If you can wear one or more of the following ribbons, or badges you may be eligible to join the VFW.

Periods of VFW membership eligibility for overseas service are listed below.

World War I Victory Army 6 April 1917 1 Apr 1920; (with Battle/Service clasp Navy) 6 April 1917 30 Mar 1920 (including Siberia and European Russia)

Army Occupation of Germany Army 12 Nov. 1918 11 July 1923

Second Nicaraguan Campaign Navy 27 Aug. 1926 2 Jan. 1933

Yangtze Service Navy 3 Sept. 1926 21 Oct. 1927; 1 Mar. 1930 31 Dec. 1932

China Service Navy 7 July 1937 7 Sep. 1939; 2 Sept. 1945 1 April 1957
 

American Defense Service Army-Navy 8 Sep. 1939 7 Dec.1941 (with foreign service clasp)

American Campaign Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar.1946 (30 consecutive days or 60 days non-consecutive duty outside continental limits of United States)

Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 2 Mar. 1946

European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Army-Navy 7 Dec. 1941 8 Nov. 1945

Army of Occupation Italy 9 May 1945 15 Sept. 1947 (30 consecutive days)

Occupation of Germany (except West Berlin) 8 May 1945 5 May 1955

Occupation of Germany (West Berlin) 9 May 1945 2 Oct. 1990

Austria 9 May 1945 27 July 1955

Korea 3 Sept.1945 29 June 1949

Japan 3 Sept.1945 27 April 1952

Navy Occupation Service Medal

Italy 8 May 1945 15 Dec. 1947

Trieste 8 May 1945 26 Oct. 1954 

Asiatic Pacific 2 Sept. 1945 27 Apr 1952
(Germany & Austria as noted above)

Korean Service Medal

Army, Navy, Air Force 27 June 1950 27 Jul 1954

Korean Defense Service Medal
Army, Navy Air Force 28 Jul 1954 - Present

Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

Berlin 14 Aug. 1961 1 June 1963

Lebanon 1 July 1958 1 Nov. 1958

Quemoy and Matsu Islands 23 Aug. 1958 1 June 1963

Taiwan Straits 23 Aug. 1958 1 Jan. 1959

Congo 14 July 1960 1 Sep. 1962; 23 Nov. 1964 27 Nov.1964

Laos 19 Apr. 1961 7 Oct. 1962

Vietnam 1 July 1958 3 July 1965

Cuba 24 Oct. 1962 1 June 1963

Dominican Republic 28 Apr. 1965 21 Sep.1966

Korea 1 Oct. 1966 30 June 1974

Cambodia 29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1973

Thailand 29 Mar.1973 15 Aug. 1873 (direct support Cambodia Operations)

Evacuation of Cambodia 11-13 April 1975

Evacuation of Vietnam 29-30 April 1975

Mayaguez Operation 15 May 1975

Grenada Operation 23 Oct. 1983 21 Nov.1983

Lebanon 6 June 1983 1 Dec. 1987

Libyan Operation-El Dorado Canyon 12-17 April 1986

Persian Gulf- Earnest Will 24 July 1987 2 Aug.1990

Panama - Just Cause 20 Dec. 1989 31 Jan.1990

Somalia - Restore Hope 5 Dec. 1992 Indeterminate

Haiti - Uphold Democracy 16 Sep. 1994 Indeterminate

Bosnia - Peace Keeping Force - dates not determined

Marine Corps and Navy Corps Expeditionary Medal

Thailand Military Operation 16 May 1962 10 Aug. 1962

Cuban Military Operation 3 Jan.1961 23 Oct. 1962

Iranian, Yemen/Indian Ocean 8 Dec. 1978 6 June 1979; 21 Nov. 1979 20 Oct. 1981

Lebanon 20 Aug. 1982 31 Dec. 1983

Libyan Expedition 20 Jan. 1986 27 June 1986

Persian Gulf 1 Feb. 1987 23 July 1987

Vietnam Service Medal 4 July 1965 28 Mar. 1973

Southwest Asia Service Medal (Desert Shield/Desert Storm) 2 Aug 1990 Indeterminate Combat areas of operation only

Personnel in support units serving in Israel 17 Jan. 1991 Indeterminate; Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan

Service on the Korean Peninsula, or in its territorial waters for thirty (30) consecutive or sixty (60) non- consecutive days from 30 June 1949, to a date indeterminate (Overseas Service Ribbon).