Sometimes even a hero needs help. Often times, the people willing to give up everything for our country have to make sacrifices that affect their personal lives and the lives of their families. That is where the VFW’s National Military Services (NMS) comes in.
NMS consists of three main programs that exist to provide assistance for veterans and military personnel: the Military Assistance Program (MAP), VFW Operation UplinkTMand Unmet Needs. Each program has its own specific functions to serve our nation’s military.
The MAP program connects the VFW with the military community. VFW Posts, Districts and Departments receive grants from the program to promote involvement. One of the most popular ways this is done is by adopting a unit, where the Post, District or Department raises funds for troops overseas and supports them with care packages, cards, etc.
Operation Uplink is a program that provides troops in Afghanistan and Kuwait with Free Call Days that allow them to call home to the U.S. for free for as long as they can talk. This program has connected over 7.2 million deployed service members to their loved ones since 2006.
The Unmet Needs program provides grants to the service members and their families to assist with qualifying financial hardships. The money is distributed directly to creditors to help the family through their hardship. Over 3,300 grants have been provided to military families since 2004.
More than 80 percent of support received from VFW members and patriotic Americans is applied directly to veterans’ services, community service, legislative advocacy and military service programs like these. The VFW and its National Military Services work hard to make sure that NO ONE DOES MORE FOR VETERANS.
To learn more about the VFW National Military Services programs, click here.