KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On Dec. 15, the 13th anniversary of the conclusion of the U.S. mission in Iraq, the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) remembers the nearly 4,500 courageous men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terror.
More than 1.5 million soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen deployed to Iraq from March 2003 to December 2011.
“The material costs of war and the lifetime of grief and tragedy both physically and mentally to our warriors and their families is too often quickly forgotten,” said VFW National Commander Al Lipphardt. “Although the war may have concluded 13 years ago, it’s important that we never forget the lives of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen lost in the global fight on terror and the grieving families who carry on the memory of these noble warriors.”
Today, approximately 2,500 U.S. troops remain in Iraq as they prepare to transition support of Operation Inherent Resolve to Syria, recognizing that ISIS remains a significant threat to the region.
“As long as the threat of ISIS challenges freedom and democracy across the world, the VFW will be there right alongside our nation’s service members, veterans and their families to ensure they receive the support – and thanks – they deserve,” said Lipphardt.
Please join the more than 1.4 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliary in honoring the veterans of the Iraq War and remembering our brave warrior men and women still deployed to the region.