MARSHA YOUNG

Marsha Young, who is both Vice Chairman and state chairman of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) National Outreach Program. For the last several months she has spent hundreds of hours traveling throughout Missouri attending deployment ceremonies of active duty, reserve and National Guard units and specifically talking with the family members. With state VFW support she has been promoting the recognition of these families through the distribution of the Blue Star Program and has been connecting needy military families with local resources. Her volunteer effort is what the recent White House initiative, “On the Home front,” is requesting from all Americans.

Marsha Young, a Gulf War Veteran who was assigned to a medical unit, is an excellent example of a citizen soldier – served her country in wartime and now is serving her country by helping her fellow citizens.

The VFW and Ladies Auxiliary provides support through citizenship education, community service and youth programs that benefit communities where over 9100 posts are located. This past year the VFW lead in supporting our military and their families through their VFW Military Assistance Program (MAP), assisting thousands of troops through the Adopt A Unit Program, distributing over 1 million free telephone cards to military personnel and their families in the past few months through “Operation Uplink” and providing emergency relief in many forms. Many groups and businesses around the country have supported their MAP program and include the NFL, Wal-Mart, First Book, etc. Recently they were highlighted by the USA Freedom Corps as an important partner in the White House “On the Homefront” initiative.

The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. (VFW) is the oldest and largest American organization of military veterans who have served in combat or imminent danger areas. The 2.6 million members of the VFW and its Ladies Auxiliary annually contribute over 16 million volunteer hours and $60 million to local community service projects.