Overview of Military Veteran Service Organizations

Veterans groups or Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) serve the veterans of the U.S. Military. Veterans Groups serve several purposes, the original puropse being a faternaty of sorts for members of a particular military campaign or awarded a certain award, such as the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

As veterans groups formed and began to grow and became stronger, they became more of a political power. Today many of these organizations are "chartered", meaning they are officially recognized by the Veteran's Affairs Secretary and at the federal, state levels of government. Both branches of Congress have committees dedicated to veterans of the armed forces and take the advice and knowledge of these organizations seriously when considering legislation that effects veterans.

Chartered organizations have the ability to help the veteran prepare and present claims to the Department of Veteran Affairs. There are four major non-government veterans groups in the United States. Their goals are often aligned, helping the veterans of our armed forces, supporting our active duty military, and volunteering to better our communities for all Americans.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) began its organization during the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection in 1899. The mission of the VFW is "to honor the dead by helping the living through veterans' service, community service, national security and a strong national defense". The VFW played a significan role in establishing the Veterans Administration and creating the modern GI Bill.

The VFW membership is nearly 2 million strong, making it one of the most powerful veterans groups available. They offer many services to veterans and encourage volunteerism within your community and within the organization. Visit the VFW website to learn more and determine your eligibility for membership.

The American Legion was chartered in 1919 "as a patriotic, war-time veterans organization, devoted to mutual helpfulness. This organization is another powerful influence on government policy as it affects military veterans, boasting a membership of nearly 3 million.. The American Legion includes many benefits for their members including travel discounts, medical benefits, relocation, financial services, insurances and more. Take a look at their benefits page on their website.

American Veterans (AMVETS) was founded in 1944, and like other veteran service organizations, focus their volunteer efforts on community service and service to veterans. AMVETS' pride is in its ability to help veterans process their VA claims. AMVETS has a network of national service officers (NSO) that are "accredited" by the VA and processes more than 24,000 claims per year, which equates to more than $400 million in benefit compensation for veterans.

AMVETS has many volunteer programs, depending on which post you belong to. Each post determines the program(s) they are going to involve themselves with each year. There are many different programs, all dedicated to serving veterans, active duty military or America's citizens. Contacting your local post before joining to ensure your desires are aligned with theirs.

The Disabled American Veterans (DAV) was founded in 1920 and congressionally chartered in 1932. At more than one million members, the DAV is dedicated to "building better lives for America's disabled veterans and their families". The DAV provides VA claims services for more than 200,000 disabled veterans and their families every year through a network of volunteers.

The DAV is also politically active, educating lawmakers and the public regarding important issues concerning disabled veterans. The latest was a meeting with President Obama and leaders from other service organizations regarding a bill that would allow the use of individual veteran's insurance to be billed for medical care received at a VA hospital for a service connected disability. The DAV and other agencies convinced President Obama to rescind his decision to go forward with the bill.

There are many smaller, more specialized organizations that cater to a smaller group of veterans such as the American Ex-Prisoners of War, the Jewish War Veterans of the USA, or the Military Order of the Purple Heart. A very comprehensive list of veteran service organizations can be found on the Directory of VSO's, on the VA website.

Regardless of their membership requirements or specialization, all of these organizations have the same basic mission statements that include serving the veteran, supporting the active duty military, and making our communities better for all American citizens. It is these organizations that protect our veterans and ensure they receive the benefits they have been promised and deserve.

Resources
Comprehensive List of VSOs