In just a couple of weeks, VFW members from around the world will begin heading to our nation's capital to discuss the VFW's legislative priorities with America's elected representatives during our annual VFW Washington Conference, March 1-5.
Armed with the VFW's 2026 Priority Goals, they'll remind Congress that more must be done to protect and enhance the care and compensation veterans have earned. And on March 3 at 10 a.m., VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore will deliver testimony before a special hearing of the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees.
DAV (Disabled American Veterans) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have released their co-authored fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget recommendations for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The Veterans Independent Budget (VIB) includes funding recommendations for the VA enterprise from health care to information technology to veterans’ benefits and beyond.
“The Veterans Independent Budget is an indispensable report that Congress and decision-makers in Washington reference every year to help guide decisions on VA programs and services,” said VFW Washington Office Executive Director Ryan Gallucci.
“Since 2007, when my time in veterans' advocacy began, I have seen this product consistently evolve and nearly always hit the mark in identifying trends, opportunities, and shortcomings in VA programming,” Gallucci said.
In their newest VIB report, DAV and the VFW propose itemized recommendations based on documented and justified needs as well as projected usage of VA benefits and services, inflation, a one percent federal pay raise, policy changes and program expansions resulting in a needs-based budget that truly serves veterans, their families, caregivers and survivors.
Many citizens do not realize the cost Vietnam veterans paid besides their lives in some cases along with time out of their lives spent in combat zones. In case you wondered what our minimum pay was for an E-4, which for most of my tour I was; basic pay $214.20, hostile fire $55.00, foreign duty $13.00 for a total of $282.20 a month.
Being on call 24/7, 365 days equals an hourly wage of $0.03 per hour. I have to mention that we had free meals and housing. I happened to find some treasures of mine from my tour and it had a faded pay stub in it. Just thought that was an interesting fact.
More than a century after their sacrifices in World War I, members of the highly decorated 369th Infantry Regiment, better known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” posthumously received the Congressional Gold Medal last year.
Presented by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sept. 3, the award was accepted by a descendant of the Harlem Hellfighters, one of the most recognized African American combat units in The Great War, during a ceremony at Emancipation Hall in Washington, D.C.
“May we honor them forever, especially because they were not honored in their time,” Hegseth said during the ceremony, prior to presenting Debra Willett, the granddaughter of Sgt. Leander Willett, with the nation’s highest civilian honor given by Congress. Willett accepted the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of the more than 4,000 Harlem Hellfighters who served in the New York National Guard.
Our post will be holding a great breakfast this Sunday (February 22) at the post building from 8 a.m. til’ noon. Eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage patties, fruit, coffee and juice. Come and we will give you a great breakfast with the cost of a good will offering. Hope to see you.
This week we honor Jonathan Robert Cavaiani. He left England for the United States in 1947, and in 1953 moved to the small farming community of Ballico, California to be with his stepfather, Ugo Cavaiani.
In 1961 Ugo formally adopted Jon and in 1968 he became a naturalized citizen of the United States. In 1969, Cavaiani joined the US Army. In 1970, he was deployed to Vietnam with the Special Forces and by 4 June 1971, was serving as a staff sergeant in Task Force 1 Advisory Element, United States Army Vietnam (USARV) Training Advisory Group.
This unit was formerly known as Command and Control North, MACV-SOG. On that day, in the Republic of Vietnam, his platoon came under intense enemy attack at Hill 950
Cavaiani organized the unit's defense and, when evacuation by helicopter became necessary, he voluntarily stayed on the ground and directed the aircraft, which successfully evacuated most of the platoon.
Cavaiani and a small group were left behind. During a major enemy attack the next morning, he ordered the remaining men to escape while he stayed and provided suppressive fire to cover their retreat.
He was captured and spent the next two years as a prisoner of war. Jon R. Cavaiani was released during Operation Homecoming in March 1973. President Gerald Ford presented Cavaiani with the Medal of Honor during a ceremony on 12 December 1974.
Additionally, he was entitled to wear the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Pathfinder Badge and Master Parachutist Badge. Cavaiani was a freefall and static line jumpmaster with over 5,000 jumps all over the world. Cavaiani died on 29 July 2014, four days before his 71st birthday, in Stanford, California. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Remember all who demonstrated extraordinary heroism.
Keep all who served our country and those still serving in your thoughts and prayers. God Bless America.
Marc Farmilette, PDC – Commander VFW Post 1545
Staff Sergeant Jonathan Robert Cavaiani