Auxiliary Officers 2025-2026
Marlene Pacheco – President
Nancy Wilson – Senior Vice President
Bob Torres – Junior Vice President
Cheryl Pietsch – Secretary
Theresa Chavez – Treasurer
Amy Wong – Chaplain
Pam Wozniak - Conductress
Laura Gurk - Guard
Trustees
Tony Moreland - 1-year Trustee
Theresa Hixson - 2-year Trustee
Rose Hoagland - 3-year Trustee
We are the nation’s oldest veterans’ service organization auxiliary. For more than 100 years, we have been serving veterans, service members and their families in countless ways. Millions of hours, millions of dollars and millions of tributes.
THIS IS WHO WE ARE.
Since 1914, the VFW Auxiliary has united individuals from all walks of life with a common purpose: to improve the lives of veterans, service members, their families and our communities.
Our programs are designed to bring needed services, information and assistance to these target groups. Take a tour through our programs and learn how you can join us and make a difference in the lives of veterans, service members and their families.
What we do
AMERICANISM | AUXILIARY OUTREACH | “Buddy”® Poppy & VFW National Home | Historian & Media Relations | Hospital |
Promotes Patriotism by celebrating America’s Patriotic Days. | Participation in walks that benefit other organizations as an event spotter, water station volunteer, timekeeper, etc. (Walking or running in the race is not part of Auxiliary Outreach.) | Promotes and Supports the VFW “Buddy”® Poppy Program
The VFW was the first veteran's organization to organize a nationwide distribution of poppies before Memorial Day in 1922. | The Historian & Media Relations Program encompasses memory keeping and collecting the five Ws: the who-what-where-when and-why of an Auxiliary. | Promotes volunteerism of members, non-members, youth and families in local hospitals, veterans’ homes, nursing homes, domiciliaries and both VA and non-VA medical centers and clinics. |
Teaches respect and proper care for the U.S. Flag. | Working with local police on child ID kits. | The Poppy program also partially supports the VFW National Home. | Members involved with this program compile and chronicle memories and events in written format, photographs, memorabilia and print news/video clips. | Visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research & Development for information and printable fact sheets of key areas being studied by VA researchers. |
Brings attention to Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action by hosting POW/MIA ceremonies to both educate the public and honor these special veterans. | Working with parks and recreation departments to plant trees, adopt-a-park initiatives and develop community art installations. | Promotes and Supports the VFW National Home which helps military and veteran families who need a fresh start. Families can live there rent-free for up to four years | Spread the word about our valuable National Programs and how we are making a positive impact in the lives of veterans, service members and their families across the country. | |
Missing Man Table CeremonY | Working with firefighters on fire safety and prevention. As well as Working with EMTs to host CPR training. | Promotes the National Home Helpline which is the first step on the path to help for military and veteran families. Contact the Helpline at 800.313.4200 or help@vfwnationalhome.org. | | |
Legislative | Membership | Scholarships | Veterans & Family Support | Youth Activities |
Promotes the VFW Priority Goals which reflect the resolutions passed by the VFW to strengthen and ensure an adequate VA system for millions of current and future veterans. | The VFW Auxiliary stated with a small group of women who wanted to serve veterans. Today, we have nearly 470,000 male and female members and more than 3,500 Auxiliaries representing all 50 states, the Philippines, Panama and Guam. | Promotes and conducts the VFW Auxiliary Continuing Education Scholarship program which is open to any VFW Auxiliary member (who has belonged for at least a year), his/her spouse, son or daughter with a financial need. | Offers support for veterans, service members and their families. Our Veterans & Family Support Resource Card includes a list of 20 organizations and agencies that offer support to veterans, service members and their families. | Sponsors and works with youth groups such as:
Youth sports teams
Faith-based youth groups
After-school programs
School clubs
Home-school associations
Youth community service groups
Nonprofit organizations youth advisory councils |
Promotes Action Corps who stay informed and up-to-date on issues facing our veterans, our military and their families by signing up to receive the VFW’s Action Corps Weekly e-newsletter. The VFW Action Corps is free and open to all patriotic Americans who care about the military and veterans’ communities. | Membership in the VFW Auxiliary is an excellent way to show your support of America’s veterans. We encourage members to participate. And invite non-member to join us as we work to improve the lives of veterans, service members, their families and communities across this great nation. | Promotes and conducts the VFW Auxiliary Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest and the 3-Dimensional Patriotic Art Contest. These contests are open to students, including home-schooled students, in grades 9-12. | Promotes Veteran and Military Suicide Awareness and Prevention. Each day, an estimated 20 veterans commit suicide. You can help lower this number and make a difference in the life of a veteran or service member in crisis by educating yourself and others about the warning signs of suicide. | Promotes Patriotism through Literacy
Introduces youth to historical figures and teaches them about events in our nation’s history while fostering a love of reading that can lead to a lifetime of learning |
Encourages all citizens to exercise their right to vote and contact legislators regarding issues impacting veterans and their families.
| Your membership dues support the VFW Auxiliary’s original objectives by supporting the Veterans of Foreign Wars, serving veterans, service members and their families, and spreading patriotism nationwide. | Promotes and supports the VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest. This contest is open to all students, including home-schooled students, in grades 6-8. | Promotes VFW’s National Veterans Service (NVS) which helps veterans, service members and their families obtain the benefits they deserve – free of charge - with the assistance of a VA-accredited VFW Service Officer to navigate the Veterans Affairs system each year. Service officers assist all veterans, whether they are VFW members or not, in filing various claims. | We encourage and reward patriotism through Random Acts of Patriotism (R.A.P.) If a child, elementary age or younger, is seen thanking a veteran, properly placing their hand on their heart during the Pledge of Allegiance or involved in some other activity that promotes patriotism, we suggest giving them a R.A.P. card. |
| | Promotes and supports the VFW Voice of Democracy Audio-Essay Contest. This contest is open to all students, including home-schooled students, in grades 9-12. | Promotes VFW’s Veterans & Military Support Programs which serve active-duty and recently discharged members of the military. | Recognizes youth and youth groups for their efforts and service projects honoring veterans, service members and their families. |
| | | The Military Assistance Program helps provide financial assistance to VFW Post and Auxiliaries to sponsor troop send-offs, homecomings and get-togethers as well as Adopt-A-Unit and Family Readiness Groups. | Promotes and conducts the Illustrating America Art Contest |