2. Financial Assistance Skill Donors Referrals Disaster Assistance Adopt-A-Unit Troop and Family Support Activities Grants Free Call Days Free Virtual Pins 2 VFW’s Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship Program

3. September through August:  NMS provided support to over 1,244,000 military members and their families.  MAP events hosted almost 200,000 service members and their families at over 210 morale-boosting events.  Operation Uplink provided almost 738,000 connections for deployed troops and hospitalized veterans.  Also provided 244,832 guests with free Wi-Fi at Edelweiss Resort, Germany  Unmet Needs assisted over 260 families with grants totaling almost $400,000 in assistance. FY 2012-2013 RECAP 3

4.  Wounded Warrior, USO, and Fisher House are all good programs. However, NMS is your VFW program and relies on your support!  Encourage Departments, Districts and Posts to donate to National Military Services instead of individual programs.  This allows funds to be used where needed most.  Programs can’t continue without your support! 4

5.  Send donations to NMS:  Make check payable to National Military Services  Mail to: VFW, 406 W. 34 th Street, Suite 216, Kansas City, MO 64111  Call NMS for credit card donations over the phone at (816) 968-1155  Go online to www.vfw.org/contribute MAKE SURE YOUR NMS DONATION COUNTS! 5

6. Make sure your online donation counts! Head to www.vfw.org and: 4. 2.1. 3. 6

7.  Help NMS spread our success stories!  Sign up for the bi-weekly NMS Update at www.vfw.org.  Share the stories with the members of your Post and community.  Send pictures and information about your troop support activities. NMS UPDATE 7

8. REPORT, REPORT, REPORT!!  Report your Post, District or Auxiliary activities to your NMS Chairman.  Last year, NMS supported over 1 million military, veterans and their families but we know this number is far below the actual assistance you’ve provided. 8

9. Contact: Darcie Jones Email: Uplink@vfw.org Phone: (816) 968-1155 Operation Uplink forms and information available at: www.vfw.org/NMS 9

10.  Since 2006, Free Call Days have connected over 7.3 million calls.  Continuing to provide at least three Free Call Days monthly at over 450 MWR SPAWAR locations throughout Afghanistan and other Middle East locations.  Calls are free to the US, and landlines in other US home base countries, i.e.: Germany, Japan, Korea, Italy etc.  Free Call Day schedule is available at www.vfw.org/NMS.  DSN line access codes are provided for service members outside of Afghanistan/Kuwait for participation in the scheduled Free Call Days. F REE C ALL D AYS 10

11. 11  Free Call Days will continue into 2014 with a minimum of 3 scheduled dates each month.  The 2014 Free Call Day schedule is available at www.vfw.org/NMS.  Interested in sponsoring a Free Call Day? Contact Linda Ferguson at Lferguson@vfw.org F REE C ALL D AYS

12. D OMESTIC V IRTUAL P INS  Operation Uplink is sending virtual pins to VA hospitals, medical centers and deployed service members without Free Call Day access in lieu of domestic calling cards.  Provides 100 minutes of talk time per pin.  VFW Posts and Ladies Auxiliary members must complete request form to receive bulk virtual pins.  Individual pin requests must include service member’s email. 12

13. Above is an example of a list of pins to be emailed. They are preset to print on plain paper to cut apart or on Avery Labels # 5160 to peel off and stick on the back of your VFW/Ladies Auxiliary business card. D OMESTIC V IRTUAL P INS 13

14. Front of Card Back of Card E XAMPLE OF V IRTUAL P INS 14

15. Sport Clips Help-A-Hero Scholarship Program  Sport Clips’ commitment to our veterans and their families continues even with the drawdown of troops in Afghanistan.  Beginning January 2014 Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship program will provide scholarships of up to $5,000 to help our veterans complete their educational goals.  Application are available online only at www.vfw.org.  Contact National Military Services with questions! 15

16. Sport Clips Help-A-Hero Scholarship Program  Scholarship Eligibility  Applicants must be:  US Citizen  Active duty, retired or honorably discharged or a member of the National Guard or Reserves  Military Rank of E-5 or below  Demonstrate a need for financial assistance  Participate in, be accepted to or currently enrolled in a VA approved program or school 16

17. Contact: John Linstra Email: MAP@vfw.org Phone: (816) 756-3390 ext. 211 All MAP applications and info available behind the log in at: www.vfw.org 17

18.  The Military Assistance Program (MAP) is the core NMS program that promotes VFW involvement and interaction with the local military community.  Provides an opportunity to educate military and their families about the VFW and NMS programs.  Since 2007, MAP has hosted nearly 2 million military and families at over 2,100 events! 18

19.  MAP Grants are available to VFW Post and Auxiliaries who participate in military unit functions such as:  Deployment/Welcome Home events  Family Days and Holiday parties  FRG meetings  MAP funds are based solely on donations and our procedures help MAP assist as many service members and families as possible.  Contact the MAP office for guidance-we’re here to help you through each step of the MAP Grant process! 19 MAP G RANTS

20.  Helpful suggestions for a successful MAP Grant request:  Review and follow all MAP Grant procedures.  Complete each line of the MAP Grant application.  Make sure to include the total budget amount which includes all costs associated with the event.  MAP Grants provide basic food and beverages for ONLY the military and their families.  Current MAP events average $3.25-$3.50 per person.  The MAP office acknowledges each application received! If you haven’t heard from us contact us! 20 MAP G RANTS

21. A DOPT -A-U NIT  Adopt-A-Unit enables VFW Posts and Auxiliaries to forge a connection with the local military community before, during and after deployment.  Supporting our troops is the top priority for NMS! Out of 54 VFW Departments, 5 don’t have a single military unit adopted through MAP’s Adopt-A-Unit program.  There are currently over 820,000 Guard and Reserve members nationwide.  Over 2,300 units have been adopted since 2007 BUT only 542 are active. Encourage reporting to NMS!  There is a HUGE opportunity for the VFW to support your military. 21

22.  As the conflict in Afghanistan winds down and more of our deployed service members return home, it is vital that VFW Posts and Auxiliaries use MAP’s Adopt-A-Unit program to continue supporting our military!  Instead of planning deployment/welcome homes, work with your local units on:  Family Days  FRG Meetings  Patriotic Holidays  Now is a great time to develop relationships with your local National Guard and Reserve Units! 22  Community Outreach Activities  Parades  Park Clean-ups A DOPT -A-U NIT

23.  VFW Posts and Auxiliaries who have conducted and reported 5 different types of activities on behalf of their adopted unit.  As of Aug. 2013—147 VFW Posts and/or Ladies Auxiliaries have qualified for “Best of the Best” out of 542 Post and Auxiliaries current/active in the Adopt-A-Unit program.  The VFW Departments with the most Posts and Auxiliaries in the “Best of the Best” often have the smallest military population. 23 B EST OF THE B EST

24.  Memorial Commendations are an expression of the VFW and its Auxiliary’s condolences to a fallen soldier’s family. Certificates are presented to the family by a VFW member as an offer of support.  The commendation is a professional certificate with the appropriate branch of service emblem enclosed in a vinyl portfolio.  Available for the families of service members killed in action in current conflicts. 24 M EMORIAL C OMMENDATIONS

25.  NMS office emails DOD notices as they are released to the NMS Chairman, Department Commander and Adjutant.  To request: contact NMS@vfw.org.  Information needed:  Deceased service member’s full name and rank  Branch of service  Date of memorial service (if known)  Name and address to whom the Commendation should be shipped M EMORIAL C OMMENDATIONS 25

26. Contact: Johnathan Duncan Email: Unmetneeds@vfw.org Phone: (866) 789-6333 Unmet Needs application and information available at: www.vfw.org/NMS 26

27.  Created in 2004 to assist military service members and their families experiencing a financial hardship directly related to their military service.  Provides grants up to $2,500 for qualified service members and their families. 27

28. A S OF J UNE 2013, ALMOST 3,500 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN ASSISTED AND OVER $4.7 MILLION HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED IN AID THROUGH THE U NMET N EEDS PROGRAM ! 28

29.  Unmet Needs pays for basic life needs such as: mortgage, rent, repairs, insurance, utilities, food and clothing.  Grants are paid directly to the “creditor” company and not to the individual.  Hardship cannot be due to mismanagement of funds, civil, domestic matters, or legal issues.  Application process takes approximately 5-10 business days after all required paperwork is received.  Each case is reviewed individually and acceptance is determined by a committee. 29

30.  Department Assistance:  Applicant needs immediate assistance.  Department verifies eligibility and need.  Contact NMS for pre-approval.  Submit a completed Unmet Needs application for reimbursement with copy of check. 30

31. If all three criteria are not met, then the applicant is not eligible. Unmet Needs Application- Page 1 31

32. D ISASTER A SSISTANCE  The VFW Unmet Needs program proudly stands ready to assist our service men and women when they are burdened by natural disasters out of their control (tornadoes, fires, floods).  Service members or veterans must have:  Served on active-duty title-10 orders within the past 36 months.  Submit a completed ONE PAGE application.  Experienced a state-declared natural disaster which has damaged or destroyed their primary residence.  Assistance does not apply to vehicle damage or vehicle insurance deductibles.  Total loss of the primary residence:$500  Power loss or damage to the home:$300  Application must be received within 30 days of state-declared natural disaster. 32

33. NMS FORMS AND INFORMATION 33

34. REPORT, REPORT, REPORT!!  Report your Post, District or Auxiliary activities to your NMS Chairman.  Last year, NMS supported over 1 million military, veterans and their families but we know this number is far below the actual assistance you’ve provided. 34