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VFW Post Leader Recognized
By Tyler Francke, Veterans News Magazine
The Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has been a vital part of life for many of the community’s veterans since it was founded over six decades ago, but this year, it received a first-time honor — being recognized as an All American Post by the national organization.
All American status recognizes outstanding VFW posts and is based on participation in VFW programs as well as membership gains by posts, districts and departments.
Commander and U.S. Army veteran Tamera Coffee, who was recognized for her outstanding leadership of the post since taking the position in 2013, said she was “shocked” when she got the call.
“We hadn’t heard anything, and we really weren’t expecting it,” she said. “But it was great. I was surprised, but it made all the hard work worth it.”
The VFW post is one of the few veterans’ organizations in Warm Springs — the state’s largest reservation — and has been active in the community since 1956. The community’s pride and support for veterans was one of the primary factors in her joining the VFW and, before that, the military.
Tamera Coffee served in the U.S. Army from 1987 to 1992, including during Operation Desert Storm. The VFW post she leads in the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs was recently recognized as an All American post for the first time in its 65-year history.
“I wanted to pick up the torch and help carry that on into the future as best I could,” she said.
Coffee served as a military police officer in the Army from 1987 to 1992, including during the Gulf War. She said she enjoyed her service, though her dual minority status as a woman and an American Indian was isolating at times.
“You know, it was kind of funny because there are more Native Americans serving per capita than any other group,” she said. “But the whole time I served, I did not run into one other Native American. It did feel lonely sometimes, but I made a lot of good friends that I’m still in contact with today.”
An avid athlete, Coffee was active in softball, basketball and tennis throughout her military career, even getting temporary orders to try out for the U.S. Army tennis team at one point.
When she returned home to the reservation, there was little question that she would want to join the VFW, where she had fond memories of spending time with her grandfather (a World War II veteran) and the other “old guys” who ran the Warm Springs post in those days.
The year 2020 was a challenging and demanding one for Coffee, including some sad losses. The coronavirus pandemic has disproportionately affected many minority and tribal communities and, sadly, that was the case in Warm Springs. Coffee herself lost four family members to COVID-19.
“It has really affected the community as a whole,” she said. “But through the Post, I’ve been able to help some of the widows or spouses who were left behind, to get the grave markers and flags for their loved ones. Being able to help in that way offers some comfort.”
A water crisis that impacted many of the reservation’s 3,200 residents was also a difficult challenge in 2020. Coffee said the state and national network of VFW posts sprang into action, gathering bottled water, food and other donated items that were distributed to veterans and their families at the Warm Springs post.
“It’s been challenging, exciting, demanding and, in a really odd way, kind of comforting for me, because now I feel I can relate to other veterans that have been to war,” she said.
As one of the few women veterans and Desert Storm veterans at the Warm Springs VFW post, Coffee is again unique, but she doesn’t feel as isolated as during her service.
“You find common ground with other vets,” she said. “I don’t think there are any barriers. I think other veterans see me as just another veteran, which is nice.”
