POST HISTORY

Watch on the Rhine VFW Post 27 is one of the oldest and largest posts in the Department of Europe and the United States. Instituted on July 2, 1977 in Wiesbaden, Germany, it was first organized in the Philippines and included General John J. Pershing among its membership.
The original post was disbanded in the early 1970's and was reassigned to Germany when Watch on the Rhine was formed.
The VFW was rated by Fortune magazine as one of the top 25 lobbying organizations in the nation and the best voice for veteran benefits on Capitol Hill.
The VFW traces its roots back to 1899 when veterans of the Spanish American War (1898) and the Philippine Insurrection (1899-1902) founded local organizations to secure rights and benefits for their service: many arrived home wounded or sick. There was no medical care or veterans' pension for them, and they were left to care for themselves.
In their misery, some of these veterans banded together and formed organizations with what would become known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. After chapters were formed in Ohio, Colorado, and Pennsylvania, the movement quickly gained momentum. By 1915 membership grew to 5,000; by 1936 membership was almost 200,000.
Since then the VFW's voice has been instrumental in establishing the Veterans Administration, creating a GI Bill for the 20th century, the development of the national cemetery system and the fight for compensation for Vietnam vets exposed to Agent Orange and for veterans diagnosed with Gulf War Syndrome. In 2008, the VFW won a long-fought victory with the passing of the GI Bill for the 21st Century, giving expanded educational benefits to America's active-duty service members and members of the Guard and Reserves fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The VFW has also fought for improving VA medical centers services for women veterans.
Besides helping fund the creation of the Vietnam, Korean War, World War II and Women in Military Service memorials, the VFW in 2005 became the first veterans' organization to contribute to building the new Disabled Veterans for Life Memorial, which opened in November 2010.
Annually, the more than 1.7 million members of the VFW and its Auxiliaries contribute more than 8.6 million hours of volunteerism in the communities, including participation in "Make a Difference Day" and "National Volunteers Week".
From providing over $3 million in college scholarships and savings bonds to students every year, to encouraging elevation of the Department of Veterans Affairs to the president's cabinet, the VFW is there.