FAQS

FAQ's

Subscription dues are just like a magazine subscription. It gives you 365 days of membership in the VFW. With this being the first year that they are coming into effect, it will be a process that we are not used to. The basic breakdown of what is going to happen is:

If you are an annual member and you pay your dues before Jan, your expiration will be Jan 2027. If you pay after that date, whatever day your dues are processed at National will be the new expiration date. An example would be that you send in your dues to National on 1 Feb 2026, and National processes them on 15 Feb. Your new expiration date would be 15 Feb 2027.
 
Updated 9/2026

Annual membership Dues $40 and are due on the anniversary of the date you joined the VFW or the date of annual renewal.
 

Updated 9/2026

The 2026–2027 VFW Voice of Democracy (VOD) theme is "What a Veteran Taught Me About America". [1]
 
Contest Details
  • Deadline: October 31, 2026
  • Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12 enrolled in a public, private, parochial high school or home study program.
  • Format: A 3- to 5-minute recorded audio essay.
  • Top Prize: A national first-place scholarship of $35,000. [1, 2, 3, 4]
 
 
Updated 9/2026

The VFW 2026–2027 Patriot’s Pen essay contest theme is "What a Veteran Taught Me About America," with a strict submission deadline of midnight on October 31, 2026. [1, 2]
 
Contest Overview
  • Eligible Participants: Students in grades 6 through 8 (including public, private, parochial, and home-schooled students).
  • Essay Length: 300 to 400 words (+/- 5 words).
  • How to Enter: Draft an essay on the patriotic theme and submit it along with an official 2026-2027 Entry Form to a local participating VFW Post Locator. [1, 2, 3, 4]
 
Awards & Prizes
  • Total Pool: Over $1 million in state and national awards.
  • Department (State) Level: First-place state winners receive a minimum of $500.
  • National First Place: $5,000
    • Updated 9/2026