VFW Press Releases

1. VFW Applauds Supreme Court Decision Reaffirming Accountability for Contractors

   WASHINGTON -The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) today applauded a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in Hencely v. Fluor Corp., which restores a critical legal pathway for injured service members seeking accountability from government contractors.

   In a decision issued April 22, 2026, the court vacated a lower-court ruling that had broadly shielded contractors from liability under the doctrine of "battlefield preemption." The ruling allows U.S. Army Spc. Winston Hencely's case to proceed, marking a significant victory for service members harmed by contractor negligence.

   The case stems from a 2016 attack at Bagram Airfield, where Hencely was severely injured while confronting a suicide bomber employed by contractor Fluor. His actions likely prevented greater loss of life, but he suffered permanent disabilities, including a traumatic brain injury.

   After lower courts dismissed his lawsuit, VFW General Counsel John Muckelbauer filed amicus briefs at both the certiorari and merits stages, arguing that overly broad application of battlefield preemption denied service members meaningful legal recourse.

   "The Supreme Court's decision is a decisive affirmation that contractors cannot evade accountability when their actions fall outside authorized military direction," said Muckelbauer. "This ruling ensures that injured service members like Winston Hencely retain access to state-law tort claims - one of the only remaining avenues for legal accountability and meaningful recovery available to service members - particularly for incidents occurring in areas where safety should be paramount."

   The court's opinion, delivered by Justice Clarence Thomas, aligns closely with the VFW's arguments, rejecting blanket immunity for contractors and clarifying that federal law does not preempt state-law claims absent a clear conflict with federal interests. The decision narrows the scope of contractor immunity and reinforces the principle that negligence, especially in controlled environments, must be subject to legal scrutiny.

   The VFW emphasized that this outcome preserves accountability and strengthens protections for those who serve.

   "As advocates for veterans, service members, and their families, we remain committed to ensuring justice is not denied through overly broad legal doctrines," said Muckelbauer.

   The VFW will continue to monitor the case as it proceeds and stands ready to support efforts that uphold the rights and protections of America's service members.

   Read the full Supreme Court decision.

2. VFW Commends White House Executive Order Advancing Research, Access to Emerging Treatments

   WASHINGTON -The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) applauds President Trump for signing an executive order on Saturday aimed at accelerating alternative treatments for serious mental illness, a move the organization says could be transformative for veterans struggling with mental health challenges.

   The executive order, titled Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness, directs federal agencies, particularly the Departments of Veterans Affairs (VA), Health and Human Services and the Food and Drug Administration, to speed up research, approval pathways and clinical access to emerging treatments for serious mental illness. A central focus is expanding study and potential medical use of psychedelic-assisted therapies (e.g., psilocybin, MDMA), including issuing clearer guidance for clinical trials and reducing regulatory barriers.

   "For years, our members have prioritized research and clinical trials of alternative mental health treatments of all kinds," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "The VFW applauds President Trump for signing this important executive order, which seeks to cut through bureaucracy and deliver innovative treatments to veterans who need them."

   This marks a notable shift in federal policy from a cautious, tightly restricted approach to these substances toward a more proactive, innovation-driven model. While it does not immediately legalize new treatments, it accelerates the pipeline from research to patient access, signaling federal support for unconventional therapies, especially for conditions like PTSD, depression and other severe mental illnesses where existing treatments prove inadequate.

   "This executive order has been a long time coming and reflects years of advocacy from the veterans' community, especially from our partners at the Grunt Style Foundation," said Whitmore. "They have advocated that cocktails of pills alone are not enough to treat veterans' mental illnesses. That is why the stroke of the president's pen over the weekend has the potential to save lives today and into the future."

   Among those attending Saturday's executive order signing were former U.S. Navy SEALs and veteran advocates Rob O'Neill, Marcus Luttrell and Rep. Morgan Luttrell, a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

   "Innovative therapies have shown life-changing results in treating combat-related mental health injuries, especially where conventional treatments, like opioids, have fallen short," said Rep. Luttrell, who is also a Life member of the VFW. "If there's a chance to give our veterans their lives back, we have a responsibility to explore it. As a proud member of VFW Post 4709 in Conroe, TX, I appreciate the support of my hometown brothers and sisters and look forward to sharing these new therapies with them."

   "We were proud to see congressional champion for veterans' rights and fellow comrade Rep. Luttrell for this momentous occasion," said Whitmore. "He is a leader who truly listens to veterans and acts to get things done on their behalf."

   In March of this year, Whitmore spoke about on the topic during the VFW's annual legislative presentation to Congress, demonstrating the scope of the crisis as nearly every VFW and VFW Auxiliary member in attendance stood during the hearing before the House and Senate Veterans' Affairs Committees to show just how many veterans have been affected by suicide.

   This latest executive order is the latest win for congressional supporters and veteran advocates of emerging treatments, such as the Grunt Style Foundation who have led the effort to bring change to the VA policy on alternate modalities. Last year, President Trump signed an executive order recognizing legitimate medical uses and expanding research into medical marijuana and cannabidiol, a decision applauded by the VFW.

   The VFW remains committed to advancing innovative solutions that improve the health and well-being of America's veterans.

   "The VFW looks forward to working with the VA to ensure veterans can access the care they deserve," said Whitmore.

3. VFW Applauds VA for Resuming Electronic Health Record Rollout in Michigan

   WASHINGTON -The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) commends the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for resuming deployment of its Federal Electronic Health Record (EHR) system, with new implementations now live across multiple VA medical centers in Michigan.

   Announced in an April 13 VA news release, the Federal EHR system officially went live April 11 at VA facilities in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit and Saginaw, marking a critical step forward in modernizing veterans' health care delivery.

   "The VFW has long supported the modernization of VA's health record systems because veterans deserve a seamless, integrated and accessible health care experience," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "This rollout represents meaningful progress toward that goal, and we are encouraged to see VA taking a deliberate, improved approach after addressing earlier challenges."

   According to VA, the Federal EHR system aims to create a unified, interoperable record between the Department of Defense, VA and private-sector providers. Developed through a partnership with Oracle Health, this modernization is expected to reduce redundant testing, improve care coordination and allow clinicians to spend more time with patients instead of navigating outdated systems.

   The VFW has consistently advocated for the deployment of a modern electronic health record system that ensures continuity of care for service members transitioning to veteran status and throughout their lifetime. While the organization previously raised concerns about early implementation issues, it has remained steadfast in its belief that a properly executed system is essential to delivering 21st-century care.

   The VFW was most critical of VA's past outreach efforts to veterans in affected communities, which stifled past roll-out efforts where veterans did not know what to expect from the transition or how the initiative would benefit them in the long term. VA Deputy Secretary Paul Lawrence, who is responsible for the rollout, took this concern seriously and worked to personally oversee the outreach efforts leading up to the recent rollout.

   The VFW Department of Michigan also leaned forward to support the outreach effort, hosting multiple outreach events over the last few months at VFW Posts in the state where Lawrence, other VA leaders and Oracle Health met directly with Michigan's veterans. These events culminated the night before last week's rollout when VA Deputy Secretary Lawrence sat with Michigan veterans at VFW Post 6691, Fraser, Michigan, and discussed the benefits to be expected by veterans from full implementation of the Federal EHR.

   The organization is also helping facilitate feedback from veterans to both VA and Oracle to ensure the system is responsive to the needs of the veteran community.

   "Our role is to be the voice of the veteran," said VFW Department of Michigan State Commander Reinold Yahnka. "The VFW Department of Michigan is proud to stand alongside VA and its partners to make sure this rollout works for those it is intended to serve. That means educating veterans, identifying issues early and ensuring accountability every step of the way."

   The Michigan deployment is the first of 13 planned Federal EHR implementations in 2026, part of an accelerated schedule to bring a single, unified health record system to VA facilities nationwide. The VFW looks forward to playing a consistent role in VA and Oracle's proactive outreach to ensure a smooth transition to best serve veterans.

4. VFW Names 2026 Top National Teachers

   KANSAS CITY, Mo. -The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) is proud to announce the selection of the national top three teachers in its annual 2026 Smart/Maher VFW National Citizenship Education Teacher Award contest.

   Established in 1999 and named after former VFW National Commander John Smart and retired VFW Quartermaster General Larry Maher, the award recognizes America's top teachers for their exceptional commitment to imparting the value of Americanism and patriotism to their students by promoting civic responsibility, flag etiquette and community service in their classroom.

   Awarded annually, the VFW recognizes one teacher to represent the elementary (K-5), middle (6-8) and high school (9-12) levels. Each teacher will receive a $1,000 award for professional development and $1,000 for their school.

   Elizabeth Lee, a science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) K-5 teacher at Ranson Elementary School in Ranson, West Virginia, was chosen as the elementary school winner for her dedication and focus on service, respect, empathy and civic responsibility built into her teaching. She is known for hosting initiatives like neighborhood clean-ups, food drives and collecting supplies for local animal shelters in need, in addition to planning family STEAM nights that help strengthen student learning and build a stronger community. Lee was sponsored by VFW Post 3522 in Charles Town, West Virginia.

   Selected to represent the middle school level, Tammy Gipson is a teacher at St. Joseph Catholic School in McPherson, Kansas, and was chosen for her desire to bring the world and history to life in her classroom, and for her dedication to teaching the value and importance of community service, military service and civic duty. From bringing in local military and veteran families to discuss the meaning of Veterans Day and putting up a "Veteran's Wall of Fame" with students writing letters to veterans, to organizing mock elections and hosting a piece of the World Trade Center from 9/11 to ensure newer generations never forget, her work with her students and the community continues to push the bar higher for her peers. Gipson was sponsored by VFW Post 2715 and its Auxiliary in McPherson, Kansas.

   Selected to represent the high school level, Jeron Velasco, a high school teacher at Dishchii'Bikoh High School in Cibecue, Arizona, was chosen for his ability to transform history into a living dialogue of democracy, civic responsibility and community empowerment and support. A Filipino educator with American roots and the grandson of a veteran, Velasco bridges cultures through his Heroes of Cibecue project where students research, write and publish a book preserving the untold military service stories of White Mountain Apache veterans. Velasco was sponsored by White Mountain Area VFW Post 9907 and Auxiliary in Show Low, Arizona.

   "To be a VFW Teacher of the Year requires a special blend of heart, resourcefulness and a deep-seated love of country, and teachers like Elizabeth, Tammy and Jeron represent the gold standard of education," said VFW National Commander Carol Whitmore. "When instructors of this caliber inspire students through passionate, innovative and community-engaged teaching, not only do they embody the very best of the teaching profession, they also prove that education remains the cornerstone of a strong democracy."

   Each of the three national recipients will be presented with a $1,000 award for professional development and $1,000 for their school during the 127th VFW National Convention in Reno, Nevada, July 25-29, 2026. Nominate a deserving teacher you know for the 2027 Teacher of the Year at vfw.org/TeacheroftheYear.

5. VFW 2026 National Youth Scholarship Winners Announced

   PHILADELPHIA - Earlier today the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) proudly named the national winners of its 2025-2026 Voice of Democracy^® and Patriot's Pen^® youth scholarship competitions as it presented more than $176,000 in national scholarships and awards.

   For the first time in two decades, the national winners were announced at a special 79th annual Parade of Winners ceremony at the historic Union League of Philadelphia during the winners' trip to Founding Forward's Spirit of America Youth Leadership experience at Valley Forge. The trip, awarded to every VFW Department (state) winner, was sponsored by Twisted X.

   VFW Junior Vice Commander Glenn Umberger Jr. and VFW Auxiliary President Lois Callahan were joined by Twisted X Senior Director of Sales Clayton Smith to announce this year's winners, presenting the national first place Voice of Democracy top $35,000 T.C. Selman Memorial Scholarship prize to Olivia Drewniak.

   Following the announcement, Drewniak delivered her winning essay on this year's thought-provoking theme, "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?" Read her winning essay. Drewniak, a high school senior at Morse High School in Bath, Maine, was sponsored by VFW Post 7738 in Bath.

   Second place winner Kylie Saltzman, a senior at Lower Cape May Regional High School in Cape May, New Jersey, was awarded the $21,000 Charles Kuralt Memorial Scholarship. She was sponsored by VFW Post 386 in Cape May. Abigail Smith, a junior homeschool student in Bloomington, Indiana, was sponsored by VFW Post 604 and its Auxiliary in Bloomington and received the third place $15,000 VFW Scholarship.

   The Parade of Winners presented $176,500 in national scholarships, with this year's contest awarding more than $1.6 million combined at the local, Department and national levels. All Department winners received a college scholarship worth at least $1,000.

   Also featured during today's awards ceremony was the 2026 Patriot's Pen first place winner, Andrew Ge. Sponsored by VFW Post 75 in Danville, California, Ge was awarded the top first place Patriot's Pen award of $5,000 and delivered his winning essay addressing the same theme, "How Are You Showing Patriotism and Support for Our Country?" Read his winning essay.

   The Patriot's Pen second place winner, Michael Sieniawski, sponsored by VFW Post 1337 located in Mount Prospect, Illinois, will receive a $4,000 award, while third place winner Brandon Darnell, sponsored by VFW Post 5738 located in Clare, Michigan, will receive a $3,500 award.

   The VFW is now accepting entries for its 80th annual Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Pen competitions. To win a share of nearly $2.7 million in scholarships and awards, middle and high school students must answer "What a Veteran Taught Me About America." The deadline to enter is Oct. 31, 2026. To read more about the contests or download the entry form, visit vfw.org/YouthScholarships.

   See the complete list of all 2026 Voice of Democracy and Patriot's Penwinners.