 Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States Department of Michigan |
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Veteran News & Events The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States, with its Auxiliaries, includes 2.2 million members in approximately 8,100 Posts worldwide. Its mission is to "honor the dead by helping the living" through veterans' service, community service, national security and a strong national defense. Events
VFW Conventions & Conferences
VFW
Department of Michigan & Auxiliaries Fall Conference
District 4 Meeting
District 8 Meeting
District 5 Meeting
District 12 Meeting
District 10 Meeting
VFW Post 5065 40th Annual Beef Raffle
Army vs. Navy Football Game
2012
Buddy Poppy Orders Due
in Department District 8 Meeting
District 10 Meeting
District 15 Meeting
District 4 Meeting
District 5 Meeting
District 12 Meeting
District 15 Meeting
District 5 Meeting
District 8 Meeting
District 4 Meeting &
Convention
District 12 Meeting
Official Michigan Buddy
Poppy Sales Days District 10 Meeting
News VFW Posts Become Refuge For Women, Too
For decades, Veterans of Foreign Wars posts
have played vital roles in small towns throughout America. But in recent years,
as World War II veterans have passed away, membership in VFWs has fallen
drastically, and many posts have closed. Now, though, some are facing a possible
renaissance, thanks to female soldiers returning from overseas. Minnesota National Guard Maj. Kristin Auge is moving between tables wearing a green apron, her pockets stuffed with bingo cards that she sells to players, most of whom are regulars. Wednesday bingo nights are open to the public and help fund the VFW's operations. Auge lives only a few miles away, but had never been to this VFW until last spring. When she told one of the members she wanted to join, he told her she had to have been in the service. Auge told him she is. Then he said she had to have been deployed. She had just gotten back from Iraq. "And he goes, 'Oh, OK. Well, I'll take your paperwork,' " she says. The older members here welcomed Auge, so she cajoled some of her reluctant female vet friends into joining. VFW officials say they're seeing an influx of women like Auge and her friends joining the group after they return from overseas deployments. Auge says she was looking for a place to spend time with the women who were part of her support system during deployments. She and her friend, veteran Diane Sandberg, successfully campaigned for leadership positions at this post. Sandberg says they feared the post could close, and jokes that, as women, they were better equipped to address the problem. "We definitely have pluses that the men don't have. We hear everything. It's not selective hearing. We can balance and juggle where they're just, you know, more single-minded," she says. "And I know I'm being funny, but we want to make sure this is there for the future, and we want to do our part, now that we can, to make sure that it stays sacred." Sandberg says all vets need a place where they can spend time with others who understand their experiences. "Wars are not going to stop, military service is not going to stop, and so future soldiers, men and women, need a place to go, and they need a place to decompress," she says. But sometimes the generations — and the genders — clash, over things like the decor. "The club is kinda dark and dreary, and we want to brighten up the place," says veteran Linda Ausen. "Some of these guys are still thinking, 'Oh no, it's fine. We like the dark wood paneling." Beyond those disagreements, there's some awkwardness around political correctness. Rosemount post Cmdr. Marvin Jansma says male members are watching themselves, but they still make mistakes. "You can only go so far. And you just have to behave yourself," he says. "I know I said something last week at Linda, and I said it a certain way, and it was like, 'Oh, I should not have said that.' " But Jansma says he's grateful for new members and officers. He concedes that as his generation ages, it's harder to maintain the post. "When it comes to the young ladies that we've got here, we're thankful, and there's challenges, but we have opportunities," he says. Jansma is now more hopeful that this VFW post will survive — and even thrive — after his generation is gone. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR AN ONLINE AND COMPLETELY ANONYMOUS STUDY ON POST-DEPLOYMENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH OUTCOMES
If so, you may be qualified to participate in an internet study that is examining post-deployment behavioral health outcomes entitled, "Assessment of Base Rates of PTSD, High Risk Behaviors, and Impairment." YOU WILL BE COMPENSATED FOR YOUR TIME. Please see below or follow the link for more information about the study www.myserviceimpact.com.STUDY INFORMATION Researchers from the University at Albany - State University of New York and University of South Florida are conducting a research study to understand the impact of combat deployment on a variety of behavioral health outcomes and would like to offer you the opportunity to participate. This research is being paid for by the Department of Defense (DoD) Telemedicine and Advanced Technology Research Center (TATRC). Your participation is completely voluntary and will take about one and a half hours of your time. This study will take place entirely online and is completely anonymous. As a way of thanking you for your time and participation, the first 900 participants will be paid $25. All other participants will be entered into a lottery to win one of six (6) $500 www.amazon.com gift cards. In order to participate you must:
Department of Michigan
Honor Guard Remain National Champions!! Suicide the "Silent Epidemic"
Great
Lakes National Cemetery Avenue of Flags Needs Your Help... Michigan Fallen Warrior Memorial Project Wyoming, Michigan, May 16 2011 - "We are respectfully requesting your assistance in raising funds to create a Soldier’s Memorial to be built on the grounds of the Grand Valley National Guard Armory located in Wyoming Michigan. This memorial will be constructed paid for and maintained by the Michigan Fallen Warrior Memorial non- profit organization." read more
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