VFW Post 8422, Smyrna, TN

IT'S NOT THE PRICE YOU PAID TO JOIN  *   IT'S THE PRICE YOU PAID TO BE ELIGIBLE.

VETERANS of FOREIGN WARS AUXILIARY

Please meet our VFW Post 8422 Auxiliary President, Miss Charlene Bettencourt.

If you have any questions about the VFW Auxiliary program, would be interested in Auxiliary Membership, or would like to volunteer your time and talents, Miss Charlene is our 'go to' gal.

Don’t wait to check in with the ‪#‎veterans‬‬‬ and Service members in your life. One call or text can open the door to crisis support. Spread the word about www.VeteransCrisisLine.net and know that caring responders are available 24/7/365: Call 1-800-273-8255 & Press 1, text to 838255, or chat online.‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Free, confidential support for Veterans in crisis and their families and friends. Call the Veterans Crisis Line at 1-800-273-8255 and Press 1, text to 838255, or chat…
veteranscrisisline.net
You all have been so patient as we have worked to make MALTA great. We are finally ready to open the portal to everyone!
At 9 AM Central time, all members will be able to click on Member Login and access MALTA.
Remember, there will still be bumps in the road ahead, but we feel confident that you all will help us make this software the best it can be.
Have questions or issues with MALTA? Call the 800 number or use the support email:   [email protected]
Thank you,

                                            VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters
Membership Moment:  Understanding VFW Auxiliary Membership for Divorcé/Divorcées and Widowers/Widows
Brian Sullivan
VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters Membership Development Coordinator

One of the questions that VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters commonly receives is how a divorce from an eligible veteran, or the spousal death of an eligible veteran, affects a person’s membership status.  As outlined in Section 107 of the 2017 VFW Auxiliary Bylaws and Ritual:
  • A member who obtains a divorce shall not have their entitlement to membership questioned as long as they continue to be a member in good standing.
  • A member who is separated by divorce from their spouse, under whose eligibility they entered the Auxiliary, and who is subsequently dropped from the rolls of membership for any reason recognized by these Bylaws, cannot re-enter the organization under said eligibility.
  • A widower/widow of an eligible veteran who is already a member of an Auxiliary is entitled to retain their membership even though they marry a person not eligible to the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States.
  • A person who was widowed from an eligible veteran may join the Auxiliary even though they have remarried.
For information on how to order your copy of the 2017 VFW Auxiliary Bylaws and Ritual, please visit the VFW Store online: http://www.vfwstore.org/products/27388?Action=SkipLogin.
Wanted: Photos of Auxiliary Events and Members 
We want to hear and share what local Auxiliaries are doing across our great nation to assist veterans and their families, active-duty military and their families, and spread patriotism. Please e-mail Megan Zinn-Sanchez at 
[email protected] with your photos and a description of your recent event event. 

You can also share your events on social media using the hashtags #AuxiliariesinAction #VFWAuxiliary and #VolunteerForVets 

We are also looking for photos of Auxiliary members participating in the Ritual. If you have photos of a member (or members) participating in the Ritual, please e-mail those images to [email protected].
THE INFORMATION BELOW IS REGARDING  "HEAR IN AMERICA" , A MEMBER BENEFIT OFFERED BY THE VFW AND THE VFW AUXILIARY  -  www.hearinamerica.com/vfwauxiliary

VFW Auxiliary National Secretary-Treasurer Jan Owens took advantage of Hear in America, a member benefit offered by the VFW Auxiliary, and details her experience below.

"I finally got tired of not being able to hear out of my left ear, so I called to ask about the plan. I was greeted promptly and given the name of a company within two miles of my home that uses our plan. The person on the phone called that company and made an appointment for me to be screened.
  
I went to the appointment and was pleasantly surprised to find a very nice office with a very competent and helpful audiologist who talked with me about my personal needs, gave me a hearing test and told me she thought she could make a tremendous difference in my hearing. I ordered a hearing aid from her. It turns out I saved $500 by using Hear in America as well as having 45 days to bring it back (with a $150 penalty) if I am not satisfied. This audiologist also told me that it is one of the best plans she has seen that most of them after one or two visits to her the patient then has to pay for everything.
  
I received a follow-up phone call from Hear in America to be sure I was pleased with my audiologist and they told me they have my paperwork and will be sending the audiologist the hearing aid soon, and that they will call me in 30 days to be sure I am happy, and if I am they will call me next year to remind me to go for a checkup.
  
I am delighted with this benefit and proud that we can offer it to our members."
  
These days it seems all we hear about are budget cuts and reductions in benefits, especially for our military families who have already sacrificed so much. It is a pleasure to offer this hearing benefit for our hardworking VFW Auxiliary members.

Of course you already know that members of our armed forces are at higher risk of hearing loss because of noise exposure.

  • Did you know that Tricare only covers hearing aids for active duty families with severe hearing damage? Many others need help that is not easily available.
  • Did you know that neither Medicare nor Tricare covers hearing aids at all for retirees or their families?
We are pleased to announce this benefit to all VFW Auxiliary members and your extended families (spouses, parents, grandparents, etc.) through Hear In America Hearing Plans.
  
Schedule of benefits:

FREE enrollment, NO premiums
  • Access to a nationwide network of 2000+ hearing locations
  • Free annual Hearing Screening for you and your extended family
  • Access to a nationwide network of 2000+ hearing locations
  • Discounts of 30-70% off MSRP on top quality hearing aids from 9 different manufacturers
  • Three year repair warranty
  • Three year loss & damage warranty
  • Three years of hearing aid batteries free with every hearing aid purchase
  • Hearing aid cleaning and check-up service for life
  • No-Interest Financing Available
  • Extended warranties available to purchase for your current hearing aids
Register for your free hearing screening by calling 800-286-6149 or
visiting www.hearinamerica.com/vfwauxiliary today!
VFW Auxiliary National Headquarters is proud to announce the launch of our newly redesigned website www.vfwauxiliary.org

We have redesigned the public-facing portion of our website while keeping in mind the needs of our current and potential members. Updates include:
  • Responsive design; the design responds to the device you're using. That means whether you're accessing the site from a cell phone, tablet, laptop or desktop, you will be able to read things clearly.
  • Home page links to Member Benefits, VFW Store and VFW sites.
  • Expanded “About Us” section.
  • Ability to Download National Officer bios and photos.
  • Upcoming Events Calendar Listing.
  • Detailed Scholarship Information.
  • Read the latest Program information from the National Ambassadors on the Programs Blog (now on the website!).
Documents that were on the “Resources” page of the former site have been moved. The following information is now accessible behind Member Login:
  • MemStats
  • Program & Publicity Resources
  • Membership Recruitment & Retention Resources
  • Online Auxiliary Academy
  • Emblem Branding Center
We encourage everyone to visit and explore the site; the website and information behind Member Login is for all members. We hope you enjoy the new site and find it easier to find the information you need to help serve veterans, active-duty military and their families in your community.

We welcome any questions or comments regarding the redesigned site. Please send feedback to [email protected].
We wish you the best as we move forward with this historic change!  We can't wait to help you welcome the newest members of the organization so that we can all better serve Veterans, Active-Duty Military and their Families!
--National Headquarters

For additional information, please contact our Post 8422 Auxiliary President, Charlene Bettencourt.
New VFW Auxiliary Now Welcomes Men Historic change reflects today’s military and veteran families - August 21, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Today, John A. Biedrzycki Jr., national commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW) added his official signature to the new congressional charter of its Auxiliary organization in a historical event solidifying the VFW’s commitment to membership equality for all military families.

The former Ladies Auxiliary VFW, founded in 1914, is the VFW’s highly regarded support organization and is considered its “Partner in Service.”  

Under its former name Ladies Auxiliary VFW, membership within the organization was offered exclusively to female spouses and family members of any member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The gender-specific eligibility requirement remained for more than 100 years until July 20, 2015, when delegates to the VFW’s 116th National Convention in Pittsburgh voted to amend the dated by-law to extend the same membership opportunity to eligible males.

Appropriately, the Ladies Auxiliary VFW has changed its official name to the VFW Auxiliary.     

“It’s an exciting time to be a member of the Auxiliary,” said National President Francisca Guilford. “Women comprise nearly twenty percent of our nation’s military, and this change allows all spouses, fathers, grandfathers, sons, grandsons and brothers to serve others in honor of their veteran.”

Currently, the Auxiliary has more than 465,000 members, a number that is now expected to sharply increase over the next year. Its members represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, several foreign locations including Germany, Guam and Panama, and have made an impact in local communities around the globe.

Last year alone, its members worked to provide $4.6 million dollars in monetary aid to veterans, active duty military and their families, and volunteered nearly 800,000 hours in VA Medical Centers, hospitals, nursing and veterans’ homes. Auxiliary members also contributed greatly to cancer research, youth activities, civic patriotism and much more.  

For more information about the VFW Auxiliary, please visit  www.vfwauxiliary.org  

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