- The Veterans of Foreign Wars is not an organization that has open enrollment. There are strict eligibility standards that must be met before a person can become a full VFW member. Members must have 30 days in a row in Korea or sixty cumulative days in Korea at different times. Service members who receive campaign medals for serving overseas are eligible for VFW membership as are military personnel who at one time received either hostile fire pay or imminent danger pay, or both. Members also must be military members in good standing or must have been discharged honorably. Dishonorably discharged service members are not eligible for VFW membership even if they meet all the other eligibility qualifications. Members must also be United States citizens.
- Membership into the VFW isn't automatic. Potential applicants must apply for membership and have their application approved. The application process can be completed online or with a local representative. Questions asked on the application include personal contact information, military service details and a certification that the applicant is eligible for VFW membership. Applications also require credit card information to pay dues. Applications must be reviewed by VFW staff before they are approved or denied, so filling out an application does not automatically make a person a VFW member. The application process can take a few days before the membership becomes valid.
- Members who receive their membership online are considered Members-At-Large and are not connected to a particular VFW post. Members who apply for membership at a nearby post are expected to participate in local VFW elections but are not required to do so. As long as members pay their VFW dues they retain their membership. Dues vary depending on the location of the member and can change over time, but lifetime memberships are available for members who do not want to deal with recurring dues payments from year to year.
