VFW stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars — in full, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. It is a large, old American organisation (founded in 1899) for people who served in the United States military in a war or campaign overseas. That last part is the whole point of the name: it is not for every ex-soldier, only for those who were sent abroad and earned a campaign medal for it. The group helps its members claim the benefits the government owes them, gives money and support to military families, and pushes politicians on veterans' issues. Say each letter: V-F-W. It is almost always written with capitals and no dots. Where a learner will really meet the word is as a place: nearly every small American town has a VFW post — a building owned by the local branch, usually with a bar, a hall, and a car park. Because it is often the biggest hall in town and cheap to rent, people hold wedding receptions, funeral lunches, bingo nights, pancake breakfasts, and small concerts there. So in American speech, 'the VFW' or 'the VFW hall' frequently means simply that building: 'The meeting's at the VFW.' You will also see VFW members outside supermarkets before Memorial Day handing out little red paper poppies for donations. This is a strictly American word — it means nothing in Britain or Australia, and outside the United States you would need to explain it.