By Margaret
Eagle Staff Writer
mhicks@theoklahomaeagle.net
VFW is the acronym for Veterans of Foreign Wars, and those initials are recognizable across America and denote a commitment to the country at home and abroad. Their mission is “To foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts. To serve our veterans, the military and our communities. To advocate on behalf of all veterans.” Their vision is to “Ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.”
What The VFW Is And Is Not
Though the VFW is the largest and oldest war veterans service organization in the country, Tulsa’s Post 577 is suffering from declining membership, purpose, and perception, according to, Col. Weydan Flax.
Flax, Quartermaster at the Post, is a retired Marine, who joined the Marine Corps in the 70s, after high school. He went onto college and got commission in 1986. He has served as an artillery and communications officer. His tours of duty were in Desert Storm, Iraq and Afghanistan. He retired in 2017 after 30 years of service.
The VFW helps and support service members, and veterans and their families. Contrary to what some think, the VFW is not a government agency and does not receive government funding. It is a 501 (c) 19 tax-exempt organization.
The VFW is not a bar “where guys are just sitting around complaining and telling war stories,” according to Flax.
Flax, said the VFW is for all who have served overseas. He said “…being a 19-year-old in the Revolutionary War is the same as being a 19-year-old now. It’s just a 19-year-old put in a different time and space.”
Because the membership of this Post is declining, and because the VFW’s purpose, in general, is often misunderstood, Post 577 is trying to get an influx of younger officer leadership into the Post.
Post 577 And The Tulsa Community
Flax said that men and women coming back from war all have one thing in common, “… the thing is, when they all come back, they need that support.” The benefits that the veterans get are not things that they are being given, they are things that they have earned just by serving.
Oftentimes the veterans do not know what benefits they are entitled; and often, spouses and children of deceased veterans do not know what benefits they are entitled.
Last year Post 577 helped 275 veterans with claims that were worth about $14,000 each. That was $1.8 million the Post put back in the economy. They want their post to be a place of service. Not just to the veterans, but to the City of Tulsa.
Demographics Of Veterans
The Post serves all branches of the military, all ages, and all conflicts. The age of the veterans at Post 577 range from the 20s to the 90s, and they have served in World War II, Korea, Viet Nam, post occupied Germany, Somali, Bosnia, Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Of these veterans, the Viet Nam veterans are different. They were not volunteers. They were drafted. Many served against their will.
The Commander-in-Chief for Tulsa’s VFW Post 577, is John A. Biedrzycki, Jr. According to a piece in the International Brotherhood of Veterans, “Biedrzycki served in the U. S. Army from 1967-1970. He served in Korea with the 7th Infantry Division, and his decorations include the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Korean Defense Medal. He is a VFW Legacy Life Member and served in elected and appointed positions at the Post, County, District and Department (state) levels prior to his elections to national office. He has been a member of the VFW for 46 years, having first joined the VFW at Post 418 in McKees Rocks, Pa., in 1969.”
In that same article, Biedrzycki said “If not for the VFW, who in our communities will help organize and participate in patriotic salutes to our nation and remember those who serve or fell?” he asked. “If not for the VFW, who will help America’s veterans and troops navigate the complex VA claims system, or ensure their individual needs are properly taken care of? And if not for the VFW, who will give a collective voice on Capitol Hill against all the noise generated by 30,000 registered lobbyists who, other than lip service, don’t have the best interest of veterans, service members and families first on their agendas?”
