will help thousands of veterans that you will never meet, and help us help them.

If you, a friend, or a family member are interested in joining the VFW Auxiliary, please reach out to your local VFW. There are currently 160 VFW Posts from Pensacola to the Florida Keys. We would love to answer any questions you might have.

I strongly believe that it is an honor to be a member of this great organization. It is a great way to say thank you to the men and women who have served our country in times of war, and it is those heroes who make us eligible for the Auxiliary.

Debbie Tilley joined the Ladies Auxiliary (renamed six years ago to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Auxiliary) in 2002 under the eligibility of my husband Glen, who served five years in the Army and 20 years in the Navy. In 2020-2021 her and her husband served together as State Commander and State President of the VFW Wars Department of Florida and its Auxiliary.