We understand first-hand the essence of rallying community support and the positive, life-changing impact we have on the world around us. That's why VFW members volunteer more than 9 million hours to community service projects annually, with volunteerism benefiting morale, education, the environment, health sciences and civic projects.

Through our National Security & Foreign Affairs (NSFA) program, we present our views to government agencies on issues ranging from quality of life improvements for service members to promoting democracy abroad to the full accounting of those missing in action.

The NSFA program articulates a national security and foreign affairs policy that calls for a strong national defense and quality of life improvements for military personnel, retirees, and their families; guarantees our integrity as a nation; promotes our democratic ideals and interests abroad; and seeks the fullest possible accounting of all military service members from all wars. This includes foreign travel and fact-finding trips by national officers and staff to gain firsthand knowledge of military and diplomatic operations around the world and across the country. These missions further serve to validate the requirement to pursue key issues of concern to our military forces and national interests abroad.

While the program is developed by the NSFA Committee and the POW/MIA Subcommittee, the program's mandates are derived from the resolutions adopted by the delegates to the VFW National Convention each year.