VFWs never, ever endorse candidates

Let us be very clear: VFW does not, will not and cannot endorse any political candidate. Does everyone understand that?

According to federal law, the Veterans of Foreign Wars cannot legally endorse candidates. We lose our charter if we do.

Anyone claiming that the VFW is endorsing a particular candidate is deceiving you. I am sure that the Daily Herald had honest intentions in its Sept. 18 headline declaring "VFW backs..." But it is just not true.

Each VFW member makes up his or her own mind on candidates and casts his or her own secret ballot vote.

Anyone claiming to speak for them or the VFW as a whole is "swift boating" the other guy. That same tactic was employed in the 2006 election. How wonderful it was back then for them to say, "The VFW doesn't even support one of their own wounded veterans."

Yes, after careful study, we at the VFW often do take a stand on veteran's issues and issues that support our troops. We would be remiss if we did not. We can legally do that and of course we should.

A splinter group that calls itself a "Political Action Committee" often comes to the various VFW posts for financial support and I guess since we by membership vote sometimes approve money for them, they assume they own us.

They do not seek our advice, they do not poll our members and they do not represent the VFW membership. They represent only themselves whoever they may be.

This might not be the best of times for them to come to us again with their hand out.

Joseph Russell Vannier

Commander, VFW Post 5151

Hoffman Estates