VFW At Work

1. 'An Opportunity to Catch My Breath'

   Jane Smith* served for four years in the military. She began attending college while she was still enlisted to get her degree quicker and is now enrolled at California State University, Northridge.

   Smith's life changed after she discovered the VFW's "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship" during a Google search for scholarships for veterans. She thanks everyone who made this opportunity possible.

   "Living in an inflated economy isn't easy, and doing laps in the revolving door of poverty while trying to get ahead to make something of yourself is exhausting," she said.

   Smith encourages other veterans to utilize the GI Bill and to ask their guidance counselors plenty of questions. She says that campus veterans resource centers can also be helpful by allowing students to connect with other enrolled veterans. Even just a phone call, or several, can move students in the right direction.

   "If it's so overwhelming that you feel stuck, get on the phone. Keep calling until you find that person who holds the key to the information. They will help you get through some of the noise," Smith said.

   Smith studies cinema and television arts and hopes to work in directing or producing. She considers herself a creative with a knack for organization and management.

   "Without the scholarship, I couldn't afford even one class," Smith said. "It provides relief while achieving my educational goals by giving me an opportunity to catch my breath."

   *Not her real name. She prefers to remain anonymous.

   Learn more about the VFW's "Sport Clips Help A Hero Scholarship."

2. Above and Beyond for Veterans

   Former Staff Sergeant Donna L. Jefferies, 64, lived in constant pain.

   She lived with limited mobility and dexterity challenges for 44 years after serving in the Air Force and National Guard.

   "I come from a military family," Jefferies said. "My father served in the United States Army during World War II. My brother served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. I have always admired the military, and I wanted to serve my country."

   Five years of active duty in the Air Force - and then serving in the Pennsylvania and Arizona National Guards - resulted in injuries encompassing her back, a finger, an ankle, an arm, and a knee. For many years, she was unaware of the resources available to her as a veteran.

   However, once she started working with VFW Accredited Service Officer Zachary "Zac" Lee in late 2023, Jefferies' life changed for the better.

   "Zac walked me through the process of filing a claim," said Jefferies. "He answered any question I had. He was so professional and concerned about how I was doing. That meant so much to me."

   The VFW's trained and Accredited Service Officers, like Lee, are a lifeline for veterans and their families in need of assistance. Jefferies actively encourages others to seek help through the VFW's National Veterans Service (NVS).

   "I have talked to several of my friends who are veterans and have recommended that they talk with the people at the VFW about filing a disability claim," she said.

   Jefferies also expressed how much better she feels physically, now that she has access to veterans' resources. Her back pain, for example, is now being treated monthly with acupuncture at the VA hospital. What was once a pain level of eight is now down to level two, she said.

   Jefferies is not hesitant to credit Lee's help for her improved situation.

   "He will go above and beyond to get his veterans the assistance they need, whether that is financial, medical or any other benefits they may be entitled to," she said of Lee. "He will do whatever he can to help them. He is truly an asset to the VFW and a blessing to the veterans he helps."

   Learn more about the VFW's National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

3. 'I Love My Job'

   "I had a career where I left and did everything in the world and then came back here," Norman Machelor said.

   "Here" is Lewiston, New York, where Machelor was born 80 years ago and lives now with his wife, Mary. The two met as students at the University of Buffalo and wed before graduation. Machelor joined the Army soon after that.

   Continuing a Family Tradition

   "I chose to enlist because there was a passion there," he said. "For one thing, my dad served in World War II as an infantry officer. So, that's what I wanted to do, too."

   Like his father, Machelor was selected for Officer Candidate School (OCS). In 1968, he joined the 51st OCS Company and also completed Jump School at Fort Benning. He went on to train other soldiers for a year before being deployed to Vietnam as a platoon leader. After an injury left him disabled, Machelor returned home to work for his father. Eventually, he took over the business and sold it after 25 years.

   Machelor spent the next 10 years working for the governor of New York as the deputy director of government affairs for the Division of Military and Naval Affairs. After that, he began a new job with the VA.

   "I was a claims examiner with the VA, which was a computer job," Machelor said. "It was interesting, and I learned a lot, but I never interacted with veterans, which I didn't like."

   'We Talk and We Talk and We Talk to Figure Out What's Wrong'

   In 2020, Machelor was recruited to work for the VFW as a VFW Accredited Service Officer.

   "Of course, no sooner I got hired than COVID hit," he said. "Fortunately, they let us work from home, so I've been doing a hybrid job ever since."

   Much like in the National Guard and Reserve, VFW Accredited Service Officers, like Machelor, must attend two weeks of continuing education training annually to retain both VA certification and access to veterans' records.

   Whether Machelor is working remotely, at the VA regional office, or at the VA hospital, he gets to work directly with veterans, just like he always wanted to do.

   "Basically," Machelor explained, "the two elements of the job are getting people into the VA claims system and then researching their cases to get them the best benefits possible.

   "We talk and talk and talk with veterans to figure out what's wrong, how it happened and all the rest. Then, we submit paperwork. We try not to promise them anything because we can't. But if the VA's decision is negative, we go back through the paperwork to see why and how we can appeal the claim."

   Regardless of how a claim plays out, Machelor's support is unwavering.

   'Of Course, He Comes to Me, His Service Officer'

   "The veterans we assist remain clients forever," Machelor said. "There are people I worked with years ago who call me to reopen their case because a condition progressed. That's a big part of what we do.

   "For instance, one guy received VA disability for diabetes in 2020. Now," Machelor explained, "it's progressed to where he needs insulin instead of pills. He's eligible to ask for an increase in benefits. So, of course, he comes to me, his service officer."

   In addition to helping veterans, Machelor has noticed that many of their family members are unprepared in the event of a death. He encourages veterans to act before it is too late.

   "Many of them just aren't aware that, generally, their benefits stop upon their death. I know which spouses may be eligible for continued benefits in the event of the veteran's demise and call to inform them to prepare to contact me right after their spouse passes," he said.

   I Say to My Wife, 'I Rang the Bell'

   While reflecting on the veterans and families he has helped, Machelor said, "Every once in a while, I'll tell my wife, 'I love my job.' She'll say, 'Yeah, I know you do.'

   "That doesn't mean it can't be frustrating. But when I was younger, I wanted to go to law school. Even though I'm not a lawyer, this job gives me the chance to represent veterans."

   In one instance, Machelor was able to secure $80,000 in back pay for an individual. In another, he helped an 80-year-old, who had never received assistance, get benefits that he could use to address his prostate cancer. And just recently, Machelor started the paperwork for a Vietnam veteran who is applying for benefits for himself so his wife can be eligible for a pension when he dies.

   When asked how doing this work makes him feel, Machelor said, "Well, I had cancer. And when you battle cancer successfully, you ring a bell. So, a lot of days after I leave my office and get home, I say to my wife, 'I rang the bell' because I was able to change someone's life."

   Learn more about the VFW's National Veterans Service (NVS) program.

4. 'We're All Brothers and Sisters'

   On May 23, a brand new statue was unveiled just a few steps away from the front doors of VFW Post 9186 in San Antonio, Texas.

   "The Price of Freedom" is a bronze statue depicting three soldiers - two men, who are embraced shoulder-to-shoulder, carrying one another, and a woman, who is providing close support from behind. It stands adjacent to the Post's flagpole, atop a marble pedestal on the corner of Padre Drive and VFW Boulevard.

   Each soldier symbolizes a different armed conflict that the U.S. has been involved with. The soldier in the center represents the Vietnam and Korean Wars, the soldier to his left represents WWII and the soldier standing behind the pair represents the Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan Wars.

   "We're all brothers and sisters, regardless of the conflict or war we served in," said Antonio "Tony" Ramon, commander of Chapter 1836 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart when asked about the significance of the statue representing different eras.

   The original idea for a statue came from Vietnam veteran and local artist Michael Boyett, who served as an infantryman in Vietnam. Boyett created the original design for the statue, however after Boyett's death in April 2015, the project was put on hiatus.

   Ramon, along with the rest of Chapter 1836, eventually picked up the project. They wanted a memorial that emphasized different eras of U.S. military conflicts. However, the project was put on hiatus once again when they began to have trouble establishing a location for the statue.

   After connecting with Post 9186, they were able to coordinate the statue to be placed in the Veterans Memorial Garden, just outside the doors to the Post.

   To help pay for the statue, the Post began to hold fundraisers. However, once news of the statue reached the ears of Michael Lynd, who served as a first lieutenant during the Vietnam War and founded Lynd Management Group, he offered to pay for the whole statue - so long as "he could get one of his own." Lynd's statue, "Vet Fully Loaded," can be found outside the Lynd corporate office in San Antonio.

   The unveiling ceremony of "The Price of Freedom" at Post 9186 was a success. San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, along with retired Army major general and Medal of Honor recipient Pat Brady, were guest speakers at the event, which included Harlandale High School JROTC members presenting colors and mariachi performers from Southwest High School.

   Post members took an immediate liking to the statue.

   "Words cannot describe how beautiful this statue is," said past-VFW Post 9186 Commander Ralph Alvarado. "All of us at VFW Post 9186 are proud to have erected this statue on the grounds of our Memorial Garden."

   Ramon praised the cooperation between the Military Order of the Purple Heart and VFW.

   "It was an awesome ceremony," said Ramon said. "The Purple Heart and VFW worked together as a team. Different organizations can get together to accomplish something for these veterans."

   This article is featured in the 2026 January/February issue of VFW magazine, and was written by Danny Cook, senior writer for VFW magazine.

5. Southwest Ohio VFW Memorial Team

   On April 24, 1966, VFW Post 6069 in Lebanon, Ohio, hosted a meeting with 12 members from four other Posts to discuss the formation of a burial detail. After several names were suggested, all members present voted unanimously to adopt the name "VFW Memorial Team."

   For the last 60 years, the Southwest Ohio VFW Memorial Team has worked closely with numerous area funeral homes, veteran service officers, active-duty military funeral details, and cemeteries to provide military honors for thousands of local deceased veterans.

   Working with more than 20 partners in and around their communities, the VFW Memorial Team currently serves Clermont, Hamilton, Warren, Butler and Brown Counties in Ohio, as well as Kenton County in Northern Kentucky.

   In 2025, the VFW Memorial Team conducted a record 206 services with honors, including 11 veterans of World War II, 20 from the Korean War, 41 from Vietnam, as well as three from both the Gulf War and the Global War on Terrorism.

   Families usually receive these services either through a referral from their funeral directors when making burial arrangements, or by contacting the Team directly, most often through their county Veteran Service Office or by word of mouth. Proof of military service, such as a DD-214, is required.

   The team does not charge deceased veterans' families, and no team member receives any compensation for their services. While the services are free, the team does accept donations to help cover expenses.

   In addition to a folded U.S. Flag, the VFW Memorial Team also gives families a parchment-style certificate of remembrance, a bronze burial medallion, and some of the spent shell casings from the rounds that our rifle team fired that day in honor of their loved one's service to our nation.

   The average age of the 21-member team is 69 years, with every branch of service represented, except the Space Force. Team members are affiliated with several different local VFW and American Legion Posts, with the team's headquarters at VFW Post 9630 in Willowville, Ohio.

   This April, the team will be hosting a "60 Years of Service Celebration Dinner" in Cincinnati.

   For more information on the Southwest Ohio VFW Memorial Team, visit www.swohiovfwmemorialteam.org.

   This article is featured in the 2025 December issue of Checkpoint. If you're a VFW member and don't currently receive the VFW Checkpoint, please contact VFW magazine at magazine@vfw.org. This articlewas submitted by Randy Fannin, Commander, SW Ohio VFW Memorial Team.