2024 VFW Washington Conference

The 2024 VFW Washington Conference was held held March 3-7, 2024, in Washington, D.C. For nearly 75 years, the VFW's annual Washington Conference has provided an opportunity for VFW leaders from each state to personally lobby their respective lawmakers and watch as the VFW's current Commander-in-Chief testifies on Capitol Hill before the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees on behalf of veterans.

U.S. citizen, right to vote

To vote from abroad, you need to complete the overseas voter registration and absentee ballot request every election year. You will want to check your election dates and overseas voter deadlines, and how to contact your election office.

U.S. Embassy Bangkok, Thailand 2024

Voting overseas is now easier than ever before! The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai are here to help you exercise your right to vote and answer your voting questions.

State Tax Info for Military Members and Retirees

Did you know that many states do not charge income tax on active duty or retired military pay? Many others tax only a portion of these pays. To see what type of tax breaks your state offers for military members, retirees and survivors, check out our list.

VFW 2024 Goals

The VFW has released its 2024 Priority Goals, highlighting the top veterans' issues it plans to tackle in the new year.

Top 10 Veterans Resources

Veterans Health Library

The VA is committed to reducing Veteran suicide. If you're a Veteran in crisis or know a Veteran who is, support is available to you. The VA offers a network of support for all Veterans and their families and friends.

VFW Day of Service

The VFW strives to bring attention to the commitment and continued service of America’s veterans. U.S. veterans are 1.5 times more likely to work in public service or charitable organizations, volunteer 25 percent more hours per year and give 17 percent more in dollar donations. The VFW has seen this data come to life in the everyday actions of its more than 1 million members.

VFW Tells Subcommittee to Streamline Appeals

“It is the VFW’s position that communication and coordination between the BVA, Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA), and accredited representatives are critical during the remand process,” he said. “Clear and concise directives that the decision-maker must comply with from the BVA to the VBA help streamline the further development of cases. “Effective collaboration between these entities is essential to ensure that the remand process serves its intended purpose without unnecessary complications and needless delays.”

Suicide Prevention

The Department of Defense (DOD) released its Annual Report on Suicide in the Military Calendar Year 2022. In total, 492 service members across components lost their lives to suicide in 2022, which is a decrease from 2021. In addition, a total of 168 family members died by suicide in 2021, which is the most recent year data is available.

Get Your DD214 and Other Service Records

Are you looking for your service records or those of a family member? Here's how you can get them fast and easy.

Bill to Provide Support for Homeless Veterans and

Sens. Jon Tester (D-MT) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) have introduced VFW-supported S. 1436, Critical Health Access Resource and Grant Extensions (CHARGE) Act of 2023 to extend essential veteran programs and authorities that are set to expire on May 11. The bill includes provisions related to homelessness, caregivers, and State Veterans Homes. VFW National Legislative Director Pat Murray commented, “Combating veteran homelessness is more than just simply providing a roof over a person’s head, and oftentimes is accompanied by other financial struggles. A critical component of the CHARGE Act is allowing for more flexibility to assist veterans struggling to acquire food, clothing, hygiene materials, and other items needed for daily life. The VFW thanks Sens. Tester and Murkowski for their commitment to eliminating veteran homelessness.”

PACT Act Exposed to Toxins Compensation

Visit PACTActInfo.org: The VFW-championed PACT Act added more than twenty presumptive conditions for burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxins, extending VA benefits and compensation to toxic-exposed veterans and their surviving families more than ever before. Who does the PACT Act affect? How do I know if I qualify? How do I join to help the fight? The VFW has developed a quick and easy questionnaire to determine potential eligibility under the PACT Act. Visit PACTActInfo.org to learn more about PACT Act eligibility and to be connected with a VFW Service Officer for assistance with your VA claim.

Expedited PACT Claims for Terminal Vets

A announced it began processing PACT Act benefits claims for eligible terminally ill veterans as of Dec.12. While PACT Act claims for all other veterans will begin on Jan. 1, 2023, VA was able to expedite processing for terminally ill veterans to ensure these veterans receive their earned benefits on the earliest possible date.

Consulate News

IMPORTANT NOTARY UPDATE! As of March 1, 2023, we are no longer offering Residency verification to apply for a Thai driver’s license or buy/sell a vehicle in Thailand. In Bangkok, please contact the Thai Immigration Bureau’s Chaeng Wattana Office (Counter B, 1st Floor) or the nearest regional immigration office in other provinces to obtain a certificate of residence from Thai Immigration Bureau. For more information, please refer to our Fact Sheet (PDF 181KB). https://th.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/notaries-public/ IMPORTANT PASSPORT UPDATE! Customers are required to mail adult passport renewal applications (Form DS-82) to U.S. Embassy Bangkok. There are no appointments available to renew adult passports at U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai. Customers who appear at U.S. Consulate General Chiang Mai requesting adult passport renewal (Form DS-82) will be required to mail their passport application to U.S. Embassy Bangkok. From April 10th 2023, the U.S. Mission in Thailand will no longer provide a linkage letter with newly issued passports. You may present the cancelled and current passport to the Thai Immigration Bureau or the nearest regional immigration office in other provinces to have your Thai visa transferred to your new passport.

U.S. Embassy & Consulate in Thailand

American Citizen Services (ACS) for U.S. Mission Thailand. We provide a range of services and information. All non-emergency consular services, including passport applications, notarizations and reports of birth abroad, require an appointment. We will not accept walk-ins. This assists us in providing prompt and efficient consular services to American Citizens residing in and visiting Thailand. We provide American Citizen Services at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai Immigration's new service point

Chiang Mai Immigration's new service point in Central Festival shopping mall Open from Monday - Friday 09.00-12.00, 13.00-17.00 Services offered are: 1. Short-term visa extension for tourist visa 2. Visa for teachers / instructors / students (private/government) that are already registered in the system 3. Family visa 4. Re-instatement of Thai nationality for a person whose father/mother is a Thai national 5. Transporting a current visa from an old passport to a new one 6. Requesting permission to re-enter the Kingdom 7. 90 days reporting

10 TRICARE Health Care Terms You Should Know

Have you recently come across a health care term and weren’t quite sure what it meant? It’s OK. Health care coverage is full of terms you may not know. To help you better understand your TRICARE benefit, here’s a list of commonly used health care terms and definitions.

VFW Unmet Needs Program

We understand the challenges veterans, service members and military families can face and believe that experiencing financial difficulties should not be one of them. That's the premise behind the VFW's Unmet Needs program. Unmet Needs is there to help America's military families who have run into unexpected financial difficulties as a result of deployment or other military-related activity or injury. The program provides financial aid grants of up to $1,500 to assist with basic life needs in the form of a grant - not a loan - so no repayment is required. To further ease the burden, we pay the creditor directly. The needs of our veterans, service members and their families should never go unmet. Let us offer you a hand up when you need it! For additional information, and to see if you or someone you know qualifies for a grant through the Unmet Needs program, please review the Unmet Needs eligibility criteria.

VFW National Home

VFW National Home for Children: The National Home was founded in 1925 as a place where the families left behind by war could remain together. Today’s families face different challenges, and the National Home has evolved over decades to meet those needs. The community is open to the families of active duty military personnel, veterans, and relatives of VFW and VFW Auxiliary members. Families can be one or both parents with one or more children.

TRICARE Overseas Program Application

Finding the health care resources you need can be difficult, especially if you’re living or traveling overseas. That’s why International SOS Government Services, Inc., the TRICARE Overseas Program (TOP) contractor, created MyCare Overseas. This is a new self-service tool for those enrolled in TOP Prime, TOP Prime Remote, or TOP Select. And it helps you get all of the information you need from one place.

All American / All State Post

2009 All American Post * 2010 All State Post * 2016 All State Post * 2019 All State Post * 2020 All American Post * 2021 All American Post * 2022 All American Post * 2023 All American Post *

Join or Upgrade Your Membership

Provide a dues stipend to individuals to join our Post. ($30, maximum of 6 individuals) Provide a stipend to members wishing to upgrade to LIFE or LEGACY. ($100, maximum of 4 members) Contact Our Quartermaster, quartermaster12074@gmail.com.

STILL SERVING

IN COMMUNITIES ALL OVER THE WORLD, IN EVERY WAY IMAGINABLE, VETERANS ARE STILL SERVING. All Members are encouraged to become involved with our Post's Community Outreach, Ceremonies and Events. Families are always welcomed to become involved.

POW-MIA

The POW/MIA flag is displayed at selected federal facilities on six designated days: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day. National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979. There is an annual Presidential proclamation commemorating the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

Request for Sponsors

Would you like your business to be viewed every day by 100s of potential customers across Thailand? If so, help support our Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Post 12074 website. Donate $100 (or ฿3,000), and we will post your logo on our homepage for one year. When your potential customers click on your logo, they are directed to a dedicated page on our website that you control. You control the message on your dedicated page. You can post news relevant to your business and create links to your homepage, Facebook page, or other links to promote your business.