John Reed, quartermaster for the VFW Uranium Post in the West End, told the Forum new members are always welcome to join the local organization, and that includes those from Nucla, Naturita, Norwood and beyond.
The VFW, for those who don’t know, stands for Veterans Of Foreign Wars, and to qualify for membership, a person must meet two requirements. The first is honorable service. Reed said that means a person must have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, and they must have either received a discharge of “Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions)” or still be currently serving.
Additionally, they must have given service in a war, campaign or “expedition on foreign soil or in hostile water.” That service can be proven in a few ways, including an authorized campaign medal, or the receipt of “Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay,” which must be verified by a military pay statement. It can also be proven by showing service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days.
Reed said the required information is usually available through a veteran’s DD-214. If other information is needed, or if a veteran’s DD-214 is not complete, they my reach out to the National Personnel Records Center online, or call 314-801-0800.
The local post is active, and Reed shared with the Forum some of the things members do. He said one of the biggest is providing full honor rites to deceased veterans in ceremony.
“We coordinate with family members and funeral services,” he said. "The family picks the time and place to go out, and we will have one squad that takes the flag off the coffin, and we fold the flag.”
Reed said the flag is passed to the spouse of the deceased or next of kin. Then, VFW members provide a rifle squad, giving a gun salute, and sound “Taps” with a bugler. Additionally, Reed said VFW members give a small speech honoring the sacrifice the veteran made.
And, every year members celebrate Memorial Day with a service, which includes lowering “the Old Glory that is there and raising a new one.” For Memorial Day, the VFW also grills hamburgers and hotdogs for area veterans and their families.
Additionally, the organization is a part of the school program every November for Veterans Day. They also lead local parades in the West End, including Naturita Days and Water Days.
Annually, they participate in the VFW airlift, a coordinated effort to distribute food goods to veterans, and this year that was led by John Reams and Ray Davis, Jr.
The VFV has a coffee and donuts meeting every month up at Hopkins Field, and typically a representative comes over from Montrose. Last month’s coffee and donuts saw someone from the Grand Junction VA. Sometimes others from Denver come over.
Reed said the VFW aims in the future to teach flag etiquette to school children, and how to retire a flag properly. That’s also something he’d like to share with the greater public. He added soon a military recruiter will be coming over to speak with high school kids too.
In the spring the VFW gives a scholarship to a graduating senior. Most recently, that went to Hemmy O’Brien, who enlisted. But, the VFW is a part of the national essay contest that takes place in local schools. Up to $35,000 is possible for students to receive at the national level, and it all begins with local essays that have the opportunity to advance. Those are blindly judged by members of the local VFW.
Anyone who’d like more information or to join the VFW may contact Reed at the Uranium Post or through the organization’s Facebook page.
