How do I know if I'm eligible to join? You must be related to a veteran who has served overseas in a location of foreign conflict, earning the campaign medals eligible. That veteran can be a living or deceased spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent or grandchild. Step- and adopted parents, children, siblings (and half-siblings), grandparents and grandchildren are considered the same as biological parents, children, siblings, grandparents and grandchildren and may join the VFW Auxiliary under their VFW-eligible veteran.

How can I prove my veteran is eligible? The most common document is a DD 214, which will list the veteran’s dates of service and campaign medals. But you can also use other separation documents, such as documents showing service in Korea, Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay on pay records, and also sometimes other documentation if you don’t have one of these.

How can I find some of these documents if I or my veteran doesn’t have them? Check out our Eligibility Information page for links and resources to help you. If you’re stumped, contact us and we’ll do our best to help you.

Does my veteran have to be retired from the military? No, your veteran is eligible the moment he/she earns the accepted campaign medals for overseas service.

Why aren’t in-laws, cousins, uncles/aunts, nephews/nieces, great-grandparents/great-grandchildren of veterans eligible? The IRS determines the degrees of separation from the veteran that qualify for membership in a veterans’ service organization auxiliary. The relationship must be within two degrees of "consanguinity” in order to be eligible. That means two generations back (i.e. parents or grandparents) or forward (i.e. children or grandchildren).

If I am a veteran who is VFW eligible and want to join the Auxiliary, can I? After the change in Auxiliary eligibility opened to men in 2015, the VFW determined that any veteran who is eligible for the VFW cannot join the Auxiliary. Some dual members exist from before the change, and they must maintain their eligibility in order to stay members of both organizations.

Do I have to belong to a local Auxiliary? No, you can belong as a National or Department (state) Member At Large.

Can I order directly from the VFW Store without being an Officer? Yes, any member – and even a non-member – can order items from theVFW Store

Is the website (MALTA) behind Member Login only for Officers? No, we invite all members to create a MALTA login/account and explore the tools and resources available to them such as Auxiliary Officer contact information, forms, documents and the Online Auxiliary Academy. Create a MALTA login/account here.