Community & Post Activites

VOICE OF DEMOCRACY - Youth Scholarship

Since 1947, the Voice of Democracy has been the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ (VFW’s) premier scholarship program. Each year, nearly 80,000 high school students compete for more than $2 million in scholarships and incentives. Students compete by writing and recording an audio essay on an annual patriotic theme, that changes year to year. Post 8180 supports Voice of Democracy by promoting the program throughout the Osan AB school system with many submissions every year.

PATRIOT'S PEN - Youth Scholarship

Each year, nearly 68,800 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest for a chance to win their share of more than $1.4 million in state and national awards. Each first place state winner receives a minimum of $500 at the national level, and the national first place winner wins $5,000! The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief. Our VFW Post 8180 assists Osan AB Junior High students with applications ensuring they get turned in by midnight, Oct. 31 each year.

SCOUTING PROGRAMS

Chartering organization for local Boy Scouts of America Troops 86 and 38, and Cub Scout Pack 86. Also work closely with the local Osan Girl Scouts, Air Force JR. ROTC Unit KO951, and Osan Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Cadet Sq NHQ-801. These youth organizations assist and participate in our VFW activities, including the Hill 180 Ceremony, Buddy Poppy, Armed Forces Day Parade and more.

PATRIOTIC DAYS

VFW Post 8180 is a key contributor to the many American Patriotic Day events held on Osan AB to include marching in parades, setting up information and food booths, donations, and recruiting new members of todays military.

PUBLIC COMMEMORATIONS

Supporting Task Force Smith, Hill 180 Memorial.

ROK/U.S. FRIENDSHIP FESTIVALS

Two day festivals hosted by the Songtan Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the friendship between the ROK and the United States. Post 8180 participates providing food at our VFW booth complimenting the live music, dance and martial arts during this family friendly event.

OTHER POST ACTIVITIES

• Formal induction ceremonies for all new members that includes the oath, Cross of Malta ceremony and presentation of the Cross of Malta pin and VFW coin
  
• Membership drives: Post 8180 is the largest Post in the Pacific and has the highest turnover of its military members (most with 1-year tours) and the largest number of “continuous members” to recruit for the VFW’s retention goals. Several membership drives are held every year.
• VFW Voice of Democracy, Patriot Pen and Teacher’s Awards are programs that celebrate education from scholarship chances toward college for Middle and High School students to awarding teachers that promote civic responsibility, flag etiquette and patriotism.
• VFW Post 8180 works closely with base leadership to support military personnel with donations, relief funds support and community involvement.
• Achieve excellent rapport with community organizations such as the Songtan Chamber of Commerce, Chief’s Group, NCO Association and 1st Sergeants Group, which improves our outreach to the community.
• Supports the Military Order of the Cooties by operating the M.O.C. Pup Tent #8.
• Active participant in Departments Special Programs (EMT/Law Enforcement/Fire Fighter).
• Supports the local Girl Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.
• Teams up with the Osan AB USO throughout the year to provide a free lunch for the base populace, as well as travel to Kunsan AB, which does not have a USO, to do the same.
• Hosts the annual District 3 meetings.
• Attends the annual Major Bonifas and 1st Lt. Barrett Memorial Services, attended by the United States Ambassador and the Commander, USFK.
• Buddy Poppy drives throughout year to support veterans. Among all the flowers that evoke the memories and emotions of war is the red poppy, which became associated with war after the publication of a poem written by Col. John McCrae of Canada. The poem, "In Flander's Field" describes blowing red fields among the battleground of the fallen. The VFW was the first veterans' organization to adopt the poppy and develop a national distribution campaign. For more than 75 years, the VFW's Buddy Poppy program has raised millions of dollars in support of veterans' welfare and the well-being of their dependents.  More on the Buddy Poppy program 
• Every July is the Task Force Smith Ceremony, remembering the first U.S. ground engagement with North Korea. The memorial and museum is only a short drive from Osan AB, down the business (little) 1 between the cities of Osan and Suwon http://www.nj.gov/military/korea/factsheets/tfsmith.html.
• Every October is the Korean American Friendship Festival, which we have a food booth in.
• Veteran’s Day parade
  In November 1919, President Wilson proclaimed November 11 as the first commemoration of Armistice Day with the following words: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" An Act (52 Stat. 351; 5 U. S. Code, Sec. 87a) approved May 13, 1938, made the 11th of November in each year a legal holiday—a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as "Armistice Day." Armistice Day was primarily a day set aside to honor veterans of World War I, but in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress, at the urging of the veterans’ service organizations, amended the Act of 1938 by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." With the approval of this legislation (Public Law 380) on June 1, 1954, November 11th became a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
  For more Veterans Day history go to https://www.va.gov/opa/vetsday/vetdayhistory.asp
• Thanksgiving and Christmas day feasts at the post home that the whole family can attend for free. There is also the Super Bowl breakfast.
• Hill 180 Ceremony every February This ceremony remembers the Medal of Honor earning bayonet charge by Capt Millet and his men on what is now Osan AB.
• Every May is the Armed Forces Day parade.
  On August 31, 1949, Secretary of Defense Louis Johnson announced the creation of an Armed Forces Day to replace separate Army, Navy and Air Force Days. The single-day celebration stemmed from the unification of the Armed Forces under one department -- the Department of Defense. Each of the military leagues and orders was asked to drop sponsorship of its specific service day in order to celebrate the newly announced Armed Forces Day. The Army, Navy and Air Force leagues adopted the newly formed day. The Marine Corps League declined to drop support for Marine Corps Day but supports Armed Forces Day, also. For more Armed Forces Day history go to http://afd.defense.gov/History/

GOLF TOURNAMENT EVENTS

The post sponsors numerous golf tournaments throughout the year and The Lakes at Osan Golf Course, OSan AB. This includes the annual James T. Price Memorial Golf Tournament in memory of our own MSgt (Ret) James Price, a Tuskegee Airmen, one of the founders of our post (originally post 10216), and a distinguished member of the local and Osan AB communities.