Veterans of Foreign Wars

of the United States

Eligibility Dates

EXCERPTS FROM MANUAL OF PROCEDURE ARTICLE 1 MEMBERSHIP

The fundamental difference between our Organization and other veteran organizations-and one in which we take great pride-is our eligibility qualifications. There are three primary requisites for membership in the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States: (1) Citizenship; (2) Honorable service in the Armed Forces of the United States; (3) Service entitling the applicant to the award of a recognized campaign medal or as set forth in the Congressional Charter and/or By-Laws.

ELIGIBILITY REGULATIONS

  • Expeditionary Navy 12 Feb. 1874 Indeterminate
  • Spanish Campaign Army 11 May 1898 16 Aug. 1898; Navy 20 April 1898 10 Dec. 1898
  • Army Cuban Occupation Army 18 July 1898 20 May 1902
  • Army Puerto Rican Oc. Army 14 Aug. 1898 10 Dec. 1898
  • Philippine Campaign Army 4 Feb. 1899 31 Dec. 1913; Navy 4 Feb. 1899 15 Sep. 1906
  • China Campaign Army 20 June 1900 27 May 1901
  • China Relief Navy 5 Apr 1900 27 May 1901
  • Army Cuban Pacification Army 6 Oct. 1906 1 April 1909
  • Cuban Pacification Navy 12 Sep. 1906 1 April 1909
  • Mexican Service Army 12 April 1911 16 June 1919; Navy 12 April 1914 7 Feb. 1917
  • 1st Nicaraguan Campaign Navy 29 July 1912 14 Nov.1912
  • Haitian Campaign Navy 9 July 1915 6 Dec. 1915; 1 April 1919 15 June 1920
  • Dominican Campaign Navy 4 May 1916 5 Dec. 1916
  • World War I Victory Army 6 April 1917 1 Apr 1920; (w/Battle,Service clasp Navy) 6 April 1917 30 Mar 1920 (including Siberia and European Russia)
  • Army Occupation of Germany Army 12 Nov. 1918 11 July 1923
  • Second Nicaraguan Campaign Navy 27 Aug. 1926 2 Jan. 1933
  • Yangtze Service Navy 3 Sept. 1926 21 Oct. 1927; 1 Mar. 1930 31 Dec. 1932
  • China Service Navy 7 July 1937 7 Sep. 1939; 2 Sept. 1945 1 April 1957
  • American Defense Service Army-Navy 8 Sep. 1939 7 Dec.1941 (with Foreign service clasp)
  • American Campaign Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar.1946 (30 consecutive days or 60 days not consecutive duty outside continental limits of United States)
  • Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar. 1946
  • European-African- Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 8 Nov. 1945
  • Middle Eastern Campaign
  • Army of Occupation Italy 9 May 1945 15 Sept. 1947 (30 consecutive days)
  • Germany(except West Berlin) 9 May 1945 5 May 1955
  • Germany (West Berlin) 9 May 1945 2 Oct. 1990
  • Austria 9 May 1945 27 July 1955
  • Korea 3 Sept.1945 29 June 1949
  • Japan 3 Sept.1945 27 April 1952
  • Navy Occupation Service Medal
  • Italy 8 May 1945 15 Dec. 1947
  • Trieste 8 May 1945 26 Oct. 1954
  • Germany (except West Berlin) 8 May 1945 5 May 1955
  • Austria 8 May 1945 25 Oct 1955
  • Asiatic Pacific 2 Sept. 1945 27 Apr 1952
  • Korean Service Medal
  • Army, Navy, Air Force 27 June 1950 27 Jul 1954
  • Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
  • Berlin 14 Aug. 1961 1 June 1963
  • Lebanon 1 July 1958 1 Nov. 1958
  • Quemoy and Matsu Islands 23 Aug. 1958 1 June 1963
  • Taiwan Straits 23 Aug. 1958 1 Jan. 1959
  • Congo 14 July 1960 1 Sep. 1962; 23 Nov. 1964 27 Nov.1964
  • Laos 19 Apr. 1961 7 Oct. 1962
  • Vietnam 1 July 1958 3 July 1965
  • Cuba 24 Oct. 1962 1 June 1963
  • Dominican Republic 28 Apr. 1965 21 Sep.1966
  • Korea 1 Oct. 1966 30 June 1974
  • Cambodia 29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1973
  • Thailand 29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1873 (direct support Cambodia Operation)
  • Evacuation of Cambodia 11-13 April 1975
  • Evacuation of Vietnam 29-30 April 1975
  • Mayaguez Operation 15 May 1975
  • Grenada Operation 23 Oct. 1983 21 Nov.1983
  • Lebanon 6 June 1983 1 Dec. 1987
  • Libyan Operation-El Dorado Canyon 12-17 April 1986
  • Persian Gulf- Earnest Will 24 July 1987 2 Aug.1990
  • Panama - Just Cause 20 Dec. 1989 31 Jan.1990
  • Somalia - Restore Hope 5 Dec. 1992 Indeterminate
  • Haiti - Uphold Democracy 16 Sep. 1994 Indeterminate
  • Navy and Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal
  • Thailand Military Operation 16 May 1962 10 Aug. 1962
  • Cuban Military Operation 3 Jan.1961 23 Oct. 1962
  • Iranian, Yemen/Indian Ocean 8 Dec. 1978 6 June 1979; 21 Nov. 1979 20 Oct. 1981
  • Lebanon 20 Aug. 1982 31 Dec. 1983
  • Libyan Expedition 20 Jan. 1986 27 June 1986
  • Persian Gulf 1 Feb. 1987 23 July 1987
  • Vietnam Service Medal 4 July 1965 28 Mar. 1973
  • Southwest Asia Service Medal (Desert Shield/Desert Storm) 2 Aug 1990 Indeterminate Combat areas of operation only
  • Personnel in support units serving in Israel 17 Jan. 1991 Indeterminate; Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan
  • Combat Action Ribbon 1 Mar. 1961 Indeterminate
  • Combat Infantry Badge 6 Dec. 1941 Indeterminate
  • Combat Medical Badge 6 Dec. 1941 Indeterminate
  • Service on the Korean Peninsula, or in its territorial waters for thirty (30) consecutive or sixty (60) non- consecutive days from 30 June 1949, to a date indeterminate.
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