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 as indicated on his or her discharge papers or as set forth in the Congressional Charter and/or By-Laws. If you think you are eligible for membership in the VFW, Fill out the Offline request for further information
VFW Eligibility Requirements - Are You Eligible?
It's not the price you pay for membership - it's the price you pay to be eligible.
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| Campaign Medal | Military Service | Period During Which Issued |
| Expeditionary | Navy Marine Corps |
12 Feb. 1874 Indeterminate |
| Spanish Campaign | Army | 11 May 1898 16 Aug. 1898 |
| Navy | 20 Apr. 1898 10 Dec. 1898 | |
| Army of Cuban Occupation | Army | 18 July 1898 20 May 1902 |
| Army of Puerto Rico Occupation | Army | 14 Aug. 1898 10 Dec. 1898 |
| Philippine Campaign | Army | 04 Feb. 1899 31 Dec. 1913 |
| Navy | 04 Feb.1899 15 Sept. 1906 | |
| China Relief Expedition | Army | 20 June 1900 27 May 1901 |
| Navy | 05 Apr. 1900 27 May 1901 | |
| Cuban Pacification | Army | 06 Oct. 1906 01 Apr. 1909 |
| Cuban Pacification | Navy | 12 Sept. 1906 01 Apr. 1909 |
| Mexican Service | Army | 12 Apr. 1911 16 June 1919 |
| Navy | 12 Apr. 1914 07 Feb. 1917 | |
| First Nicaraguan Campaign | Navy | 29 July 1912 14 Nov. 1912 |
| Haitian Campaign | Navy | 09 July 1915 06 Dec. 1915 01 Apr. 1919 15 June 1920 |
| Dominican Campaign | Navy | 04 May 1916 05 Dec. 1916 |
| World War I Victory (with Battle or Service Clasp including Siberia and European Russia) |
Army | 06 Apr. 1917 01 Apr. 1920 |
| Navy | 06 Apr. 1917 30 Mar. 1920 | |
| Army of Occupation of Germany | Army | 12 Nov. 1918 11 July 1923 |
| Second Nicaraguan Campaign | Navy | 27 Aug. 1926 02 Jan. 1933 |
| Yangtze Service | Navy | 03 Sept. 1926 21 Oct. 1927 01 Mar. 1930 31 Dec. 1932 |
| China Service | Navy | 07 July 1937 07 Sept. 1939 02 Sept. 1945 01 Apr. 1957 |
| American Defense Service (with Foreign Service Clasp) |
Army-Navy | 08 Sept. 1939 07 Dec. 1941 |
| American Campaign (30 consecutive days or 60 days non-consecutive days of duty outside continental limits of the United States |
Army-Navy | 07 Dec. 1941 02 Mar. 1946 |
| Asiatic-Pacific Campaign | Army-Navy | 07 Dec. 1941 02 Mar. 1946 |
| European-African- Middle Eastern Campaign |
Army-Navy | 07 Dec. 1941 08 Nov. 1945 |
| Army of Occupation 30 consecutive days of duty |
Italy | 09 May 1945 15 Sept. 1947 |
| Germany (except West Berlin) | 09 May 1945 05 May 1955 | |
| Germany (West Berlin) | 09 May 1945 02 Oct. 1990 | |
| Austria | 09 May 1945 27 July 1955 | |
| Korea | 03 Sept. 1945 29 June 1949 | |
| Japan | 03 Sept. 1945 27 Apr. 1952 | |
| Navy Occupation Service Medal | Italy | 08 May 1945 15 Dec. 1947 |
| Trieste | 08 May 1945 26 Oct. 1954 | |
| Germany (except West Berlin) | 08 May 1945 05 May 1955 | |
| Austria | 08 May 1945 25 Oct. 1955 | |
| Asiatic Pacific | 02 Sept. 1945 27 Apr. 1952 | |
| Korean Service Medal | Army, Navy, Air Force | 27 June 1950 27 July 1954 |
| Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 30 consec. or 60 non-consec. days of duty |
Lebanon | 01 July 1958 01 Nov. 1958 |
| Taiwan Straits | 23 Aug. 1958 01 Jan. 1959 | |
| Quemoy & Matsu Island | 23 Aug. 1958 01 June 1963 | |
| Vietnam | 01 July 1958 03 July 1965 | |
| Congo | 14 July 1960 01 Sept. 1962 23-27 Nov. 1964 | |
| Laos | 19 Apr. 1961 07 Oct. 1962 | |
| Berlin | 14 Aug. 1961 01 June 1963 | |
| Cuba | 24 Oct. 1962 01 June 1963 | |
| Dominican Republic | 28 Apr. 1965 21 Sept. 1966 | |
| Korea | 01 Oct. 1966 30 June 1974 | |
| Cambodia | 29 Mar. 1973 15 Aug. 1973 | |
| Thailand (in direct support of Cambodia) |
29 Mar. 1973 15 Aug. 1973 | |
| Operation Eagle Pull-Cambodia (includes evacuation) |
11-13 Apr. 1975 | |
| Operation Frequent Wind-Vietnam (includes evacuation) | 29-30 Apr. 1975 | |
| Mayaguez Operation | 15 May 1975 | |
| El Salvador | 01 Jan. 1981 01 Feb. 1992 | |
| Lebanon | 01 June 1983 01 Dec. 1987 | |
| Operation Urgent Fury - Grenada | 23 Oct. 1983 21 Nov. 1983 | |
| El Dorado Canyon-Libya | 12-17 Apr. 1986 | |
| Persian Gulf-Operation Earnest Will (only those participating in, or in direct support) | 24 July 1987 02 Aug. 1990 | |
| Panama-Operation Just Cause (USS Vreeland & other SVS-designated aircrew mbrs. outside the Conus in direct suppport) |
20 Dec. 1989 31 Jan. 1990 | |
| Somalia-United Shield-Operation Restore Hope | 05 Dec. 1992 31 Mar. 1995 | |
| Haiti-Operation Uphold Democracy | 16 Sept. 1994 31 Mar. 1995 | |
| Bosnia-Operation Joint Endeavor(Bosnia, Croatia, the Adriatic Sea & airspace) | 20 Nov. 1995 20 Dec. 1996 | |
| Operation Vigilant Sentinel (Persian Gulf, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait) | 01 Dec. 1995 1 Sept., 1997 | |
| Operation Southern Watch (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq Arabian Gulf, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Gulf of Oman W of 62" E Long, Yeman, Egypt, Jordan |
01 Dec. 1995 Indeterminate | |
| Operation Maritime Intercept operations(Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman W of 62" E Long, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan) | 01 Dec. 1995 Indeterminate | |
| Operation Joint Guard (Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace) |
20 Dec. 1996 June 20, 1998 | |
| El Salvador | 01 Jan. 1981 01 Feb. 1992 | |
| Operation Joint Guard (Bosnia, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace) |
20 Dec. 1996 June 20, 1998 | |
| Operation Northern Watch (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf W of 56" E Long., and Incirlik AB, Turkey (only pers. TDY to ONW) | 01 Jan. 1997 Indeterminate | |
| Operation Joint Forge - (Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Adriatic Sea & airspace) | 21 Jun. 1998 Indeterminate | |
| Operation Desert Thunder (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea support | 11 Nov. 1998 22 Dec. 1998 | |
| Operation Desert Fox (Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Yemen, Egypt, Jordan, Gulf of Oman, USF Red Sea support | 16 Dec. 1998 22 Dec. 1998 | |
| Navy & Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal | Cuban Military Operation | 03 Jan. 1961 23 Oct. 1962 |
| Thailand Military Operation | 16 May 1962 10 Aug. 1962 | |
| Iranian, Yemen & Indian Ocean Operation | 08 Dec. 1978 06 June 1979 21 Nov. 1979 20 Oct. 1981 | |
| Lebanon | 20 Aug. 1982 31 May 1983 | |
| Libyan Expedition | 20 Jan. 1986 27 June 1986 | |
| Persian Gulf | 01 Feb. 1987 23 July 1987 | |
| Panama - (pre and post invasion) | 01 Apr. 1988 19 Dec. 1989 01 Feb. 1990 13 June 1990 | |
| Liberia(Operation Sharp Edge) | 05 Aug. 1990 21 Feb. 1991 | |
| Rwanda (Operation Distant Runner) (11th Marine Expeditionary Unit USS Peleliu) |
07-18 Apr. 1994 | |
| Vietnam Service Medal | 04 July 1965 28 Mar. 1973 | |
| Southwest Asia Service Medal | Operation Desert Shield/ Operation Desert Storm Combat areas of operation only |
02 Aug. 1990 30 Nov. 1995 |
| Personnel assigned to support units serving in Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan | 17 Jan. 1991 -Apr. 11, 1991 | |
| Combat Action Ribbon | Navy, Marine, Coast Guard | 01 Mar. 1961 Indeterminate |
| Combat Infantry Badge & Combat Medical Badge | Army | 06 Dec. 1941 Indeterminate |
| Korea Duty |
Service on the Korean Peninsula, or in its territorial waters for thirty (30)/consecutive or sixty (60) nonconsecutive days. |
30 June 1949 Open |
| Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM) | Operation Allied Force Kosovo Air Campaign |
24 Mar. 1999 10 June 1999. |
| Kosovo Defense Campaign- Ground Action | 11 June 1999 TBD | |
| Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay | http://www.dtic.mil/comptroller/fmr/07a/07A10.pdf Click above for details on Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay |
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The information is to be used for guideline purposes only. The separation document or DD 214 MUST reflect campaign medal service to establish eligibility. Service in Korea without the issuance of a campaign medal can be established with additional support documentation. Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay can be established with pay records.