“I am sure if these listed on the memorial had been with us they would have joined our VFW Post,” said Ruiz. So, although there is a ban from the national organization on having honorary post memberships, Ruiz said those generations of Santa Paulans lost in war are honorary members of Mercer-Prieto VFW Post 2043. Following the announcement, Ruiz called the name of each listed on the monument and Rey Frutos of the VFW called out “Here!” in reply to each.
The Veterans of Foreign Wars has its roots in 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 returned home wounded or sick, only to find they were on their own as there was no medical care or veterans’ pension for them.
The mission of the VFW is to foster camaraderie among United States veterans of overseas conflicts, “to serve our veterans, the military, and our communities,” and to advocate on behalf of all veterans. The organization’s vision is “To ensure that veterans are respected for their service, always receive their earned entitlements, and are recognized for the sacrifices they and their loved ones have made on behalf of this great country.”
The core values of the VFW is to always put the interests of the members first, treat donors as partners, promote patriotism, honor military service, ensure the care of veterans and their families, serve the communities and promote a positive image of the VFW. The VFW also believes that the diversity of veterans’ opinions must always be respected.
